Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower

3/4 cup canola oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup

1 1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1 1/2 teaspoon nutritional yeast

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

1. Trim leaves off of cauliflower and cut stem down as low as possible, while still keeping the cauliflower head intact.

2. Wash the cauliflower head and shake off to remove excess water, then place on a tea towel to dry further.

3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

4. While the cauliflower dries, whisk together the marinade/sauce.

5. Add oil, lemon juice, and maple syrup to a small bowl and whisk vigorously to combine. Add herbs and seasonings and whisk again.

6. Flip the head of cauliflower upside down in a cast iron pan and pour half of the oil and spice mixture into the crevices.

7. Flip the cauliflower back right-side-up and place in the cast iron pan. Use a pastry brush to spread the rest of the oil mixture all over the cauliflower.

8. Tightly cover the cauliflower and pan with a large piece of tin foil (spray it with cooking spray to prevent any sticking!) and transfer the pan to the preheated oven.

9. Bake for 1 hour, removing the tin foil when 10 minutes remain on the timer.

10. Remove from the oven and slice into large pieces, and display on a serving tray. Top with a sauce of your choice (if desired), and some crumbled cheese or sesame seeds.

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Oven-Roasted Grape Tomatoes

Ingredients

1 pint grape tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder (or 1 clove freshly minced garlic)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F.

2. Thoroughly wash your grape tomatoes, then transfer them to an oven-safe dish.

3. Drizzle with olive oil and stir to coat.

4. Sprinkle all herbs and seasonings and again stir to coat.

5. Transfer the baking pan to the pre-heated oven and roast for a total of 40 minutes, until juices are evaporated and tomatoes are wrinkled-looking and shrunken down.

6. Stir the tomatoes about halfway through, to help them cook evenly and to prevent them from burning/sticking.

7. Let the tomatoes cool, and then enjoy as a makeshift pasta sauce, a topper for ricotta toast, or fold into a frittata, stir-fry, or wrap. Alternatively, serve as an appetizer, like pictured below. We spread cream cheese on crackers, added 2 roasted grape tomatoes, and drizzled balsamic glaze on top. You could use a different cheese or cracker and achieve the same effect! The roasted flavour really intensifies the sweetness of these little tomatoes, and brings them to the next level!

8. These roasted tomatoes can also be transferred to a freezer-safe container or bag and frozen for later use.

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Creamy Corn Dip with Oven-Baked Kettle Chips

Ingredients

2 cobs corn, boiled and kernels cut off

½ cup yogurt or sour cream

¼ cup mayonnaise

½ cup cheddar cheese

¼ cup cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, divided in half

Red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon lime juice

3 green onions, diced

4 potatoes, very thinly sliced

Canola oil

Spices

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat.

3. Add the husked cobs of corn to the water and boil until bright yellow, around 6 – 7 minutes.

4. Remove the corn from the boiling water and once cool enough to handle cut the kernels off the cob.

5. While the corn cools, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, cheeses (except for 1 tablespoon of Parmesan), spices, lime juice, and green onions in a medium bowl and mix thoroughly. Add corn kernels and mix again.

6. Transfer the dip mix to a 9-inch round pie plate or an 8x8 square baking dish that has been greased with cooking spray. Smooth into an even layer then sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of Parmesan.

7. Transfer the dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

8. During the first 10 minutes of baking, wash and very thinly slice your potatoes.

9. Add the potato slices to a bowl, drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with spices (your choice! I went with chili powder, oregano, and garlic powder) as well as salt and pepper.

10. Spread the seasoned and oiled potato slices into a single even layer on baking sheets lined with parchment. You will likely need two sheets, as it’s very important for the potatoes to be spread out, and not touching. This will help get them nice and crispy!

11. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

12. Remove the dip and the chips from the oven and enjoy them together. This dip can also be served as a sandwich spread, or a taco-topper.

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Blueberry Beet Pancakes

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup milk

1 beet, peeled

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 large egg

½ cup blueberries, plus more for serving

Instructions

1. Place beet in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 – 15 minutes depending on the size.

2. Remove the beet and place in a blender, along with ¼ cup of reserved beet water.

3. Blend the beet and water until smooth. You should have a bright pink puree!

4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

5. In a large bowl whisk together milk, beet puree, egg, and canola oil until smooth.

6. Add the flour to the milk and beet mixture and mix until just combined. Some small lumps of flour are ok!

7. Heat a large non-stick pan over medium. Add a splash of canola oil and use a paper towel to carefully spread it all over the pan.

