Week #4 - Going to the birds!

Winter can be hard on all beings, both two legged and four. During winter we could all use a leg up, a boost.. a helping hand. 

For the chickadees that comes in the form of seed cakes we make from saved bacon fat and bird seed. This keeps the seed together, instead of scattered all over. I find in the winter if it scatters, its lost after the next snow fall. 

The bacon fat which we use in place of suet is a great source of energy for the birds, which helps keep them warm during the coldest days. 

The cakes are easy to place in the crooks of trees and elsewhere where the birds can eat in peace. 

Selfishly, we also put one on the bench near our window so that we can watch them come and go! 

Now if we could just teach Avery (our Newfie dog) that the chickadees are OK and not a threat! 

Love is for the birds?!

FFF Photo a Day - Day 183

This year we made some bird seed ornaments for our CSA shareholders. 

Our birds are happy we have a few left over for them! 

Week #1 -2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - The First Edition (of the Year)

This week marks the official start of the Fenez Follies Farm CSA 2015 season.  This week each of our shareholders will receive their first box of bounty from our farm. In the beginning of the season, the boxes are light and full of green leafy vegetables. As the season progresses, the boxes get heavier and dense with food as it becomes ready. By the end of the season, you will need a good strong back to haul the squash, pumpkins, potatoes and tomatoes away!

For those of you who are new to this, each week we share a blog about what is in each box and share a bit of information and tips on what you might be able to do with the treats you find in the box. 

This week you will find some rhubarb stalks in the box. For those not familiar with what to do with rhubarb... well the sky is the limit! Rhubarb makes yummy cobbler or jam, is wonderful in muffins, cakes, pies, or cookies... heck I've even seen recipes for rhubarb pickles or wine! It has a tart taste which can be sweetened with sugar or by mixing with other fruit such as berries. If you need a little help with some ideas or details, check out the Rhubarb Compendium for a great collection! 

Given this is the first box of the season, we've slipped in some treats for you and some feathered friends! For you, there is a sample bag of our very own Goat's Milk Caramels! These are a new creation on the farm and I'd love to know what you think! While goat milk is yummy enough, we were looking for a even more delicious way to use all the milk that our lovely nanny goat, Chocolate gives us! Given that these are made with milk, we ask that you keep them refrigerated... if they even make it that far! Interested in having more, check out our Product page for more info! 

For your feathered friends, we've created a bird seed heart to hang in your tree to feed the birds! Why? Well, mostly because I saw it on Pinterest and thought it was a neat idea to try.... :) 

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

• Swiss Chard
• Kale
• Radishes
• Rhubarb
• Lettuce (mixed greens in bag)
• Spinach (in bag)
• Zucchini (for full boxes) 
• Beets (remember you can eat the beet greens too!)
• Herbs in the red cup: 
• Oregano
• Chives
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Dill
• and as a special homemade treat for you and the birds!  

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. 

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