Working Through the Heat! |
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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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Zach harvesting our early zucchini in a field tunnel. Zucchini and summer squash are here in full force! |
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Farm Update
What a welcome break from last week’s heat! Now that it isn’t so hot, we are eager to catch up on several things that fell off or had to be delayed with last week’s temperatures.
In extreme heat events, we often shift our working hours earlier, to the cooler part of the day. On harvest days, this is extra important because when it's cooler vegetables are less likely to wilt and will last longer after they leave the farm. Though everything is washed in cold water, our coolers also really struggle to stay cold enough. Last week, (and for the previous 3 years) we had heatwaves that caused major issues. We really maximize our cooler space already, so some finesse is required to make it all work.
The most important thing during heatwaves is making sure the crew is safe. Acclimatization takes weeks to develop, so not only was this heatwave extreme, but also a sudden shock. Any and all greenhouse work needs to be done in the morning before it becomes unsafe and anything strenuous but not absolutely critical just has to wait. Especially during this bump in production, it’s hard to keep all the pieces together. Hats off to the team for managing the heat, extra early wake-ups, and increased complexities last week!
With the change in routine last week, we have some catching up to do in greenhouse, hoophouse and tunnel trellising. The plants are okay (thankfully no breakdowns in our irrigation systems!) but we expect a temporary dip in fruit production a few weeks from now because of the heat. Extreme heat damages pollen, and temperatures in the greenhouse crossed that line at times last week. We might try shade cloth on the greenhouse in the future, but we’re still discussing whether that is the right strategy for us.
One plant that has not suffered in the heat is purslane! Purslane is an edible weed that loves our sandier soil and germinates well when it’s too hot and dry for other weeds. It has totally exploded over the last week and we have a lot of weeding ahead of us. It’s a persistent weed, but luckily not too hard to remove!
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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Make sure to visit our flower garden and raspberry patch on Farm pickup day! It is finally open for bouquets and snacking. We plant these every year as a thank you for everyone who supports the farm. No cost- just enjoy! |
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FARM STORE NOTES
FROM OUR FARM:
Time to make pesto! XL Basil available this week.
Big abundance: Oregon Giant Peas, green onions, beets
Lots of head lettuces to choose from: Radicchio, Romaine, Magenta, Mini heads, Endive, Escarole
Oregon Giant Peas: Sweet, crisp and excellent for snacking or cooking. This variety sits somewhere between a snap pea and a snow pea
Mint: Perfect for sweet or savory dishes, food or drink! Mint has the best flavour this time of year, so don't miss out! We love adding it to salads with cilantro and basil, sauces and pesto, and fresh-leaf tea. If you really want to celebrate mint: we've also enjoyed the best-ever mint ice cream made with our fresh mint!
From the Fields:
Bunched: Fennel, red beets, golden beets, sorrel, kale, chard, radish, carrots, green onions
Bagged: Red Russian kale, spinach (limited), salad mix, spicy mix, mustards mix, arugula
Heads: Cabbage, choi, mini lettuce heads, magenta lettuce, romaine, endive, escarole, radicchio, kohlrabi (limited)
Herbs: Green or red Genovese basil, Thai basil, mint, oregano, marjoram, dill, dill seed heads, cilantro, parsley, rosemary
Baskets: Peas, zucchini, summer squash
From the Greenhouse: Cucumber, beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, eggplant, sweet pepper.
From Hoophouses and Tunnels: Basil, cucumber, zucchini, eggplant
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FROM OUR SUPPLIERS:
PRODUCE
HOPE Eco-Farms (Aylmer): Rhubarb, sweet potatoes, broccoli
Through Pfenning's: Ontario mushrooms. Canadian tofu. From further away, citrus, ginger, turmeric, celery
Our Fields Farm (Aylmer): Caraflex cabbage
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
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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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
We are very excited to introduce our 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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