CSA # 20

August 30

This morning i got out to the garden extra early to get more planting done and looks like today will require lots of watering.  I like the heat though and so do the summer crops...   This week had alot of tomato stuff from picking to cutting up and freezing and seed saving.  Today will consist of picking more tomatoes...and hot peppers.

This weeks baskets:

2 bags of Chez Nous Salad Mix
1 bag of cherry and small red tomatoes
1 bag of larger tomatoes
Dragon tongue Beans
cucumber

Juicing upgrade also got:
Sunflower Sprouts
Kale
A large beet

Our monster sunflower has reached it's final height!

Seed saving and tomato tasting go hand in hand.

Add caption

All for the freezer!

Some of the seeds fermenting.

Some of you have gotten these cucumbers- they are called Thai Petch and they are supposed to be green and yellow. Quite nice looking actually!

Summer CSA #19

August 22

Hi everybody

This weeks mission was planting - perfect since they were calling for rain but the rain  part didn't happen. It was ok though we just had to stay on top of the watering.  Our plan is to have all outside fields planted by the end of august/ beginning of sept. Then we need to get the greenhouse planted for by the end of September.  So, right now is go, go, go  pretty much a second spring as far as planting goes, while maintaining everything else. Starting to get tired around now, and lots preserving needs to be done but when you plan to grow all winter long that gets put off till later. So we've started freezing tomatoes and i'll do the same with hot peppers soon. Frozen tomatoes, are easy to add to sauces or soups later on and the skin just slips off.

A conversation we had with a customer this week made me realize that sometimes I forget that some of you might not be used to some of the items you may receive.  This weeks topic was heirloom tomatoes and how their beauty is really in the eye of the beholder. These aren't the same tomatoes you buy at the grocery store or the seedlings you purchase from a garden center. As growers of these historic varieties, we have grown to love their sometimes rustic appearance, odd shapes, cracks, colors etc...  And we have learned to deal with their delicate nature, thin skin which pokes easily and short keeping qualities.  Why would we choose to grow something that isn't perfect and easy? Because we love their flavor and yes,how they look too.  However, the first year we grew them I remember panicking thinking OMG they have cracks...how am I gonna sell them but I quickly learned that, that's just how they are and honestly, we try to grow things that are different than the grocery store.  So yes, you'll often have to slice some parts off but what your left with is a juicy tomato with old fashion flavor.  We are especially happy to be able to offer some larger slicers this year- I hope you are enjoying them as much as us!

In your baskets this week:

A few slicer tomatoes
1 bag of Chez Nous Mix (lots of pea and sunflower shoots)
1 bag of Swiss Chard
cucumber
summer squash
potatoes

Greens upgrade:
Pea shoots, kale and fennel
orange-fennel-cleanse/
Fennel Smoothie Recipe

So eggs, we've sent out coupons to credit since CSA 12 for full timers and gave out 6 packs today to finnish off week 11's 7 pack.  Seasonal's got a dozen and 1 coupon less so we still owe you a six pack. We have our fingers crossed that next week everyone gets a dozen.

Just when I think it's over the cucumbers keep coming!

Potatoes galore!!!!

 So here's some of the things you might see on your tomatoes....that are perfectly normal!

Here's a link to my tomato recipe page which has a simple salsa recipes if tomato sandwiches aren't your thing!
http://cheznousrecipes.blogspot.ca/search/label/Tomato%20Recipes

A few that have been put aside for seed saving and taste testing!

It was kind of stinky around here this week because the winter hen house was cleaned.

Having the move-able coop for summer allows us to clean, update the winter houses.

Harvesting Kale this morning.

Summer CSA 18

August 15th

Like usual we had a big week planned, and Monday morning we got off to an early start because it was a hot one and we're planning some time by the pool with our kids.   Then I heard some screaming, I froze, it was my son and my heart sank,  as it usually does ...always fearful that this time it just may be an emergency, a response that most of the time is ridiculous considering the actual situation... my family usually looks at me like OMG mom relax!   I dropped everything and started to run meeting up with him along the way, this time it was real.
Since 2008, our family has been at the mercy of some mysterious condition that randomly comes over my daughter and scares me to death.  Just when we think it's ancient history there's another episode and this one worse than ever.  My 17 year old daughter was barely conscious and green I called 911 and spent the day with her in the hospital where again the doctor was baffled. Hearing the nurses discuss there worry about her low blood pressure and pulse and suggest that she should have been brought to a bigger facility only made matters worse.  As I listened to my brilliant girl explain to me what blood pressure means, how the circulatory system works and why IV could help her,  i thought, how could this be? My daughter a  health conscious, athletic, determined straight A student plagued by something like this.  Needless to say, moments like these  shake us to the core and I have not been myself. Really all I want to do is be by her side which will be difficult considering her age and the fact that she drives and works. I was grateful to spend a day with her on Tuesday and she regained her strength and hope we finally get some answers to what may be causing this.