8. Add 2 – 3 tablespoons of the pancake batter to the pan and use the back of the measuring spoon to spread the pancake out into a circle.

9. Let the pancake cook for 1 – 2 minutes, until bubbles start to form. Add a sprinkle of blueberries to the pancake while it cooks.

10. Once the 2 minutes are up, and lots of bubbles have formed on the top of the pancake, give it a flip. Cook for an additional 1 – 2 minutes.

11. Serve immediately, or keep warm in a 200°F oven.

12. In total you should get 6 – 8 pancakes, depending how big you make them.

13. Unfortunately the beautiful pink colour of the pancake batter is a bit lost during the cooking process, but it’s so much fun while it lasts! I saw the Barbie movie this week and was inspired to make a pink breakfast food because of it.

14. Enjoy!

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Raspberry Lemon Bars

Ingredients

¼ cup butter

½ cup white sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

Pinch of salt

Topping

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

2 large eggs, whisked

Juice of 1 lemon (~3 tablespoons)

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1 ½ cups raspberries

Icing sugar for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, add flour, salt, and sugar. Stir until combined, then add butter. Using a pastry cutter or just your hands, mix in the butter until pea-sized pieces remain.

3. Press the flour and butter mixture into the bottom of an 8x8 pan that has been greased with cooking spray. Bake the bottom for 8 – 10 minutes, until just golden brown around the edges.

4. In the bowl you mixed the flour mixture, combine the sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Add eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice and stir until smooth and well-blended.

5. Sprinkle most of the raspberries over the crust, and then top with the lemon filling. Place a few additional raspberries on top and bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown and set.

6. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before attempting to slice.

7. Once fully cool, cut into squares or bars. Sprinkle with icing sugar before serving, and enjoy!

Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Waffle Iron Zucchini Fritters

Ingredients

4 zucchini, shredded

1/4 cup bread crumbs

1 egg, whisked

1/2 cup feta, crumbled

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Cooking spray

Instructions

1. Preheat your waffle iron.

2. Shred zucchini, then place in a dishtowel and squeeze out as much liquid as you can.

3. Place the shredded and drained zucchini in a mixing bowl and add all remaining ingredients.

4. Mix until combined.

5. By now the waffle iron should be nice and hot. Open it up, and grease it very thoroughly with cooking spray. This is important, so that the fritters don’t stick!

6. Scoop 1/3 cup of fritter batter and place in each waffle ‘square’. Use a spatula to gently spread the batter around so that it’s in a relatively even layer, reaching towards all four corners.

7. Close the waffle iron and cook until brown and crispy. The amount of time this takes will vary by waffle maker brand. For me, it took 2 rounds of the auto shut-off, or about 8 – 10 minutes.

8. Once brown and crispy, carefully lift up the fritter and remove from the waffle maker.

9. Cook another batch of fritters, making sure to thoroughly grease the waffle maker again before starting.

10. Serve zucchini fritters with your grilled proteins, a sunny-side up egg, or alongside pulled pork.

New Potato and Spinach Curry with Halloumi

Ingredients

1 head spinach, washed and roughly chopped

1 pint new potatoes, washed and cut so that sizes are all roughly similar

¼ cup minced garlic scapes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ teaspoon red chili powder (different than ‘regular’ chili powder – much more spice!)

2 teaspoons coriander

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon garam masala

¼ teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons water

½ cup cream

1 block halloumi, sliced

1 tablespoon canola oil

Instructions

1. Begin by prepping all ingredients: wash and chop your veggies, chop the halloumi, and measure out the spices, tomato paste, and cream. Having everything ready to add to the pan as needed will speed up the process!

2. Add canola oil to a large pan and turn on to medium-high heat. Cook until golden brown, then flip and repeat. This should take about 5 minutes per side. Once done, remove from the pan and set aside.

3. While the halloumi cooks, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add your prepared new potatoes and cook for 15 minutes.

4. While the potatoes cook, add the garlic scapes to the pan you cooked the halloumi in. Stir often and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant.

5. Next, add spices and tomato paste to the pan. Cook for another minute or so, then add the water.

6. Add the spinach and stir and cook until wilted. Add the cream and stir until combined. Reduce heat to low at this time.

7. By now the new potatoes should be done cooking. Drain the water then add them to the pan with the spinach curry. Stir until potatoes are coated.

