Black Bear Soups & Produce

07/29/2023

Some big news! I am excited (nervous) and above all grateful to be continuing the legacy of Kim Murchison that is .

Check out the article at the link in my bio.

https://missoulian.com/news/local/missoula-farm-changes-hands/article_b46b141c-2b1c-11ee-82d8-df9c61ba73e2.html

07/20/2023

Blueberry hauling! Just this week I received the honored title of Western Montana Co-manager for the Idaho Blueberry Faeries. Gratefully inheriting this honored position from the one and only Jack Rowan.

July 29th I will be at the farmstand from 12-4pm with the best blueberries I've ever had from of Laclede, Idaho. I usually freeze most of them to fight off the winter blues with bloobs. But a Blueberry shortcake, or fresh out the bag in fistfuls is also pretty perfect.

If you'd like to order some, gallon bags of fresh blueberries are $25 or $23.50 if you order 5 or more. I need orders by 7/24 and have limited space. Hit me up asap if you would like a gallon (or 10).

Can't make it on 7/29? You can also pick up at the cooler in Missoula later in the week. Email [email protected] with orders.

01/09/2023

Took a birthday weekend break with this guy who tells me there is no such thing as too much orange outerwear.

12/02/2022

I'll have bunches of garlic bouquets Saturday at the ! Gifts you can eat are always my favorite, yours too? Come see me 9am-3pm at the Southgate Mall.

I will ALSO have
Local Farm and Food Passports on hand. These are a gateway to amazing food and deals that supports many farms and businesses in Western MT. Get one for you and one for a friend with the resolution to eat well in 2023.

12/02/2022

Oh hey. Summer squinty reminders to shrug off the winter chill. Those glasses were sliding down from sweat, maybe this snow storm is not so bad?

I'll be slinging garlic bouquets and bulk garlic at the this Saturday 9-3pm at the Southgate Mall. $20 for a bouquet, but it's $1 off if you tell me a joke.

10/20/2022

Feeling a little crazy lady while I make garlic bouquets these evenings.

Come by the harvest market this Saturday morning for bulk garlic or to grab a bouquet. Finally got my ducks in a row to make it there...might be my only market this year.

There are Saturday markets still happening downtown too. and the have a couple more weeks too. Choose one, support farmers, and stock up before October ends. Saturday is meant for cute sweaters (or your own crazy lady ensemble), local food, and all the farm goodies.

?

08/27/2022

Friday night vibes.

Preorders on garlic till Sept 1. Link in bio for more info.

08/19/2022

I am now taking orders for signature garlic bouquets, braids, & bulk garlic at a special pre-order rate if you get your order in before midnight September 1.

Check out my website (link in bio) for details. Hit me up in the DMs, email, or by phone to get the garlic you need!

//// Hardneck Bouquets $18, regularly priced $20 //// Softneck Braids $32, regularly priced $35+ //// Bulk Garlic $8/lb, regulalry priced $10/lb ////

08/10/2022

Appreciation post #3: brought quick wit and a beast work mode to my garden this year. Tell her anything once and she knows forever.

Order info coming soon!!

08/08/2022

Appreciation post #2: This dreamboat showed up with his own fork to help hoist garlic bulbs from their beds. Glad to have the good company.

Garlic order details coming this week!

08/06/2022

Appreciation post #1: I love this man. Garlic harvest is done and he brought a good laugh to my grouchier moments this week (the later night times when I was still hanging garlic). He stays up late so we can go to bed together and helps me eat the gummy bears left over from our garlic volunteer snack pile.

*****Stay tuned for garlic order info.*****

ID photo 1: Ryan strikes an action pose with dragon's lingerie beans sticking out from between his fingers as "wolverbean."

ID photo 2: Ryan stomps on a garden fork to dig up a row of garlic wearing a bright orange hat, white t-shirt, and cut off jeans.

08/05/2022

Friends, I got a new job! I had a wonderful ride with for the past (nearly) 4 years. Now I'll be working in support of agriculture lands, beginning farmers, and healthy, local food access with the hardworking team at !

CFAC has been a great support to me as a beginning farmer (you remember Pitch Fest and that amazing KIVA loan for my walk-behind tractor 3+ years ago...that was thanks to CFAC).

