It’s been a very good season, and we have all had a great time meeting you all and growing your vegetables. We are looking forward to a much improved year in 2011. We have already opened up nearly 5 more acres, and generously applied manure to the fields. We are planting a quarter acre (!) of garlic, and we plan to have a greenhouse erected before [...]]]> Hello Everyone:

This week has whizzed by without much ado. Robin went on vacation last weekend, to a good friends wedding, where he was photographer du jour, and came back with a sore belly. Cake! Jess held the fort through a miserable Sunday market, with far more rain than customers. With the support of Danny and Kelly she made it, though from all accounts it wasn’t pretty.

Jess is back in full force after narrowly surviving her first Art Vernissage last week at Zen Kitchen, which we miserably failed at putting in the newsletter last week. In [...]]]> Hello Members!

This week has whizzed by without much ado. Robin went on vacation last weekend, to a good friends wedding, where he was photographer du jour, and came back with a sore belly. Cake! Jess held the fort through a miserable Sunday market, with far more rain than customers. With the support of Danny and Kelly she made it, though from all accounts it wasn’t pretty.

Jess is back in full force after narrowly surviving her first Art Vernissage last week at Zen Kitchen, which we miserably failed at putting in the newsletter last week. In any case, Jess is an accomplished painter, and she now has her works displayed at Zen Kitchen (a curated show) until November. Zen Kitchen also happens to be the biggest single purchaser of Roots and Shoots mesclun mix salad, so a great destination when you are looking for a real high-class, vegan night out on the town. Check it out at zenkitchen.ca , and you can see Jess’ paintings at her own website – www.jessweatherhead.com .

The manure spreader continues to break down, but hopefully today some of that wondrous stuff will be spread. The buckwheat in the back field is reaching up to chest height, and in full flower. It’s a veritable pollination fest out there in the fields right now, and next year we will have some nice hives to capture all that amber (or darker) goodness.

Next year, sigh. . . We talk a lot about next year, and how all the imperfections will be ironed out, how we will take our steep learning curve from this spring and lay it out flat for the coming season. We’re gonna have a sweet cold room, right next to our high pressure wash station, and on the other side from our enclosed outdoor kitchen, with a little hangout area, complete with a full-size shower. Yes folks, we at Roots and Shoots are real happy to be here, and to be growing veggies (especially your veggies), AND we’re looking forward to some nice amenities in the future as well.

We have been preserving a bit so far, and have made a purchase towards the good of our winter larder. It’s called a Robot Coupe R2N. It’s basically a cusinart with a 2 horsepower motor, and a side shooting spout, so you can shred veggies into a 5-gallon pail without stopping. Anyway, this thing is the most powerful device we have encountered so far on the farm, and we are all in awe of its strength when it devours 5 cabbages in less time than a flea-beetle hop. We’ve considered hooking this thing to the back of the tractor to try it out as a roto-tiller, but Jess said “no”.

So, for the sake of preserving, here is a recipe for fresh salsa that you may use your tomatoes, onions, and cilantro in (and maybe a pepper from last week?)

Tomato Salsa

1 Small onion
1/2 green pepper
small bunch cilantro
3 minced garlic cloves
chili pepper to taste
1 tablespoon honey
salt to taste
1 and 3/4 lbs peeled, fresh tomatoes

Process all ingredients except tomatoes in a food processor. Add peeled tomatoes. Process again, and its ready to eat. Will keep in refrigerator 1 week. Does not freeze well. (We canned 8 jars of this last week, and it is REAL good)

From From Asparagus to Zucchini – A guide to cooking farm fresh seasonal produce

In your shares this week:

1 head lettuce (or two small heads)
1 bunch Mizuna
1 head Bok Choy
1 bunch Leeks
2 lbs potatoes
2 lbs tomatoes
2-3 zucchinis
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch cilantro
4-5 onions
1 cucumber
1 bunch kale

It has been a busy week at Roots and Shoots.  Last Saturday, we went to the new Kanata market to sell our veggies.  The Kanata market-goers were very appreciative of our farm offering easy access to local, organic vegetables to the Kanata community.  Back on the farm, the plants are growing beautifully, but so are the weeds, especially Lambs Quarter. This plant that looks so cute and innocent in the spring with its tender edible leaves is now attempting to strangle the winter squash plants with their lanky stems and rapidly developing seed pods.  [...]]]> Manure Mania!

