Well the Share Organics red truck decided it did not want to go to Cobble Hill on Sunday. It would rather go to the garage so…we did not make it. However a few Share Organics customer did get to go and here is what they said.
“ it was a fun time out there! i learned tonnes and am now wondering whose backyard i can take over and sow some grain this fall. know anybody??? lucy (my 7 yr old) is outside winnowing her precious handful of red fife right now….. we want to be part of the CSA next year” Tracey Cook
“We had a great time, with Heather and Brock sharing so much of their knowledge, and then we got to work, cutting, carrying, loading trucks, stomping them down and tying them up and then off to the combine. We were able to cut and combine the Red Fife, Hard winter wheats and the Rye as well.” Beatrice
Report from Heather and Brock at Island Grains
It ended up that each 875 square foot shareholder will receive 8.75 pounds of the Hard White Spring wheat (HWSW), 9.25 pounds of the Red Fife wheat and 19 pounds of rye, for a total of 37 pounds of grain, just slightly less than the 40 pounds we had estimated.
Josh Mellor and his combine and baler were a huge help, as were those helping feed the combine and baler. Josh called last night and mentioned he was blown away by how hard and well everyone was working, including those at the back end of the combine, where it was dusty and fast-paced.
Besides the combine, we harvested old school, using only scythes, sickles or scissors to cut it down, which was hard work, but didn’t take as long as we thought it might. A big thank you to David Slade for helping scythe despite risking re-injuring a recently dislocated shoulder.
IT IS SOMETIMES HARD TO GUARANTEE WHEN IT’S THIS FRESH!
Tom up in Cobble Hill had his fingers cross all weekend for lots of sunshine but it was not enough to ripen most of the melons in his fields. When you are hoping to get produce this fresh sometimes the weather does not co-operate!
We will still have Tom’s honeydew melons but half the melons with bee honey Galia and are coming from our farmer friends on the mainland!
ISLAND CORN ONLY HALF BAKED
A Sunday call from Joe at Kingcott Farms with bad news about the local corn. His large first crop did not get pollinated. Joe thinks that the heavy rains in June knocked the pollen off the plants when they were only half way pollinated. So the cobs came out with just the bottom kernels formed up nicely. Half baked you might say! Joe told us that each tassel is connected to a kernel and each tassel needs the pollen to form its own kernel – in layman’s terms!
The good news is that we have ordered the extra cobs from our friends on the mainland so corn is in the box. More good news – Joe believes his second crop coming in about 3 weeks is looking good! He also brought us some figs – enough for the LOCAL ONLY BOX. THANKS TO Joe for sending fresh figs for free! We have been hoping for years that the timing would work out. They are ready and we have put them in the LOCAL ONLY BOX – they have been short on fruit for awhile. And the Orchard Box – because the numbers worked! Let us know how you enjoyed them.
Last spring Share Organics bought a share in the Island Grain Projects CSA program. We participated in a workshop on planting in the spring time. This past weekend a harvesting and threshing workshop was planned but damp weather prevented the harvest. We are hoping it will take place next Sunday August 29, 11 am to 4 pm.
If you are interested in joining in on the experience please contact Susan at susan(at)shareoganics.bc.ca
We expect to be cutting the grain, loading it into trucks, hauling it to another farm nearby for threshing. Threshing is the process of loosening the edible part of the grain from the scaly, inedible chaff that surrounds it. Threshing does not remove the bran from the grain. Traditionally threshing may be done by beating the grain using a flail on a threshing floor. A modern version of this in some areas is to spread the grain on the surface of a country road so the grain may be threshed by the wheels of passing vehicles. We won’t be doing this!
And then we will bring home our share of the harvest…Mmmmm
Because organic food is grown in well-balanced soil, it makes sense that these healthy plants have a great taste!
SHARE ORGANICS SPONSORS…
FRINGEKIDS FEST
11 AM – 4 PM, SATURDAY AUGUST 28th
In MARKET SQUARE (560 JOHNSON)
Visit our table and make Potato People!
