Come check out our booth this Saturday, January 21, 2012 at the Living Locally Fair in Russell, from 9:30am until 3pm! It is located at St. Thomas Aquinas High School, 1211 South Russell Road. There will be lots of great vendors and you will have a chance to learn more about our CSA from the lovely Jonny Näf!
Take a break from the snow and warm up inside with hot drinks, tasty treats and lots of great crafts. You don't wanna miss it!
Stay warm everyone!!!
Community Supported Agriculture
CSA Details
Monday, January 16, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
2012 will be our best season yet!
May 2012 bring sunshine, success, health & happiness to you all! Happy new year from your Luxy farmers in the land of cheese curds!
Sunday, December 11, 2011
It's starting to look a little like winter
This has been quite a mild winter for Eastern Ontario. There's not even an inch of snow on the ground and I still see green grass on the neighbours' lawn. However, it gets dark very early and all I feel like doing these days is sleep - it's definitely winter. The Christmas Farmers' Markets have been nice and busy - great venues to buy local gifts. I'm done shopping but still have a bunch of Christmas cards to send out.
I've been busy vacationing in Toronto and job hunting in Ottawa since the farm closed for the season in November. Toronto was fabulous as usual and I miss everyone so much! Luckily, I won't have to miss someone for much longer - my sister is moving here!!! I'm so excited to have my partner in crime only 10 minutes away! Not only do I get my sister - I also get my brother-in-law and nephew too, who happens to be the cutest baby EVER!
The job hunt was successful and I've started training at Bridgehead, an organic and fair trade coffee/tea shop. I was totally impressed with Bridgehead when I first discovered it almost three years ago. Their dedication to sustainability is unprecedented for such a company. They have 12 locations in Ottawa but I don't think they have plans to spread beyond the city. Too bad Toronto because the coffee, tea and food is BETTER than Starbucks or any of those other coffee chains, and most of their waste is compostable. Nice.
I've also been waitressing at Knox, which has been fun. Lots of Christmas parties and a bustling New Year's Eve to look forward to.
On a sad note, our lovely dog Gina died, just shortly after the CSA finished. It's just Jonny, Django, Mary Lou and I on the farm...for now.
I've been busy vacationing in Toronto and job hunting in Ottawa since the farm closed for the season in November. Toronto was fabulous as usual and I miss everyone so much! Luckily, I won't have to miss someone for much longer - my sister is moving here!!! I'm so excited to have my partner in crime only 10 minutes away! Not only do I get my sister - I also get my brother-in-law and nephew too, who happens to be the cutest baby EVER!
The job hunt was successful and I've started training at Bridgehead, an organic and fair trade coffee/tea shop. I was totally impressed with Bridgehead when I first discovered it almost three years ago. Their dedication to sustainability is unprecedented for such a company. They have 12 locations in Ottawa but I don't think they have plans to spread beyond the city. Too bad Toronto because the coffee, tea and food is BETTER than Starbucks or any of those other coffee chains, and most of their waste is compostable. Nice.
I've also been waitressing at Knox, which has been fun. Lots of Christmas parties and a bustling New Year's Eve to look forward to.
On a sad note, our lovely dog Gina died, just shortly after the CSA finished. It's just Jonny, Django, Mary Lou and I on the farm...for now.
In memory of Gina, Best Dog Ever.
Happy Hannukah, Merry Christmas & and a bumpin' Kwanza to all!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The CSA ends for another year.
It is hard to believe that it's over. For the past 17 weeks, we've spent our Mondays washing harvest bins, searching for recipes and writing the weekly newsletter, touring the garden while making notes about the harvest, and for the past few weeks, checking for orders on the Eastern Ontario Local Food Co-op.
Tuesdays were spent harvesting from 6:30 or 7am until 3:30pm, and then waiting from 5 until 8pm at our pickup location in Embrun, for members to collect their shares.
Wednesdays were repeats of Tuesdays except that the pickup locations were at the farm and in Rockcliffe.
Thursdays were good weeding/planting days where we could relax and take our time. We've also been taking orders and delivering to Knox Fine Dining in Moose Creek; another task to fill up our Thursdays.
