Past News from Blue Owl!

Hello 2024, RIP 2023! :

After an absolutely necessary winter sanity break, we are back selling at the Worthington winter market. I, for one, am happy to see the backside of 2023; it just wasn't a great year. I'm hopeful for a better 2024 and initial indicators are good: we harvested 2 big baskets full of mushrooms over New Years! Plus we have a fun new product to introduce....

Catnip Catnap Mats are HERE! Our lastest cat accessory is now ready for the big time. Introducing Blue Owl's Catnip Catnap Mat (aka the NipNap Mat ;-).

So, what IS a catnip catnap mat? Simply put, it's a rectangular 9" x 12" woven mat of catnip stems, i.e., stalks leftover after leaves are stripped off. These stems used to go into compost, but bits kept mysteriously re-appearing around the house and it became clear that the stems, like the leaves, are also highly attractive to certain cats. Why a mat? Well, most cat owners know that anything box-like is a preferred place for cats, in fact, studies have shown that they are drawn to any square or rectangular visible shape on the floor, as described in this Smithsonian Smart News story about a 2021 study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science (includes links and videos).

If plain old duct tape rectangles are attractive, how about rectangles made out of catnip?! Our in-house cat testers gave an emphatic YES! As with most Blue Owl products, catnip catnap mats are biodegradeable/compostable when your feline is finished with it, although the hemp twine will likely outlast the mat itself. Stop by the market and check them out!

Welcome to Fall 2023:

And just like that, it's time to move indoors for the Worthington Winter Market at the Shoppes at Worthington mall. Thank you to all who made our first Summer market in Worthington an outstanding success. I know it was a little awkward being at market only every other week, but honestly, it was the best farming improvement I've implemented in quite a while! The extra days available for planting, harvesting, and processing made for a much less stressful and enjoyable summer season.... And hopefully it means a more interesting array of Blue Owl products consistently available throughout the winter, without as many out-of-stocks later in the season.

We do hope to see you all again soon indoors, Saturdays from 9 to noon. This is our 11th winter season at Worthington and we'll be selling every week from now until Christmas (except the Sat. after Thanksgiving when there's no market). After the holidays, we'll be taking a short winter break before returning for the second half of the winter season. Here's our full winter market schedule:

This week we'll have a nice selection of fresh mushrooms, despite the extremely odd weather we've had lately. We'll continue to have some fresh log-grown mushrooms as long as daytime temps get above about 50, so our availability through the late fall is highly dependent on the weather.

Speaking of mushrooms, there have been some disturbing stories in the news lately. I know many of our customers are real mushroom enthusiasts, foraging for wild as well as buying cultivated ones at the market. Evidently there has been a publishing boom for mushroom foraging books on-line (and other edibles, too), esp. on Amazon. The problem is that many of these are almost certainly written by AIs and not humans! In fact, several instances of aggregious errors -- like, the kind that can cause a painful death due to liver and/or kidney failure -- have been documented with these resources. Here are links to two articles about this trend:

Bottom line: please be very careful about where you get your information! We'll be happy to recommend RELIABLE mushroom foraging books and resources, just ask.

On a lighter(?) note about mushrooms -- and one particularly appropriate for the season -- here's another Gastro Obscura story about the history of mushroom cultivation in Paris. Who knew? https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/paris-catacomb-mushrooms?mc_cid=6252238c61

For gardening types, I have a special late fall treat: tender perennial herbs (suitable for house plants) potted up for sale. I can only over-winter so many, but I do so hate to dump the extras into the compost pile!

While the very hard freeze(s) this week did a real number on fresh herbs, I'll have a few of those for the next few weeks, too. And there are some fall vegetables waiting to be dug -- think sunchokes and horseradish -- hopefully available in time for the more adventurous Thanksgiving cook. As always, we probably have a recipe or two suitable for inspiration. But really, now that the growing season is _mostly over_ (but I still have garlic to plant!!!!), I should be able to bring some new products that have been under development for awhile now to market in time for the holidays. Hint: cat lovers will be thrilled with the latest Blue Owl catnip product, the prototype has already been tested and approved by the Blue Owl feline staff, just waiting for the human (with the opposable thumbs and all) to get her act together on the production side of things. Stay tuned!

Herbs and Mushrooms:

Always available, we have our extensive dried herb, tea and seasoning selection. It really is an amazing collection of herbs.... did you know we have saffron, the most expensive herb in the world? Or makrut lime leaves, impossible to find except in speciality markets? How about edible flowers, such as rose petals (or even whole rose buds), lilacs, chrysanthemumst, or elderflowers? We also have exotic herbs from around the world such as Mexican tarragon, red shiso, Cuban oregano, hoja santa, Ethiopean besobela basil, Cretan marjoram, to name a few. We carry herbs native to the North American forests as well: spruce tips, spicebush berries, ramps, stinging nettle, smooth sumac, mountain mint, bee balm. And everything in between..... Come check it out at the market or visit the Blue Owl Products page. While late winter/early spring sees some of these selling out, keep them in mind for next summer and fall when they will be replenished during the growing season.

Spring Greetings 2023:

The OEFFA conference has come and gone, wonderful but exhausting. Seeds have been ordered and received, some have been sowed already, more will get in soon and weeds grow while I watch, but none of that is actually at the top of our current to-do list.....

The main subject on our minds right now is: mushrooms! Or more precisely, GROWING mushrooms. It is time for Blue Owl's mushroom inoculation workshare to get underway. Starting March 19, for 2 days a week, every week until early May it's going to be nothing but mushroom cultivation _all_day_long! Interested in getting involved? Check out the details on the Blue Owl website and then send me an email to sign up. Open spots are available almost every day except Tue, April 18th. I have plenty of spawn for at least 12 kinds of mushrooms and a HUGE pile of logs ready to go (and, for better or worse, there are more that could still be harvested out in the woods, too, if only the weather would cooperate ;-().

Interested in growing your own oyster, nameko, mukitake, chestnut, or lion's mane at home? This is also the time of year when you can special-order grow-your-own mushroom logs for mushrooms other than shiitake. Just like the shiitake logs we have at market each week, these are $50 ea. and come with detailed care and feeding instructions. Logs may be picked up at the farm or at the Worthington farmers market. Reserve your log now.

Markets:

Speaking of markets, there are several news-y notes to be shared: First, the Worthington Winter Market is moving outdoors for the month of April this year. Since it's still technically the winter market, the market runs 9 AM to noon.

Also starting with the April 1st market: RAMPS are ready! As well as garlic mustard and other really early fresh herbs. Think wild spring greens.... recipes will be provided. To get properly inspired, here is a blog post about ancient traditions centered around gathering the first spring greens via Gather Victoria, by Danielle Prohom Olsen. Fascinating food history, indeed!

Finally, 2023 will be a year of change for Blue Owl: we have decided to stay with the Worthington market through the summer this year. We made this choice with very mixed feelings, since we have sold at the Granville Summer Farmers Market for the past 15! summers and we'll truly miss the loyal customers (and fellow vendors) there very much. However, the economic analysis was unambiguous. Our Granville customers can, of course, still order Blue Owl products for delivery to the Granville-Newark area or for pick up at Denison throughout the summer; just email me and we'll work it out. Despite selling at the Worthington Winter Market for 10 seasons, this will still be a big change for us (e.g., the summer market starts earlier at 8 AM and is twice as far, thus we'll be getting up _much_ earlier on Saturdays; market traffic will be much higher/busier, too), so we're easing into it slowly by doing only every other market. Janell will be using the in-between weeks to ramp up her herb production to me et the greater Worthington market demand. It will be interesting to see how the summer goes.... As always, our market schedule is posted. Hope to see you at the market one of those weeks!

Classes, Workshares, Workshops:

Blue Owl Mushroom Inoculation workshare

There's been a lot of interest expressed at the market about learning hands-on how to produce mushrooms at home. Last summer's windstorm damaged plenty of trees that will now become mushroom logs, which means there will be plenty of opportunities to learn about small-scale mushroom production. Here's how it works:
Every Sunday afternoon (noon-4) and Tuesday all-day (10-6) for about 6 weeks in very early spring, you have the opportunity to join me in renewing Blue Owl Hollow's mushroom production infrastructure by inoculating new hardwood logs with various types of culinary mushroom spawn. You'll learn the process and have the opportunity to earn your own log to take home. We have spawn for a couple kinds of shiitake, 3 oysters, mukitake, nameko, chestnut, comb's tooth, lion's mane, turkey tail, and wine-cap stropharia mushrooms. Email if you are interested, pre-registration is REQUIRED.

The mushroom workshare is a learning experience: by helping with this particular farm project, you learn the process by doing it hands-on and "earn” credit towards a grow-your-own-mushroom log: for every log you inoculate for the farm, you earn $5 towards purchasing your own log at a discount; inoculating 11 logs gets you a free log ($50 value).

NEW! Introducing the Blue Owl Herb Growing workshare!