It has been a busy week at Roots and Shoots.  Last Saturday, we went to the new Kanata market to sell our veggies.  The Kanata market-goers were very appreciative of our farm offering easy access to local, organic vegetables to the Kanata community.  Back on the farm, the plants are growing beautifully, but so are the weeds, especially Lambs Quarter. This plant that looks so cute and innocent in the spring with its tender edible leaves is now attempting to strangle the winter squash plants with their lanky stems and rapidly developing seed pods.  On Wednesday we spent the entire day battling the weeds by pulling them out of the ground before they go to seed.  Pulling monster-sized weeds all day in the hot sun is a monotonous task, and it was challenging for Rozzy, Meg, and Danny to keep their sanity, especially when they were being sprayed by the irrigation sprinklers every 11 seconds.

Even though we are in peak growing season, we are also planning for next year. In order to replenish the nutrients in our soil for next season, we have acquired several hundred tonnes of composted manure this week and Robin has bought a manure spreader. He also purchased a crazy weeding contraption (circa 1910) that is pulled behind a tractor, while another person sits on it pulling various levers that up-root weeds. Danny is so intrigued by this tool that he has decided that he is definitely returning to work at Roots and Shoots next year.

In your shares this week you will find:

Tomatoes

Bok Choi

Scarlet Queen Turnips

Zucchini

Carrots

Peppers

Onions

Kale

Head Lettuce

Cilantro

Potatoes

Cucumber

Recipes and Cooking Ideas:

Scarlet Queen Turnips (those pinky-red roots vegetables that look like a cross between a beet and a radish) are great sliced thinly in salads, or stir-fried until tender in a bit of oil.  You can eat the greens too! These leaves are high in vitamins A, C, and B complex, and the minerals potassium, magnesium, and calcium, so add them to your stir-fries and soups, and generally use them as you would use greens like Kale or Chard.

In this week’s share you will find kale. To keep kale fresh, store it in your refrigerator in a plastic bag or wrapped in a damp towel.   Here are some recipes that use kale along with other vegetables from your Roots and Shoots share:

Easy Kale and Tomatoes

1 bunch of kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped

1 large tomato, chopped

1 large onion (or several small ones), chopped

Water or tomato juice

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Sundried tomatoes (optional)

Place kale, tomatoes, and onions in pot with just enough water or tomato juice to keep them from burning while it cooks. Cook over medium heat until kale is tender. Add a little olive oil, plus salt and pepper, to taste, and a sprinkle of chopped sundried tomatoes.

Serve as a side dish, or over rice, quinoa or polenta.   Makes 2 servings.

Kale and Potato Tarragon Salad

1 pound of small potatoes (equivalent of 1 qrt. of our potatoes)

3 tablespoons of olive oil

1 medium onion

1 bunch of kale, large stems removed and leaves chopped into 1-inch pieces

1 clove of garlic, minced

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon of tarragon

Salt and pepper to taste

Steam or boil potatoes until fork-tender. Drain, cut into large bite-size pieces, place in large bowl, and cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add onions; sauté until translucent. Add kale and lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon of dried tarragon, remaining olive oil and salt and pepper. Add kale mixture to potatoes and pour dressing over everything while salad is still warm. Toss, and add salt, pepper, and more tarragon, if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature. Makes approx. 3 servings.

-          Recipes from From Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm-fresh Seasonal Produce

That’s all for this week!

