Happy Holidays & CD Release News from Dancing Crane Farm

Crane Talk
The Sometimes Weekly Newsletter of Dancing Crane Farm
December 18, 2010

Happy Holidays!
Sending you and your families our sincerest wishes for a safe and peaceful holiday season as well as a bright new year full of possibility. 

As Our Lives Go
Most of you are probably wondering why you haven’t heard from us in so long.  Simple…we have been pooped out!  This past season was probably our best yet as far as smoothness of operations.  However, with the addition of Dancing Crane Farm Café (our mobile food machine), things were pretty intense.  We are heartened by the fact that many of you have written to let us know that you miss our frequent updates about farm life. 

So, here is the low down on what all of us are up to.  David is spending the majority of his time working on snow removal and training his dogs.  I am busy at the Co-op and trying to play “catch up” here at home.  Kelly and Chris are eagerly awaiting the birth of their first child in late January.  Casey is back home in Holland but will be starting an internship at the Agape Community http://www.agapecommunity.org in the new year.  Robert is back with his family in West Bloomfield working on his cooking and yoga skills.  Andrea and Bob just purchased property in Kansas nearer to family and are expecting their first little one this Spring.  Deena and Alyssa are being good students and staying active at U of M in Ann Arbor.  Sam is back in Holland spending time with her nephew and working at a new job. 

The farm is snug under a deep blanket of snow.  Seed catalogs and apprentice applications are rolling in daily.  We will let you in on 2011 plans as soon as we have some time to actually work on the plan:)  Talk to you again in 2011!

Peace,
Natasha

"Moonlight on the Snow" Release
The most exciting news is that David has just released his debut album called “Moonlight on the Snow.”  It is a collection of original songs inspired by David’s time on the trail and in the woods.  Kelly sings backup vocals on the tracks recorded in Marquette while Natasha’s sister, Alicia, sings backup vocals on the tracks recorded in Nashville.  Alicia’s partner, Chris, as well as Johnny Cash’s former bassist round out the Nashville studio ensemble.  David’s friends Greg, Wayne, Nancy and others contributed in a variety of ways to the production.

David’s album crosses several genres to bring listeners wonderful rock guitar work, soulful ballads and even a hint of funky Phish-like undertones.  This CD has something for everyone on your list.  Find out more by visiting www.davidgillmusic.com.  There is a link to buy it from independent music seller, CD Baby.  If you click on the CD Baby link as if you were going to purchase it, you can listen to samples of each song before ever having to give any payment info.  His CDs are also on sale locally in Skandia at A& M Café and Hyndman’s General Store and in Marquette at Book World, Mares Z Doats, and Bayshore Veterinary Clinic. For larger orders or if you would like to sell the CDs at your business, please contact us directly at 906-251-0545.

Word of mouth advertising is the most effective way to sell local music, so we would be ever so grateful if you would help us spread the word.  Additionally, writing a review of the album at http://www.davidgillmusic.com or at http://www.cdbaby.com would really help us out. 

Just as an FYI, David will be performing live at the UP200/Midnight Run Sled Dog Banquet and is considering running the UP200 rather than the Midnight Run this year...time will tell!

Facebook & Website
Ok, ok, ok, so we are embarrassingly far behind in keeping up with both of these farm necessities.  Our goal is to have both our website and our Facebook page up to date and active by the end of February.  Our apologies for our lapse in communication. Natasha has been dragging her feet when it comes to getting savvy with Facebook.

Red Potatoes
If any of you purchased red potatoes from us, don’t eat them.  Any of the varieties with yellow or white interior color are fine.  It is just the Cranberry Red variety that is bad.  The Cranberry Reds are the ones that are pink/red all the way through the interior.  Something went wrong with this variety…it is so bitter you can’t eat them, even when cooked.  Even if you like bitter, compost them so as to not risk getting sick.  Basically, we had to harvest the potatoes too early this year because the deer were eating them out of the ground.  Then, it got really hot and sunny just after harvest.  All around, it was a bad combination.  So, they all started to get that green hue to them.  We are recommending that you get rid of the Cranberry Reds and peel all the other varieties so that you are not eating any part of the potato without first removing the green hue.  We are happy to give you another variety in return for any that you have to get rid of.  Just let us know.

Large Pump for Sale
Our friend, Jen, has a really large water pump for sale.  It would be perfect for farm and/or garden irrigation and other such projects.  She can be reached at 906-250-1997 for more product details and price. 

Quote to Ponder
"Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with a hoe and
she laughs with a harvest." -Douglas William Jerrold,
playwright and humorist (1803-1857)

Dancing Crane Farm
348 Lawson Road
Skandia, MI 49885
Phone & Fax: 906.942.7975
info@dancingcranefarm.com

Dancing Crane Farm is responsible for the content of this email.
Natasha Gill, 348 Lawson Road, Skandia, MI 49885

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