Winter Update and Springy Feelings

Français Ici!

Sign up for the Summer Share before its too late! We are doing a few less shares than last year so book your spot!

Bulk fresh granola available this Sunday at the farm! Bring your containers, fill them up and save!

Well hello!

We are happily rubbing our eyes as the light returns. Our creative juices are flowing again. Robin and I feel extra motivated this year as we have an awesome crew working through the winter: Emily, Genevieve, Tim, Hanen, Genevieve, Willow and Matt are all working (part-time) through the winter.

Robin and Tim put a lot of effort into a sprouting room this year. It's really changed the game and made our sprouting super efficient. It also has a grafting chamber where we will graft tomatoes in the next couple of weeks.

Not long now and we'll have the greenhouse going with onions, peppers and eggplants followed by kales and herbs and all the other good things of summer. We don't get much of a break anymore, but that's OK--it's best to work the wheels so they don't get rusty anyway, right!?

The tomatoes are growing under purple grow-LEDs to maximize their stockiness. We're going to be grafting them in a few weeks!

Emily is busy ironing out the winter share details and Genevieve is leading the team packing. We are also starting to lineup all the details for the summer share, which will be here in no time! If you have admin questions, please shoot us an email at info@rootsandshootsfarm.com. Emily and Genevieve are replying as fast as they can :).

Tim is taking some time to fix equipment and update farm inventory. He has been our expert maintenance and builder guy the last couple of years, but with Kielan gone and me (Jess) out of the field this year he will be doing more field work this year.

Tim is preparing for a new glass garage door for the Pack area/farmstore. This will make it a much brighter and nicer area to work and shop in!

I am really trying to polish our field and crop plans this year as we are expecting a new baby in early May. Not ideal timing for farmers, but with proper planning and our super capable team, we know everything will be hunky-dory.

Willow is packing microgreens! She's also revolutionizing our design department, creating signs, stickers, and graphics for the entire operation!

Hannen is packing thyme. He's also become the resident Microgreen expert, and he does all the seeding, watering and harvesting of those tasty, crunchy delights!

Robin has been so so busy working on ironing out systems (like the sprout room), finalizing our 2020 accounts and applying for grants that will help us become more sustainable. The Quebec government has come out with a lot of money for farmers to switch greenhouses from fossil fuels to electricity, for incorporating more green manure and (the one I'm most excited about) to plant biodiverse windrows. The greenhouse transition is fantastic as it will allow us to use more heat in the winter months, which will mean more variety of greens in the dead of winter and early tomatoes and peppers, all while reducing our carbon footprint. Our windrows will include edible fruit and nut trees and native species for pollinators and birds. We are so excited and grateful the government is putting some money behind green initiatives that make a difference at a community level.

Three generations of Farmer-Skiers! Fiona skis the trees at Vorlage!

Fiona (who is just turned 4!) is home from daycare as a precaution. Being pregnant with lots of appointments we don't want to risk any of us getting sick. It's been delightful and a tiny bit painful as it is nearly impossible to get anything done. But we are getting lots of quality time in before the new baby. Robin has taught her to downhill and cross country ski and she is already a pro. We are very grateful to have a seasonal business that allows us to take this time with her... we know it is a huge privilege!

We hope you and your family are doing well. If you getting a winter share, thank you for helping us support our team year round! And if you are waiting for the summer share, thank you for putting your faith in us once again! We are working hard to make sure we deliver you the most nutrient-dense, delicious food we can!

Enjoy these last couple of months of winter, when the light is bright, the air clear and the snow is fast.

Just a reminder that our summer share is 50% sold out. If you haven't signed up, and want to don't wait! They will sell out before the spring. Signup here:

Robin, Jess, Fiona and the R&S Team.