Final seed purchase

I made one of my last purchases for the season yesterday and added a couple of items to the menu.

Belle Isle Cress and Broad leaf Persian Cress:  Two more crops to broaden the choice of greens in the fall.  Cresses have a peppery flavour, and are a great addition to soups and stews. 

Amaranth:  Known as Callaloo in the Caribbean, this is a heat-tolerant green that doesn't turn bitter or go to seed quickly in the heat of summer (unlike lettuce and spinach).  Harvested as a micro green or small leaf for salads.  Often used in soups as well.  Dark red leaves.  I'm excited to try it out, I have no idea what it tastes like.

Shungiku:  A leaf vegetable from the Chrysanthemum family.  Another leaf that can be used as a baby green or as a full leaf variety.  Can be used in soups, salads, or stir fries.  Popular in Japanese cooking.

Orange Spaghetti Squash:  I was looking for a second winter squash to go with the Delicata.  One of our customers last year suggested Spaghetti Squash.  When I came across the Orangetti in the seed catalogue, I couldn't resist.

Radishes:  By request, extra radishes.  I picked up a couple of specialty types.  D'avignon was already sold out, so I purchased the almost as good French Breakfast.  I also picked a variety that resists cracking, which seemed to be a bit of a problem last year with the German heirloom Raxe.  This ones called Purple Plum.  And a very short season (21 days to maturity) called Topsi - pictured - which is at its best when marble sized.

Two topics to include on the Curious Food page over the next couple of weeks. 

• The relationship between antioxidants and leaves
• Growing a wide variety of greens in this climate - alternatives to lettuce and spinach

Presenting the site

Hey folks:

I have begun to realise - like a field of produce - that this site is a work in perpetual progress.  So expect a couple of glitches, some glaring typos, and a couple of missed lines while I get the knack of blogging.

I am keeping commentary out of this for the time being.  If you have any questions about how your food is fed, how to cook orangetti squash, or other Whitsend type stuff, feel free to send them by good old 20th century e-mail, and I will respond in the next post or two.

Also, I intend (for the time being) that this blog is open only to customers.  As the site becomes a litte more sophisticated, it will also become a marketing tool.

Please let me know if there are any problems associated with this site.  I have turned on just about every security device I can find in the settings, surprised that I can log onto it at all.  But please let me know if there is something more that can be done.

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Nothing much more to say other than more celery, leeks, and the first sage was sown today.  The nursery is getting quite crowded and the fourth of four grow lites were finally switched on. 

The chickadees getting a bit territorial with each other outside, definitely a sign that spring is getting closer.

Talk to you soon,

Bob

Small beginnings

Hey Folks:

The nursery is coming to life.  Numerous plants are now germinatng or growing up.

The Tomatoes are getting about 75% germination success rate.   I chose about an even number of the four types of Tomatoes - Great White, Matina, Moskvich, and Taxi.  The Peppers should start in the next day or two. 

This week saw the germination of bulb onions.  Last year the bulb onions were a complete no show.  Seems to have been the combination of a poor seed lot and inconsistent germinating temperatures in the nursery.  So far, they are at 66% germination and counting.

Celery & Thyme started hatching this week as well.   

Space is starting to get tight.  I have Rosemary, Leeks, three weeks worth of Green Onions, and the first round of Parsley all competing for space under the lights.

The big challenge now is keeping them healthy – even moisture, plenty of air circulation, and a balancing act with the soil temperature neither too high or too low.

I have started to get some interest in voluntary help at the farm this year (3-4 hours per week), if you know of anyone interested in farming as a career or serious hobby, have them contact me soon.

Still looking for a couple of customers.  Now is the critical time for making farm equipment purchases, and I will make them based on how many people I will wind up feeding.  If you know of someone who wants a part of the harvest, but is waiting to sign on, let them know that the time is now.

I am best reached at (613) 761-5577 weekdays after 7pm and most of the time on week-ends.

All in all, its very exciting, even as the snow continues to fall.  Talk to you soon,

Bob