Many people have asked about an herb-focused workshare and I think I've finally found the right project: herb bed re-vitalization and maintenance. With 60+ raised production beds for growing herbs, the need to be reinforcing, re-planting, weeding, fertilizing, and generally maintaining beds is never-ending. Sometimes it's just a matter of weeding and mulching existing plantings, but often a bed pretty much needs to be rebuilt from scratch. The last weekend of every month during the growing season (April - October, Saturday or Sunday afternoons, depending on weather), you are welcome to join Janell in renewing one of the Blue Owl Garden Emporium production beds from the ground up. While we work, we'll talk about soils and fertility, crop rotation, pest control, the history and growing requirements of specific herbs, planting techniques, weeding strategies, etc. The workshare is free and participants will leave with a better understanding of how to construct long-term planting areas... and most likely also take away plant starts, herb cuttings, seeds, or other gifts from the garden. Note: this will be a new workshare, so there'll undoubtedly be some refinement required as we go along, please be patient. As with the mushroom workshare, pre-registration is REQUIRED.

Herbs and Mushrooms:

This heading includes some new Blue Owl creations, in particular the long promised umami mushroom seasoning blend. We've come up with several possibilities and 2 are now available! True Blue Umami seasoning has a bit of a kick (and the highest ranked in our popcorn trials) and Four Seasons Umami features a complex herbal flavor that complements the umami background (my favorite).

Several new tea blends are also on the verge of being introduced esp. since I promised Peter I would mix up a new "signature" blend for his birthday in early February. The gray, dreary days of January and February are perfect for experimenting with hot, aromatic beverages, for sure. To pique your interest in herbal brews, here's a Gastro Obscura story on the murky social history of the plant we know as tea, Camellia sinensis: The Medieval Influencer Who Convinced the World to Drink Tea -- Not Eat It

New Year 2023:

The new year is upon us and it's starting off fast here at the Blue Owl. Mushroom logs are being harvested, woodland trails are being cleared, planting lists are being made (and slashed back to something resembling reality), seed and plant orders are being placed, seeds requiring cold-stratification are being sown, tools are being repaired..... And plans for the new year are being put into motion.

OEFFA Conference workshop:

2023 Annual OEFFA conference, Thursday-Saturday February 16-18 at Cherry Valley Hotel and Ohio Event Center, Newark OH

The OEFFA conference is the largest gathering of people who are interested in sustainable food and agriculture in the region. Janell will be presenting a workshop (first thing Friday morning at 8:45 AM ;-) titled:
Plant Marauders of Field and Forest: Invasive Plants to Know and Control What is a weed and what makes a weed an INVASIVE weed? Learn to identify and understand several of Ohio's most common plant invasives and then join me in exploring alternative -- and sometimes unexpected -- ways to combat them without the use of toxic herbicides.

Thank you to all who attended the talk, esp. those who helped with the show! Below are links to the workshop materials. Gird your loins and go forth to battle those invasives with confidence!

Mixing and Using Herbal Teas

Tuesday January 31, 6:00 - 8 PM; Keller Market House 134 S Columbus St, Lancaster OH

Fight those winter blues! Nothing makes us feel cozy in the winter like a steaming cup of herbal tea. Local herb farmer Janell Baran of Blue Owl Garden Emporium will introduce a variety of suitable tea herbs and spices – many locally and sustainably grown right here in central Ohio – as well as the best brewing techniques. Attendees will have an opportunity to experiment with their own herbal tea blends and sample a number of common and uncommon herbal flavor combinations. Class fee is $35. Please RSVP by calling Keller Market House at 740-277-6305 or emailing info@kellermarkethouse.org.

Keller Market House: Mushroom Production for the Home Grower

Thursday March 9, 6:00 - 8:00 pm; Keller Market House 134 S Columbus St, Lancaster OH

Mushrooms make a wonderful complement to freshly harvested herbs and vegetables from your garden and are not any more difficult to grow. Janell Baran of Blue Owl Hollow Forest Farm will demonstrate a straight-forward log inoculation technique suitable for small-scale production of several different culinary mushrooms such as shiitake, oyster, and lion's mane. Given the right situation and basic maintenance, these logs will thrive for years in your yard, shade garden, or woodlot. Log harvesting, site selection, care of inoculated logs, and various mushroom cultivation resources will be discussed. Optional: In your registration, you may choose to pre-order an inoculated mushroom log from Blue Owl to take home the night of the class. Class fee is $30, shiitake-inoculated logs are $50. Please RSVP by calling Keller Market House at 740-277-6305 or emailing info@kellermarkethouse.org.

Thanksgiving 2022:

So it's been awhile since the last Blue Owl update. Looking back, 2022 slipped by so quickly, with its ups and downs, successes and failures, unanticipated obstacles and the occasional bit of good luck. A year of challenges (isn't every one?) but also of getting back on track after the total upheaval caused by the pandemic. For that we are thankful!

One of the ups we experienced this year was the chance to take an actual vacation: after almost 30 years of talking about it, we finally went canoeing in the Boundary Waters! The main take-away from the experience is that we need to do that sort of thing more often..... But it's hard to get away in the middle of the growing season.....

And life being what it is, while we were gone, there were windstorms in Ohio. Upon returning we discovered dozens and dozens of broken off and uprooted trees, many blocking our network of trails. That meant several weeks devoted to mushroom log harvest and inoculation in the heat of summer, to take best advantage of the damaged trees. Fortunately (this is the good luck bit to counterbalance the bad luck), many of the largest trees were uprooted; while functionally "dead", their intact structure and root system acts like life support and means we were able to wait until this winter to harvest them for mushroom logs. No need this year to do timber stand improvement by culling weak or undesirable trees.... everything we'll need for next spring's mushroom inoculation is already (mostly) on the ground waiting to be cut to length!

So what didn't get done during that critical time was herb planting, seeding, weeding, etc. This made for a less that stellar year overall for the herb farm. Many herb favorities didn't make it through this year and will be missed in the coming months: dill, parsley, chervil, epazote, thyme, lavender, Egyptian mint, sweet Italian oregano, to name a few.... But in the end, diversification always pays: the additional mushroom production logs have already started paying back this fall with some fine first flushes of nameko, oyster, chestnut, and shiitake.

Plan Ahead for Mushroom Workshare:

Speaking of mushroom production: we've been getting a lot of interest at the market from people about growing and eating more of their own mushrooms. The perfect opportunity to learn how to do that is Blue Owl Hollow's annual mushroom inoculation workshare. When does this happen? Every Sunday afternoon (noon-4) and Tuesday all-day (10-6) for about 6 weeks in very early spring, you have the opportunity to join me in renewing Blue Owl Hollow's mushroom production infrastructure by inoculating new hardwood logs with various types of culinary mushroom spawn. The experience is totally hands-on; first you will get a tour our mushroom growing operation while hearing about the ins and outs, successes and failures gleaned from more than 15 years of mushroom-growing here at the farm. Then you'll learn the process for yourself by inoculating logs for the farm: each log earns you credit towards a log of your own to take home. For those interested in more, we have book recommendations, recipes, hand-outs, and lots of pictures, too!

Markets:

We're just starting our 10th season selling at the Worthington Winter Farmer's Market and thank goodness it'll be indoors until April! Last year was certainly a learning experience, and we invested in a fine collection of heavy-duty winter woolies, but I'm happy enough not to repeat it. We'll be selling at Worthington most Saturdays through the winter, with some exceptions such as the Granville Thanksgiving market and the OEFFA conference. Note also that there will be no Worthington market on Nov 26, Dec 25, Dec 31, and Jan 7. When in doubt, check the Blue Owl market schedule below.

Don't forget that we still stock items at Keller Market House in Lancaster OH year-round. In addition to in-house items, a number of individual dried herbs are available only through KMH's online order system as well as the usual value-added teas, seasonings, jar mixes, etc. Be sure to check it out.

Herbs and Mushrooms:

Fresh herbs and mushrooms are pretty much done for the season, due to the pre-Thanksgiving deep-freeze. We'll still have garlic, shallots, and horseradish root until sold out. Dried mushrooms are available, esp. reishi.

Always available, we have our extensive dried herb, tea and seasoning selection. A couple of new teas are in the works, but it's the dried herbs that really shine. It really is an amazing collection of herbs.... did you know we have saffron, the most expensive herb in the world? Or makrut lime leaves, impossible to find except in speciality markets? How about edible flowers, such as rose petals (or even whole rose buds), lilacs, meadowsweet, or elderflowers? We also have exotic herbs from around the world such as Mexican tarragon, red shiso, Cuban oregano, Greek mountain tea, Cretan marjoram, to name a few. We carry herbs native to the North American forests as well: spruce tips, spicebush berries, ramps, stinging nettle, smooth sumac, mountain mint, bee balm. And everything in between..... Come check it out a tthe market or visit the Blue Owl website where _most_ current products are listed on the Blue Owl Products page.

Early 2022 News: Back from sabbatical

Our long-anticipated sabbatical is over -- sigh -- but the seasons are changing and it's time to get back into the old routine. The break was a lovely opportunity to dig deeply into various projects, both mundane and creative. Old projects were revisited, new projects conceived, more time was spent reading, new outlets for creativity were explored (some not even farming-related, imagine!), and priorities were examined or re-arranged. The time was too short, but it was a productive interlude nonetheless.

Mushroom Workshare time again!

