Hi there. We’re living or rich life, are you?! Get the latest farm updates here in this Rich Life Report.Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ Νβ€Œ 

Hi there! It seems like outside has finally come to life again. The trees are blossoming, warm weather winds have picked up, seeds have been started, lawns have been mowed, markets move outside, and there is a solar eclipse that we are pretty dang close to viewing totality. April will be good to us.

 

Farmer’s Markets

Spring is here and so are the spring veggies! The Northside Farmer’s Market moves outside and lengthens by an hour, whoo-hoo.

Please note we will not have a table set up at the Hyde Park Farmer’s Market on April 21st - it’s Emalee’s birthday bash. You can get your mushrooms from us on Wednesday at the Northside Farmer’s Market or from one of our partner retailers, listed here.

Hyde Park Farmers Market every Sunday (except WE will not be there April 21st) from 10 am - 1 pm @Madtree Brewing

Northside Farmers Market every Wednesday from 4pm - 7pm @the Heart of Northside outside parking lot
 

Farmer Update

We celebrate another birthday, Emalee turns the big 3-0 on April 19th! Emalee and Pete will celebrate with a weekend getaway with friends. With them taking a fun weekend away, we will not be at the Hyde Park Farmer’s Market, so if you want mushrooms, you will have to visit the Northside Farmer’s Market or a partner reseller.

Just today Emalee left for the airport to enjoy a tropical trip with her family to Belize for a surprise 80th birthday party for her grandmother. We will miss her at the farm, but are happy she will get a much deserved week away.

Emalee is pictured here with 3 of her favorite things; chickens, a mushroom and the garden’s first spring harvest.

 

Chicken Update

The garden tunnel has new tenants, the rapidly growing baby chickens. The babies are 5 weeks old. They have formed their flight feathers, tail feathers, and miniature combs poking on the top of their heads. Still chirpy as ever.

One chicken is confirmed as a Rooster, a bantam. Which is ironic because Bantams are much smaller in size compared to the average chicken. Our current rooster, Pierre, might have some competition for dominance in the coming weeks.

So far one chicken has been named, only 35 more to go. Pictured is Creamsicle, a Bantam as well, specifically a Mille fleur d’uccle. She is a cutie pie who was named after the beautiful shade of her plumage.

Another chick is growing a feather mohawk. Not only stylish, but near and dear to the hearts of Emalee and Pete because their very first chicken, Penguino, had the same wild hair-do.

There are two chicks that were born a couple days after the rest of the lot, and their delay is apparent in their development. One specifically, has been having issues standing without leg support. But, she loathes being kept away in special care. No better therapy than surrounding yourself with friends (or napping in the pocket of your human mama).

Other than that, all chicks seem to be happy and healthy. The transition to the tunnel was smooth. Pete and Emalee are beyond grateful to have their house returned to it’s proper state, chick-less.
 

Log Inoculation Update

We began the process of inoculating logs with mushroom spawn! It actually began a couple weeks ago when Pete strategically cut down and sized out maple trees from the woods. We had a fun day on Friday drilling holes, inoculating with spawn, then painting over it with beeswax to keep in the moisture. We used a spiffy inoculation tool which took a couple tries to get down the proper technique. A two-person team seemed to work best; one loaded the spawn and aimed it over the drilled hole and the other slapped it with their palm to dispense the spawn.

The wax was messy, but the drill debris was messier. The process took longer than we expected it to, but we’re learning. This was the first time any of us tried to inoculate logs in a serious production effort. Once we use all the mushroom spawn we have devoted to logs, we should have about 150 logs!! On our first session we only inoculated 10 logs total. Who wants to come volunteer? πŸ‘€
 

Spring has Sprung

It seems like life has renewed outside. Have you noticed the bees buzzing around from bloom to bloom?

We had our first harvest from the seeds we planted early in 2024, easter egg Radishes! They are so crunchy and a bit spicy. We’re grateful for the tunnel to allow us to have an early spring harvest of various vegetables, and allowed us to have fresh lettuce all winter long.

Outside, edible and medicinal forsythia flowers are brightening up our landscapes and weeds of chickweed, dandelions, redbuds and violets! Pluck them and eat them!

To highlight one, violets are known as a cooling and moistening herb to soothe sore throats, coughs and act as a blood cleanser. The flower and leaves are edible, best eaten raw or prepared as a tea or infused into honey, vinegar, simple syrup, or oil. Check out this recipe for Violet Vinegar. It makes a wonderful salad dressing!

