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!

In your shares this week…

Lettuce – YES! First salads of the year

Pea sprouts – a lovely topping to your salad

Kale – fresh, tender leaves, add to salads raw or cook in a soup or stir fry

Arugula – how much spice is nice? Eat with care as it is strong, but this can be a great addition to soups if you need to dull the spice, otherwise chop leaves into salad raw or chop and stir fry leaf and stalk.

Daikon radish – can you believe they lasted the winter?? They are a bonus for springshares, add a bit of radish crunch to your salad, grated or cut into thin slices

Beets – also an amazing storage vegetable, here is another bonus from the winter harvests, fantastic grated and cooked with onions and some balsamic vinegar, or try beet and chocolate muffins…you’ll never be the same 🙂

Turnip and radish thinnings (free choice) – these tender plants can be steamed and eaten whole, or chopped into your salad raw.

Corn shoots (free choice) – these amazingly sweet snacks would be great chopped onto a salad for a pop of flavour, or even steeped into tea…let me know what you think!

As you can see, most of the produce you’ll receive through the spring is entirely edible, root, stem, leaf and all, if not to eat raw then to steam or cook. Be creative! And send me any good recipes you find. Alternately just make a BIG salad and indulge. 

Another reminder, please bring your own bags, one small bag and two or three medium size bags should do the trick, thanks!

See you tomorrow between 3 and 6pm, happy eating!

Hey folks, one more week until the first spring share pickup! I’m happy to see the kale and lettuces just take off with the warm weather.

To give you a heads-up about the pickup process, I am requesting that you bring your own greens-bags (BYOG?). You will need one small ziploc bag or a similar size for sprouts and two to three medium to large ziploc/grocery bags for other greens and things, depending how you like to separate and store your veggies. Thanks in advance for helping me reduce and reuse! Plastic is such a helper for keeping young green things fresh, but it’s great to not have to use new bags when I know so many are already in use!

Pickup will be in farm store like the usual summer shares, from 3-6pm. See you April 21st!

Hello SpringShare members! I know you’re all ready to find out when the first greens are going to hit your plate (me too)! So I’m happy to announce the first pick-up will be Friday April 21st, from 3-6pm in the farm store. Last pick-up will be six weeks later on May 26th.

Here are the beautiful seedlings we’re keeping warm in the greenhouse (for summer plantings too!), and below is a mouth-watering glimpse of the greens for the first pick-up. See you soon.

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.

Hello spring-share members!

Here is your March reminder of the good greens to come in mid-April, just over a MONTH! Please note, share payment of $150 is due by the end of May. If you like, you are welcome to split it in half, one payment now and one in May. E-transfers can be sent to saugeenrivercsa@gmail.com, or cheques/cash can be made out to Saugeen River CSA. Thank you, and feel free to reach out to the email above if you have any questions.

Looking forward to planting! Looking forward to eating!

Lydia