I remember exactly when it happened.

It was 8 years ago – the summer of 2015.

I was on the tractor spraying peaches – again!

I got to the end of the row and couldn’t remember where I had sprayed or which row I had to do next. That part was not unusual. Spraying was when I did my best thinking, and would get so carried away with my thoughts that I often got mixed up at the ends of the peach rows. Fortunately I could usually determine by the tire-flattened grass where I had been and thus where I should go.

But this time I was thinking that I had had enough. Enough of spraying. Enough of peaches. Enough of all fruit trees.

And so after much discussion & planning we made the decision to remove all of our fruit orchards.

While it was a good decision for our family, it certainly affected our CSA program!

Offering both fruit and vegetables was a big draw – without the fruit we lost over half of our CSA members.

Now this year we have gone back to the old days. We are again offering fruit in our CSA – as an add-on to our vegetables. Many of you signed up for it on your application back in the winter.

We are excited about this new venture which starts this week!

For those who did not sign up for fruit, we encourage you to visit the fruit stand at Pineview and purchase your fruit there. Along with their fruit & vegetables they offer baked goods and ice cream. Check them out at https://www.facebook.com/pinevieworchards.

What’s in the box?

Tomatoes, fresh garlic, fresh herb bunches, lettuce, bok choy, zucchini.

• We picked out 1st (cherry) tomatoes about 2 weeks ago – just a very few. Last week there were a few more. This week we have enough to put in the CSA box. There will be a half pint box, which is really just a taste – but a delicious taste! And a foretaste of what is to come. Enjoy!
• Fresh garlic has a wonderful strong, pungent garlic flavour – much stronger than the garlic scapes you received in your box earlier. Because it has just been pulled and is not dry, it should be kept at room temperature, and in a place with good air circulation. You can leave it there and it will slowly cure & dry. Or enjoy it right away in your cooking, but know that once the bulb is broken open, it should be stored in the fridge and used within a few days. Enjoy!
• Choose a bunch of fresh herbs – parsley, dill, cilantro, mint or basil.
• Lettuce mix, bok choy and zucchini finish the box this week.

Fruit – peaches & apricots

*** for those who signed up for fruit on their application.

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Around the farm this week …

We are farming in a yellow sea of sunshine these days. The neighbour’s cover crop of mustard is in full bloom – and we are enjoying it!

Our sunflower harvest has begun.

I mowed our cover crop of oats & peas growing where the old blackberry rows were. Then I reseeded it to buckwheat for the summer – it is just starting to sprout.