Fridays were harvest days for the Metcalfe Farmers' Market, which took place on Saturdays from 8am until noon and came to a close this past weekend.
Saturdays began at 5:30am, our earliest day of the week (for Jonny, not me.) We would harvest the last few items for market, such as lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, herbs - things that would wilt, had they been harvested any earlier. Then we would pack up the car and be on the road for 7am. Post-market, some work got done but I tried to avoid it, if I could.
Every other Sunday, I spent a long day at the Landsdown Market for the Swiss Farmer Bakery. I would get up at 4:45am and leave for the bakery at 5:30 (I need time in the morning to have coffee and check my emails - I hate rushing when my brain is still waking up.) I'd leave the bakery at 6:30 with a car full of steamy bread and treats and not return home until about 5:30pm. Meanwhile, back at the farm, Jonny would have our farm gate prepared for drop-ins, with a sandwich board sign informing traffic of our available organic veggies, from 10am until 3pm.
Sunday evenings were pretty much a write-off, and we dedicated those few hours to catching up on our favourite TV series'.
And then, back to Monday. We took two weekends off this summer; one was for two back-to-back weddings, and the other for my birthday.
And that's a quick glance at our day-to-day for the past 17 weeks of our lives. We've had a really good response from our CSA members (and a few deposits for next year!) There were some rough patches, like too much rain then not enough rain, crop failures (corn, pie pumpkins), not having the time to plant a crop altogether (sweet potatoes), and the stress of not knowing if there would be enough.
But Jonny and I did it. Honourable mention goes to Jonny, for his calm and collected attitude gave me the courage to keep going, when things got tough.
Jonny, you're amazing.
And now I'm ready for winter.
However, it's not over yet. We still have irrigation and landscape fabric to collect from the fields, crop to sell and harvest, a greenhouse and shed to clean and organize, garlic to plant...will it ever end?
Hopefully by Halloween, but we'll see.
Tuesdays were spent harvesting from 6:30 or 7am until 3:30pm, and then waiting from 5 until 8pm at our pickup location in Embrun, for members to collect their shares.
Wednesdays were repeats of Tuesdays except that the pickup locations were at the farm and in Rockcliffe.
Thursdays were good weeding/planting days where we could relax and take our time. We've also been taking orders and delivering to Knox Fine Dining in Moose Creek; another task to fill up our Thursdays.
Fridays were harvest days for the Metcalfe Farmers' Market, which took place on Saturdays from 8am until noon and came to a close this past weekend.
Saturdays began at 5:30am, our earliest day of the week (for Jonny, not me.) We would harvest the last few items for market, such as lettuce, Swiss chard, kale, herbs - things that would wilt, had they been harvested any earlier. Then we would pack up the car and be on the road for 7am. Post-market, some work got done but I tried to avoid it, if I could.
Every other Sunday, I spent a long day at the Landsdown Market for the Swiss Farmer Bakery. I would get up at 4:45am and leave for the bakery at 5:30 (I need time in the morning to have coffee and check my emails - I hate rushing when my brain is still waking up.) I'd leave the bakery at 6:30 with a car full of steamy bread and treats and not return home until about 5:30pm. Meanwhile, back at the farm, Jonny would have our farm gate prepared for drop-ins, with a sandwich board sign informing traffic of our available organic veggies, from 10am until 3pm.
Sunday evenings were pretty much a write-off, and we dedicated those few hours to catching up on our favourite TV series'.
And then, back to Monday. We took two weekends off this summer; one was for two back-to-back weddings, and the other for my birthday.
And that's a quick glance at our day-to-day for the past 17 weeks of our lives. We've had a really good response from our CSA members (and a few deposits for next year!) There were some rough patches, like too much rain then not enough rain, crop failures (corn, pie pumpkins), not having the time to plant a crop altogether (sweet potatoes), and the stress of not knowing if there would be enough.
But Jonny and I did it. Honourable mention goes to Jonny, for his calm and collected attitude gave me the courage to keep going, when things got tough.
Jonny, you're amazing.
And now I'm ready for winter.
However, it's not over yet. We still have irrigation and landscape fabric to collect from the fields, crop to sell and harvest, a greenhouse and shed to clean and organize, garlic to plant...will it ever end?
