We still have plants for your garden

PLANT SALE

SUNDAY JUNE 11

8 a.m. until noon

Heirloom Tomatoes, Peppers

Edible Flowers

DAY BRIGHTENERS FARM

805 Slater Road, Heckston

613-258-7970

See Prices for details

Plan Sale going on today and tomorrow

PLANT SALE

SAT. JUNE 3 & SUN. JUNE 4

8 a.m. until noon

Organically grown HERBS

Heirloom Tomatoes

Peppers

Edible Flowers

and more

DAY BRIGHTENERS FARM

805 Slater Road, Heckston

613-258-7970

See Prices tab here for details

Enjoy the Smells and Sights of Spring - ahhhhhh yes.

Everything happens so fast now.  The lilacs just came into bloom last week (one week’s salad worth) and now they are done.  The honeysuckle is now in bloom.  I hope it will last, the little flowers smell so sweet and are also edible.  The yellow irises in the backyard smell absolutely wonderful.  The jacob’s ladders have flowered along with the lungwort.  Evening primrose is getting so tall I’m sure its petals will grace our salads soon too.

Here are a few pictures for you.  Spring is such a refreshing time of year.

The continuing Plant Sale here is going well.  I do have hundreds, and I mean hundreds, of quite a variety of heirloom tomatoes and almost that many peppers available if you’re in need.  We had quite a crowd here Tuesday morning up-potting tomatoes until every single little tomato seedling on the property was happily placed into a larger pot to ensure continued root development and rapid growth.  What a productive time it was. 

The Greenhouse beds are getting more and more full of hot pepper plants each day.  The salad greens growing outside are enjoying the rain, sun isn’t greens’ best friend so a little cloud is welcome.  We were setting up soaker systems in many of the gardens today and will keep that up until it’s completely done.   Carrots, onions, beans, peas, snow peas and more salad mixes have been planted and more are waiting to go in.  Several of the lettuces designated to be heads are coming along nicely. 

We’re still and will mostly always be seeding new plants to give them a head start in pots before transplanting time.  Pea Shoots (they call them Pea Tendrils in the City but I find that name a little creepy like they’re going to wrap themselves around you) are ready this week.  We’ll start more sunnys tomorrow. 

The chipmunk couple living in the Greenhouse thinks they are better gardeners than we are and keep planting sunflowers seeds amongst our vegetables, not only in the beds and gardens but right in the pots beside the stem of the plants!  The little darlings :) 

If you want to be on our Weekly Delivery List, contact me by email or phone.  

Until next post, have a great every day.  

Okay, it's time to plant

I believe we can now plunk our plants into the ground, BUT you might want to keep an old sheet handy to throw over them if those night temps drop below 3C.  I check the weather station several times a day, not so much for the high temperatures but mainly for the lows.  It changes so often.    

I put out several trays of lettuces, herbs and tomatoes this week to harden them off (get them used to the real world).  It rained so hard yesterday afternoon and evening I had to empty the trays of water before saying "Good Night" to all.  

We're still up-potting some tomatoes but already have a good variety for you which have been quickly growing and looking forward to their new homes.  The pepper plants we started in January and February, are very ready to be in garden beds.  

See the "Prices" tab here for varieties of PLANTS FOR SALE SATURDAY MAY 27 AND SUNDAY MAY 28 8:00 A.M TO 5 P.M.

I'm usually here every day during the week too, but it's best to call or email if you're thinking of coming on a weekday.  I might be out delivering.  

See you tomorrow or Sunday! 

Jo

I haven’t been absent or sick, just really, really busy operating the seeding, greenhouse maintenance, indoor to outdoor transition of peppers, seedling growth and dancing around the weather, particularly the nights and their coldness.  I’m losing track of how many times I have folded up the frost blankets, put them away and brought them back out again.  No more I say – no more - ya right.

I’m posting a list of the plants for sale this week and the next couple of weeks.  I strongly caution unless you have a plan in place for protecting these little babies, please don’t put them in the ground yet.  I started the tomatoes so they would be ready for transplanting during the last week of May and first week of June, which is when I’ll be putting mine in.   Some of the hardier plants, of course, can go in now if your garden is prepared, which we’re still working on here.  

We’ve transplanted some kale, chard, lettuces and herbs and are growing spinach and mesclun mix from seed in the outdoor beds – they all seem to be doing well.  Remember to put row cover over brassicas and arugula or the bugs will destroy every single plant while you’re sleeping.   

You can purchase your favourite plants from me now.  I’m happy to hold them for you until the right time. 

Please go to my Prices tab to see the list of available plants for your gardening pleasure this season. 