- The Roots and Shoots Team

Well, after another long morning of harvest, we are ready to send some beautiful produce out into the world for your consumption. In the news this week, Danny had a birthday. To reward his hard work and positive demeanour, we got him his very own ipod, which one of our friends didnt want anymore because he got a better one. Now Danny will not converse with us because he is too busy listening to Richard Simmons latest aerobics podcast. Everyone wins!

We found some manure. In face we found loads and loads of it, [...]]]> Dear CSA members:

Well, after another long morning of harvest, we are ready to send some beautiful produce out into the world for your consumption. In the news this week, Danny had a birthday. To reward his hard work and positive demeanour, we got him his very own ipod, which one of our friends didnt want anymore because he got a better one. Now Danny will not converse with us because he is too busy listening to Richard Simmons latest aerobics podcast. Everyone wins!

We found some manure. In face we found loads and loads of it, very nearby. The hard part is finding a way to get it here, and then finding a way to spread it. So, a massive dumptruck will be bringing it to the farm, and we are getting a manure spreader to distribute it throughout the farm.

You may ask why we would want to do that, and even more so, why we would want to tell you about it. Well, the manure will be composted to create a rich fertilizer for our fields, which will result in even more and more beautiful produce for next year. So you can count on some real nice brassica heads, such as cauliflower and cabbage, for your shares next year.

We’re excited to start applying it on some new fields that we’ve opened up for next year. We’ve already planted a half-acre plot of buckwheat, as a cover crop, in anticipation of our garlic crop that we will be planting in the late fall. Another great crop for next year!

-jess

—-

Hi, Rozzy here!  As we enter mid-summer, the tomatoes and peppers are ripening, and the beans and summer squash are growing rapidly; we find ourselves spending less time weeding and more and more time harvesting all of these delicious veggies.  In your share this week, we are happy to provide you with the first tomatoes of the season! In your share you will also find basil and beans.  Here is a recipe that combines all of these local items:

Green Beans with Tomatoes and Herbs

2 tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

about 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 cup sliced onions

2 teaspoons dried oregano

1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 pound green beans, ends clipped, beans ut in half

1 sprig rosemary, leaves torn off the stem

15 basil leaves, diced

2 medium tomatoes, cut into wedges

salt to taste

Heat olive oil in deep pan over medium heat. Add garlic and pepper flakes; saute until fragrant. Add onions; saute until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water, the dried spices, and green beans. Stir, cover, and steam-cook beans until nearly done (aprrox. 10 min.).  Stir in  rosemary, basil and tomatoes. Cook very briefly, until tomatoes are warmed through and beans are done.  Season with salt.   Enjoy!

– recipe from Asparagus to Zucchini: A Guide to Cooking Farm- Fresh Seasonal Produce

In your share this week:

1 bag of mesclun mix (lettuce, mizuna, joy choi, arugula) (150g)

1 bunch of basil

1 bag of beans (320 g)

4 peppers

1 pound of potatoes

1.5 pounds of carrots

2 pounds of tomatoes

1.5 pound summer squash

1 bunch of swiss chard

Well, as well as being in the limelight all week long, we have been managing to do a little weeding, irrigation, harvest, and vegetable distribution. I am at the moment sitting on the porch of Bakker’s General Store, taking advantage of the only reliable internet in the neighborhood, all to the sweet sounds of Mitch Owens Drive. From here I can see the nice booth that we’ve set up, and Jess is busy dolling out the CSA shares, and providing fresh veg to passers-by as well. Danny has informed us that the MEC dropoff [...]]]> Hello all:

Well, as well as being in the limelight all week long, we have been managing to do a little weeding, irrigation, harvest, and vegetable distribution. I am at the moment sitting on the porch of Bakker’s General Store, taking advantage of the only reliable internet in the neighborhood, all to the sweet sounds of Mitch Owens Drive. From here I can see the nice booth that we’ve set up, and Jess is busy dolling out the CSA shares, and providing fresh veg to passers-by as well. Danny has informed us that the MEC dropoff is going well, with lots of nice feedback from you folks, and the market stand there is picking up as well.

