Barn Concert & Dance on July 30!

Join us in Dexter for a real party on an upcoming Saturday night, July 30 at 6PM. We will have light food, music, and a rockin' good time!

You're Invited to a
BARN DANCE & CONCERT

at Rancho Tranquilico,
the home of Barry Lonik

Proceeds to benefit the Tilian Farm Development Center
Featuring Music of the Swtichback wsgs,
A hoppin' mix of blue, rock & alt country

SATURDAY, JULY 30, 2011
11300 Island Lake Road

Music & Dancing Starting at 6PM
(Bonfire to follow)

suggested donation: $15/person

For more information: email tilianfdc@gmail.com

Interested in Volunteering? We could use some help with food for the event. Please contact AndreaRidgard@gmail.com for more information.

This Weekend @ Tilian!

We've got two great events going on at Tilian this weekend. Check them out!

On Friday:

Mind, Body & Soil, starts at 6:30 with a yoga class led by A2 Yoga Studio (All levels are encouraged to join, please bring your own mat if you have one). In addition, there will be multiple masseuses on site. Around 8:00pm, a large spread of local food prepared by some of our favorite restaurants, producers and chefs will be served. Weather permitting, there will be a bonfire under the full moon.

Time: 630PM-late

Cost: Suggested donation $11+

For more info or questions contact Michelle @ mgrambea@gmail.com

Full Flyer @ http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4677687/Mind%2C%20Body%20and%20Soil.pdf

On Sunday:

Food Swap hosted by Real Good Food. Make a batch of something (e.g. pickles, preserves, soups, sauces, tamales, liquor infusions, or homebrews), portion it out in tupperwares, mason jars or ziplocs, and bring your bundle of goods to the swap. Then trade your items for other people's specialties! Shelf or freezer stable items are a plus but not required. An extra portion for samples is recommended but not required.

Time: 3PM-5PM

Cost: Free, but tickets are required. Reserve yours at http://rgfswap.eventbrite.com/.

For more info or questions contact Tim @ tima.haines@gmail.com

Seeley Summer Harvest

Now that we're beginning to harvest our first Summer salad mix at Seeley Farm, the many components that make it up, I am reminded of why we started this venture in the first place. Our vision was to grow diverse greens throughout all four seasons. So while our Spring mix contained baby sorrel leaves, cress, pea shoots and other damp-and-chill-loving greens, many of these crops have begun to bolt or go bitter in this early summer heat.

We're tilling up old beds and vigorously replanting them with heat-loving greens. Our Summer mix has greens like Purslane, New Zealand spinach, nasturtium and amaranth. We're experimenting with a small patch of malabar spinach, not a true spinach but a tropical vine with leaves resembling spinach. What results is a salad mix that's not just lettuce, but a composition of many flavors, textures and an overall nutrition powerhouse.

And we're already plotting our seed order for the Fall. I am imagining all the new greens varieties we can grow for the coming cool of Autumn, and Winter beyond.

But by far the most exciting arrival yet this summer is our budding artichoke plants. Growing artichokes is somewhat of an experiment for us this year, only our second year cultivating these thorny, foreboding thistles. It has been an unexpected relief that they are now producing what look to be healthy and happy chokes. We are so happy to be able to add this tasty addition to our host of local foods in Michigan, and are already scheming for acres and acres of artichokes for the coming growing seasons.....well, maybe just one .