hello friends,

You are invited to join us for 3 hours of fun labor, this sunday, to celebrate labor day weekend! Sunday, sept 2, 1-4pm.

We are celebrating labor for the common good, not for money, gain, competition, status, or out of fear. Lets celebrate an economy of generosity, care for the planet and others, dignity for workers, and joy in the beauty of the outdoors.

Hello Universe! This is Allyson!

Today I am beginning my blog series on medicinal plants! I have been learning as much as I can this season about medicinal plants - wild foraged, plants that I am growing intentionally, and prairie plants. So this blog focuses on a wild foraged plant (that some people may call a "weed") that I have been learning about.

#1 Dandelion!

Parts of plant used:
The whole thing!

Medicinal properties:

xueyan left just a few days ago, which is very sad,
but here is the last newsletter that they made, featuring the amazing forecasting abilities of shadowbeast the cat
also, please note that this potluck is SATURDAY august 25.

hello everyone,

we are having a wonderful and relaxing potluck tomorrow afternoon/evening
There have been some changing plans, and some misprints, so in case you read any information different - the official last word is:

SATURDAY August 25, 4:30-6:30 pm.
potluck dinner, flower picking, and bouquet making. You are encouraged to bring your own jar to take your flowers home in. All ages welcome!
at Mustard Seed Community Farm - 366 W ave, 10 miles north and 5 miles west of Ames
newsletter for the upcoming week, by allyson

Four days before my birthday, Rachel asks me if I want to do anything special. I’ve always found this question difficult to answer. I don’t have particular elegancies and hope-laden lists of requests adding up from the months where it was not my birthday. Most of the time when people ask me what I want from them I don’t know if they’d even be able to give it to me, like nondairy pumpkin pie and chocolate croissants. To Rachel I respond with the usual ‘I don’t know’. After this nonanswer she asks me if I have preferences for dinner.

hello everyone,

so many events going on! i'm trying to get all the dates for the next
month in one email so that i don't have to keep sending more notices.
It's beautiful on the farm right now - come out and visit.

7/29: POTATO DIGGING - This Sunday on the farm, help us dig potatoes
(and if we get that done, pull weeds)
take home some potatoes, and maybe a melon for your eating pleasure.
Sunday July 10am-noon, 1-3pm. We will eat lunch from noon to 1,

Dear friends,

One of my favorite things about the farm is how it brings people together, giving people whose life paths might not otherwise cross an opportunity to meet each other. Sometimes those people form meaningful, long lasting friendships; sometimes they discover they have things in common that they never would have expected; sometimes they hold drastically different views from one another, and are able to challenge and learn from each other.

We recently got to witness a very special meeting between two very special strangers: Shadowbeast and Milo.

our bug potluck was fantastic!
next potluck will be in Ames,
at Gina's house - perhaps a different address than what you already had listed!

Thursday August 2nd, 6-8pm, topic COMMUNITY, 3224 Ross Road, in Ames.
( bring your ideas, friends, food to share, and tableware if you are able)

a note from Gina about potluck:
"The potluck will be held outdoors in the backyard.
I have a handful of chairs and numerous picnic blankets. If you want to be guaranteed a seat in a chair, bring one.
I have a handful of plates/forks/knives - bring your own if you remember/are able.

hi friends,

Family fun potluck AND learn about insects!
We are hosting a potluck on the farm this Saturday, July 21, 4:30-6:30,
with a roundtable discussion and kids activities about insects

Potluck Dinner 4:30-5:30 - bring a dish to share. (Don't worry, bug
potluck doesn't mean you have to make a dish with bugs in it.)
5:30 - 6:30 - Roundtable discussion led by summer intern Derek:
Insects past, present, and future. Derek is ISU grad who studied
agronomy and insect science and HE LOVES BUGS!

at the same time, there will be a kids activity looking for and

Dear friends,
(pictures temporarily sideways until fixed...)
Pictured above are interns Allyson and Xueyan on Allyson’s birthday celebration. Before them is Xueyan’s delicious and innovative jello cake with sour cream frosting. Xueyan and Allyson both celebrated their birthdays recently, so it has been a festive time on the farm. Also, the crescent moon at sunset:)