Looking To Fight The Flu?

If you are reading this you are probably quite aware of the current swine flu crisis happening in the GTA and around the world. People are going out and getting vaccinations that are killing them, and all sorts of big pharmaceutical remedies for their health.

Well if there is one thing that this real food experience has taught me; it is that as far away from nature as people stride for their remedies; the natural solution always seems to work better. We are a part of nature and trying to avoid that is pathetic. Now obviously modern medicine has worked miracles for the world and I would be the last to dispute that, however if you live a healthy lifestyle you might not need modern medicine at all.

If you have had hesitations about getting the swine flu vaccination or even a vaccine for the regular flu, well then you might be interested in keeping yourself healthy. Especially during these winter months when people tend to stay inside and eat quite a bit of prepared or imported foods. Vitamin D has become somewhat of a star over the past few months, with ties to reducing the risks of heart disease, osteoporosis and preventing and helping to fight cancer. Winter is a bad time for us Canadians because many of us will spend the next few months indoors. Vitamin D is essential to a healthy immune system, in fact it is recommended that you spend up to two hours a day, naked, in the sun to get a full dosage of vitamin D.

You may also resort to taking vitamin supplements or even natural substitutes for the vitamins(fortified milk has about 100 IU of vitamin D per glass, it is recommended you have a minimum of 200 IU a day). Vitamin D is now believed to be one of the most important nutrients used by the body to fight off the flu. It greatly boosts your immune system and often if your getting it from the sun, you are probably doing physical things as well; which obviously helps keep you fit. Unfortunately getting sun in the winter will usually result in a bad sunburn and serious frostbite.

Our family is taking this into consideration and we try our best to spend as much time soaking up the natural source as we can. Also as of recently we have started to follow a diet 'challenge' to help us eat more of the healthy foods, in an attempt to stay healthy this winter. This entails mainly removing foods that contain a lot of grease and sugars and replacing them with more fruits and vegetables. It also involves limiting the amount of meat you take in a week to a maximum of two pounds(this is probably what we would consume anyways). It has been about a week since I started and already the results are obvious. I used to have a small patches of acne on my cheeks and neck; ever since starting this challenge they have completely disappeared. I find that I have more energy during the day and the combination of the two has lead to me losing several pounds. The results have been similar with the rest of the family. Don't get me wrong, this is by no means one of those weight diets designed to make you look like Reese Witherspoon in a week. This was purely to see if it had an effect on our daily lives and so far we have found that it has. For a long time it has been said that you are what you eat, and I truly appreciate the relevance of that now.

I will keep you updated on our progress as well as anything interesting or any tips that I have. All in all, while the weather is still mild, get outdoors as often as you can. It's good for you, it can help you fight off disease and in the end a day spent outside generally makes you feel better then a day infront of your computer! It's a shorter one this week but I'll end it off with a recipe full of healthy vitamins and a great way to start off the morning. The following are two types of smoothies we have recently been eating. Just add the ingredients to the blender and mix them up!

Mango Smoothie

-mango

-plain yougurt

-frozen banana

-apple juice

-honey

Blueberry Smoothie

-blueberries

-almond milk

-yogurt

Add milk to these to make them less viscous, you will also be adding calcium and a variety of other important nutrients. Adding more fruits and a variety of them will change up the nutrients you consume and better affect your health. It is a good idea to eat as much fruit as you can; especially during the flu season when our bodies tend to be down on nutrients as it is. Smoothies are just one of the many ways you can do this. Remember everyone a healthy body starts with a healthy diet! I hope you have managed to stay healthy over this fall season, and I hope to get some more healthy recipes up here soon.

Until next time everyone,

Good Health and Good Eating!

Preparing for the Holidays

Well it's the time of year where ponds are beginning to freeze, all the plants have lost their leaves and things are becoming dormant. There are still a few things being done around the farm; the straw will be put on over the next two weeks, all the irrigation needs to be drained and we have to fill the barn full of straw and hay.

By now even the lastest crops are finished. Pumpkins are the last and ended around Halloween. The frost has killed off the remainder of the annual crops, and the last of the apples are finished. However if you happen to have a tree or two at home or in a garden, that still has apples on it; you may want to leave them. Many people will take what is left over in the garden after the year and green bag it. Well I have a few tips for you that may help put some 'spirit' into your holiday season.

Yes now is the time of year where our neighboring wineries begin to produce their world renowned ice wines and fancy liquors. Many of the things you have left in your garden can now be used to produce some home-made wines and tonics for the coming Winter seasons. One of the first is ice wine. Traditionally ice wine is made with grapes, however it can be made with other fruits as well. One of the better is apple icewine. For those of you who hate to see those apples left on the trees after it freezes, this might be a solution. Now you do not want any rotten apples of course(these will ruin the wine, or syrup), but you can use apples that have just frozen.