8. Finally, add the cooked halloumi slices to the pan as well.

9. Serve with a dollop of yogurt and enjoy!

Recipe developed & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

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Panna Cotta with Vanilla Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients

Cooking Spray

3 cups half and half cream (10 - 18%)

3 teaspoons powdered gelatin (or vegan alternative)

¼ cup white sugar (can add more if you like things sweeter!)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

1 ½ cups strawberries

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon water

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Instructions

1. Lightly grease 6 mini mason jars (125mL size) with cooking spray, then wipe out most of the oil with a paper towel, leaving a slight residue.

2. Pour half of the cream into a small saucepan and sprinkle the powdered gelatin evenly on top. Let soften for 5 minutes. The surface of the cream should look “wrinkled” and the gelatin grains should be wet and slightly dissolved.

3. Set the saucepan over low heat and warm the cream slowly. Stir or whisk frequently. The cream should never boil or simmer – if you see steam remove the saucepan and let cool down slightly. You should be able to dip your finger in the cream for a few seconds. If you can’t, it’s too hot! Throughout this warming, the gelatin will dissolve. This should go fairly quickly.

4. After about 3 - 4 minutes of warming, rub a bit of the cream between your fingers to make sure it’s smooth.

5. Stir the sugar into the cream and continue to warm until it dissolves too. This should take about 5 minutes. Again, don’t let the cream simmer or boil!

6. Remove the saucepan from heat. Whisk in the remaining half of the cream along with the vanilla and salt.

7. Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared jars and place in the fridge to chill.

8. While the panna cotta chills, make your strawberry topping. Place strawberries, vanilla, sugar, and lemon juice in another small saucepan over low heat.

9. Whisk together water and cornstarch to form a slurry. Once strawberry mixture starts to breakdown and soften, add the slurry to the saucepan. Stir together until evenly coated, then mash berries down as well.

10. Continue cooking until strawberries are completely softened and mixture is glossy. Stir often throughout the cooking process.

11. Once berry mixture is glossy remove from heat and cool completely. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

12. To serve, you have options. You can attempt to unmold the panna cotta and serve upside down on a plate. If you want to go this route, the panna cotta will need to chill overnight.

13. Alternatively, you can serve the dessert in the mini jars. If you do this, it only needs 2 hours or so of chilling. This is my preference because it’s easier!

14. If planning to unmold, fill a large bowl with warm to hot water. Wipe a dessert plate with a damp paper towel.

15. Run a thin knife carefully around the edges of the mason jar. Don’t slide the knife all the way in, just release the top edge. Dip the jar into the warm water up to its rim and hold for ~3 seconds.

16. Flip the jar over on a small plate and shake slightly to help ease the panna cotta out. It should come out pretty easily, but if not return to the warm water for 2 seconds at a time. Reposition on the plate if needed, then top with your berry mixture.

17. If you skipped the unmolding simply top your mini panna cottas with the berry mixture right before serving.

18. Enjoy!

Recipe modified from thekitchn.com and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Upside-Down Asparagus Puff Pastry

Ingredients

1 package puff pastry, thawed

½ bunch of asparagus, washed and trimmed

2 stalks green garlic, washed and minced

Salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (all to taste)

Balsamic glaze

Cooking spray

1 cup cheese, shredded (I used Gunn’s Hill 5-Brothers)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside for later use.

2. Unwrap and unroll the thawed puff pastry and cut into 4 even rectangles.

3. Prep all remaining ingredients so that you can quickly assemble the puff pastries!

4. Once ingredients are ready, start to assemble:

   1. Divide the baking sheet into four quadrants. In the middle of each, spray a generous coat of cooking spray.

   2. Next, lay down 4-5 spears of asparagus and top with a sprinkle of minced green garlic.

   3. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes.

   4. Add a drizzle of balsamic glaze, and then top the seasoned asparagus with ¼ cup cheese.

   5. Place one puff pastry rectangle on top of the asparagus and cheese mixture, ensuring everything is covered.

   6. Use a fork (you may want to dip it in water first so it doesn’t stick!) and press down the edges of the puff pastry.

   7. Spray the puff pastry with another coat of cooking spray.

   8. Repeat this process for the remaining 3 puff pastry pieces.

5. Once all 4 pastries have been prepared, transfer to the preheated oven and bake for 20 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven, let cool slightly, and then flip over. You should have a deliciously flaky, cheesy, and asparagus-filled pastry to enjoy!

Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Aunt Geri's Quiche

A super quick & easy family recipe, perfect for serving a crowd at brunch. It's so cheesy, and so delicious! Try pairing with a fruit smoothie and a croissant for a delightful well-rounded meal.

Ingredients

1 stalk green garlic, minced

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 bunch Swiss chard, chopped (spinach or Mustard greens would work too!)

1 cup cottage cheese

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2. Grease a pie dish with cooking spray and set aside.

3. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl and stir until evenly combined.

4. Transfer egg, cheese, and veggie mixture to the greased pie dish and spread out until evenly distributed.

5. Transfer prepared pie dish to the oven and bake until puffy and browned, around 30 - 40 minutes.

Recipe photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Aunt Kathleen's Rhubarb Cake

This cake is incredibly easy to put together, and a real hit at a potluck!

In our family, Aunt Kathleen always comes prepared with this dish and without fail it disappears oh-so-quickly! There's no denying it's exceptionally sweet, but to us it tastes like family, a warm night on the patio, and a reminder of all the goodies & memories yet to come.

Ingredients

1 bunch rhubarb, washed and diced

1 package strawberry jello

1 bag mini marshmallows

1 white or yellow cake mix, prepared according to package directions

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Thoroughly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

3. Add diced rhubarb to the bottom of the baking dish.

4. Sprinkle the packet of jello powder evenly over top of the rhubarb, followed by the marshmallows.

5. Finally, pour the prepared cake mix over the rhubarb mixture.

6. Place the cake pan in the oven and bake for at 1 hour, until cake is done.

7. Remove from the oven and let sit. The longer you wait the more set the cake will be.

Roasted Asparagus Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

1 bunch asparagus, washed, ends trimmed, and then cut into 1-inch chunks

3 stalks green garlic washed, trimmed, and roughly chopped

1 log goat’s cheese, sliced

Cooking oil

Salt & pepper

Red pepper flakes

3 cups pasta of choice

½ cup reserved pasta water

½ cup cream

½ cup grated parmesan (optional)

¼ cup breadcrumbs (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.

2. Add the prepared asparagus and green garlic to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drizzle with cooking oil. Toss until veggies are coated.

3. Season with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes and again stir until coated.

4. Add slices of goat’s cheese on top of veggies and spray tops with cooking oil spray.

5. Place in the oven and roast for 20 minutes, until veggies are softened and browned.

6. While the veggies roast, cook your pasta according to package instructions. Once finished cooking, drain and drizzle with oil (so the noodles don’t stick!). Be sure to reserve ½ a cup of pasta water, though!

7. Transfer roasted veggies and goat’s cheese to a bowl, then add pasta water and cream. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth.

8. Pour asparagus sauce on top of cooked pasta and mix until noodles are evenly coated.

9. You can enjoy this take on mac & cheese as-is, or you can transfer to an oiled baking dish and top with parmesan and breadcrumbs. I transferred to some mini baking dishes to make cute single-serve portions, but a 9x13 would work just fine!

Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Asparagus Soup

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 small onion, diced

2 stems green garlic, trimmed and diced

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Salt & pepper to taste

1 bunch asparagus, washed and trimmed, then roughly chopped

1 potato, peeled and pureed

4 cups vegetable broth

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ cup cream

Cottage cheese, for serving

Instructions

1. Heat oil and butter in a medium sized pot over medium heat, until butter is melted. Add one piece of diced onion, and when it starts to sizzle, add the rest along with the diced green garlic.

2. Cook until onions and garlic are softened. Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

3. Next, add asparagus and potato to the pot and mix until coated with spices and oil.

4. Add the broth to the pot and bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 10 – 12 minutes, until asparagus and potato pieces are soft.

5. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth and silky.

6. Finish off the soup by stirring in the lemon juice and whipping cream, stirring to combine.

7. Serve soup with a dollop of cottage cheese and enjoy! Pair with a protein and a piece of crusty bread for a delicious and nutritious meal.

Recipe modified from a newspaper clipping (from my grandma!) & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Updates from Week 4 of April

Can you believe we’ve reached the end of April already? This month has been a whirlwind, and all over the place weather-wise. We are looking forward to May and are hopeful for a bit more predictability coming our way soon. It may becalling for rain today, but the sun was shining nicely yesterday, so I ran out to snap a few photos to help fill you in on what we’ve been up to in the past week!