This fun family celebration is one of the Fringe’s best kept secrets. Fringe Kids is a completely free one-day family festival with live entertainment, music, Fringe Faeries, craft activities, face painting, Major Conrad Flapps, the life-sized Cardboard Castle for small artists to paint and an inflatable bouncy bunny! An exciting new addition this year is an appearance by the exquisite giant puppets created by Puente Theatre and theInter-Cultural Association. Families are encouraged to bring new school supplies to donate to the Single Parent Resource Centre. This event is sponsored by the City of Victoria, Market Square and Share Organics. www.victoriafringe.com
Caponata – an Italian feast from the oven!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Mix together:
1 small onion chopped coarsely
1 pepper green or red cut into 1/2 inch chunks
1 medium eggplant @3/4 LB in 1/2 inch cubes
1 or 2 medium zucchini in 1/2 inch cubes
2 medium tomatoes in 1 inch cubes
1 clove garlic minced
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
1 Tsp. Cane sugar
1 tsp. dried oregano (1 Tbsp. fresh)
Bake in shallow uncovered baking dish for 30 to 40 minutes.
When vegetables are tender, stir in:
1/4 cup pitted chopped black olive
1/4 cup chopped green Sicilian olives
1/4 cup drained capers
The future of food depends on farmers making a living! 20 LBS peaches for $16 in the stores this week. Wow that is great for me BUT if you were that farmer would you grow peaches again next year or would it be more cost effective to cut the trees down? (that is what happened with many cherry trees last year!) If peaches are retailing for 80 cents a LB then how much is the farmer getting? 50 cents? Considering just the cost to pay a picker, would you bother growing? Its a function of our food system so what can we as consumers do? Pay a real price now for the promise of a future BC crop!
We have been very pleased to be able to offer more local herbs this year thanks to Brian and Daphne at Kildara Farms. The dill has been fabulous – dilled potato salad, dilled beans! It can be a tricky business especially with herbs such as cilantro. In this heat they can go to flower very quickly. This morning as they were taking stock, viewing the field for our Tuesday am order, they found the cilantro flowering. The leaves are still very tasty, lots of big cilantro flavour! It is a more feathery variety than the parsley type you might see at a store. Did you know that Cilantro flowers turn in to seeds that we know as the spice Coriander?
Farmer Brian also suggests trying Summer Savory in all recipes calling for Thyme
Last of the cherries this week and they are certified Transitional. This means the orchard uses organic growing methods and is under the training and supervision of the certifying body for a specified period while the soil and/or their own skills improve. We love to support transitional farmers!
Transition Town VictoriaGrassroots Picnic
Sat. Aug. 21st from 12 – 4 p.m
Bring a picnic and your instrument or a teachable skill to this all-ages “Transition Town” gathering in Porter Park east of the Moss St Market. How can we build local resilience as we significantly reduce our dependency on fossil fuels? Which skills will we need in a post-oil world? Learn about food growing and composting, indigenous skills and plants, making solar panels from re-used materials; sing along with the Gettin’ Higher Summer Choir, join a spiral dance, learn non-violent communication and more. Rain or shine.www.transitionvictoria.ca
Coleslaw Variations
½ cabbage, shredded (use a grater)
1 small Walla Walla onion, diced
2 large kale or chard leaves, chiffonade (roll leaves together and cut cross wise into thin ribbons)
2 carrots, grated
Spice it up with any of the following:
Cilantro, cumin and lime
Apple, raisin and Fennel
Dress with:
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste.
Let marinate for a bit if you have time (it gets even better the next day). Use in wraps with grated cheddar!
SEND US YOUR CABBAGE SALAD RECIPES!!
SHARE ORGANICS SPONSORS FRINGEKIDS FEST
IN MARKET SQUARE, 11 AM – 4 PM, SATURDAY AUGUST 28
MARKET SQUARE (560 JOHNSON)
This fun family celebration is one of the Fringe’s best kept secrets. FringeKids is a completely free one-day family festival with live entertainment, music, Fringe Faeries, craft activities, facepainting, Major Conrad Flapps, the life-sized Cardboard Castle for small artists to paint and an inflatable bouncy bunny! An exciting new addition this year is an appearance by the exquisite giant puppets created by Puente Theatre and the Inter-Cultural Association. Families are encouraged to bring new school supplies to donate to the Single Parent Resource Centre. This event is sponsored by the City of Victoria, Market Square and Share Organics. See www.victoriafringe.com
“Disbelief in magic can force a poor soul into believing in government and business” – Tom Robbins
We are starting to see some early summer apples from the mainland so decided to have a chat with Ian Franey the orchardist at Isabella Orchard. Isabella is a beautiful Orchard on Isabella Point on Salt Spring Island. Ian usually participates in the Salt Spring Island Apple Festival in September and opens the farm for visitors. Ian is known for his fabulous apple juice and his great apple pies! His early season apples from Isabella are two varieties called Discovery and Tydeman.
