It is my favorite fall job on the farm: spreading manure & compost.

A lot of people will turn up their noses at this statement – and at this job – but let me explain …

Spreading compost is an easy job. I really just sit on the tractor and it does the heavy lifting. After a long season of hard physical work, an easy job is most welcome. Both body and mind can relax on the tractor.

It is also the last big job of the year, taking several days of steady work or about a week if I mix it up with other tasks. It feels good when I can cross this off the list, clean the spreader and park it in the back of the barn for the winter.

But doesn’t the smell of manure take away the enjoyment of this task? The manure we usually use contains a lot of straw so there isn’t much smell. This year we are using mushroom compost which has an earthy aroma – not at all offensive. The guinea pig manure the neighbour brings us is mostly wood shavings so it is almost odor free. My sense of smell is quite poor anyway – a bonus when spreading manure!

The weather has been amazing lately, almost like summer. This warmth together with the awesome colours of the trees have made working outdoors a real pleasure!

But the most satisfying part of applying compost is knowing how much it feeds & improves the soil, which improves our crops, which makes everyone who eats our vegetables happier & healthier.

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Around the farm …

This great fall growing weather resulted in an excellent final CSA box for 2024.

Other fall jobs include …

Burning the brush pile.

Planting garlic – 4000+ cloves in the ground!

The last vegetables we picked before I mowed down the remaining plants and spread compost.

Fall is truly a season for the senses.

The feel of the warm autumn sun – and we’ve had a lot of sun lately. And mild, fall breezes. It’s good to be wearing t-shirts and shorts again.

The leaves are (slowly) changing color.

The last planting of sunflowers was not ready for our final market, so we’re enjoying their beauty now, as we harvest the remaining vegetables.

The fragrance coming from the pawpaw patch is heavenly.

Mowing down the tomato field and the last of the basil & cilantro smelled like a huge pot of spaghetti sauce. Equally strong were the hot peppers – but so pungent I almost choked, and I coughed for hours!

As we work the blue jays are loud with their jeering & shrieking and flocks of Canada geese fly overhead.

I love fall!

And the wonderful autumn weather means there is still an abundance of fresh produce for the final CSA box of 2024.

What’s in the box?

Broccoli, beets, cabbage, squash, garlic, salad turnips, salad greens, sweet peppers.

edamame? pawpaws?

• We are excited that our fall broccoli matured just in time!
• Beets, cabbage, squash, and garlic can all be stored. Keep beets & cabbage in the fridge. Garlic & squash need to be in a dry spot, preferably at room temperature or slightly cooler (not in the damp basement or cold cellar).
• Salad turnips, salad greens and sweet peppers are also in this final CSA box.
• The last planting of edamame is soooo close to maturity. With the warm weather this week we are optimistic they will be ready for our final pick-up on Thursday – but no promises!
• Pawpaws were a surprise last week! Did you enjoy them? The crop is heavy this season, but many didn’t ripen before our last farmers’ market. So there should be more this week. Pawpaws are Canada’s tropical fruit, native to Ontario’s Carolinian forests. They taste like a mix of banana, mango, and even pineapple, with a soft, custard-like texture. Wait until they’re very soft to eat. They will get spotted and brown, like bananas, but that’s okay! Just cut or break them open and scoop out the flesh. Be careful of the large pits inside. Enjoy!

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Around the farm this week …

Removing the ground cover where the eggplant & peppers grew.

Pulling the tomato posts.

No sign of the tomato patch.

Thank you for joining us for our fall CSA.

See you next spring!

What’s in the box?

Swiss chard, salad turnips, cabbage, salad greens, squash, garlic.

Extras ???? Who knows what we may find in the fields yet, or hiding in the cooler!

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Around the farm this week …

The last remaining crops growing in the field …

Most of the farm is empty now.

I just transplanted some spinach for us! It will be covered for extra frost protection, but should provide us with some fresh greens to eat throughout the late fall and into winter – and again next spring.

Lots of pawpaws hanging on the tree yet. Too bad they did not ripen for our final farmers’ market. Maybe in time for CSA?