The mushroom inoculation season is running a bit late this year (Winter Storm Landon, spawn supply delays, etc.) and we've got just shy of 200 logs to get done before herb season gets rolling. That means plenty of opportunities for the rest of you to learn more about small-scale mushroom production while earning credit towards your very own log. Here's how it works:

Every Sunday afternoon (noon-4) and Tuesday all-day (10-6) for about 6 weeks in very early spring, you have the opportunity to join me in renewing Blue Owl Hollow's mushroom production infrastructure by inoculating new hardwood logs with various types of culinary mushroom spawn. You'll learn the process and have the opportunity to earn your own log to take home. This year we'll start Sunday, Apr 3 and continue through Tuesday, May 10. It's almost time, sign up now! Email if you are interested.

Markets:

We're about to finish up our 9th season selling at the Worthington Winter Farmer's Market and it was certainly an interesting one. First, due to uncertainty about redevelopment of the Shops at Worthington Mall, we sold OUTSIDE on High St. in downtown Worthington until Christmas and will be again for the month of April. That's the same location as the summer market and our spot is kitty corner across the street from the Market booth, on the west side of High St. Unlike the summer market, the hours are 9 AM - noon. More details about the move can be found on the Worthington Farmer's Market website.

With May comes the Granville Summer Market held Saturdays 8:30 - noon, at the usual Racoon Valley Park location at the south end of River Rd. We're looking forward to another productive season there, seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

Don't forget that we still stock items at Keller Market House in Lancaster OH year-round. In addition to in-house items, a number of individual dried herbs are available only through KMH's online order system as well as the usual value-added teas, seasonings, jar mixes, etc. Be sure to check it out.

Herbs and Mushrooms:

Seed orders are in and seed-starting is underway. The first perennial herbs of spring are up and growing -- can you say RAMPS! -- and early shiitakes are buttoning on the their logs. This is one of those great Ohio weather-whiplash weeks with daytime highs in the low 30s followed by a day or 2 of balmy 70s, so it's unclear what will be available by the first April market, but certainly by the second, we'll have lovely fresh items for sale.

Always available, we have our extensive dried herb, tea and seasoning selection. A couple of new teas are in the works, but it's the dried herbs that really shine. It really is an amazing collection of herbs.... did you know we have saffron, the most expensive herb in the world? Or makrut lime leaves, impossible to find except in speciality markets? How about edible flowers, such as rose petals (or even whole rose buds), lilacs, meadowsweet, or elderflowers? We also have exotic herbs from around the world such as Mexican tarragon, red shiso, Cuban oregano, Greek mountain tea, Cretan marjoram, to name a few. We carry herbs native to the North American forests as well: spruce tips, spicebush berries, ramps, stinging nettle, smooth sumac, mountain mint, bee balm. And everything in between..... Come check it out a tthe market or visit the Blue Owl website where _most_ current products are listed on the Blue Owl Products page.

One new project is to re-locate many of my dye herbs to the newly opened Newark Cultural Arts Center Store, right off the square in downtown Newark. The Newark Cultural Arts Center is the dream child of a former Granville Farmer's market vendor, Anton Sarossy-Christon, and has been providing creative outlets for Licking Co. citizens for several years now; the store is the natural extension of his vision. I spend several hours a week at the Center in the weaving studio (my own creative time) and will soon be stocking various dye herbs there for sale to natural dye enthusiasts. We're still working out the packaging details, mostly package sizes, so you fiber artists out there, please let one of us know what you'd like to see for sale locally, esp. package sizes, typical batch sizes, herb reqeuests, natural mordants, etc. We'd love the feedback!

Late 2021 News:

Whew! Where did 2021 go? It's been quite awhile since the last update, so lots to catch up on.....

Markets:

We just finished up an excellent season (our 14th!!) at the Granville Summer Farmer's Market in Oct. Thanks to all who came out rain or shine -- fortunately more of the latter than the former this year -- to support your local farmers.

Now on to the winter season.... this will be our 9th season selling at the Worthington Winter Farmer's Market and there are some important changes to note. First, due to the sale and redevelopment of the Shops at Worthington Mall, we will be selling OUTSIDE on High St. in downtown Worthington through the holidays. That's the same location as the summer market and our spot is just across the street from the Market booth, on the west side of High St. at the corner with New England Ave. More details about the move can be found on the Worthington Farmer's Market website.

The first winter market is Nov 6, starting at 9 AM; the current forecast is for sun and mid-50s, although starting out a mite cooler, i.e., upper 20s. The sort of day we used to describe as "bracing". Being a born & bred Minnesotan, I'm up for it and I hope you are too!

In addition, as we have for the last however many years, we will be selling at the special Granville Thanksgiving Market on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Held at the usual Racoon Valley Park location at the south end of River Rd, starting at 9:00 AM. You see, we've already had practice selling outdoors in the winter ;-)

Don't forget that we still stock items at Keller Market House in Lancaster OH year-round. In addition to in-house items, a number of individual dried herbs are available only through KMH's online order system as well as the usual value-added teas, seasonings, jar mixes, etc. And their new and improved website is due to be released any day now. Be sure to check it out.

Herbs and Mushrooms:

It always makes me melancholy to see so many plants shrivel up and die with the first hard frost, but I'm also usually (more than) ready to call it a season and move on. Many Blue Owl herbs are perennials and, just like humans, need a good rest from time to time. Others are tender herbs, out of place here in our cold winters, so those need to either be brought indoors for the next few months or restarted from seed again next spring. I do some of both and with the exception of a few bulbs, have saved what I could and said a sad farewell to the rest. There is a cyclical pattern to it that somehow feels reassuring, even as the days get shorter and the temps colder. Winter is the time for looking back and learning from this year's growing experiences and looking forward to next year's plantings.

Given that spirit of contemplation, I want to pass on a short but excellent essay on lessons learned from a long life spent in the garden. Written by Scott Kunst, the found of Old House Gardens (and one of my favorite plant suppliers) in Ann Arbor, MI in his retirement farewell newsletter, you can find it online. I particularly like the concept of "editing" one's garden!

There was a bit of garden editing this summer at the Blue Owl, some intentional and some not (thank you, rabbits!). But we still have hundreds of herbs and herbal products put by for sale this winter. Most of those products are listed on the Blue Owl Products page.

The fresh herb season is mostly over, but we will still be able to bring some of the hardiest herbs, e.g., sage, to market up until Thanksgiving. In addition to the green leafy herbs, I also have heirloom garlic, shallots, and horseradish available. If you have requests, let me know and I'll see what I can do!

That brings me to the mushrooms. The higher than average rainfall made for an excellent mushroom growing year. We have LOTS this week! Shiitake, nameko, chestnut, and mukitake are all popping out after the recent rains. This is our first year with the log-grown chestnut mushrooms, so there are fewer of those, but everything else will be at market in abundance. We'll also have reishi and dried maitake available. For those thinking ahead to holiday gift-giving, we have a smaller than usual supply of shiitake grow-your-own mushroom logs, so buy/order early.

Sabbatical Redux:

So some of you will remember that I was planning to take a long-anticipated sabbatical in early 2020. Then there was the pandemic and all that got thrown out the window. Although the next attempt won't involve the travel and major projects in the original scheme, I am going to try again in early 2022. That means that January through March 2022, the Blue Owl will NOT be doing any farmer's markets, although products will still be available at Keller Market House and by special order. I haven't re-worked my sabbatical plans/goals yet, but I am most definitely looking forward to the additional time to play around with new ideas, learn about plants (and mushrooms) both old and new, and think deeply about what the next 15 years might bring. Undoubtedly there will be classes and events and workshares still happening as well so stay tuned!

Early 2020 News: Mushroom Workshare time again!

Yup, that's pretty much the biggest thing on my mind right now: how to get more than 350 bolts and 70+ pony logs inoculated before spring planting time! In case you're wondering, that's roughly 2x as many logs as usual. Why so many? Well, when life gives you a big split maple threatening to fall on the house AND AEP contractors cutting back trees under 800' of powerline, then you make more mushrooms! And that means plenty of opportunities for the rest of you to learn more about small-scale mushroom production while earning credit towards your very own log. Here's how it works:

Every Sunday afternoon (noon-4) and Tuesday all-day (10-6) for about 6 weeks in very early spring, you have the opportunity to join me in renewing Blue Owl Hollow's mushroom production infrastructure by inoculating new hardwood logs with various types of culinary mushroom spawn. You'll learn the process and have the opportunity to earn your own log to take home. This year we'll start Sunday, Mar 9 and continue through Tuesday, Apr 21 (or until we use up all 300+ lbs of spawn!). It's almost time, sign up now! Email if you are interested. The workshare dates are:

Can't make it at any of those times? There are a couple of other opportunities to learn about Home Mushroom Production hosted or sponsored by outside groups. See Classes and Workshops listed below for full details.

Blue Owl Sabbatical is underway....

Just a reminder that we are on sabbatical for the first half of 2020 (for the full announcement, see Old News). As stated, we'll not disappear completely, but our market dates will be reduced Jan 2020 through early Fall 2020. As far as market products go, not much will change for our winter market selections; the main difference you'll see at the summer market will be fewer fresh herbs for sale. We'll focus on dried herbs, herbal teas and seasonings, and fresh mushrooms, but fresh herbs will be available only by request. As always, we encourage customers to contact us with such requests, which we will fill if possible.