You must wait until the overnight temperature drops below -8' celcius. Pick off the frozen apples, but do not allow them to thaw. While they are still hard, press the fruit; to extract the juice and get rid of the ice. What you will have left is a high sugar concentration, not yet alcoholic. This can be used as an apple syrup, which is delicious on pancakes and desserts. Not only that but apple syrup can be used as a more natural substitute for refined sugar. The same is true for any fruit you have stored in your freezer, strawberries work exceptionally well in this case. They are easier to press and the syrup is delicious. If you wish to make a true icewine, you need to let the concentrated juice ferment. This process may take up to a couple months, and you must look up a recipe for the proper way to do it.

My only issue is that the techniques for pressing your own fruit can be difficult to master and will be messy, so there is another easier way to do it. It will not be identical to the pressed fruit version but will be very similar. Take the juice of any of these fruits and add it to a pale. Let the pale sit outside in weather below freezing(or in a freezer). When the juice freezes the water will crystalize, eventually separating itself from the high sugar syrup that flavours the fruit. Simply scoop out this syrup and you are done. Again you can ferment this to make ice wine, or keep it as a sweet side to your dessert. Either way I recommend trying it, it is worth it!

I have found the recipe for yet another spectacular drink. This one is from the article on black currants found in the previous post. This is a recipe for cassis, a flavourful and powerful liquor made from the berries(also noted for its strong medicinal qualities):

"Soak a kilo of very ripe black currants(or frozen ones) in three litres of brandy for a month. At the beginning you add two grams cinnamon and 12 grams cloves. Traditionally sugar (750 g) is added, but you can substitute maple syrup at the time of drinking, in which case it is not necessary to add any sugar at all. You should shake the airtight glass container holding your cassis each day."- http://www.vitalitymagazine.com/black_currant

There are many other recipes for fantastic drinks and products for the holiday season, many of which will be ready by Christmas if you start soon. I know a few people make their own vodka out of potatoes, unfortunately I have no idea how to do this! Give some of these things a try because often the tastes are incredible, and many of them can be beneficial to your health. If you intend to try them; ensure you have a reliable recipe and follow it! This can make sure you actually unlock the tastes and health qualities of the drinks. Of course if this is not for you there is an array of local icewines and liquors that are some of the finest in the world, and are worth trying this season!(for some info on Canada's icewine visit http://www.winesofcanada.com/icewine.html)

I hope this helps in your preparation for this holiday season. Our family is currently making a batch of cassis, that will be ready around the middle of December and already it is starting to gain in flavour(cassis is a fantastic drink when you are feeling run down, and helps fight off sore throats and infections). Also I recieved a comment a few weeks ago about the use of garlic, unfortunately there were some problems with the commenting but I have put it below!

Until next time everyone,

Good Health and Good Eating!

From Marina:

"We eat chopped garlic raw and it is excellent for your health. My children enjoy it - one clove everyday. The trick is to chop it and leave it for 10 minutes so that all the essential oils activate. If you don't like the taste, just put the chopped garlic in your mouth and wash it down with a glass of water. No chewing required! that way you will not have an after-taste, my 4 year old enjoys chewing it but my 6 year old prefers it without chewing with a glass of water. Enjoy!"

Wrapping Up The Harvest

Well as fast as it came it is over. The farming season of 2009 is officially at an end at Organics.

Our apples finished several weeks ago, and we are just about finished putting down our preserves for the year. There is a tiny bit more work to do as far as the animals and crops are concerned but the majority is done. We have a stack of hay-bails ready for the animals this Winter and the straw is ready to go on the berries.

We have made about two hundred jars or so of tomato sauce, which will last us until about halfway through the spring next year. One thing I will say is that if you can preserve even a little tomato sauce it is worth it. Store-bought tomato sauce cannot even compare to preserved Ontario tomatoes. Once you have tasted each you will know exactly what I'm talking about. Ontario tomatoes are not only field ripened when you buy them but they are generally at the peak of their ripeness too, meaning that they will be about four times as sweet as their California counterparts.

Aside from the sauce, apples and root veggies, we also preserve our peppers. Now the way to do this varies depending on the type of pepper but generally small peppers such as Thai chilies are able to be dried whereas bigger, more juicy peppers like Cherry Hot's or Portuguese Wax peppers must be cut into smaller pieces and frozen. First the seeds are removed and then the pepper is cut and the pieces are frozen. Drying peppers takes a little bit less work, simply attach a sewing needle to some fishing line and thread on the peppers, then hang the string from a rack or cupboard so they dry. By allowing peppers to dry you not only allow them to last for months but will actually increase the intensity of the heat.

The other side of preserving food involves meat. As anyone who has visited the farm knows we raise our own meat. The animals do their part during the growing season by helping to control the weeds, recycling compost and creating manure which will be composted again and used for fertilizer. They eat what comes off the farm and whatever waste they produce is returned into the farm, a truly sustainable cycle. In late fall when the farm is slowing down and no longer provides for the animals it is time to process them. This again is a new experience to us and not the easiest one, however it is a vital part of sustainable agriculture and important if we are to eat our own food.

After processing and cleaning the meat, it can be stored or dried. We do a mixture of the two; filling about two freezers full of meat and salt rubbing the rest, then hanging them up to dry in our cold cellar. Never the less it is a hard thing to do, especially when you are used to getting meat wrapped in paper, coming from a shelf at the store. However when you compare pasture raised home grown pork or turkey to the factory farmed alternative you remember why you do it. So everyone I really hope you try to put in some preserves this fall, it will be worth it! While it will take a bit more effort, you and your family will notice the difference. Though it's been a while I hope you all had a good Thanksgiving and until next time:

Good Health and Good Eating!

