Capsicums and Chillies 2014

CAPSICUMSAll capsicums begin green or purple.  They mature on the plant to red, orange or yellow.  Growing mature capsicums is a tricky business though because as the capsicum matures, so does it's seed.  When the plant gets the message that the seeds are mature, it stops growing and producing flowers and consequently its production stops as well.  In the early stages of the plant's life (the beginning of summer), we harvest the capsicums green or purple to allow the plant to grow bigger which in turn allows it to produce more fruit.  In mid-summer, we begin to leave the fruits on the plant to allow them to ripen.  At this stage, we will pick them as "turning' capsicums, which means the capsicum are beginning to show shades of red, orange or yellow.  These will continue to turn completely sitting on the kitchen bench or put into a bag with a banana.  This process may take 5-9 days.  In the Autumn, the capsicum turn more quickly on the plant as the plant gets the message that winter is coming and really wants to make sure it has produced viable seed.

We will continue to update the photo with new varieties as the are ready for harvest. 'Corno di Toro' An Italian heirloom sweet capsicum that produces curved, tapering fruits, 15 - 25 cm long, with a great, fruity flavour. When ripe they turn a stunning red or yellow. 'Purple Beauty' Absolutely stunning purple bell pepper. Tender crisp texture, mild sweet flavor. Holds in the purple stage for some time before ripening to a radiant purple-red. 'Emerald Giant' The Bell Pepper 'Emerald Giant' is a large, thick-fleshed green bell pepper that sweetens and turns red on the vine. Roasted, stuffed and baked, or eaten fresh in salads, 'Emerald Giant's' large, thick fleshed peppers have more vitamin C than an orange.

CHILLIES Chilli ‘Hungarian Hot Wax’  ‘Hungarian Hot Wax’ is a hardy, highly productive banana chilli with smooth, waxy fruits tapering to a point. The fleshy fruit, 12 cm x 3.8 cm, turn from yellow, to orange, to red when ripe. It is definitely hot, similar in heat range to Jalapeno or Paprika; Scoville heat scale 2500 – 8000 units. Chili ‘Cayenne Long Thin’ Cayenne Long Thin’ is a productive chilli with 12 – 15 cm long, curved, wrinkled, fiery-hot fruit that start green and ripen to crimson. Height of chilli bush is 90 cm. This is one of the best chillies for seasoning pickles, salsa and drying as chilli powder. It is very hot, similar in heat range to Tabasco; Scoville heat scale 30,000 – 50,000 units. Chili ‘Pimiento de Padron’ From Spain and named after the town where they originated, Padrons are served sautéed in olive oil with a little sea salt, and eaten as tapas (appetizer) in Spain.  Folk law has it that one pepper in 20 is hot.  Very sweet and mild and excellent for frying. The more mature the chili is, the hotter it becomes rating 3000 on the Scoville heat scale.

The 'Pimiento de Padron' are rotated through the boxes with people receiving enough to have as a tapas dish and to make heating the oil worthwhile.  We put the other chillies into the boxes by request.  If you would like to receive them, please send an email and we will add you to the list.

CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #10 (11 December/14 December)

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly.  A "*" next to an item indicates that this is something that is being rotated through the boxes.  "F" indicates that this item is in the full share box.   "H" indicates that this item is in the half share box.

CHANGE TO THE PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 3pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.  We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival. Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants and wash away some surface dirt, not to prepare them for consumption.  We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days.  While this will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.

NOTES ON THE SHARE *Artichokes – Still rotating small and medium artichokes through the boxes! *Basil – Bunches in the AM delivery boxes this week and in the full shares Bok Choy – The ANDI rating for bok choy is 824 - higher then spinach and broccoli! (ANDI stands for "Aggregate Nutrient Density Index." An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities.) The same caterpillar we have been fighting is still present.  There is damage on the leaves but we hope there is still plenty left for you to enjoy. *Capsicum –The capsicum harvest has begun.  The cooler, wetter weather this week have slowed the capsicum and chilies down.  Still,  we harvested some 'Purple Beauty', 'Emerald Giant', and 'Corno di Toro'. I have put a photo of the varieties at the end of this email to help with identification. Carrots – Bunch in every box Chilies – By Request and availability–We sent an email out with a description of the chilies we are growing this year.  We will try and add that information to our website as well so you can identify what you receive. *Cucumbers –We expected to have more cucumbers this week but the cool weather slowed them down.  There are loads of babies on the plants. *Japanese Hakurei Turnips –These are lovely, tender, subtle flavoured turnips.  They are sometimes called salad turnips because you can eat them raw.  They are also delicious thrown into a stew or fried in duck fat. We hope to have more next week so that everyone gets to try them. Lettuce – 'Red Iceburg'.  These are beautiful, succulent heads. Mesclun – Bag of mixed lettuce and greens in every box. Parsley – Bunch of Italian parsley in every box. *Pimiento de Padrons –Delightful "sometimes hot, sometimes not" chilies that are wonderful fried as a Tapas style entree.  They have a lovey full flavour great for pizzas and stir fries too. These are rotated through the boxes.  We have lots of plants but the harvest has only just begun.  It might take awhile to get them into everyone's box. Rocket – Bunches of rocket. *Romanesco Broccoli – This is much more of a cauliflower then a broccoli.  We are rotating this through the boxes like the cauliflower.  You may receive 'Romanesco' or cauliflower. Shelling Peas – The sugars in these plants begin to degrade into starch after harvest - so try and eat them tonight! Fresh peas are so delicious.  We like them raw in salads as well as very lightly steamed.  They freeze well, too.  Shell and blanch them for 1-3 minutes.  Remove from water and cool quickly in ice water. Drain and then freeze. English Spinach –F and H delivery pm– A planting of English spinach was ready for harvest.  It was a new seed variety and the germination was not what we had expected.  Consequently there was not enough for everyone.  The full shares and the afternoon deliveries have received this.  The morning deliveries and Saturday pick up will receive 'Perpetual Spinach'. 'Perpetual Spinach' – H delivery am and Saturday– A delightful, tender silver beet with a fresh lemony taste.  These are bunches of teenage size leaves. Sugar Snap Peas –H– Bags for the half shares this week. *Summer Squash – 'Golden Crookneck' and 'Patty Pan'.  Here is a recipe for 'Patty Pan' squash, which look like small oval greenish/white gourds.  They are delicate and delicious. The Golden crookneck are so sweet steamed with butter, salt and pepper. *Tomatoes –We have started harvesting tomatoes.  With the cold, there are not many turning colour.  The flavour of tomatoes are better ripened away from direct sunlight so we do harvest ours before they are fully ripe.  We leave them on the kitchen counter to ripen which should take about three to four days.  We are currently harvesting heirloom varieties 'Black Russian', 'Rouge de Marmande' and 'Ox Heart Red'.  There are many more in the poly tunnel so we hope that this is just the beginning of the crop. Zucchini – Great harvest of zucchini is continuing.

NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING This has been a funny harvest week with bits and pieces of many new crops.  The beginning of a crop is like that, especially with the cooler weather.  This Spring has been very different to last Spring.  We have had a few hot days and lots of rain.  The greens are loving it!  The "fruiting" vegetables like beans, cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes, capsicums would like it warmer.  We had hoped for beans by Christmas and the plants are filled with flowers and some 2cm beans.  Two weeks to go and only the weather will tell if we will have them or not.

The melon plants are full of flowers and there are already some pretty big looking pumpkins growing in the pumpkin patch.  This years watermelon crop is the strongest looking we have grown.

We are continuing to be vigilant about blights and powdery mildews that thrive in these damp conditions.  We will do another biodynamic spray at the end of this week as well as more herbal brews mixed into the seaweed spray.  All of these help the plants to tighten their pores.  The biodynamic spray also helps the plants uptake minerals which results in nutrient dense produce that is more resilient.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Turnips with Carmelized Onions and Toasted Lentils Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Greens, Feta and Semi-dried Tomatoes Ottolenghi Red Rice, Quinoa and Rocket

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX EMAILS Expect the What's in the Box email before noon on Wednesday's.  If you do not receive it, please let us know so that we can work out why.

Please note - Photo is of a full share box.

CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #9 (4 December/7 December)

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly.  A "*" next to an item indicates that this is something that is being rotated through the boxes.  "F" indicates that this item is in the full share box.   "H" indicates that this item is in the half share box.

CHANGE TO THE PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 3pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.  We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival. Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants and wash away some surface dirt, not to prepare them for consumption.  We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days.  While this will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.

NOTES ON THE SHARE *Basil Beet Root – Bunches in every box Red Bok Choy – The ANDI rating for bok choy is 824 - higher then spinach and broccoli! And with the Red Bok Choy, you are getting different phytonutrients to last week.  (ANDI stands for "Aggregate Nutrient Density Index." An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities.) *Cauliflower – Harvesting 'Early Snowball'.  The heads are smaller then Autumn...caused usually from plant stress which these plants have had with the wind and the bugs.  Those who have been missed for the past two weeks will receive these gorgeous heads. Chilies – By Request and availability–We sent an email out with a description of the chilies we are growing this year.  We will try and add that information to our website as well so you can identify what you receive. Coriander – Beautiful bunches with the roots! Fennel – Tender, young bulb or two in every box Green Garlic – This is a treat for all of us who grow and use our own garlic.  The bulbs are starting to ripen...we can tell by the stronger smell when we are harvesting.  The greens are also becoming stiffer - only use the white part.  Do not cook them very long if at all.  I like to mix them into stir fries at the very end and use them raw in salads. Lettuce – 'Perella Rougette', 'Grandpa Admire's', and 'Lollo Rosso'.  With the two days of heat, our lettuces have rushed ahead giving us a surplus of lettuce.  Two heads in every box.  These are heads in their prime.  If you can not eat them, gift them to friends! *Pimiento de Padrons –Delightful "sometimes hot, sometimes not" chilies that are wonderful fried.  They have a lovey full flavour great for pizzas and stir fries too. These are rotated through the boxes.  We have lots of plants but the harvest has only just begun with enough for one full share.  It might take awhile to get them into everyone's box. Radish – Bunch in every box. Rocket – Bunches of rocket. *Romanesco Broccoli – This is much more of a cauliflower then a broccoli.  We are rotating this through the boxes like the cauliflower.  You may receive 'Romanesco' or cauliflower. Shelling Peas – The sugars in these plants begin to degrade into starch after harvest - so try and eat them tonight! Fresh peas are so delicious.  We like them raw in salads as well as very lightly steamed. Spring Onions – Bunch in every box on Wednesday. Sugar Snap Peas –F– A new planting just coming on. *Summer Squash – 'Golden Crookneck' and 'Patty Pan'.  There is a recipe for 'Patty pan' squash on the website. Zucchini – Here we go with 150 feet of zucchini producing.  There has been a great harvest this week with the two warm days.

NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING We have started harvesting Chilies and sent an email out describing the varieties and asking you to let us know if you like them or not.   There are capsicums on the plants growing bigger but not yet big enough to harvest.

This will be the last week of cauliflower and 'Romanesco Broccoli' until the Autumn.  There is another broccoli planting which will be ready in two-three weeks.

We harvested the first three cucumbers today with many more on the vines.  Hope to be getting these in the boxes next week...depending on the weather.

There are some tomatoes turning colour in the polytunnel. We are hoping for enough for everyone by Christmas. The beans are also flowering...three weeks until the Christmas harvest if we get more warm days!

The warm weather of last week did make a few lettuce plantings ready on top of each other.  The change of seasons always brings with it some excess of Spring crops while the Summer Crops ripen.  The timing of things is an uncertain game and we try and err on the side of expecting for colder weather.  If you have an excess of greens, give lettuce away, make rocket pesto and freeze it for the winter and make some green pies or green curries that you can freeze. You can also freeze an excess of peas for winter enjoyment...if they make it that long!

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Crunchy Salad Stir-Fry Bok Choy with Tofu Moroccan Inspired Dressing - I know that there are no carrots this week in the box, but I have been using the dressing in this recipe of steamed beetroot, feta, coriander and chickpeas and serving it with lettuce and cous cous with preserved lemon and coriander.  It has been delicious. Rocket Pesto - If you just cannot eat any more greens, turn the rocket into pesto to use as a dip or on pasta or gnocchi! Beetroot, Persian Feta and Rocket Salad - As all boxes are receiving beetroot and rocket and their flavours work so well together, here is Nikki Fisher's fantastic recipe

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX EMAILS Expect the What's in the Box email before noon on Wednesday's.  If you do not receive it, please let us know so that we can work out why.

Please note - Photo is of a full share box.

CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #8 (27 November/30 November)

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly.  A "*" next to an item indicates that this is something that is being rotated through the boxes.  "F" indicates that this item is in the full share box.   "H" indicates that this item is in the half share box.

CHANGE TO THE PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 3pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.  We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival. Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants and wash away some surface dirt, not to prepare them for consumption.  We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days.  While this will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.

NOTES ON THE SHARE *Artichokes – There are two varieties being harvested 'Green Globe' and 'Purple Jesi'.  The 'Purple Jesi' have thorns on the tops so be careful.  These are easily cut off before steaming or grilling.  The artichokes are still producing. Basil –F– Bunches in the full share boxes. Bok Choy – Bug Free and lovely bunches. The ANDI rating for bok choy is 824 - higher then spinach and broccoli! (ANDI stands for "Aggregate Nutrient Density Index." An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities.) Broad Beans – YES...this really is the last of the broad beans!  The plants have all been pulled out now so that is the end-  What a great season it has been! Double podding them is a great way to see their green colour. Broccoli – There are broccolini bunches and small to medium heads. *Cabbage – 'Green Acre' and 'Purple Savoy'-  This is the last of the cabbage for a few months. Carrots – Bunches of baby heirloom varieties mixed. *Cauliflower – Harvesting 'Early Snowball'.  The heads are little...caused usually from plant stress which these plants have had with the wind and the bugs.  What we harvested was put into the afternoon delivery  boxes. Coriander – Beautiful bunches with the roots! Green Garlic – This is a treat for all of us who grow and use our own garlic.  The bulbs are starting to ripen...we can tell by the stronger smell when we are harvesting.  The greens are also becoming stiffer - only use the white part.  Do not cook them very long if at all.  I like to mix them into stir fries at the very end and use them raw in salads. Lettuce – 'Perella Rougette" and/or 'Grandpa Admire's'.  Great names for lovely lettuces! Perpetual Gator Silver beet – Bunches in every box.  Tender and lemony. Radicchio – Radicchio is a hit or miss plant.  The conditions have to be just right for the plant to produce the tight round heads.  These raddichio have not done that but since we were told people still eat this cooked, we have included them in the box. The leaves are bitter and chickens LOVE them if you do not. *Romanesco Broccoli – This is much more of a cauliflower then a broccoli.  We have not noticed the distinct spirals that are characteristic of 'Romanesco'.  We are rotating this through the boxes like the cauliflower.  You may receive 'Romanesco' or cauliflower. Shelling Peas – The sugars in these plants begin to degrade into starch after harvest - so try and eat them tonight! Fresh peas are so delicious.  We like them raw in salads as well as very lightly steamed. Sugar Snap Peas –F– Last of the harvest for the full shares. *Summer Squash – 'Golden Crookneck' and 'Patty Pan'.  There is a recipe for 'Patty pan' squash on the website. *Zucchini – Pretty good harvest this week.  As the plants mature, they produce more zucchini and we begin to have a steady supply.

NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING The beans are getting close to flowering, celery is bulking up and the first corn is about 30 cm high....AND today I spotted a bit of colour on the polytunnel tomatoes!

We are tilling in the brassica plantings as we harvest to try and ensure the brassica moth does not become a plague.  This means no side shoots of broccoli.  We do have another planting that should be ready in three weeks.  We have almost finished the cauliflower and 'Romanesco Broccoli' plantings and have finished all of the cabbage for a few months.

This week we planted the 2nd planting of melons and tomatoes and Christmas mesclun, more lettuce, spinach, rocket, radishes, carrots, green onions and beetroot.  We will be planting the second crop of zucchini and  cucumbers in a fortnight and our watermelons on Friday.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Zucchini Ribbon Salad with Greens, Feta and Semidried Tomatoes Quick Pesto Pasta Creamy Pasta with Roasted Zucchini, Goats Cheese & Basil Bok Choy Salad And here is a link for a Spinach and Pumpkin Curry for all of you who still have pumpkins from Autumn.  We made it for the crew who loved it.

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX EMAILS Expect the What's in the Box email before noon on Wednesday's.  If you do not receive it, please let us know so that we can work out why.

Please note - Photo is of a full share box.

CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #7 (20 November/23 November)

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly.  A "*" next to an item indicates that this is something that is being rotated through the boxes.  "F" indicates that this item is in the full share box.   "H" indicates that this item is in the half share box.

CHANGE TO THE PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 3pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.  We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival. Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants and wash away some surface dirt, not to prepare them for consumption.  We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days.  While this will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.

NOTES ON THE SHARE *Artichokes – There are two varieties being harvested 'Green Globe' and 'Purple Jesi'.  The 'Purple Jesi' have thorns on the tops so be careful.  These are easily cut off before steaming or grilling.  The artichokes are still producing. Broad Beans – This is the last of the broad beans until next year! My children have been having contests to see who can find the smallest and the biggest broad bean.  Great way to get them to pod all of the beans! Many of these broad beans are bigger then what we have harvested in the past weeks.  Double podding them is a great way to see their great green colour. *Beetroot - Bunches of baby beetroot.  So tender you can steam them! The tops are very edible as well.  Lovely mixed into a salad or eaten like silver beet.  We were able to find bunches for the morning delivery boxes this week. *Broccoli - We harvested the last of the side shoots from the first broccoli plantings.  These were bunched like broccolini and put into the afternoon boxes.  There is another planting of 'Greenbelt' coming on with good size heads. Carrots - These are bunches of baby carrots 'Little Fingers'.  These are very tender and only need a little scrub with your hands.  You can roast  or steam them whole or have them raw.  SAVE THE TOPS!  There is a recipe below for carrot top pesto. *Cauliflower - We began harvesting 'Early Snowball'.  The heads are little...caused usually from plant stress which these plants have had with the wind and the bugs.  What we harvested was put into the morning delivery  boxes.  We hope to continue harvesting next week. Green Garlic – This is a treat for all of us who grow and use our own garlic.  The bulbs are starting to ripen...we can tell by the stronger smell when we are harvesting.  The greens are also becoming stiffer - only use the white part.  Do not cook them very long if at all.  I like to mix them into stir fries at the very end and use them raw in salads. Kale – Bunches of 'Curly Blue' kale in every box.   Kale is also in the brassica family and effected by the caterpillars. There are holes in the leaves but still plenty left for you to enjoy. Parsley – Bunches of curly parsley in every box. Rocket – Bunches of rocket in every box.  Rocket is also in the brassica family and effected by the caterpillars. There are holes in the leaves but still plenty left for you to enjoy. *Romanesco Broccoli – This is much more of a cauliflower then a broccoli.  We have not noticed the distinct spirals that are characteristic of 'Romanesco'.  We are rotating this through the boxes like the cauliflower.  You may receive 'Romanesco' or cauliflower. Silver beet –F– 'Perpetual Gator' bunches.  This is one of our favourite silver beets as the leaves are so tender and the flavour very fresh. Shelling Peas – We started harvesting shelling peas this week - young and sweet.  The sugars in these plants begin to degrade into starch after harvest - so try and eat them tonight! Fresh peas are so delicious.  We like them raw in salads as well as very lightly steamed. Spinach –H– Bags of English spinach in the half share boxes. *Zucchini – We have harvested about 10 zucchini so far with the plants filled with many more.  As the plants mature, they produce more zucchini and we begin to have a steady supply.  For now though, we are marking who has received them to ensure everyone gets these early ones.

NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING Although there are still lots of moths in the brassica plantings, the plants are showing a much stronger resistance to their damage...which is wonderful!  We have another broccoli crop coming on, still some heads of cauliflower and Romanesco broccoli to harvest and more kale.  We hoped to have a lovely purple savoy cabbage for next week...this makes a delicious kimchi, but we are unsure if the caterpillar damage is too extensive .

We have been hand pollinating the zucchini as the field plants were filled with female flowers and the greenhouse filled with male.  Although there are heaps of bees in the field, without the male flowers, the bees can not bring the pollen necessary to the female flower.  If the female is not pollinated, the zucchini does not mature.  The results have been great with heaps of little zucchini ripening in the field.  And now there are male flowers too so the bees can do that job for all of us!

