Whitsend Market Garden

Pork available:  

Fee range, organically grown and ethically raised heirloom Tamworth pigs.  

For a full list of available cuts and pricing, see our "Whitsend Pork" Page.

Produce available:  A limited amount of red cooking onions, cippolini onions, red potatoes, garlic and kabocha squash is still here for purchase.  Contact us soon if interested, by phone or email.

Please place orders 48 hours in advance - the produce is stored in our cold cellar, the farm store is too cold for storing produce.

CSA (Subscription) shares: These are available very soon.  If you are interested, contact me now as space is very limited.

For more details, see the "Join Our CSA" page.

Hello Everyone:  Welcome to 2025 - Our 15th year operating the farm, and our 5th year at the Lanark location.

I have improved my strategy for managing nutrients in the soil, set up my production plan, and ordered most of this years vegetable seeds.

I'll be seeding the onions in late February, with celery to follow soon after.

In the meantime, most of the work  is administrative or other aspects of farm planning:  Getting a payroll system set up and applying for grants to defray hiring costs; planning the construction of the new chicken shed, and pricing and ordering new irrigation materials for the new fields opened up at the east end of the farm are just some of the tasks to keep me busy during the "off season".    

Not all work here is administrative at this time of year.  There is also drudge work, such as cleaning outa all of the seed trays and transplant cells, and ensuring they are sterilized with a mild peroxide solution.  Dusting out the nursery, vacuuming heating coils and minor maintenance on the heaters and fans, and small details that always get left behind at the end of the year.

Outside, there is the usual electric  fence upkeep, and checking the snow for animal tracks to see who is getting in and what they are doing.  (Photos to follow soon).  At least one lesser weasel has returned, much to my delight.  At least, that is what these tracks appear to be.  Plenty of mice to feed on here...

I have updated the website:  Our 2025 crops page, pork, farm store, and 2024 review are mostly complete.

Update January 21:

The seeds have started to arrive.  Most season's, I like to try a couple of new varieties; either because they catch my eye, or they have a characteristic I want or a variety I usually get is sold out.  In some cases, it is simply a matter o curiosity, such as the "Red Beard" Green onions, and the Y38 seed potato suggested by our seed producer - an all red (inside and out) potato.  

Other new varieties for this year:   

I thought I would give a white onion a try, just on a whim.  

I was so pleased with how consistently prolific the orange picnic peppers grew, I decided to reduce their quantity by a third and try a red picnic pepper to go with them.

Late last year, I trialed mini flowering broccoli, and was impressed with the results.  I plan to grow this for all customers in early spring and late autumn.  

I have attempted brocoli in the past; for some reason the results at our old farm were disappointing.  

Brocoli requires a lot of bed space, with the recommended 18-24 inches spacing (on my farm that means approximately 25 - 30 plants per bed).  That's enough for 25 customers plus a few for the store, assuming every single plant performs at its best.  That will tie up the bed for 60 to 75 days, depending on which variety of broccoli I choose.

In our field rotation system, cabbage family (brassica) plants such as brocoli and root crops share the fourth year of the rotation.  That makes for a bit of a squeeze, so adding a new crop usually means that another will have to go.   I divide the space equally between roots and brassica, so if I plant brocoli then I will have to eliminate another brassica family crop from the selection.  Kale provides two harvests per 25 foot bed (minimum), so I am  keeping that.   

Pac choi, radish, arugula and other brassica salad greens only require 3-4 weeks of growth, so they are staying; turnips and rutabaga are good storage crops so they are staying; and now that I am having success with cabbage itself, I plan on continuing to grow it. Which leaves no space or brocoli.

However, a flowering leaf broccoli can be planted at much greater density; enough for at least two harvests in half of a 25 foot bed.  I trialed a small quantity last year and was pleased with the results, for both growth performance and taste.  

Expect some this year in the autumn; I'll try growing it in the spring though much will depend on how quickly we go from 15 degree days to 35 degree days - brassicas typically prefer cool weather.

As for other crops I tried for the first time last season, I will be continuing with the Prudens Purple tomato.  Of the three new varieties I tried last year, it did the best, and I expect it will improve with improved techniques for managing muck soil fertility.

Expect more boston and oakleaf lettuce, yellow beans, and kabocha squash - all of these either did well or did ok in less than ideal situations.