Seasons End In Ontario

Well unfortunately its that time of year again.

The leaves on the trees are changing, the cows fur is getting thicker and all the plants in the field are slowing down. Fall is the catch-up time of year for us; most of the mid-summer busyness is over and finally we can take a breather. Our apples were good this year but our season ended a little earlier because the trees are still a bit young.

However even though it is coming to fall there are still many things to do either for winter crops or in preparation for next years garden and top quality local produce is still available. At the moment we are quite busy cleaning up and preparing the farm for winter. Soon enough we will be pruning the apples and raspberries but we have to get the farm ready for snow first. All the irrigation must be drained so it doesn't freeze or crack, tree guards need to be put on the bottom of the apple trees to protect them against mice and moles under the snow and straw will soon have to be spread on the strawberries. 

We have been maintaining our sourdough starter or yeast culture for the breads as well as trying to develop a recipe for a damn good gluten free sourdough! This is the time of year where we can really focus on planning out the future of the farm and building on what we already have. We have to decide what we are going to grow next year so we can prep the fields accordingly. As well we now have to start preparing for the long winter months to come and store what we can from the farm this year.

It is obvious that during the Winter the majority of people resort to buying imported foods, even the foodies because the knowledge of how to preserve food seems to be lost. Well I'm going to give you a few tips i've picked up from my experience with food that will hopefully help you stay local and eat well at the same time.

The first tip is for apples, which just so happen to be in season right now. I have had many people ask me about freezing, drying and many other methods of storing apples and in reality the best way is a lot easier then you think. There are several problems with the above methods: they can damage the flavor and texture of the apple, limit its uses and even make it go bad more quickly. 

The best way to store apples is in a cool dry place like a cold cellar or garage(somewhere around 2-5 degrees celsius). Leave the apples in a basket of some kind and make sure they can air out to prevent mold. Now depending on the variety of apple they can last a long time after being picked and still retain their crispy texture and unspoiled flavor. Again check your local farms and ask the farmer about their experience with varieties and which ones last longer. Personally my family has found we can keep honeycrisp apples until around May of the next year and they will still be good, however varieties such as courtlands may only last two weeks after being picked. 

When you are storing apples be extremely careful not to bruise the fruit. This can take months of the life of an apple and effect the other apples in a basket by causing them to rot and mold. Another thing to be wary of is keeping apples in the fridge. This is usually a moist environment and can actually make the apples go soft more quickly then if they were out on the counter. 

Carrots and root veggies are also available right now and we have a slightly different way of storing them. We fill a large container with sand and bury the veggies in it, the container then goes into the cold cellar where the veggies stay nice and cool. This drains off liquid that may run out of the vegetable, prevents mold and keeps them from drying out. The only issue is that moving the sand and setting the whole thing up requires a fair bit of work. So an alternative is just letting them sit on some kind of shelving unit in a cold cellar or garage. If you do not have access to a cold dry place then root veggies can be left on a counter or shelf. For things such as rutabagas you can wax or vaseline the outside to keep them from drying out, other veggies such as potatoes can just sit out for a very long time. 

Squash and pumpkins need a cool dry place or else they will mold. A cold cellar or garage are ideal for these and they will last a long time if stored right. If you have a garden consider digging out herbs or smaller plants and potting them so you can keep them in your kitchen over the Winter. Just remember that all produce is susceptible to frost and must be in an area above zero degrees. Hopefully you may have learned something new and I will try to find out and share some more great ways to store your produce. Until then everyone,

Good Eating!

 

Willow and Garlic

  Well it was two weekends ago we opened for the very first full weekend of apples, but it was also another first for the family. Our long pregnant heffer Gillian finally calved and gave birth to the now week old Willow on Saturday September 5th. She is small still but warming to the family. It was a first for me and for most of my family; however everything went well. Gillian has calved many times before so she did most of the work through the birth while we stood by to make sure things went smoothly. So if you stop by the farm it would be worth taking a look at her and seeing the baby stage of what will be essential to the operation of the farm.

  For any of you locavores out there, now is the beginning of garlic season here in Ontario. I received quite a few questions from people this weekend about garlic uses, storage and selection and I hope to share some of my knowledge with you.

One of the least known facts about garlic is that there are many varieties out there; every one with completely different qualities that make them better suited to certain dishes. For example many of you will have been tempted, either as a child or in later years; to taste a raw clove of garlic. Soon enough you were most likely overpowered by spice and an intense burst of flavour and no sooner did it enter your mouth then it was spat out. Well garlic is a funny thing, it adds an unmistakable taste and aroma to foods and is also very healthy for you to eat but many people cannot stand the taste alone. That intense heat and strong flavouring is determined by the variety of garlic and believe it or not the stuff you get in stores is very mild. Our family grows quite a few varieties and we have noticed the difference. The majority of garlic strains tend to be much more strong then their store-bought counterparts but the heat and even flavour of the clove varies by variety.

