On Tuesday the peepers started their heart-lifting chorus! Wouldn’t it be nice if humans made a sound like that when they are trying to attract a mate?? The sounds on the farm at this time of year are encouraging. Songbirds are crazy cheerful; owls at night seeing who’s cooking for who; honking geese; and frogs that sound like they are laughing. No planes flying overhead is a nice, silent, sound. The smell and feel of the soil is intoxicating too.

Here on the farm we are settling in as a group, everybody finding their strengths, learning new skills, celebrating small victories. We are ‘isolating together’. But we have each other. This spring feels very surreal and a bit anxiety-producing, but we are not bored! There is so much to do on a farm.

In response to COVID-19 we are making and planning a few changes. More hand-washing is happening, and as people’s hands begin to dry and crack, moisturizers are needed. We’re using a 10% bleach solution wipe-down for anything that comes to the farm from the outside world. I’ve always resisted bleach because I am reluctant to kill ‘good bugs’, but now bleach is in. We have partnered with our collaborators at Warehouse Market to create an online shop: thewarehousemarket.ca with delivery or pick up options. What a huge undertaking! The demand for delivered or contactless fruit and vegetable box pick ups is high, and we are trying to wade through the logistical challenges. We are asking for patience as we try to develop this new service.

We are exploring the idea of calling people to take custom orders of Warehouse products for pick up or delivery. There would be a small extra charge for this service. Please send an email with with the subject custom to: davidgreenberg71@gmail.com if this interests you.

We are also implementing changes at the Warehouse Market. You may have noticed we ask every customer to wash hands, and put on disposable gloves when they enter. Only 2-3 customers at a time. People waiting to get in, and people inside the market should stay 6 feet apart from each other. With all the online orders, and Market remaining open, our Warehouse Market staff has been truly heroic! Please respect them and obey our requests.

Please note that farm share prices have increased. The small share is now $500 and the large share is $660. Our general prices have also increased. Most bunches that were $3 last year are now $3.50. This was planned long before COVID-19. It is due to increased labour costs.

We so enjoy the sense of a community that has developed at the Warehouse, with everyone talking and visiting as they shop, but now we request that people coming to the market try to get their shopping done quickly, especially if there is a line-up outside. We need your help to keep the flow of customers going.

As always, we are so grateful for your support. Below are a few photos from the farm to share a taste of what is going on here.