Discovery are bright red eating apples and have excellent texture and flavour – crisp, juicy and sweet. So juicy, in fact, that the Discovery apple is an excellent juicer. Anything that falls to the ground goes right into Ian’s next apple pressing.
Tydemans are tart, crisp, eating and/or cooking apples that ripen in August. Good in pies and crumbles.
Summer apples (as opposed to Autumn Apples) do not store well as they lose both their crispness and some of their flavor and so should be refrigerated immediately after purchasing. We’re not yet sure when the first delivery will be but it will be worth the wait. We do have a bit more of last year’s apple juice left. Try it!
FOODROOTS CANNING CLASS
Season of plenty is here! The class will be led by Rebecca Jehn, a farmer/chef who sells preserves at the Moss Street Market. Each participant will take home one jar of jam and one jar of salsa made in the class and a set of handouts prepared by Rebecca.
There are 15 places available in the class. Cost is $45.00 (including HST). Depending on the number of registrants, Foodroots will offer a few subsidized places
DATE: Wednesday, August 18th 6:30PM -9:30PM
PLACE: FAIRFIELD GONZALES COMMUNITY CENTRE KITCHEN, 1335 Thurlow (east end of Sir James Douglas School)
TO REGISTER: send your name, email address and phone number to leefuge(at)pacificcoast.net or call 250-385-7974 and leave the requested information.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: 9AM on Tuesday, August 17th
Blueberry Lemon Pie
- 2 cups crushed Anna’s Almond Cinnamon Cookies (1 ½ Pkgs) or graham crackers plus 1 tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup melted butter
- ¼ cup corn starch (Sub arrowroot powder as corn everything is associated with GMOs. You get the same clear thickening end result)
- ½ cup sugar
- Juice of 4 medium lemons (1/2 cup plus) and add water to 1 cup level
- ½ teaspoonful grated lemon zest
- 2 egg whites at room temperature
- ½ pint whipping cream
- 2 cups blueberries
1. Crush cookies with rolling pin or wine bottle between layers of wax paper.
2. Mix into melted butter and press into a 9 inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 and cool.
3. In a saucepan mix together the cornstarch and sugar and then gradually add the cup of liquid whisking it in until smooth
4. Heat mixture to boiling point and simmer until thick.
5. Remove from heat and stir in lemon zest. Cool.
6. Beat the egg whites until stiff.
7. In separate bowl (some beaters) whip the cream until thick.
8. Beat the lemon so it is smooth and fold in the egg and cream. Add blueberries and spread into the pie shell. Decorate with extra blues and lemon peel curls!
Serves 6 to 8.
BC FRUIT BOX IS BACK!
Our $20 Small Fruit Box has been converted to the BC Fruit Box.
***Only as a supplement to another box or part of a $45 a la carte order.***
Once a year we have a crop of fennel bulbs from Sungold Meadows. Farmer Nancy sent us her Orange and Fennel Salad recipe last year and it is divine! Find it in our recipe archive.
Cooking with fennel is a pleasure as it has a fresh, fragrant, anise-like flavor that is enhanced by cooking. When used raw in salads or salsas, it has a refreshing, crisp texture, complementing other raw vegetables and fish.
Whether braised, sautéed, roasted, or grilled, the bulb mellows and softens with cooking. Braising is an effective way of cooking with fennel. Cut the bulbs in quarters, from tip to root, and remove just enough of the core, so that the quarters still hold together. Then melt some butter in a frying pan, add the fennel plus about 150ml chicken or vegetable stock. Season with salt and pepper, cover and braise for 20-25 minutes until tender.
In salads, try adding finely chopped, raw fennel to potato salad or coleslaw, to add crunch and a mild aniseed flavor. Sliced fennel can be used in the poaching water when poaching or steaming fish. It can also be added to homemade fish stock. Nutritionally, fennel contains large amounts of vitamin C; one cup containing nearly 20% of your daily vitamin C requirement!