And despite our absence at the market, we'll still do classes and host the annual Blue Owl Mushroom Workshare in the spring (see above). With a bit more flexibility in our schedule, you may see us participating in other activities around the area. Who knows where we might pop up?

Classes and Workshops:

Blue Owl offers occasional classes at the historic Keller Market House in downtown Lancaster, OH (as well as stocking Blue Owl products for sale there). Here's what's currently on the schedule:

Tuesday, Mar 3, 2020. Mushroom Production for the Home Grower class. 6:30 - 8:00 pm.

Mushrooms make a wonderful complement to freshly harvested herbs and vegetables from your garden and are not any more difficult to grow. In this workshop, learn about a straight-forward log inoculation technique suitable for small-scale production of several different culinary mushrooms. Not all mushrooms can be cultivated this way, but shiitake, oyster, and lion's mane are examples of choice edibles which, given the right situation and basic maintenance, will thrive for years in your yard, shade garden, or woodlot. Log harvesting, site selection, care of inoculated logs, and various mushroom cultivation resources will also be discussed. Sign up on the Keller Market House website.

For the first time, Blue Owl will be partnering with the Licking Park District to offer a hands-on mushroom inoculation workshop. Here are the details:

Sunday, Apr 5, 2020. Mushroom Production for the Home Grower hands-on workshop. Noon - 4 pm at Blue Owl Hollow, Newark OH; sponsored by the Licking Park District. Same topic as the Keller Market House class described above, but this will be a hands-on workshop. Each participant will have the opportunity to inoculate a grow-your-own shiitake log to take home. $40/person. Limited to 10 participants, registration opens March 1st.

Late 2019 News:

T'is the season for reflection, now that farm activities have (mostly) moved inside. 2019 gave us much to consider. It was indeed a challenging year, but we still have much to be grateful for: a roof over our heads, food on the table, tools to farm with, and health to keep on doing what we love, despite the ups and downs. That is a lot! But there will be challenges ahead. In order to better meet them, we will be taking a bit of a break in 2020 -- call it a sabbatical -- to reflect on the changing environment and make plans for the next 15 years or so. Yes, it HAS been 15 years since our Blue Owl venture was launched! And high time to spend some quality rejuvenation time to work on infrastructure projects, new product ideas, farming direction and transition, and many other things. We'll not disappear completely, but our market dates will be reduced Jan 2020 through Fall 2020. Despite that, we'll still do classes at Keller Market House and host the annual Blue Owl Mushroom Workshare in the spring. So stay tuned for more details and developments!

Blue Owl Sabbatical: So what does it mean to take a sabbatical from farming? Well, at least in herb (and forest) farming, you DON'T stop growing things! But by cutting back where you can and doing fewer markets, it's possible to spend time on projects that just never had a chance to get off the ground before, e.g., writing a Blue Owl Cookbook?, overseeing some historic restoration projects? installing an inspected kitchen for value-added products? developing some forest farming research grant proposals? testing new product ideas? Lots of possibilities.

And then there's planning for the future. The next 15 years will see even more climate instability and subsequent ramifications for farming, whether conventional or sustainable or regenerative or whatever. And we'll be getting 15 years older. Difficult to predict what might happen and there are so many variables, but some plan is better than NO plan.

Taking a sabbatical does not mean disappearing entirely. We will still be selling at the Saturday farmer's market every other week or so. Not much will change for our winter market selections; the main difference you'll see at the summer market will be fewer fresh herbs for sale. We'll focus on dried herbs, herbal teas and seasonings, and fresh mushrooms, but fresh herbs will be available only by request. As always, we encourage customers to contact us with such requests, which we will fill if possible.

Classes at Keller Market House: Blue Owl offers occasional classes at the historic Keller Market House in downtown Lancaster, OH. Here's what's currently on the schedule:

Holiday Baking with Herbs - Tuesday, December 10th, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
Herbs aren't just for tea or soup, herbs can be for dessert, too! Those lemon herbs that give a *zing* to your summer sun tea can do the same for holiday cookies and sweet breads. Then there's the basils.... not just for pesto! Come and learn new and different ways to spice up your winter-time baking with dried herbs that have captured summer's memories. Join local herb farmer Janell Baran of Blue Owl Garden Emporium in exploring a variety of suitable baking herbs and spices - many locally and sustainably grown right here in central Ohio - as well as busy-day baking techniques. Attendees will have an opportunity to sample various herbal yummies (accompanied by some Blue Owl tea) and take away holiday herbal recipes to try at home. Class fee is $35. Register on the Keller Market House website.

Early 2019 News:

Classes at Keller Market House: Starting in 2019, the Blue Owl has been offering occasional classes at the historic Keller Market House in downtown Lancaster, OH. Here's what's currently scheduled:

Mixing & Using Herbal Teas - Tuesday, February 5th, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Fight those winter blues! Nothing makes us feel cozy in the winter like a steaming cup of herbal tea. We think of tea as a soothing treat, but it's easy to overlook the many health benefits, from improving digestion, calming ragged nerves, and improving sleep, to adding key nutrients to our diet. Local herb farmer Janell Baran of Blue Owl Garden Emporium will introduce a variety of suitable tea herbs and spices - many locally and sustainably grown right here in central Ohio - as well as the best brewing techniques. Attendees will have an opportunity to experiment with their own herbal tea blends and sample a number of common and uncommon herbal flavor combinations. Class fee is $35. Register on the Keller Market House website.

Plan Your Herb Garden - Tuesday, February 26th, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Make this the year you grow your own herbs! Janell Baran of Blue Owl Garden Emporium will explain which herbs grow well here in Ohio, how their growing requirements differ from vegetables or flowers, choosing between seeds and plant starts, timing your plantings, and much more. Participants will have the opportunity to sow seed in 3" pots to take home for a head start on this summer's herbal bounty. Class fee is $35. Register at the Keller Market House website.

Mushroom Production for the Home Grower - Tuesday, March 12th, 6:00 - 8:00 pm
Mushrooms make a wonderful complement to freshly harvested herbs and vegetables from your garden and are not any more difficult to grow. In this session, Janell Baran of Blue Owl Hollow Tree Farm will demonstrate a straight-forward log inoculation technique suitable for small-scale production of several different culinary mushrooms. Not all mushrooms can be cultivated this way, but shiitake, oyster, and lion's mane are examples of choice edibles which, given the right situation and basic maintenance, will thrive for years in your yard, shade garden, or woodlot. Log harvesting, site selection, care of inoculated logs, and various mushroom cultivation resources will also be discussed.
Optional: In your registration, you may choose to pre-order an inoculated mushroom log from Blue Owl to take home the night of the class. Class fee is $30, shiitake-inoculated logs are $45. Register at the Keller Market House website.

Mushroom Workshare (March - mid-April): Our popular annual mushroom inoculation workshare is coming up!

Here's how it works: for about 6 weeks in very early spring you have the opportunity to join me in renewing Blue Owl Hollow's mushroom production infrastructure by inoculating fresh-cut logs with various types of culinary mushroom spawn. You'll learn the process and have the opportunity to earn credit towards a log to take home.

Trying something new this year, we've scheduled the workshares a month or so earlier to avoid conflicts with early-season herb farm activities. This year's dates are:

There is no charge for this adventure and each log you inoculate for the farm earns you $4 credit towards your own mushroom log ($45 value). Appropriate attire is required and you should allow 4-5 hours for the full experience. To learn more or reserve a space, email us with your preferred date, number of people interested in participating, and a reliable email contact. Herb groups, garden clubs, etc. are also welcome; we can make special arrangements, if necessary.

Markets:
Worthington, OH - The Worthington Indoor market season continues until the end of April; we can be found inside The Shoppes at Worthington Mall almost every Saturday, 9 - noon. For exceptions to this schedule check our 2019 Schedule below.

Granville, OH - The Granville Summer Farmers Market gets underway the first Saturday in May. We'll be there with some early mushrooms, the very earliest fresh herbs, maybe ramps, maybe spruce tips, as well as the full selection of dried herbs, teas, seasonings, and various other herbal goodies....

If you can't find us at a convenient time or place, remember that Blue Owl products are available year-round at Keller Market House in Lancaster OH and Brasseur's Botanicals in Newark OH.

Other Events:

Plan ahead for the May 11th Ohio Herb Day Celebration: Come celebrate all things herbal! Speakers, local artists, vendors, herb demonstrations, live music, and herb plants for sale from Mill Creek and others. Creekside Plaza in Gahanna OH. Janell will present Cooking with Herbs and Mushrooms. Sponsored by The Ohio Herb Education Center 110 Mill St., Gahanna OH 9 AM - 2 PM. Mark your calendars now!

March 23, 2017: Welcome to Spring!