Hopefully by Halloween, but we'll see.
The Fall Harvest
Italian 'Milan' turnips
Bok Choy
Celery Art
Thanksgiving with Dad
Eggplants
Jonny's invention: The Irrigation Caddy
I even managed to throw a gig in there somewhere:
The Electric Company at The Rainbow, Oct. 9th
Photos by Jonathan Näf
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Luxy Farm on 'D' is for Dinner, CBC Radio 1
I did an interview with Alan Neal from the program 'All in a Day' on CBC Radio 1, 91.5FM in Ottawa. He had me as the feature guest for the 'D' is for Dinner segment, on which I educated the audience about pattypan squash. It was fun going down to Sparks Street and getting a glimpse of the broadcast world! Jonny and I have been listening to CBC daily since we started our apprenticeship where hours were spent putting tiny seeds into little cells, with the radio as our soundtrack.
It took me back to those few month in London, Ontario, when I took a semester of Broadcast Journalism at Fanshawe College. Keyboards were chattering away accompanied by the low hum of computers, TV screens, hushed voices, and a French television show being filmed in a studio slightly set back from the sea of cubicles and colourful monitors.
I had a moment of regret, feeling the energy in the place and wishing I could work in such an environment, but then remembered how much I disliked the broadcast program and decided to enjoy the moment.
Alan Neal was lovely and made a nervous me, feel comfortable and at home in front of the round table, decorated with microphones, head phones and a computer. You'd think with all of my experience as a singer, that an 8 minute interview would be a walk in the park, but I was nervous! Singing is easy and I can perform in front of hundreds of people, no problem, because the script is predetermined and I (usually) know my lines. I had a rough idea of how the interview would pan out but there was no script and I'd have to think fast and try not to say something silly.
Luckily, the topic was pattypans. I've been growing, cooking, and eating them for over two years now, so I'm pretty much a pro...right? I brought him a sample (more like a smorgasbord) of stuffed pattypans, as well as barbequed pattypans and zucchini, for comparing flavours. The interview went well (when I asked for an honest, off-air opinion, Alan said he sincerely enjoyed my food and told me that he once had to say a dish was 'interesting' on air, meaning it was not so enjoyable!) I managed to get a few pictures of the building for Jonny, who would have loved to be there but was doing our Rockcliffe Vegetable drop off. "Somebody has to do some work around here", he says. Well, I think I did a good job of not only promoting our farm, but also the Metcalfe Farmers' Market and Knox Fine Dining in Moose Creek.
Here's the interview:
http://www.cbc.ca/allinaday/columnists/dinner/2011/09/14/d-is-for-dinner---pattypans
Cheers!
Daizy
It took me back to those few month in London, Ontario, when I took a semester of Broadcast Journalism at Fanshawe College. Keyboards were chattering away accompanied by the low hum of computers, TV screens, hushed voices, and a French television show being filmed in a studio slightly set back from the sea of cubicles and colourful monitors.
I had a moment of regret, feeling the energy in the place and wishing I could work in such an environment, but then remembered how much I disliked the broadcast program and decided to enjoy the moment.
Alan Neal was lovely and made a nervous me, feel comfortable and at home in front of the round table, decorated with microphones, head phones and a computer. You'd think with all of my experience as a singer, that an 8 minute interview would be a walk in the park, but I was nervous! Singing is easy and I can perform in front of hundreds of people, no problem, because the script is predetermined and I (usually) know my lines. I had a rough idea of how the interview would pan out but there was no script and I'd have to think fast and try not to say something silly.
Luckily, the topic was pattypans. I've been growing, cooking, and eating them for over two years now, so I'm pretty much a pro...right? I brought him a sample (more like a smorgasbord) of stuffed pattypans, as well as barbequed pattypans and zucchini, for comparing flavours. The interview went well (when I asked for an honest, off-air opinion, Alan said he sincerely enjoyed my food and told me that he once had to say a dish was 'interesting' on air, meaning it was not so enjoyable!) I managed to get a few pictures of the building for Jonny, who would have loved to be there but was doing our Rockcliffe Vegetable drop off. "Somebody has to do some work around here", he says. Well, I think I did a good job of not only promoting our farm, but also the Metcalfe Farmers' Market and Knox Fine Dining in Moose Creek.
