Garden Pictures on an August evening

The long shot..a garden always is

Thar's sesame seeds in those thar pods

Spigiarello

Indigo Rose

Oodles of brassicas

Morelle de Balbis

Naga Morich

Wenk's Yellow Hot

Red Malabar Spinach

Huckleberries-I'm hoping for more WINE!!

Maris the Amazing Farm Intern Reflects

Hey all. I’m going to have a few more blogs before I leave Tree and Twig. The busy part of the farming season has come to an end and Linda and I have started to discuss an end date for my internship (I think she’s getting fed up with me). I’ve got a few notes on the regular happenings and then some on the important lessons I’ve learned while lazin‘ about this farm.

The ducks are doing great. The older duck has been developing more and more adult feathers every day, and the younger guy has finally started to grow its own starting today. They’re still getting noticeably bigger everyday and we’ve started talking about when they’re going to move to New Leaf with all the other birds we have wandering around. They’re still a little young and the turkeys seem to pick on them every time I’ve had them out and about while visiting on weekends.

I’ve pulled, hoed, and tilled about a billion more weeds since I last mentioned them in a blog. That’s been the case for both here and at A New Leaf. I did spend a day at my mom’s house in downtown Hamilton to help out around the house and guess what she had me do for her... pull weeds! Oh well, the war against them is finally going downhill as there are only a limited number of weeks left in the season and we’ve mulched huge areas of the plants to prevent any resurgence. 

Number one lesson from my experience at Tree and Twig: farming ain’t for quitters. Running even a small farm business takes everything you’ve got and then some. But if you’re a hard worker and can see things to their end, then it’s a beautiful ride all the way through. You start off with gusto and excitement for the growing season to begin. Your body and mind get stronger and ready to persevere by the time the old-you would have collapsed. Herculean tasks become the regular and after transplanting so many seedlings, digging so many holes, pulling so many weeds, and __(insert farming activity here)__ you feel like you can take on anything and all you ask when presented with another tolling task is: that’s it?  

I’ll include some more ‘what i’ve learned’ next time around, but I think i’ve rattled on long enough for today. Thanks for tuning in. 

  

Summer CSA Week 7 and "Ceci n'est pas Kimchi"

What a week.
The good news this week was the rain on Saturday. Now again the soil is dry, but no matter. The rain on Saturday forced the newly seeded crops to jump, and did so much good for those that were struggling.  I love, love, love going to bed at night and hearing the rain. It makes my sleep that much sounder...and makes my future so much brighter-it's true!
It's been a fun week too.
Over the last week, Maris my amazing (and I do mean that) farm intern has showed me the stuff he is made of.
"Want to try this pepper Maris, and tell me how hot it is?" "Sure" comes the answer.
I mean who does that? These are not jalapenos and scotch bonnets. These are stupid hot peppers.

Maris rates them on his own personal scale of 1-10.
His 4 is my 10.
Today-yahoo- a ripe and red Bhut Jolokia. No video cameras rolling, no pictures. Me and Maris standing in the field together as he took a good healthy bite. No timidity at all. I told him it was hot. 1,000,000 Scoville units hot.
The face went red, his forehead broke out in a sweat.
"That's pretty hot Linda, a 14."
Uh, oh. The Trinidadian Scorpion is still to come. That's a 2,000,000 Scoville unit pepper. Wonder where he'll rate that!

In sad, sad news I lost a duck this week to a four wheeled menace. It's so hard to believe and it makes me just want to scream at all the speeders, "Slow down!" If whoever hit him was going the speed limit this wouldn't have happened. I fully recognize he shouldn't have been on the road and I can't figure out why he was. RIP sweet boy.

CSA baskets today contained:
beans, beets, basil, onions, garlic, peppers, tomatoes, either zucchini, watermelon, ground cherries or eggplants, two mints ( licorice and oregano thyme) and likely something else I can't think of.

The Peter pepper

Sorry if some of you got peppers that were a little odd in appearance-what do you think they look like? Not much left to the imagination with this one!
There are lots of peppers now. If hot peppers aren't your thing, best advise me now. I've got lots.
And don't forget to keep the basil lemonade pitcher topped up in the fridge. My friend Suzanne advises it is top notch with a swig of bourbon, although I haven't tried it.
As a little note on the side, please check the names on the baskets as you pick them up from the drop locations. We've had a few problems with people taking the wrong basket and it causes confusion. Thanks!
I am also selling a line of basil jellies, and will do a separate blog post on the available varieties.and this new area of business.  Some varieties of the jellies are available at the St Catharines Market, Bamboo Natural Foods, Centro Market in Burlington and through me as well. As more produce comes along, more interesting preserves will be concocted by my business partner Leslie. She knows what she's doing!

