Friday 31 July 2015

Bounty of Basil


FFF Photo a Day  - 212


This weather has been great for our basil crop! We can't harvest it fast enough!

Lots of basil = lots of pesto! 

Thursday 30 July 2015

Sunshine squash


FFF Photo a Day - Day 211

This is definitely going to be the year of the squash! Our fields are awash with an avalanche of squash vines that are snaking and sneaking their way into, over, and under everything! 

Tonight we harvested these little bundles of sunshine... technically called scallop or pattypan squash ... but (I think) more aptly named sunshine squash! 

Tonnes of tomatoes!

FFF Photo a Day - Day 215

Lots of tomatoes for our CSA customers this week. Red, yellow, orange, and few purple so far - all delicious! 

Wednesday 29 July 2015

There is one in every crowd....


FFF Photo a Day - Day 210

We all know someone... there is one in every crowd (farm)... someone that always has to be the centre of attention. 

On our farm, it's Gaston, seen here photobombing the picture of his mother, Grace standing behind. The look on her face says it all don't you think....

Tuesday 28 July 2015

CSA day....


FFF Photo a Day - Day 209


Today was CSA day! We have three drop off points each week... this one is in Wolseley! 

Always a busy day but good to connect with our shareholders and share our bounty with them!

Week #5 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box! - Mix 'n Match - Cool Summer Suppers

It's Week #5 in our CSA season and the hot weather and frequent rains are producing both blessings and burdens.... but it's all delicious! 

Our shareholders will enjoy their first tomatoes and cucumbers this week and I wanted to share a few ideas for some cool supper ideas that use these yummy treats and avoid having to turn the oven on! 

Summer is a great time to throw together a bowl of fresh veggies with a tossing of vinaigrette and a sprinkle of cheese (feta, old cheddar).  My favorite combination is sliced cucumber, quartered tomatoes, diced onion, chopped basil (or cilantro) all tossed with a splash of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar. If you don't like the sound of that you can use your favorite salad dressing as well. Add salt, pepper.... of course some garlic and chives, toss and serve. No hot stove and a flavour explosion in your mouth. Mix and match by leaving out the cucumber but throwing in more basil or perhaps some fresh beans, some zucchini or carrots. There is really no wrong way to do this! 

The scourge (bounty) of the zucchini plants has begun and you will undoubtedly be looking for ways to use this prolific producer. Check out one of my prior year's blogs for Grandma Fenez's Chocolate Zucchini Cake recipe... because who doesn't like cake!

So in summary... What's in the CSA Box this week?

Lettuce (mixed greens in bag)
Zucchini
Swiss Chard
Kale
Onion
Cucumbers New this week!
Tomatoes New this week!
Carrots
Beans New this week!
New potatoes
Broccoli
Peppers (spicy)
Beets 
Basil (in ziploc bag)
Herbs in the red cup:

  • Oregano 
  • Chives 
  • Parsley 
  • Cilantro
  • Rosemary 
Notes to our CSA Share holders:

We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again.


Follow us on Facebook, on Twitter at @FenezFollies or Instagram (Fenez Follies Farm)

Monday 27 July 2015

Beware the big bad wolf...


FFF Photo a Day - Day 208

Today three little pigs came to stay at the farm! 

These little cuties gave Farmer Phil a work out to catch them... which was fun in the heat. What should we name them?

Sunday 26 July 2015

Every have that feeling...


FFF Photo a Day - Day 207

Was picking the beans today and had this feeling I was being watched.... 

This young hen has been wandering through the cucumbers and beans for several days. A bit like a patrol, I think she was concerned I was messing with her stuff!



Saturday 25 July 2015

Bountiful!


FFF Photo a Day - Day 206


Went for a meander around the property today and this was the result! 

We are into the part of the growing season where we can't harvest fast enough! #bountiful

Friday 24 July 2015

Wonder...


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In the quiet evening hours, I sit and look and wonder at the beauty that passes so many of us by... 

May you stop, look and drink it all in each day. Food for our souls.

Thursday 23 July 2015

An old soul....


FFF Photo a Day - Day 204

In the spirit of throwback Thursdays, I share with you one my favorite souls... 

Several years ago, one of our son's got two potbellied pigs (as pets). They were sisters who he affectionately named Bubba & Chunk! It didn't take them long to grow into their names! 

This is Chunk.... she was my favourite. That face!