Black Bear still has me hustling on evenings & weekends. Stay tuned for details on garlic orders later this week!

05/29/2022

Did you sleep on getting local garlic? I have a load of seconds leftover that are starting to sprout. Take this garlic off my hands for the low price of free?

Hit me up if you want some! Some of this garlic will last for months yet, but it's all got to go.

Picture 1: Glamour shot of Big Whoop, a black lab border collie mut sleeps as her glossy coat shines in the camera light. Picture 2: Glamour shot of Roxanne, a black and white border collie sleeping against a flower patterned rug.

04/24/2022

Spring is freezer quiche - pork sausage and a bag of rough chopped frozen kale from last season - bedded into early upstarts of sorrel, parsley, and chives. Accompany it with a Faceplant, because let's face it that we just worked in the on-off rain and still have that winter chill.

What are your springtime meals? Do the seasons overlap the way they do here in Montana?

02/24/2022

It's been a minute, so hello from February! Seeds are getting planted in my basement under lights, but I'd rather post up this picture of some really smart weirdo babes at a resstop in Washington under the sunshine.

01/21/2022

Arroz con Leche. The perfect sweet, hearty, cozy winter breakfast that I get to enjoy thanks to Alba's cooking class. Our cohort is gathering monthly to catch up and share some of the recipes we talked about on trail. I added roasted winter squash stored from my garden (because tis the season for winter squash in everything... ) and toasted pecans.

11/08/2021

A good weekend. Filling orders for garlic bouquets and finished planting & mulching next season's garlic.

That daylight savings hour really made a difference for me this morning. I hope you are feeling good and getting after everything you put on your list too.

10/30/2021

Who is in need of some seed garlic this week? I have some extra hardneck varieties already cracked and soaked in fish emulsion... ready for your garden! Bogatyr, Pehoski Purple, and Killarney. These are all lovely purple striped garlics.

10/09/2021

Leeks! I have far too many. Would you like some? Think quiche and cozy fall soups and savory tamari-butter sauce on toast.

Hit me up. $2/lb.

08/22/2021

Reminder to you! Get your preorders for decorated garlic in by midnight on Monday. You might be the lucky recipient of some of these flowers that are destined to go into decorated garlic bundles and braids. I love this orangey-peach strawflower. My new favorite for the season.

Some of these marigolds are quite the handful, amiright?

08/17/2021

I am now taking pre-orders for signature garlic bundles & bulk garlic at a special pre-order rate until Aug 23 at midnight!

Thanks to you, I sold out of garlic last year. I'd love to share it with you again!

Hello friendly garlic-eaters! I am now taking pre-orders for signature garlic bundles & bulk garlic at a special pre-order rate. For decorated hardneck bundles, pre-orders are $16, regularly priced $18. For bulk garlic, pre-orders are $8/lb, regularly priced at $10/lb.  ***Pre-order people, please...

06/28/2021

Good love and good celebrations this weekend. A rescheduled 2020 wedding finally let sweet people hold up and wrap their arms around the even sweeter Ashley and Bruce.

My first time at submerged flowers. While I've learned what I might do differently next time, Ashley's vision for these centerpieces was magical in the end.

Thanks for the blooms and your ever joyful flower delivery. Thanks and for getting us all together. And to Claire for sharing her photos.

05/06/2021

Hello, my dears in Missoula. It's Missoula Gives May 6/7 and I am fundraising for the Community Food and Agriculture Coalition (CFAC) . CFAC has done so much for me personally as a beginning farmer: mini-grants! business consults! pitchfest for crowd-funding! education! farmer friends! connections to land! double snap dollars that help the farmer and the eater! the list goes on.

Please support with whatever you can here: https://www.missoulagives.org/p2p/203773/elizabeth-costello

Other wonderful organizations I encourage you to support: Missoula Urban Demonstration Project (MUD) Climate Smart Missoula Home ReSource Zootown Arts Community Center 501(c)(3) Garden City Harvest Tell Us Something

The list includes so many more! Please find one (or seven) you love and support them.

03/22/2021

Appreciating the 8pm light, but I still need the headlamp for seeding in the greenhouse. Happy spring! I hope you get a little dirty this week and that it smells oh-so-good.