I apologise for not putting a post with photos of What's growing up yet.  I simply have not had the time.  The second planting of tomatoes is being planted on Friday.  The polytunnel tomatoes are growing bigger with lots of fruit!  There are chillies appearing and the capsicum and eggplant are full of flowers.  Small cucumbers are on the vine.  The first planting of melons went in two weeks ago and another planting with the watermelons will go in next week.  We have started hilling the potatoes to ensure potatoes for Christmas.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Amy Minichiello from A Mini Kitchen's recipe for Carrot Top Pesto Kale Chips Broad Bean Dip Silver Beet Fritters from Ottolenghi's Jerusalem Broad Bean Pasta Nikki Fisher from The Wholefood Mama's recipe for Beetroot, Rocket, Persian Feta and Walnut Salad Cabbage Stir-fry - Even though there are no Asian greens in the box this week, you can use the baby carrots and broccoli in this stir fry that our children love.

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX EMAILS Expect the What's in the Box email before noon on Wednesday's.  If you do not receive it, please let us know so that we can work out why.

Please note - Photo is of a full share box.

Kale Chips

Kale chips are amazingly delicious.  Crunchy, salty, filled with nutrients.  They really are just as addictive as potato chips.  If you have no idea what to do with your kale, give these chips a go.  Children love them, too...and not just our children! ANDI stands for "Aggregate Nutrient Density Index." An ANDI score shows the nutrient density of a food on a scale from 1 to 1000 based on nutrient content. ANDI scores are calculated by evaluating an extensive range of micronutrients, including vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidant capacities. The ANDI score for Kale is 1000!

Kale is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Protein, Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Calcium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Ingredients 1 bunch kale 1 tbsp olive oil 1 tsp seasoned salt optional - garlic, sesame seeds

Oven Method 1. Preheat an oven to 175 degrees. Line a non insulated cookie sheet with parchment paper. 2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. 3. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt. 4. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.

Dehydrator Method 1. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. 2. Drizzle kale with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning salt. 3. Spread the leaves on the dehydrator trays in single layers. Do not crowd the leaves or they will not dry evenly. It is alright if the leaves touch, but they shouldn't overlap too much.

"Quick" Dehydrator Method This method doesn't result in chips that qualify as raw food, but the result is still very good and ready in half the time of the low temperature method below.

Dry the kale at 145F/63C for 1 hour. Reduce the heat to 115F/46C and dry for an additional 3 to 4 hours until crispy dry. Transfer to airtight containers, or vacuum seal for longer storage.

Low Temperature Raw Food Method Dry the kale at 110F/43C for about 8 hours (overnight or while you're at work). Transfer to airtight containers, or vacuum seal for longer storage.

If your kale chips lose their crunch in storage, you can re-crisp them in a low (200F/93C) oven for 10 minutes, or in the dehydrator at 110F/43C for an hour.

CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #6 (13 November/16 November)

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly.  A "*" next to an item indicates that this is something that is being rotated through the boxes.  "F" indicates that this item is in the full share box.   "H" indicates that this item is in the half share box.

CHANGE TO THE PICK UP SCHEDULE To accommodate those picking up their Mountain View Farm Milk, Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 3pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.  We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival. Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants and wash away some surface dirt, not to prepare them for consumption.  We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days.  While this will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.

NOTES ON THE SHARE *Artichokes – There are two varieties being harvested 'Green Globe' and 'Purple Jesi'.  The 'Purple Jesi' have thorns on the tops so be careful.  These are easily cut off before steaming or grilling.  The artichokes are still producing.  But we are not sure for how much longer. Broad Beans – There are extra broad beans this week! I have added a few simple recipes, one a broad bean pasta and the other a dip. We are unsure what next week might bring.  The broad bean season is relatively short compared with other crops - one month.  Hope you are still enjoying them! *Beetroot - Bunches of baby beetroot.  So tender you can steam them! The tops are very edible as well.  Lovely mixed into a salad or eaten like silver beet.  We were able to find bunches for the afternoon boxes this week and hope to be able to find enough for Saturday's boxes.  We will wait a few more weeks before exploring again. Broccoli - Harvesting 'DiCiccio' and 'Greenbelt'.  As we have said before, the broccoli crops have been effected by wind (blowing many plants right out of the earth) and bugs, reducing the vigor of the crop and producing small heads.  There has been one fantastic planting which the afternoon boxes last week received.  The morning boxes received these heads this week. Cabbage – Heads in every box.  The cabbage, being in the brassica family, has been affected by the caterpillars.  We found though that the insides are gorgeous.  We have given everyone a whole head so that there is plenty to use after removing the bug damage. Carrots - These are bunches of baby carrots 'Little Fingers'.  These are very tender and only need a little scrub with your hands.  You can roast  or steam them whole or have them raw.  SAVE THE TOPS!  One of our members, Amy Minichiello, is a fresh, local food lover opening a cafe in Rye in December.  She made a pesto using the carrot tops.  Sounds perfect for this time of year as the baby carrots and peas work so well in a creamy pesto pasta and the basil is itty-bitty...awaiting some warmth to grow.  We will ask if she wants to contribute the recipe and post it on our website. *Cauliflower - We began harvesting 'Early Snowball'.  The heads are little...caused usually from plant stress which these plants have had with the wind and the bugs.  There was enough for the afternoon half-share boxes.  We hope to continue harvesting next week. Coriander – Bunches of the leaves with roots (which have a great flavour!). Fennel – Baby fennel.  We harvested the last of the current planting.  Everyone is receiving one or two bulbs. Green Garlic – This is a treat for all of us who grow and use our own garlic.  The bulbs are starting to ripen...we can tell by the stronger smell when we are harvesting.  The greens are also becoming stiffer - only use the white part.  Do not cook them very long if at all.  I like to mix them into stir fries at the very end and use them raw in salads. Lettuce – Harvested 'Marvel of Four Seasons' and  'Buttercrunch'. There may be a gap now in the lettuce harvest as we lost two plantings to rot. Limes – Special treat, organically grown on Peter's uncle's farm. He had a glut and offered to give us enough for every box to receive two this week.  Perfect companion with the green garlic and coriander for Thai or Mexican dishes. Radishes –F–  The last of the 'Purple Plum' has been harvested for the full share boxes. Rocket – Bunches of rocket in every box.  Rocket is also in the brassica family and effected by the caterpillars. There are holes in the leaves but still plenty left for you to enjoy. Silver beet – 'Perpetual Gator' bunches.  This is one of our favourite silver beets as the leaves are so tender and the flavour very fresh. Snow Peas – Saturday's boxes will receive the last of the snow pea harvest! Sugar Snap Peas –F–The full shares received some 'Sugar Anns' this week.  Like the Snow Peas, you can eat the pod and all.  They are succulent and sweet.

NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING The shelling peas were not ready for harvest yesterday.  They may be by Saturday and are definitely hoping for them next week.  We have finished the first sugar snap and snow pea plantings.

We are hoping to be able to harvest kale again next week.  As it is in the brassica family, the leaves have been very effected by the caterpillars.  The caterpillar population is reducing...but the damage has been done to several broccoli plantings, the cauliflower, cabbage and kale. We will know more about the kale when we actually harvest it.  The new leaves are looking good!  Just hard to determine how much of the planting is too damaged to include.

The broad beans may have one more week of harvest!

In looking ahead to next week, growth has been slowed this week by the weather.  This weeks box is full.  Next week may be a bit lighter. Most of the items will store very well with careful attention. The cabbage will last for at least two weeks, even once it is cut.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Broad Bean Dip Silver Beet Fritters from Ottolenghi's Jerusalem Barley Gratin with Beet Greens and Green Garlic Broad Bean Pasta - This is very simple - a few flavours that combine together to make a delightful dish.  Children love it too! Nikki Fisher from The Wholefood Mama's recipe for Beetroot, Rocket, Persian Feta and Walnut Salad Cabbage Stir-fry - Even though there are no Asian greens in the box this week, you can use the baby carrots and broccoli in this stir fry that our children love.

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX EMAILS Expect the What's in the Box email before noon on Wednesday's.  If you do not receive it, please let us know so that we can work out why.

Please note - Photo is of a full share box with a cauliflower head from the half share box.

CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #5 (7 November/9 November)

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly.  A "*" next to an item indicates that this is something that is being rotated through the boxes.  If you did not receive it this week, expect it in the next one or two weeks.   "F" indicates that this item is in the full share box.   "H" indicates that this item is in the half share box.

CHANGE TO THE PICK UP SCHEDULE Next week the deliveries will be back on Wednesday 13 November. Farm Pick Up times are Friday afternoon from 3pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.  We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival. Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants and wash away some surface dirt, not to prepare them for consumption.  We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days.  While this will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.

NOTES ON THE SHARE *Artichokes – There are two varieties being harvested 'Green Globe' and 'Purple Jesi'.  The 'Purple Jesi' have thorns on the tops so be careful.  These are easily cut off before steaming or grilling.  The artichokes are still producing.  But we are not sure for how much longer. Broad Beans – We have been wading our way through the blown over broad beans to harvest the pods - such a delicious food of Spring. There may be more next week.  The harvest is wrapping up, though. *Beetroot - We had our first explore into the beetroot plantings.  There were enough baby beetroot bunches for the morning delivery boxes. The first two plantings of beetroot are starting to bulk up.  These may continue as a rotated item as we wait for a bit more consistent warmth to help them grow. Broccoli - Harvesting 'DiCiccio' and 'Greenbelt'.  There are either bunches of smaller heads or one or two medium size head.  See the "notes on what's growing"  below about the brassicas. *Carrots - These are bunches of baby carrots 'Little Fingers'.  The afternoon deliveries, full share and Saturday's boxes received these this week. These are very tender and only need a little scrub with your hands.  You can roast  or steam them whole or have them raw.  First carrots of the season! *Cauliflower - This week finishes the two overwintered cauliflower plantings, "Green Macerata" and "Purple Sicily".  We have a Spring planted white cauliflower planting that is starting to head up.  See the "notes on what's growing"  below about the brassicas. Green Garlic – This is a treat for all of us who grow and use our own garlic.  By this time in Spring, our garlic stash is either used up or sprouting.  And so we sneak into the garlic patch and thin out the small bulbs that will not amount to much later.  They are so fresh, sweet and full flavoured - not quite as pungent as matured garlic!  Use them like Spring onions - tops and all.  Do not cook them very long if at all.  I like to mix them into stir fries at the very end and use them raw in salads. Lettuce – Harvested 'Marvel of Four Seasons' for the half shares. The full shares received a green head of  'Buttercrunch' *Radishes –  'Champion', 'French Breakfast' and 'Purple Plum'.  Those who did not receive them last week, should have received them this week. Silver beet – Bags of baby silver beet and baby spinach.  These are lovely tender greens good eaten raw or cooked in an omelette or as a side. Spinach – Bags of English Spinach.  This has a wonderful flavour and would be better cooked then raw.  Lovely as a side or mixed into a slice, soup or omelette. Snow Peas – These are wonderful raw or slightly steamed.  Sweet and tender! Sugar Snap Peas –H–The half shares received some 'Sugar Anns' this week.  Like the Snow Peas, you can eat the pod and all.  They are succulent and sweet.  I honestly do not know anyone with children that actually ends up with any leftover to cook - They all get eaten straight from the bag!

NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING We talked about the bugs last week, I am happy to say that the aphids are happily in check with lacewings, lady bugs and hover flies all in huge populations.   The caterpillars in the Brassicas (Bok Choy and other Asian Greens, kale, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, rocket) have not yet found that balance.  We have a huge infestation of a moth which burrows in leaves after hatching...and not just the brassica family's leaves.  We have spoken with two other local growers who have the same infestation resulting in leaves that look like they have been shot. We have tried this year to have Spring broccoli plantings on both sides of our farm.  The side of the farm that did not get battered by the winds is fairing better then the other.  Plants that have been stressed find it harder to defend themselves.

We are working to increase the beneficial bugs in the new land but may have to till in the first broccoli planting to try and bury eggs.  Last year we had a similar problem that remedied itself by Autumn with huge harvests of broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage.    In the meantime, the bok choy this week looked more like bug choy.  We included the red bok choy in some of the boxes.  While the green still had lovey stems, there wasn't much left of the leaves.   We are not sure how the white cauliflower heads will turn out.  If there is too much bug damage, we will till the crop in.  The cabbage looks good and will be ready for harvest next week.  We have another broccoli planting which is young (maybe ready in December) and it looks healthy so far.  And the 'Romanesco' is heading up and looks healthy.  The Spring heads of Romanesco are smaller then the Autumn heads.

We have noted that most people really like Broccoli.  The brassica family is one of the more difficult plant families to follow as it can have a detrimental effect on other plants.  Consequently, we do not have huge plantings in the Spring, opting to have more in the Autumn when the bugs are not such an issue.

We harvested the first zucchini's from two plants starting to produce in the polytunnel.  There are 50 plants in there and the others have not even started to flower yet.  But they are full of buds!  The field planted zucchini are also full of buds as are the cucumbers.  There are many more green tomatoes in the polytunnel and the plants are now over a meter tall.

There are lots more peas to come, including shelling peas.  And hopefully more beetroot and carrots.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Broad Bean and Quinoa Salad Ottolenghi's Herb Pie - This recipe is in Jerusalem  and was also in his Guardian column. You can use different greens and any herbs you have around.  We substituting the green onions with the green garlic. Bok Choy, Broccolini and Chicken in a Spiced Sauce - This works well with the snow peas too.

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX EMAILS Expect the What's in the Box email before noon on Wednesday's.  If you do not receive it, please let us know so that we can work out why.

Please note - Photo is of a full share box.

CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #4 (30 October/2 November)

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly.  A "*" next to an item indicates that this is something that is being rotated through the boxes.  If you did not receive it this week, expect it in the next one or two weeks.   "F" indicates that this item is in the full share box.   "H" indicates that this item is in the half share box.

CHANGE TO THE DELIVERY/PICK UP SCHEDULE Due to Cup Day on Tuesday 5 November, next week, we will be harvesting on Wednesday 6 November for Delivery on Thursday 7 November.  We chose to change the delivery day as opposed to harvesting on Monday and not delivering until Wednesday. We apologise for any inconvenience.

With the arrival of Mountain View Farm milk, yogurt and grass fed beef on Fridays, we have also changed our Farm PickUp times to Friday afternoon from 3pm-5pm and Saturday mornings from 8am-11am.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.  We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival. Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants and wash away some surface dirt, not to prepare them for consumption.  We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days.  While this will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.

NOTES ON THE SHARE *Artichokes – There are two varieties being harvested 'Green Globe' and 'Purple Jesi'.  The 'Purple Jesi' have thorns on the tops so be careful.  These are easily cut off before steaming or grilling.  The artichokes are still producing.  But we are not sure for how much longer. Broad Beans – We have been wading our way through the blown over broad beans to harvest the pods - such a delicious food of Spring. Broccoli - Harvesting 'DiCiccio' and 'Greenbelt'.  There are either bunches of smaller heads or one or two medium size head. *Cauliflower - We are harvesting heads from an Autumn sown crop of 'Green Macerata'.  This is an heirloom green cauliflower...but with heirloom seeds, sometimes they grow "untrue" to their parent.  Such is the case with this planting.  The heads being produced are either true green cauliflower or a broccoli-flower.  Both are delicious!  The broccoli and its broccolini work great in a stir fry. We are also harvesting from an Autumn sown crop of "Purple Sicily", another Italian heirloom.  We grew this in the Autumn and produced cauliflower that was purple.  But the same seed overwintered has produced small heads of purple broccoli-flower.  Still delicious.  It works well added to a stir-fry, steamed or baked! These plantings have almost finished. Fennel – Harvested beautiful young fennel.  The flavour of this is milder then full size fennel.  Delicious sliced thinly in a raw salad or roasted (with artichoke hearts). Green Garlic – This is a treat for all of us who grow and use our own garlic.  By this time in Spring, our garlic stash is either used up or sprouting.  And so we sneak into the garlic patch and thin out the small bulbs that will not amount to much later.  They are so fresh, sweet and full flavoured - not quite as pungent as matured garlic!  Use them like Spring onions - tops and all.  Do not cook them very long if at all.  I like to mix them into stir fries at the very end and use them raw in salads. Lettuce – Harvested 'Green Mignonette' for the half shares. The full shares received a green head of 'Crisp Mint' or 'Green Mignonette' and Brown Mignonette'.  The outside leaves of the lettuce are tip burned.  We think this is due to the wind effecting the available moisture.  The inside "hearts" appear fine. Mibuna –F– With a mild, spicy flavour, this Asian green is good raw ( mixed into salads) or braised in a stir-fry. This is the last of this planting. Parsley –  We overwintered parsley to have nice big bunches for the Spring.  But unfortunately, we did not plan our crop rotation quite right and it was in the way of the summer crop planting.  It has been tilled in.  These bunches are very young Spring planted parsley.  We need to mulch the planting before it gets too big to help it grow better through the summer heat.  To do so, we need to clear all of the leaves that are around the plant, leaving just the ones growing up.  These are small bunches. There will be big bunches of parsley again as this planting matures. *Radishes –  'Champion', 'French Breakfast' and 'Purple Plum'.  Those who did not receive them this week, should next week as the 'Purple Plums' are just coming on. Silver beet – Bunches of young, tender 'Perpetual Gator'. With its slightly lemony taste, it is good raw or cooked. Snow Peas – These are wonderful raw or slightly steamed.  Sweet and tender! Sugar Snap Peas –F–The first planting of these had enough for the full shares this week.  Like the Snow Peas, you can eat the pod and all.  They are succulent and sweet.  I honestly do not know anyone with children that actually ends up with any leftover to cook - They all get eaten straight from the bag! Tat Soi – Asian green nutritious raw or cooked. This is the last of this planting.

NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING This week saw the planting of our eggplant and capsicum crops.  We usually row cover these with a fabric covering to give them extra warmth but the wind this year is tearing the fabric.  So Peter made 100 foot plastic cloches using steel hoops and greenhouse plastic.  The mature seedlings that we have been nurturing since late July in the glass house, are very happy in their little poly tunnels.  And we are so happy to see the seedlings standing up straight and growing strong even through the wind and heavy rains we have had.  We have put the first field zucchini crop under these little poly tunnels and will use the tunnels for the first melon crop which will be planted out in about a week.

The glass house looked like a theatre after a show.  Cleaned out!  But the emptiness lasted for less then a day with the starting of the watermelon crop and the second melon planting, the second tomato crop, more lettuce, celery, parsley and Asian greens.

The first planting of beans has germinated.  The celery is growing well. The Autumn parsnips have germinated.  The first planting of corn is in.  The carrots are about one to two weeks away from baby carrot bunches.  The beetroots are about the size of a twenty cent piece.  Cabbages are almost ready and we may start to see some 'Romanesco' Broccoli in the next few weeks.  There are more pea plantings in flower and another crop of broccoli that is starting to form heads.

A note on carrots - carrots overwinter well in our climate.  Any left still as the soil warms in Spring begin to grow new roots...they actually become quite hairy!  And then the root changes from this sweet, succulent food to a hard woody stem and the plant sends up a flower to produce seed.  This usually happens about mid September.  The carrots are no longer edible.  Carrot seed need soil temperatures of about 17 degrees to germinate.  We seeded our first planting of carrots on the 19 August.  It took three weeks for the seed to germinate.  The carrots are a bit thicker then a pencil and about as long now.

The beneficial bugs are increasing which is great as the "pests" are really causing damage to the greens.  We do harvest plants with insect damage believing there is still more then enough left for you.  This week though, we left a braising mix planting in the field as the bug damage was so extensive.

We will send a newsletter out with photos in the next week.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Broad Bean and Quinoa Salad Quinoa and Mibuna Salad with Lemon Pistachio Dressing - I found this recipe on the internet and liked the fruit and nut combination.  It would work well with any of the greens. Warm Artichoke Hearts and Fennel Leek and Silver Beet Tartlets - These would be lovely with the 'Perpetual Gator' and the green garlic

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX EMAILS Expect the What's in the Box email before noon on Wednesday's.  If you do not receive it, please let us know so that we can work out why.

Please note - Photo is of a full share box.

Why we are a CSA farm...

