CSA 2016 Basket #1

Thursday June 2


Hello everyone and thank you for joining our 2016 CSA Season!   We look forward to supplying you with a season of homestyle organic produce.    We will run for 18 weeks which will lead us right into fall allowing you to enjoy some spring, summer and fall garden produce . We have a big summer ahead of us growing for 2 markets and our CSA while slowly building another greenhouse which we plan to have in full production this fall.

Our newsletter will be available to view online Friday evenings or Saturday mornings, we will continue to send out a reminder email with a link to our site www.cheznousfarms.com it is also posted on Chez Nous Farms facebook page.

In your basket this week

1 bag of Kale
1 bag of Mustard Greens
1 bag of Spring Cooking Mix ( spinach, kale buds, bok choy, mustards etc...)
Barese Swiss Chard
Cucumbers

Extra Greens; 1 bag of Kale and extra Cucumbers

We love trying new crops/varieties some work out and others are just ok but this year we found another keeper.... Barese Swiss Chard.  It's a small when mature Swiss Chard, fitting in the palm of your hand just like baby Bok Choy. As a spring crop, in this years extra heat,  it has outperformed the Bok Choy which ended up bolting as cold weather crops tend to do.  We plan to succession plant Barese all summer long so we hope you like it too!

As organic farmers, weeds and pests keep us challenged.  With nets we've been able to manage the pest pretty well, as long as we get them set on time (not always the case).  However, weeds they're tough and up to now hand weeding is the only solution we had.  With only the two of you, that's a lot of weeding and a lot of situations getting out of hand.

This year we've invested in tarps and woven ground cover to get control of the situation.    We set tarps over gardens for at least 2 weeks and kill the weeds (which we've already learned still doesn't guarantee a weed free bed!).

 We are also using this mulch which is said to last well over 10 years to plant  crops.

 After a compost top dress, we lay it down and plant right through the hole we have pre-made.

A bulb planter lets me carve out a nice deep hole for my tomatoes.

 Planting mayhem ...hot peppers.

Tomatoes, more sweet peppers and eggplant.

 I did manage to get in all my tomatoes, peppers and eggplant this week.  Last year we grew a plant sale left over area also not sure if we'll get to that this year.


 Look at this cutie!

 A perfect example of our mulch at work.  The kale was planted weeks ago and covered right away.  It was uncovered for the first time yesterday and without the mulch it would have been a mess had we not been weeding it.

 Before harvest...

 After harvest....

The greenhouse is also doing great...lots to come! 

 See you next week!

Shirley and Rick

CSA 20 The last one

Our 20th basket complete,

We hope that you have enjoyed your season in our CSA program.  Overall, it was a great one, crops all grew well, tomatoes and zucchini really stood out this year.  We still have many crops to harvest outdoors and while a little behind, we are still planting indoors.  I am excited to finally having time to make some hot sauce, tomato sauce and spices!


 Winter hours for the store are still unsure but weekends and  Mondays will likely be our open days.  We will continue to sell at the St-Catharines Market on Saturdays and may add Thursdays as well.

Again, we will be making adjustments to our farm for the upcoming season. Our CSA will be smaller and again be shortened, as we found ourselves struggling to prepare for winter farming this fall. If our crops don't get in, we have no income. September to us is busier than spring, add kids and sports to the mix and the whole thing becomes impossible.  Therefore, it seems that we will have a cottagers season for the CSA May to Sept.

A second major change, that has come about after much debate is that we will not be offering eggs for sale for the winter or next season.  I know that this will be disappointing to many but unfortunately when it comes down to it, this part of our business is more of a service and not very profitable at all.  While we like to keep everybody happy, the hours we spend to raise our chickens the way we think is right and the organic grain we feed them just doesn't add up.  Also, during the winter months egg sales always drop dramatically, at a time when caring for them and feeding them is the hardest and unlike crops, eggs must only be sold on site.  We still need an income in the winter months and feel our time will be better spent growing winter crops which are in high demand and can be sold at the market. Plans to erect another greenhouse are in the works.  Finally, we may again raise chickens in the future  but not at the moment. We have a friend around the corner who has purchased a portion of our flock and will be selling eggs, we will post an address on door of store when she is ready.

