Nice little gifts.

Just in time for Christmas the little birdies started laying and the eggs are gorgeous!

On a whim this past Spring, we purchased straight run Americanas, who lay blue green eggs. We will be expanding our flock again this Spring.

Up in the barn we currently have Barred Rocks who are laying brown, sometimes speckled, the Americanas and one small Pheonix hen who lays white ones.

Nice little gifts!

Time to Plant Garlic!

Garlic is the first crop to be planted for the next growing season. It benefits from establishing itself by putting down roots before the winter so it can be strong when it emerges in the Spring. The hard part is finding the right time and conditions to plant it. Plant it too early and you risk it sending up a shoot and then dying when winter comes. Planting too late means that usually the Fall rains have come and with the colder temperatures the soil stays too muddy to plant. 

Yesterday was the best conditions. The soil was damp but after squeezing it together into a ball it would easily fall apart. Perfect. I prepared the beds for planting and announced to the boys at the bus stop, it was time to plant the garlic! I love how excited they are to help with this every year. After a quick snack and setting out the homework for later, we headed up. I grabbed my trowel and the boys brought up the bags of garlic bulbs.

The boys broke the bulbs up into cloves and spread them out. Meanwhile I started planting the cloves roughly 7 inches apart and deep enough to leave 2 inches of soil above the bulb.

Some of us got a little distracted by the Brussels Sprouts. Anthony especially enjoyed munching on a few of them.

After they 180-200 cloves were in the ground, all that was left was to cover them up and even out the soil. Navarre and Anthony did an awesome job helping! We will next put a cover of mulch over them to prevent any damage from frost which will break down and add nutrients to the soil. 

First crop for 2016 is now in the ground!

Week 22 Vegetable Delivery

October 23, 2015

Week 22

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Spinach, Korean Purple Radish, Brussels Sprouts, Onions, Sweat Dumpling Squash, Rutabaga, Sweet Potatoes, Thyme and Italian Flat Leafed Parsley

This week’s assortment is a beautiful fall collection of vegetables.

The boys and I love roasted squash and sweet potatoes. Very easy to just stab and then heat them in the oven until tender. The rutabaga is great peeled and diced and placed in the oven to roast or steamed.

We enjoyed Brussels Sprouts last night and I usually have to fight for a few as the kids adore theirs steamed with a little butter and salt.

The Korean radish is a great zingy appetizer, peeled and sliced put out with some salad dressing.

This is our last vegetable delivery for the 2015 season. Even with the snow on the ground in May and the very dry summer we have had some great success! Now with some early frosts and the overnight temperatures dropping, the garden is asking to be put to bed until Spring. I am hopeful to continue growing in the greenhouse in a limited fashion using the heat table, possibly herbs, sprouts and leafy greens. Please let me know of your interest.

I will be sending out a feedback letter this week so I may find out how I can continue to improve our farm. All of our seeds are bought in bulk in December so knowing what you would enjoy the most means I can plan accordingly.

Please contact me regarding next year’s subscription. A deposit of a quarter is needed to secure your spot. First delivery is approximately May 6^th, 2016.

Full Share is $700.00 and Half Share is $375.00. Delivery is included to approved locations.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 21 Vegetable Delivery

October 16, 2015

Week 21

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Butternut Squash, Bok Choy, Beet Greens, Honey Kale, Spinach, Heirloom Tomatoes, Garlic, Habanero Peppers

This week looks like a great week for a stir fry using the garlic, kale, spinach and bok choy. Even the tomatoes would be great added at the end as they cook super fast. Find your favorite stir-fry sauce or use soy sauce. Feel free to keep it veggie or cook up some thinly sliced meat first before adding the veg. Stir-frys are all about fast cooking.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 20 Vegetable Delivery

October 9, 2015

Week 20

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Red Curly Kale, Acorn Squash, Leek, Peppermint Swiss Chard, Heirloom Tomatoes, Celery, Culinary Sage

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope all of you have a fantastic holiday filled with laughter and great food.