It is almost garlic planting time! We always save the biggest bulbs for this. Breaking them (separating the cloves) for planting is our chore this week.

The kittens have really grown – Fennel is as big as the Flynns now.

Everybody enjoys playing on the dirt pile!

What’s in the box?

Salad greens, sweet peppers, radishes, beets, turnips, garlic, squash.

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Around the farm this week …

It’s October but we are still harvesting eggplant and hot peppers!

We have started cleaning up the tomato patch. First we cut the plants from the bamboo poles. Then we yank the bamboo, remove the string, and pull the steel posts. Finally we will mow the plants down and spread compost over the ground.

Still some bees and bugs around …

The last blooms – in the garden, on the farm, in the wild …

We are enjoying a bit more freedom this week!

Freedom from the routine we have been following since spring of seeding, planting, weeding, harvesting …

Amy completed her final seeding of the season yesterday – after more than 6 months of this weekly task.

I transplanted some lettuce, arugula, kale & mustard into the field this morning – that’s all. Next week I’ll plant those final trays that Amy seeded and then that job is done as well.

Weeding is a task we’ve mostly given up on. Certainly there are still plenty of weeds out there, but unless they are harming the crop, we will leave them be. Who has the energy to weed in October!

Harvesting continues, but with CSA pick-up only once per week there is less of that too. And only 2 more farmers’ markets – this year market ends at Thanksgiving.

So now we have a certain amount of freedom each morning to choose our work for the day.

It feels good!

What’s in the box?

Cabbage, carrots, beets, radishes, sweet peppers, green beans, salad greens, .

• Fall cabbage is here. These cabbages are small & tender, best eaten fresh. We enjoyed a coleslaw at dinner yesterday – our own fresh cabbage, sweet peppers, & carrots. Only the apple wasn’t from our farm. Yumm!!
• We’re coming to the end of our carrots for this season – just some little, round, orange gems remaining. These are described as having a “nuttier flavour with herbal notes.” I’m not sure about that, but they are delicious and the skin is quite tender – no need to peel them.

• We are picking a new patch of beets. It includes purple, orange and the red candy cane striped beets.
• Radishes are a maybe for the box this week. They are a little small to harvest, but could be too big by next week or the worms could discover them, so we’ll see how they are Thursday morning.
• Sweet peppers & green beans are also in the box this week.
• And salad greens – lately that has meant spinach which grows great in this cooler weather. While we do have head lettuce too, it is being enjoyed by little worms around the bottom. So we have been skipping it, or cutting it higher and using it as salad mix instead of heads. We’ll see how it is this week. Seems like worms are thriving now. We’re finding them not only in the lettuce but kohlrabi, turnips, and other salad greens too. Be aware – an extra wash or rinse may be needed!

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Around the farm this week …

The fall cover crop is coming up and should provide a nice blanket over this field for the winter. This is where we will grow vegetables next year.

We are harvesting pawpaws – a heavy crop this year!

The coyotes had a good time playing on the row covers the other night!

At this time of year, it’s hard to see that our farm grows vegetables.

What were beds of tasty salad greens, beets, cucumbers, zucchini … earlier in the season, are now empty fields.

Of course we do still have crops growing …

These vegetables are for the farmers’ market (3 more Saturdays to go!), and our fall CSA program, which is just beginning this week and runs for 5 Thursdays.

Along with an assortment of salad greens, the fields contain beets, beans, carrots, kohlrabi, edamame, broccoli, cabbage & Chinese cabbage, Swiss chard, radishes, salad turnips. And more than a few weeds!

Amy seeded some trays of lettuce, arugula & mustards today and will make a final seeding next week.

This growing season is coming to an end.

What’s in the box?

Turnips, winter squash, carrots, green beans, sweet peppers, salad greens, green onions, garlic, kohlrabi.