The Centre for Arts, Ecology & Agriculture established at Foxglove Farm to demonstrate and interpret the vital connections between farming, land stewardship, food, the arts, and community well being; to model the economic possibilities for small and medium scale sustainable agricultural projects, and to nurture the human spirit through public programs, classes, and events. Aug programs just posted!
1. Combine and whisk all ingredients except the fennel. Brush on the fish. Salt and pepper lightly.
2. Place the fennel on the grill or in the broiler pan. Put the fish on top.
3. Grill or broil the fish. Do not turn the fish over.
4. While the fish is cooking, slice the fennel very thinly. Arrange on a platter.
5. Drizzle with a bit of balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. Serve fish on top.
BC FRUIT BOX IS BACK
Our $20 Small Fruit Box has been converted to the BC Fruit Box.
***Only as a supplement to another box or part of a $45 a la carte order.***
Kildara is growing more herbs this year so get ready to experiment with new recipes. Dill goes very well with potatoes, tomatoes, beets and any kind of fish. Try a potato salad with Kildara fingerling potatoes and dill or if you have beets left from last week add dill to your borscht! Coming down the line are tarragon and savoury! Drying excess herbs is easy. Spread out on a wicker basket or tray on top of your refrigerator. (Needs to be a warm, dry place out of the sun)
RASPBERRIES are big and beautiful from Maple Groove Farm in Cowichan! We have had some delivery issues that mean they are only coming early in the week. They are holding quite well and we have a test pint from last week in the cooler so if things are looking good the Thursday routes will have raspberries next week. Thanks again for “Share-ing!”
Wendy at Westwind Farm says HERITAGE TOMATOES are ready for the first delivery in August!! Her speciality garlic is curing and might be ready too!
The Centre for Arts, Ecology & Agriculture was established at Foxglove Farm to demonstrate and interpret the vital connections between farming, land stewardship, food, the arts, and community well being; to model the economic possibilities for small and medium scale sustainable agricultural projects, and to nurture the human spirit through public programs, classes, and events.
The first picks of the season are usually smaller – as a “larger purchaser” we at Share have to wait a bit once you start seeing the product at the markets. When the quantity increases enough then we offer it!
This week is the beginning of our raspberry season. They are big and beautiful from Maple Groove Farm in Cowichan! Next week if we have even larger quantities we will be distributing to all boxes or to the ones who did not receive them this week! Share–ing them… (giggle)
Wendy at Westwind Farm sends a tomato update: “The tomatoes are really coming along nicely now. I’m wondering how many pint tubs/weekly you’d need to get the ball rolling. It’s like that for some crops…they start slowly and build momentum. I’m just loving the tomato greenhouse world, all the pruning and tying up. And that smell!”
Joe at Kingcott Farm brought in the fresh beet bunches today!! He is also growing corn for Share and said the planting went well and the corn sprouted when the rains came in June. It is tasseling now which means three or four weeks to fresh GMO-free corn. Joe is growing naturally according to organic standards. This means the soil is nurtured and the seeds he uses are not genetically modified. Corn is pollinated by wind and so it could be cross pollinated by other corn within an eight mile radius. This is one of many excellent reasons to make our Island GMO free!
The Centre for Arts, Ecology & Agriculture
was established at Foxglove Farm to demonstrate and interpret the vital connections between farming, land stewardship, food, the arts, and community well being; to model the economic possibilities for small and medium scale sustainable agricultural projects, and to nurture the human spirit through public programs, classes, and events.
Saanich Peninsula, Metchosin and Cowichan Valley. Organized by the Southern Vancouver Island Direct Farm Marketing Association
Share Organics will be on site all day at Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse. Come and say hello! http://www.islandfarmfresh.com/touroffarms.htm
Garden Borscht
Sauté in a soup pot until soft:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 cloves garlic minced
1 small red onion chopped
Add and continue sautéing for 5 minutes:
4 medium beets chopped
2 large carrots chopped
Add and simmer until tender:
1 28oz can of diced tomatoes (or frozen from last season)
Chopped beet tops (or spinach)
1 to 2 cups stock or water
Fresh ground pepper
1/4 tsp. prepared horseradish
Serve topped with sour cream or yogurt
Add fresh Biscuits to make a meal!
