planting celery, celery root, kohlrabi, broccoli

Emily and Arthur in the fields. photos by Kara Blossom

Spring Farm Hands

Emily Wissemann and Reah Siegel, 18 year-olds, from Hastings-On-Hudson, NY. Emily and Reah are here in Andes for 2 weeks as part of a senior internship project from Hastings HighSchool.

photo by Kara Blossom

ready for work!

photo by kara blossom

ramp kimchee prep

Jen Warren and Roberto "What the Fox" Lucini putting the AMP in rAMP.
photo by Kara Blossom

potato planting

Planted about a 1/2 acre of the finest austrian crescent and assorted fingerling potatoes.

In this photo, David Turan, from MKNHP, Roberto Lucini, WWOOFER, and John Dalessi, artist.
Photos by Tianna Kennedy

mondu and kimbop

Michael Kudish Natural History Preserve

We took a break from the fields and joined Dr. Michael Kudish and Dave Turan for a hike through the foreest of the Mike Kudish Natural History Preserve in Stamford, NY

As a professor emeritus in the Division of Forestry at Paul Smith's College, he has also written four books on the vegetation of the Adirondacks, including Adirondack Upland Flora, The Catskill Forest: A History and a number of articles on forest history of both the Catskills and Adirondacks

The following is an except from “The Catskill Forest: A History” Purple Mountain Press, 2000:

“ …{h}e began a life-long study of the history of these forests, beginning with Vegetation History of the Catskill High Peaks, his dissertation at the New York State College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse University in 1971. In the intervening 39 years, his study has expanded to include an examination of Catskills soils, climate, ecological personalities of tree species, human disturbance and history, and the history recorded in the rings of living and just-fallen trees. Such examination could push the clock back only 300 to 400 years, the maximum age of the oldest living trees and of the writings of European settlers. In 1994, he realized that tree fossils preserved at high-elevation peat bogs also could be used to reconstruct forest history and that the age of the peat could be determined by radiocarbon dating. Forest history has now been pushed back to 14,000 years”

photos by kara blossom

Inula helenium +Cimicifuga racemosa

Inula helenium-L aka Elecampane
Perennial growing to 1.5m by 1m. It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies). The plant is self-fertile. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil. Our two crowns were ordered from FEDCO and were grown in Maine.
Elecampane has a long history of use as a medicinal herb. A gently warming and tonic herb, it is especially effective in treating coughs, consumption, bronchitis and many other complaints of the chest as well as disorders of the digestive system.














Cimicifuga Racemosa-L aka Black cohosh
Perennial growing to 1.5m by 0.6m. It is hardy to zone 4. It is in flower from July to October, and the seeds ripen from August to October. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland). It requires moist soil.

Black cohosh is a traditional remedy of the North American Indians where it was used mainly to treat women's problems, especially painful periods and problems associated with the menopause[254]. A popular and widely used herbal remedy, it is effective in the treatment of a range of diseases[4]. Also, both the growing and the dried plant can be used to repel bugs and fleas[211]. Our 2 crowns were were purchased from FEDCO, MOFGA organic

Info above from Plants for a Future

[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[211] Coventry. B. O. Wild Flowers of Kashmir Raithby, Lawrence and Co. 1923
A nice little pocket guide to 50 wildflowers of Kashmir.
[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.

SHIITAKE success!

check the size of this shiitake! Our mushroom growing experiment started in 2008. Last season we harvested a meager 15-20 shiitakes, but judging by the size/weight of the latest one to appear, we might to on to something...

spring snow

We had snow this weekend, hopefully the fruit tree buds adapted to the wintery conditions.

flock of sheep

Our friend in Gilboa, NY has given us her flock of sheep. We are looking at one Ram and 2 Ewes and 3 lambs. We are on the way to sheep milk/cheese, wool and meat.

chicken flock

The chickens started laying eggs last week. a couple of fresh eggs for breakfast is a perfect way to start a day at the farm. The chickens spend most of the time indoors where their feed is, plus they don't like the snow. This flock is 1 rooster, 3 retired hens and 2 layer hens.

bunnies in the barn

7 Flemish giants, 5 bucks and 2 does. These bunnies are 3 months old and at full maturity will weigh in at 20-24 lbs. GIANTS!

feeding the lambs

Moo had mastitis and was unable to milk her lambs during her treatment. so, 3 times a day someone had to march up the hill and feed the lambs. here is Dorothea Braemer ( executive director of Squeeky Wheel) nursing our 2 lambs and Andes Sprouts first artist in residence Stefani Bardin.