As our Spring CSA Season gets underway it seems like a good time to write about what our CSA farm is all about – and what it is not.

There are many variations on the models of CSA and numerous explanations of what CSA means… we have included links on our website – but the USDA sums it up surprisingly well… “Community Supported Agriculture consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to a farm operation so that the farmland becomes, either legally or spiritually, the community’s farm, with the growers and consumers providing mutual support and sharing the risks and benefits of food production.”

For us, CSA is a relationship of mutual support and commitment between farmers and members. In return for a seasonal membership fee to help cover the production costs of the farm, CSA members receive a weekly share of quality, organically-grown produce from our farm. When "consumers" obtain food from local farmers, they are directly supporting sustainable agriculture in their community as well as receiving the freshest available produce. We provide practical education for people wishing to grow food (on any scale) and we are trying to promote small-scale agriculture as being a viable and sustainable method of feeding local communities…as it used to be.

All of the food received by our CSA members is started from seed, planted out and grown on our farm and then delivered (or picked up) within 24 hours of harvest. This is local, seasonal, fresh, nutrient dense produce. We grow everything using Organic and Biodynamic practices.

For us, LOCAL means our farm’s location SEASONAL means the weather on our farm FRESH means picked yesterday NUTRIENT DENSE means produce that is really filled with the minerals and nutrients you expect – and was grown without artificial chemicals and fertilizers.

Like any farm – we have our crop failures, weather nightmares and human errors.

The CSA model we have adopted is one where the CSA members share the risks and the bounty with us. In return they know who has grown the food they are eating each week, how it was grown, when it was picked and how far it has traveled to get to their plate.  From our experience this means that some weeks the boxes we provide our members are overflowing and some weeks they are not as full as we had planned.  Some weeks there is a nice balance with what’s in the box – even including nectarines, melons and watermelons -  and other weeks the box is filled with lots of different leafy greens. Even though we plan for a box that will suit many different tastes and family situations,  our best efforts do not always guarantee this will happen. This year for example, unrelenting wind and occasional hail have made it seem more likely that broccoli will be ready in November even though it was planned for mid October. These are the realities of eating from the box. No matter what the yield, the food received by our CSA members is not only good for them - Our goal is to produce the food while bettering the natural system within which it is growing.

WHAT WE ARE NOT is a convenient weekly vegetable and fruit box scheme – that is beyond our understanding of what a true CSA model is all about. These “box schemes” more often than not source products from all over the country (or world), just as most grocery stores do. They are catering to our ideas about what is in season.  There may be no opportunity to build a relationship with any of the farmers involved and it is difficult to even find out where the produce really came from and how long that process took.

Our members do not receive carrots from us in early October, they do not eat tomatoes from us in August and they are probably hanging out for beans and sweet corn in November – but all we can provide is what can be grown on our farm for our members in our community with our climate and our season.

We recognize the challenges posed by eating a seasonal diet – especially as what is seasonal is clouded by the availability of everything in all seasons.  We try to “sweeten” the deal by sharing ideas as a community about what seasonal meals look like, building poly tunnels to push the seasons, covering produce with row covers to help it grow protected from the weather, planting extra crops just in case.  We continue to grow as growers, learning more about this art we call farming.  We keep experimenting with new varieties, new planting times, different row spacing, all in hopes of filling the boxes with diversity and quality. We think about our resources such as water and soil and devise systems which use these wisely and continue to renew them – Building soil fertility and using water conservation practices.   We hope that our members will participate in whatever capacity they feel inclined. We have many volunteers helping with harvesting, weeding, planting. We have farm Open Days and workshops and U-pick crops for members.

Last year we priced our boxes against two local sources – the grocery store and an organic retailer.  The average value of the $40 box was $62.  There were many weeks in summer and autumn where an 8-10 item box contained 15-18 items.  With that said, please do not join our CSA if you are looking for cheap produce.  We may not meet your expectations and the pressure of trying to is not sustainable.  Growing food the way we do is not an inexpensive method.  We like to believe that our CSA members are involved in this endeavour because they really want to eat nutrient dense, chemical free produce, to localize their food consumption, to move away from big business monopoly and control over our food system,  to know how their food production is impacting their whole community and to eat seasonally. We also hope they understand that the season will provide what it will – for better or for worse.

After a day on the tractor…and under it fixing leaking hydraulic hoses… and harvesting, watering, plumbing, spreading compost, weeding and seeding, I am happy to sum up this post using a quote from Elizabeth Henderson…

“As I see it, reducing CSA to a mere food box subscription scheme would castrate the CSA model, taking away its power to create lasting relationships between the people who grow and eat food. As Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini would say, CSAs allow citizens to become “co-producers” with their farmers, rather than passive consumers. At their best, authentic CSAs are a win-win-win. Farmers get living wages and freedom from worry about profits and losses. Everyone weathers the tough times and benefits from the good times. Nothing goes to waste, and community investments help pay for land and equipment. Most of all, eaters get healthy food, good company, and the deep — if not always “convenient” — satisfaction that comes from playing an immediate role in transforming the food system.”

I believe the “convenient” to which Elizabeth is referring is akin to receiving fennel two weeks in a row, endless Spring greens or other vegetables that make the evening meal more challenging…but the CSA model we have adopted is definitely not one based around convenience – this is something we are learning on a daily basis. So at the start of our Spring Share I felt the need to write to our members about CSA in the hope that it may shed more light on the ideals behind what we are farming for and the differing perceptions we all have about ‘convenience’.

We ate the first broad beans tonight from our April sown crop – 6 months of nurturing and work. Convenient? Well no – not really I guess. Watering, feeding and weeding since April, the Spring winds then blew the crop down and picking the beans is like trying to find a ball in a sea of blown over trees! Delicious? Absolutely!

We hope that our Spring Share will unfold with delicious food for our members and look forward to any suggestions or involvement they would like to have with our farm. We thank all those that have chosen to support us.

This is why we are a CSA farm.

Here is some further reading on the importance of Community Supported Agriculture:

CSA – Just a vegetable subscription or a way to truly connect with your farm – Elizabeth Henderson – GRIST.

Community Supported Agriculture: Why Inconvenience is Better – Margaret Betz – One Green Planet

Community Supported Agriculture: What it is, and Why it’s Awesome – Emily Glass – One Green Planet

The State of the CSA – Gloria Dawson – Modern Farmer

Or something to listen to…

Back to The Start – Willie Nelson

CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #3 (23 October/26 October)

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly.  A "*" next to an item indicates that this is something that is being rotated through the boxes.  If you did not receive it this week, expect it in the next one or two weeks.   "F" indicates that this item is in the full share box.   "H" indicates that this item is in the half share box.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.  We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival. Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants and wash away some surface dirt, not to prepare them for consumption.  We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days.  While this will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.

NOTES ON THE SHARE *Artichokes – There are two varieties being harvested 'Green Globe' and 'Purple Jesi'.  The 'Purple Jesi' have thorns on the tops so be careful.  These are easily cut off before steaming or grilling.  We like steamed artichokes. Broad Bean Shoots – We still had some broad beans to top so have added these again as they work well cooked with broad beans. Broad Beans – We have been wading our way through the blown over broad beans to harvest the pods ready - such a delicious food of Spring. *Cauliflower - We are harvesting heads from an Autumn sown crop of 'Green Macerata'.  This is an heirloom green cauliflower...but with heirloom seeds, sometimes they grow "untrue" to their parent.  Such is the case with this planting.  The heads being produced are either true green cauliflower or a broccoli-flower.  Both are delicious!  The broccoli and its broccolini work great in a stir fry. We are also harvesting from an Autumn sown crop of "Purple Sicily", another Italian heirloom.  We grew this in the Autumn and produced cauliflower that was purple.  But the same seed overwintered has produced small heads of purple broccoli-flower.  Still delicious.  It works well added to a stirfry, steamed or baked! Lazy Lettuce – This is a mix of ten different lettuce varieties harvested at the "teenage" stage. Mint – Bunch in every box. You can freeze the leaves in ice cubes if you do not use this in a salad. Mibuna – With a mild, spicy flavour, this Asian green is good raw ( mixed into salads) or braised in a stir-fry. Mung Bean Sprouts – The crisp and juicy sprouts are very nutritious, rich in protein (20%), iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus selenium, zinc and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B12, B17, E, A, C; they help regulate cholesterol. Although these are ready to eat, you can keep growing the sprouts longer by putting them in a jar on your counter. Rinse and drain them twice a day. Enjoy these raw or cooked. Radishes – -H-  'Champion' and 'French Breakfast'.  These have been harvested very young to produce a mild, succulent radish. Rocket – Bags of tender baby rocket. Spinach – Bags of English spinach. This variety, 'Long Standing Bloomsdale' is very curly and delicious steamed or cooked into curries and soups. Even our children ate it steamed last night without anything added.  The flavour was great! Snow Peas – These are wonderful raw or slightly steamed.  Sweet and tender! Tat Soi – Mature heads of this Asian green nutritious raw or cooked.

NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING The greens continue this week with the inclusion of some of our Spring "fruits" broad beans and snow peas! Spring is a new season for us and we are still learning the timing of the Spring crops.

Our first broccoli planting is starting to be harvested. Meanwhile the Autumn planted cauliflowers are producing a great array of cauliflowers and broccoli-flowers - all delicious.

The first zucchini flowers are budded in the polytunnel and the first tomatoes have set.  The shelling peas are flowering and carrots and beet root bulking up. This week we will be planting out capsicum and eggplant and first melon planting.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Simple Broad Beans with Broad Bean tops Moroccan Style Broad Bean Salad with Yogurt and Crunchy Bits - this is a Jamie Oliver recipe that captures the freshness of broad beans Warm Rocket Salad - another Jamie Oliver salad perfect for these cold, rainy days Chlorophyll Paste - a Thermomix recipe that uses greens sent by Ceila Lairba, one of our CSA members and a Thermomix consultant Tat Soi Stir Fry - although this recipe calls for tat soi and cabbage, you can use any stir fry greens you have Snow Peas with Sesame Dressing

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.

WHAT'S IN THE BOX EMAILS Expect the What's in the Box email before noon on Wednesday's.  If you do not receive it, please let us know so that we can work out why.

Please note - Photo is of a full share box.  I added a radish bunch from a half share.

