Oct 10: Thanks, processing.
Water’s been turned off, and you really don’t know what you have until it’s gone. We had our last harvest days for the market this week, and there is an odd feeling operating without water on hand. Changes your perspective, how you move around and what choices you make.
With that being said, greens this week are unwashed, but we have a ton of tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, sunchokes, squash, and other fall goodies for you to stock up on. Edible flowers are available for purchase on their own to add to your salad mix, soaking up the last blooms of the season.
Plus, we have tons of Thanksgiving herbs such as rosemary, sage, oregano and parsley for any ‘sprucing-up’ your dinner might require this weekend. Our herb bouquets are also extra special this week, designed to dry well and featuring a surprise new herb! Come check them out at the market to discover what it is :)
As we wind down over the last week of big harvesting, the last week at the outdoor market and last week with the full team, we finally got a quick snap of everyone together. Our core group of farm hands helping Carlos this season out was Janna (second from right), Ona (right) and Amanda (left).
We’d also like to shout out to our weekly volunteer group that came out in August/September that helped us when many things around the farm got harder to keep up with. We’ve expressed our gratitude many times, but it only grows with reflection.
Butternut for daysss.
Carlos is shifting his energies fully the next few weeks towards shutting down the farm and processing all the harvest for future condiments or ingredients for ready-made food, or prepped market salads, bowls and snacks (coming to a market near you in 2026!). He has been in the kitchen with his pal, Erin, chopping, cooking, drying and storing.
It’s a valuable time of year, processing season. Processing, both food and life. Taking raw experience, putting time and effort into shaping it into something that lasts. Something you can come back to at another time. Processing season. Thanksgiving comes at a good time to process, welcoming the harvest and those closest to digest the bounty and the hardships of the year.
Carlos is planning a celebration of life for his Dad on November 11th. If you are interested in more details, you want to show your support or share a memory, please reach out.
OKHP will be back at the farmer’s market’s indoor location for November, as well as hitting up Christmas markets with our jams, sauces and condiments, ready for the holidays.
Christmas market schedule:
Sunday, November 9th - Delta Grand
Friday-Saturday, November 21st-22nd -Holiday Magic @ the Rotary Centre for the Arts
Fri, Sat, Sun December 5th, 6th, 7th - Christkindl Market @ the Laurel Packing House
Sat, Sun December 13th-14th - Last Chance Penticton Trade Convention Centre
This is our last weekly newsletter of 2025, so one final extra thankful, Thanksgiving weekend, THANKS to all of you who have been faithful readers, shareholders, followers, market-goers and supporters. Every little bit counts for a small, growing business like this.
Hope you have a warm, delicious weekend of gratitude, good folks and even better food and we will see you later.
Warm wishes,
-The OKHP