As I sat in the Emergency not knowing what was going to happen, I also wondered how on this very hot day, my husband who needed to stay home and take care of everything was doing and what would happen if ever there was an extended family emergency? I mean there's no sick days or sick pay or anything.

Trying to get back into the swing of things was difficult, I started by talking a photo walk to check things out. LOTS of harvesting needed to be done and I hoped to have it all ready by friday.  As the week went on things got back to normal and we managed to get it all done. Today, when we packed the baskets I was really happy with what  i saw.  Gardens are doing great and you have some wonderful baskets of veggies!

In your baskets this week:

1 bag of Chez Nous Mix (lettuce, spicy micro greens, pea shoots, celery leaves, amaranth leaves, kale, basils, sorrel, parsley)
1 bag of Crisp Mint Lettuce leaves
radishes ( tried a radish sandwich this week..butter-salt and radishes= yummy!)
cucumber ( there almost done for now..)
red potatoes
beans
summer squash or zuchinni
rosemary
and a big beautiful tomato!


Juicing upgrade:
Kale
Celery, Parsley, Mint, cucumber, stevia, lemon basil abd pea shoots

This year's abundance of beautiful big tomatoes....

Purple Peacock Pole beans ...plants are dying back now but did really well

Didn't even know these dragon Tongue beans were producing yet...surprise!

Mostly yellow squash for now.... 

Flower Sprout plants are the pretties vegetable we grow and this year they are right on track! Expecting a good harvest!

Tried some purple Brussels sprouts this year

Cantaloupe, my fingers crossed that they all ripen and you all get one!! 

Spaghetti squash

Blue hubbard

I grew some Artichokes for my son this year...and i really like them. The plants are big but nothing really bothers them...unlike corn. So maybe next year you will see some in your baskets!

The new layers were finally moved to the move-able coop...we have some extra netting to make sure they don't go too far until they get used to their new temporary home.

And yes, finally a few dozen eggs this week!  We were hoping to give all who ordered a half dozen but there wasn't enough for that so we gave some to the seasonal since they are mostly from Toronto and won't be around as long. Shouldn't be long now!

My daughter and her boyfriend such cuties!

See you next week!

Summer CSA 17

August 9th

Good morning

This morning we enjoyed breakfast at the Flying Squirrel in Ridgeway I was thrilled to see that their coffee is Fair Trade and Organic, theses things are so important to me.

Yesterday, we received an email that made my day! It was from a Toronto resident that was considering moving to the area but since he and his family only consumed organic food he was doing his research to make sure he would have some options out this way.   I was happy that we could help him, as I understand his dilemma.  Access to organic foods  slim down when you leave the big city- sad really that he has to make sure there will be food for him.
This winter, I struggled to find organic potatoes in Fort Erie my local grocer told me that they just don't sell but I kept asking. One day, another worker there told me that i would just need to eat regular potatoes.  I don't think so... especially considering they are on the dirty dozen list so she suggested I grow my own- we did!

As a family,we've gotten used to large grocery stores and markets filled with not much for us- for the most part though I don't miss walking down isles of processed junk and appreciate the simplicity of my shopping adventures.  It also makes me really appreciate those that provide us with what we need, and this morning I really enjoyed my coffee as well as the organic rhubarb i purchased at the market.

In your baskets this week:

1 bag of Chez Nous Mix
Fennel
Tomatoes
Radishes
Cucumber
A goodie bag which contained any of the following sweet pepper, zucchini, red onions, very mini carrots
Basil

Juicing bag:

Swiss Chard, Kale,Cucumber, Celery leaves, baby carrots, Stevia


They are calling for a beautiful weekend and I have set my mind on relaxing.... after 3 quick jobs...this newsletter, weeding the Flower Sprouts and pickling some peppers.  Looks like I am almost done the first! Here's a few pictures:

I have a ton of Pepperoncini to pickle with the odd Aji Cristal Pepper (lighter yellow) These will be great for  Charcuterie/ Antipasto platters, sandwiches, pasta etc... 

Preparing the fennel bulbs...we'll be grilling some tonight on the barbie wrapped in tin foil and drizzled with olive oil and lemon juice.

We grew some vining squash and melons on a large tarp 

I hope they all make it on time! 

Lots of green peppers waiting for a little color.

August is a new Spring for us- we plants for Fall. 

I think it's about time we take the nets off the Spring planted Kale....

Rick has been working on a french drain for some gardens that tend to stay wet.

Sweet potatoes are doing great!