Mushroom Workshare: Our mushroom inoculation workshare is about to begin. Here's how it works: every Sunday afternoon (noon-4) and Tuesday all-day (10-6) you have the opportunity to join me in renewing Blue Owl Hollow's mushroom production infrastructure by inoculating new hardwood logs with various types of culinary mushroom spawn. You'll learn the process and have the opportunity to earn your own log to take home. There is no charge for this adventure, but to take home a log, you must contribute 10 logs to the farm's mushroom growing capacity. This year we'll start Sunday, Mar 26 and continue through Tuesday, May 9. Sign up now, spaces are limited! Email if you are interested.

Markets: The Worthington Indoor market season is still going strong, but we're already looking forward to the summer outdoor farmers market season in Granville.

Until the end of April, we can be found inside The Shoppes at Worthington Mall, Saturdays 9 - noon. Starting in May, going through October, you'll find us out on the street in downtown Granville from 8:30 - noon. For the exceptions to this schedule check our 2017 Schedule below.

CSA - Partnering with Bird's Haven Farms: Again this year we're offering a Blue Owl Herb CSA add-on in conjunction with Bird's Haven Farms 2017 CSA program! Don't know quite what you get from a CSA subscription? Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a set amount of produce, but other products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "subscription") and in return receive a bag of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

It is also possible to expand your subscription to include products from other local businesses. For example, in addition to your Bird's Haven produce, you may now purchase a Blue Owl Herb CSA add-on to include some Blue Owl Garden Emporium dried culinary herbs in your weekly bag. CSA add-ons supporting other local producers are also available, including: Oink Moo Cluck, Osage Lane Creamery, One Line Coffee, Latshaw Honey, Winding Trails maple syrup, and Branstool Orchards. Learn more about how to sign-up and the pick-up locations and times in Central Ohio. What a wonderful way to support a whole community with just one bag!

Plan ahead for the May 13th Ohio Herb Day Celebration: Come celebrate all things herbal! Speakers, local artists, vendors, herb demonstrations, live music, and herb plants for sale from Mill Creek and others. Blue Owl will have a booth selling early season fresh herbs (think ramps!), the full range of dried herbal goodies, as well as fresh mushrooms and grow-your-own mushroom logs. Creekside Plaza in Gahanna OH. Sponsored by The Ohio Herb Education Center 110 Mill St., Gahanna OH 9 AM - 4 PM. Mark your calendars now!

If you can't find us at a convenient time or place, remember that Blue Owl products are available year-round at Brasseur's Botanicals in Newark OH.

May 5, 2016: The new growing season has begun!

Summer markets: Alas, the Worthington Indoor market season is over and we're looking ahead to somewhat less predictable selling conditions outside at our summer markets..... yeah, we're getting soft, I suppose.

2016 will see us at 2 markets in Central Ohio: Saturdays May 21 through the end of October you'll find us in downtown Granville from 8:30 - noon. On Tuesdays June through October, we'll be at the BRAND NEW Canal Market District farmers market in downtown Newark from 4 - 7 PM. This is a major local foods event for Licking County, come on over and check it out!

If you can't find us at a convenient time or place, remember that Blue Owl products are available year-round at Brasseur's Botanicals in Newark OH.

Herbs & Mushrooms: The first fresh herbs of spring are ready for harvest, with more on the way. Some things that are prime now: sorrel, sweet cicely, chives, lemon balm, chervil, lovage..... and spruce tips!

The shrooms are happy with this weather, too. While the mushroom inoculation workshare has (mostly) wound down, we now have a new supply of grow-your-own mushroom logs available for purchase. And other workshare opportunities are possible, perhaps raised bed building? Or harvesting/processing garlic? Let me know if you have any particular herb farm skills you'd like to learn!

Feb. 3, 2016: Greetings for the New Year!

Workshops: Making Herbal Beads -- Ever wondered what to do with leftover dried herbs? Or the fragrant dried flowers from an old bouquet, esp. roses? Turn them into beads! Victorians were wild about rose petal beads: made from real roses, these beads were strung into jewelry for both adornment and as a subtle perfume. This age-old crafting tradition can be used with other herbs and fragrant flowers to make necklaces, earrings, bracelets or even linen sachets. Join us as we call on your inner child to grind up herbs, add water, and turn the gooey mess into interesting objects. A great way to preserve fragrant flowers from a special event or even just to use up last year's herbs past their prime. This hand-on workshop will allow participants to create their own beads to turn into a special gift. Ohio Herb Education Center: Feb. 6, 2016 1-2:30 PM, $25/person, register on-line at The Ohio Herb Education Center, 110 Mill St., Gahanna OH.

Winter markets: We'll be selling at the Worthington Indoor Farmers Market Saturdays through the winter to the end of April. One major exception is the OEFFA Conference, Feb. 13-14, held annually in Granville, OH. This year you will find the Blue Owl in the exhibit hall! Another new experience! If you can't find us at a convenient time or place, remember that Blue Owl products are available year-round at Brasseur's Botanicals in Newark OH.

Herbs: Many of you have already seen our new display racks at the Granville or Worthington markets; the increased capacity has allowed us to offer more dried herbs than ever before -- not just more culinary herbs, but more fragrance, dye, medicina, incense-making, and insect repellent herbs. Over 200 varieties! Recently added: fenugreek herb, alfalfa, Arabian mint, patchouli, blackberry leaf, huacatay black mint, caraway thyme, bachelor's buttons, and green shiso; also pine, fir, red cedar, and American hemlock tips in addition to the spruce tips we've had in the past.

There have been a few additions to the Blue Owl line of herbal goodies:

Mushrooms: It's ALMOST time for our mushroom inoculation workshare sessions, scheduled during the month of April. Here's how it works: every Sunday afternoon and Tuesday all-day you have the opportunity to join me in renewing Blue Owl Hollow's mushroom production infrastructure by inoculating new hardwood logs with various types of culinary mushroom spawn. You'll learn the process and have the opportunity to earn your own log to take home. There is no charge for this adventure, but to take home a log, you must contribute 10 logs to the farm's mushroom growing capacity. Email if you are interested.

Lost in the shuffle: Blue Owl Garden Emporium and Blue Owl Hollow were featured in a nice article by Colleen Leonardi in Edible Columbus way back last spring. If you didn't grab an issue when it was available, you can still access the Spring 2015 issue on-line.

Sept. 23, 2015: Happy Fall Equinox!

Summer has come and gone in a flash, but thankfully we're still here and now have a moment to share some of the latest Blue Owl News as we head into fall and winter.

Fall and Winter markets: We'll be selling at the Worthington Indoor Farmers Market most Saturdays (usually 3 out of 4 Saturdays) through the winter season starting Nov. 14, with the major exception being the big Granville Thanksgiving Market on Nov. 21..... held outdoors. It's always exciting to see what the weather will be like in Ohio -- last year we had freezing rain which made the street a skating rink! If you can't find us at a convenient time or place, remember that Blue Owl products are available year-round at The Going Green Store in Granville OH and now also at Brasseur's Botanicals in Newark OH.

Herbs: Despite the wet spring, 2015 has turned out to be a vastly better growing year than 2014 for oh-so-many reasons. Many of you have already seen our new display racks at the Granville market; the increased capacity has allowed us to offer more dried herbs than ever before, including not just more culinary herbs, but more fragrance herbs, dye herbs, medicinal herbs, incense-making herbs, and insect repellent herbs. Over 200 varieties! New this year: fenugreek herb, alfalfa, Arabian mint, patchouli, blackberry leaf, huacatay black mint, caraway thyme, bachelor's buttons, and green shiso; also we've added pine, fir, and American hemlock tips to the spruce tips we've had in the past. The exception to the rule is garlic..... we have only a small selection of heirloom garlic for sale this year (6 varieties), with a few braids still available.

There have been a few additions to the Blue Owl line of herbal blends: 2 new herbal teas, in particular Bed of Roses (rose petals, rose-scented geraniums, holy basil) and Blue Hyssop (dried blueberries, purple hyssop, lemon verbena) plus 1 new cookie jar mix, Blue Hooty Creeks (dried cranberries, oatmeal, white chocolate chips, orange balsam thyme). More to come this fall!

Mushrooms: While we'll continue to sell fresh mushrooms at the market as long as the weather holds, we are SOLD OUT of grow-your-own inoculated mushroom logs until next spring. But don't despair, you can plan ahead for our mushroom inoculation workshare sessions, scheduled during the month of April. Here's how it works: every Sunday afternoon and Tuesday all-day you have the opportunity to join me in renewing Blue Owl Hollow's mushroom production infrastructure by inoculating new hardwood logs with various types of culinary mushroom spawn. You'll learn the process and have the opportunity to earn your own log to take home. There is no charge for this adventure, but to take home a log, you must contribute 10 logs to the farm's mushroom growing capacity. Email if you are interested.

Ohio Herb Education Center: As in years past, I will be participating in various events at the Center. First, there is the Herb Group, which meets monthly and features a different herb each session. I'll be covering Cardamon (Oct. 13) and Spicebush (Mar. 8). The herb group also occasionally does pop-up classes, such as Making Sweet-grass Braids (Oct. 6). If you interested in the group, contact the Center to find out more.

