Spring is a wonderful season on the farm.  The crocus and rhubarb have made an appearance, the cranes have returned (and insist on standing in the road!), and the bees are flying!

A few weeks ago we attended Beekeeping 101 sponsored by the Superior Beekeeping Club.  The class was excellent.  We can also recommend a new site, upbees.weebly.com, written by Joel Lantz.  We inspected our two hives to find that one colony did not survive the winter despite having adequate honey stores.

The greenhouse has come to life, with broccoli, basil, tomatoes, peppers and others starting to sprout.  We had some help from young family members who were very sad to leave the farm at the end of the day. 

Last year's buckwheat cover crop was turned in today with discs and a field cultivator.  This yielded a few rocks and some surprise potatoes for our dinner!  The tractor is very happy in its new home in the barn, and the straw removed from the barn will be made into compost.

We have a new endeavor planned and look forward to telling you more about it in the next month or so.  It brings our past experience to a new place.  Here's a hint:  We can't grow it on the farm, but you can't start the day without it :)

Happy Spring!

DANCING CRANE FARM

The farmhouse has been made more energy efficient with A LOT of insulation and a 100% efficient electric boiler.  During our renovation, we discovered a newspaper from the 1950s and a 1929 Indian head nickel!  We left a little message behind a new wall with the current gas price/gallon for a future "re-modeler" to discover.

The bee hives in the barn are being restored with the goal of adding some new colonies this year.  Later this week we have a meeting to order bees.  Should be interesting!

The chicken tractors are under construction with the plan to have four mobile units.  The meat and egg chickens will be moved to new locations on a regular basis for grass feeding.

As you know, the work is never done.  Stayed tuned for opportunities to help and educational sessions!

begin planning in earnest for spring on the farm!  For once, we are thankful for a long winter.

Many have asked us why we would buy a farm.  Here are a few of our reasons:

1. We want to know where our food comes from.  Specifically, we want it to be produced in a   

    sustainable and ethical manner.

2.  There is a need for locally-produced, healthy food in our community.

3.  We enjoy the physical and emotional effort of caring for the land.  Our goal is to leave the earth

     better than we found it.

4.  It will foster community-building.  Trust us, we will need plenty of help! We plan to give back with

     education events and a fall party.

Our plans for 2012 include:

1.  Attempting to honor and continue the amazing work that David and Natasha began.

2.  Growing a managable garden while we learn the ropes.  This will be done organically.

3.  Having a variety of livestock, including a small herd of grass-fed cows, pigs, meat and egg-laying

     chickens.

4.  Learning about the bees, hopefully with a batch of honey to come.

5.  Tapping the maple trees in the spring.

Long term goals:

1.  Adding wind and solar energy.

2.  The sky is the limit!

We look foward to seeing you on the farm!

John and Wendy

Hello, Everyone,
Dancing Crane Farm has officially been sold and is now in the hands of wonderful new owners.  How wonderful to be making this transition before Mother Nature wraps us in her snowy blanket.  I feel truly blessed!

As you know, this past year has been a tough one for both David and me. We couldn't have come through it without the love, support, kind words and encouragement from all of you...our loyal farm family.  Though we are both in a much different place both emotionally and physically than this time last year, we look forward to the future with an open heart and mind.  Good things are waiting for us!  

This certainly is not goodbye. Neither of us plans to leave the area.  I am still living in the community, working at the Co-op, staying actively involved on the Northern Vegans Board and quietly dreaming about my next venture, which will mostly likely involve farming in some form.   I have not really had much time to think about my future yet.  My sites have been focused on making sure that Dancing Crane Farm ends up in the right hands...and, I am happy to say that it has!

John & Wendy Frye, of Marquette, are excited to be the new owners of DCF and plan to carry on the tradition of beyond organic farming.  They are eager to get to know you (our farm family) and plan to offer volunteer opportunities as soon as they get their feet wet (most likely in the Spring).  If you are interested in reconnecting with DCF, meeting John & Wendy, and getting your fingers in the soil, e-mail your name and contact information to john@dancingcranefarm.com. They will contact you when they are ready to host volunteers.  For now, learn a bit more about them at www.dancingcranefarm.com/staff.  You can look forward to newsletter updates from them in the coming months.  

In the words of Wendell Berry, beloved farmer and poet, "So, friends, every day do something that won't compute...Give your approval to all you cannot understand...Ask the questions that have no answers.  Put your faith in two inches of humus that will build under the trees every thousand years...Laugh.  Be joyful though you have considered all the facts...Practice resurrection."

Farwell for now.  Til we meet again.  If you would like to stay in touch with me, you can reach me at 906-235-9180 or go4organic@yahoo.com.  

Be Well,

Natasha 


Dancing Crane Farm
348 Lawson Road
Skandia, MI 49885
Phone: 906.235-9180
info@dancingcranefarm.com
www.dancingcranefarm.com

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

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http://www.dancingcranefarm.com/mailinglist/remove?ids=1789 

For the past 8 years, Dancing Crane Farm has been a vibrant working farm and education center. We plan to add some animals such as cows and chickens to the farmstead and continue the community connections that have been developed over the previous years.  

1971 Scotsman 12 ft. Travel Trailer, Model 1500

$300.00

Call 906.942.7106 

Greetings & Salutations!
Hello, All!  Hope the summer has been treating you well.  The sun has been a real blessing, but we sure could use some rain.  Natasha was at the farm yesterday mowing and weeding to keep the place looking good for potential purchasers.  Wow!  Dancing Crane Farm sure is a magical place!

