Week #37 - Fresh starts, sad endings, and some new perspective

The first week of school... the last week of our CSA.... the first days of a new adventure. Now throw in a curveball and a tragic and sudden goodbye... week #37 has been full of the good, the bad and the ugly. 

Our kids all began school this week and Farmer Phil along with them (as he works at the highschool). The juggling of school, off farm work and farm work got a little bit crazier. 

Our oldest was pumped to be heading into his second year of University and a new line of study. So he (and all of us) didn't need the three broken bones in his foot the night before his first day. He is gaining fresh appreciation for why accessibility needs to be universal and woven into all building design. 

The first day of school for our two youngest kids (and Philip) was rocked by the tragic death of a long standing teacher on his way to school. While our children weren't taught by Mike Slobodian (Slobo as everyone called him), he was a much loved man who among other things took many highschool kids on annual canoe trips each year. Watching the school community come together to grieve, say goodbye and eventually to say goodbye has been sad yet rewarding. Rewarding to see how people reach out, help one another and look out for those that are struggling. The event certainly reminds you how quick lives can be altered and to remember to tell each other how much we mean to one another when we can. 

Ariane wasted no time taking Oakley for a test drive!

This weekend we welcomed Ariane into our home and hearts. She has come to stay with us for three months and we are so excited to get to know her and help her learn about our family, our community and our language. Once the three months have passed, our daughter will then go and stay with her for three months. Truly a life changing experience! 

We are looking ahead and preparing for our last CSA delivery as well as Open Farm Day next Sunday. We will once again be participating in this event this year. We, along with almost 50 other farms, will open our farms to visitors from across the Province for a day of learning and discovery. We will share our story and introduce visitors to everyone on the farm....both two legged and four! You can learn more about this event by visiting www.openfarmday.ca . We will be open from 11 am - 4 p.m. We will have a some veggies and some other treats for sale as well. Hope to see you there! 

Jet also came to stay on the farm this week! 

As we greet a new week tomorrow, please remember to be kind to each other and careful with our world. Show up, step up, speak up! 

Week #12 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box! - That's a wrap!

To coin a well used entertainment phrase... 'That's a wrap'! 

Yes, its hard to believe but the summer has flown by and this is the last of twelve CSA weeks. We have enjoyed getting to know some new faces and catching up with the familiar ones. 

I have always said that a CSA share is successful for someone if they: 

• ate something that they have never tried before
• learned to cook or prepare produce in a new way
• felt a stronger connection to where their food comes from
• ate healthier than they would otherwise have done

We truly hope that this is true for our shareholders this year and thank you for the opportunity to feed you!

This week we have a few new items along with the familiar staples. Most notably is spaghetti squash and some leeks. 

For those familiar with the magic of a spaghetti squash.. you are just thinking 'yum' and starting to cook... but for others new to this wonderful gem some guidance on how to cook/prepare a spaghetti squash is here. 

We use this method of roasting in the oven and then serve with our favorite pasta sauce! While I can't promise the kids won't notice the difference... I can promise that if you can get them to try it, they will love it! 

Leeks which are related to onions and garlic can be used in similar ways in most recipes however, my favorite way to use them is in soup... Potato and Leek soup to be specific. 

So in summary... What's in the Box this week?

• Zucchini (for half shares)
• Potatoes
• Broccoli (for full shares)
• Peppers (sweet & spicy)
• Beets 
• Tomatoes
• Ground Cherries
• Cucumber
• Spaghetti Squash New!
• Pattypan Squash
• Pumpkins (one small, one large)
• Tomatillos
• Onions
• Kale
• Leeks New!
• Swiss Chard
• Eggplant

Notes to our CSA Share holders: 

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. 

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Our basket runneth over...

FFF Photo a Day - Day 257

As our growing season winds down, we continue to harvest what feels like mountains of food. 

I have to admit to feeling that the rather simplistic solution to universal food security for all is right outside everyone's back door! #harvestthepowerofnature

Last blast of summer colour

FFF Photo a Day - Day 251

Picked the last batch of beans from the garden this weekend. Love the beautiful colours!

Did you know that purple beans turn green once they are cooked?

Week #11 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box! - Ladybug, Ladybug!

I can't believe that we are on our second to last week of our CSA! Summer has flown by! This week our shareholders are going to need some serious muscles to move these baskets! 

While we battled are fair share of disease, molds and mildews this growing season, a welcomed infestation has been ladybugs... we've never seen so many ladybugs as this year. So hoping you love them as much as I do and won't mind a few red ladies on your swiss chard! Remember they eat aphids and will keep your houseplants healthier! 

Now what to do with the lovely pie pumpkin you will get this week.. why make some pie!! While you can pretty well take your pumpkin pie recipe and substitute with fresh cooked pumpkin instead of canned, this link does a nice job of spelling it out for you - from how to cut and cook the pumpkin to a handy recipe!

You will notice that we've put your ground cherries in a brown paper bag... we encourage you to simply store them that way as they keep very well this way! Tomatillos also can be stored in a brown paper bag in the fridge with much success.  (Note: The hot peppers are tucked in there just so they don't get squished). 

