Happy September long weekend! Before I say anything else, I want to let you know that we are cancelling our late summer farm tour that was supposed to happen on Sept. 15 due to some unexpected family commitments emerging. Also, click on the "Read more" to expand this message!
With the sunchoke blooms in their full splendour, the sound of migrating birds overhead, and the long slanting light of the late summer sun, we know that these last few weeks of summer are to be enjoyed to their fullest. The fields are taking on a late summer look - a bit weathered around the edges and some beds emptied of their summer fullness, replaced with pea seeds to keep roots in the ground and the no-till system healthy. We just want some rain to get them to germinate properly.
We said our goodbyes to Tishawni this week; her last day was on Saturday. The very next day she travelled to Calgary where she will begin her training as an acupuncturist. The farm will feel very different without her here - she has been with us for five years and has become an essential part of our team. We are excited for her future, however, and know that she'll be a friend for life. Below are some photos of her - always with her wonderful smile which we will surely miss!
Here are a few photos taken this morning of the fields in late summer:
Red onions getting ready in the field to be transferred to the greenhouse for curing and Brussel's sprouts that might actually work this year!! We are most often frustrated with them and every spring consider not growing them again, but fingers crossed we'll get some this year :)
The carrots on the far right are being harvested for storage, new baby dill taking it's sweet time growing (probably too much shade), dill flowers for pickling on the left, and a beautiful sunchoke hedge beyond.
We want to remind you once again that you are a vital part of our farm community, even if we haven't met one another. Having this outlet for our produce is so important to us and we are very grateful for your support of our work. THANK YOU!!
Warmly,
Your farmers, Jenny and James
REMINDERS AND GENERAL TIPS/INFORMATION
Have questions about your Harvie account and how to navigate Harvie? Here is a link to the many help documents that Harvie has compiled for you: https://harvie.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/categories/115000048773-Harvie-University-Members
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. We suggest rescheduling your share to a week near the end when you will get more storage-friendly items that will last longer, though you're welcome to reschedule to any date that works best for you. When you reschedule, you will get double your share for the week.
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 just give them a friendly reminder!
Location Options and Info
King's University (East Edmonton) Friday pickups, 12-4, some flex if you have to come later. We will not retrieve any shares left here. Also, the main entrance is different than previous years. You will have to enter on the east side of Kings.
Breadlove Artisan Bakery (St. Albert) Saturday pickups, 10-2, no flex & closed on Sunday. We will not retrieve shares left here.
Awn Kitchen (Southwest Edmonton) Saturday pickups, 10-2, no flex. James will be here handing out your shares.
Uproot Food Collective (Central Edmonton)
Saturday pickups, 10-2, some flex, but let's respect the hours as best we can.
Strathcona Farmer's Market (Edmonton) Saturday pickups, 8-3, no flex.
The Butcher Block (Sherwood Park) Saturday pickup, 9:30-4, some flex, open till 5.
Get Real Natural (Fort Saskatchewan) Saturday pickup, 10-5, no flex
Sundog Organic Farm (near Gibbons) Saturday, 9-2, flexible
A few more tips in case you haven't read them yet...
*When picking up your bin at King's, Awn, Breadlove, Butcher Block, Get Real Natural or the farm, please make sure that you are getting the bin with your name on the label as we don't have anyone handing out the correct veggie boxes. 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 for building the boxes.
*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). Sometimes popular items sell out really quickly, so if you miss your chance on Monday, try again later on Tuesday after more customizing. Sometimes things that you want get put back on the options list.
If you miss the swap deadline, we can no longer make changes for you. We've tried to accommodate late requests in the past, but it's a lot of extra administration for us.
*Let us know if you ever want help navigating Harvie. 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 780-447-3025 or 780-974-6249. We are here for you!
