By Kelsey
Lately my son (2) has been asking me to read to him from my Sibley Guide to Birds of North America each night. It's kind of hilarious, between Dr. Seuss's ABC and The Runaway Bunny, he will pick up the Sibley Guide and say, "read the bird one!" and we will spend 20 minutes or so flipping through the pages, naming the birds, and he will imagine how their calls sound. Of course, I am totally delighted by this and happy to indulge him. I see his face light up when he actually recognizes a bird (he's especially fond of the turkeys and owls). But what delights me even more is his growing ability to recognize the birds here on the farm. He knows it's a raven when he hears a "Caw!" and he looks up to see the Canada geese when he hears the characteristic honk. These days when we're on a dog walk, he will stop and point and say, "That's a red-wing black bird!" or, "That's a killdeer, not a harrier."
My parents went bird watching on their first date, so I guess this particular affinity runs in the family. I rejected it growing up, though. On road trips, my parents would pull over to get the binoculars out every time they spotted something. I'd wake up excitedly asking, "are we there?!" "No, just another bird." I'd groan.
When I first moved to the farm, I noticed 2 bird species I had never seen before: one was all white and would just hover in the sky without flapping its wings, like a... well, like a kite... till suddenly it would dive down to the ground; and the other seemed like a hawk, but bigger than a red-tail, and it wouldn't soar, just fly low over the fields. They were both so impressive to me, beautiful and graceful each in their own ways. I looked them up in my Sibley Guide, which until that point had just been collecting dust, and learned their names: White-tailed kite and Northern harrier. Now when I see them, I feel a satisfying, calm familiarity.
I regret rejecting my parents' hobby growing up, because they were right: birds are exciting, and being able to see and recognize the birds around you is like having access to a secret world of flight and song and wonder. I wish that I was better able to teach my son about the birds in his backyard, but at least with the help of the Sibley, we can learn together.
Open Field Farm 2025 | The "ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW" guide for members
Upcoming Event:
Pancake Breakfast Saturday March 7th (Hike at 9 am, Pancakes at 10 am)
CSA Barn Hours:
Winter hours: 2:30-6:00 pm
Pick List:
Eggs
Nicola Yellow, Harvest Moon Purple, Red, and Fingerling potatoes
Merlin Beets
Yaya Carrots
Hablange Parsnips
Verdonnet Leeks
Rutabaga
Mars Celeriac
Kohlrabi
Fennel
Rhubarb Chard
Regiment Spinach
Arugula
Castelfranco, Rosata, and Radicchio
Cilantro
Delicata, Acorn, Tetsukabota, and Butternut Winter Squash
Winter Luxury Pumpkins
Whole Dried and Ground Hot Peppers
Herbal Tea Blends
Pick your own flowers and herbs
Beef Bone Broth (Made by Olla Products)
Apollo Olive Oil
Revolution Bread for sale on Tuesday and Friday
Open Field Farm Swag!
Potato Leek Soup from loveandlemons.com
4 large leeks, about 2½ pounds, white and light green parts only
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds yellow potatoes, chopped
3 garlic cloves, grated
6 cups Leek Top Broth (below) or vegetable broth (or our beef bone broth!)
3 fresh thyme sprigs, bundled
1 cup milk or heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, optional
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish
Optional Leek Top Broth
4 large leeks, about 2½ pounds, dark green tops only
12 cups water
8 fresh thyme sprigs
5 garlic cloves, smashed
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Optional: Make the leek top broth. Cut the dark green tops off the leeks. Wash well and add to a large pot with the water, thyme, garlic, salt, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and measure 6 cups broth for the soup. Freeze the remaining broth or store it in the refrigerator for another use.
Make the soup: Chop the white and light green parts of the leeks. Wash well.
Heat the butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks, salt, and several grinds of pepper and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the leeks are soft. If the leeks start browning before they soften, reduce the heat.
Add the potatoes, garlic, broth, and thyme and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very soft. Remove the thyme, then use an immersion blender or transfer the soup to an upright blender to blend until smooth. Return the soup to the pot and stir in the milk. Season to taste, adding the lemon juice, if desired.
Garnish with chives and serve.