Try this week’s sage with the Turkey, here is my favorite way of preparing it for the oven:

http://lochhillfarm.blogspot.ca/2014/10/box-delivery-week-19.html

The acorn squash is super easy. Cut in half, place cut side down in a baking dish and add some water to the pan. Bake at 350 until softened. The boys and I like ours with salt and a little butter.

Kale makes a great side dish. We usually keep it really simple but for a little extra flavour:

Rip the kale leaves off the stems and roughly chop. Set aside.

Sauté a couple cloves of finely sliced garlic cloves over medium heat with a splash of olive oil. Once the garlic is fragrant (happens quite fast) add ½ cup vegetable stock or water and the chopped kale. Toss to combine and cover, cooking for about 5 minutes. Remove cover and stir occasionally until all the liquid is evaporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Try adding a couple tablespoons of red wine vinegar.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 19 Vegetable Delivery

October 2, 2015

Week 19

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week: Assorted Kale, Spinach, Heirloom Tomatoes, Savoy Cabbage, Alpine Diakon Radish, Summer Squash, Sweet Peppers and Flat Leafed Parsley

Beautiful Savoy Cabbage this week. So many ideas to choose from including cabbage rolls to stir fry.

The daikon radish is an Asian radish, it has a mellower flavor then our usual one. Try it peeled then grated into salads, thrown into your stir fry or sliced up with dip. Asians traditionally dry out the tops in the oven to use as a spice on fish and other dishes all winter long.

I still have some free range turkeys available for Thanksgiving. They are $4.00/lb. I will be delivering Saturday October 10^th in the afternoon/evening.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 17 Vegetable Delivery

September 19, 2015

Week 17

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week: Kale, Mesclun, Arugula, Cherry and Heirloom Tomatoes, Radishes, Beet Greens, Summer Squash, Mixed Summer Beans, Ground Cherries and Basil

A yummy use for the Basil this week is Lemon Basil Pasta with Parmesan. A wonderful light meal, side dish or paired with grilled fish.

Whisk together:

1/2 cup olive oil

2/3 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

1/3 cup lemon juice (grate some lemon zest if using fresh lemons for final dressing)

Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Set the lemon sauce aside. You can make this ahead, cover and refrigerate for up to 8 hours.

Meanwhile boil you choice of pasta according to package directions in salted water, Fettuccini works great for this dish. Drain, reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid.

Add pasta to lemon sauce and toss with

1/3 cup chopped fresh basil

Reserved Lemon zest

If needed use the saved cooking water to loosen up the sauce by adding ¼ cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to bowls and serve.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 16 Vegetable Delivery

September 12, 2015

Week 16

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week: Kale, Mesclun, Summer Beans, Italian Parsley, Sweet Peppers and or Habanero Peppers, Garlic, Cherry and Heirloom Tomatoes!

A simple side dish loaded with nutrients is:

Sautéed Kale with Garlic and Lemon

Over medium high heat warm some olive oil in a pan. Slice up the garlic, add and fry until fragrant and golden watching carefully so as not to burn. Transfer to serving dish and set aside.

Add kale and some water to pan and place back on heat. Stir until wilted.

Remove from heat and combine with Garlic. Add a little more olive oil if desired. Season with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice. Toss together and serve.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 15 Vegetable Delivery

September 4, 2015

Week 15

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Spinach, Peppermint Swiss Chard, Scarlet Kale, Radishes (not pictured), Assorted Summer Squash, Sweet Peppers, Diamond Eggplants, Ground Cherries, Cherry and Heirloom Tomatoes!

I am hoping all of you are enjoying the wonderful tomatoes as much as we are! There are a number of varieties this year which brings beautiful variety to your dishes. Yes, the green one I delivered is ripe, it’s called Green Zebra. Please let me know if any particular ones stand out as favorites for you. This way I’ll know to grow them again next year instead of trying out new varieties. Remember this is your farm too and I aim to grow what you wish to eat!

Sweet Peppers also came in a huge wave this week. The boys and I prefer them stir-fried with onions and some spinach tossed in at the end, served over rice. Another is Chicken Cacciatore which is delicious!