Here's the interview:
http://www.cbc.ca/allinaday/columnists/dinner/2011/09/14/d-is-for-dinner---pattypans
Here's my mom!
She drove me to CBC because we are currently down to one vehicle,
which was full of veggies at the moment.
The news room
Sparks Street, Ottawa
The announcers can see Sparks Street from behind the microphone.
I was sitting at the table behind one of these windows.
Very exciting! Now back to the harvest.
Daizy
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Feast of Fields & CBC interview - TODAY at 3:40!
If you made it out to Feast of Fields on Sept. 11th, you probably tried the chilled beet root and heirloom tomato soup prepared by our partner chef John Taylor of Domus Café. It was a brilliant fuchsia colour with incredible texture. A summer vegetable chutney gave the concoction crunch and a dollop of whipped goat cheese added a velvety touch, topped with a cider reduction for a burst of sweetness. Even the vegans were able to taste our creation, minus the goat cheese. We supplied 50 pounds of beets for the occasion; 40 pounds of purple and 10 pounds each of yellow and candy cane striped, not to mention 10 pounds of tomatoes, 15 pounds of zucchinis, 6 bunches of green onions, 5 pounds of red onions, 30 cucumbers, and 10 bulbs of garlic. John was able to make over 300 servings. Luxy Farm & Domus Cafe won the prize for 'Best Booth'! It was a gift basket of organic goodies. There was a fantastic turnout and all of the farmer-chef teams did an incredible job. We were really happy to see Beau's there! Luxy Farm will definitely attend next year's Feast of Fields!
50 pounds of beets
Purple
Gold
Candy Cane or Chiogga
Setting up
Best Booth!
Chilled beet & tomato soup
Adrian Harewood of CBC announcing our win
Farmer and GQ model, Jonny!
Me & John Taylor
Our gift basket
Today I will be on CBC Ottawa 91.5 talking about pattypans! Tune in at 3:40pm if you're in the area or check out our facebook later this evening for a link to the interview.
Cheers!
Daizy
Friday, August 19, 2011
Garlic Planting & Feast of Fields
We plant garlic in a few weeks that will be harvested next summer. Jonny has been researching the best price for seed stock. We love the variety we've grown the past two years, called 'Music'. We're considering trying a different variety as well, but in the end, it's the soil that really defines the taste. Jonny stumbled upon this article and read it to me, reassuring me that even the most experienced farmers go through hard times and consider throwing in the towel.
Alan Cowan on growing and selling garlic in Ontario:
A lot of the growers got frustrated and quit there, a few years ago. Because the prices were so low, they were bringing it in by China, by the boatload. But now, this 100-mile diet thing. Consumers love to buy local. They like to know the grower, they like to know where the farmer came from. So demand is up. There have been disease pressures too – the nematodes and that – there have been crop failures. So, supply is down and it's almost a seller's market, a perfect storm, really.
You think you know everything and mother nature will throw something at you. Like, there's so many variables, because you plant it in the fall, and all the way through. Like I said, it's either too hot or too dry, or too wet or too cold, or whatever! And you dig it up and then it rains and there's fog, and it molds. It's character building! It's not for everybody.
A week ago I said "I'll never do this again!" I was feeling kind of sick and down and the workers didn't show up, and it rained on this field of garlic. And the garlic festival was coming up, and I was overwhelmed. I said "Why bother?" But a day like today, that's rewarding.
From North Country Public Radio News
But alas, we'll keep on farming until we can farm no more. The great thing about having a partner is that they are there to get you back on your feet when you're down, and vice versa. I could never do this alone! I also have to learn how to keep certain complaints to myself, like "My knees/back/hands/legs/head hurt(s)." Cause something always hurts and Jonny doesn't need to hear about it everyday.
Get your tickets and come down to the Central Experimental Farm on September 11th for a feast of flavours, featuring local talent and produce. Find Luxy Farm teamed up with John Taylor and Domus Cafe! After trying out the chefs' creations, stick around to fill your FOF grocery bag with local organic produce. This is an event you don't want to miss!
Cheers!
Daizy
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