My tomatoes were sick and we lost more than I care to think about. Now I am sick and everything around the farm is piling up. I hope to be feeling better soon so I can put my nose to the dirt and get things going. We have our back field started. It was such a lucky find. We bought this place without knowing that in the middle of the property (we have 40acres most of it woods.) was an old farmers field. We cleared all the scrubby trees that popped up during it's fallow years and now we are ready to plow.
Our strawberries are kicking butt and taking no prisoners. We almost tripled the beds. Excited to make pies and jams and my absolute fav. homemade tea biscuits, strawberries and whipped cream yum!
Spring
The beautiful weather has given us a head start. Let's hope Jack Frost doesn't pay us a visit.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Sick
While I am normally a very healthy person I have finally succumbed to the worlds worst cold. It was bound to happen. I wish I could lay on the couch and drink tea, but my garden is calling me. You take a day off in the spring and you are behind by a week. I don't know how that works, but it does happen. In fact writing this post is really just an excuse to stay inside. Where it is warm and close to the kleenex. I am going to do my Nan's trick of stuffing a couple up the old sleeve.
Hope everyone has a germ free day.
Hope everyone has a germ free day.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Spring Has Sprung
We are beyond busy here at Harvest to Hearth. Our strawberry patch has exploded and we have been selling as many plants as we can. We still have some left if anyone is interested. Our rhubarb has come up and we should be harvesting that anyday. Our peas have started to sprout and we are expecting a bumper crop.
There is a lot of clean up to be done and readying the beds for planting is taking up most of our time. As you can see above our chives are looking very healthy.
Anyone who wants rhubarb let us know through here or facebook. Steve goes into the city everyday. Strawberry plants and chives are available too.
strawberry plants $2 each or 3 for $5
chives $3 a bunch
rhubarb $3 dollars a bunch or $5 for the same amount cut and cleaned
Hope everyone is enjoying this gorgeous spring.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Ground Cherries
This year we will triple our ground cherry production. We are starting them from seed this week. We are hoping that the field in the back of our property will prove to be the perfect place for them to grow. Last year despite the slow start to the season we had a bumper crop. Ground cherries like a well drained soil and lots of sun. Anyone who experienced last years spring and early summer knows that our weather was wet and not so warm. It shows that these plants are hardy creatures who can make a comeback.
They grow close to the ground in papery husks. These husks turn from green to a tan to clear where you can see the berry inside. When the berry is ready to be harvested they fall from the plant to the ground. A ripe ground cherry is a beautiful golden color. The taste has been described as a cross between a pineapple and a strawberry. I believe they have their own unique flavor, but that description is as accurate as any I have heard.
They are delicious raw right out of the husk. You can use them in any recipe you would use a blueberry. I have made ground cherry pie, ground cherry buckle and crisp. My favorite by far is ground cherry jam. I make it plain and a spicy version. One is a beautiful yellow color and is good on toast, tea biscuits, heated up over ice cream. The spicy version shows off all the richness from the cinnamon, all-spice and ginger. Typing this is making me want to go into the kitchen and put in a piece of toast and have some. Mmmmm!
I hope that everyone who comes by the farm will at least try one. They are more than worth the drive.
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They grow close to the ground in papery husks. These husks turn from green to a tan to clear where you can see the berry inside. When the berry is ready to be harvested they fall from the plant to the ground. A ripe ground cherry is a beautiful golden color. The taste has been described as a cross between a pineapple and a strawberry. I believe they have their own unique flavor, but that description is as accurate as any I have heard.
They are delicious raw right out of the husk. You can use them in any recipe you would use a blueberry. I have made ground cherry pie, ground cherry buckle and crisp. My favorite by far is ground cherry jam. I make it plain and a spicy version. One is a beautiful yellow color and is good on toast, tea biscuits, heated up over ice cream. The spicy version shows off all the richness from the cinnamon, all-spice and ginger. Typing this is making me want to go into the kitchen and put in a piece of toast and have some. Mmmmm!