For those planning ahead, next week you will get spaghetti squash and another large pumpkin! Please remember to bring your own boxes and bags next week along with any of our baskets and pails that you might have to return to us.

So in summary... What's in the Box this week?

• Zucchini
• Potatoes
• Peppers (check out the brown paper bag)
• Beets 
• Onions
• Pumpkin (smaller pie pumpkins)
• Acorn squash 
• Ground Cherries (check out the brown paper bag)
• Tomatoes
• Cucumber
• Tomatillos
• Kohlrabi (full shares only)
• Beans (full shares only)
• Swiss Chard
• Kale

Notes to our CSA Share holders: 

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Squashed in squash...

FFF Photo a Day - Day 249

This is just one of multiple loads of squash and pumpkins we took out of the garden today!

Tonight we made some butternut squash fries and they were fabulous! 

Our CSA boxes are going to be heavy this week!

Packed to the brim!

FFF Photo Day - Day 245

Truck packed to the brim with veggies for our CSA shareholders tonight! 

As the season moves along, it is harder to fit everything in the baskets! 

Week #10 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box! - Butter me up!

September has arrived and the days are getting shorter! Only two more weeks after this week and our vegetable season will be done! Our shareholders are going to need some serious muscles to carry the final boxes as they will be rich in winter squash, pumpkins and other late season favorites!

This week each of the shareholders will get a butternut squash. This is the large peanut shaped squash that is creamy brown in colour. As a winter squash these will keep quite well so feel free to store it for later use or eat now if you can't wait any longer!

One of the best and simple ways to eat butternut is to cut it up, toss it with olive oil and garlic and roast it in a 400C oven for 20-25 minutes. If you like soup, this squash makes great soup! Roasting the squash to begin with converts the sugars and brings out the nutty taste. If you are making soup, simply cut the whole squash in half, scoop out the seeds and brush each half with some oil and roast in oven similar to above. Then you can simply scoop the squash out of the shell and use for making soup. There is a good basic soup recipe using butternut and other items you have in your basket here

 

So in summary... What's in the Box this week?

• Lettuce
• Zucchini (half shares only)
• Beets
• Potatoes
• Broccoli (for full shares only)
• Peppers (sweet & spicy)
• Butternut squash New!
• Pattypan squash
• Tomatoes
• Eggplant
• Onions
• Cucumber
• Ground Cherries
• Tomatillos
• Kale
• Swiss Chard

Notes to our CSA Share holders: 

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #9 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box! - Stuff it!

We had some wild weather this past weekend but survived pretty well unscathed, compared to some of our neighbours! A little bit of a wind damage in the pumpkins but on the bright side its now easier to find the pumpkins! 

This week's box will continue to test our shareholder's muscles as the veggies get denser and heavier! Lots of peppers grace this week's box both sweet and spicy in a plethora of colours! 

One of my favorite things to do with peppers besides simply eating them raw is to stuff them with a variety of fillings. We prefer ground pork with creamy goat cheese and spices but there are so many options! If you prefer beef you could try this recipe. For the vegetarians in the crowd, try this quinoa and beans one. You really can't go wrong!  

At the end of the summer when if we have lots of leftover peppers, we stuff them and then freeze them standing up in muffin tins and then pop into ziploc bags. Then we can simply grab one (or more) and thaw throughout the winter! The peppers are a bit softer after freezing but still yummy!

So in summary... What's in the Box this week?

• Rhubarb
• Lettuce
• Zucchini - (for full shares only)
• Carrots
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Ground Cherries
• Peppers (sweet & spicy)
• Tomatoes
• Squash - Acorn and Pattypan
• Cucumber
• Broccoli - (full shares only)
• Swiss Chard
• Kale 
• Herbs in the red cup: 
• Oregano
• Chives
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Rosemary 

Notes to our CSA Share holders: 

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #8 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box!

This week our shareholders will discover three new treats in their boxes. Ground cherries, tomatillos and eggplants join their usual fare during Week #8 of our CSA veggie box share. 

These three items may or may not be familiar to you... But here is a bit about each one, just in case!

Tomatillos, otherwise known as the Mexican tomato are indeed part of the same nightshade family as tomatoes but have a very distinct taste and look. They grow within a papery husk that should be removed before eating. 

Tomatillos are delicious added to your regular tomato salsa or guacamole. They are the main ingredient in salsa verde (essentially green salsa) used in many recipes for Mexican food. Tomatillos are particularly good paired with pork. 

The best way to store tomatillos are in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator (leave husks on).

Ground cherries as you may guess from the look of them, are related to tomatillos (same papery husk) but have a very different taste. Often mistaken for gooseberries, these little gems taste both sweet and sour at the same time! They are quite indescribable! To eat, remove paper husk and pop them in your mouth. This week we've given everyone a little sample bag to try! As the season moves forward you will get more with which you could make jam or chutney... if they last that long! 

Ground cherries are called thus as you harvest them once they fall to the ground from low bushes. 