Making changes are sometimes exciting and sometimes they are difficult but we know that they are necessary.  We see many small farmers struggle and sometimes even quit altogether not because they don't love it but because they just can't live off it.  It always saddens me when i see a farmer not value his time or product enough to charge a decent amount for it because i know that he is probably suffering and i may not have access to this wonderful product for long.

In your basket this week:

An amazing bag of Chez Nous Mix (nothing makes me feel healthier than eating a bag of this stuff!)
Southern Curled Mustard(green)
Dragon Tongue Mustard ( stems are totally edible..prepare like escarole)
Hakurei Turnips
Leeks
Juicers: Kale and cucumber/beet mix

Following are a whole bunch of pictures for those who are interested!

Our soil arrived recently after a night of rain, bringing it out to the farm was quite a disaster and finally couldn't be completed. 

We are lucky to have a neighbour with an unsprayed apple tree, every fall we harvest wheel barrows full for the birds.

Piri Piri peppers 

My beautiful flowers after the frost the other night. Lettuce looks great!

Near the end of summer, I finally got around to planting the smallest little Alpine strawberry plants.  They have really taken off! 

The strawberries are white

Garlic planting is nearly complete

Kale

Dragon tongue Mustard

Flower Sprouts

Escarole, Lettuce, Bok Choy and Celtuce 

Today we finish this greenhouse with cold hardy transplants

We've also cleared out the small greenhouse by the front of the house.  This tomato plant Pit Viper was supposed to be a dwarf plant. It is a monster and super healthy monster full of tomatoes.

A little family time

Thanks for supporting us!

CSA 18

Good morning

The smell of the wood stove has been a welcomed treat this week.  The smell, the ambiance and the heat are so comforting! We all love it, right down to the dog and cat!  It's definitely pumpkin pie and sweater time... speaking of which i'll need to find myself some pumpkins as i grew no winter squash of any kind this year.


In your baskets this week:

Potatoes
Napa (Green and Purple)
Mustard Mix
Shallots
A bag containing tomatillos, jalapeño and or Anaheim peppers, garlic slivers ( these accumulate right now as we get our garlic ready to plant)

Extra Greens: Flower Sprout Tops, Bok Choy


I absolutely hate to bring this up here, but thought i should make you all aware. That we have needed to re-activate and update our security on the store.  We have needed to contact the police a few times recently due to theft of produce.  In order to keep the store going, we need to have this in place.  Thank you to all the amazing customers which over the years that allowed us to operate based on honesty and appreciation for what we do.  We know, you are, by far, the majority!

Here's my usual mustard green speech...for those who've been around for a while! Mustard Greens can be intimidating when you first start using them.  Once you figure it out they are the best!  An interesting things about them is you can adjust their flavour to your liking by blanching. Mustards have bite or flavour if you want, but they can also be tamed right down and seem like any other green.  To blanch just prepare and pan steam or drop in boiling water to wilt.  Check greens if they are at a good flavour level and then just go on with your recipe.

I enjoy Mustards cooked in brown butter and served along with whatever i'm eating.  To do this, i put a nice big piece of organic pastured butter in a pan and cook till it gets a nutty aroma and brown color  then i drop in my prepared greens, cover and cook till nice and wilted. I don't blanch unless i'm adding them to a recipe my kids will be eating. I love the flavour!

Here is a recipe for mustard manicotti that i like.

http://www.squashblossomkitchens.com/2014/03/13/mustard-green-manicotti-fontina-bechamel/

My pinterest recipes for mustards: https://www.pinterest.com/Cheznousfarms/csa-recipes-mustard-greens/


Below are the Napa leaves.  These are mild and very versatile. Great in salad or just about any dish!

