PLANT BABY PLANT!
FARM STARTS A’ROLLIN’
There is an expression in small farming called “greenhouse tetris:” It’s when you have exceeded the amount of comfortable, most-usable space you have in your propagation zone, and have to turn to secondary make-shift set-ups to accommodate all of your plant starts, often leading to headaches and inefficiencies with moving things around. Greenhouse tetris is most acute in April, when you have been steadily seeding trays, but it is not entirely safe to plant out all types of crops yet. The Nursery staff at Chimacum Corner has been busy “tetrising” in all of the fresh and happy plant babes from Midori and Red Dog into our own greenhouse. And the Grocery team has tetrised in some new products and deals on the floor in the store. Meanwhile the Produce team has been busy playing “tray tetris” with all of the fresh local bunched brassicas. The best farmers are the ones who can stay organized amidst the accelerating chaos of nature reawakening. Perhaps the same is true of grocers as well. Spring is on, so spread your cotyledons and get growing!
MIDORI & RED DOG PLUGGING IN
Plant start mania has officially begun in the Nursery! The first of the cool season crops from both Red Dog Farm and Midori Farm have arrived. Strawberries, peas, broccoli, various greens, flowers, and more are all up for grabs in the greenhouse. We have a full staff of seasoned pros out there now too, ensuring the transplants are maintained at the highest quality before they make their way to your garden. So come on out and load up a classic CCF cardboard tray of premium local seedlings and get to working your ground!
PSB YEAH YOU KNOW ME
With the advent of spring weather, and given the mild winter we have had, farmers who planted it last summer are flush in abundance with a special treat: Purple Sprouting Broccoli! We are fortunate to have ample quantities of PSB bunched from two woman-owned hyperlocal farms: Chimalow Produce and Foggy Hill Farm! Like asparagus, PSB is a short season, and a delicious luxury. The rich royal purple of its flower buds is simply stunning. Now is the time to roast up a couple of bunches and truly eat seasonally. If you love all things purple vegetable, take note that we also carry Foggy Hill’s spicy purple radish microgreens (and other micros from them as well)! These two farms are led by women with many years of farming experience in many roles and on many plots, who are both hitting their stride as owner-operators managing their own businesses. Look for shelf tags with their names on them when you shop to support two farms we are proud to buy produce from. (Did you know the PSB is also the inspiration for the Jefferson County Farmer’s Market Association Logo!? - First markets of the season are coming up quick!)
COUNTRY STORE SALAD
If a fresh bowl of earthly goodness is what you’re after, look no further than the Country Store Salad from the Corner Kitchen. Hard boiled organic eggs, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, and sunflower seeds perch atop a bed of fresh greens. Green goddess dressing comes on the side for you to add to taste. This salad makes you feel like you are practicing self-care just by eating it. Local produce is frequently used when in season - salad mix is on the horizon! It lives right next to the Tempeh Salad in the Deli Case at the front of the store. Snag one the next time you cruise through for lunch!
LOCAL DAIRY AND EGG LINEUP
In these uncertain times, we have immense gratitude for the local chain of producers that is toiling to keep our community stocked with core staples like milk and eggs. You may have noticed inconsistent availability of your favored brands, but we encourage you to try out some of these localized options! Our core local producer of raw milk is Dungeness Valley Creamery. What a gift to have such high quality milk so close to our storefront. We also are proud to stock Grace Harbor Farms for much of our dairy line as well, including yogurt and kefir. And keep an eye out for some new Organic dairy arrivals from Smith Brothers Farms.
On the egg front, we’re pretty proud to be offering local eggs at affordable prices even in the midst of so many supply chain shortages. We have fresh deliveries landing throughout the week from several local producers, and as the days lengthen and the sun shines a bit more, those layer hens will increase productivity as well. Our flagship local producers, One Straw Ranch are delivering as many cartons of eggs as possible every Thursday. Hot on their heels is the new operation called “Fastbreakers,” farming on Marrowstone, with their signature red cartons. We also have a flow of duck eggs from Spring Rain Farm. We even have limited quantities of goose eggs from Olympic Waterfowl Farm. It is this constellation of producers that makes our area special, and keeps us healthy, by offering such high quality REAL FOOD.
DEALS ON ICED VEG
With so many things vegetable on the brain, why not load up on some seriously good DEALS in the frozen veggie section? We’ve entered the latest rotations of DEALS and we have all of the frozen veggies from Cascadian Farm on special at the moment. Frozen sweet corn, sweet peas, “gardeners blend”, and green beans are all on sale now. Frozen fruits and veg are also eligible for SNAP Match! Buy $10 worth and get $5 back when using your EBT card. Get veggies on the cheap that will keep!
That moment locavore’s have been waiting for all winter is nearly here: the return of the Jefferson County Farmer’s Markets season! The Port Townsend Farmer’s Market Opening Day is Saturday April 5th. Many if not most of the vendors there are also companies represented at the Corner Store. As ever, be on the lookout for our GM Nicole with her goat Blossom in the annual Goat Parade through the Opening Day Market! So begins a long season of bounty. And while we are always happy to sell you food, the best way to support a local farm is to purchase their food/goods directly from them! So get out there and show the farms and other vendors some love! The Chimacum Farmer’s Market held here on-site at the Corner will be kicking off a month earlier as well! First Sunday market will be Sunday, May 4th!
WE’RE HIRING! JOIN TEAM TURNIP!
Lookin’ for a team to call your own?
Think about joining us on the Corner!
We’re always looking for more folks to share in the fun and serve our local sphere. Believing that teamwork is essential, we strive to build a sense of meaningful camaraderie around our shared passions of food, wellness, and collective care. And aligned in these aims, we take joy in new challenges and are glad to be of service—both to our own crew and our community at large.
We also believe in sustainability, and as employers, that means making sure our bunch is well resourced and recognized. We offer all employees a competitive base wage plus a generous benefits package that includes quarterly profit-sharing, paid time off, medical, dental, vision, EAP benefits, discounts, growth opportunities, and more.