Wednesday 22 July 2015

Look what I found!!


FFF Photo a day - Day 203

What a difference a day makes! I was in the tomatoes yesterday and didn't see anything.... but look what I found tonight! (insert squeal)

There is nothing in my opinion better on earth than the first taste of a sun ripen tomato fresh from the garden each summer! Nothing...

Tuesday 21 July 2015

The squash are taking over!

FFF Photo a Day - Day 202

The squash are taking over! The regular rain and warm temps are fantastic for the squash and pumpkins and they are slowly taking over the field. 

As we look around we see rows that we don't remember planting and Farmer Phil says he's positive that one tried to trip him today! 

I don't remember planting the third row and I am sure one tried to trip me

Week #4 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box - Pesto Please!

This past week, the weather has been a fickle master. You know what they say... 'if you don't like the weather, wait five minutes and it will change'... well that pretty sums up this past week. Lots of sunshine, lots of rain, lots of wind, lots of time looking up at the sky trying to predict what will happen next!                           

Most of the plants are enjoying this changeable weather with a few exceptions. The beans, spinach and cilantro are not happy... the basil, squash, & tomatoes are loving it!                     
Sorting peas for the CSA boxes!
Given the happy basil, I thought I would share with you my favorite pesto recipe... with a few ideas to try from your CSA box:

Basic Pesto recipe: (this is enough for one meal, increase recipe as you see fit)

1 cup fresh basil (could substitute all or a portion of the basil with fresh garden peas, carrot tops or fresh spinach as available)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts (could substitute pine nuts (which can be expensive) with almonds or walnuts)
2 garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste

The easiest way to make pesto is to put all ingredients into the food processor and process until a paste. If you don't have a food processor you can certainly chop all by hand and mix in a bowl. Pesto is good tossed in pasta, divine on pizza and wonderful in risotto! 

Pesto will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks or you can freeze it in ice cube trays and then put the cubes in a bag to be used one by one. Enjoy! 

So in summary... What's in the Box this week?

  • Lettuce (mixed greens in bag)
  • Zucchini
  • Carrots
  • Peas
  • Kale
  • Spanish Onion
  • Swiss Chard
  • New potatoes
  • Green chili peppers (relatively mild spicy pepper)
  • Beets 
  • Herbs in the red cup: 
    • Oregano
    • Chives
    • Parsley
    • Cilantro
    • Rosemary
  • Basil - in small ziploc bag


Notes to our CSA Share holders: 
We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Monday 20 July 2015

Apple of my eye!


FFF Photo a Day - Day 201


Looks like we will have a bumper crop of apples this year! 

We only have a couple of trees in the front of the property but we are putting in more fruit trees in the back field this fall! 

I see some apple pies in our future!

Sunday 19 July 2015

A full day...


FFF Photo a Day - Day 200

Today was a full day of weeding, staking tomatoes, moving the vines of pumpkins & squash back into their rows, fixing brassica covers, re-seeding spinach, and generally fixing things up after a week of frequent rains that have kept us out of the field. 

Got a lot accomplished but also enjoyed the many beautiful sights along the way. Such as the onion blossoms! 

#stopandsmelltheflowers

Saturday 18 July 2015

Plethora of peas!


FFF Photo a Day - Day 197


In between the rain and sun that seemed to dance with each other all day long, we managed to get out and pick the peas... and peas and more peas! 

Hope our CSA shareholders like peas!

Friday 17 July 2015

Hidden treasures!


FFF Photo a Day - Day 196


Today we were burning brush that we had accumulated in a pile at the back of the property and stumbled upon this treasure! 

Could be a kildeer (although I've never seen them nest in such long grass)? What do you think? 

Hope we didn't scare the parents away! 

Thursday 16 July 2015

Our cup runneth over..


FFF Photo a Day - Day 195


A few months ago I created our own sourdough starter and have been using it for everything from breads, muffins, pancakes and even some naan. 

Not sure if its due to the hot and humid weather... but our starter has becomes extra-energetic lately! It regularly runs all over the place after being fed!

Wednesday 15 July 2015

How's the weather?

FFF Photo a Day - Day 194

Yesterday we officially joined the CoCoRaHS Canada - Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network!  This is a non-profit network of volunteer observers manually measuring precipitation in Canada. And if you are connected at all with 4H as we are, you can get this fabulous rain and snow gauge free! 

We figured that as farmers we always have one eye on the sky and are particularly interested in weather. Being part of the network means that you commit to regular submissions of weather conditions via a handy app or on line submission process. 

So if you too are a weather geek - check them out at www.cocorahs.org/Canada.aspx  

Tuesday 14 July 2015

Sometimes bounty comes from another farm...


FFF Photo a Day - Day 194

While we strive to be as self sufficient as possible, there are some things we can't/don't grow or raise.... so sometimes our bounty comes from another farm! 

A big thanks to Purple Berry Orchard for the lovely Saskatoons and for my mom-in-law for picking them for us... I see some jams and pie in our future! 

Week #3 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box! - The Importance of Keeping Dry!

If you have been following our blog or social media posts this week, you will know that the farm got hit hard by heavy rain and wind on Monday night. Time will tell how the veggies will fair but we really didn't want/need any more rain after some of the heavy downpours last weekend! Alas, we are used to the fickle weather gods and will adapt! 

Despite the rain, we have a number of new treats to share in our CSA boxes! Our peas are ready and there is truly little on earth better than fresh garden peas! My personal opinion is the best way to eat them is standing in the garden....however, a close second would be simply eating them raw (shelled or pod and all) as soon as you get them home! Our shareholders will find a snack of peas in their box this week!

Potatoes are ready to go and with all the rain we are a bit concerned that they will rot in the ground if we leave them, so the boxes contain some tasty nuggets! 

New potatoes are small and sweet. (their sugar has not yet been converted to starch).  They don't have thick skins and rarely need to be peeled. Simply give them a scrub and pop in the pot to boil. Served with butter and salt or even cooled and tossed into a salad... a new potato is unlike the potato that you will get in the fall - so experiment! 

Lastly I wanted to share with you a tip or two for extending the life of the greens that you find in your box each week (or that you pick up from the store). As most are packed wet after rinsing, they can become mushy if not tended to when you get them home. In our house, we often use the ziplock produce bags that you can get at the grocery store. I find that they are worth in the investment (and we re-use them over and over). However, if you don't have these special bags, other plastic bags will work... the trick is to ensure that the greens are as dry as possible. Therefore, I recommend that you take the greens out of the bag/pail and lay them out on papertowel and then roll the whole thing up like a jelly roll. Storing the greens inside the papertowel in a plastic bag ensures it lasts a much longer time! 
So in summary... What's in the Box this week?
  • Rhubarb
  • Lettuce (mixed greens in bag)
  • Zucchini
  • Carrots
  • Peas
  • New potatoes
  • Spring turnips (turnip greens are edible too!)
  • Broccoli (for full shares only)
  • Peppers (spicy)
  • Beets 
  • Herbs in the red cup: 
              • Oregano
              • Chives
              • Parsley
              • Cilantro
              • Basil 


Notes to our CSA Share holders: 
We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.

Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies

Monday 13 July 2015

Wow!


FFF Photo a Day - Day 193


So about five minutes after they announced on the radio that all weather warnings were ended... this happened!

The rain came sideways and fast as if a giant was throwing a bucket of water at the property.

While we are happy there was no hail.... this is going to make things interesting for picking tomorrow! Not to mention stress the plants and the farmers a fair bit! 

Breathe in, breathe out!  

Sunday 12 July 2015

Big skies and colourful fields




FFF Photo a Day - Day 193


I love this time of year when we are surrounded by the ever changing colours of waving crops. 

Currently, the yellow canola seems to stretch on past the horizon. 


Saturday 11 July 2015

A little off the top!


FFF Photo a Day - Day 192


The tomatoes were in a desperate need of a trim! They had become quite overgrown and needed re-staking and a general clean up. 

Of course, we waited until the hottest day of the year! Was up early to get a start before the heat got really bad! 

Thursday 9 July 2015

Lazy dog days...


FFF Photo a day - Day 190


It's getting hot! When that happens you can usually find Avery (our Newfie cross) hiding in the garage where its cooler.... 

Today I found her thus.... 

Sweet bounty!

FFF Photo a Day - Day 191

Cooking up rhubarb and strawberries from the garden. 

Making it into some yummy filling for muffins, pies, or crumble! 

Wednesday 8 July 2015

Counting carrots!


FFF Photo a Day - Day 189


Today (like every Tuesday and Wednesdays) was spent counting carrots... and other veggies. 