Probably the hottest garlic we grow is a variety know as Chekoslovakian. The cloves are a deep ruby colour, and are a moderate size, however the whole thing looks rather messy. If you were to eat it raw you would probably feel as though you were dying. The heat resembles that of a super hot chili and the flavour lasts in your mouth for about four days after. Similar to this is the variety Spanish Roja; both of them store well compared to many other cultivars. If you are looking for a more mild taste you might consider varieties such as Magic or Susan Delafield. Both of them lack heat but have an incredible flavour. Magic will keep for about two weeks in a cold cellar while Susan Delafield will keep for up to six months; again it really differs by variety. So please the next time you stop by your local farm or are buying garlic talk to the farmer and learn the variety and its qualities so that you can choose how and when to use it.

I also got a few questions about storage. Some people freeze garlic to last over the winter, this is a rather radical step and will ruin the garlics texture and may effect the taste. My advice to you is to store your garlic in a brown paper bag in a moderately cool, very dry place. Contrary to popular belief drying garlic can actually enhance the flavour and make it better to cook with, while freezing will kill it. So I really hope this is helpful to all of you and hopefully you will get a chance to try some of our or any local farmers garlic soon because it will truly be worth it!

Well until next time everyone,

                Good Eating!

The Difference of Real Bread

As many of you already know, recently we have been experimenting with rustic breads. Now it is truly unfortunate but in North America the tradition of good bread has seemingly disappeared. So what makes good bread good?

Well there are hundreds of different types of breads that vary based on things such as size, shape, texture, taste and the ingredients used.

Now one group of breads we are focusing on are sourdoughs. True sourdoughs require a yeast culture as well as several days preparation before they are actually baked. The yeast reacts with warm water to start producing gas which adds not only flavor to the bread but traps air bubbles in the dough; developing those holes that exist when you cut bread. In order to develop the proper texture you must either allow the bread to rise a certain amount or prevent it from doing so. In order to develop some of the flavor of our breads, we let them 'retard' which means they are chilled to slow down the rising and the yeasts reaction, adding a more intense flavor to the bread.

After developing, shaping and rising the bread (the whole process of which takes about two days; not including growing the yeast culture), we bake them off in the wood oven. Again this takes quite a bit of preparation, it must be heated by small fires over several days before baking. The temperature must be absolutely perfect or you will either get a soft or rock hard crust and possibly ruin the inside of the bread. The same is true for any of the baked goods we sell, they all require different temperatures and different amounts of time to prepare for. 

However the labor is undoubtedly worth it, the flavor of the bread is incredible. It has a texture unlike any other and of course we have sourced out organic and almost entirely local producers of all the ingredients! In the future we also hope to move into specialty breads for people who are celiac or who may have allergies to common bread ingredients. So hopefully if everything goes as planned we will have more bread actually ready to sell for next weekend, and of course we will be selling pies and apples. Hopefully I will see some of you soon! 

Until then everyone,

Good Eating!

Tomatoes

Hard to believe the summer is already close to being finished. The strawberry and raspberry seasons are now over and most of the early veggies are done. Though the weather does not seem like it we are already beginning apple season. Soon enough we will open for the early varieties of apples, late vegetables and whatever remains of the raspberries. During this season it is quite easy to find a lot of local veggies things that range from tomatoes to corn. Now one thing that truly disappoints me about Ontario is that in this season, even with some of the best tasting tomatoes on earth available, you will be hard pressed to find a good tomato sauce let alone a recipe to make one. Well there is a lot of truth to the idea of keeping food simple and I have a recipe for tomato sauce that is easy to prepare, simple and tastes fantastic.

Ingredients:

-tomatoes, or a tomato paste ( if you are using whole tomatoes you must put them in the blender and turn them to a paste) 1-1.5 L of paste in total.

-olive oil

-one clove of garlic

-salt

-black pepper

-oregano

-fresh basil

-lemon juice (optional)

This is a personal family recipe; it is simple, easy, and delicious at the same time.

Now in a fairly big sauce pan pour in olive oil just until the bottom of the pan is covered, then turn on stove to low or medium just enough to get the oil hot. Crush the clove of garlic and finely chop it then throw into the pan. Fry the garlic then add in your tomato paste- note : that you must prevent the garlic from burning which can happen quickly depending on how hot your oil is; so add the paste before the garlic burns. Once you have added the paste stir the mixture and male sure the garlic and oil mix in. Next add your oregano, sprinkle it over the top of your sauce, usually I just add what I feel is right but if you need a measurement then add just under a tablespoon into the sauce and mix it in. Throw in a pinch of salt and grind in about a teaspoon of black pepper. Add in two or three leaves of fresh basil( dried basil will not convey the same flavor as fresh). Now if you want your sauce to be a little bit more acidic squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into it, this is optional and depends entirely on what your tastes are. Reduce the sauce until it becomes the desired thickness and enjoy! This is a very basic recipe but has an incredible flavor while being low on sugars and salt. Remember cooking doesn't have to be right by the book try adding in different herbs and ingredients to change the flavor to one you like even better. I hope you enjoy this recipe just as my family has, and until next time good eating!