Braising Mix

Braising MixOur braising mix is a new item at Transition Farm, arriving in your share during the cooler months of spring and autumn when the many varieties of kale, mustard, and Asian chois that make up this mix thrive. You will enjoy green, red  and purple mustards, red choi, tatsoi, white steamed pac choi, mibuna, mizuna, Red Russian kale, green kale and silverbeet in the flavorful mix of "greens".

The greens are harvested at mid-maturity, so they are much milder in taste than the same varieties when full grown, but have more flavor than when harvested as baby greens and eaten raw. They are an unusual taste explosion of peppery, sweet, earthy, bitter and nutty.

Cooking Tips Braising mixes are usually cooked. Named after the cooking technique of searing in hot oil and then simmering in liquid, braising greens can in fact be steamed, sauteed, stir-fried, or mixed into soups or stews. Braising greens are the perfect addition to salads, stir-fries, pizza, pasta, eggs, or casseroles. From Tufts University:

• Toss a couple handfuls of braising mix (baby chard, kale, spinach, mustard, arugula, or other greens) into a stir fry.
• Be sure to balance the slight bitterness of baby chard, dandelion or mustard leaves with contrasting or sweet flavors such as persimmon, apple, pear, baby beets, citrus, vinaigrette spiked with honey or a syrupy balsamic vinegar.
• You can also toss some chopped greens into soup or a frittata, or serve them sauteed with pancetta, pine nuts, and golden raisins and heaped atop crusty toasted or grilled bread rubbed with garlic.

Storage Tips These greens are a bit hardier, so they should store relatively well in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for at least a week. Still, they should generally be used sooner if possible.

Nutrition Because braising mix contains many different varieties of greens, each harvest may be nutritionally different. But because it contains many types of brassicas, braising greens are always rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, folacin and beta carotene.

Field Notes The plants that make up our braising mix, although different looking and tasting, are almost all from the wonderfully diverse Brassica Rapa species. These plants thrive in the cool weather of the Peninsula in Spring and late Autumn. Each component is seeded separately in the field and mixed at harvest time. We try and harvest the braising mix when it is in it's "teenage" stage so that the leaves are still tender.

Recipes There are recipes on our website recipe page.

CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #2 (16 October/19 October)

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly.  A "*" next to an item indicates that this is something that is being rotated through the boxes.  If you did not receive it this week, expect it in the next one or two weeks.   "F" indicates that this item is in the full share box.   "H" indicates that this item is in the half share box.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.  We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival.  Although we do wash all the greens after harvest, we are washing to take the heat out of the plants, not to prepare them for consumption.  We also spray a seaweed/herb brew about every ten days.  This will not harm you, it does have a taste. We do suggest washing your produce prior to eating.

NOTES ON THE SHARE *Artichokes – There are two varieties being harvested 'Green Globe' and 'Purple Jesi'.  The 'Purple Jesi' have thorns on the tops so be careful.  These are easily cut off before steaming or grilling.  Our children LOVE steamed artichokes!!  One member made a delicious artichoke risotto last week. Bok Choy – Bunches of mature Bok Choy. Braising Greens – With all the publicity about the health benefits of greens, "braising mix" has become a Spring staple in a CSA box.  We harvest these greens at mid-maturity, so they are much milder in taste than the same varieties when full grown, but have more flavor than when harvested as baby greens and eaten raw. They are an unusual taste explosion of peppery, sweet, earthy, bitter and nutty. Our mix is a combination of silverbeet, green kale, red kale, bok choy, red bok choy, mibuna, mizuna, red, green  and purple mustard and tatsoi. Braising greens are the perfect addition to salads, stir-fries, pizza, pasta, eggs, or casseroles. Belonging mostly to the brassica family, braising greens are always rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, iron, folacin and beta carotene, while low in calories. Broad Bean Shoots – A bit like asparagus but much softer and broad bean tasting, the tops of the broad bean plant are delicious lightly steamed with butter, salt and pepper. For easy preparation, cut the tops just above the rubber band. They also make a tasty additive to omelettes and tarts. *Cauliflower - We are harvesting heads from an Autumn sown crop of 'Green Macerata'.  This is normally a cauliflower...but with heirloom seeds, sometimes they grow "untrue" to their parent.  Such is the case with this planting.  The heads being produced are either true green cauliflower or a purple broccoli.  Both are delicious!  The broccoli and its broccolini work great in a stir fry. Coriander – Bunches of spring coriander with the roots! Coriander roots add a rich depth of flavour to Thai dishes. Edible Flowers – There is a small bundle of edible flowers in each box.  Blue-borage, orange/yellow- nasturtiums, orange-calendula, purple and yellow-viola.  We pull the petals from the calendula and throw the rest in.  Harvested first thing in the morning to preserve their freshness, enjoy these in the next one to two days. Read more about borage. Fennel – -F- This is the last of the Autumn planted 'Zefo-Fino'. These fennel are great for Fennel soup or pork with fennel and potatoes. Mesclun – The meslun mix includes 10 varieties of lettuce, beet root greens, endive, orach, purple basil, cress, red veined spinach and silver beet. Mesclun contains high levels of vitamin C and more calcium and iron then lettuce alone. This is the last mesclun planting for at least a month. Kale – -H-  Bunches of green kale. Perpetual Gator – Perpetual Gator is a silverbeet that is tender and lemony.  We harvest it with roots, when it is young.  You can cut it off above the rubber band and eat it raw or cooked.  Use like you would baby spinach. Turnips – - F- 'Japanese'.  These are a very mild salad turnips and the greens are as good as the roots. They can be eaten raw or cooked

NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING We would have loved to include broad beans and/or peas in this weeks box but they are not quite ready for harvest.  The snow peas surprised us with being the first to pod up and the plants are covered.  The 'Sugar Snaps' are in flower with pods forming.  We think we can start to harvest for next weeks boxes...maybe even for Saturday! We had a test pick of the broad beans but the pods are not yet full.  We have cut the broad bean tops which are lovely to eat.  This also encourages the plant to put more energy into forming pods.  The plants were blown over two weeks ago in the wind storm.  They are still growing though and so far we have not seen a sign of vermin infestation.  We hope to be able to get some broad beans in everyone's box this Spring.

The winds - They have continued.  The plants are definitely affected by wind.  It wears them out which leaves them more susceptible to pest invasions.  With the mild winter we had, there is an early surge of the sucking insects (like aphids) and many of the leafy greens show the signs of their attack.  Our attitude towards "pests" is wait and see.  We believe in the eco-system we are cultivating and have seen nature working with the arrival of "beneficials" to feed on the "pests".  What we see on plants is aphids being fed upon by lacewings with wasps laying their eggs into the aphid eggs.  What you see is bugs.  We get that! And we are working to have high quality, bug free produce.  We also need to balance the whole eco-system of the farm.  This is going to be a difficult year with pests.  We do not want to spray organic insecticides as they are not selective - killing pests and beneficials. This could lead to a bigger problem later in the season.  So while we watch the ecosystem in action, we have also tried to help it along by purchasing eggs for beneficial bug predators.  We are releasing these around the farm in hopes of increasing our beneficial population.  Check out Bugs for Bugs for more information. We are also making seaweed brews to spray on the plants to help keep them nourished and strong.

Even through the wind, the early broccoli is beginning to head up.  We are unsure if they will be ready for harvest next week or the week after.

The potatoes, parsnips, first plantings of beans, more carrots and beetroot and greens, pumpkins and field zucchini all went into the ground last week.  This week we will seed our watermelon crop and our second melon planting and our first planting of corn.

We have had some early crop disappointments this season.  The turnips were invaded by pests underground.  Very disappointing to go out to harvest them yesterday and pull up these eaten white balls.  Our Spring onion plantings (Scallions or green onions)...four of them...have had horrible germination rates.  We have tried four different seeds, from different companies.  We are continuing to try to find one that will work for us.  And the overwintered purple cauliflower is not producing heads like the same variety did in the Autumn.

I am trying to write a post about what is seasonal in Spring.  If you are on our newsletter list, you will receive that.  Otherwise, check the website to learn more about the plants we are growing and eating.

Our open day is this Sunday.  If you are coming and have not already let us know, please do so by emailing Peter.

Mountain View Dairy begins bringing their milk this week!  Here is more information about their herd share program.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Broad Bean Tops Braising Mix Stir Fry Sesame Salmon with Honey Bok Choy Thai Salad Dressing for the mesclun. Top with fried calamari For crew lunch, I made a red lentil, perpetual gator, coriander and coconut curry using the coriander roots and the spices listed in this recipe.

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.

Please note - Photo is a sample of the harvest.

CSA Spring Share 2013 - Week #1 (9 October/12 October)

FIRST WEEK OF THE SPRING SHARE AND OUR 2013-2014 CSA! Here we go...your first box of farm fresh vegetables!  If you have any questions about the CSA or about What's in your box, please email us at petercarlyon@gmail.com or ring us on 5988-5287.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX The following are the items harvested this week.  Items and quantities in your box may vary depending on your harvest day and the total harvest of each crop.  The boxes are completely governed by what is ripe and ready for harvest and how much of it there is.  We endeavor to divide the harvest fairly.  A "*" next to an item indicates that this is something that is being rotated through the boxes.  If you did not receive it this week, expect it in the next one or two weeks.

NOTES ON STORING THE HARVEST Please check out our Vegetable & Fruit page on the website to find tips on maximizing the life of your veggies.  We envisage that many of the vegetables you are receiving this week will last for two weeks with careful attention to storing upon arrival.

