Our First Field Planting of the Season

Our First Field Planting of the Season
Collecting wickets that have been holding up a rowcover blanket and keeping these plants warm over the last few weeks
Farm Update
 
We feel very glad to have salad mix, dill, cilantro and choi back this week.  These were some of the first new crops we seeded in January, planted in February and have weeded, eagerly checking in on since.  Some of our mid-winter successions didn’t work out because it was really cold and dark.  Now that the sun is out more regularly, our tunnels and hoophouses, which are only warm when the sun is shining are really toasty.  On a bright day it feels like June in there!

We did manage to get our first field planting in last week!  Kale is well-suited to planting in chilly conditions, so on Friday we were able to transplant a few hundred seedlings.  The area we used has been under tarps since last spring when we planted field peppers and tomatoes there. After cleaning up leftover trellising posts and sandbags, we just had to pull back the tarps and there we had a weed-free and cover crop-free plot to plant in.

Since the fields haven’t dried out after winter yet we had to be really careful in avoiding compaction by both machinery and our own feet.  We added compost as usual, but instead of our tractor, we ended up incorporating it with our lightweight walk-behind cultivator and tiller.  Rows were measured and marked so all the plants could fit under the same rowcover.  It’s not intended to be frost protection, we’re mostly hoping the rowcover keeps the kale a littler warmer so it can be ready sooner.

In other exciting news, we were on CBC London radio last week!  Chris was interviewed by Matt Allen, who visited the farm for a tour and to ask questions about local food production.  We feel really positive (and appreciative) about the increasing interest in local food systems and building connections between the people growing and the people eating food. Thank you, Matt for featuring the farm.  Give it a listen and share it with a friend!
Listen to our CBC interview
 
SEEDLING SALE
The seedling sale is up on our website for pre-orders!  Familiar favourites and new veggies like zucchini, cucumber and beets.   These plants will be ready mid-late May for pickup at the farm, market or home delivery.  
If you are getting a subscription box this week, make sure to make a separate order for your plants (more details on how to do this on the information page).
Order plants here
The winning tuber from the last sunchoke harvest we'll have until the fall
 
FARM STORE NOTES
 
Things to note from us: We're happy to say Salad Mix ​is back this week!  Our first succession of the year is looking beautiful and is ready for harvesting.
 
Living Basil Plants are ready for pickup and delivery this week. 
 
From storage we have carrots, turnips, kohlrabi, celeriac, radish.   From greenhouses and hoophouses: Choi, dill, cilantro, arugula, spicy mix, salad mix and chard.
 
Veggie of the week:  Swiss Chard!
Chard is in the same family as beets, spinach, and can be cooked the same way.  Cut the leaves and stems into strips and cook lightly, wilt into soups or mash into potatoes.  Chard can also be added to smoothies.
For a quick side sautee onion and garlic until browned.  Add chopped chard stems and cook for 1 minute, then add chopped chard leaves and cook just enough to wilt.  Finish with butter or olive oil and some lemon juice or vinegar.
 
FROM OUR SUPPLIERS
 
PRODUCE
NEW! Forrest City Microgreens (London): Fresh, local microgreens perfect on top of any dish, in sandwiches, or blended into smoothies for extra flavour and nutrition!
Pfenning's (New Hamburg): Potatoes and onions.
Through Pfenning's: Apples, celery, beets, cabbage, garlic, mushrooms, citrus, ginger, turmeric.
HOPE Eco-Farms (Aylmer): Sweet potatoes
Great Lakes Farms (Port Stanley): Empire, Gala, Macintosh, Honeycrisp, Ambrosia, and Summerland Sunset apples.
 
DAIRY and EGGS
Mistyglen Creamery (Belmont): Non-homogenized, vat pasteurized milk, yogurt, and cheese curds.
HOPE Eco-Farms (Aylmer): Eggs
Through Pfenning's: L'Ancetre butter and grass-fed cheese
 
 FROZEN
3Gen Organics (Wallenstein): Ground pork, sausage, bacon, ham, tenderloin, chops
YU Ranch (Tillsonburg): ground beef, stewing beef
New Leaf Foods (London): Beet burgers
 
BAKERY
Seth/La Houlette de vie (St. Thomas) is off this week.  Organic sourdough bread made using local grain that Seth mills himself.
Artisan Bakery (London) is on this week. Sourdoughs and pastry 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, organic hemp and sunflower oil. 

Weekly pickup / delivery schedule:

Pickup Instore: Farm pickup is​ Friday 1-7pm. ​Western Fair is Saturday 8-3 pm, Kitchener Market 7-2 pm.

Delivery: Thursday or  Friday in London / St.Thomas.  We will send out the schedule Wednesday.  
link:
Note that if you you will no longer get reminders about your subscription!

Common Ground Farm 6986 Middle River Road St. Thomas, Ontario N5P 3S9
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