“We are devastated to announce that last week Carlos’s dad passed away in his sleep. If you ever shopped at the market or visited the farm, you were likely lucky enough to be acquainted with his calm, joyful presence. He is missed beyond belief…’Your support and enthusiasm for my wildest dreams stoked the embers of what is now on the verge of being a fully realized fire.’ “

“Carlos has had some family matters come up, so he’ll be putting energy towards that for, at least, the next week or two. One consequence of that is that we will not be at the market this weekend (August 2nd) We hope to be back next week (August 9th)…Thank you once more for coming together and giving us a boost.

We are looking to have a regular/weekly opportunity for volunteering/energy exchange (work for veg!)”

“There’s something special about the back and forth in creating a dish, even a dish as simple as a salad…top tips for a quick pickle: Use small jars (500ml or less), warm the jars, and use lots of fresh herbs!…top tips/things to remember for jam: Always test the set point of the jam before putting it in the jars!”

Amanda made a chocolate zucchini loaf and zucchini fritters this week…What’s your favourite way to eat a zucchini? Let us know if you’ve got a good recipe to share!…Do you have any extra time this week and are willing to come help us fork and pull garlic? We are thinking of doing it July 23rd…Fun fact about bay leaves, they are actually very good at deterring regular pantry pests such as moths.

“has been taking some good moments of rest. But, as it is the height of the season, the farm and market have not slowed down much…The book opens with “The voice in my head is an asshole”, which grabbed my attention right away….Have you ever noticed kale as been bagged or bunched? Do you have any thoughts on this topic?”

“On Sunday morning, as I was driving back, I got hit by an impatient left-turner who smashed my front corner of my car and ruined my day…I am grateful to all of you and all of the market-goers who support me in this life/business venture…getting ready to head to the Sat market. We are back tomorrow with some exciting new offerings of cabbage, cucumbers and our ever-dynamic herb bouquets”

….That’s not the only change up of our normal routine: we are not at the market today!….Some cool crops we have in the field this season come from the mind of one of Carlos’ inspirations: Dan Barber, from New York…Carlos giving some serious Long Weekend-vibes!

“it’s the Summer Solstice tomorrow and how exciting for summer to officially begin…so many people were jazzed with the chamomile bouquets we’re bringing more this week!….Go for an extra long walk, have an extra long conversation with a friend, stretch yourself out loooong on the grass (or your couch) and savour the long day.”

“we had the pleasure of welcoming cooks and servers from the Terrace Restaurant at Mission Hill for a farm tour. Hosting them at the farm was a real ‘full-circle’ moment for Carlos to reflect on…”herb bouquets”. These bouquets are a delightful mix of dill, sage, parsely, oregano and lemon thyme… the mingling scents a surefire way to give you a diversity of inspiration in the kitchen!”

Happy June!

Lots happening at the farm this week with tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers… and What’s in our Ears?

“Whoops: we blinked and May is over! It has been non-stop this month with new projects, fluctuating crops, new rhythms of farm hands and planning out the summer.  Reflecting back on the past month we are so grateful for some big achievements…”

“Everything is green and exploding from the spring rains and increasing sunshine….This past winter, I felt like I almost forgot what spinach tasted like, having to resort to big-box imported spinach…“Procrastination is a coping mechanism.”…”

“Growth is our game, both as a farm growing things every day, and as a small business, growing in capacity and success. And it can be challenging to find the perspective of contentment while maintaining the perseverance for development. But it’s a teeter-totter that we balance in all of our lives.”

Change, veggie boxes, and a return to the market!