A big thanks to all of you who have inquired about our well-being, where things are at with the sale of the farm and what you can do to help.  So, here is the scoop:

Farm Showings
Financially, we need to move the house ASAP and will pay $500.00 to anyone who finds us the final buyer of the farm. 
We continue to show the farm weekly to interested parties but don't have any offers yet.  We are highly motivated to sell the house before winter arrives and are willing to do whatever it takes to help the new owners make it happen.  We just know that the right buyer is out there waiting to purchase Dancing Crane Farm and make it their new home. 

We are willing to entertain reasonable offers, arrange for firewood, serve as consultants regarding the wood boiler, blowing out the plumbing lines to the outbuildings for winter, etc.  We are in the mood to bargain but cannot entertain land contract or other seller financing options.  We need someone to purchase it outright through a mortgage or other finacial arrangement.

Calling all Facebookers & E-Mailers
Please help us distribute the wonderful video that we made about Dancing Crane Farm via e-mail to all your friends and family as well as posting it on your Facebook pages.  The more people who see it, the greater the chances are that we will sell the property.  You can access it and a new Flickr photo gallery from our homepage at www.dancingcranefarm.com. *A huge thank you to those of you who have already done this for us.
 
Riding Mower Needed
We are looking for a free or cheap riding mower (yes, it needs to actually mow) for the farm.  If you have one or know of someone who does, please let us know.

Lending Library Materials
If you have any materials (books, videos, etc.) from the DCF Lending Library hanging out around your house somewhere, could you kindly return them to Natasha at the Co-op.  She needs them for a couple of upcoming projects.  Thanks! 

Sincerely,
Natasha & David


Dancing Crane Farm
348 Lawson Road
Skandia, MI 49885
Phone: 906.235-9180
info@dancingcranefarm.com
www.dancingcranefarm.com

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

If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, click here to unsubscribe or copy and paste the following URL into your browser:
http://www.dancingcranefarm.com/mailinglist/remove?ids=1789 

Greetings & Salutations!
Summer is certainly here.  The hot weather has been a blessing for the crops after such a cold, wet Spring.  Now, all we need is some more rain.  If we get some more soon, our local farmers will most likely have a bumper harvest at the end of this growing season. Let's keep our fingers crossed for them and do our rain dances every chance we get.  

We are both doing as well as can be expected during this time of transition for us and for the farm.  We sincerely appreciate the cards, e-mails, calls and kind words of support.  It is wonderful to be part of such a loving community.  

We continue to show the farm weekly to interested parties but don't have any offers yet.  We have high hopes of selling the farm before winter arrives.  We just know that the right family is out there waiting to purchase Dancing Crane Farm and make it their new home.  

New Farm Video To Share
We have just posted a fantastic new video of the farm on YouTube. We are hoping that you will help us out by forwarding the link to everyone you know, after you have watched it of course:) You can access it and a new Flickr photo gallery from our homepage at www.dancingcranefarm.com. 
 
Opportunity to Live at and Manage DCF Still Available
This opportunity is still available.  A local person has expressed interest in purchasing Dancing Crane Farm but is not interested in the day to day management of the property.  He is looking for someone to live at and manage Dancing Crane Farm.  He would like a place in the country to bring his family on the weekends and would like to have access to fresh produce and other farm products.  If you are interested in farming and have the skills to maintain the property as a working farm, perhaps this would be an option for you.  Contact Natasha for more information.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and do please stay in touch.

Sincerely,
Natasha & David


Dancing Crane Farm
348 Lawson Road
Skandia, MI 49885
Phone: 906.235-9180
info@dancingcranefarm.com
www.dancingcranefarm.com

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

If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, click here to unsubscribe or copy and paste the following URL into your browser:
http://www.dancingcranefarm.com/mailinglist/remove?ids=1789 

Greetings Everyone!

Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.  Things here at the farm have been quiet as you might guess.  Gosh, we sure do wish someone would purchase our baby and bring her back to life.  The fields are ready to be planted, the summer kitchen is just waiting for food and the the sauna stove is waiting to be lit. 

We have had many inquiries about Dancing Crane Farm and have shown it to many people in the last weeks. Many thanks to those of you who are passing the word to those who might be interested in our place.

Recently, we listed it on various FOR SALE BY OWNER websites:

www.UPFSBO.com Listing #0372

www.forsalebyowner.com Listing #23141467

www.fsbo.com Listing #149710

Dancing Crane Farm Showing
We will be hosting another day of showings on Wednesday, July 7th.  Call Natasha at 906-235-9180 or e-mail natasha@dancingcranefarm.com to schedule a time.

Opportunity to Live at and Manage DCF
We do have an opportunity that we would like to tell you about.  A local person has expressed interest in purchasing Dancing Crane Farm but is not interested in the day to day management of the property.  He is looking for someone to live at and manage Dancing Crane Farm.  He would like a place in the country to bring his family on the weekends and would like to have access to fresh produce and other farm products.  If you are interested in farming and have the skills to maintain the property as a working farm, perhaps this would be an option for you.  Contact Natasha for more information.

Border Grill Mobile Cafe 
As you know, The Border Grill purchased Dancing Crane Farm Cafe and reopened their version of the traveling cafe this past week in Marquette.  They will be at the Marquette Farmers Market on Saturdays and plan to serve a different menu than they have at their three permanent locations.  They also plan to use local ingredients whenever possible.  They are still developing their menu, but will try to offer at least one gluten-free, dairy-free option.  Please patronize their new endeavor and help them be successful!

Sincerely,
Natasha & David


Dancing Crane Farm
348 Lawson Road
Skandia, MI 49885
Phone: 906.235-9180
info@dancingcranefarm.com
www.dancingcranefarm.com

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

If you do not wish to receive emails like this in the future, click here to unsubscribe or copy and paste the following URL into your browser:
http://www.dancingcranefarm.com/mailinglist/remove?ids=1789