And if you’re lucky, you might run into a cluster of ramps or a patch of morels! Keep your eye peeled under oak, elm, ash or apple trees for the spongy-looking mushrooms. If you plan to consume, make sure you verify the specimen with a foraging specialist.

 

Mushroom of the Month: Shiitake

Shiitake mushrooms, Lentinus edodes, are a fan favorite. These familiar mushrooms can be found in some specialty grocery stores, but you can taste the difference with ours because they’re grown with love and intention.

We are now cultivating Shiitake mushrooms outdoors on logs in addition to the usual indoor grow. We spent the entire log-inoculation-work-day getting through one bag of Shiitake spawn. We have 6 more bags to go. We hope to yield about 75 logs total and many, many pounds of Shiitake mushrooms by next spring, fingers crossed.

Shiitake mushrooms have a rich, buttery flavor and a firm texture that has stolen the hearts of many culinary fanatics. Our shiitake range in size, from large portabella-sized caps to smaller, baby bella-sized caps. They can stand alone or stand in for other mushrooms a recipe may call for.

In traditional Chinese medicine, Shiitake is renowned for it’s ability to tonify Qi and the blood. Further studies found the certain compounds responsible for these health benefits. One is Lentinan. This compound supports the immune system, specifically targeting leukemia cells and shows promise to reduce side effects from chemotherapy. Another is Eritadenine, which shows promise for lowering cholesterol levels. Talk about food as a form of medicine! Plus it tastes great.

When you are buying local produce, you are building community and nourishing your body. Every farmer you meet at the farmer’s markets can tell you exactly where the product was grown, how it was grown (chemical free, most likely), and they can probably name who harvested it! Meet your farmer, ask them questions, and eat well.

 

Recipe: Glazed Shiitake with Bok Choy

Bok Choy is in season! Give this recipe a try, serve as a side or on top of rice for a delicious meal.

What you need:

  • 1 large box of Shiitake from Rich Life Farm, shredded

  • 2 pounds bok choy

  • 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

  • 3 small dry red Chinese hot peppers

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • 4 cloves garlic

  • 1 tablespoon grated ginger

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil

  • 3 tablespoons of tamari or soy sauce

  • 6 scallions, sliced diagonally for garnish

  • 1 tablespoon of roasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

How to:

  1. Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cut off and discard the stem ends of the bok choy. Separate leaves, rinse and clean. Drop leaves into boiling water and cook for 1-2 minutes. Immediately remove, rinse with cool water, drain and pat dry. Arrange leaves in one layer on an ovenproof earthenware platter, then set aside.

  2. Put a large wok or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil and heat until nearly smoking, then add the hot pepper and shiitake caps, stirring to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Stir-fry for 3 minutes. Reduce heat slightly and add garlic, ginger, sugar, sesame oil and tamari/soy sauce. Stir-fry for 1 minute more.

  3. Spoon shiitake and pan juices over reserved book choy. Serve at room temperature or if you prefer, reheat covered with foil for 10 - 15 minutes in hot oven. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!
 

Partner Spotlight: The Aperture

There is a new best restaurant in Walnut Hills, the Aperture. The Aperture has a modern and bright feel with big windows to allow in the golden glow of the sunset. They offers wine, cocktails and tapa plates inspired from Mediterranean cuisine using local ingredients.

I just dined at the Aperture this weekend and let me tell you, they may have won my vote for best mushroom preparation. They grilled the Oyster mushrooms and were able to bring out the tanginess of the mushrooms. They pair them with a smoky tahini sauce, hazelnut pesto, and Manchego. The ultimate bite had me drooling.

Recently, the Aperture was named as Cincinnati magazines #5 pick for Best new restaurant, read the article here. I highly recommend you check them out! You can book a reservation on their website, open Wednesday though Saturday 5pm - 10pm.
 

You made it to the end! Your reward, farm fun.

Can you spot the new farm vehicle in the picture below? That’s right, we have a mini bike! The little red machine has been driven up and around the entire farm property. As long as the rain holds off, we’ll have ourselves a time; fast and furious style.

That’s all for now, fungi folks. Peace.

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Instagram: @richlifefarm

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Rich Life Farm and Fungi

Rich Life Farm & Fungi, info@richlifefarm.com, 1144 Ten Mile Rd, New Richmond, United States

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