Farm Talk: In the Zone

Hello Farm Folk,

Farm Update:
Following two grueling farming seasons which included lousy harvests, financial peril, and burnout, we continue to revel in how well things are going this season. This week CSA members will receive, among other crops, carrots, snow peas, snap peas, and Swiss chard. This is the earliest we have ever been able to provide our CSA members with these four crops. We generally are not able to harvest chard and peas in substantial qualities until early-mid July, and carrots even later. However, cooperative April conditions allowed us to get our peas in early, and the plants have thrived ever since. The chard we started from seedlings for the first time this season (as opposed to direct seeding), which is allowing us to harvest it almost a month ahead of usual. Being able to provide carrots in June is a special accomplishment, made possible only by our greenhouse, where we planted the carrots in early April. Of course, the heat wave of last week made for challenging working conditions, but our amazing interns, volunteers, and staff persevered through it, harvesting for our 6 CSA locations & 2 farmers markets, while weeding our current crops, and planting new ones (salad mix, carrots, beets). And the downpour we received on Thursday was just the gift we needed. When things are going well — on the farm, or in life — it is important to be able to recognize it, and enjoy it. Farming is demanding as always, but We’re In The Zone and Loving it!

The Cutting Veg in the Media:
• A fun article that was featured in several York Region publications: http://bit.ly/NO7in3
• And the Rabbi & Farmer job-trade article getting lots more coverage: http://bit.ly/NQfhPw, http://bit.ly/NrW85g

Volunteers Welcome:
Each week we welcome volunteers to the farm from Sunday-Friday, 7:15am-4pm. If you are interested in helping on the farm this week or next, please rsvp to catherine.j@thecuttingveg.com and let her know what day you want to come, and if you need directions to the farm, or a lift (leaving at 6am from Bloor & Christie area). Hope to see you on the farm soon!

Produce this week:
This week CSA members can expect to see the following items at the pick-up: Snap Peas, Carrots, Snow Peas, Chard, Salad Mix, Green Onions, Green Garlic, Mushrooms. The mushrooms were outsourced from a local, organic farm.

That’s all the news from the farm for now. Until next time, Keep Livin’ on the Veg!

The Cutting Veg Farm Team

P.S. While we work hard at growing veg for the community, we would love your support to grow our CSA membership. Members can join at any time during the season, at a prorated cost. If you love what we do, please tell your friends, bring them to the CSA pick-up, or give them some of your veg to taste. Or send them this link: www.thecuttingveg.com/CSA. Thanks for your support to grow our membership.