Thanks.

so this is March

a month later and we look like this

kinda like last month but more snow
even though we've had grass that looked like it was greening up, lots of warmth, started most of our seedlings for the season and continue to grow microgreens, pea shoots, sunflower shoots and basil indoors.

We took the top and bottom of an old futon and made seedling tables with legs on wheels - that's pretty cool I think.

We prepped the raised beds in both greenhouses and covered them with straw and plastic to warm up the soil so, hopefully next week, we can plant out there.

The pepper plants are doing great and really want it to be warmer outside so they can be transplanted into the Greenhouse.  The nights are just too cold right now.

We lost several flowers during these nights even though they were covered with the tray lids, sometimes doubled, and frost blanket on top of all of that.

Until next post, stay warm and drive safely.
Jo

Winter Snow

must get to greenhouses

must clear the doors

I did it

and this is why - these guys need to be taken care of,
they were cheering me on from inside the greenhouse

Snow

Snow

Snow

Shovel

Ice – fall down

Snow

Shovel

Snow and ice

Shovel

Build a Wall of

Snow to block the

Snow

Snow covered van

Snow covered greenhouse

Snow

Shovel

Snow

S’no keeping up with the snow

Sow more herbs and flowers

Up-pot pepper seedlings

Snow

Shovel snow

Eat: 

Garlic  $2 large, $1 small or $10 /pound mixed 

Herbs, fresh:  Cilantro (growing indoors), Citrus Thyme, Thyme  $2/bunch 

Hot Peppers, ground dried   $2.25 /100 grams  - varieties are D’espellette, Hot Portugal, Red Cayenne, Thai

Applesauce (organic apples gently simmered with a cinnamon stick)  $4 /500mL jar

Granola, with fruit  $8 /500mL jar  

Granola, with nuts and fruit  $10 /500mL jar

I make the granola fresh when you order - between shovelling snow

  

Shoots/Microgreens

Kale  $2 bag

Pea  $2 bag

Sunflower  $2 bag

Sprouts  $3 /bag

Sandwich Booster  (clover, alfalfa, radish and mustard)  

Spring Salad Mix  (broccoli, radish, alfalfa & clover) 

I’ll grow Crunchy Bean Mix and/or Ancient Eastern Blend sprouts or Wheat Grass for you if you order in advance – I need to know this week to have them ready next week

Remember, no order is too small.  I’m out near you anyway and always happy to see you. 

Day Brighteners is a non-certified organic farm, where we practice sustainability and environmentally-friendly farming.  We always use non-GMO and organic/heirloom seeds.  You are very welcome to drop by most days, but if it’s picking/packing/delivery day you take your chances on getting the tour.  Calling or emailing first is a good idea.  We do appreciate your business very much and would like to hear from you with any comments or questions you have.  

If you'd like to purchase any of the above items, I'm happy to provide them if available after our regular customers have ordered.  If you want to know how to receive delivery of our nutritional goodness, see Contact information and email or call me.  Thanks.

Until next post, have a great every day.  

Jo 

Sunshine amongst the cold

Promotion Time

My super-star (like a sunshine star) this week is Nancy Morgan of The Workshop Dance Studio, located downstairs at the Raina Mall, 215 Sanders Street in Kemptville – 868-9062.  Six days of the week, Nancy greets every customer with a huge smile and knows each by name, asks how our weekend or our week was, enquires about our family members and shares bits of her own life with us regularly.  Her husband and kids have been known to attend some exercise and dance classes.  And she does this over and beyond helping us take care of our bodies each time we go there.  We all exercise facing the wall-to-wall / ceiling-to-floor mirror so she can see if we’re keeping up with her or if anything is amiss.  She constantly watches her exercisers to make sure knees are bent or legs are straight or backs are in the correct position when they should be.  She also makes note if someone seems to be favouring a knee or shoulder and discretely checks up on them during the class or when our hour is done.  The lights in the room are low.  She starts each class by telling us no one else is watching you and it’s not a competition, we’re all here for our own reasons.  She’s absolutely right.  However, I can’t help but notice the other “dancers” as Nancy calls us and how happy each of them looks and how comfortable we are in our own bodies.  Most of us are smiling while we throw our arms up to the music, jog or walk quickly backwards around the room and listen carefully to learn why Nancy is having us move our toes and fingers in various ways.  It’s all about being strong.  The music is great and you lose your thoughts while noticing each time you go there that it feels good to move so freely.  We are all there to feel better.

I go to Nancy’s Workshop Studio, not to lose weight (although there are those extra little pounds that have attached themselves to my waist between Christmas and now) but to gain strength.  I need to be strong for my upcoming market garden season.  I can’t be popping a rib every time I lift something heavier than I am, nor can I stop pulling weeds or bending while transplant or hauling soil or compost simply because I might be tired or achy.  I need to walk, run, lift, bend, pull and push every hour of every day for several months.  Since I started back at Nancy’s classes I’ve noticed my overall strength is returning and I feel generally wonderful.  Trudging through the ice-covered snow is not an effort.  My forearms are stronger so I can spritz my hundreds of plants twice daily without taking a break.  One of the best things to do is to participate in a dance class just before grocery shopping.  It’s amazing how your freshly toned and energetic body migrates towards the produce department and you crave fresh greens and fruit – mmmmm spinach and kale and apples. 

I woke up this past Sunday morning thinking to myself “Oh boy, tomorrow is Monday and I exercise Monday.”  I try to get out Wednesday evenings too, which can be tricky, but Friday mornings are a sure thing.  Check out the schedule and perhaps you’ll find yourself there too.  And it’s not just exercise, there’s so much more. 

Sowings

As promised, new Sunnys are ready this week.  Pea Shoots will be ready next week.   They take longer than the sunflowers.  Almost all of the peppers, leeks, onions and edible flowers sown are now up with their perky first leaves craving light and their roots digging deep for water.  I’m almost out of space in the house so have started various lettuces and herbs on heat mats in the Greenhouse. 

We’re in between basil plants currently but the new ones are growing nicely. 

Pictures

I love to show you a few pictures so you can get excited about stuff growing here too.  

 

Good eating this week looks like this:

Garlic  $2 large, $1 small or $10 /pound mixed 

Herbs, fresh:  Cilantro (growing indoors), Citrus Thyme, Thyme  $2/bunch although the -21C tonight might affect them

Hot Peppers, ground dried   $2.25 /100 grams  - varieties are D’espellette, Hot Portugal, Red Cayenne, Thai

Applesauce (organic apples gently simmered with a cinnamon stick)  $4 /500mL jar

Granola, with fruit  $8 /500mL jar  

Granola, with nuts and fruit  $10 /500mL jar

I make the granola fresh when you order 

  

Shoots/Microgreens

Arugula  $2 bag

Kale  $2 bag

Sunflower  $2 bag

Sprouts  $3 /bag

Sandwich Booster  (clover, alfalfa, radish and mustard)  

Spring Salad Mix  (broccoli, radish, alfalfa & clover) 

I’ll grow Crunchy Bean Mix and/or Ancient Eastern Blend sprouts for you if you order in advance – I need to know this week to have them ready next week

Day Brighteners is a non-certified organic farm, where we practice sustainability and environmentally-friendly farming.  We always use non-GMO seeds and products and take pride in all we do.  You are very welcome to drop by most days, but if it’s picking/packing/delivery day you take your chances on getting the tour.  Calling or emailing first is a good idea.  We do appreciate your business very much and would like to hear from you with any comments you have.  

If you'd like to purchase any of the above items, I'm happy to provide them if available after our regular customers have ordered.  If you want to know how to receive delivery of our nutritional goodness, see Contact information and email or call me.  Thanks.

Until next post, have a great every day.  

Jo 

My go-to meal - Frittata

As you may know, we have chickens, 11 now.   They are laying hens.  They are silkies and d'uccles. Silkies are beautiful birds but they don't lay too many eggs and our d'uccles are really really cute but they don't lay too many eggs either.  Oh dear.

When we do have eggs, my favourite dish to make and eat is frittata.  It is so easy and a great way to clean out your vegetable drawer before re-filling it.

Our chickens are little so they lay little eggs.  When baking I use 3 little eggs for every 2 in a recipe.  No two frittatas have ever been the same here.  This particular one is made with potatoes and kale.

I had 10 eggs, so I used 10 eggs.  I usually use a dozen, which
allows for a couple of dinner-sized portions of frittata plus a
lunch-size portion for the next day.

I peel and cut the potatoes into pieces to fry up quickly in olive oil.  I like to use an herb infused oil unless I have a large amount of fresh herbs on hand.  In mid-winter, I don't always feel like putting on my big coat, boots and mitts to go out to pick fresh herbs.  I also add chopped onions or leeks.  A little later, I toss in kale broken into smaller pieces (spinach or chard could be  used in place of kale).  I gently fry all of this until it's cooked.    

I whisk the eggs in a bowl with some milk, salt, pepper, a little
dash of ground hot peppers and some shredded cheese.

 Then into the frying pan goes the egg mixture, cooking it slightly so it's not quite liquid.

It's not much to look at before it's cooked, but wait.

I put the frying pan into the oven and bake at 400F for about 25-30 minutes or until the top is browned and the entire mixture is firm.

Scatter some chopped green onions or chives on top.
Now it's beautiful.  

Remember the handle of your frying pan is hot for a long time!  I leave a hot mitt on it so I won't forget.