Finally, we have beautiful eggplants ready to go. Eggplants or aubergine are also a member of the nightshade family and is related to both the tomato and the potato! 

Besides being a beautiful colour, it is lovely roasted with some garlic and olive oil, and is the main ingredient in such dishes as baba ghanouj, moussaka and ratatouille! We discovered a great recipe to use up our eggplant and zucchini last year called Eggplant & Zucchini Parmesan. 

So ... What's in the Box this week?

• Lettuce (mixed greens in bag)
• Zucchini
• Peas or Beans (half shares only)
• Broccoli or Cauliflower (full shares only)
• Potatoes
• Peppers (sweet and spicy)
• Beets
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Ground Cherries New this week!
• Tomatillos New this week!
•  Pattypan squash
• Cucumber
• Swiss Chard
• Kale
• Eggplant New this week!

Notes to our CSA Share holders: 

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

These people know how to treat their farmer!

Fenez Follies Farm Photo a Day 223

For several years we have been using our good friend's porch as our drop off spot for our weekly veggie CSA. The covered porch and location in the heart of Wolseley is great for our needs. 

But as if that wasn't good enough... They feed us wonderful meals each week and today... Well they out did themselves! They served us Mojitos when we arrived! 

Now that is how to treat your farmer! 

Week #7 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box! - It's Salsa Time!

There are several ways to make salsa but generally, there is the fresh, uncooked salsa or the cooked version. Decision about which method is for you, depend upon whether you are planning on eating this right away and/or if you want to be able to store the salsa for later use.

If fresh is your pleasure, then salsa is easypeasy!

Simply cut/dice fresh tomatoes, add chopped garlic and onion along with lime juice and/or a little bit of apple cider vinegar. Add cumin, minced hot peppers to your taste preference and plenty of fresh cilantro and you have a wonderful refreshing explosion in your mouth. For those of you who want a recipe to follow (I admit I never do...) I've linked to one here that will give you some ideas of ratios and amounts. 

If you want to cook and can salsa for winter consumption, then set aside some time... but the effort is worth it! As mentioned, I'm terrible at following recipes but here is a good primer on what is involved and a suggested recipe. It walks you through how to can the salsa as well, if you are not familiar with that. 

Some tips on veggie storage:

Don't keep tomatoes in the fridge. Flavour is best when kept on the counter at room temperature. We have provided you tomatoes that range from ready to eat to those that will take a few days to ripen so they last the whole week!

There are two major categories of squash - summer and winter. The scallop squash that you have received over the last couple of weeks is a summer squash and should be stored in the refrigerator and used within one to two weeks (sooner if not stored in fridge). Winter squash which will be coming such as butternut, acorn and spaghetti squash not to mention pumpkins will store much longer (weeks, even months).

In the CSA boxes this week, we've tucked in a special treat. A sample of our new Green Veggie Powder has been placed in every box for our shareholders to try! 

This powder is made with greens that may have ripped or have holes in them and are thus not included in boxes or lettuce, spinach or broccoli that has bolted or flowered. Items that are less than perfect but still nutritious and healthy. 

Last winter we experimented ourselves with dehydrating these greens and then tucked them into our smoothies, stews and sauces all winter to help keep us healthy when getting fresh greens is challenging. As we've talked about this with others, many have encouraged us to share and market the powder so... our shareholders are the first recipients of a sample bag of green goodness! Let us know what you think! Is this something you would be interested in? Your comments are appreciated! 

So in summary... What's in the Box this week?

• Lettuce (mixed greens in bag)
• Zucchini
• Scallop Squash (Pattypan)
• Carrots
• Peas - full shares only 
• Beans - full shares only
• Potatoes
• Kale
• Swiss Chard
• Tomatoes
• Peppers 
• Beets 
• Onions
• Green Veggie Powder (New)
• Herbs in the red cup: 
• Oregano
• Chives
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Basil 

Notes to our CSA Share holders: 

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Week #6 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box! - Pattypan Squash

It's week six and we are half way through our CSA season! The garden is generally liking this weather and we generally have a hard time keeping up with the harvest! 

In particular, right now we have a lot of scallop squash... which are often called pattypan squash! I call them sunshine squash because that's what they remind me of. This is the first year we have had such a big harvest so I'm experimenting with a few different uses and recipes myself. 

I found this link to some very simple recipes designed for kids that I'm working my way through! Who else has some clever uses and yummy recipes out there? 

The tomato harvest continues so I'll be pulling together some salsa recipes for next week... 

So in summary... What's in the Box this week?

• Rhubarb
• Lettuce (mixed greens in bag)
• Zucchini
• Scallop (pattypan) squash
• Carrots
• Peas
• Tomatoes
• New potatoes
• Turnips
• Broccoli and/or Cauliflower (for full shares only)
• Peas (for half shares only)
• Beans
• Cucumbers (for half shares)
• Peppers (spicy)
• Beets 
• Herbs in the red cup: 
• Oregano
• Chives
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Basil (in a ziploc bag)

Notes to our CSA Share holders: 

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies