Tuesday 28 June 2016

FFF CSA Week 1/12 - What's in the Box - Making your veggies last!

This week marks the official start of the Fenez Follies Farm 2016 CSA season.  This week each of our shareholders will receive their first box of bounty from our farm. 

For those of you who are new to this, each week we share a blog about what is in each box and share a bit of information and tips on what you might be able to do with the treats you find in the box. 

The plentiful rains have created both good and bad growing conditions. Many of the greens are growing well but the root vegetables are at risk of drowning if we don't get some dry weather! On the positive side, we have not had to irrigate too much which saves time and the rains have replenished a much depleted pond!

In a CSA, you receive produce as it comes into season. So at first you get lots of greens, rhubarb and herbs and as the season moves along the produce becomes more dense and includes many of the root vegetables and fall veggies. 

Participating in a weekly CSA, you will need to invest some time each week to ensure that you get the most out of your produce. The veggies are picked within 24 hours of you receiving them and are ready to eat immediately and thus need to be stored well to extend their shelf life. Many of you may be used to going to grocery stores and selecting vegetables that may have been picked early in the growth development and has traveled long distances to get to the store. You may find that these vegetables stay 'fresh' longer in your refrigerator. That may be that they are not ripe or ready to begin with and/or they have been treated with preservatives to help them travel well. 


For this reason, I will frequently give you tips on the best way to store or preserve your produce. This week I wanted to share with you a tip or two for extending the life of the greens that you'll find in your box each week. 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 (you can wash them again at this time) 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!

To keep your radishes fresh and crunchy, store them in cold water in a bowl or tupperware in the fridge (change the water, every couple of days).

We have also given you a large bunch of oregano this week (it loves this weather!). While you can eat oregano fresh by taking the leaves off the stem and mincing them, you can also dry the bundle for future use if you wish. Simply hang the bundle upside down in a dry, cool place for several weeks. Once the leaves are fully dry, hold the bundle over a large bowl and crush the leaves into the bowl. They will naturally crumble into the small flakes that you use in many recipes. 

So... What's in the Box this week?
Lily has some treats for you!
  • Radishes
  • Rhubarb
  • Spinach
  • Swiss Chard
  • Lettuce
  • Kale
  • Oregano (bundle)
  • Bouquet of various herbs including: 
    • Chives
    • Parsley (flat and curled)
    • Cilantro 
    • Dill (full shares) 
    • Basil
  • A couple of special treats to start the season from Chocolate and Lily (our nanny goats): 
    • Homemade goat's milk soap
    • Homemade goat's milk caramels (sample pack)

Note: We do rinse the produce but it would be prudent to wash all vegetables when you get them home. Keeping the herbs (ends) in a cup of clean water will keep them fresh longer. (unless of course, you are drying them for storage later.)

Reminder: Please return your empty box along with all re-usable containers (ice cream pails, plastic containers, etc) so that we can reuse them all over again. 

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Sunday 26 June 2016

Week #25 - Bring treats..

“Once you have had a wonderful dog,
a life without one, is a life diminished.”

Dean Koontz (author, Whispers)

Any visitors to the farm, have undoubtedly met Avery.... she's hard to miss! Part Newfie and part who-knows-what, she's a big dog with a bigger personality. 

Avery came to us through the Winnipeg Humane Society several years ago.... after we lost our previous dog of many years, our farm (and hearts) were ready for another. 

Never ones to shy away from a challenge, we headed to the back of the shelter, where dogs that are 'hard to adopt' can be found. Avery had been adopted out twice before but things had not worked out. She reportedly could not be kenneled and destroyed the house trying to get out. Listening to Avery's story, it was clear that she was a dog that needed room to roam and a family that could help her learn to trust again. She clearly had anxiety anytime she was confined and hated being inside. The farm was perfect for her. 

We set things up so she could come and go into the insulated barn or garage but worked to gain her confidence. It took two years, but we finally got her to voluntarily come into our home and she now does so daily and as you can see is a wonderful family dog. She remains anxious when confined and we would never leave her in our home without someone with her. 

Outside, she is the queen of the farm, ranging around and making sure all is as it should. She is a good protector of our other animals... although she certainly will steal an egg if you leave them lying around!