Hang a Wreath Sponsor a Greenhouse

This winters project is to build a solar greenhouse! Fundraising, design and construction of the greenhouse will be complete by the end of February ready to start the first seeds: onions, scallions and leeks! Transplants from the greenhouse will be planted in fields at ASS and neighboring farms, including Straight Out of the Ground Farm, Roxbury, NY. A greenhouse at the AS farm includes 9 months of dynamic space use for both Andes Sprouts farm exchange and residency programs goals. Building a greenhouse on the Andes Sprouts farm allows the farm to extend the season, on both ends. Spring time use will include starting seeds for transplanting in the fields after June1st(traditional frost-free day around here). Come September, first frost can happen anytime in the Catskills, so a greenhouse can promote good conditions for frost sensitive plants.
Throughout the summer months the greenhouse turns into a lab for residency artists to develop bio-projects in.

Wreaths are made at the AS farmhouse by visiting farmhands and friends of the farm. Douglass fir, white pine, yellow pine branches were sustainably harvested at local farms supporting this project. Hot peppers are edible and are extremely hot, eat with caution, thai hot(tiny red ones) and limon pepper(habanero variety)

From December 10 thru the New Year
Wreaths will be hanging at
Second Stop Cafe
located on the corner of Lorimer and Ainslie St in Brooklyn,
open m-f 7am to 10pm
open sat+sun 8am-10am
EAT Cafe
located at 124 Meserole Ave. Greenpoint
open wed-fri 9am -10pm
open sate+sun 10am - 10pm

Please stop by and pick up a wreath and support our greenhouse project! Thank You.

photos by Jackie Nguyen

hot sauce!!

Jalapenos, garlic, vinegar, salt, ball mason jars.... liza burke and erwin karl cooked up 3 gallons of hot hot sauce!

pickling by Chloe Swan

A traditional way to preserve your garden cukes is to pickle them. With a brine (apple cider vinegar, salt and water) that is brought to a boil, pour brine into sterilized jars packed with cucumbers, daikon radish, carrots, garlic, dill, fennel, grape leaves to keep the cukes crunchy.

thanks to Straight Out of the Ground farm for the vegetables.

drive-in organic mini market

open 24 hrs.
thanks to Alison Wilder for opening the market.







































photos from 1,3,4 by Xavier Faltot

one acre plowed and limed

jeff waters from new kingston, disked and plowed an acre of the andes hillside. to prepare the soil for next season crops 3 tons of lime was spread(pick-up truck to haul the lime in and tovey with a shovel) and oats cover crop planted.

Garlic Seed Exchange

April 2008 during a trip to Memphis to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, I made a visit to Midtown North community garden where I met Farmer Mary Norman. Midtown North garden is one of five community gardens in Memphis under the direction of GrowMemphis, a collaborative between the Mid-South Peace and Justice Center and local communities.
Within 5 minutes of my arrival Mary had me shoveling compost into raised beds. The Midtown North garden serves as a resource garden providing seedlings, fertilizer, compost and seeds for the other four gardens in the city.
Farmer Norman says
"We're trying to bridge the gap between seniors and youth. We want to pass on our wisdom, not only about gardening, but eating right and taking back neighborhoods."

She expressed interest in the garlic we grow and thanks to a bountiful garlic harvest, there was plenty to share with Memphis. ASsociety sent Farmer Mary 200 garlic cloves to get started.

Recycling tires, Midtown North garden planted about 5-6 cloves in each tire and they are on their way to having seed and garlic for market in this upcoming season.