Hello Folks:

Welcome to those of you who are checking out this site for the first time – I hope you find the virtual side of the farm informative and entertaining.  If you have any questions about purchasing a share for the season, feel free to contact me at the number below.

For the past week, I have been looking for alternate sources of seed (see last week’s post regarding changes in certification requirements).  I have been able to locate most of the seed from a couple of smaller seed producers here in Canada.  As of this writing, the Sprouting Broccoli, Komatsuma, and Vivid Choi are the only items I have yet to find a replacement source.

As part of our ongoing search for foods we wish to develop in the future, I have had a limited amount of success.

My latest lead for Organic Sweet Potato slips has ended in the backyard of a gardening enthusiast that has no official organic certification.  Another item I cannot find is the organic Asparagus seed.   I have located organic starter stalks from US sources, though as these are live plants, they are subject to import/export rules and I cannot bring them across the border.

Parsnip seed is another vegetable that is proving elusive.  One of the seed houses I purchase from (High Mowing Organic Seeds in Vermont) has had their own share of difficulties producing the seed.  They have recently posted a short essay on the challenges of Parsnips, you can learn more about it here: 

parsnip organic seed development

I am pleased to have found Rhubarb seed.  It will take 12 to 18 months for this crop to grow to maturity, so we all have plenty of time to set aside some recipes for this uniquely flavoured food.

A couple of you have commented about the taste of vegetables.

There are many variables related to the taste of food.  Different varieties of the same crop will have slightly different flavours.  I noticed a difference between the Scarlet Nantes Carrots and the Berlicummer Carrots last year, the Nantes being a little more flavourful. 

Compare the Tomatoes grown on our farm or in your backyard with the product on store shelves.  The commercially produced tomato varieties are hybrids selected for resistance to disease, resistance to adverse field conditions, uniformity in appearance, and durability for shipping and shelf life.  Flavour and nutrient content are an afterthought.  To paraphrase Elliot Coleman, “Tome – EH – toes” are available in the grocery stores, but a farm grown “Tome – AWE – toe” fruit can be an extraordinary taste experience.

Weather and growing conditions make a big difference for the flavour of many crops.  Heat and cold, amount of water and other factors alter the chemistry of the food.

Cabbage family crops are known for improving their taste after exposure to cold.  I have heard that some growers will not even think of picking their brussels sprouts until after their first frost.  Hot, dry weather tends to make them stronger tasting, and the cold weather moderates the flavour – they tend to become sweeter.  

Carrots and Parsnips also sweeten after frost.  The cold causes the carbohydrates to change from larger starch molecules to smaller sugar molecules.  Celery that experiences too much heat and too little water can become very bitter as well.

The manner in which plants are grown can also have a big difference in flavour.  I had heard for many years that organically grown food tastes better.  I was somewhat sceptical of this until I did some research. 

Leaf crops fed with too much nitrogen will begin to store the extra nutrient as nitrates, which tend to make the food bitter or even metallic tasting.  Store bought Spinach is such an example.  Many people consider Spinach a bitter flavoured food, though in my experience, the difference is immediately noticeable.  I found that both of our Spinach varieties had a very mild flavour, even after experiencing hot dry weather that usually stresses this crop.  Root vegetables such as carrots also have a noticeable difference when fed petroleum based fertilizer.

Answering the question “How does it taste?” can provoke a very long discussion indeed.  As any chef will tell you, the best recipes can only reach their potential with the finest ingredients.

Hey Folks:

Happy New Year!  Raise a toast (I have a jug of Beau’s Lug-O-Tread local organic brew here for just that) to another year of fruitful farming and tasty eating.

I’m so glad I decided to grow Pumpkins this year.  Our New England Pie variety has turned out to be a versatile squash.  We have eaten it as soup, casserole, and (today), it is the centrepiece of our New Year’s Feast – stuffed with a pilaf of rice, cranberries, and Whitsend-grown Red Onion.  If it turns out, we will post the recipe on our site later.