First up, our raspberry patch is looking all spruced up thanks to a thorough pruning and trellis reinforcement with baler twine. These raspberries are located at our Pick-Your-Own Patch and will be ready for harvest in mid-July. This crop was planted in 2020, so this will mark year 3 of harvest. We had quite a significant crop last year (their second year of growth) so we anticipate this season being even bigger and better!

Next, we’ve been hard at work out in the fields this week, preparing for planting. The specific process varies slightly depending on the crop, but the overall steps are the same.

1. First, we mark out “strips” using a tractor enabled with a GPS system. This system keeps the tractor driving straight, and helps ensure the strips are evenly spaced. The strips are 60 feet apart and mark where the path between rows of beds will be. This path is where the tractors drive in between the beds of produce.

2. Next, we lay the beds. There’s an attachment that goes on the back of our tractor, and it forms the soil into beds that are slightly raised, and are 33 inches wide. These beds have 6-foot centres (6feet from the centre of one bed to the centre of its’ neighbour). This allowsfor space between the beds where we can walk and where a tractor’s wheels cango for planting and weeding purposes.

3. Third, we cover the beds. These bed covers are weighed down on the sides using soil, and they will help trap moisture and heat and suppress weeds, all things that contribute to a more successful growing season!

4. Fourth, we punch holes in the bed covers and add either a seed or a transplant, depending on the crop.

5. Next, we add wire hoops, which will help support an additional layer of cover, pictured below.

6. Finally, we lay the row covers, which trap even more heat, and speed up the growing process significantly. These row covers have holes punched into them, to allow for air flow. They will be removed once the plants reach a certain point in their growing stage (flowering for many, as the bees will need access for pollination!) Additionally, if they are left on for too long it can “cook” the plants, so we have to be careful!

In the top left photo you can see a tractor in the background. You can’t really tell, but this tractor has a planter on the back of it, and our crew is seeding the first sweet corn of the season. Sweet corn is planted from seed directly into the soil, as it is a crop that is fairly cold-tolerant and doesn’t require as much help to grow when compared to a crop like melons.

Pictured above are our overwintered June strawberries. They were covered with straw last fall, which helped to insulate them and protect them from cold temperatures. Now that it’s starting to warm up though, we raked the straw off to allow the plants to have access to sunshine again! Soon these plants will blossom, and these blossoms will turn into sweet berries. The straw will stay between the rows, as it also helps with weed suppression and moisture retention, as well as helping to minimize transfer of dirt and bugs from the soil to the berries.

In the above photo there are more strawberries. These ones are our everbearing variety, though! Everbearing strawberries are a variety that responds to sunlight differently. Traditional June strawberries produce for around 6 weeks each season, from early June through to mid-July, while everbearing varieties start to produce berries in July, and continue until we experience frost in the fall. Typically everbearing strawberries are a one-season crop, but you can overwinter them and with the help of row covers, produce an early spring crop. That’s what we’re doing here! We realize it doesn’t really look like a field of strawberries at the moment, but once those row covers are pulled off, we will be treated to an early taste of spring strawberries.

And finally, pictured above are the beginning stages of two delicious vegetables, which also happen to pair well in a culinary sense, too: potatoes and garlic. The potatoes were just planted this week, while the garlic was planted last fall and is just now beginning to pop up out of the soil. We will start to harvest some of the garlic within the next week or so. At this stage it will be ‘green garlic’ aka baby garlic, and is deliciously tender and sweet. The greens are tender too, which means the whole plant can be used and enjoyed at this stage, much like green onions.

Updates from Week 3 of April

Hello again from the farm! We are very glad to be past the cooler temperatures we experienced earlier this week, and are happy to see the sunshine out again. Here’s a look at what we’ve been up to since we filled you in last week:

First up, the moment you’ve been waiting for since we teased you last week — the big reveal of what’s underneath our row covers. This is admittedly a very bad photo, but we had to dig up one corner then lay down on the ground to get a peek at what’s on the go. And the answer is… mustard greens! A fun new experiment all around, as this is our first time growing them and our first time covering a row like this too.

Next, our cold frame greenhouse continues to thrive, with the potted herbs and greens growing bigger every day. Pictured above on the top left is our potted basil, which will be the first potted herb heading out in our  May Market Boxes!

Third, here’s a peek at two other items you can expect to see in your May Market Boxes. On the left are overwintered sweet potatoes. Look at the size of them! And on the right is our rhubarb, which is also continuing to grow bigger by the minute.