This year we have had the pleasure of a very early season for cucumbers. That is because at Suntrio Farms they are growing in “hot houses” using a heat source to keep things warm in January and get the cukes started. They have been growing our lovely tomatoes and sprouts as well. They are the first organic hothouse in Victoria area. Now our field cucumbers are ready with tomatoes to follow soon! These are grown in “greenhouses” – unheated but protected from wind and temperature. Tomatoes are susceptible in the Fall to a type of blight in our wet climate and the way to keep them safe is to cover them. Nearly all local tomatoes are under a cover of some sort for this reason. About 8 years ago we had a bad blight and all tomato plants not under a roof turned black overnight – all green or red tomatoes soon developed black spots as well ruining the whole crop.
The last of the strawberries are going in the local boxes this week and we have been able to fill most of the orders for flats of berries. Raspberries are coming next week we hope blueberries will follow shortly thereafter.
Chicken and Bison
Prices are rising. Karen at Island Bison was telling us that the wet weather this spring meant the bison could not get into some of the usual grazing fields and so needed to be supplemented with hay. Lynn at Cowichan Bay Farm reminded us that we had not had an increase for a very long time. Here at Share we know that meat products are labour intensive because we have to offer you an average weight of, say, 250 g for a boneless breast and the farmers cannot seem to grow them all the same size! So we either give a credit or debit your next invoice for the difference. We are proud to offer these wonderful local products.
Check out the article featuring Cowichan Bay Farm in the latest EAT Magazine, farmer Lyle Young is named a Local Food Hero!
Farmer Lyle Young from Cowichan Bay Farm (and chick!)
Moroccan Carrot Dip
1/4 cup water
1 LB carrots, scrubbed, trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
Place the carrots and water in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and steam the carrots until they are very tender
In a food processor or regular blender, puree the carrots. Add and continue to process until the mixture is smooth:
2 to 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Drizzle in:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Process just until it is well-blended.
Transfer the carrot dip to a serving dish, and allow to cool. Serve at room temperature or chilled with pita chips, crusty bread or crudités.
“Bike Ride” Theatre
A Homegrown Initiative theatre production where the audience is on bikes and rides from
venue to venue along the Galloping Goose trail to enjoy live 10 minute performances.
Bike Ride is scheduled to depart from Cecelia Ravine Park, 475 Burnside Rd. East from 3:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on July 17 and 18.
Tickets are $15, kids six to 13 are $5, and children five and under are free. Call 250-386-7526 for reservations and more information.
What unites the Vatican, lefties, conservatives, environmentalists, and scientists in a conspiracy of silence? Population.— By Julia Whitty, Mother Jones
—————————–
The Green Revolution’s duplicitous harvest—giving life with one hand, robbing life-support with the other—also masked a fourth ominous truth. We’re running out of topsoil, tossing it to the wind via mechanized agriculture and losing it to runoff and erosion. Geomorphologist David Montgomery, author of Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations and 2008 recipient of a MacArthur “genius” fellowship, calculates that human activities are eroding topsoil 10 times faster than it can be replenished. “Just when we need more soil to feed the 10 billion people of the future,” he says, “we’ll actually have less—only a quarter of an acre of cropland per person in 2050, versus the half-acre we use today on the most efficient farms.” Plus there’s little new land to bring into production: “We could, with crippling environmental costs, raze the Amazonian rainforests and reap 5 to 10 years of crops before the tropical soils failed. But the fertile prairies of the Midwest, northern China, and northern Europe are already plowed to capacity and shrinking.”
Tom at Sungold Meadows is out with his crew picking strawberries as we speak. Protect the soil and insist on berries grown without chemical herbicides (weed killers) and fertilizers! Ask your local farmer! Choose certified organic.
If you cannot use your strawberries right away then store them as follows:
-Rinse under running water and drain
-Remove the top leaves and slice into a bowl.
-Sprinkle with a tsp of organic sugar
Cover and refrigerate.
Golden Cake
-we enjoyed this cake and berry combo on Canada Day
Cream together:
½ cup softened butter
1 cup organic sugar
Add and beat until thick:
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Sift together (flour mix):
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
Beat into the sugar mix:
1/3 of the flour mix
Then add and beat in:
½ cup soymilk or milk
Repeat (1 cup soymilk in total) and end with the last 1/3 of the flour.
Pour into a greased 9 x 9 inch cake pan. Bake at 325 for 25 minutes or until done in the center.
Dave reports he has a new Farmall Cub tractor designed for cultivating row crops.