I'll also be doing a class open to the public on Oct. 24 (Sat. 1-2 PM), Cooking with Herbs and Mushrooms. Too often relegated to garnish, mushrooms can be the centerpiece for a meal, as well as a complement to either vegetarian or meat dishes. Become acquainted with a number of mushroom varieties available and differences in taste and seasonality. Explore various methods of preparation, as well as well-known and not-so-well-known herbal seasoning partners. Recipes provided. $35/person, register on-line at The Ohio Herb Education Center, 110 Mill St., Gahanna OH.

Lost in the shuffle: Blue Owl Garden Emporium and Blue Owl Hollow were featured in a nice article by Colleen Leonardi in Edible Columbus way back last spring. If you didn't grab an issue when it was available, you can still access the Spring 2015 issue on-line.

March 27, 2015: Officially, it's now spring.....

... and regardless of what's happening outside, things are HEATING UP here at the Blue Owl! The mushroom cultivation season began in earnest last week (during Spring Break), as we felled trees for the first batch of mushroom logs. This year we focused on an area badly damaged in the Xmas 2004 ice storm.... a fascinating study in natural re-generation, it's also a source for large numbers of storm-damaged trees suitable to use in mushroom production. As the Blue Owl mushroom workshare program kicks off on Sunday (see below), almost all activity for the next 6 weeks will focus on one or more aspects of mushroom culture.

Mushroom workshare: As in past years, a series of mushroom inoculation workshare sessions are scheduled during the month of April. Basically, every Sunday afternoon and Tuesday all-day you have the opportunity to join me in renewing Blue Owl Hollow's mushroom production infrastructure by inoculating new hardwood logs with various types of culinary mushroom spawn. You'll learn the process and have the opportunity to earn your own log to take home. There is no charge for this adventure, but to take home a log, you must contribute 10 logs to the farm's mushroom growing capacity. Sundays are mostly full, but Tuesday slots are available. Email if you are interested in signing up.

Herb-growing workshare: Alternatively, if you are interested in learning more about growing herbs in Ohio, for the first time this year we're offering an herb-growing workshare. Starting in May, on Tuesdays you are welcome to come out and help with the seeding, planting, weeding, bed-building, or whatever else is happening. T'is hard work, but you'll learn a lot and be able to take home some Blue Owl herbs in exchange. Contact me if you are interested.

Herbal Salads class at the Ohio Herb Education Center. Who said a salad _has_ to have lettuce in it? Try a salad of herbal greens instead and experience a new taste sensation! Not to mention the added benefit of flexibility. Your herbal salad mix changes with the seasons: many of herbal greens thrive in the heat of summer when lettuce wilts and many are very frost hardy, the first to appear in spring and still green and vibrant into early winter when other fresh local produce is past. Come nibble on a variety of herbal greens suitable for the salad course and learn when they are at their peak, where to find them and/or grow them. Sat. April 18, 1 -2 PM and Tue. April 28, 6:30 - 7:30 PM. Contact The Ohio Herb Education Center, 110 Mill St., Gahanna OH to sign up.

Spring markets: We'll be selling at the Worthington Indoor Farmers Market every Saturday in April. After a brief interlude doing some special events in early May, e.g., Gahanna Herb Day Celebration, we'll start our regular summer market season in Granville on May 23. If you can't find us at a convenient time or place, remember that Blue Owl products are available year-round at The Going Green Store in Granville OH.

CSA: Partnering with Bird's Haven Farms

Again this year we're offering a Blue Owl Herb CSA add-on in conjunction with Bird's Haven Farms 2015 CSA program! Don't know quite what you get from a CSA subscription? Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a set amount of produce, but other products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "subscription") and in return receive a bag of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

It is also possible to expand your subscription to include products from other local businesses. For example, in addition to your Bird's Haven produce, you may now purchase a Blue Owl Herb CSA add-on to include some Blue Owl Garden Emporium dried culinary herbs in your weekly bag. CSA add-ons supporting other local producers are also available, including: Oink, Moo, Cluck, Osage Lane Creamery, One Line Coffee, and Lucky Cat Bakery. Learn more about how to sign-up and the pick-up locations and times in Central Ohio. What a wonderful way to support a whole community with just one bag!

Plan ahead for the May 9th Ohio Herb Day Celebration: Come celebrate all things herbal! Speakers, local artists, vendors, herb demonstrations, live music, and herb plants for sale from Mill Creek and others. Blue Owl will have a booth selling early season fresh herbs (think ramps!), the full range of dried herbal goodies, as well as fresh mushrooms and grow-your-own mushroom logs. In the afternoon, Janell will give an herbal craft demonstration: how to make fresh herbal tea wreaths with herbs and edible flowers. Creekside Plaza in Gahanna OH. Sponsored by The Ohio Herb Education Center 110 Mill St., Gahanna OH 9 AM - 4 PM. Mark your calendars now!

Jan. 8, 2015: Happy New Year!

And with the New Year, winter has arrived in force. With lessons learned from last year, we went to much greater lengths to winterize the more tender plantings and hopefully it will be enough. It is also time to start planning for the new growing season and scheduling classes, workshops, and other activities. Stay tuned as these are added to the schedule in the near future.

Mushroom workshare: I know it seems like the deepest, darkest part of winter (and it is!), but not too early to start thinking spring and mushrooms! As in past years, I will be doing a series of mushroom inoculation workshare sessions during the month of April. Basically, every Sunday afternoon and Tuesday all-day you have the opportunity to join me in renewing Blue Owl Hollow's mushroom production infrastructure by inoculating new hardwood logs with various types of culinary mushroom spawn. You'll learn the process and have the opportunity to earn your own log to take home. There is no charge for this adventure, but to take home a log, you must contribute 10 logs to the farm's mushroom growing capacity. Email me to reserve your spot.

Herb-growing workshare: If you are interested in learning more about growing herbs in Ohio, I am planning some herb-growing workshare sessions this spring. Starting in May, Tuesdays you are welcome to come on out and help with the seeding, planting, weeding, bed-building, or whatever else is happening. T'is hard work, but you will have the opportunity to take home some Blue Owl herbs in exchange. Contact me if you are interested.

Winter markets: Just a reminder that we'll be selling at the Worthington Indoor Farmers Market several Saturdays each month through the end of April; because of the OEFFA conference in February, we'll only be attending the New Albany Indoor Farmers Market once more on March 21. Check below for exact dates . If you can't find us at a convenient time or place, remember that Blue Owl products are available year-round at The Going Green Store in Granville OH.

Mixing & Using Herbal Tea class: Nothing makes us feel cozy in winter like a steaming cup of herbal tea. We think of tea as a soothing treat, but it’s easy to overlook the many health benefits, from improving digestion, calming ragged nerves, and improving sleep, to adding key nutrients to our diet. Local herb farmer Janell Baran of Blue Owl Garden Emporium will introduce a variety of suitable tea herbs and spices -- many locally and sustainably grown in Licking County -- as well as the best brewing techniques. Attendees will have an opportunity to experiment with their own herbal tea blends and sample a number of common and uncommon herbal flavor combinations. Join us for some fun with herbs at the Ohio Herb Education Center at 100 Mill St. in downtown Gahanna OH on either Sat. Jan. 17 (1-2:30 PM) or Tue. Jan 27 (6:30-8 PM). Signup online or call (614) 342-4250 to register.

New and returning products: Despite 2014's weather challenges, a couple of old favorites are again available for sale at this winter. White sage and sweet grass bundles, epazote, anise hyssop, and za'atar herb are back, as is Cardamom Anise Hyssop Chai tea. We have a new mushroom offering from Japan, Nameko aka Pholiota nameko. New to many winter market customers, we now have an herbed poultry brine blend, just in time for Thanksgiving. A couple other goodies in the making will be available soon. Check out the latest availability for more details.

More grow-your-own mushroom logs: although we're already sold out of this year's Shiitake logs, we now have Nameko, Box Elder Oyster, and Lion's Mane logs for sale. These varieties are a little more challenging than Shiitake, with different cultivation requirements, but are well worth the effort. Recommended for folks who already have some mushroom cultivation experience.

News as of Oct. 31, 2014:

Winter Farmers Market season begins: our first winter market is this Saturday, Nov. 1 at The Shops at Worthington in Worthington, OH. Although we've had some light frosts, our offerings this week will include:

2014 herb growing challenges:
2014 was quite a year! Winter 2013/2014 was the worst in 50 years (so they say!), with lots of snow and repeated COLD lows down to -25°F. Spring revealed death and destruction in the herb beds, esp. among the woody perennials like rosemary, thyme, lavender, sage, oregano, roses, and even winter savory. Then, after an ambitious start to re-establishing those high-demand herbs, Janell crashed hard with a case of mononucleosis (at her age!). It was late July before the worst symptoms passed, but somehow -- with generous assistance from friends, family, neighbors, and loyal customers (THANK YOU!) -- we managed the necessary planting and attended summer markets with almost the full spectrum of Blue Owl herbs.

But, adding insult to injury, summer was cool and wet, causing fungal problems with many herbs that thrive in hot sun, esp. basils. The most immediate result will be decreased supply of 2014 dried herbs for sale until (hopefully) the 2015 crops start coming in. Sadly, the Almanac predicts an equally bad winter to come, but with lessons learned perhaps the outcome will be less depressing.