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber 

Week 14 Vegetable Delivery

August 29, 2015

Week 14

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun with Nasturtiums, Beet Greens, Diamond and Listada Di Gandia Eggplant, Sweet Peppers, Assorted Summer Squash, Basil and Heirloom Tomatoes!

In this week’s bounty we have beet greens. I have heard of a delightfully yummy recipe for Horta. A Greek dish for greens.

Steam your beet green until tender.

In a bowl mix ¼ cup olive oil with 2 tbsp red wine vinegar or lemon juice.

Toss the cooked greens in the dressing and serve.

I love it when I find easy, yummy recipes!

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 13 Vegetable Delivery

August 23, 2015

Week 13

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun with Nasturtiums, Mixed Fresh Onions, Diamond Eggplant, Rainbow Carrots, Royalty Purple Pod Beans, Italian Flat-leafed Parsley, and Heirloom Tomatoes!

This week brings colorful rainbow carrots which look amazing as a steamed side dish for dinner. The purple beans also steam wonderfully and will retain their color if cooked al dente or turn a beautiful green if you prefer them softer.

Onions, chopped tomatoes and eggplant is the plan for our dinner tonight. Yum.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 12 Vegetable Delivery

August 17, 2015

Week 12

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun with Nasturtiums, Peppermint Swiss Chard, Boothby’s Blonde and Longfellow Cucumber, Assorted Summer Squash, Golden Beets, Genovese Basil, and Heirloom Tomatoes!

This week I was so happy to be able to provide all of you with some tomatoes. The basil was also beautiful which pairs especially nicely.

A wonderful combination is a Tricolore Salad which originates from Italy as it is the colors of their flag.

Simply slice fresh Mozzarella cheese and alternate it on a plate with sliced tomatoes and basil. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Very easy and delicious.

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 11 Vegetable Delivery

August 8, 2015

Week 11

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun with Nasturtiums, Swiss Chard, Green Onion, Boothby’s Blonde and Longfellow Cucumber, Mixed Beans, Parsley with Calendula flowers, first of the Cherry Tomatoes!

The tomatoes are starting to arrive! I was shocked to suddenly see some color arriving in the greenhouse. More are ripening daily!

For the cucumbers please note the yellow one, is yes, a cucumber. A few of you mentioned you were surprised as you had thought it was a squash. Nope, it’s just a fantastic little heirloom cucumber plant. The inside is green.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Lightning Strike

Last night some amazing thunderstorms crossed Nova Scotia. At the farm it lasted for almost 2 hours.

The boys are sleeping downstairs in their "summer" bedroom. It is much cooler then upstairs. I really need to get the fan out of the attic. The house has such small windows it's hard to get a cross breeze.

Around 11:00pm I noticed the first flash of lightning and rumble of thunder. As the storm approached and the intensity increased the rain arrived. The flashes were nearly constant with no chance of matching the lightning to it's thunder.

Laying there with my cat snuggled up to me I began to think of how different I would be reacting to this storm if I lived in Tornado alley. I'd be watching the news or listening to the radio for a warning to get down into the storm cellar. Frankly seeing a tornado would be incredible but not at my house and definitely from a distance.

The house and barn are covered with multiple lightning rods. I'm always surprised and grateful the house does not get hit. I said to myself "I wonder how close a strike may come tonight?" Be careful what you wish for. Within just a few seconds of saying that I was blinded and the boom of thunder shook the house.  Instinctively I knew the house and barn were okay and I think it hit somewhere below the barn in the old Christmas tree paddock. Wow. The cat freaked out but the boys were fine. The rain came down and the temperature dropped. For about 5 minutes it was freezing and then it started to warm up again.

Quite a wild night. I love nature.

Week 10 Vegetable Delivery

August 1, 2015

Week 10

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun with Nasturtiums, Apollo Arugula, Mixed Kale, Boothby’s Blonde and Longfellow Cucumber, Mixed Beans, Mint and Summer Squash!

This week brought our first summer squash which you delivery included one from a mixture of zucchini, yellow squash and patty pan. All are prepared the same way. Try them sliced raw with dip, in a salad or sauteed in a pan with a little salt and butter. 