I usually serve the frittata with homemade salsa and a salad.  It is an excellent meal which isn't complicated.  No need to go out and buy special ingredients to make it.  Use whatever is in your kitchen.  You can start by frying up broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, celery or pretty much any raw vegetable along with your onions.  You can add your favourite cheese with the eggs.  Sometimes I sprinkle crumbled feta over top of the frittata before it goes into the oven rather than adding cheese to the mixture.  Or I put slices of brie on top before baking.  Ninety per cent of the time I do have fresh herbs and I chop them, then sprinkle them on top after the pan comes from the oven.  Leave the whole thing for a few minutes to let the frittata absorb the flavours of the herbs, just like when you make pizza - ah pizza, that's another blog-to-be.

Enjoy.  

Growing a Business

Promotion

I’ve been thinking of everyone with whom we do business regularly in this small community.  I’m a fan of promoting someone I think does an excellent job and is hard-working.  How about you?  If you have a business and you use someone’s product, do you tell people about it and “promote” them or do you not say a word unless a customer specifically asks about that product or “Where would I be able to buy . . .“?  If you use let’s say a painter, do you tell your friends and neighbours about that painter or only if you know they’re looking for one?  I think we could all do a wonderful thing for our fellow business owners by speaking out before being asked.   Let’s do it.  I’ll start.

As I’m typing here at our dining room table our living room and bathroom are being painted, as well as our wooden doors being finished.  Phil of Morotti Painting (613-769-8038 or on facebook Morotti Painting) started yesterday.  Phil has been here in the past, many times.  As I look around I see his wonderful clean corners and intricately straight ceiling/wall lines.  He leaves no mess.  As a matter of fact, I caught him sweeping the dust and various lost items from behind the piano which I had meant to do before he arrived this morning.  He brings his own coffee and lunch, although I can usually talk him into a fresh cuppa just after lunch.  He works quickly and quietly and gets the job done.  His estimates in paint amounts are right on.  He’s now putting the outlet covers back on, which I wouldn’t have expected him to do at all.  I’m glad Phil is back painting again.

Another excellent way to promote someone, so I’m learning, is on the Internet.  Most businesses have websites or blogs.  I was asked, and gladly accepted the task, to write a testimonial for the bed and breakfast we love in Picton.  I wouldn’t have thought to do this had I not been asked by the hostess.  Mine was added to the many guests who have crossed their threshold and I trust this has added to their business.  By the way, it's called the Bee & Bee Bed and Breakfast.  

So, if you like someone’s services, what a great idea it is to let them know and even more than that let others know about them.  You can help that person to grow his or her business. 

Seems like a good idea, right?  Small town entrepreneurs can always use more help. 

Hot peppers, Ground Dried

Dried hot peppers are now for sale.  

Jar Return

For anyone new to our delivery service or in case you forgot, if you don’t have a use for the jars I supply to you once you’ve eaten the goodness inside, I’m happy to take them back – I’ll give you 50 cents for each tiny jar and $1 for each larger one.  I need to buy new ones anyway so I’d rather see yours being used again instead of going to the recycle bin. 

Pictures

I'm attaching a few pictures so you can get excited about food too.  

Lovely dried and ground d'espellette peppers

The Kale is happily growing

Sunflower Shoots

Sunnys should be ready next week.  

Eats this week are:

Garlic  $2 large, $1 small or $10 /pound mixed 

Herbs, fresh:  Citrus Thyme, Thyme  $2/bunch

Hot Peppers, ground and dried   $2.25 /100 grams  - varieties are D’espellette, Hot Portugal, Red Cayenne, Thai

Applesauce (organic apples gently simmered with a cinnamon stick)  $4 /500mL jar

Granola, with fruit  $8 /500mL jar  

Granola, with nuts and fruit  $10 /500mL jar

I make the granola fresh when you order 

  

Pesto, basil - $4.50 /125mL jar

I make fresh each week from basil grown here, right now

Shoots

Cilantro  $2 bag

Radish  $2 /bag

Sprouts  $3 /bag

Sandwich Booster  (clover, alfalfa, radish and mustard)  

Spring Salad Mix  (broccoli, radish, alfalfa & clover) 

Day Brighteners is a non-certified organic farm, where we practice sustainability and environmentally-friendly farming.  We always use non-GMO seeds and products and take pride in all we do.  You are very welcome to drop by most days, but if it’s picking/packing/delivery day you take your chances on the tour.  Calling or emailing first is a good idea.  We do appreciate your business very much and would like to hear from you with any comments you have.  

If you'd like to purchase any of the above items, I'm happy to provide them if available after our regular customers have ordered.  If you want to know how to receive delivery of our nutritional goodness, see Contact information and email or call me.  Thanks.

Until next post, have a great every day.  

Jo