We wanted to make sure it was clear that the Spring CSA shares are finished for the season. Thank you all who participated, and we are already discussing plans for next year!

The main season CSA usually begins around the third week of June. We’re not expecting anything different this year, but have not decided on a first harvest date yet. We will let you know at least a week before the first pick-up day.

What we need you to do now is to decide which harvest day you would like for the season: Tuesday or Friday? You can occasionally change days, but it’s best if you generally stick to either one or the other. We need to have more members pick-up on Tuesdays, since on Friday we also harvest for the public market, so if it doesn’t matter to you just say so and we’ll try to proportion it out. Send an email or reply to this post with your choice if you haven’t already discussed it with us.

Every year there are two working shares on the farm. They pick the peas and beans for the CSA and market. We are missing one this year. If you think this could be a good fit for you or someone you know, contact us and we can set up a conversation.

Our tomato seedlings grew to be massively tall in the greenhouse this year. There are a few approaches to how to plant such tall creatures! Tomatoes grow roots off their stems (called adventitious roots). We usually try to put the tomato plants in up to half their stem in soil. This may not be possible for you to dig a foot and a half hole! So you can either bury them six inches or more in the ground and make sure you add a stake or trellis right away. Or you can make a horizontal trench at least 6 inches down and bury the root ball and most of the stem, curving the upper part up so that a foot or so of the top of the plant is straight up above soil level. These plants would need a fair bit of water right away to encourage the new root growth. But having all that root surface is sure to make for a tastier tomato!

Instead of replying to each of you… yes, if you are a spring share member and also ordered plants, we just packed up all those orders and they will be ready for you to get tomorrow at the last spring share. Also, those of you who I’ve communicated with about picking up plant orders you can come between 3 and 6 tomorrow, Friday, May 26. I still need to make arrangements with some of you who ordered plants, which I’ll do in the next few days.

Happy Planting!

Happy May!

The seasons are rapidly changing. We are past the halfway mark on the Spring CSA and the main season will be coming up in just over a month (we can start harvesting outside crops usually around the third week in June). There are only a couple spots left in the main season, so if you’re sitting on the fence, or know someone who might be interested in a share let us know. Several of you have said you are interested in the main season share but have not placed any payment down yet… now’s the time! And those who may have made an early payment you could consider a second one if you haven’t already 🙂

The warm spell in April allowed us to get on the ground with early field work, and we were able to get the first lettuce, scallions, peas, and carrots transplanted and seeded. Then it got wet and cold. That let us get caught up on the greenhouse work. Having all the beds utilized for the spring shares has been an efficient use of space, but has made for a dynamic juggle for space!

The soil has dried up now and we are rapidly transplanting all the crops that are singing for the extra root space!

As a reminder, we’ll be selling plants at the Edge Hill May Fair May 27, the STC Market Day on Jun 3, and the Durham Herb Fair on June 10! Hope to see some of you there!

Spring is official!
As in other years, we are now taking orders for vegetable, herb and flower seedlings (see list below). Unlike the last couple years, we won’t be having a specific pick-up day at the farm because we will be attending three events selling plants and hope you are able to pick them up at one of them. We will be at the Edge Hill School May Fair on Saturday May 27; The STC Market Day Sunday June 4 (date not 100% confirmed); and the Durham Herb Fair Saturday June 10. When you place your order please make which event you will be attending to pick-up your plants. We will have them pre-boxed for you. If you really can’t make any of those events, please make arrangements to pick-up at the farm.

To place an order, you can send an email to saugeenrivercsa@gmail.com and you will get a Word document that you can fill out. Or just reply to this message with your selection from the list below. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to contact us.

This Friday, February 24 will be the last Winter pick-up for the season. Originally there was one planned for March, but watching the inventory makes me realize two more doesn’t make sense. With the squash distribution deduction, some of you were not planning to come the last pick-up anyway. Since each member number of items remaining is different, and selection is now limited, I’ve decided to pre-pack all the shares. Your share will have your name on it when you pick-up Friday.

The bad news is that there aren’t any more carrots to give out. I know this is a favorite. Since the small winter shares get to choose which items to take, it can be hard to predict how much of a crop to store. Last year we had too many extra carrots. This year, not enough. My apologies.

Everyone will get radishes though! If you’re not sure what to do with them, look up radish kimchee, or a dim sum recipe for radish cakes (sometimes called turnip cakes, but it’s traditionally made with daikon radish). Here’s one recommended by fellow CSA member Ellery Hawkes:

At first it felt like the winter share was finishing too early this year, but I realized, since we started early November, a month earlier than usual, finishing end of February, a month earlier than usual, makes sense!

Even though we’re not done with winter yet, the spring seedlings are up and running. Stay tuned for more Spring Share info. We have started a waiting list for the Spring Shares, so if any of you who signed up are having second thoughts, let us know, there are others who would like to take the spot.

First, a reminder that the Winter Share pick-up is tomorrow from 2-6pm!

The first seeds have been sown for the 2023 season. This is earlier than in the past since we are now offering a Spring Share. Some crops need to be started now to be ready for the Mid-April start.

The picture below is of one of the chickens (Muskoka) looking for the worms as I sift compost. She’s eating compost worms that won’t survive in the soil…
We make all our own soil mix from compost and soil made here on the farm, and purchased peat moss and vermiculite. This not only allows us to be as self sufficient as possible, but lets the plants develop their roots in relation to our soil from the beginning. The roots need to become aware of the specific bacteria and fungi that live here in this place. In encourages them to make those symbiotic relationships that allow not only macro-nutrient exchange between plant and soil, but micro-nutrient sensitivity that enhances flavour.
There is so much intelligence in the soil!

It’s official, there are some spots open for the coming season. A wide selection of in season veggies and herbs are harvested from our market garden for members. Weekly or Bi-weekly pick-up from our farm (7km north of Durham on Hwy 6) is on Tuesdays and Friday’s (members choose which day works best for them). Sizes of shares and prices are on the “Basic CSA Share Info” page of this site. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us at saugeenrivercsa@gmail.com

Reminder, the next winter share is this Friday, January 27 from 2-6pm.

The Spring Shares are now sold out (although most have not paid yet, but no worries). Lydia will send out a notice at the beginning of March.

Now, we need to hear from existing main season members if you want a share for this coming season. Many of you I’ve heard from and have paid or begun paying. Even if you can’t put a first payment down at the moment, please let us know your intentions. There have been several inquiries from new member, and we will officially open it up in February for anyone to join until the CSA is full.

For me, winter is the time of on-line teaching, but there are some local education opportunities in the works that will be posted when the details are worked out, stay tuned!

February is usually end of year farm bookkeeping, so the tax info is all done before the new season gets underway. I’ll share some about the farm economics in the next post.

All the seeds have arrived and the greenhouse will start up in about a month. I can tell the days are getting longer, since the chickens have a different cluck and are giving us more eggs!