Also  try having some mint in your lemonade this week!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 9 Vegetable Delivery

July 24, 2015
Week 9

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Zesty Greens, Red Kitten Spinach, Boothby’s Blonde and Longfellow Cucumber, Diamond and Listada De Gianda Eggplant (not pictured), Danvers Carrots, Peppermint Swiss Chard, Mixed Summer Beans, Thyme, Basil and Calendula Flowers

Many of you this week received a selection of either Carrots and Thyme or Beans and Basil along with your greens this week. I am very hopeful the rain will come soon to help our little plants along.

Enjoy! 

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 8 Vegetable Delivery

July 18, 2015

Week 8

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun with Nasturtiums, Red Kitten Spinach, Mixed Kale, Boothby’s Blonde and Baby Cucumber, Diamond and Listada De Gianda Eggplant, Green Onion, Garlic Scapes, Peas, Broccoli Florets

This has been an exceptionally crazy week, even for me. In addition to the regular chaos the market opened this week in SunnyBrook, I processed and delivered 21 chickens (24 more to come next month) and I am trying to obtain a helper for a few days a week. Quite frankly I am still recovering.

I hope all of you are enjoying your veggies. Please let me know if there is anything extra you would like me to grow for you.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 7 Vegetable Delivery

July 11, 2015

Week 7

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun with Nasturtiums, Zesty Greens, Paris Market Carrots, Peppermint Swiss Chard, Garlic Scapes, German Salad Radish, Parsley, Dark Purple Opal Basil and Genovese Basil

This week the herbs and edible flowers are finally starting to produce.

The boys and I have also been enjoying our new visitors. Champ and Blaze are now enjoying the pasture and keeping us company while in the garden. 

With the yummy greens, I’m making my favorite salad dressing again.

Raspberry Vinaigrette:

1 part Dijon mustard

1 part olive oil

1 part red wine vinegar

2 parts raspberry jelly (feel free to use more)

Mix well together and serve. It’s a little sweet but not overpowering. Play with the amounts to suit your palette. Also feel free to try different jellies or jams.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 6 Vegetable Delivery

July 4, 2015

Week 6

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun, Arugula, Assorted varieties of Kale, Garlic Scapes, Chives with their edible flowers, Rhubarb and Bull’s Blood Beets

I hope you are all enjoying a wonderful weekend. It looks like the beautiful sunny weather is to continue.

This week brings Garlic Scapes! I’m sure this is a new vegetable to most of you. It is the flower head from the garlic plant which is snapped off to put the plant’s energy back into the bulb. Delicious in salads and stir-fry’s, it also makes a fantastic pesto to use on pasta or chicken.

Garlic Scape Pesto

In a food processor place:

Chopped Garlic Scapes

Parmesan cheese

Squeeze of lemon

Pulse the mixture until it starts to blend and then slowly add some olive oil until the mixture combines. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Kids Find a Snake

This week I had a few health issues which are thankfully healing quickly. The boys were amazing little helpers. One of the mornings we went up to take care of the birds they found this outside the Hothouse.

Very Cool. The Garter Snake was about 1 1/2 feet long. The boys were so excited!

Week 5 Vegetable Delivery

June 27, 2015

Week 5

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mesclun, Zesty Greens, Arugula, Winter Density Lettuce, Danvers Carrots, Assorted Radish and Lovage

This week on the farm it seemed that the weather was trying to make up for the shortage of rain last month. Goodness gracious did we get a ton. 2 major rainstorms hit the farm. Tuesday night found me outside at 2:30 in the morning clearing the trench across the driveway which had filled with silt being washed down in the deluge. Driveway for the most part was saved but will now need to be added to the “To do” list.

With the rain, the weeds and grass seemed to grow exponentially. Have I mentioned how annoying it is to start that weed whacker?

This week I was very happy to have carrots for you, one of our favorites. Usually we eat them straight out of the garden, too yummy to wait.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Deer Fence 2.0

The deer fence this year has been working wonderfully. I will have to post a sign for me to remember to always turn the thing back on when I'm leaving, so I don't have to walk all the way back up once I get down to the house. I'm thinking a huge sign saying fence hung on the fence going down to the house.

