Editor’s note: This story is Part 4 of a four-part series highlighting area farms for Community Supported Agriculture Week.

By DREYMA BERONJA

Journal Staff Writer

MARQUETTE — Just south of downtown Marquette is a 10-acre market farm producing local and sustainably grown food for the community.

Keefe Crowley and Tensi Parsons first purchased their home in 2016. With their dream of growing food for the community, they knew the location was perfect. It wasn’t until a year later when they were able to complete renovations to the home and turn their full attention to the land.

In 2018, Little Parsley Farm officially opened and they haven’t looked back since.

“Besides starting a farm from scratch, and all the learning and building of new infrastructure, one of our biggest challenges through the past five years has been the unpredictable and extreme weather patterns,” Crowley said in an email.

Crowley said that Little Parsley Farm experiences a lot of extreme winds and temperature fluctuations. For example, sometimes there could be close to freezing temperatures on a summer night with a very hot, dry and windy day to follow.

“The vegetables don’t know what to do in those situations and so they tend to hibernate instead of grow,” Crowley said.

Little Parsley Farm grows seeds from companies that have signed the Safe Seed Pledge. This means that seeds purchased or sold are not genetically engineered seeds or plants. At Little Parsley Farm, consumers can purchase from them and know that everything grown uses sustainable and organic methods.

Produce is non-GMO and grown without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Crowley said that this is one of the biggest rewards with running the farm, having the satisfaction of knowing that Little Parsley Farm is providing the community with fresh and wholesome food.

“Coming from a culinary background, we understand how important it is to start with good ingredients, and how important good nutrition is,” Crowley said. “We are so proud to be able to provide another source where people can choose to eat fresh and local.”

Since opening, Little Parsley Farm has offered an 18-week Community Supported Agriculture package to the community. For Little Parsley Farm, CSA means that the community is supporting a local farmer by providing an influx of funding very early in the growing season when farm income is otherwise nonexistent.

“This influx helps us to be able to purchase the necessary supplies before the planting season begins — like seeds, compost, row covers to help extend our growing season and other supplies,” Crowley said. “And we are in turn supporting our local community by offering fresh, delicious, local produce–all supplied with a low carbon footprint because of environmentally friendly growing practices and short transport distance.”

Crowley said that CSAs are also important for the community because they foster education, health and socialization.

“We enjoy occasionally offering folks vegetables that may be unfamiliar to them, and they enjoy it too because it opens their culinary world a little bit more,” Crowley said. “We include a letter in each CSA every week with storage tips, fun facts and recipes so that our customers can feel even more confident in the kitchen.”

Little Parsley Farm is also partnering with registered dietitian Pam Roose. Roose is the founder of Inspiring Roots in Ishpeming who uses Little Parsley Farm’s CSA in her “Explore & Tasting” culinary series.

“These four classes (once each in June, July, August and September) are outdoor (weather-permitting) seasons where Pam will highlight some of our freshest and most-inspiring vegetables of the month for food exploration, recipes and sampling,” Crowley said. “Folks can sign up for our four-week CSA specifically designed for her sessions and learn how to cook some fabulous dishes in a fun and social environment.”

One aspect of CSAs that may turn away new customers, according to Crowley, is the stereotype of getting way too much of something each and every week. Crowley uses the example of kale but assures possible new customers that Little Parsley Farm does not grow kale.

“Well, we don’t even grow kale, so no worries there, but also some folks aren’t sure if they can consume everything each week before it goes bad,” Crowley said. “So we like to remind people that when considering a CSA, remember that CSAs are fun to share with a friend or neighbor; and it feels good to share with someone in need or to donate to a cause whenever you have extra veggies.”

Crowley said extra vegetables are also a good excuse to host dinner parties and that many items can be saved for the winter by blanching and then freezing.

For anyone interested in signing up for Little Parsley Farm’s CSA offering, visit online at littleparsleyfarm.com. Those who are not able to reserve their CSA spot this year can find Little Parsley Farm at the Marquette Farmers Market on Saturdays and the Negaunee Farmers Market on Wednesday evenings.

Any other inquiries can be directed to Parsons at littleparsleyfarm@gmail.com or 906-228-2553.

Dreyma Beronja can be reached at 906-228-2500 ext. 248. Their email address is dberonj@miningjournal.net.