NOTES ON THE SHARE *Artichokes – There are two varieties being harvested 'Green Globe' and 'Purple Jesi'.  The 'Purple Jesi' have thorns on the tops so be careful.  These are easily cut off before steaming or grilling.  Our children LOVE steamed artichokes!! Recipes below. *Cauliflower - We are harvesting heads from an Autumn sown crop of 'Green Macerata'.  This is normally a cauliflower...but with heirloom seeds, sometimes they grow "untrue" to their parent.  Such is the case with this planting.  The heads being produced are either true green cauliflower or a purple broccoli.  Both are delicious!  The broccoli and its broccolini work great in a stir fry. Fennel – This is 'Zefo-Fino' and boy is she a beauty!  We planted these in the late Autumn to harvest in the Spring. Pea shoots – Pea Shoots are a delicious, nutritious leaf with high levels of vitamin C, vitamin A and folic acid.  They contain 7 times more vitamin C then blueberries!! They are lovely chopped up for a salad or added at the last minute to a stir fry.  Our children make a meal of them straight from the paddock.   We always bring them as a salad to dinner parties because they are so delicious and a great conversation piece! Stir Fry Bouquet – This is a large bunch which includes bok choy, red bok choy, green kale, 'Red Russian' kale, Tat soi, and a spicy combo of any of the following - Mibuna, Mizuna, 'Red Streaks' mustards, 'Golden Streaks' mustard and 'Purple Osaka' mustard.  You can eat this raw or stir fry it.  The leaves are all tender and so are the stems! Mesclun – The meslun mix includes 10 varieties of lettuce, beet root greens, corn salad, endive, orach, purple basil, cress, and silver beet. Mesclun contains high levels of vitamin C and more calcium and iron then lettuce alone. Mung Bean Sprouts – The crisp and juicy sprouts are very nutritious, rich in protein (20%), iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus selenium, zinc and vitamins B1, B2, B3, B12, B17, E, A, C; they help regulate cholesterol. Although these are ready to eat, you can keep growing the sprouts longer by putting them in a jar on your counter. Rinse and drain them twice a day. Enjoy these raw or cooked. Parsley – Bunches of curly parsley. Radishes – 'Cherry Belle'.  These are a very mild radish so succulent...perfect raw with a squeeze of lime, olive oil and salt! Rocket – Bunches of tender young rocket. Spinach – Bags of English spinach.

NOTES ON WHAT IS GROWING So much to share about what's growing...Spring!  Even while many of the Summer and Autumn harvested crops are being planted this month, the food ready for harvest are those crops that do not mind growing during cold nights and in cold soil...GREENS!.  You will notice lots of greens in the boxes for the first three weeks.

We do have carrots and beet root up and growing.  The last of our overwintered root crops were dug last week.  The carrots go to seed at this time of year, making their root very woody.  Our Spring sown carrots are still 3-4 weeks away from harvest.  We just sowed our third planting though.  Root crops that like cool soil and nights are radishes and turnips.  We have Japanese Turnips coming on and a few plantings of radishes.  We did receive feedback that last year there were too many radishes and turnips.  So we have tried to space the plantings out a bit for the early spring.

We planted peas in mid July, hoping to have them by the first week in October.  They are flowering now and forming pods but still maybe two weeks away from harvesting.

Our broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are continuing to grow, although the wind of last week was very destructive to the crop.  We hope to begin harvesting broccoli in three weeks.

The broad beans are still growing, even though the wind flattened half the crop.  The pods are starting to swell and we may be harvesting them next week.

RECIPE SUGGESTIONS Fennel and Radish Salad Steamed Artichokes Pea Shoot and Bok Choy Salad Spinach and Feta Triangles

You can search our recipes by looking for the key ingredients on our website recipe page.

The long gone month of September

Spring...It is a very busy time on a vegetable farm.  Seeding, Seeding, Seeding, tilling in green manure, spreading compost, glasshouse filled, making and filling soil blocks, planting, and WEEDS!!! I have photos of "What's growing" from two weeks ago...wanting to share them but...farming and mothering are about all there was time for in September.  So here is a re-cap...a few weeks late but the story of what's happening never the less.

The glass house is packed full of crops...some are successive plantings like more lettuce and broccoli plantings,  but many are THE crop for the year, like pumpkins, capsicums and eggplant!  Our new glasshouse has been a Tetris game for the last four weeks...moving things around to try and ensure that everything that needs the protection and heat have it while we awaited the building of a polytunnel!!

Chris, the intern who joined us for two months, and Peter built a large polytunnel which is now planted with the first crop of tomatoes, zucchini and basil!  We covered it just before the wind storms and it is still standing!! In addition to being planted, it has worked a treat as a place to "harden off" seedlings before we plant them in the ground, just when I thought I could no longer walk through the glasshouse.  Hardening off allows seedlings a chance at cooler nighttime temperatures and a less protected environment to help them acclimate to being outside.

The wind storm - Of all weather, I find wind to be the most destructive and difficult to cope with.  Standing in the new polytunnel, we watched as the wind tried to force the whole structure up.  The tomatoes were already planted and secured to strings and these were pulled up around the plants...like singlets around your neck.  The tunnel stayed put, though, and we learned a bit more about growing tomatoes in a tunnel and leaving some slack in the lines!

Outside, the broad beans were blown over, newly planted bok choy seedlings snapped off and established cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli plants ring barked or ripped right out of the ground.  It was destructive and we have lost a lot of plants.  Such is farming... We hope the broad beans will not be close enough to the ground to encourage a rat party!

All but one of our winter green manure crops has been incorporated into the soil.  The green manure crops are farm generated fertility.  Once a green manure crop reaches an optimal size (usually before producing seed, which draws nutrients out of soil and the plant itself), it is cultivated back into the soil. Soil microbes feed on these residues, turning them into valuable humus: food for future plants! This in addition to compost helps to feed our soil which in turn feeds our vegetable crops throughout the season.

And here is what's growing...

And so the farm continues to grow with fallowed paddocks becoming pumpkin fields and cultivated areas being sowed down to clover cover crops to have a rest.  This year we are incorporating new crops like sweet potatoes and we are also adding new green manures with cow peas and Japanese millet.  We want the land to increase in fertility...even while it is producing foods which are taken off farm. We continue to count some happenings as experience and others as success.  And we keep growing! in so many ways. Our CSA share box harvest begins tomorrow!

For more information about our CSA, click here.

Our next Farm Open Day will be held on Sunday 20th October 2013. The Open Day is a great opportunity to see small scale, sustainable, market gardening, to learn more about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and to meet the farmers growing the food – us! Learn more...

We are posting more frequent updates about the farm on facebook and instagram.

Happy Spring and here's hoping all is growing well!!

Farm Open Day

Our next Farm Open Day will be held on Sunday 20th October 2013. The Open Day is a great opportunity to see small scale, sustainable, market gardening, to learn more about Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and to meet the farmers growing the food – us!  Find out about our biodynamic growing practices,  what it takes to grow nutrient dense food, what we think about sustainable agriculture and how our CSA supports the community. The farm tour will include: The growing mandalas with over 100 fruit trees, micro nutrient herb and flower borders, and annual food crops; The “new land” – 2 acres of “market garden”; and Our house mandala with its moving chicken dome. The permaculture design weaves its way throughout the property providing native corridors.

All are welcome.  For our CSA members, come and meet your farmers and see where your food comes from.There will be two tours: A Morning Tour from 11.00am to 12:30pm and An Afternoon Tour from 2:30pm to 4:00pm.

Bookings are essential – We ask that you please let us know if you are intending to come.  Email us with your preference for the morning or afternoon tour to receive more information.

We look forward to seeing you on the day.

Peter and Robin.

Spring!

This has been a full month...culminating with our first Biodynamic 500 application for this growing season.  Regular applications of BD500 encourages strong humus formation, all soil bacteria and soil fungi, increase earthworm activity, absorption and retention of water and development of deep rooting systems - all the things that help make soil healthy and alive and help soil support plant life!  While the glass house was filling up with vegetable seedlings, there were fruit trees to be pruned, mandala circles to be weeded, more herbs and flowers to be planted, mulch and compost to be spread. The mandalas on one half of our farm offer a whole ecosystem to the vegetables and fruit growing.  There are natives, flowers, herbs, fruit trees and circles growing annual vegetables.  Before Spring really hits, the mandala circles are weeded and the perennial herbs and flowers tidied up, the fruit trees pruned and everything mulched and fed with compost.  Hopefully the large amounts of compost will help the mandalas handle the heat of summer. You can read more about herbs and perennials in the mandala here.

In addition to Peter and myself, we have had "a crew" for the month.  Last Autumn, an Ag Science student found and interviewed us about CSA's as alternative farming.  During her time on the farm, we asked her what she wanted to do, upon completing her degree.  And she responded, "I want to do what you are doing." To which we said, "Why don't you come and work with us, then?" And she has...Welcome Clancy Hearps!

We have also been joined by two interns, Lisa Mitchell and Chris Warren - both of whom are really keen to learn more about growing vegetables year round. Chris is also keen to learn the ins and outs of running a CSA. In addition to soil blocking, seeding, greenhouse practices, thinning, planting, weeding, under sowing cover crops, herbs as micro nutrient accumulators, basic fruit tree pruning and maintenance and biodynamics, we have been working with Lisa and Chris on a four season vegetable garden bed rotation, based on incorporating chickens into the rotation.  We love the addition of new energies to the farm,  learning from them and  sharing what is working for us...and what has not.

While the scale of our farm is a bit more than a backyard garden, so much of what we do on the farm can readily be applied to the backyard. We welcome interns interested in any and all aspects of what we are doing on our farm - and hope that their time with us will help in some way to getting them growing more food on a local level. You can read more here about our farm internships.

We will be erecting a polytunnel for the first tomato planting in about a week.  This should ensure tomatoes for Christmas!  We also will be able to put shade cloth over the crop if the summer includes intense heat like last year.  The seedlings look fantastic!

With some quality compost this year, we are using soil blocks to grow our seedlings.  Soil blocks are made by combining compost, peat and coarse sand or perlite into a mold which presses out compacted soil squares.  Not only are we excited about being pot-less, this system encourages a healthier seedling which transplants without any root disturbance.  The seedlings are loving it.

In Autumn, while the days are getting shorter and cooler, the soil is still warm. In Spring, the cool soil slows the growth rate of many crops and also makes direct sown seed germination take longer.  In our home garden, we rely on over wintered  and perennial crops to fill the gap between winter and middle Spring.  We have over wintered several cauliflower varieties, fennel and broad beans for the Spring share.  The artichokes (perennial) are looking great and growing daily.  And the cool season crops that we have sown in the last 6 weeks are beginning to take off with the few warm days that we have had.

Our CSA Spring share begins in October and will run through the end of December. Use these links to find out more about our CSA program, what we are growing for Spring and Community Supported Agriculture.

What is Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)? What is our CSA all about Transition Farm's Spring Share

If you have any questions about our CSA program, please ask away.