• This past winter, we visited my brother who served us delicious turnips. So delicious in fact that I decided to grow turnips this season, if only to cook that recipe. The turnips did not turn out great! We should have harvested them earlier – many are oversized or misshapen, and have insect damage. But there’s still plenty of good eating. Below is the recipe for Turnip Puff. Give it a try!

Turnip Puff

Ingredients:

• 6 cups cubed turnips
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs beaten
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Salt & pepper
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• ½ cup fine breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

• Cook turnip until tender, drain and mash by hand.
• Add butter & eggs and beat well.
• Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, seasoning, & nutmeg.
• Stir into turnip mixture.
• Pour into a buttered casserole dish.
• Mix breadcrumbs & butter and sprinkle on top.
• Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until light brown on top.

This dish can be made ahead of time, and any leftovers can be frozen.

Serves 6.

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Around the farm this week …

The 1st autumn colours!

This is the final week of our CSA for 2024.

It’s gone fast!

Thank you for joining us this season.

We appreciate your support of our small family farm, the confidence you place in us to supply your fresh produce, and your commitment to drive out to the farm (or the market) each week to pick up your box.

Thank you also for your encouragement, your suggestions, and your comments.

What’s in the box?

Winter squash, Chinese kale, green onions, garlic, spinach, carrots, green beans, edamame, sweet peppers.

• Choose 1 winter squash from these 4 varieties – from left to right – Stripetti, Autumn Frost, Tetsukabuto, Black Futsu. You can’t go wrong with any of these!
  • Stripetti is a cross between spaghetti squash and sweet potato squash. The result is flesh that is stringy like spaghetti but with a touch of sweetness.
  • Autumn Frost has a rich, golden orange flesh very similar to a butternut squash.
  • Tetsukabuto has a sweet, nutty flavour with a smooth, yellow flesh.
  • Black Futsu is a Japanese squash with a creamy texture and chestnut flavor.
• Back in week 2 of our CSA we included Chinese kale (also called Chinese broccoli or Gai Lan). This Asian vegetable resembles broccoli in flavour, but is perhaps a little sweeter. Every part is edible – stem, leaves, flowers. Enjoy it raw in a salad or cook it – steam, boil, stir-fry or grill. Traditionally it is boiled whole until tender (1 or 2 minutes) and then served with oyster sauce and fried garlic (green garlic). It is excellent drizzled with oil and grilled whole on the BBQ for a few minutes. Finish it with a sauce – combine 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp maple syrup.

• Green onions are back and thriving now that the weather is cooler.
• Garlic, spinach, carrots, green beans, edamame & sweet peppers are also in this final box for 2024.

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Around the farm this week …

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Please recycle your CSA box (or drop it off at the farm if you’re passing by).

Details for CSA 2025 will be emailed to you in late January.

For those who joined our Fall CSA – 1st pick-up is next Thursday, September 26 from 3-6pm.

Here is what September looks like on the farm …

Plenty of vegetables still growing.

Plenty of weeds growing too – here in the pepper patch. And because it’s September, we don’t care 🙂

Goldenrod blooming around the pond and along the railroad.

80 tons of mushroom compost has been delivered – and needs to be spread!

Sage is a big compost fan!

We have begun to harvest winter squash. The fruit is cut from the vines and put in piles, ready to be hauled to the barn.

Pulling edamame pods off the plants – a boring job, but we do get to sit. A welcome rest after picking squash!

Waiting on the pawpaws. (They are at least a couple of weeks away from harvest yet.)

What’s in the box?

Chinese kale or flowering broccoli, edamame, zucchini, sweet peppers, garlic, salad greens.

• Chinese kale (left) or flowering broccoli (right) will be in the box this week.

