Here are two images taken from approximately the same spot on our farm (although it appears that I didn't know how to hold my camera straight back then) thirteen years apart from each other. The first was taken during the first summer of farming here, and we didn't have such niceties as trees or even grass, the second was taken today. If you would like to hear about our farming story and see how we grow, please come to the farm tour on Sunday (more details below).
FARM NEWS
We've wrapped up most of our planting for the season, although it doesn't truly end until the garlic is planted in the fall, and weeding is ongoing but we are staying on top of it. At this time we turn our attention to harvesting. You will see an increase in the variety of produce available to you this week and it will continue to increase through the season.
It continues to be very dry here, although we see rain clouds this afternoon and the forecast calls for moisture over the next few days. We and the plants would appreciate that!
Some images from the field including the first potato harvest, the second crop of peas and Napa cabbage nearly ready, as well as a variety of veggies from our no till area intercropped with clover.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
We are hosting a farm tour this coming Sunday, July 23, from 11-1. Come to the farm to see how we grow your vegetables. James and I are very excited about recent innovations on the farm and would love a chance to show you what we are passionate about. Directions to the farm can be found here.
Week Off: There has been some confusion about the week that you will not receive a share so we can have a summer holiday. It was previously falsely announced to be the August 25, 26 weekend deliveries. The correct weekend (Friday or Saturday) that you will not receive a delivery is Sept. 8, 9.
VEGETABLE STORAGE TIPS (instead of a recipe)
We have had a few questions regarding storing the produce that finds its way to your kitchens.
The first thing to note is that when we take your produce out of our cooler to deliver it to your pickup location, what vegetable producers call the "cold chain" is broken. It is important that many of your items get put into your refrigerator as soon as you are able in order to help preserve freshness. Please especially don't leave your vegetables in a hot car because they surely won't last as long for you then.
There are many ideas about how to store various things, but over the years we have found some tried methods that we can share with you. It is by no means a comprehensive list, but its a start and we hope that it helps you to get the most out of your farm box!
1) if it is leafy and green (lettuce, chard, celery, kale, spinach and we'll include fennel), it will store best in a loosely sealed plastic bag or covered glass container in your fridge. Except basil, which prefers the moderate temperature of your counter, though it will need to remain in a sealed container as well.
2) we find that potatoes store best refrigerated for the most part, especially if they are new potatoes. Old-timer wisdom says to store potatoes in the dark in a pantry, but this was when pantries were colder than the ambient temperature of the rest of the house. That said, potatoes don't need to be in the coldest part of your fridge either; they will develop sweetness if stored very cold.
3) hardy herbs like oregano, sage, rosemary, savoury and thyme can be hung to dry if you don't use the whole bunch. Once they are dry, you can simply crumble the amount that you need before adding to your dish. I always leave mine whole to preserve the delicate essential oils.
4) roots (beets, carrots, celeriac, rutabaga and parsnips and we'll include kohlrabi here) and some fruits (cucumbers and zucchini) take less time to dehydrate and wilt than leafy greens, but we find that their freshness is preserved best when loosely sealed and refrigerated as well.
5) tomatoes prefer to stay at room temperature.
6) winter squash can be kept in a warm, dry location to further ripen and cure.
7) onions and garlic will first come to you fresh with the greens still attached, and can be stored in the fridge or on your counter, but after they are cured (when their outer skins have dried to contain the juicer inner flesh) they can be stored in your pantry or on your counter.
We hope these tips help you to get the most out of your farm share this year!
GENERAL TIPS
Pricing and Payment
I want to take a moment to remind you about how pricing works on Harvie to eliminate some of the questions we often receive after week one.
The default payment method on Harvie when you sign up with us a 25%/25%/50% model. This means that you pay 25% when you secure your spot with us, another 25% when you receive your first share PLUS the first instalment of the remaining 50%, which is charged to you over the 14 weeks of our summer share season. For those of you that paid in full upon signing up, this doesn't apply. A large share is $52/week, a medium $39/week and a small is $29/week.
You have the option of adding extras to your box each week, as long as you have a payment method for that in place (usually a credit card). You can also swap items; sometimes there is an additional fee when there is a difference between the two items that you are swapping. You can see the value of the items in your shares so you know what items to swap if you are trying to stay within the value of your share rather than incur extra charges by swapping items of greater value than the item you don't want.
You can keep tabs on what is in your cart if you click on the cart icon. A popup tally of what you have in your cart will appear. If your cart isn't full yet, a green banner letting you know that you can add items will show up as well. It isn't a perfect system, and we've provided Harvie with feedback asking them to make the accounting more clear for you guys. Please know that we are aiming to give you the best value that we can while also keeping our farm running.
The customization experience works best on a desktop screen rather than a phone.
What To Do if You Are Away
You have three options:
1) BEST OPTION - Reschedule your share. This is our recommended option because it means you get your full value. What we suggest is that you reschedule your share to a week near the end when you will get more storage-friendly items that will last longer in your fridge, though you're welcome to reschedule to any date that works best for you. When you reschedule, you will get the scheduled share as well as the rescheduled share or shares, so be prepared for a lot of food.
2) Cancel your share for the week. This can be managed on your Harvie account page. It must be done before the Wednesday morning cutoff time of 6 a.m. The disadvantage here is that you lose whatever you have invested into that share. So if you've paid 50%, then you forfeit that amount.
3) Have someone else pick up for you. In our experience, friends assigned this job sometimes forget, so help them remember!
A few more tips in case you haven't read them yet...
*When picking up your bin at King's, Awn, Breadlove, Butcher Block or the Fort Distillery, please make sure that you are getting the bin with your name on the label! We want to make sure that everyone gets the correct bin!
*Make sure that you set your preferences on your Harvie account. This ensures that you receive boxes tailored to you. Save the 5 star rating for things that you really love and don't give everything 5 stars because that skews the algorithm that the software relies on.
*Take advantage of the swapping and adding extras to further customize your shares! Remember to do it before Wednesday morning, 5:00 a.m.(basically Tuesday night unless you are a very early riser).
*Let us know if you ever want help. You can send in a note via your Harvie account, or email us directly at jamesandjenny@sundogorganicfarm.ca. If it is a more urgent concern, call us at 587-409-1106. We are always here for you.