And finally, and arguably most excitably, we found the first sign of our 2023 strawberry crop this week! You may have seen this on our socials already, because we were just too excited not to share! But we’ll give you newsletter folks a little more info here. These little blossoms are what will turn into the delicious berries that will be available for sale at farmers’ markets and at our Farm Market and Pick-Your-Own. This stage of blossom indicates fruit will be starting to appear in 30 days, but we’ll only have a sprinkling at that time, and it will take longer for enough berries to be ready to justify regular harvest. It is a very encouraging site to see, though! And we can’t wait to sink our teeth into the first berries real soon.

Updates from Week 2 of April

Hello from the farm! Unlike last week, it has been all sunshine and blue-skies the past few days! This gorgeous weather has allowed us to get lots of work done outside and in the fields, and we are definitely making the most of it. Here’s a little peak at what we’ve been up to:

First up, it’s all about the seedlings right now. The glass greenhouse on our home farm is now officially full of trays! From now on, new trays will be transported just down the road to an additional greenhouse space located on our family’s property. We share several resources with them — this greenhouse, tractors, land, and more!

Pictured below are the first of our melon seedlings!

Next, we’ve been continuing to work on pruning our blueberries. We’re finishing up the final rows today, and will then be moving on to our raspberries. The photo on the left below shows just how many branches are removed during a pruning. It’s quite a lot! While out in the blueberry fields we were delighted to see that they are starting to bud! Check out the photo on the right to see where they are at.

Next, we’re trying something new this year, and wanted to share a little teaser. Stay tuned to find out what’s under the row covers next week! In the meantime, any guesses?

And finally, we’ve been hard at work tidying, organizing, and cleaning up our Farm Market. We will be re-opening for the season on Saturday, May 6th!

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Updates from Week 1 of April

Hello from the farm! It has been one wet week around here, and I’m sure it’s been the same for a lot of you as well! Fortunately, we have very sandy soil, so water drains pretty quickly. It’s handy when we have an abundance of water that needs to get moving, but as we talked about in some previous newsletters, it can pose a problem later in the season when we inevitably run into dry spells.

There’s quite a bit of activity on the go this week, and I thought I’d fill you in on some of it!

We were busy baking and sorting preserves earlier this week, and then dropped off all Spring/Easter orders yesterday, direct to the doorsteps of those who ordered. Thanks so much to everyone who supported our Farm Kitchen, and we hope you enjoy your pies, pretzels, and more!

Meanwhile, our seeding and field crews have also had lots on the go. Keep scrolling for a sneak peek at what they’ve been up to!

First up, as requested by our youngest reader (a 6-year-old from Toronto!) here are some photos of our germination trailer. Several of our crops hang out in here after being seeded into trays, and before heading out into the greenhouse. The germination trailer is heated to 85°F and has a humidity of 90%. The humidity is actually just thanks to the moisture found in the trays themselves, which are wetted down after being seeded. The trays stay in the germination trailer for anywhere from 24 – 72 hours: muskmelon for 24 hours, watermelon for 48 hours, and tomatoes for 72 hours. This time in the germination trailer allows for the emergence of 1/8 of an inch of the radical root (primary root) and sets the plant up for success throughout the season.

Next, two of our earliest crops (rhubarb and asparagus) are in their beginning stages of the season. Our asparagus fields are being mowed: the previous season’s plants grow up and go to fern after we finish harvesting, and we leave them out in the field over the fall and winter to act as a natural windbreak. Meanwhile, the rhubarb is starting to push its way up out of the soil for another year.

The first of our two cold frame greenhouses is officially full! We’ve got red, green, and Boston lettuce in there, along with spinach, Swiss chard, and potted chives and basil.

Our beekeeper Nathan was out checking on the beehives earlier this week, and we are thrilled to report that they are looking great! Check out this packed hive!

Finally, (not pictured) our blueberry bushes are being pruned this week! It may seem counterintuitive to cut off parts of a plant, but cutting back the older canes on the bush encourages more productive growth of new canes for future seasons. We will repeat the same process with our raspberry crop!

Homemade Strawberry-Raspberry Pop Tarts

For the pie crust:

2 1/2 cups flour

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed

1/4 cup ice water, plus more as needed

For the filling and glaze:

225g strawberries, washed and hulled

225g raspberries

1/2 cup  granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pinch kosher salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Cream or milk, for brushing the dough (optional)

1 cup confectioners' sugar, plus more as needed

1 tablespoon milk, plus more as needed

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Rainbow sprinkles!