• Back in week 2 of our CSA we included Chinese kale (also called Chinese broccoli or Gai Lan). This Asian vegetable resembles broccoli in flavour, but is perhaps a little sweeter. Every part is edible – stem, leaves, flowers. Enjoy it raw in a salad or cook it – steam, boil, stir-fry or grill. Traditionally it is boiled whole until tender (1 or 2 minutes) and then served with oyster sauce and fried garlic (green garlic). It is excellent drizzled with oil and grilled whole on the BBQ for a few minutes. Finish it with a sauce – combine 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp maple syrup. Flowering broccoli is similar in that the entire plant is edible but it’s stem & leaves are thinner and softer. This broccoli has a mild mustard taste and can be enjoyed raw in salads or lightly cooked in stir-fries or soups. 
• Our 2nd planting of edamame (fresh soybeans) has been harvested. Edamame are full of protein, fibre and loaded with vitamins & minerals – a very healthy vegetable. And they are easy to prepare! Simply boil the pods in salted water for 3-5 minutes. Remove from the water & drain. Then squeeze the pods to pop out the beans and enjoy as a healthy snack. Delicious! We like them sprinkled with lime juice and salt. Or they can be added to soups, stews, salads, noodle dishes …
• This will be the 10th time that zucchini has been in the box this season. This is also the last time! Our 3rd planting has succumbed to disease. Today’s pick included big & little, oddly shaped & perfect, yellow, green & multicoloured fruit – a sure sign that the harvest is finished. (Next week we switch from summer squash to winter squash.)
• Sweet peppers, garlic and a salad green complete the box this week.

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Around the farm this week …

Drive-by tomato picking on the golf cart.

What’s in the box?

Patty pan summer squash, blackberries, green beans, sweet peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, beets, carrots, garlic.

• Patty pan summer squash – similar to zucchini, but with a different shape. Our plants suddenly kicked in with a plethora of these bright yellow, flying-saucer-shaped summer squashes. Most of them are on the larger side (still delicious but not quite as tender as the tiny ones). Slice and grill them on the BBQ. Or cut into pieces and roast in the oven. They also make great soup. And of course zucchini bread or brownies. Our zucchini/patty pan season is quickly coming to an end. The plants looked great last week, but after Saturday’s storm they are covered in mildew and declining rapidly.
• Blackberries are also finishing. This will be the final week for them.
• Green beans, sweet peppers, lettuce, tomatoes, beets, carrots, & garlic complete the box.

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Around the farm this week …

The tables at CSA pick-up last week.

Still lots of vegetables to come …

Some random “before and after” pictures…

Flat tire … new tire.

A beautiful bed of lettuces, beets, kohlrabi & carrots ready for harvest, and the same bed after a week of harvesting. It is not worth spending the time, energy or money on keeping things weed-free at this point. The weeds are not harming the crop – but it sure looks messy!

Saturday market at Georgetown – it takes us about half an hour to set up the canopies & tables and unload all the produce & supplies off the truck. Then we begin creating our display.

One busy hour later set up is complete and we are ready to sell!

Amy with some of the blackberries we took to market, and Amy with empty boxes after selling most of those berries!

What’s in the box?

Edamame, green beans, sweet peppers, shishito peppers, beets or carrots, blackberries, tomatoes – large & small, salad green.

• Edamame are fresh green soybeans with a history of over 2000 years, originally grown in China and then in Japan. There, it is a traditional bar snack eaten lightly steamed and sprinkled with salt. Edamame are full of protein, fibre and loaded with vitamins & minerals – a very healthy vegetable. And they are easy to prepare! Simply boil the pods in salted water for 3-5 minutes. Remove from the water & drain. Then squeeze the pods to pop out the beans and enjoy as a healthy snack. Delicious! We like them sprinkled with lime juice and salt. Or they can be added to soups, stews, salads, noodle dishes …
• We waited a long time for the green beans to start producing – now they are going strong!
• Sweet peppers this week – choose from a green bell or a red shepherd.
• Shishito peppers are the vegetables that keep on giving – so you keep getting! Each plant produces an enormous crop of delicious peppers.
• There will be a bunch of beets or carrots in the box this week.
• We continue to pick a lot of blackberries – but the canes are emptying fast. Another week or two and the season could be done. While the quality remains good, the size of the berries is rapidly decreasing.
• Our tomato plants are looking great for the end of August – better than usual. We are optimistic there will be tomatoes for some time yet.

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Around the farm this week …