The women in our neighbour’s orchard across the road claimed they were just taking pictures – but their shopping bag full of peaches indicated otherwise!

A few minutes earlier we had encountered a different group of people down the road, helping themselves to peaches at another farm. They were not at all concerned when confronted.

Just a typical Saturday afternoon in our neighbourhood!

Yesterday we were enjoying lunch on the deck when we saw a couple wandering through our vegetable patch. “We’re just looking” they said. Also, their hands were full of peaches – guess they had been “just looking” in the orchards too!

Produce theft is common on farms during the harvest season. It is very frustrating and maddening for the farmers.

Entitled customers are another annoyance.

Last Sunday our quiet afternoon was interrupted when a car drove onto our yard and honked their horn. They never bothered to get out of the car but sat there and continued honking. Then they drove all around the barns, looking for someone I guess. Eventually they phoned us, wanting to pick cherries – which we do not even grow.

A neighbour had her quiet Sunday disturbed by people in her front yard taking pictures of her flowers. They had walked through the farm, from the nearby winery and insisted they were allowed to be there and didn’t leave without an argument. Then she discovered another group of winery customers inside her chicken pen, looking for eggs!

Another farmer had some people come into their barn who admitted had seen the sign on the fruit stand that read “Closed. Sold out of peaches.” But they asked anyway, “Do you have any peaches?”

The many wineries, fruit stands, pick-your-own farms, and even the beautiful countryside … bring a lot of people – and money – into our area. But they bring challenges as well.

And now that I’ve had my rant …

What’s in the box?

Carrots, green peppers, eggplant, onions, green beans, tomatoes, mini-romaine lettuce,

Extras – beets

• We have carrots! Carrots are not difficult to grow but they do take some extra care – care that we often do not have the time to give them. This year our goal was to grow some great carrots. We watered the ground daily until the seeds germinated (it was very dry when we seeded them) and have been diligent in keeping them weeded. The result – some really nice, delicious carrots!
• Our pepper plants are loaded with fruit, so we’ll enjoy some green peppers now and then wait for the rest to turn colour later.
• We have a bumper crop of eggplant this season – it really likes all the rain we’ve been having! Eggplant is delicious and can be used in so many ways. http://www.cookwithwhatyouhave.com has lots of useful information about eggplant & at least 25 recipes to start you off!

• How about a large onion instead of green onions! We are picking our first ones this week – a mild & sweet, heirloom Spanish onion called Ailsa Craig.
• Green beans, tomatoes and mini-romaine lettuce complete the box this week.
• Extras – There will be beets available for those who would like some.

Fruit – peaches

*** (for those who signed up for fruit)

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Around the farm this week …

60 large round bales of wheat straw arrived, for mulching vegetables next year.

Proud of the beautiful artichokes we are growing this season!

Another day, another storm! Seems every cloud is full of rain this year.

Where are the customers? It was a very wet day at the Georgetown market on Saturday. But we had an amazing display of tomatoes! And overall, sales were ok.

Thank you for returning all baskets and containers. We can reuse them!