ChiliTrout Farm

06/20/2025

Worried more than a little bit about the lack of honey bees sighted here at the farm, lots of trees (both fruit trees and otherwise) in bloom the last month!
One of my favorite times and sights of the year!

06/20/2025

Was not me, but just one of the many joys of farming.....hah!
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1P3SqtCKUD/

04/16/2025

Took these 7 days ago, so a little late ..but spring has (finally) sprung in our little valley with a Valley! I'll take late over "never" though!
I've been making seedling trays like crazy the last 12 days, and some greens and radishes are getting close also.
But almost just as importantly,the crocus and some of my other favorite varieties have popped!
I planted even more last fall and will continue to do so until the edges and the forest are covered in annuals. Yippee!
Happy "real" spring everyone! 🤠👍🪻

03/02/2025

A dish from tonight... only a few CT-Farm products this time of year,but was mighty delicious. Fit with my dear ladies vegetarian needs, but remember, dor "meatiest" people can add a second pan to cook chicken, pork or beef (thin sliced for the last 2) and throw in a good chunk of the previously cooked goodies! I know first hand it works fantastically! Kung Pao tofu w/cashews, sw peppers, onions (lots), mushrooms, a little hot pep (in this case poblano) Udon noodles,and the key to victory -golden raisins (reg will do tho). Sweet taters and butternut squash chucks do great in this too. Start the "hard stuff" first (I'm addition to the tofu) and then go "soft" . It'll work for you newbies!
King poa sauce is moderately easy to do from scratch. But store bought will definitely do. Add salt, pep and paprika. Try it!

02/19/2025

Depsite my initial nervousness and lack of prep time/short notice, once the mic got hot and the red light came on , the nerves disappeared and it was was fun despite the very serious subject matter. Sasha and the crew/interns were great!! Glad I did it and don't think it turned out too badly.
Here's a link in case you missed it, and I understand they are rebroadcasting it today too.
It's not short if you are listening to a quick thing. The whole program in 20 something minutes or more. But worth the listen IMHO, even if I wasn't on there!

02/18/2025

Heya good people! I'll be appearing on WBEZ tomorrow during the noon hour, from 12:20 to 12:40,Tues Feb 18th (91.5 on the dial,NPR) along with Ben Felder, Editor in Chief of Investigate Midwest, to talk about egg prices, Avian Flu and other Ag related topics. And ChiliTrout Farm! It'll be live (YIKES!!)
Tune in if you can...I believe it is available online after the fact too. Support Public Radio! I am filling in for a different farmer who cancelled last minute.
The program is called Reset w/ Sasha-Ann Simmons
Here's a pretty recent photo for the algorithm 🤠🥚
(Photo courtesy of Travis Risbringer)

09/15/2024

Made a tasty lil veggie stir fry dish with a buncha ChiliTrout Farm products...summer squash, patty pan squash, onions, mushrooms, butter fried radishes, fresh sweet corn, a small handful of cross cut green beans, 3 kinds of tomatoes, a dash of white balsamic vinegar, virgin olive oil, a touch of butter, fresh and dry Italian herbs....and garlic!
Turned out really well!

09/07/2024

Wow! The veggies and melons are a poppin' !!! So looks like I will be doing another pop up Farmer's Market thingy! At Archie's Iowa Rockwell Tavern this time ! (2600 w. Iowa) I will be coming in this Thursday the 12th of Sept and selling from 4 to 7 o'clock.
Loads of heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes (multiple varieties of each) , watermelon and cantaloupe! (Bunches and bunches of both! Many kinds!) Greens, radishes, green onions, hot peppers (5 kinds!), and our award winning eggs too!
The first of the onions, fall squash, potatoes and apples are in too!
Will be towards the last of the summer squash and zucchini - so get them while they last! Perhaps sweet corn too? We'll see...but odds are 50/50 it'll still be there or gone.Planted a very late season variety at the end, so we'll see if you or the raccoons get it first. Plus other surprises! Come find out this Thursday!

08/26/2024

Hey folks!
Doing my (and due to this crazy year 👁️👎) FIRST pop up one man Farmer's Market thingy at Green Eye (2403 W. Homer) this Thursday the 29th! And very well could be (due to circumstances) my last of the year... perhaps...😕
It will run from 3:30 to 6:30 and wrap up by 7.
I'll have melons of all sorts, some greens, tomatoes of at least 5 kinds (including heirloom and cherry toms), fresh basil and oregano, radishes, onions, peppers (both hot and sweet- & at least kinds of hot!🥵). Eggs of course.....and sweet corn!!! Will probably be the last of the sweet corn this year 🌽
Plus other things too .. we'll see what else is ready Thurs morning when I leave the farm. Hopefully see you there!!!!

08/01/2024

Hiya good people!
I am hiring a friend to drive me into the city today (Thurs) for deliveries!!
Just hitting the big customers unfortunately BUT I will be popping into Archie's and Green Eye to round things out and to do a Proof of Life showing! I will have eggs, veggies (a little bit of everything including pints of tomatoes and sweet corn!) and such left over for you folks at the pubs.
My guess right now in Archie's at 3:30 to 4:15, and Green Eye 4:30 or so. I will update times if they change...
Slim chance I'll hit Lemmings if anything is left afterwards.
This will be a blowout sale before my 3rd surgery next week. Will be a couple weeks before my next run IF all goes as planned. See ya later!!

07/13/2024

Heya peeps.
Well, some old friends got this thing going despite my reluctance. I have mixed feelings.
I have a hard time asking for help, let alone accepting it.
I definitely wasn't going to do it before...but over a dozen friends, customers and customer - friends (and even 2 or 3 of my restaurants!) said go do this.
So as I was doing a buncha mental gymnastics and moral judo on myself, my old buddy Lon, and to a lesser extent Michael, and Mark said straight up..."Look buddy, this is gonna happen. Get used to it! Just lay back and think of England..." Well, I might have been paraphrasing the last bit but the sentiment was the same.
This is for THE FARM.Not for medical bills,etc. I can't work at all with this thing right now or on good days, can barely work. I've thrown away tons of veggies and 200 doz eggs. :( ...but farm bills are still coming in. This is the crunch season....and....well, hell, Mike says it a lot better than I do in the description section.
Read that at least so you know what's up and going on. Donate or don't. We'll always be friends xo

For those of you on FB, you have likely seen some of Chad’s recent posts… Michael Ells needs your support for Help Chad and Preserve ChiliTrout's 2024 Harvest

07/12/2024

Howdy Folks!!
Just wanted to reach out and mention very briefly and thank for all of the wonderful and essential help that you good people have been giving me these last 4.5 weeks.... especially the last most trying weeks. First the wrist and ribs, but then the detached retina and multiple emergency surgeries.
I couldn't have keep the farm (and life!) afloat with out out.
I haven't been able to shop or cook for the family so first big shouts to everyone who brought food...Alex, Gene and Fran, Midge, my whole Huron Street familirs/crew, and my fellow farmers of The Sanderson Family!!
Big thanks to Marty and Betty for helping on the farm with labor!! Chloe, Jenine, Mike Ells and Katib.
And couldn't have done anything at all without Matt and Chris Klein.(Of Klein Farms obviously!)
All my love to my Burlington UMC families too.
As the doctor said..."I wish I could say we are wrapping this up....we aren't. But it's better to think of this as the middle of a process. And this process requires support. And it seems like you have a great team."
And I do xox