This past weekend the boys and a friend were a fantastic help. We laid down landscape fabric under the lower 3 wires to prevent the grass from growing up. It took us over 4 hours to get it done.

Most of that time was us finding and lugging rocks around to weigh down the fabric. The boys especially were real troupers.

Now I just need to get the ride on lawn mower repaired so I can keep the rest of the grass down.

A Learning Experience

Ever since I was a little girl I've desired to have a farm. I summered with my grandparents who had huge gardens with fruit trees including the most amazing cherry tree I've ever seen. I am very blessed for that experience and for now having my own farm where I can provide an amazing place for my boys to grow up.

I wanted to be a farmer because I love being one. The smile I get when a little seedling emerges, when a chick climbs onto your hand and lays down it's head looking at you, and also the ability to spend more time with my children. These are just a few of the wonderful things about having a farm. I am also delighted to be able to provide great healthy produce and raise animals in a safe and happy environment.

This brings me to a downside. I've been talking with many seasoned farmers and they say it's inevitable. Eventually by being a farmer you will be attacked. 

I was asked to speak about organic farming at a dinner a couple weeks ago. I was also expressly asked mulitple times to also talk about my animals. As there were many vegetarians and some vegans at the dinner I was uncomfortable but did as requested trying to keep it short and light and get back to vegetables. After the talk everyone was quite complementary and I felt very encouraged and accepted.

The unfortunate part is the next day a group which had attended the dinner and who had also thanked me personally for coming, attacked me over the internet the next day.

Frankly I was shocked and very hurt. I had not meant to cause anyone to be upset. I had just talked about what I had been asked to speak about. 

It was even more unfortunate as I was then sent critical, hateful emails and personal messages by people who had read what had been posted. They had automatically assumed the worst.

When I had talked that evening about my animals I tried to be as brief as possible and made sure to describe the good life I provide them. Regrettably this group seemed to have only heard what they wished to hear and did not speak up and ask for me to change the subject.

People must realize that the majority of the population eat meat. By having my farm I provide an option for people to support farmers who care about their animals. Instead of buying from a factory farm, they have another option.

When I went to my Market meeting this past weekend and shared these events, everyone was very upset this had happened. Many of them have had similar experiences. They are all very supportive of me and told me to keep up the great work I am doing. My friends and family agree.

Farmers we discussed are an odd breed. We get up early, we work 24/7, feed our animals before we feed ourselves, water the garden before breakfast and I fully admit I, myself get overwhelmed at least once a week where I have a good cry, then pick myself up, dust off and get back at it.

Please take the time to say hello and thank your farmer for what they do. Farming is so important. I go around at the market each week and tell all of them how wonderful they are!

I wished to share this experience as I thought you all should be aware of what happened. I care deeply for all my animals and am teaching my children to as well. This has been a learning experience and has made me even more determined to continue my great work and support my local community.

Week 3 Vegetable Delivery

June 12, 2015

Week 3

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Bloomsdale Spinach, Mesclun, Apollo Arugula, Spring Onions, Rhubarb, Purple Top Turnip, French Breakfast Radish, Golden Beets and Asparagus.

I hope everyone is enjoying the beautiful weather we are having. Thank goodness for the rain we have been receiving. It’s perfect with it coming every few days to deeply water the plants. All of them are enjoying it especially the rhubarb. The leaves are gigantic, over 2 feet across!

There are many recipes for rhubarb out there. The boys and I favour rhubarb compote as it’s fantastic over vanilla ice cream or pancakes with whipped cream.

Rhubarb Compote

4 cups chopped rhubarb

1/3 cup maple sugar (you can use any sweetener you like)

Place both ingredients in a saucepan, cover and heat on med to med-low heat. Cook for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until soft. Feel free to add other fruit or more sweetener once it’s done cooking. It keeps in the fridge for about a week.

I have been speaking with many other farmers this week and am feeling very blessed that our farm has an operational greenhouse. The long winter is still having an effect. Usually by this time of year our gardens are overflowing with harvest but instead the markets continue to be lean. I believe it will take another month to get back on track. Great news is the tomatoes in the greenhouse are coming into bloom!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 2 Vegetable Delivery

June 6, 2015

Week 2

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Mixed Kale, Zesty Greens, Red Kitten Spinach, Purple Top Turnip, French Breakfast Radish, Pac Choy, Mantilla Lettuce, Pablo Lettuce, Yugoslavian Red Lettuce and Asparagus.