May 10, 2014, 9 AM - 4 PM. Ohio Herb Day Celebration:
Come celebrate all things herbal! Speakers, local artists, vendors, herb demonstrations, live music, and herb plants for sale from Mill Creek. Blue Owl will have a booth selling early season fresh herbs (think ramps!), the full range of dried herbal goodies, as well as fresh mushrooms and grow-your-own mushroom logs. In the afternoon, Janell will demonstrate how to make herbal whisk brooms. Creekside Plaza & The Ohio Herb Education Center 110 Mill St., Gahanna OH. Mark your calendars now!

Feb. 21, 2014: Whew! Is it STILL winter!?!

Actually I would have enjoyed this winter's weather -- sun flashing off blindingly white snow under a brilliant blue sky, cold crisp air curling your nose hairs, wind chills that can turn tears into miniature icicles, the joy of a roaring fire in the woodstove, and the unbelievable brightness of stars at night -- truly a nostalgic flashback to my early days growing up in Minnesota….

Would have, that is, if I did not own an herb farm with several hundred perennial herbs NOT HARDY to Minnesota's Zone 3 temperatures!!!! Oh, well, such is the life of a farmer.

It is seed ordering time, though. If you have a hankering for a particular herb, now is the time to let me know; I'll try growing just about anything at least once, and more likely half a dozen times, before I give up on it. As usual, I have a couple of new basil cultivars in mind, as well as some different edible flowers (lemon bee balm, clary sage) and herbal greens (Good King Henry, perpetual spinach, magenta spreen).

News of Note: Partnering with Bird's Haven Farms

Yup, this year we're offering a Blue Owl Herb CSA add-on in conjunction with Bird's Haven Farms 2014 CSA program! Don't know quite what you get from a CSA subscription? Here are the basics: a farmer offers a certain number of "shares" to the public. Typically the share consists of a set amount of produce, but other products may be included. Interested consumers purchase a share (aka a "subscription") and in return receive a bag of seasonal produce each week throughout the farming season.

It is also possible to expand your subscription to include products from other local businesses. For example, in addition to your Bird's Haven produce, you may now purchase a Blue Owl Herb CSA add-on to include some Blue Owl Garden Emporium dried culinary herbs in your weekly bag. CSA add-ons supporting other local producers are also available, including: Oink, Moo, Cluck, Osage Lane Creamery, One Line Coffee, and Lucky Cat Bakery. Learn more about how to sign-up and the pick-up locations and times in New Albany, Granville, and Westerville. What a wonderful way to support a whole community with just one bag!

Looking forward to 2014...

New Products:

We've expanded our offerings of unusual dried herbs suitable for teas, cooking, pot pourri, and other crafting uses, ~50 new items. Some examples include: chasteberry, southernwood, roselle, black cumin, coriander, meadowsweet, feverfew, and purple coneflower petals.... to name a few. We are now also offering gluten-free versions of all our jar mixes. Check 'em out on the updated availability.

New Markets:

We'll now be selling at the Winter/Indoor Worthington Farmers Market during the winter, see below for dates/times. And don't forget to visit us on 2nd Saturdays of each month at the New Albany Winter Market.

New Events:

The Blue Owl will be represented at several upcoming local events on topics ranging from forest foods to gardening with herbs to herbal crafts. Here are some details:

Feb. 1 and Feb. 25, 2014. Making Herbal Beads:
Victorians were wild about rose petal beads: made from real roses, these beads were strung into jewelry for both adornment and as a subtle perfume. This age-old crafting tradition can be used with other herbs and fragrant flowers to make necklaces, earrings, bracelets or even linen sachets. Join local herb farmer Janell Baran of Blue Owl Garden Emporium as she calls on your inner child to grind up herbs, add water, and turn the gooey mess into interesting objects. This hand-on workshop will allow participants to create their own beads to turn into a special gift. Appropriate for ages 13 and older. Pre-registration required, space is limited. $20/$25. Ohio Herb Education Center, 110 Mill St., Gahanna OH.

Feb. 15-16, 2014. Growing Mediterranean Herbs in Ohio's Un-Mediterranean Climate:
Growing herbs native to warmer, more arid climates here in Ohio can be challenging, but not impossible. Lavender, rosemary, sage, thyme, oregano, tarragon and other lesser-known herbs can all be grown as perennials, given the proper attention. Janell Baran, owner of Blue Owl Garden Emporium, raises hundreds of culinary herbs from all around the globe, and will discuss management strategies from planting to harvest. 35th Annual OEFFA Conference, Affirming Our Roots, Breaking New Ground, Granville OH.

For those who missed the conference and/or workshop, the hand-out is available on-line.

Mar. 11, 2014. Woodland Edibles:
Forests are not only beautiful to look at and fun to hike in, they can be a wonderful source for food, too. Expand your culinary horizons as Janell, wearing her forest farmer hat, introduces you to a variety of native foodstuffs growing among the trees. Licking Co. Soil & Water Conservation District Office, 771 E. Main St., Newark, OH. Watch the SWCD website for additional details and to sign up.

Sat. Mar. 29, 2014. Four Seasons of Gardening Conference "Spring Garden Party":
Sponsored by Licking County Master Gardener Volunteers and Licking Co. OSU Extension. We will be doing mushroom log inoculation demos and selling inoculated logs at the Blue Owl Hollow table; our regular dried culinary herb products, as well as the very first of spring fresh herbs (if spring ever comes!) will be available for sale at the adjacent Blue Owl Garden Emporium table. 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM at C-TEC Career & Technology Education Center, 150 Price Rd, Newark OH. Speaker schedule, vendor details and sign up details are available on-line.

Sundays & Tuesdays in April. Mushroom Inoculation Workshare Program:
Early spring means MUSHROOM INOCULATION time. If you want to learn more about growing mushrooms on natural logs, we will be doing the Blue Owl Hollow mushroom inoculation workshare again this year, Sundays (12-5 PM) and Tuesdays (10 AM - 5 PM) in April. Come out and earn yourself an inoculated mushroom log! Gain direct hands-on experience with various aspects of culinary mushroom production by assisting us with our seasonal propagation chores. Email to sign up for a time slot.

May 10, 2014, 9 AM - 4 PM. Ohio Herb Day Celebration:
Come celebrate all things herbal! Speakers, local artists, vendors, herb demonstrations, live music, and herb plants for sale from Mill Creek. Blue Owl will have a booth selling early season fresh herbs (think ramps!), the full range of dried herbal goodies, as well as fresh mushrooms and grow-your-own mushroom logs. In the afternoon, Janell will demonstrate how to make herbal whisk brooms. Creekside Plaza & The Ohio Herb Education Center 110 Mill St., Gahanna OH. Mark your calendars now!

Dec. 12, 2013 Happy Holidays! Certainly looks like it's going to be a White Xmas this year. I like the snow (good insulation for the root systems of perennial & woody plants as well as providing a bright and festive look to the landscape), but the unusually cold temps so early in the season I could do without.

Here is our Winter availability list. Come see us at the New Albany Winter Farmer's Market on Saturday.

Sept. 30, 2013: Early fall update. The leaves are turning color and we got Oh-so-close (35° F) to frost last week, so I guess it's time to update the news!

Only 2 weeks left for us at the Granville Summer Farmers Market! We will miss the last market of the season due to the Forestry Field Day and the current plan for Oct. 12th is to bring only dried herbs, mushrooms, and veggies (sunchokes, horseradish, hot peppers, tomatillos). I will, however, be happy to take special orders for delivery at the market that morning. Check out the current availability list (subject to change due to weather, of course).

Preparation for the Forestry Field Day is our primary focus right now. Mark your calendars for the event: Saturday, Oct. 19th, 9-5 at Blue Owl Hollow tree farm. RSVP soon to Licking SWCD by email or phone (740) 670-5330. Volunteers are needed for the day of the event.... if interested, please contact Licking SWCD.

Aug. 6, 2013: Mid-summer update. Markets have been keeping us plenty busy, but summer's end is in sight and fall will follow soon enough. The weather has been much kinder than last year, at least for growing. Herbs and mushrooms have responded with a constant supply for markets, which have been rather more on the damp side than usual! The full catalog of fresh herbs is available now until frost, so stop by either the Granville or New Albany Farmers Markets to check out herbs for every taste:

Tree farm activities take a back seat during the summer, but planning for this fall's Forestry Field Day on Oct. 19 is already well underway and we will again be demonstrating mushroom cultivation at the Hartford Fair in the Natural Resources Area (see below).

Aug. 7, 2013: Hartford Fair, Croton OH. Janell presented a short talk followed by an exhibit and mushroom inoculation demonstration at the Natural Resources area. The theme was Mushrooms in Your Garden, in particular all the ways you can incorporate edible fungi into your home landscape. This talk builds on several previous talks she's given and links to various mushroom-related handouts are included below:

Feb. 18, 2013: Winter is over! More or less. With the recent OEFFA conference only a pleasant memory, Blue Owl farm operations now "officially" move into early spring mode. It's a busy time, so an update on farm happenings seems to be in order:

Mushrooms: Early spring means MUSHROOM INOCULATION time. ODOT and AEP have both _generously_ provided us with a variety of sizes, shapes and species of hardwoods suitable for mushroom production. If you want to learn more about growing mushrooms on natural logs, there are several upcoming opportunities...