Work in the barn continues unabated.  A new prep table will increase our harvest efficiency, allowing us to do a quicker job cleaning produce before it leaves the field.  The nursery now has a pair of doors and a real roof.  The nursery grow-lights will get re-mounted this week, and the final insulation bats (organic produce bags stuffed with straw) will be installed.  After that, some tests to determine the optimal temperature settings for the heat mats and space heater.  The Nursery should be ready to take the first seed trays for the Leeks and Bulb Onions by late January or early February.

As the work on the nursery finishes, we’ll start building Trellises for the vine Tomatoes and Cucumbers …

So much about Farm work involves anticipating problems and having a plan B ready.  Sometimes, however, problems requiring a quick response come out of left field. Read on…

The Invisible Fist of the un-free market strikes again

Canada and the United States have an agreement that ensures the organic standards of each country are equivalent.  As of September 11, 2012, this equivalency agreement was cancelled for some crops.

Sodium nitrate is the issue.  Sodium Nitrate is mined from a unique mineral deposit in Chile, and is used by both conventional and organic growers in the US.  In Canada and the E.U., Chilean sodium nitrate is not allowed in organic production.  The USDA and the Canadian Organic Regime had previously agreed to a “twilight period” to phase out the use of Sodium Nitrate on US organic farms. 

The phase out of Sodium Nitrate has “proved to be controversial”, and organic growers in the U.S. have successfully lobbied the USDA to postpone the phase-out date.  They claimed that discontinuing sodium nitrate use would decrease the winter supply of organic leaf crops.  Sodium Nitrate force-feeds the plants, allowing these growers to extract more product from smaller growing regions – southern California and Texas, for example.

The upshot is that many U.S. seeds that were organic last season, lost their Canadian organic status with the stroke of a pen.  Some of the US organic seed I have purchased (and some I had intended to purchase) for 2013 is no longer considered organic in Canada. 

Here is a list of crops that I may not be able to produce in 2013, unless I am able to find an alternate source of seed certified organic by the Canadian Regime:

-Ping Tung Long Asian Eggplant

-DiCicco Broccoli (the cut and come again type)

-Pink Beauty Radish

-Chinese Leeks/Garlic Chives

-Flashy Troutback Lettuce

-Komatsuma Asian Green

-Yakuna Savoy Asian Green

-Green Wave Mustard

-Evergreen Hardy Bunching Onion (The type for late fall and winter growing)

-Vivid Choi

-Sugar Anne Snap Pea

In addition, I had one request for a medium sized, sweet-flavoured Tomato.  Both tomato types I was considering are now unavailable, unless I can find an alternate source or another type that fits the desired criteria.

I have done some muckraking to determine which US organic growers use Sodium Nitrate.  I am certain some of these producers sell organic-labelled product in our area (eg organic salad mix, lettuce, spinach etc. sold in bunches or plastic shell packs at grocery stores).  If I find out which US producers rely on this “feed the plant not the soil” technique, I will be glad to pass the info along, so you have the choice to support real organic growers who use the “feed the soil not the plant” method.

I am drafting an inquiry to my organic certification agency to determine how they are responding to this issue.  I have included a paragraph in my letter saying I expect these “no longer organic products” will not be advertised as organic in Canada.  After all, as an entrepreneur, I expect to do business on a level playing field in the “free market”.

Hey Folks: 

The new menu and harvest schedule is up for 2013.

If you have received a Flyer in the past couple of days, thank-you for taking the time to check our site.  You can learn more about us, our produce, and the advantages of purchasing a subscription for a full season's worth of great eating!

If you are considering signing up for the first time (or returning for another year), feel free to contact me - I will be glad to answer any further questions.

Bob


Leaves, leaves, and more leaves - we are expanding our selection of greens to ensure that you are getting every variation in flavour, color, and texture.  See below for more details.