As for the tomatillos and peppers, a quick way to use is to make a dressing such as this one:
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/373728469052698021/

Another quick sauce to pour over chicken: http://www.joyfulhealthyeats.com/grilled-chicken-with-tomatillo-roasted-poblano-cream-sauce/#comment-65955

They can quickly be chopped up and added to a salsa

Two more baskets! I hope you embrace this cooler weather with some loved ones, cozy surroundings and great food!

Have a great week!

CSA 17

I love the first time I take someone out back for a walk, the reaction is always the same.  People just can't believe how big it is and everything we have going on.  And, there sure is a lot going on!  Always.

In your baskets this week:

Chez Nous Salad Mix
Kale
Bok Choy
Beets
Fennel

X-tra Greens: Cucumbers, Kohlrabi

Lots of really nice Kale going on.

 A new cabbage: Wirosa Savoy

Kales, Collards and lots of Mustards... you can expect mustard next week!

CSA 16

Monday September 21

At this point in the season, our farm is slowly being taken over by greens, which in the off season will be our main source of income.  Summer crops such as beans, zucchini, potatoes,tomatoes and peppers are being uprooted and replaced with mustard greens, kales, spinach and Asian greens.

It feels good to transition except for one part, the greenhouse which contains some beautiful cherry tomato plants that also need to be replaced with greens, greens that will not mind the odd freeze and which do well in cold temperatures.

Our garlic field is being prepared nice and early, nothing worse than waiting and then not being able to get the garlic planted because the beds aren't ready and can't be prepared due to wet soil.

It's a very busy time!

In your baskets this week:

Salad Mix
Swiss Chard
Potatoes
Peppers
Zucchini
Tomatoes

Extra greens: Flower Sprout Greens(use like Kale), Cucumber and Radish Sprouts

We have more greens than ever this year!

Ruby Streaks and spicy Mustard Green in the Mustard mix and your Salad Mix

More mustards

Flower Sprouts and Cabbages

Have a great week!

CSA #15

Saturday September 12

Good morning

A rainy day? Seems like it's really been a long time since it's rained.  One thing i like about a rainy day is that i can get stuff done in the house and not feel guilty. There is always so much to do out there, there still is, but some jobs can't be done in the rain so the list is shorter today and i can accept that.  It's only 8:30 and i've already done dishes, laundry and supper is marinating and now a little time to look back at my week.

In your baskets this week:

Potatoes
Carrots
Bok Choy
Zucchini
Beans

Extra Greens: Baby Kale, Napa leaves and a cucumber

September is a month abundant in beans, lots of beans. It also used to be the time when i went back to work and worried about all the beans i was not picking.  Seems kinda silly now but boy did that used to stress me out! I am grateful to be a full time farmer now where i can almost keep up with them beans.

 One basket after another, this seems the be the perfect size basket to harvest at a time. It allows me to get up and unseize my back a little!

My favourite way to cook beans is still Michael Smiths recipe Brown Butter Beans :it calls for almonds sometimes i replace them with herbs such as sage or savoury. http://chefmichaelsmith.com/recipe/brown-butter-green-beans-with-toasted-almonds/

Last Fall i grew Bok Choy and have become huge fan.  I have 3 kinds i am going this year. Some of you got baby and others big.  I love Bok Choy with flavours such as ginger, soy and peanut oil!

Napa Cabbage and a purple variety below 

Fall, Winter we become a greens farm.....

And next...too many pictures of a hummingbird! Have a great weekend!

CSA 14

Friday September 4th

Hello members

It's a very busy time of year for us, so this weeks newsletter is short and sweet. Enjoy your long weekend!

In your basket this week:

tomatoes
bean mix
peppers
zucchini
carrots
basil

extra greens: beets, bok choy and cucumber


We are hoping that with this extra hot weather the baskets get picked up quickly and we are looking forward to some cooler temps.

Shirley