Peter and I took a night off a few weeks back and went to see Allan Savory, international range land biologist and educator, speak about Holistic Management. In Allan's own words, holistic management is "making better decisions about where you want to go in your life - bringing in environmental, social and economic issues simultaneously." Allan has dedicated his research to trying to find the cause of the desertification of our earth...and then working to educate agriculturists with some solutions to regenerate pastures, lock CO2 into grasslands and farm sustainably while still generating profits.  This talk, though, was geared toward the city audience.

Allan drew on his 40 years of research to paint the picture of the current state of our world - environmentally.  The rising CO2 levels in our environment are thought to be related to "technology" - the burning of fossil fuels, pollution and the trapping of greenhouse gases.  Allan outlined another cause far greater then this.  Agriculture.  "Agriculture is the most devastating industry mankind has." The production of food and fibre globally is eroding soils at a rate of 8 tonnes for every 1 tonne of food produced. 2/3rds of the planet is currently in some state of desertification.  Soil is fundamental to human survival. Many of us think that technology will save our environment - A new fuel will be found, a cure for the state of the earth and/or a way to continue to live in the manner that we are on the planet.  Throughout the talk in many ways Allan wove a compelling argument that we cannot wait for someone or something to save us and our planet. "Our future is in our hands. We are all the ones we've been waiting for."

I have to admit that I tend to become very overwhelmed when listening to the serious and dire problems facing our world.  And this started happening during Allan's talk...even as I took notes and tried to listen and understand what he was saying.  At the end of the talk Allan answered questions, one of which brought up a story about a single mother who stayed with Allan and his wife while training in Holistic management.  At some stage during her stay, she admitted to Allan that she had no idea what to do with this training, how she could use it to help her community.  So he sat down with her and said, let us start with a holistic management plan for you and your son.  Using a big piece of paper, they outlined the many decisions she was to make as a mother for her and her son.  Using a holistic context that tied cultural and spiritual values in with the economic and environmental impact of these decisions, her choices became powerful statements about the world she wanted to live in.

As Emily from Hand to Ground wrote, "We cannot expect institutions or politicians to make the change we want to see because they are incapable of doing so… It is down to us as individuals and as collectives or “hubs” as Savory puts it, to begin these movements of holistic, thoughtful, compassionate management of ourselves, the land and each other." So instead of feeling helpless in the state of our environment,  we need to believe that our choices are POWERFUL, that our choices can cause a ripple  and that our choices are not only enough but VITAL.

One of the hosts for the talks around Australia, RegenAg, has sent a wonderful email with many links to more information.

For more farm updates, join us on facebook and instagram.

Happy Spring!

Spring is coming!

Around the farm, the signs that Spring is coming are everywhere.  The birds are up early and stay up later in the night.  Just this week, we spied crows gathering nesting materials.  The frogs are croaking and the broad beans are flowering!

This descending moon, we began to till in the cover crops on the new land.  Eleven months after acquiring this land and the soil is starting to glow with all the added compost.  I love the look of the freshly turned soil and love seeing all of the worms!!

The compost looks and smells terrific.

And the Spring sugar snaps have germinated!

The glasshouse is filled with cool season crops like brassicas, lettuce and fennel already germinated and ready to plant in the next fortnight.  While the tomatoes, capsicums and eggplant are on the heat pads.

Although we planted a few things for the spring share last Autumn, the late winter seeding for the season began three weeks ago.

Our direct seeder, a Jang, has different wheels for different size seeds.  I used a trick from Joyce Wilke and Michael Plane of Allsun Farm to organise the seed and the wheels together...large snap lock bags!

We built a glasshouse in June/July.  Our builder friend Dave told us about a whole house full of big laminated windows that were going to be smashed and binned during the house remodel.  Recycled materials seem to have a way of looking so good...but there are usually hiccups.  In the case of these windows, we never imagined how heavy they were.  Six men could barely lift ONE window!!  In came the crane. The glasshouse is a passive solar structure that with the use of heat stores and venting should be warm in winter and early spring and cool in summer.  It will be a great place to start all of our crops, protecting them from weather until they are strong enough to be planted.

With time off school, Maya and Rye helped too!

Thank you to Alan and Lionel for building the glasshouse, Dave for telling us about the windows and all of those hefty fellows for helping get the windows out of the house!

In the next few weeks, we hope to construct a polytunnel for the tomatoes, make soilblocks for all of the warm weather crops, more and more and more seeding, finish pruning the fruit trees...the list is long and we love the energy of Spring which helps to get it all done! Two interns are arriving this weekend too, ready to jump in to the Spring season.  We are still taking applications for the Summer and Autumn Internships.

We are hoping that our CSA season will begin in October.  If you are interested in the Spring share, please sign up as we will be sending information about what to expect in the share and the size of the shares in the next few weeks.

Even in the pouring rain...the children came

Last year after hearing a prep class in the grocery store singing their chant, " Single file through the aisle.  This is where our food comes from.", I thought several expletives, went home and contacted one of our local primary schools, offering to host the whole school on our farm. The school accepted and made the term two focus an investigation into plants.  The younger children wanted to see food growing and see what food plants look like...trying lots of food was a huge hit too!  The 1-2's questions ranged from what is the smallest seed to how do plants communicate.  The 3-4's were curious about plants as living things, fertilizers and pesticides. And the 5-6's wanted to know how farmers were managing in extreme weather and how were we reducing our greenhouse emissions. Big questions for 11 and 12 year olds!  Even through the pouring rain, the children came, explored, nibbled very adventurously, planted cover crops, pulled carrots, ate raw sweet corn, jumped in puddles, and heard stories about how plants play "Chinese Whispers", how plants attract beneficial insects, plant "force fields", soil hummus, making winter blankets for soil life with cover crops, mono-cropping farming compared with small scale, diverse, sustainable farming.

In addition to coming to the farm, a few of the classes invited me to come to their classrooms.  One class helped us with seed saving by fermenting the tomato seeds of four different varieties.  Another class had more questions about how plants grow, all the different functions of roots, where does the seed come from, which came first - the seed or the plant.  I have been loving the questions that the children are pondering and really enjoying the opportunity to share the importance of healthy soil to plant life.

The purple carrots will be unforgettable for them.  And their Thank you notes have been the best...we have especially loved all the rain in the pictures...loads of blue spots and some were a wash with blue...do you think they noticed the rain?

Thank you to Dizzy Carlyon and Mel Turnbull (the Wwoof-er who came for the last two weeks of the Autumn Share) who both helped immensely with the tours!! And a big thank you to the principle, Meg Dallas, and all the teachers of the school for giving the children a great chance to think about plants, farming and really see where food comes from.

Winter Bounty

With the solstice coming in less then a fortnight, we have been watching the movement of light across the back of our house shed and designing a glass house to make the best use of the low winter sun.  Last year we found the poly tunnel at times too cold for starting some of the cold sensitive plants...and we also ran out of space.  The glass house will give us a warmer place to start seeds and the poly tunnel will be used as the nursery for the cold loving seedlings in the late winter early spring.  Only 12 more days before the sun heads back to our side of the planet. Our seeding for the next growing season begins again in the middle of July.

We finished 26 weeks of our CSA season in May.  It was a great season for us as growers.  We trialed intensive market gardening techniques and new and different varieties of vegetables, provided a box of vegetables and fruit each week for local families and really enjoyed feeling supported by our CSA members.

We still have plenty of plants producing lovely Winter vegetables (see below pictures) - so we will be heading to the Boneo Market (cnr Limestone and Boneo Rds) on Saturday 15 June from 7:30-1:00.

We will have the following items for sale at the market: Golden Turnips- White Cauliflower - Coloured Cauliflower - Romanesco Broccoli - Broccoli - Purple Savoy Cabbage - Green Cabbage - Red Cabbage - Beetroot - Buttercrunch Lettuce - Perella Rougette Lettuce - Brown Cos Lettuce - Tatsoi - Bok Choy (red and Green) - Mibuna - Snow Pea  - Sugar Snap Peas - Kale bunches - Silverbeat bunches - Coriander - Parsley

Past and present CSA members will receive a 10% discount at the market.

In addition to selling produce we will be trying to spread the word about local food and CSA farms!  Up until now, all of the food we grow has been divided between CSA members and when there is surplus beyond what we think families can use, to the local soup kitchen.  We are looking forward to having the market time to share our produce with more people and spread the word about nutrient dense, locally grown produce and small scale, diverse agriculture!

Last year after hearing a prep class in the grocery store singing in unison, " Single file through the aisle.  This is where our food comes from.", I thought several expletives, went home and contacted one of our local primary schools, offering to host the whole school on our farm. The school accepted and made the term two focus an investigation into plants. We have written a post about the school's visit and will send that out as soon as we have the approval of a few more parents to use photos that include the children.

We had our first Wwoofer (Willing Workers on Organic Farms) stay for two weeks at the end of May.  Mel Turnbull was a great help with the school tours and the final two weeks of the CSA. We wish her all the best on her journeys!

In addition to building the glasshouse, Peter is also designing a moveable polytunnel that will be used through the growing season to provide extra protection from hail to early spring greens, warm the soil to germinate carrots a bit sooner in the early spring, late frost protection for some of the warm weather crops, a structure to trellis field tomatoes, frost protection in the Autumn and possibly a winter hideaway for chickens.  This greenhouse will not be heated and could make up to six moves in a growing season allowing the soil to be constantly kept full of hummus and in touch still with the natural cycle.  We are also thinking that the poly tunnel may provide us a structure that we can pull shade cloth across if there are times of extreme heat like last summer.

We are enjoying some inside time during the welcome rain of Winter, too.  This is a great time of year to plan the crops for next season, order seeds, catch up on our book work and do a bit of winter reading!  I am loving the book Soil and Sense written in 1941.  The concepts of how to keep soil healthy were embedded into farm land deeds and if you depleted your soil you were called a "land robber". Even 73 years ago, chemical fertilizers were not delivering on their promises of higher yield. Farmers were turning to "an older way of conserving fertility".  I wonder how farmers are still being seduced by the newest inventions to increase yield...such as GMO crops...only to find that the claims again were false.  Healthy soil still wins not only in high yield but also in nutrient dense food!!

Transition Farm has joined Instagram...“... a fast, beautiful and fun way to share your photos with friends and family.” This is another "social networking" platform available for users of Apple products.  We are also on Facebook.

If you are local, hope to "socially network" in the old fashion way this weekend by meeting you at the market!!

Happy Solstice!