Finally thanks to Kristen for sending along another recipe for me to use in the post this week. Anyone wishing to do the same, please do.

Ceci n'est pas Kimchi (translated means "This isn't Kimchi")

5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 shallots, finely sliced
2 bird's eye chili, finely chopped
1 green chili, finely chopped
1 sweet pepper
handful carrots, julienned
1/2 cup unsalted cashews, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
High heat until peppers soften
Deglaze with fish sauce
When alarming smell dissipates, add 1 cup water/stock
Add saffron, salt, soy sauce, sesame oil, and 2 tsp grated ginger
Bring to boil
Add finely shredded cabbage, cover and soften 5 minutes
Reduce heat, stir and simmer until all softened

Can be served with rice, noodles, soup, or eaten on its own.

Rawstock Cometh!

Want something a little different to do on August 25th? Here is the latest press release for Rawstock-Check it out!

RAWSTOCK; RAW FOOD MOVEMENT MEETS WOODSTOCK
IN NIAGARA THIS SUMMER!
A day filled with food, yoga, live music, and guest speakers gathering to celebrate promoting health and well-being through a raw foods diet.

The first annual Rawstock Niagara will be heading to Niagara-on-the-Lake on Saturday, August 25^th for a day of food, music, yoga, and wellness. From 11am to 10pm, vendors, speakers, and demonstrations will pack Kinsmen Hall and surrounding outdoor green space located at 430 King St. in beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake. Admission is free, open to all ages, pet-friendly, and wheelchair accessible.

Presented by Conscious Eating Niagara, the event welcomes everyone from vegans to vegetarians, to raw foodists, to meat eaters. Conscious Eating Niagara (www.meetup.com/Conscious-Eating-Niagara) runs a monthly potluck gathering over an average of 50 individuals who celebrate food in its natural form. Their growing success has led to their enthusiasm for creating an event to highlight a raw food diet.

Raw food diets are increasing in popularity, and Rawstock Niagara is geared toward exploring and embracing a conscious-eating lifestyle. With the focus on nourishing the body with food as presented in nature, a raw food diet consists of unprocessed plant foods that have not been heated over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), thereby retaining all of their nutritional value. All speakers and exhibitors will promote education, products, and services dedicated to a raw food lifestyle.

The growing number of exhibitors feature companies and restaurants dedicated to raw, whole, and organic foods, local organic farmers, handmade artisan jewelry and art, holistic healing, exercise and fitness, natural beauty and eco-friendly products, and non-profit organizations. Highlighted speakers will showcase their knowledge and talent from a diverse group of professionals, including Marni Wasserman, certified chef and culinary nutritionist, and founder of Delicious Knowledge by Marni Wasserman, Toronto-based chef and author of Canada’s first ever raw food recipe book Eat Raw, Eat Well (Robert Rose, 2012) Douglas McNish, hempseed guru Jim Poyton, Michael Lachaume, a member of a world network of free plant breeders, who will be distributing heirloom seeds, and Laura Kozloski, owner of the local Virgil Organic General Store.

Free all-day yoga will also be offered by local business Yoga By Sarah (www.yogabysarah.com), led by certified instructors in a shaded area of the grounds. No prior yoga experience is required—all you need is a yoga mat and an open-mind. For those who want to break a little more of a sweat, they can partake in a 30-minute mid-afternoon bootcamp hosted by Balance Fitness Studio.

Live music will complement the schedule with an array of talent, including Combo Royale, a large community of veg-enthusiastic swing dancers; musicians Jack Harlan, Whitney Peterson, and Brian Wall; and The Perpetual Peace Project, a band dedicated to creating human happiness through music. The evening will conclude with a First Nations drum and dance ceremony.

The venue is easily accessible by Go Train (from Toronto to St. Catharines), with shuttle buses running to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Rates start at $9.80 and family discounts are available. Located in beautiful wine country and just steps from the historic old town, there is much to see and do within minutes of the venue. Those who are visiting can take advantage of local bed and breakfasts offering raw vegan breakfasts.

            For more on Rawstock Niagara, including exhibitors, travel details, a bed and breakfast directory, schedules, and other general information, visit www.rawstockniagara.com.