I hope that everyone who comes by the farm will at least try one. They are more than worth the drive.
above: ground cherries in the husk and out.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Logo
Friday, January 20, 2012
Making Pots and buying Ground
I have been putting off making my pots to plant the seeds and this weekend I have to stop my procrastination. I make the pots from newspaper and it is a messy job. Good for the environment, but messy. I have some left over from last year so that should get me started.
I have decided to make my own potting soil this year. I usually buy it but you can't get it this time of year in big enough quantities. So I thought I would make it using my own recipe. If it works out I will share it with you. I am going to use some of the worm compost in the mix. Apparently 20% is the golden number. I always add some cinnamon too. It is an organic way to ward off dampening off.
I also have to order my greenhouse and look around for a stove. We are getting one for the basement. I will make all the preserves down there and I won't have to worry about making jam in 35 degree weather. The basement is always cooler and I won't have all that mess upstairs. It will be nice to have two kitchens. Next year we hope to renovate and build extra counter tops and a small store to sell all our goodies from.
All very exciting new things.
I have decided to make my own potting soil this year. I usually buy it but you can't get it this time of year in big enough quantities. So I thought I would make it using my own recipe. If it works out I will share it with you. I am going to use some of the worm compost in the mix. Apparently 20% is the golden number. I always add some cinnamon too. It is an organic way to ward off dampening off.
I also have to order my greenhouse and look around for a stove. We are getting one for the basement. I will make all the preserves down there and I won't have to worry about making jam in 35 degree weather. The basement is always cooler and I won't have all that mess upstairs. It will be nice to have two kitchens. Next year we hope to renovate and build extra counter tops and a small store to sell all our goodies from.
All very exciting new things.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Seeds to be Sown
My favourite time of the year is selecting seeds and planning this years garden. It is a time when all things are possible. The ultimate garden is in my imagination, where no bad weather, no bad bugs, or no bad bacteria live.
This year like the others we are mixing somethings old with somethings new.
New
edamame -these soybeans will likely not produce enough to sell the first year, but we are really excited about trying them out. The whole family loves them baked in the oven with a sprinkle of salt and olive oil.
hardy cherries- these are grown on a bush instead of a tree. They can get to be 7-8 feet tall when they reach maturity in 5 years. One plant can produce 20 kgs of cherries. These guys won't be ready to produce for two years but we are quite excited about them. They will do double duty by also providing us with a sound buffer between us and the road.
Back by Popular Demand
green and yellow beans- our bush beans were our biggest producers last year and resulted in some very yummy fresh eating, freezing for the winter and a huge batch of dilly beans. We hope that our crop this year does just as well.
carrots- the carrots last year were so sweet and tasty that despite having frozen an enormous amount they are now all gone. I am ordering rainbow carrots that come in several shades from almost white to deep orange. I have also ordered two other varieties that should make your mouth water.
ground cherries- these yellow fruit that come in husks are also know as the cape gooseberry. I have heard them described as having a pineapple flavour, but I have find they have a flavour all there own. I make jams and pies with them. I love them fresh as well. These are a very tasty berry. They are high in protein for a fruit and very low cal so they make a perfect snack.
garlic- we hope our garlic comes back this year it was very tasty and easy to grow. Planted some in the back field. We shall see if deer like garlic.
peas- our peas liked the cool damp weather last year. We had a very large crop. The kids love to eat them fresh off the vine. Now that is fresh food.
pumpkins- we are growing baby pams. We have tried pumpkins before, but they didn't turn out very well so this year we will try again. They will be more for pies then carving. I will have those available before thanksgiving.
gourds- we grew these last year. They were very cute. They are small ornamental ones that look good as a centerpiece for the table. They don't even look real.
tomatoes- we always have a great harvest of tomatoes. Cherry, beefstake, and romas, all love the soil here. We make spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, and salsa. So sweet that you can eat them right off the vine. My favourite are the golden cherry tomatoes.
green peppers- trying these again. Last year they had a slow start and that meant only a few could be harvested. I hope we have a nice spring.
Herbs- we are bringing back parsley, dill and chamomile and trying sage and basil. Basil I try every year and every year it dies. No one ever said I wasn't stubborn. We also have oregano, thyme, lemon balm, mint, catnip and chives. Chives being some of the first things that pop up. We also sometimes let the chive flowers come out. They are tasty in a salad and pretty too.
I am sure I am forgetting something but if am I will add it later. Let me know if you don't see anything you would love to have grown. I don't always take requests but you never know. Also if you would be interested in any of the above as a plant for your own garden let me know.
Plants are sold in the spring when they are ready to be planted and sold at $2.00 each. They are grown using organic practices. Our plants always do well. If you can let me know if you have a specific request or large quantity that would be great. We sell them from our farm, but I am always in the city so I could probably drop them off too.
This year like the others we are mixing somethings old with somethings new.
New
edamame -these soybeans will likely not produce enough to sell the first year, but we are really excited about trying them out. The whole family loves them baked in the oven with a sprinkle of salt and olive oil.
hardy cherries- these are grown on a bush instead of a tree. They can get to be 7-8 feet tall when they reach maturity in 5 years. One plant can produce 20 kgs of cherries. These guys won't be ready to produce for two years but we are quite excited about them. They will do double duty by also providing us with a sound buffer between us and the road.
Back by Popular Demand
green and yellow beans- our bush beans were our biggest producers last year and resulted in some very yummy fresh eating, freezing for the winter and a huge batch of dilly beans. We hope that our crop this year does just as well.
carrots- the carrots last year were so sweet and tasty that despite having frozen an enormous amount they are now all gone. I am ordering rainbow carrots that come in several shades from almost white to deep orange. I have also ordered two other varieties that should make your mouth water.
ground cherries- these yellow fruit that come in husks are also know as the cape gooseberry. I have heard them described as having a pineapple flavour, but I have find they have a flavour all there own. I make jams and pies with them. I love them fresh as well. These are a very tasty berry. They are high in protein for a fruit and very low cal so they make a perfect snack.
garlic- we hope our garlic comes back this year it was very tasty and easy to grow. Planted some in the back field. We shall see if deer like garlic.
peas- our peas liked the cool damp weather last year. We had a very large crop. The kids love to eat them fresh off the vine. Now that is fresh food.
pumpkins- we are growing baby pams. We have tried pumpkins before, but they didn't turn out very well so this year we will try again. They will be more for pies then carving. I will have those available before thanksgiving.
gourds- we grew these last year. They were very cute. They are small ornamental ones that look good as a centerpiece for the table. They don't even look real.
tomatoes- we always have a great harvest of tomatoes. Cherry, beefstake, and romas, all love the soil here. We make spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, and salsa. So sweet that you can eat them right off the vine. My favourite are the golden cherry tomatoes.
green peppers- trying these again. Last year they had a slow start and that meant only a few could be harvested. I hope we have a nice spring.
Herbs- we are bringing back parsley, dill and chamomile and trying sage and basil. Basil I try every year and every year it dies. No one ever said I wasn't stubborn. We also have oregano, thyme, lemon balm, mint, catnip and chives. Chives being some of the first things that pop up. We also sometimes let the chive flowers come out. They are tasty in a salad and pretty too.
I am sure I am forgetting something but if am I will add it later. Let me know if you don't see anything you would love to have grown. I don't always take requests but you never know. Also if you would be interested in any of the above as a plant for your own garden let me know.
Plants are sold in the spring when they are ready to be planted and sold at $2.00 each. They are grown using organic practices. Our plants always do well. If you can let me know if you have a specific request or large quantity that would be great. We sell them from our farm, but I am always in the city so I could probably drop them off too.
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