Have a veggie subscription with us? You are getting this email because you do not have a box scheduled for this week, but can still make a regular order through our store. If so, please complete the checkout process to submit your order.
Order vegetables before Wednesday at 12pm for pickup and delivery this week.
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Picture from Friday! Over 3 inches of rain in some areas here. Very glad this has receeded. |
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Our fields are drying out ..... Just in time for MRMF 2026! |
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Only 19 Days Until the Music Fest: August 29!
Mark your calendars! Middle River Music Fest is back for its sixth year, right here on the farm, on Saturday, August 29. That's just 19 days away - perfect timing for the fields to dry out for you to explore.
If you've never been, picture this: a big family picnic right here on our farm, with live music drifting over the vegetables, greenhouses, and orchards. If you have been before, you know exactly why we're counting down.
This year brings 7 live bands, flower patches for the kids and the photographers among us, farm tours led by Chris, local food vendors, and a DJ afterparty to close things out under the stars.
If you've been before, you know the drill: blanket, folding chair, your people. If this is your first year, just show up and come spend the day with us!
Tickets are on sale now, and kids 12 and under are always free.
We'll see you in the fields.
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Farm Update
Last week was by far our rainiest week in 2026 yet. Last Sunday (August 2nd) we received the biggest rainfall yet this year, with our neighbour's weather station recording over 50 mm (2 in) in 24 hours. While we definitely need rain, that's more than we want at one time. As soon as the fields were just dry enough, we were back in them and then…. It rained again! On Friday it rained even more than before and we received over 75 mm (3in), breaking another 2026 record for us.
Harvest for Saturday markets was pretty intense in that rain, and our crew gets some serious kudos for just rolling with the conditions. In some areas of the fields are Hoophouses, we were standing in several inches of water and our harvest bins were literally floating away from us.
Our soil is pretty sandy, so it has potential to dry out relatively quickly, but we’ll need some sun! More rain yesterday and today have definitely slowed the drying out process, but we’re very thankful to no longer have any crops under water. We’ll have to wait longer to see what losses the flooding has caused, but it might be up to 25% in the worst areas. That being said, the immediate crop losses might be less impactful than the setback on weeding and planting.
Aside from weeding (which we had, thankfully, begun to catch up on) planting for the fall is our biggest concern. Mid-July through August is the key time that we plant fall/ winter crops. The timing of these plantings starts to get less flexible, with days shortening and cold weather on its way. Essentially, if these plantings are pushed back too far, they won’t mature in time before damaging frosts.
What can we do about it? Not a whole lot, except, keep planting wherever possible. We're adjusting our crop plan and semi-abandoning our typical planting systems to keep seeding and transplanting wherever looks ‘good enough for now’. At this point, previously underwater beds and washed-out rows meet that criteria, and we’re moving forwards in those places.
Thank you, everyone, for your support in the form of kind messages, and bringing home the goodness we’re harvesting from the fields!
Have a question or something you would like to hear more about in a future newsletter? Let us know at the market, farm pickup, or send an email!
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Doing our best to squeeze crops in wherever possible! Arugula is seeded here |
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FARM STORE NOTES
FROM OUR FARM:
Big week for Watermelon and Cantaloupe!
Delicata squash!
Watermelon is here and that means it's summer for real! Red-fleshed and with seeds (they're good for you!) watermelon is a can't-miss crop in summer heat. Variety is 'Mini Love'
Cantaloupe: Variety is called 'First Kiss' and it's sweet as can be! If you need convincing: our cantaloupe has converted multiple former cantaloupe-disliking folks.
From the Fields:
Bunched: Beets (red, golden, white and chioggia), sorrel, kale, chard, radish, carrots, green onions, fresh onions, fennel.
Bagged: Salad mix, spicy mix, mustards mix, arugula, spinach
Heads: Watermelon, cantaloupe, garlic, cabbage, choi, mini lettuce heads, magenta lettuce
Herbs: Green or red Genovese basil (lots right now if you want to make pesto!), tulsi (holy basil), Thai basil, mint, oregano, marjoram, dill seed heads, cilantro, flat parsley, curly parsley, rosemary
Baskets: zucchini, summer squash, eggplant, red potatoes, Serrano chilies, cayenne peppers, shishito peppers, poblano peppers, jalapeno, tomatillos
From the Greenhouse: Cucumber, beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, sweet pepper.
From Hoophouses and Tunnels: Basil, cucumber, zucchini, eggplant, pepper, beefsteak and heirloom tomatoes in quarts
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FROM OUR SUPPLIERS:
Sweet Corn!
Strawberries are back after their summer break!
Peaches!
Field of Greens Farm (Dutton): Everbearing strawberry quarts
Great Lakes Farms (Port Stanley): Peaches
HOPE Eco-Farms (Aylmer): Sweet corn, green beans
Through Pfenning's: Broccoli and cauliflower. Ontario mushrooms. Canadian tofu. From further away, citrus, ginger, turmeric, celery
DAIRY and EGGS
HOPE Eco-Farms (Aylmer): Eggs
Through Pfenning's: L'Ancetre butter and grass-fed cheeses
Gunn's Hill (Woodstock): Brie, Handeck and Five Brother's cheese
FROZEN
3Gen Organics (Wallenstein): Ground pork, sausage, bacon, ham, tenderloin, chops
YU Ranch (Tillsonburg): Pasture-raised ground beef, beef patties, stewing beef
New Leaf Foods (London): Plant-based beet burgers
BAKERY
J&D Peters Tortillas (Aylmer): Corn, spelt, whole wheat and unbleached flour tortillas.
La Houlette de vie (St. Thomas):Sourdough bread and pastry with grain that Seth fresh-mills himself. Seth will be off for 2 weeks starting this week
Artisan Bakery (London): Sourdough bread and pastries made with local flour
PANTRY
Aldred Maple (West Lorne): Amber, dark, or whiskey barrel-aged maple syrup.
Wildflowers Honey (St. Thomas): Unpasteurized honey from hives all over Elgin County, including our farm!
Mat's Fine Oils (Staffordville): Fresh, organic and cold-pressed, hemp and sunflower oil. Store in the refrigerator.
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| Strawberries (Everbearing) |
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PICKUP/ DELIVERY OPTIONS
Farm pickup: Thursday 4pm-8pm.
Home delivery: Thursday or Friday in London/St.Thomas, Saturday in KW region
Western Fair Market pickup: Saturday 8 am to 3 pm / Sunday 10 am to 2pm
Kitchener Market pickup: Saturday 7 am to 2 pm
We love to re-use wherever possible! We can take our CGF boxes and liner bags, strawberry and blueberry baskets/boxes, milk bottles, and egg cartons.
For deliveries, please leave these return items out where you would like your order dropped off. Thank you!
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Community Solidarity Box Program
This Program aims to make healthy food more accessible to economically-vulnerable families in our community.
In the Solidary Program, families in our community who need a little extra support can receive a medium farm share every week. Fresh, local food, grown with care — at just 1/3 of the cost. The remaining 2/3 is covered by the farm and community donations.
To learn more or donate, click the link below!
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Why am I on this list? At some point you signed up for our previous "farmstand" list or our newsletter list. Want to get off the list? No problem: . Common Ground Farm 6986 Middle River Road St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 3S9 |
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