Summertime Rush

Alright well it has certainly been a while and I do apologize to all the readers of my blog! A few of whom I have met and am pleased to have talked too. As well as a certain few who need to come back in and tell me how the bike ride home with those berries went! 

These past few weeks have been a little crazy and I have found it rather difficult to get to the blog but I am happily back! As many of you know our strawberry season has recently finished and we are currently into a fantastic crop of raspberries. Things around the farm have changed quite a bit, our pigs weigh in at close to three hundred pounds, next years strawberry plants are healthy and doing well and our apples have a relatively large amount of pre-mature fruit on them. 

Next years strawberry crop is currently being weeded about everyday of the week, weeding during the first year of strawberry growth is essential and ensures that the runners currently spreading from the plants, will have a much easier time rooting and therefore increase the amount of bushes for next year. As well if you allow weeds to infest the patch during the growing stage of the strawberries the plants are forced to compete for both nutrients and water, which can stunt the growth of the plant. It is also during the stage that the plants send out what are known as runners. Runners are a way strawberries reproduce by sending chutes out in every direction that eventually root and form new plants. We must 'train' the runners which requires us to move the runners into the row and put a little dirt on the tip so that it will root. 

  By doing this we can make the strawberries form neat full rows that choke out weeds and allow an easy way for people to pick berries. A tip for home gardeners growing strawberries, if you have them in an outdoor plot train the runners in one direction away from the plants to a new spot. Keep it well weeded and let the runners root, then when the new plants gain some size plow under the old ones. By doing this yearly you can literally rotate the strawberries without re-planting. Of course when you plow under the old plants you will want to add compost and perhaps a green manure crop such as alfalfa in order to add the nutrients used up by the strawberries. I hope you may find this useful and if you have any other questions please e-mail them to me and i will do my best to answer them. 

Every weekend we are baking the pies in the wood oven and things are beginning to shape up. The building is coming along though taking a little while longer than expected. I must apologize as I do not have a lot prepared for this week. If you happen to stop by the farm please feel free to ask me any questions you may have about the farm or about your gardening at home. The blog should be updated a little more often now, closer to every week. I hope all of you are having a terrific summer and hopefully I will see you all soon!

Cleaning the Market

  The key  to the success of any small fruit farm is to maintain a small scale market that is warm and appealing to your clientele; but keeps the rustic, natural spirit of the farm alive. As I am sure whomever of you visited the farm over the past few years will remember those warm summer days we sold from under the gazebo, and we certainly remember the countless hours spent underneath it; mind you they were quite enjoyable! 

  Recently at organics we have started to construct our market building and bakery, which has required many days of hard labour and countless hours of planning and preparation. We built it in a style similar to that of the barn. It is two stories the downstairs will house the market and bakery with the upstairs still to be decided upon. Though there are inside renovations to be done and it will not be ready for this years season, it has made a wonderful addition to our little farm and it is my family and my hope that you may find it as pleasant an addition as we do.

  The farm is finally beginning to shape up, the front flower beds are weeded and almost done being arranged and planted, all our crops for this year are in the ground, growing tall. As of today I have eaten the first strawberry fresh from the field, it was truly amazing. nothing says summer like local Ontario strawberries, you just can't beat them! Although the amount of work is beginning to catch up with us and we are now working close to seven full days a week, when I tasted that first strawberry the only thing I could feel was that it was all worth it; and for any of you who will be joining us this year, I hope you will too!

Opening Soon-Strawberry facts.

  Well I apologize to all the followers of my blog, the last few weeks have been rather hectic. During this time a fair bit has gone on here at organics, and I have quite a few new events to tell of. First off for anyone planning on stopping by the farm, we are looking at opening for strawberries around the seventeenth this month. I encourage readers to stop by and discover where real food comes from and talk to us about the organic life.

 The strawberries now have many green berries on them, and it is looking good for this year. One of the things that we as growers need to be careful about with strawberries is frost. During early Spring frost may cause the plants to heave out of the ground, but later in the season when the plants develop blossoms frost poses an even more serious threat to the crop. When the temperature drops below zero the blossoms will actually wither and die, and depending on how bad the frost is developing fruit may also be damaged. To combat this we water the berries during nights when there is a risk of frost and this keeps the temperature above zero, saving the fruit. 

  The majority of prep work is now done around the farm, however there are still a few finishing touches needed to open. The farm needs to be in perfect condition for opening day, which requires a lot of time and effort. The first requirement is that our produce will be perfect and ready for when we open, and the work for this has been going on since the snow disappeared. Work now needs to be done to tidy up the farm, during the course of the next week a lot of weeding and gardening will be done to liven the place up and also ensure that the fields are as clean and natural as possible for when the berries are being picked. 

  Another important factor in ensuring a good harvest is making sure the drainage of the field is perfect. Though this stage is done long before harvest, doing it properly can determine whether or not you will get any harvest at all. The majority of fields here in Ontario have pre-existing tile drain systems. These are a group of underground pipes that collect excess water from the lower points in the field and brings it to where it will not harm the plants. Excess water is a danger to crops because it causes mold to form quickly on the fruit, this can destroy a good crop of berries in under a week. Also many types of plants can not deal with very wet conditions So it is important to keep fields moist but not soaking. 

