Sweet Crow Farm

sweetcrow — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 14:45:13 +0000

I have moved! I am now working on a small, organic, cooperatively managed farm in Portugal Cove NL. Check out Seed to Spoon, for more info.

Breakdown of the eureka moment

sweetcrow — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:09:28 +0000

Vernal Equinox

sweetcrow — Sat, 20 Mar 2010 15:30:08 +0000

Hello springtime! It’s so lovely outside, I just moved the little herb seedlings out to the back porch for some quality UV rays. Most of the seeds have arrived and I am so excited about this season. I’ve got some new vegetables to try out and I’m going to do some seed saving of heirloom varieties as part of Seeds of Diversity. There are Seedy Saturday exchanges coming up – April 24th in Truro.

At home, the board of the New Glasgow Farmer’s Market has been busy meeting with the town about our new location (details TBA at our general meeting April 27th). We already have an excellent start for funding and support this season – without so much as a seed in the ground. Also, here is a link to an article about an NFU Youth meeting recently in Tatmagouche NS, Growing Farmers.

In February I spent a weekend in a cabin at Stonehame near Scotsburn. There was freezing rain and lots of snow so it didn’t seem like an ideal time to be on top of a windy mountain. After chilling in the outdoor hot tub with toques on, snowshoeing and scoping beautiful lichens up close and personal.. a fun time was had by all. Looking at the pictures, I never would have imagined I’d be sitting on the back porch in a T shirt a few weeks later.

Still dining on good eats from the farm – down to just two squash, shelling the dry beans, and the last box of potatoes; still have lots of pickles and preserves. The potatoes are starting to sprout, even from a cardboard box in the back corner of a closet under the stairs.. they know there is sunshine out there and are reaching for it. I’ve had a reoccurring dream where there is a luscious row of parsnips just waiting to be dug. It’s not like my diet is exclusively local but sometimes I am just astonished by the grocery store. All last week strawberries were available for cheaper than local ones in season..

potager garden

sweetcrow — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 17:06:54 +0000

I had the pleasure of attending a Highland Garden Club meeting and a talk by Margie Beck on potager gardening. These are ornamental and edible kitchen gardens, with a little bit of everything. The name comes from the French word for soup, “potage”. I really liked the way she tied local food to soup du jour — you take the empty bowl to the garden. Often people shop at grocery stores and markets with a specific list of ingredients, not seeing what is actually on the table and in season. Of course, the proof is in the biscuits – there was carrot soup, dill biscuits, & amazing jams and jellies to share.

I’m really excited to get going for spring, but we’re in for at least six more weeks of winter says Shubenacadie Sam. I’ve worked out a field plan and made up a brochure for the CSA. The brochure is online – just if you click “CSA” at the top of the page, or here for the .pdf file. The basement is really shining as a cellar, eating potatoes, turnips, squash, and onions from the farm. I keep forgetting about the forlorn beets in the back of the fridge.. maybe borscht tonight.

Winter Stirrings

sweetcrow — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 05:45:43 +0000

Despite the layer of fluffy snow outside, I’m madly concocting springs vegetable plans. A few potential CSA members are in the works, and the New Glasgow farmers market just had it’s AGM. I’m the newly minted “marketing coordinator” so here’s a toast to a year of PSAs, newspaper deadlines and postering in Pictou County!

Otherwise, I’m just working my day job – and in my spare moments getting the CSA brochure finished, and a field plan and budget in place. I’ve been talking with Hilary (AKA master) a lot lately, which is lovely – I’m definitely soaking up her skills and wisdom like never before. Her CSA, Teamwork CSA where I apprenticed, has a new home this year at Maple Lane Farm – cheers to that as well!

sweetcrow — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:16:35 +0000

The first snowfall caught me with my pitchfork out.. I haven’t gotten everything tucked away for the winter yet.

Autumn

sweetcrow — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 13:38:05 +0000

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.

our table over floweth…

sweetcrow — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:27:23 +0000

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!

Biking to the farm

sweetcrow — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 01:38:28 +0000

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.

kale chips

sweetcrow — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 02:07:26 +0000

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.