“Its engine is offset and all cultivating gear is belly mounted so you can see right between your legs and down the row as you cultivate. No looking behind you. It also has high clearance for later cultivations. It will greatly reduce the hoeing and bring the overall cost of production down. I have had this rebuilt from three rusty old Cubs by Brian Baird in Duncan. I look forward to its arrival.”
TRANSITIONING TO BIODEGRADABLE BAGS
Our larger size bags are now compostable! And not made of GMO corn! They are a petroleum product but coated with Oxybiodegradable resins to make them biodegrade in the landfill or your composter. And they are certified for use by organic growers!
Broccoli Mushroom Bake
Saute in a skillet:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion chopped, green onions, scapes
1 bunch brocolettes
½ LB sliced mushrooms
Cover and steam for 2 minutes.
To make white sauce melt in a small saucepan:
2 Tbsp butter
Whisk in:
2 Tbsp flour
Gradually whisk in, cooking over medium heat until thick:
1 cups milk
Place the vegetables in an 8 x 8 buttered pan, cover with white sauce and top with:
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes
LOCAL BERRIES
It was raining this morning – strawberry picking day and Tom at Sungold Meadows was worried BUT the skies have cleared and they are in the fields picking as we speak. He confirms we have all our regular needs plus 5 flats for distribution! Graham at Maple Groove Farm will be picking Wednesday morning for late Wednesday and Thursday deliveries.
Remember unsprayed berries are second best. While pesticides are not used on the berries, they may be used earlier in the season and herbicides (weed killers) are definitely still widely used. Ask your local farmer and continue to choose organic.
Good for You
Good for the Planet
Happy Canada Day!
Organic Islands Festival
July 10 and 11, 2010
10 am to 5 pm
Glendale Gardens, Victoria, BC
Just north of Camosun College Interurban Campus
Share Organics will be sponsoring the festival this year with food donations for the volunteers. If you want to volunteer for this great event
Depending on weather conditions local berries can be quite fragile. We recommend you eat them right away!! (As If you needed any encouragement…)
We hope to be offering strawberry flats in the next few weeks. Watch our Weekly Specials and Bulk Produce categories for details.
Next to our organic berries, unsprayed berries are your next best bet as pesticide is not applied to the berries. However, herbicides may be used earlier in the season on the growing plants (before berries are set). Ask your local farmer about their growing techniques and continue to choose organic.
Good for You
Good for the Planet
Happy Solstice!
Climate Friendly Lawns
“Lawns absorb carbon from the atmosphere, but some studies suggest that this climate benefit may be undercut by heat-trapping nitrous oxide emissions related to fertilizer use and generous watering. While there is no scientific consensus yet on the climate impact of lawns, you can make yours as climate-friendly as possible by choosing drought-tolerant species, mowing high, watering during the coolest part of the day, and leaving grass clippings to fertilize the soil (and add extra carbon) naturally.”
Our larger size bags are now compostable and not made of GMO corn! They are a petroleum product but coated with Oxybiodegradable resins to make them biodegrade in the landfill or your composter. And they are certified for use by organic growers.
SUPPORTING LOCAL GREEN BUSINESSES
“We invite you to visit us atSimple Remedies Herbal Solutions and experience all the ways you can help yourself to achieve, maintain and increase your health and vitality.
We carry the finest organic and wild crafted herbs—selected high quality potent vitamin supplements and tinctures—creams, oils, beauty and hygienic products.
We also offer custom blending on a wide range of natural products that are carried in stock here at the store. You can order ingredients by weight and we will be happy to advise you on our range of remedies and natural treatments. In addition to our product range we offer you hands on natural treatment sessions ranging from Massage, Foot Reflexology, Acupuncture, Homeopathy, Hypnotherapy and Craniosacral Therapy as well as Nutrition and Herbal Consultations for you and your animal friends.”
For more information and to sign up for a monthly e-newsletter, checkout www.simpleremedies.ca – A Simple Approach to Healthy Living
Added a Yam Paneer Organic Chickpea Curry from Little Piggy to my Share Order. I added some broccolini and kale to the curry!
Made a little Raita with the cucumber and yogurt! Have you tried the new Greek Yogurt from Avalon? If you like Liberte yogurt you will love this – thick and creamy!
Kale, cucmber and broccolini out of the box!