   Strawberry season is almost upon us and the next couple weeks will be some of the busiest this summer. So remember when you eat your next strawberry that there is a lot more to that berry then just sticking it in the ground. And for goodness sake, go out and support your local farmers. We're beginning the season where you can get some of the freshest and best tasting produce available, so eat local and eat healthy! Until next time everyone,

Good Eating! 

Composting

  Latest on our journey to sustainability, we have begun to experiment with new ways of fertilizing our fields. One of the main ways we fertilize our crops here at Organics is by applying compost tea which is literally tea made from compost. The compost consists of a variety of wastes from around the farm, from food scraps to animal manure; it's all there and it's all made here. A little pile of compost is placed into a barrel and the rest is filled with water. A small pump churns the compost up from the bottom and slowly dissolves the nutrients into the water. The tea takes about two days to make and does an excellent job maintaining the health of the soil.

 Of course we also have the standard compost pile into which we empty manure from our pigs. cows and chickens as well as any waste material from the plants. If you are a backyard gardener or even have a small farm and plan on using compost it is important that you know how to decompose the waste properly. When you 'compost' what you are really doing is building up the bacteria content of the soil, causing organic matter to break down quickly and into a form that can be used by plants and micro organisms. This breaking down generates heat and depending on how hot and how well you manage the pile you will be able to compost different things. 

  For example if you are attempting to compost raspberry canes you need very high temperatures in the center of the pile in order to break them down. You can achieve this by adding certain wastes which decompose at very high temperatures things such as chicken manure. Now we get into maintenance, certain wastes such as chicken manure require a constant 'flipping' of the pile to ensure there is oxygen for the bacteria to break them down. So believe it or not waste is actually a pretty complicated thing and essential to the production of food. So next time you pick up an small farm apple remember that a part of that is thanks to compost. and maybe that core will someday go into growing the next generation of apples as well.

Spring is in the Air!!!

 It's beginning to feel like summer out again, the field is a lush dark green and alive with bees, bugs and birds. I would just like to remind you all that now is a time to visit local farms for fresh early season Ontario veggies such as asparagus, and also to start off the year with your local farmers!

  Our patch of asparagus is alive and well, it just popped out of the ground about four days ago and is currently about three feet tall, nature is truly amazing isn't it! Well as tradition at the beginning of the year we have purchased about fifty chicks that will will help us with pest control , keep the flies down and fertilize our fields over the next few months. There only about the size of a tennis ball right now but it is incredible how fast they will grow. 

  Well if anyone has driven past the farm over the past few weeks you may have noticed a wide variety of changes, besides the colour of the field! We now have two Dexter cattle, two Birkshire pigs, about seventy five chickens(the oldest is still alive; six years and counting), and as our newest addition ten turkeys. Our little 'organic project' is finally beginning to look like a sustainable farm!

  In the news at Organics our heffer Gillian, is due to have her calf any day now and we have a few generous, experienced neighbors on hand to help see things through. Our pigs now weigh in close to one hundred and fifty pounds and in the field our plants have all budded and the strawberries are beginning to blossom. Now is one of the most important stages in the growth and fruit production of plants. Nutrients need to be available in the right amounts or the plants growth might become stunted and therefore its' yields will decrease along with the health of the soil around it. Now because we are organic and cannot use synthetic fertilizers we must resort to more natural means and there are three main ways we can do this:

 

 one being keeping livestock letting them graze and naturally maintain the health of the soil

the second is by planting cover crops consisting of many legumes such as clover and alfalfa or even beans, which fix nitrogen in the soil.

or we can use compost, compost teas, manures and organic fertilizers.

  We have started our compost and manure piles and are just finishing the fence around the field. This weekend we applied organic alfalfa pellets, which are basically dried alfalfa and set up the irrigation in the strawberries. If you happen to be driving past the farm over the next week and see us out working, go ahead and stop by we would be more then happy to talk to you. It is looking like it will be a great season and it will certainly be quite the adventure for all of us! Until next time, 

Good Eating!

  

Starting The Strawberries

  Well were back at it and finally the weather is beginning to feel like summer.

Still we are tending the spring duties and this weekend consisted of yet more berry work,

Now that the weather has become consistently warm it is time to uncover the strawberries.

You see growing strawberries in Ontario has its challenges, and if you've ever wondered why strawberries are covered with straw before winter well here is the reason. During early spring while the temperature tends to vary above and below freezing the ground can thaw and re-freeze in a matter of hours. The one problem this causes for strawberry growers is that the constant thawing and re-freezing causes the ground to 'heave' out the roots of the plants and actually push them a little ways out of the ground, which ends up damaging the plant. This can lower both the plants yields and resistance to disease, as well as its health of course. 

  To deal with this problem colder climate growers apply straw to the field before the unstable weather starts in the fall. The straw which acts as an insulator actually keeps the ground a certain temperature and can stop the ground beneath it from 'flash-freezing'. This prevents the ground from spitting the plants out and gives them a head start on their native relatives.