We share our produce from the farm with our CSA shareholders with pick ups on Tuesday and Wednesday nights... this means that we are busy picking, packing and organizing their boxes of produce for much of those days. 

It is always rewarding when we are done and the boxes are ready to load! 

Tuesday 7 July 2015

Mud pies!



FFF Photo a Day - Day 188

The last couple of days have been full of mud! 

While the rain was needed and welcomed by the plants... it leaves us slogging through the mud until the ground dries out. At one point while weeding the beets, I thought I was going to have to call Farmer Phil on my cell phone to get him to come and pull me out! 

Alas I managed to extract my foot (boot intact) and decided that I was done for the day.... 

Week #2 - 2015 FFF CSA - What's in the Box! - Top Notch!


Week two of twelve is upon us and the recent rain was welcomed by the plants but complicates picking by making it very muddy... Yesterday's cooler temps was nice to work in however! 



This time of year you will get lots of greenery in your box... the lettuce, spinach, kale and swiss chard are yummy, nutritious and pretty straightforward. This week however,  I wanted to remind you that you can also use the beet & carrot tops too! 

Yes, both beets and carrot greens can be used in salads, smoothies, in pesto and sauces. 

If you are a fan of pesto, simply replace the basil in your typical pesto recipe with chopped carrot greens and you have a interesting and delicious twist on an old favorite. 

Beet greens while good raw, can be sauteed with some butter or oil and eaten like spinach... throw in some garlic and its pure heaven! 

So in summary... What's in the Box this week?
  • Swiss Chard
  • Kale
  • Rhubarb
  • Lettuce (mixed greens in bag)
  • Spinach (in bag)
  • Zucchini
  • Carrots
  • Peppers (sweet)
  • Beets (remember you can eat the beet greens too!)
  • Herbs in the red cup: 
    • Oregano
    • Chives
    • Parsley
    • Cilantro
    • Rosemary
  • Basil (for full shares only)

Notes to our CSA Share holders: 
We pick the vegetables within 24 hours of the box being delivered. We do rinse the produce but it would be important to wash all vegetables before you eat them. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer.


Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (pails, cups, bags etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

Follow us on Facebook or on Twitter at @FenezFollies


Monday 6 July 2015

Garden of surprises!

FFF Photo a Day - Day 187


Went for a meander up and down the rows in the garden today to see how things were faring given the heavy rain and light hail we got on Saturday night. 

I was pleased to find that the water seemed to be quickly being absorbed and most of the veggies were looking really good. 

Found a few surprises as well... like this pumpkin... already a good size for the beginning of July!

Sunday 5 July 2015

Smoke and worry...

FFF Photo a Day - Day 186


Like much of the prairie provinces, we are dealing with a heavy blanket of smoke over us from the wildfires that are burning. 

As I watched and worried during last night's storm.. hoping that we wouldn't get hail nor damaging wind and rain, I was very aware of the fact that these worries are nothing compared to those that are being directly affected by the fires. 

Out of their home and not sure whether they will ever go home, my heart and prayers go out to everyone involved! To those that are fighting the fires and working hard to preserve property, stay safe & thank you! 

Saturday 4 July 2015

Who has seen the wind....

FFF Photo a day - Day 185

Wind is common on the prairies... in fact, if you spend any time on the prairies you begin to catalogue the different winds that blow. 

Today's wind was hot.... bringing little relief from the heat and humidity but instead blowing from the south in a constant, dust-devil kind of way. 

Out in the back field, the wind pushed you along as you waded through the clover. 

Today was that kind of wind....

Friday 3 July 2015

Talking Turkey...


FFF Photo a Day - Day 184


Our turkeys are growing fast. We got them as chicks at the end of May and as you can see they are fully feathered and big enough to look indignant! 

Our turkeys, geese and broiler chickens are out on a large pasture together. I love watching them interact! 

Turkeys are curious by nature and are usually the first to come over to you to see what you are doing as you enter their area. 

Thursday 2 July 2015

Love is for the birds?!


FFF Photo a Day - Day 183


This year we made some bird seed ornaments for our CSA shareholders. 

Our birds are happy we have a few left over for them! 

Wednesday 1 July 2015

Strawberry Fields!


FFF Photo a Day - Day 182


Last year a nearby strawberry grower dropped off a dozen extra plants he had left over.

His generosity gave us dessert tonight!