The foodbank project is just humming along, and I had to crank up the irrigation this week due a spot of unusual dryness. We have determined that Manotick Station is in its own little precipitation zone, coming regularly from Ottawa and finding the pavement turns wet just after the airport. But this week we are enjoying the same gorgeous weather as all Eastern Ontarians. So the sprinklers have been going strong, and I am in the market for a few hundred more feet of firehose, which is the best thing since sliced bread in the irrigation world. Those foodbank carrots are loving it, as are the weeds around them, and Jason Gray will be coming out weekly to weed those little guys. Photos coming soon!

Just some notes for you all, regarding the vegetables. We have had some reoccurring questions from CSA members about vegetable care, and some “what is this called, and what the heck do I do with it anyway!” as well.

General rule number 1: Just about all vegetables should be kept in plastic bags in the fridge. The exception to this are tomatoes, cucumbers, and potatoes. But you are generally safe to keep everything in a plastic bag in the fridge. The reason for this is to prevent veggies from dehydrating in the fridge, which is what fridges do. If they are kept properly, they will last much, much longer.

General rule number 2: Lettuce, mizuna, tatsoi, bok choy, and arugula are great salad greens, with some being spicier (arugula), than others (lettuce). Of these, all of them except lettuce can be stir-fried quite effectively, though you don’t want to cook them for more than a few minutes.

General rule number 3: Kale, swiss chard, any cabbage (including chinese or napa) beet greens, radish and turnip greens, spinach, and the greens mentioned above, all taste great stir-fried, in soups, omelettes, or in pasta sauces. As such, there are two main flavours that I pursue when cooking any of these things – Italian and Asian. The Italian flavour starts with olive oil and onions, adds garlic, herbs such as oregano, basil, thyme or sage, and salt and pepper. Tomatoes are a great base for anything in this category, and all the greens mentioned above will go well with that same base. For a more Asian taste, start with a vegetable or sunflower oil, add sesame oil to taste, and flavour with soy sauce, chili or curry paste and your favorite vegetables. This can be sweetened with honey, and balanced with salt. Salt, used in moderation, brings out the flavour in everything

Anyway, I hope that helps out anyone who was wondering what to do with some of the greens they maybe unfamiliar with.

In your shares this week:

Potatoes (yay!)
Green peppers (4 of them this time, one of them purple!)
Big buncha onions (use all the greens if possible, but keep these sealed in the fridge until you use ‘em)
Bunch of Mizuna – great in a salad, or stirfried very temporarily
Swiss Chard – I love them in omelettes, chopped fine with the stalks.
Zucchini
Head lettuce
Carrots – a lb and a half!
Cilantro – a necessity in salsa, and anything mexican. . .

Thats all for this week folks. Stay tuned!

Robin [...]]]> We are a ball of legs and arms and irrigating, weeding, harvesting, planting, and marketing.  Farming is a challenging and diverse lifestyle that never leaves you twiddling your thumbs. Our days normally start with a couple hours of harvesting and/or weeding.  Sometimes both at once. If we’re not selling or delivering veggies in the afternoons, we are hand picking potato bugs or dragging irrigation lines from field to field. We also check the tomatoes about thrice a day, hoping , hoping for a bright red yum. I found a handful of cherries just last week!

Robin just swathed a couple fields that have been previously used for hay. We are planning to let the hay decompose for a week or so, add a bunch of manure, plow it in and plant a cover crop. Since it is our first year on this land, we are just getting to know the soil. Every field is different, some better than others, but all relatively good basis for growing. Despite that, we need to build up the fertility. Since we are organic growers, healthy soil is our main defense against disease and pests. It is also pretty crucial in maximizing the shelf-life, nutrients and delicious-factor of the veggies. So, if you think our produce is delicious this year, just wait till next year!