But despite popular belief this is not where the name 'strawberries' was derived from. In fact it was named during the pioneer days when the berries would be sold in straw wreathes at the market; that the berry got its name. Thats another thing I learned this weekend, it's actually amazing how much you discover when you get closer to the food you eat and I hope you will join me again for more stories on the road to real food. Until next time, 

Good Eating!

Starting Up

  Today was officially the first field work day of 09. One thing is for sure; it is a welcomed change from the long frozen winter. We all were responsible for various tasks around the farm, from building a new pasture pen for our cows to prepping the raspberries for the fruiting season. Spring is a busy time on the farm,  the busiest of the entire year. During this season a lot of effort is put into preparing crops so they grow and fruit properly as well as readying pastures for animals. Our efforts this weekend produced a new pasture that extends off the old one; through the forest and into the back field. It has always been important to us to raise free range animals and by providing different pastures we can ensure they always get to roam in new grass. This also ensures that after a pasture is eaten down by the cows it has time to re-grow and become healthy again.

 While dad and Bri worked on the fence, I was out prepping the raspberries for the new season. Contrary to popular belief the size of the raspberry bush does not always tell how well the plant will produce during the new year. Often taller plants may put to much effort into cane production and damage the plants roots and base. In addition our raspberries were about ten feet tall which is far to high to allow us to harvest the fruit. So during early spring before the plants buds have broke we cut back the canes to a height of about five feet. This ensures that the canes will branch out and be able to better support the fruit load and that the fruit will be in an area where it can be easily picked. The canes also need to be thinned out, by cutting out most of the canes and leaving behind the healthier ones. 

  

   By doing this we can make the plant focus on one or two particular canes, making them much stronger and healthier, in addition to yielding higher amounts of berries. There are many advantages to 'selectively pruning' the canes. The rows become aerated which helps stop molds from growing and sporing, as well the plants become stronger and less susceptible to pathogens and pests. 

   Mom and Ali spent the day refurbishing 'creekside cottage' an old hut that will soon serve as a pasture house for the pigs. The hut had become quite rundown over the years and today received not only a new paint job but new shingles and a good cleaning. We also moved it to a place out in the field that will soon contain the pig pasture. All in all it was a busy weekend but it is only the beginning of what will surely be a busy season. However it is all in the name of good food and at the end of the day, the satisfaction you feel is like none other. Well everyone I am off to bed it has been a long day and I am tired! Until next week, 

Good Eating!

Life On The Farm: "Heritage Pigs"

  Part of our journey back to healthy food has included raising livestock. A week ago we 

bought a couple of Birkshire pigs. The pigs are a vital part to keeping our farm sustainable.

During the spring and summer months, the pigs eat fallen apples caused by pests in the apple orchards. They also help keep the soil in the orchard healthy and will help control weeds. This is one of the ways by which, we can organically sustain and also raise our own meat. Though the pigs are still young by the time fall roles in they will weigh close to three hundred pounds, and considering they weighed close to twenty five a week ago thats a lot of growing.

  In order to prep the orchard to house the animals we had to string electric fencing around the outside of the trees and pathway to them. It was quite a bit of work but we are quite sure the pigs will appreciate it! If anything this reminds us of how much work actually producing sustainable, healthy food is; but we are certainly sure it is worth it.

LIfe On The Farm: "Tree Tapping"

   Well Spring has finally arrived and was gladly welcome around the farm.

It is always nice to pull out of that winter slump, step outdoors and feel the hot sun on your face.

But Spring is a mixed blessing, as comes the heat so does the work!

As many of my readers will know I live on an organic farm and it is the goal of my family to become entirely self-sufficient and produce all our own food. As the season progresses I will be sharing some of our experiences here and on our journey back to real food.

   This weekend was an interesting one; I'm sure most of you are familiar with the delicious Canadian treat - maple syrup. Well now is the 'tree tapping' season, when you begin to harvest sap from maple trees and reduce it until it forms maple syrup. It was an interesting experience and one relatively new to all of us, this being the second time our family has done it.  We started off by tapping the trees; basically making a small hole about half an inch wide and inserting a small plastic tube attached to a bucket. As the sap makes its way up from the roots it begins to drip down and fill the bucket, which is later emptied and the sap boiled. 

  So day by day we would bring the buckets into our kitchen from the forest and reduce the sap. The smell in the house was incredible. New to our knowledge was how to get a different quality of syrup(usually judged by colour). Contrary to our previous beliefs darker maple syrup is not reduced farther but rather comes from later on in the season when the sugar content of sap changes from mainly fructose sugars to sucrose sugars. Strangely the difference in flavour was astounding. The darker syrup usually goes for a bit more money and there is no question why. The flavour was much stronger and the syrup much sweeter. 

  Another thing we learned was how hard it is to make maple syrup. It takes just about forty liters of sap to make one liter of syrup. Don't be worried though, a tree pumps many many times this a day and tapping trees does not damage them in any way. So this is how we spent our weekend on organics farm and in all honesty I had a blast. It was a great experience for all of us and one thing is for sure, tasting homemade maple syrup is like nothing else!

