Wednesday 21 June 2017

Happy Summer Solstice

Not a lot of time for chit chat this week.  “Whew you say”?  Tsk tsk.

If you can believe it, we are still trying to get all the tomatoes in the ground.  Yes, I am aware we have about 8 or 9 weeks before the first frost.  But the first frost doesn’t actually kill the plants, it just scares them. It’s the second frost that does them in.  And besides, I have frost blankets.  Dream on I say and stay positive at all times. 

The new tractor is a dream apparently.  I have no intention of working it but we are enjoying the help it’s providing for all of us.  The old tractor is for sale.  I’ll remind you of the details.  It’s been good to us for four years, we just need one that can do more now.
1952 Massey Harris Pony tractor: has PTO, belt pulley, hydraulics, one-furrow hydraulic plow, hydraulic disc set, extra set of turf tires, new front tires, new carburetor and inline fuel filter and a 5’ Woods hydraulic lift belly 3-blade lawn mower; just  had fuel line and condenser replaced, points cleaned, valves freed up, ignition coil, spark plugs and spark plug wires replaced, transmission/differential oil replaced, engine oil changed, has been pressure washed – it’s in pretty good shape – It works - all for $3,000.00

All the vegetables that are actually in the ground are doing great and allowing me to provide you with the following: 
Herbs, fresh:  citrus thyme, baby dill, garlic chives, mint, oregano, rosemary, sage, savory, stinging nettle, tarragon,   $2 bunch  
Herb Mix, a mix of several fresh herbs  $5 bunch   let me know if there’s an herb you’re not fond of
Kale  $3 bunch
Lettuce heads:  romaine, tango, speckled, tom thumb  $2 each
Red Orach  (spinach more nutritious than spinach)  $3 bag
Salad Greens, washed and table ready:  includes green spinach, strawberry spinach, wild spinach, orach, celery, sorrel, arugula, parsley, lovage, mustard, mizuna, cress and various soft and crunchy lettuces and other green stuff growing on the property and edible flowers  $4 bag   
Swiss Chard   $2 bunch

Shoots:  Sunflower $2 bag
The chipmunks got into the pea shoots, I’ll be growing them indoors now as well. 

Sprouts  $3 /bag
Sandwich Booster  (clover, alfalfa, radish and mustard)  
Spring Salad Mix  (broccoli, radish, alfalfa & clover) 

If you'd like to purchase any of the above items, I'm happy to provide them if available after our regular customers have ordered.  If you want to know how to receive delivery of our nutritional goodness, see Contact information and email or call me.  Thanks.
Until next post, have a great every day.  
Jo 


Wednesday 14 June 2017

We're moving ahead and up

Exciting news – we’re getting a new tractor delivered tomorrow.  Going on what every single farmer/market gardener/grass cutting land owner has verified, we have entered into the world of Kubota and look forward to many years of easier-on-our-bodies labour with this new friend to our farm. 

Therefore, the 1953 Massey Harris Pony tractor is for sale, details are:
has PTO, belt pulley, hydraulics, one-furrow hydraulic plow, hydraulic disc set, extra set of turf tires, new front tires, new carburetor and inline fuel filter and a 5’ Woods hydraulic lift belly 3-blade lawn mower; this week has had fuel line and condenser replaced, points cleaned, valves freed up, ignition coil, spark plugs and spark plug wires replaced, transmission/differential oil replaced, engine oil changed, has been pressure washed – it’s in pretty good shape – all for $3,000.00

Once the new tractor arrives, we’ll be really smokin’ out there – nice clean rows of fluffy soil, bio-mulch laid out, tomatoes and peppers and eggplants transplanted – it’ll look like we have gardens of food – because we will.

We have been busy, however, with our hands and can provide the following this week:

Herbs, fresh:  garlic chives, lemon balm, mint, oregano, rosemary, savory, stinging nettle, tarragon, thyme   $2 bunch  
Herb Mix, a mix of several fresh herbs  $5 bunch   let me know if there’s an herb you’re not fond of
Kale  $3 bunch
Radish  NEW $2 bunch
Salad Greens, washed and table ready:  includes green spinach, strawberry spinach, wild spinach, orach, celery, sorrel, arugula, parsley, lovage, mustard, mizuna, cress and various soft and crunchy lettuces and other green stuff growing on the property and edible flowers  $4 bag   
Swiss Chard   $2 bunch

PLANTS 
Please see Prices for details – not all plants are still available – ask and I’ll let you know

Sprouts  $3 /bag
Sandwich Booster  (clover, alfalfa, radish and mustard)  
Spring Salad Mix  (broccoli, radish, alfalfa & clover) 

Sunnys, not for everyone this week – the chipmunk couple decided to turn over most of the seedlings in the trays so I’ll be growing these indoors from now on – cute little critters they are. 


Pea Shoots might not be ready this week, but definitely next week.  

If you'd like to purchase any of the above items, I'm happy to provide them if available after our regular customers have ordered.  If you want to know how to receive delivery of our nutritional goodness, see Contact information and email or call me.  Thanks.
Until next post, have a great every day.  
Jo 

Saturday 10 June 2017

We still have plants for your garden



PLANT SALE
SUNDAY JUNE 11
8 a.m. until noon

Heirloom Tomatoes, Peppers
Edible Flowers

DAY BRIGHTENERS FARM
805 Slater Road, Heckston
613-258-7970


See Prices for details

Saturday 3 June 2017

Plan Sale going on today and tomorrow



PLANT SALE
SAT. JUNE 3 & SUN. JUNE 4
8 a.m. until noon

Organically grown HERBS
Heirloom Tomatoes
Peppers
Edible Flowers
and more


DAY BRIGHTENERS FARM
805 Slater Road, Heckston

613-258-7970

See Prices tab here for details

Thursday 1 June 2017

Enjoy the Smells and Sights of Spring - ahhhhhh yes.

Everything happens so fast now.  The lilacs just came into bloom last week (one week’s salad worth) and now they are done.  The honeysuckle is now in bloom.  I hope it will last, the little flowers smell so sweet and are also edible.  The yellow irises in the backyard smell absolutely wonderful.  The jacob’s ladders have flowered along with the lungwort.  Evening primrose is getting so tall I’m sure its petals will grace our salads soon too.

Here are a few pictures for you.  Spring is such a refreshing time of year.





The continuing Plant Sale here is going well.  I do have hundreds, and I mean hundreds, of quite a variety of heirloom tomatoes and almost that many peppers available if you’re in need.  We had quite a crowd here Tuesday morning up-potting tomatoes until every single little tomato seedling on the property was happily placed into a larger pot to ensure continued root development and rapid growth.  What a productive time it was. 

The Greenhouse beds are getting more and more full of hot pepper plants each day.  The salad greens growing outside are enjoying the rain, sun isn’t greens’ best friend so a little cloud is welcome.  We were setting up soaker systems in many of the gardens today and will keep that up until it’s completely done.   Carrots, onions, beans, peas, snow peas and more salad mixes have been planted and more are waiting to go in.  Several of the lettuces designated to be heads are coming along nicely. 

We’re still and will mostly always be seeding new plants to give them a head start in pots before transplanting time.  Pea Shoots (they call them Pea Tendrils in the City but I find that name a little creepy like they’re going to wrap themselves around you) are ready this week.  We’ll start more sunnys tomorrow. 

The chipmunk couple living in the Greenhouse thinks they are better gardeners than we are and keep planting sunflowers seeds amongst our vegetables, not only in the beds and gardens but right in the pots beside the stem of the plants!  The little darlings :) 

If you want to be on our Weekly Delivery List, contact me by email or phone.  

Until next post, have a great every day.