Spring is the season of greens, usually meaning lots of salads. The colors of these lettuces always makes us happy and will easily brighten any meal.

The spinach, kale and zesty greens can be eaten as a salad. Also try them sautéed added to rice dishes or soups, or as a topping on a sandwich instead of lettuce for a little zip.

The boys and I enjoyed our turnips raw this week, they taste like a mild radish. A great little appetizer before dinner.

The asparagus is wonderful on the grill bringing out a nutty flavour. Also it easily steams or sautés in a pan with butter. Just break off the bottom of the stalk so you only eat the tender parts. Unfortunately the asparagus is quite limited this year on the farm. I’m planting more roots this year for an increased harvest next year.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Week 1 Vegetable Delivery 2015

May 30, 2015

Week 1

Here are some of the items you may be receiving in your delivery this week:

Zesty Greens, Apollo Arugula, Pac Choy, French Breakfast Radish, Purple Top Turnip, Chives and Mantilla lettuce.

Our season has begun!

For our first week we have some beautiful selections.

Both the Arugula and Zesty greens are spicy! Try them either with a creamy dressing or mix with other lettuces if you need to tone down the heat. Also the zesty greens can be sautéed as a side dish. Yum!

The boys and I love Pac Choy steamed. Slice into 1 inch pieces, place the stems on the bottom and the leaves on top as the stems take a little longer to cook. Steam until fork tender. They are wonderful on top of rice with some Tamari or on the side with Balsamic vinegar.

The turnips are also great steamed.

Chives can be added as a garnish or mixed into an omelet.

Use your imagination and have fun!

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Your Farmer,

Amber

Bayview School Garden

This week I was asked to be a guest speaker for a grade 7 class at Bayview Elementary School. The faculty are interested in setting up a school garden and asked for my input.

Talking with the kids was fantastic! I was so impressed with their attitudes and how much knowledge they have about vegetables and gardening. Numerous students have gardens at home, which is GREAT! Plus, all of them had many ideas on what they would like to grow. I'll be dropping off some topsoil and compost this weekend. Then hopefully on Wednesday which looks to be sunny we can start setting up. I have set aside a bunch of seedlings to give them a head start plus many students will be bringing in seeds. Flowers, veggies and fruit are all to be included.

The students were amazed when I was described how many wonderful varieties of vegetables there are. Tye-dyed coloured lettuce, purple carrots, red and gold striped tomatoes are just a few fun delicious varieties you don't usually find in the grocery store.

My hope is this can be a year round project including the whole school. The primary students already plant little pumpkins each year where my son Navarre's grew to produce a 9 pound Jack-O-Lantern last year. Also each year the grade 2's have butterflies in their classroom so maybe we could make one bed a butterfly garden.

Having a school garden is very important. It teaches children where their food comes from, uses hands on learning for science, math, social studies, language and visual arts, and also good nutrition. This project is very exciting and I am very happy to be a part of it.

Warm Weather Has Arrived!

Wow what a change in the weather! Last week it was snowing and today it reached almost 30 degrees Celsius! Suddenly summer. The farm is starting to green up, the daffodils have blossomed and we love eating outside again without our coats on!

This past weekend the deer fence had it's major Spring maintenance. Thank goodness that's over with. My hands are in agony and I don't want to even look at another pair of pliers. Ongoing maintenance will be keeping the grass under the wires cut. My plan is to mulch all the brush that's accumulated and line the area around the fence so it will save me some backbreaking labour. 

Now that the fence is set it's time to plant the garden. I've started planting my first bed with radishes. Tomorrow I'll start moving the Brassicas up including Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Broccoli, plus Lettuce and Onions. While pulling out some of last year's roots I was amazed at how many worms there were. In just one 4 inch spot I counted 12!

Another wonderful surprise was the frogs have woken up and I've been serenaded with their mating calls. I love living in the country.