Vitamin D Deficiency Linked To MS

Researchers have recently discovered a direct link between

a lack of vitamin D and the development of ms. They have found that 

the vitamin directly affects part of the genome associated with ms.

Only further proving the importance of a healthy diet during pregnancy 

and child development. For the full story and more information about the

disease visit the following link:Multiple Sclerosis Caused by Vitamin D Deficiency

Raw Milk

Well anyone who has been involved in the health food industry for a few years has to have heard about raw milk and the raw milk controversy. Raw milk is a new 'natural' trend that involves drinking milk unpasteurized or as it came from the cow. Raw milk is currently illegal to sell in Canada but you are able to drink it if you own the producing cow. The issue presented with raw milk is the fact that by being unpasteurized any bacteria that could have contaminated the milk (potentially causing diseases such as salmonella) remain alive; whereas when pasteurized milk is boiled so all bacteria are killed.

So this really forces one to wonder why then do people choose to drink raw milk if it is so dangerous? Well through pasteurization many good bacteria that help us fight infections and disease are also exterminated and beneficial enzymes are broken down. Still one might think it could kill you so why take the risk? Raw milk still contains all the enzymes and beneficial bacteria which aid the body in defending against harmful bacteria. 

The nutritional value and health benefits of raw milk are unquestionable,

however if you are looking for raw milk it must be from a small producer whom you know runs a cleanly operation and takes care to make sure the milk is uncontaminated, because raw milk does run the risk of spreading infection, even though it is a healthier alternative.

To read a it more about raw milk visit:Health benefits of raw milk from grass-fed animals by Ron Schmid, ND

Organic Alcohols

This was a great story published in Acres USA. 

A test was done by Sean Evans of the New York Daily News to determine if there are actually benefits to drinking organic alcohol instead of its conventional counterpart. He controlled as many of the variables as possible: diet, alcohol amounts, drink types, post-inebriation activity ect. On the first night of his test he visited an all-organic bar and restaurant. After eleven drinks in three hours[of many different types] he was slightly dizzy. Although he did notice big differences in taste; the next morning gave him the biggest surprise, he did not have a familiar headache he associated with hangovers though still slightly groggy a shower quickly fixed that.

The next night he repeated the experiment drinking only conventional alcohols and sure enough the morning after he awoke to a splitting headache and all the usual side effects of a hangover. This was just a test but similar experiments have been carried out with similar results and it is believed that the chemicals found in conventional alcohols are responsible for causing the majority of pain felt in a hangover. Though he also noticed how much lighter the organic alcohols left his wallet, depending on whether or not you like pain, it might be worth it. So next time your out with your buddies for a drink you might want to consider making it organic!

information from Acres USA.

Sour Cherries and Your Health

One specific fruit being examined for its possible health benefits is the sour cherry. Sour or Montmorency cherries are linked to preventing and curing heart disease and cancer. Sour cherries are well known in the health food world for having a very high concentration of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties similar to those of Asprin, which make them an excellent non-pharmaceutical alternative for people with arthritis. In addition to this sour cherries are supposed to be good for gout.  Many supermarkets now carry sour cherry juice and it is a popular item at health food stores. Next time you are out shopping in the GTA make sure to check your local health store. For further information into this topic please visit the following link: Tart Cherries May Reduce Factors Associated With Heart Disease And Diabetes

Lambs Quarters a Healthy Weed?

  If you garden you may have a good knowledge of your weeds and as we all know they can be quite the handful...  However most people throw them away without considering that they might actually be beneficial to your health, in fact many weeds often possess a multitude of health benefits to which we are blind. A great example of this is the common weed lambs quarters. The plant has a flavour very similar to rapini and spinach and is excellent sauteed in garlic butter!

One of the most amazing things about this plant is that one portion of lambs quarters for dinner can have several times the daily recommended intake of vitamin C and is loaded with nutrients. So next time your out weeding the garden try to keep an eye out for this 'weed'.

For identification visit: Lamb's-Quarters

VEGAN UNBAKED AND GLUTEN FREE APPLE PIE:Special thanks to Ioan for this one।Crust:-1 cup each-filberts/pecans/almonds, sunflower seeds, dry shredded coconut (total of three cups)-2 Tbsp। agave syrup or honey-1 Tbsp। vanilla extract-1 Tbsp। water (may not be needed so add last if necessary; crust should not be soggy)Grind nuts in a coffee grinder, or food processor। Then mix with the rest of the ingredients (make sure to mix well)Then pack the crust mixture onto a pie plate.Filling: (for apple pie)-6 medium sized apples-1/2 a cup of pitted dates(or agave syrup if you want a lighter colour)-1 lemon juiced (optional; use depending on the sweet/tartness of the apples -pinch of salt-2 Tsp. powdered cinnamon-2 Tbsp. slippery elm powder ( vegan substitute for gelatin)Core and slice apples thinly. Put 1 cup or all the apples in a food processor with the other ingredients. Process until smooth. Mix the blended mixture with apple slices and pour in the pie shell.Serve chilled, and with cashew cream if desired.(alternate berry filling)Berries of your choice mixed with agave syrup or honey. If you need the filling thicker, add slippery elm powder to the mix.