Gai lan, or Chinese broccoli.  Delicious and tender.  The whole thing is edible, and we like it better than broccoli.  

This morning started with frogs making their gulping sounds.  Then a few little warbles from the birds, and then, at 6am, the tractor starting.  Our crew started early because of the heat.  The heat and bugs are hard on the crew, but all the crops have just taken a giant leap forward!   Our sugar snap and snow peas are looking great.  We should start picking next week.  For several weeks the beets were small but harvestable.  I noticed that only the larger beets were being selected at the Warehouse, so we decided not to harvest much last week.

I was pleasantly surprised to see how much they had grown in just seven days.  Lots of big beets coming to you!

Yesterday I (David) walked around downtown Halifax with sample farm shares, trying to sign up office workers for our delivery program.  Two companies seemed interested, which was encouraging.  I’m planning to do it again this Thursday.  If you have any connections to workplaces on the peninsula that might be interested in a produce delivery, please get in touch.

Our member numbers are at an all time high of 195 and growing every week, but we are still working to build up to 250.  If you like what we are doing, spread the word and invite your friends and neighbours to check us out.

Below are a few photos from last week on the farm:

Give peas a chance

Leeks all the way down to the river, ready to be hilled.  

David with his simplicity walking tractor.  These tractors are making a comeback, apparently

We’re very grateful for the cool hedgerows between the fields.  What a difference in temperature!

Hot field bordered by the Cogmagun River

Erin harvesting bok choi with a retired VanGo in the background

We hope you like celery — we’ve got lots growing

We are trying pole beans for the first time in a while.  Thanks to neighbours (Villermets) for the bamboo stakes!

The two youngest members of the crew are a welcome injection of joy when they arrive every week

Squash blossoms heading to Bar Kismet this week

The irrigation ponds are full!

All hands on deck!