It was so goooood! Some plum chutney and a chicken sausage from Cowichan Bay farm.
“Material, usually of plant or animal origin, that contains or consists of essential body nutrients, such as carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, or minerals, and is ingested and assimilated by an organism to produce energy, stimulate growth, and maintain life.” This definition would not apply to many products found in your local grocery store or restaurant. They do contain carbohydrates, fats and protein but also salt and lists of unpronounceable preservatives, emulsifiers etc. Vitamins stripped in processing may have to be added back in. Michael Pollan (author and food activist) recommends if the ingredient list is longer than 5 items then just don’t buy it! Fresh fruit and vegetables are real food and can be prepared simply and deliciously. We hope our beautiful fruit and vegetable boxes inspire you to create wonderful healthy meals!
Check out an interview with Michael Pollan at Democracy Now!
Enjoying simple salads every day: Choose two ingredients to add to the greens in your salad. Greens with cucumber, green onions and feta. Simple dressing of flax oil and balsamic vinegar! Keep your greens simple: Add chopped kale, chard or spinach to pasta and soups.
TRANSITIONING TO BIODEGRADABLE BAGS
Our larger size bags are now compostable!
They are still a petroleum product but coated with Oxybiodegradable resins to make them biodegrade in the landfill or your composter. And they are certified for use by organic growers! Bags made from corn are usually GMO products and also use up good agricultural land that could be used for food production!
PASTA CARBONARA
Sauté in a skillet:
1 tbsp butter
4 chopped green onions
1 garlic scape minced (if you still have some)
Bring to boil large pot of water and then add:
A little olive oil
½ pkg of Spaghetti or Linguini
Stir and then cook at a low boil for 8 to 10 minutes or until done. Rinse under cold water, drain and add to the sauté along with:
1 ½ cups chopped chard
2 well beaten eggs
½ cup Parmesan or aged cheddar
Toss and continue cooking for a few more minutes.
Serve with a simple salad!
APPLE UPDATE
The BC storage apples this season are not as beautiful as they usually are (due to weather conditions at harvest time last fall) and the season has ended early. We experimented with many varieties still left on the market but do not feel they are up to our standard. As we do not purchase from off the continent we are left with a month or more without apples! …all the more delicious when the new crop comes in.
Entrance to Isabella Orchard
Ian at Isabella Orchard on Salt Spring grows most of the local organic apples we deliver. He reports that the early summer apple varieties Discovery and Tydeman are looking bountiful. The later apples are a bit iffy. Prima, a mid season apple, is looking better than last year but the Red Free are minimal. We’ll check in with Ian again in the fall. Meanwhile we still have his great apple juice in a 2 litre jug!
Check out this Youtube video about Whole Foods and their “organic” products from China. Sounds liked the there is a disconnect somewhere and no one knows who is going out into the fields to verify!
Wendy Montana out at Westwind Farm brought in our scapes this morning. They are the tops of the first crop of garlic – “Purple Max.” Scapes can be used in salad dressings and sautés just like garlic greens. No need to buy from China.
Wendy's Greenhouse tomato project - "they're growing like mad -they just love it in there!"
Wendy is also growing heirloom tomatoes for us in her new greenhouse. She is experimenting with early tomato varieties (Early Glacier, Sub Arctic) planted out in the fields. If they fruit early then they will be harvested before any chance of Late Blight that affects uncovered crops. Later varieties in the green house are named Bloody Butcher, Mr Stripy, and Banana Legs. They will be coming in your box in early July!
Local Organic Strawberries
Good News and Bad News: Tom out at Sungold Meadows reports that his earliest berries were damaged by an intense hail storm about 12 days ago. There are still lots of fruit out there. Graham at Maple Groove Farm reports: “Well, strawberries are definitely going to be a bit late (conditions have been a bit challenging to say the least). The plants and berry sets look good though, so if the sun shines I hope to have a bumper crop. Probably looking at 2 weeks minimum before I really get going with production.”
Five by Five Fundraiser
Saturday June 12!!
Support the Tree Fruit Project
You’re invited to a place-based meal, times five.
Looking for a way to eat your way around Vancouver Island in one meal?
Interested in attending? Tickets (partially tax deductible) start at $75 ($85 with a non-alcoholic drink pairing, $100 with a cider pairing) and can be purchased online now at www.lifecyclesproject.caor by phoning 250-383-5800.