It’s a lot of work starting a farm from scratch, but Roots and Shoots seems to have serendipity on its side. We have a great base team, lots of happy volunteers, a very supportive land owner, and extremely supportive CSA and market customers. AND we found the perfect little swimming hole to escape the heat.

all for now…

-the R&S team

This week the shares have the following:

If you’re not sure what to do with some of these things, here are some helpful hints. First of all, if it’s green and not lettuce, [...]]]> Happy first pickup day, everybody! This is your first newsletter installment. We have been busy at work getting ready for the first CSA delivery. All the crops are jumping out of the ground, due to the profusion of rain and sun, creating ideal growing conditions for both crops and their antithesis, the weeds!

This week the shares have the following:

• green onions
• head lettuce
• beets
• carrots
• hakurei turnips
• easter egg radishes
• bok choi/tat soi
• cilantro
• peas

If you’re not sure what to do with some of these things, here are some helpful hints. First of all, if it’s green and not lettuce, you can probably a) chop it into a salad or b) stir fry it. These are my rules of thumb. I find it pretty helpful to always have plenty of extra virgin olive oil, apple cider vinegar, lemons, sea salt, sesame oil, fish sauce and vegetarian oyster sauce on hand. You can make just about anything taste good with a combination of those kitchen aids.

Now, for some specifics.

Hakurei turnip is a mild tasting turnip that really tastes more like an apple-y radish. We like to eat them like apples, but you can also slice them up and add them to a stirfry. Another way is to quarter them and steam them lightly. Add some butter, lemon juice, pinch of salt, touch of honey and maybe some nutmeg. toss and serve. You can also eat the greens of the turnip, raw or cooked.

Radish. Did you know you can cook radish? It actually makes a fantastic addition, greens and all, to a stir fry. If you’re not into stirfry, you could slice them, and the greens, and add a sour-cream dressing. Check out our last post, a recipe for radish green soup from one of our customers!

Tatsoi and Bok Choi are delicious greens usually used in Asian cuisine. I like to slice them up with hakurei turnips, radishes and onions and toss them with a  dressing (with olive oil, garlic, minced ginger, rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper and a touch of sesame oil). Sprinkle on some sesame seeds and voila! A homemade caesar dressing is nice on these also. Tatsoi and Bok choi make a great addition to stirfrys, but I’m becoming a bit repetitive with that one.

That’s all for this week. If you discover or invent any delicious recipes with your veggies, let us know and we can post them for the rest!

Till next week, bon appetit!

CSA orientation/potluck

pruning tomatoes

Robin in the tractor

Just wanted to let you know that I posted a entry on my blog about my radish greens soup recipe and sometime this week I’ll be writing about the radish pickles I made.

http://www.apronstrings.ca/2010/06/radish-greens-soup/

Hope to see you next Sunday!

Lana

This past week we had thirty ml of rain!! The tomato field was flooded in spots. It’s a low field and we’re all crossing our fingers, hoping that this year will not be like last, especially after all that trellising!  The greens are loving the rain, but those little things are easier to grow and move [...]]]> Our lunch is being stretched out by the rain. It came suddenly and we barely had time to hide the couches under tarps. A great reason for a brew, which is tea in British.

This past week we had thirty ml of rain!! The tomato field was flooded in spots. It’s a low field and we’re all crossing our fingers, hoping that this year will not be like last, especially after all that trellising!  The greens are loving the rain, but those little things are easier to grow and move in and out of the field a lot more quickly. Tomatoes are long-term and complicated.

It’s hard to believe that June is more than half way over. We spend our days weeding, irrigating, seeding, harvesting and weeding. Meagan, Rozzy and Danny spend most of their time with their fingers in the soil, raking out smart-weed rhizomes. It’s almost exciting finding all these new weeds in our new fields.

Tomorrow will be our fourth market. The crowds are getting thicker by the week–the city is slowly realizing that it’s summer. We start CSA in two weeks. Lots of veggies out there for our dedicated CSA members.

That’s all for now,

Jess