It has been a big week for gatherings on the farm. We hosted some fabulous corporate events, and there is nothing I love more than walking a group through the fields, talking about why regenerative agriculture matters, and then sitting down together to a farm-to-table meal made from what we grow.

Lambing season, on the other hand, continues to fizzle out. We had one mama on baby watch for well over a week before we finally realized she was fluffy from her wool, not from a lamb. We have one girl left who will hopefully give birth next month. In happier baby news, a bunch of silkie chicks have hatched, and it is so much fun watching the little fluffballs whiz around. We are definitely enjoying the cooler weather, though we just got a notice for high winds on Friday, so we shall see.

Don’t forget to sign up for our Harvest Dinner on the website! It’s October 24th and we would love to see you there.

This week your shiitake mushrooms come from Mahealani Farms in Carpinteria and the honeynut squash from Tutti Frutti Farms in Lompoc, both certified organic neighbors.

— Margo & Cleo

Ingredients

• Shiitake mushrooms: 6 oz, stems removed, sliced
• Green beans: 3/4 lb, trimmed
• Lemongrass: 2 stalks
• Chives: 3 tbsp, cut into 1-inch lengths
• Garlic: 2 cloves, thinly sliced
• Fresh ginger: 1 tbsp, grated
• Soy sauce or tamari: 2 tbsp
• Rice vinegar: 1 tsp
• Neutral oil: 2 tbsp

Instructions

1. Peel the tough outer layers from the lemongrass, keep the pale bottom 4 inches, and mince it very finely.
2. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a wide skillet or wok over high heat. Add the shiitakes in a single layer and leave them 3 minutes, until browned, then toss and cook 1 minute more. Move to a plate.
3. Add the last of the oil and the green beans; cook 4 to 5 minutes, tossing, until blistered and crisp-tender.
4. Add the lemongrass, garlic and ginger and stir 1 minute, until fragrant.
5. Return the mushrooms, add the soy sauce and vinegar, and toss 1 minute to coat.
6. Off the heat, add the chives. Serve over rice or on its own.

Regenerative farming isn’t a trend for us. It’s the operating system of the land—an agreement with this ridge, this soil, this sunlight—that what we take must be returned with care, intention, and a sense of stewardship that stretches far beyond a single harvest. Healthy soil grows healthy food, and healthy food grows healthy humans. Everything begins there.

On these windswept acres above the Pacific, we farm without disturbing the soil. No-till isn’t just a technique; it’s a reverence for the microscopic universe beneath our feet. Intact soil holds life the way a good book holds a story—with structure, mystery, and endless potential. By keeping our soil undisturbed and never leaving it bare, we protect the networks of fungi, microbes, and minerals that feed our crops long before we ever harvest them.

Biodiversity is our compass. Instead of monocrops, our fields unfold like a mosaic—flowers tucked beside vegetables, herbs bordering fruit trees, cover crops threading between them. These living patterns invite pollinators, build resilience, and buffer the land against the wild swings of weather that now shape modern farming.

Our animals move through these landscapes as co-farmers. Sheep, cows, llamas, goats, and chickens rotate through our fields, adding organic matter, eating weeds, stirring fertility back into the land. Their presence keeps our soils breathing and alive, closing the loop in the most ancient way.

Because we are certified organic, our fields never see synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. Instead, weeds are managed with rolls of cardboard and generous layers of mulch—slow, natural, and deeply effective. The result is soil that’s richer every year.

And regeneration isn’t theoretical here. It’s measurable. Our practices help sequester an estimated 150,000 tons of carbon and 4 million gallons of water, quietly repairing what industrial agriculture has broken.

This is the work that nourishes us. This is the work that nourishes you. And this is the work that keeps the land extraordinary for generations to come.