Also, check out the Curious food page for some interesting information about the relationship between leaves and antioxidants.

Lettuce

A mainstay through the season. Full shares receive two heads per week (or three small), half shares one (or two small). When heat stress in midsummer causes lettuce to go to seed early, we harvest them at a younger age - thus the “small“ heads. We provide an array of Red, Green, Romaine, and some miniature lettuces. Our Winter Lettuce – Brune d’Hiver – is a small Romaine that tolerates cold well. It’s outer leaves dry out and (I presume) contribute to the plant’s longevity in cold conditions.

Expected frequency – every week, though it is possible that very hot conditions may interfere with production.

Kale, Chard, Spinach

These three crops are our workhorses. In the field, they are reliable, tolerant to many weather conditions, easy to harvest, and are great space and time savers on the farm. On the plate, they are also very versatile. Available mid June through October.

Expected frequency – once every 3 to 4 weeks, though Spinach germination in hot weather can be erratic, so another heat tolerant crop may replace it during mid-summer.

Kale: Substitutes well for cabbage - may be steamed or cooked into omelets and stews. Toscano variety may be grated fine and added to slaws. I have heard that larger leaves can be used for cabbage rolls. Extremely cold tolerant – can be harvested from under snow.

Chard: Cooks similar to Spinach or Beet greens. Our favourite method is in Omelets and Frittata’s – a quick and easy to prepare work lunch that I have taken to calling “Chardge!” Some folks have requested baby leaf only. I have tried this and found that it is too time consuming to separate the baby leaf effectively.

Spinach: Similar to Chard, but also very good raw. I have found our Spinach to be very mild. Very cold tolerant.

Mini Broccoli

A new endeavour for Whitsend. Requests, the need for heat tolerant crops, and a desire to find a Broccoli that works on this farm are all reasons that I am trying these two crops this year.

Te You: Also known as Chinese broccoli. Thick stems and crispy, flavorful leaves with a mini-broccoli floret. Heat tolerant. Available early to mid summer.

Hon Tsai Tai: Similar to broccoli raab in use, with a sweeter flavor and delicate texture. Young flowering shoots add a sweet, mild mustard flavor to fresh salads, lightly steamed, in stir-fries, or in cream-based pasta dishes. Available mid to late summer – grows best as the days shorten.

Asian Greens

These are all in the Cabbage family, so placing them in the rotation schedule is tricky for two reasons. First, most vegetables suffer when grown in soil that previously grew cabbage family crops. Second, Flea Beetles love these crops, and will nibble the leaves, so the crops should be planted away from other Cabbage family plants (such as Broccoli, Kale, Arugula, Turnips, and Radishes). Considering the popularity of these crops and the size of my field, including these crops into the production plan is proving to be very challenging.

Expected Frequency: Once every 3 to 5 weeks, depending on time of season.

Tatsoi: Spoon shaped leaves are dark green and glossy with thin white stems - for salad and braising mixes. Available spring and fall.

Yakuna Savoy: Similar to Tatsoi, tolerates heat. Available midsummer.

Pak Choi: Great for braising or stir-fries. Available spring and possibly early fall.

Vivid Choy: Mild Asian Green with colored stems and serrated leaves. This versatile variety can add color to a mild baby mix, or as rainbow stems for braising or stir-fry. Somewhat heat tolerant. Available late spring.

Komatsuma: Heat tolerant greens with dark-green, glossy leaves and white, juicy midribs. Use in salads, as braising greens, boiled or pickled. Flavor grows stronger as plants mature. Available mid to late summer.

Cold Tolerant Crops

These crops are very intolerant to heat, and may only be available in early June or mid to late fall if there is a cool spell in mid august (See Coriander below for the reason why).

Cress: Very dark green, glossy leaves are deeply divided. Rich in Vitamin C, calcium, iron, and especially Vitamin A.

