Updated Winter CSA

We have updated our winter CSA information for this year and have changed a couple of things.  The season has been shortened to 12 weeks with the cost reduced to only $300 now as well.  Also, we have added a drop-off in Hamilton at or near McMaster on Thursdays.  For more information do not hesitate to contact us or check out the pdf file with the application form at www.creekshorefarms.ca/winter2012.pdf

Thanks for looking and hope you might be interested in joining with us in eating great this winter.

2012 Winter CSA

Well here it is at last...our information brochure and application form for our 2012 Winter CSA program.  Despite the tough summer with a lack of rain we are looking ahead to an exciting winter full of fresh and stored vegetables straight from our farm to you.

The Basics

• 17 weekly boxes starting November
• Share Cost: $400
• Application Deadline: October 12
• Delivery options are available including home delivery

Please note that the farm pick-up location has changed to 1167 Lakeshore Rd W. in St. Catharines.  More on why that is later....

If you have any questions please do not hesistate to contact us.  More information and the application are available at: http://www.creekshorefarms.ca/winter2012.pdf

I Knew I Shouldn't Get Excited...

Most of our readers know how hard this summer has been with the lack of rainfall and I am losing track of the number of times it has forecasted rain with nothing showing except for a few drops.

Once again it was showing 90% chance of 20-30mm of rain for tomorrow this morning and I thought we were saved.  Watering has been tough and plants are really showing the stress.

I just checked the weather...

Down from a glorious 20-30mm to "close to 5mm".

How can they get it so wrong again and again and again.

At some point I would hope they would just forecast no rain ever and I would eventually get a nice little surprise...instead I am left heartbroken again and again...

Week 1 CSA cooking adventures with Liz

Week one's bounty

fresh lettuce with garlic chive and scape vinegrette

freezing the oregano for when tomatoes are in season

sunflower sprouts are tasty while writing

lettuce, sunflower and pea sprouts with home made croutons and crispy bacon

roasted, balsamic-glazed turnips and radishes

garlic scape pesto on penne with bacon wrapped scapes

tasty sandwich with scape pesto, sunflower shoots and bacon on toast

                            Thanks to Liz who documented what she did with her first CSA basket

Moving Along

Well it has been some time since a post has been left here but it does not mean that things have not been very busy around the farm. What has been going on you ask? Well lots of planting and of course our summer CSA swung into gear last Thursday which also means lots of picking.
We are currently harvesting delights such as lettuce, garlic scapes and this will be our first week with peas. I have to say that fresh peas are one of my favorite parts of summer.
And what could be better on a hot summers night then some fresh garlic scape pesto? Well I'm pretty sure that it is a perfect choice for a hot night. Thanks to Liz S for sharing her recipe.

Ingredients

• 6 garlic scapes, chopped
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup pecans
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Place the garlic scapes, Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and pecans in the bowl of a food processor. Drizzle the olive oil over the mixture. Blend until the pesto is a brilliant green color and smooth in texture. Season with salt and pepper.

A New Surpise

Things have gotten a little busier the last couple days here at Creek Shore Farms.

To find out why visit Junior Farmer Blog to see the exciting news.

Stay tuned for more farm updates.

Growing in the greenhouse

Over the past couple of weeks we have been doing a lot of seeding in the greenhouse. Everything is growing really well so we have also been doing a lot of up potting. Up potting is simple moving the seedling into a 4 inch pot. Therefore giving them more growing room. This year we also are growing some flowers which is a new venture for us. We have not gone too wild on the flower front just a few variates.
Its been so hot in the greenhouse (35+) that we have been spending over an hour a day watering. This is mainly due to the fact that we water everything by hand. Why do we water by hand?? Well there is a watering system in the greenhouse but they run fertilizer through the line and we just use plain old tap water.

Of course we are still planting but not at a large scale just when we want to top things up here and there

Broccoli. Our first planting was big enough to go into 4inch pots

Basil and Oregano about a week ago. They four times bigger now

Lupins sprouting up they will be ready to uppot soon

Zinnia's

Coreopsis

nasturtiums (started in the dark)

nasturtiums with there leaves opening

It is nice to grow something new and watch it grow. We hope to have good success with the flowers at the farmers market.

Bean and Oats are having a great time with the warm weather. We had them spayed/neutered a couple of weeks ago and are both doing great. We of course are happy that there will be no kittens joining the farm family.

Bean hanging out on the picnic table

Oats using the grass as scratch matt