Thanksgiving was a really great holiday- my family visited for the weekend so we cooked a huge feast that just wouldn’t quit — we had turkey sandwiches and soup for days afterwards… Thanksgiving was also my last weekend attending the farmer’s market. There have been frosts at the farm, so the tender vegetables have stopped producing. Everything that is left (there is quite a lot!) will be stored for our use in the winter – Looks like we’ll be eating a lot of potatoes. I’ve also started to harvest parsnips and brussel sprouts and protecting the lettuce in the field with row cover. Hopefully we can stretch salad season well into november.
October 20, 2009
Autumn
September 27, 2009
our table over floweth…
Lots of variety this week!
We have red and green cabbage, daikon radish, turnip, beets, carrots, radish, zuchinni, baby patty pan squash, cherry and slicing tomatoes, ground cherries, cucmbers, head lettuce, salad mix, kale and swiss chard!
September 13, 2009
Biking to the farm
Sometime in July, the farm van totally broke down. It was pretty disheartening, but in the meantime I was able to borrow vehicles from very kind and understanding friends. However, it meant more commuting to Halifax (a 1 and a half hour drive each way) when really I just need a vehicle to get to the market every saturday, so…
Enter the bike cart!
It was given to me by and landscaping client and I am so grateful. This weekend was it’s successful debut. I got equal parts strange looks and encouragement from onlookers. Maybe it’s not feasible for next year, and biking in the rain isn’t pleasant but for now it’s not too much stain and I feel good about cutting down on the driving.
September 5, 2009
kale chips
The farmer’s market is a funny place to sell vegetables. It’s fun and I like meeting customers, but if I knew exactly how much of what to bring it would be so much more straightforward! One vegetable I talk a lot about is kale — especially since I grow ‘red russian’ kale. For those who have been converted, we’re convinced it’s amazing. There is one regular customer who comes specifically for the kale, snapping up 2, 3, yes.. even a record of 4 bunches this week. So we sold out of kale early today.. which is kind of a drag because I just discovered how delicious kale chips are!
Crispy kale chips:
De-stem and coarsely chop 1 bunch kale
Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and sea salt (try herbamare original seasoning!)
Spread on baking sheet and bake at 375 F until crispy (about 15-20 minutes). I took the kale out half way and stirred it up to make sure all parts are getting crispy.
I think the herbamare is key. It’s sea salt with dehydrated veggies like leeks, onions, carrots, and herbs mixed in.
August 26, 2009
Another sunshiny day in Pictou county. Hurricane Bill didn’t add up to much, but if I hadn’t taken the time to tidy up plastic pots and secure a few tomato stakes it may have been a different story. So after all the hype, the farm got just enough rain that I didn’t have to water.. it wouldn’t hurt to have a little more, actually.
Must go prepare lunch — we’re having cucumber salad for every meal!
From The Moosewood Cookbook, by Mollie Katzen
Ingredients:
* 4 medium (7-inch ) cucumbers
* 3/4 cup sour cream
* 3/4 cup yogurt
* 2 small cloves crushed garlic
* 4 fresh mint leaves, minced
* 1/2 cup very thinly sliced red onion
* 1/4 cup very finely chopped parsley
* 1/4 cup minced scallion greens
* 1-2 tsp honey (optional)
* 1 tsp salt
* lots of black pepper
* 1 Tbs freshly-chopped dill (1 tsp dried)
* 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Directions:
Peel and slice the cucumbers. Combine all ingredients except walnuts. Chill thoroughly and serve on a bed of fresh, crisp greens with walnuts on top.
Garnish lavishly with: Hard-cooked egg slices, Tomato wedges, Chopped black olives, or Carrot slices
August 9, 2009
Early August
Harvested the first ripe tomatoes — two whole sungold cherry tomatoes! Also some pictures of veggies at the farmer’s market…
July 29, 2009
New Glasgow Farmers Market
This past weekend was my first time at the New Glasgow Farmer’s Market. It was a really great market, steadily busy and lots of interesting folks to meet. I had kale, chard, green onions, and a variety of herbs. I’m wishing I had more veggies planted, but tomatoes and peppers are coming along. Maybe some new potatoes too.
June 29, 2009
pests
For the past month I have been commuting to the farm on the weekends — planting, weeding and thinning. Its been so busy I keep forgetting to take pictures.
I’m really pleased with how well things are coming along, even though it seems some pests are starting to take hold. I noticed many of the leeks were not looking healthy, and it seems wire worms are the culprits. It’s so upsetting to dig around the yellowed leek, find the larva and where they have severed the plant from its root system. I also noticed cucmber beetles, potato beetles and a nibble taken out of a cabbage. Never mind all the anthills!
May 4, 2009
Plowing
View of the furrows
We plowed the field yesterday! It’s 100ft x100ft, and it looks like a lot. One half of the space is in pretty good shape, but the other half is very rough. It’s going to take a lot to kill the sod, so we tried laying sheets of black plastic to help.