Next time you come and visit, be sure you stop and say hi to Avery... she likes belly rubs and won't say no to a treat, if you are so inclined!  




Sunday 19 June 2016

Week #24 - Pests, predators, and precipitation

The week has flown by! Full of family events, the angst of high school exams and much work and a bit of worry on the farm! 

We got our second batch of progression seeding done, just before the rains came (again)! This is a duplicate seeding for some select vegetables that ensures that we have fresh veggies throughout the season. For instance, we planted another batch of peas, beans, and beets as well as all the greens (lettuce, chard, kale, spinach, etc.) 

This week we've been battling a predator, possibly a weasel or fox who is determined to get at our chickens. It is always a balance between wanting to leave our birds out on pasture where they can be healthy and happy but still keeping them safe from the nasties. We trapped a couple of skunks who killed some of our laying hens but something still got almost 40 of our meat birds this week! We are trying a number of strategies between setting traps, bringing some of the birds into the barn at night, electric fencing around the layers, etc. It's an ongoing worry! 

Last night on a tour of the gardens, I discovered that we have potato bugs! Its been almost a decade since we have been infested but alas they are back! This has added an hour to the day as the only management that isn't a pesticide is manually picking the adult bugs and eggs off the plants on a daily basis until eradicated. When our children were toddlers we used to pay them a penny a bug! Not sure that's going to work now! 

As anyone who relies on the mother nature for her blessing, we've been looking at the skies quite a bit and wishing for a bit less moisture! We are grateful that we have been spared some of the hail and damaging wind that others have received but we have standing water in the fields and are really hopeful for some drying winds and sunny skies for a few days! On the upside, Patty and her piglets are enjoying the excellent wallowing that the rain has created! 

As I close, I would be remiss to not salute all the dad's on the farm... Farmer Phil and Caesar, the rooster have been much celebrated today (between chores) and we're looking forward to spending the rest of the evening in a classic Fenez-style board game tournament as a family to end a great day! 





Sunday 12 June 2016

Week #23 - Bees, butterflies and a radish

As I've pondered about what to write this week, my heart feels heavy. Somehow talking about Chocolate, our goat who has decided she's a chicken and pushes her way into the chicken coop to lie with the hens or telling you about Felix our shy new barn cat, doesn't seem right.

Like many of you, I awoke this morning to the news out of Orlando of yet another mass shooting. The day passed with the now familiar litany of the internet jumping to conclusions and politicians expressing outrage and sadness while families weep in front of cameras.

My simple soul longs to shut it all out and plant trees across the driveway. Turn off my phone and the radio and ponder the quiet beauty of a young radish, pause to watch a bumble bee feed on the chive blossoms or sit a while and watch the lazy flight of an all too rare monarch butterfly...

 But somehow I know that would be irresponsible, that it is exactly that type of ostrich in the sand type of behavior that perpetuates the ignorance and apathy that begets such horrible acts in the first place. Our world is a complicated place and requires a level of engagement and intention from all of us to create and protect space for everyone... black, brown, queer, straight, rich, poor, ignorant and sophisticated.... everyone! Hate creeps in when we aren't paying attention, when we lose focus and intention. 

My head hurts when I think about the complicated issues that surround the shooting, my heart hurts when I think about the lives snuffed out because hate or sickness broke through. Tomorrow I will engage 'cause that's what the universe needs... but for now, I'm off to watch the bees and try to heal this simple soul. 

Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful. ~ Margaret Wheatley

Sunday 5 June 2016

Week #22 - Squeaky Clean

We love keeping goats! Besides their unique personalities and silly antics we also can use their milk for so many products around the farm. Besides our caramels I posted about a few weeks back, I also use our goat milk to make soap. 

The creamy goat milk along with some pure essential oils and we get some great smelling soap that you feel good about using. 

I make small bars in a silicone brownie mold or larger bars by pouring into one litre milk jugs and then cutting them into rectangles. 

I've been experimenting with adding different ingredients such as apricot seeds to add texture... who needs microbeads when you can use something natural! 

The next batch I do, I'm going to try putting some violas  in the bottom of the mold. I'm thinking they will make a pretty small bar of soap that would make a great gift for someone!