Mache: Delicate salad leaf with incredible cold tolerance, one of the few leaf crops that may be harvested from under snow. Mild flavour. I had some difficulty growing this one in the field, but I may have it figured out for next year…

Chicory: Leaf that works well in salads. Prefers cool temperatures, available in spring and possibly early fall.

Arugula: Cabbage family plant with good cold tolerance and some tolerance to heat. For those of you who find its flavour too strong, I find it moderates well in a blend of salad, adding a nice accent to lettuce. I also discovered that it complements Tomatoes very well in a burger or sandwich – no need for condiments!

Green Wave Mustard: Another cabbage family plant with good cold tolerance and some tolerance to heat. Bright green color most commonly used in salad mixes to add contrast. Flavour similar to mustard or pepper.

Heat Tolerant Crops

These crops are dependable at a time when interruptions can be expected with the crops that prefer cooler weather.

Expected frequency – once every 3 to 4 weeks from mid July to late August – more if other crops suffer from the heat.

Orach: Specialty green for salads or cooking greens. Purple orach has a deep purple upper leaf. When cooked like spinach, orach has a mild, nutty flavor.

Golden Purslane: Golden purslane has golden stems and large, succulent, light green leaves that are packed with Omega 3. Individual leaves are oval to round and thick, about the size of a teaspoon. Tangy flavor.

Callaloo: Cooks like spinach for soups, stews, or vegetable filling for patties or somosa. Apparently, smaller leaves can be eaten raw, though I tried this and was not impressed – too tough. Incredible tolerance to heat, this one did not flinch during the drought of 2012. Also provides Oppopeo-like flower stalks when going to seed. Related to Amaranth.

Coriander and Parsley

I have placed these two together for a couple of reasons. First, few customers seemed to show much interest in these. This is a complete contrast to my work in the specialty produce shop, where they seem to be in high demand. They are Carrot family crops, and easy to place in a rotation schedule. However, they have some twists to their growing conditions.

Coriander: Tolerates heat, though requires cool temperatures to germinate. As such, I can only guarantee it in the spring, until I find out how to get a more reliable germination in the summer. Available in spring to early summer, possibly available early fall. Indispensable with curry, this crop adds a savoury flavour to soups, stews, vegetable stuffing and patties. I am not as familiar with it as Parsley, but I have seen that fresh Coriander drives customers wild at Byward Fruit Co. By the way, if you prefer the Italian or French name for this crop, say Cilantro. It is the same thing.  If that is not confusing enough, some also call it Chinese Parsley...

Parsley: Tolerates dry heat – wet leaves and heat will cause the plant to suffer from a fungal disease. A very cold tolerant leaf vegetable.

Most folks seem to consider this crop as dispensable. Parsley is an outstanding addition to soups, stews, and salads. It’s distinct (yet mild) flavour blends well with boiled or mashed potatoes, risotto or pilaf rice dishes, on fish, chicken, lamb or goose, steaks, meat or vegetable stews. It is a primary ingredient in carrot salads, and many middle eastern dishes such as Tabouleh. Persillade is a mixture of chopped garlic and chopped parsley in French cuisine. Gremolata is a traditional accompaniment to the Italian veal stew, ossobuco alla milanese, a mixture of parsley, garlic, and lemon zest. Considering its versatility, I am amazed that there are so few requests for it…I often munch on it while working in the field, and it usually winds up in my lunch salad at the farm.

Hey All:


Another season has ended, and overall it has been good.

The number of customers has doubled, the output of produce has almost tripled, and many new varieties and crops tried.

Beyond the field, the barn has had some major improvements, and the infrastructure continues to develop, allowing me to work more efficiently and absorb more workload.

In the next week or so, check out the “2012 In Review’ page for more details on the individual crops that succeeded (and the few that did not).

In the meantime, we are looking for new customers as the farm continues to expand. If you are looking for farm fresh, certified organic food from June through November, take some time to peruse the site and give us a call.