Mix the flour, sugar, and salt together in the bowl of a stand mixer or food processor. If using a stand mixer, fit with the paddle attachment. Mix until thoroughly combined. Add the butter to the flour mixture and mix/pulse until the butter has been cut into pea-sized pieces. Add the water and mix/pulse again to combine. Add more water if needed, a tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together. Divide the dough in two, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

While the dough chills, add the berries, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and lemon juice to a medium pot and stir to combine. Heat the mixture over medium-low, until berries start to soften and release their juices. Continue cooking until berries are broken down and mixture is glossy and thick. Remove the mixture from heat and let cool/

Next, preheat the oven to 400° F. Tear off a large piece of parchment paper and lay each on a standard-size cookie sheet. One at a time, roll out the two pieces of dough to about 10- by 14 inches. Don’t worry if it’s not a perfect rectangle, and you can cut off any excess pieces and patch up other corners or cracks if needed.

Lay one of the crusts onto the prepared baking sheet. Make sure there’s enough dough on all sides to form a rim. Spread the berry filling evenly over the crust. Top with the other rolled out pie crust (you can use the parchment paper to invert the dough sheet over the filling). Carefully crimp together the edges and fold the excess dough over and under the edge, lifting up the parchment paper underneath to help with this process. Brush with cream, then use a fork to prick the top crust evenly all around.

Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. After that, check to make sure that the holes you made are still open (sometimes they shrink and seal up); if not, prick again with a fork—this is to ensure steam can exit. Rotate and return to the oven for another 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

In the meantime, make the glaze by mixing together the icing sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Add more icing sugar if the glaze is too thin or add more milk if it's too thick.

Allow the pie to cool then spread the glaze over the pie, leaving a small border. Immediately top with the rainbow sprinkles. Slice and serve!

Recipe slightly modified from food52.com and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Rhubarb Sticky Pudding

Ingredients

3 cups rhubarb, diced

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar (more or less depending on sweetness preference)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, melted

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup icing sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Grease 4 small oven-safe containers with butter or cooking spray. I used some ceramic French onion soup bowls! Divide the rhubarb evenly between the containers.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, milk, and vanilla.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until smooth. Batter will be quite thick!

6. Spread ¼ of the batter on top of the rhubarb in the ceramic baking dishes.

7. In another bowl, combine the icing sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over top of the rhubarb and batter mixture.

8. Pour ¼ cup of water on top of each ceramic dish.

9. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.

10. Remove from oven, cool, and serve. Pairs deliciously with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

 Recipe modified from hoteatsandcoolreads.com and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Seeding Situation

The weather around here continues to be pretty wild. One minute the ground is covered in snow, the next it’s pouring rain, and then the sun is shining. And now? It’s snowing again! Thankfully it seems like this snow isn’t going to stick around for long, but it certainly makes our day to day a little less enjoyable.

As we mentioned last week, our heated greenhouse has been slowly filling up with trays of seedlings. And as of today, it’s at capacity! So that means it’s time for transplanting. We’ll be shifting the furthest-along greens and herbs out to the cold frame greenhouses within the next day or so. After that, new trays filled with soil and seeds will take their place. This process of seeding a few trays at a time, on a regular basis, is called succession planting. It helps ensure we will have a steady supply of crops throughout the season.

In the meantime, we have also started to seed the first of the season peppers, tomatoes, and… (drumroll, please!) melons! That’s right, muskmelon and yellow watermelon, our earliest melons of the season, are making their way into soil as we speak.

While the herbs and greens will be transplanted to the cold frame and then continue to grow there until they are harvested, the peppers, tomatoes, and melons go through a slightly different process.

Peppers, tomatoes, and melons are also transplant crops, but they will eventually be transplanted outdoors, not into another greenhouse setting. The greenhouse these crops will hang out in while they get established is pictured above. It’s a traditional glass greenhouse and is heated by the sun. Fans at either end of the structure help regulate temperatures by controlling access to fresh air and cycling out hot air from inside

Before heading to the greenhouse though, the trays of pepper, tomato, and melon seeds have to make one more stop — a germination trailer! This is a dark space that slowly warms the soil and helps the seeds ‘wake up’ before heading into the greenhouse.

Blog post written & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD