Hello Farm Friends,
This afternoon I am being forced out of the garden by the poor air quality so I thought it was high time I sent out an update.
On balance the weather has been a little cool and rainy this spring and everything is coming along a little slower than usual as a result. Unfortunately, smokey skies now that the sun is shining isn’t going to help much! That said, we feel lucky to only have smoke to worry about when so many folks are facing devastating fires right in their communities, our hearts go out to them.
Here at the farm, we have been busy trying to catch up on all of our planting. Despite the challenges of our clay soil going from too wet to concrete seemingly overnight, Niamh and I have been able to keep as much to schedule as I ever am at this time of year when everything must happen all at once
After waiting an extra week for the nights to warm up, we have now begun the big transplant marathon of all the heat loving crops, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers, squash and of course tomatoes have begun to go into the ground.
Speaking of tomatoes, I will have a few seedlings for sale again this weekend. If anyone is still hoping to get some for their own garden, we’ve planted more than we need already!
Before we started on the heat loving crops, while the nights were still cool ,we managed to plant lots of onions and lettuce as well as getting to a few direct seeded crops where beds had been prepared before it got too wet, but there is a second planting of onions waiting in the wings because I just went crazy for onions this year.
Of course, the weeds don’t mind the rain turned heatwave, so hopefully I will be able to get the walk-behind tractor out this weekend and prepare the rest of the beds we will need for next week. Thankfully the garlic and peas don’t seem bothered by the weather either and they are both looking beautiful.
In fact, the very earliest of the peas are already available from our online farm store, but they go quickly so get your order in!
We have started back at the Dufferin Grove Organic Farmers’ Market in Toronto and despite some poor weather luck it has been lovely to catch up with customers I haven’t seen all Winter. We will be back at the Stirling Market on June 20th when it opens and would love to see you there.
CSA members, I’m intending for our first pick-up date to be on June 17th so pencil that in. I will send another email next week to confirm and give you all the details you need before you arrive. Looking forward to meeting all of our new members and re-connecting with the rest of you. We have a great season of eating planned!
Sincerely,
— Jenny