Markets: Tis a busy time for both tree farm (mushroom propagation, tree/shrub planting, trail work, milling) and herb farm projects (seed starting, bed preparation, planting), so we scheduled only a couple of spring markets (see schedule below). Hope we see you at one of these events, but don't forget you can always special order from us or shop at The Going Green Store, open 7 days a week.

Nov. 30, 2012: Holiday News:

Blue Owl Products for the Holidays:
*NEW* Blue Owl Garden Kitchen Herb Racks *NEW*...just like the displays we have at market, each will contain 16 of your favorite dried herbs & seasoning blends nestled in a custom-made hardwood panel.  Choose from several different native hardwoods, each sustainably harvested and milled right here at Blue Owl Hollow tree farm. For regular Blue Owl customers who already have a full collection of herbs, the racks are also available un-filled. A great gift for your favorite cook!  Prices for filled racks start at $115 and un-filled racks at $30; price varies based on choice of wood and herbs. Contact us for details.

Old favorites for gift-giving are also available:

Nov. 2, 2012: Non-Timber Forest Products Workshop: Rural Action sponsored a 1-day workshop for forest landowners, forestry professionals, and other interested parties on Non-Timber Forest Products: Income Opportunities and Management Strategies For Ohio Woodland Owners.  Janell presented on gourmet mushroom cultivation; other topics included ramps, growing ginseng and goldenseal, and natural hardwood charcoal production.  Her handout is available as a PDF download.

Oct. 25, 2012: Late Fall/Early Winter Market Update

And just like that the Granville Farmer's Market Summer season ends.... and the Granville Winter Market begins!

Granville Winter Market: Every Saturday, 9:30-noon, through the end of Feb.  Come join us for the kick-off Oct. 27 at the Granville Elementary School on Granger Street.  We'll have a fine selection of fresh mushrooms (both shiitake and oyster), the hardier fresh herbs -- including mints, dill, parsley, cilantro, thymes, rosemary, oreganos, and even some lemongrass -- as well as the full selection of dried herbs, seasoning blends, herbal jar mixes, and herbal teas.  Support your neighbors, buy local!

Aug. 7, 2012: Mid-season Market Update: As one might expect, recent storms have provided us with additional hardwood logs for mushroom inoculation.  A good thing, too, because the hot, dry weather has forced a goodly number of our shiitake production logs into dormancy!  Sadly, that means we have fewer fresh shiitakes for sale at market, but it also means we'll still have plenty of Grow-Your-Own Mushroom Logs for sale this fall. Remember, they make great Christmas and birthday gifts!

The storms also brought some much-needed rain and the herbs have responded valiantly.  We're now at the peak of summer herb production with a huge number of offerings, for example:

Finally, a reminder that many of our dried herbal products are available at the Going Green Store on River Road in Granville.  If you would like to see other items there, or at any of our other markets, please email me and we'll get it to you.

Aug. 8, 2012: Hartford Fair, Croton OH. Janell is presenting a short talk (11:30 AM - noon), followed by an exhibit and mushroom inoculation demonstration (noon - 4:30 PM) in the pavilion at the Natural Resources area. The theme is Mushrooms in Your Garden, in particular all the ways you can incorporate edible fungi into your home landscape. This talk builds on several previous talks she's given and links to various mushroom-related handouts are included below:

Sept. 16th, 1 PM -  5 PM: Experience Granville, Granville, OH.  We will be doing another mushroom exhibit at Bryn Du Mansion's Experience Granville event.  As part of the "Homestead Pantry" hosted by the Granville Library, we'll demonstrate a variety of mushroom cultivation techniques, display tools of the trade, provide sources for tools & materials, and answer questions.

June 28, 2012: New Albany Farmer's Market opens, Thursdays 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM: The unusual weather continues to make growing produce this year most challenging, but at least the Mediterranean herbs are happy! This is a new market -- our first mid-week -- for those of you in the area, please come by and say hi.

May 19, 2012: Granville Farmer's Market opens, every Saturday 8:30 AM - noon: Memorial Day is almost here.... the start of summer.  Could have fooled me!  I thought it started months ago.....

The odd weather has confused the herbs and mushrooms, in both good and bad ways. Lots of herbs are out early (~40 varieties!), although the cool season herbs are moving to seed, e.g., cilantro, chervil, sweet cicely, and won't be available much longer.  Cilantro-cumin potato salad is a natural for outdoor holiday parties....as is sun tea.  Edible flowers are ahead of schedule, too.  The heirloom roses are outstandingly fragrant, perfect for anyone who has ever wanted to experiment with making their own rose water or rose petal jelly.

The mushrooms are being rather persnickety -- they would like more rain -- but we have a few beautiful ones for sale.  Great for stuffing or grilling.  And we have not 1, but 2 species of mushroom logs for sale this year:  the old standard shiitake (Lentinula edodes) and new-this-year elm oyster (Hypsizygus ulmarius).

Mar. 6, 2012: Dried Culinary Herbs for Health and Flavor Workshop, Tues. 6:30 PM, March 6, 2012. Learn about using dried Blue Owl herbs to spice up your winter cooking.  A few spots are still available for this Tuesday, March 6 workshop at The Going Green Store.  Come sample some of Blue Owl's favorite herbal goodies, taste and sniff the herbs being discussed, and take home fresh ideas, tried n' true herbal recipes and some high-quality culinary herbs grown sustainably right here in Central Ohio.  $15/person, limited to 10 participants.  Call 740-963-9644 or email The Going Green Store to reserve your spot.

Feb. 18-19, 2012: Annual OEFFA Conference. Janell is once again presenting at the conference, held in Granville, OH every year. This year she will be talking about Mushrooms in Your Garden, in particular all the ways you can incorporate edible fungi into your home landscape. This talk builds on her previous talks in 2010 and 2011. Links to handouts from all 3 are included below:

2012 workshop description: Mushrooms make a wonderful complement to freshly harvested herbs and vegetables from your garden and are not any more difficult to grow. Janell Baran, owner of Blue Owl Hollow Tree Farm, will demonstrate techniques for raising culinary mushrooms in a variety of outdoor settings, such as compost piles, garden beds, paths, and undesirable or storm-damaged trees.

Feb. 9, 2012: Newark Public Library Backyard Gardening Series. Janell starts off the series with a session on making a garden plan, sourcing seeds and plants and how to schedule your garden activities throughout the year The handout (PDF) listing some of Janell's favorite plant sources is available for download.

Dec. 3, 2011: Granville Winter Market has begun! Located at the Granville Elementary School off of Granger St. in downtown Granville, we'll be offering dried herbs, herbal teas, cookie jar mixes, and other winter-hardy products (e.g., horseradish roots, sunchokes) for sale the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month through March. Hours are 9:30 AM - 12 noon. The current schedule is:

Nov. 18, 2011: Granville Thanksgiving Market, Saturday Nov. 19th, 2011. Should be a beautiful day for a late season market. It's been a good year for herbs.... and mushrooms! We will have plenty of both at the market in downtown Granville. The fresh selection is, of course, a bit constrained, but we'll have plenty of Thanksgiving dinner herb favorites: thyme, rosemary, sage, oregano, chives.... as well as the full selection of dried herbs.

May 18, 2011: The summer Granville Farmers Market season has begun. We have a good selection of fresh herbs and mushrooms available already this year, thanks to the rain (a rare comment around here, to be thankful for the rain!). Some examples of what's in prime season right now: rhubarb, shiitake and oyster mushrooms, cilantro, French tarragon, assorted mints, lovage, chive flowers (and chives, of course), sage, oregano, lemon balm. These are all available by request, as well as at the market.

We will not be at the market this Sat., May 21 (my Mom's birthday!), but come see us again on May 28th!

February 23, 2011: Happy New Year! Hard to believe with all the snow and ice that spring is truly coming, but we're already busy planning seed and plant orders and starting mushroom spawn going for this year's market. Suggestions are welcome!

Taking a break from that, Janell gave two presentations at this year's OEFFA Conference on Feb. 19-20, 2011:

February 13, 2010: Janell presented at the annual OEFFA Conference on her SARE project to control the invasive tree Ailanthus without the use of herbicides: see the handout Weeds in Your Forest Garden -- What to Do? for more details. Additional information about this work can be found on Blue Owl Projects.

October 30, 2009: The Blue Owl Hollow farm tour went smoothly and the weather was fantastic! If you missed it, I'll be putting up a page with pictures soon.

October 25, 2009: Sunday is the day for the Blue Owl Hollow farm tour, from noon till 5:00 pm. We will be highlighting some of the sustainable forestry practices we've initiated with funding from USDA SARE (Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education). Scheduled activities for the afternoon include:

Co-sponsored by OEFFA, ODNR Division of Forestry, and Licking Co. SWCD. Hope to see you here, then!

September 24th, 2009: We've expanded! Dried herbs are now on sale. Coming soon: herbal seasoning blends and herbal teas: contact us if you have any special requests!

February 2024

Loose-leaf teas:

Seasonings:

Dried herbs
(~150 varieties)

Forest products:

Crafted products: