May 23, 2024
Nathan Wild
FARM NEWS
Win A $1,500 Gift Card To Our Farm Store!
We are participating in the Love Castlegar contest campaign.
Contest ends June 7, 2024.
HOW TO ENTER:
For every purchase made through our online farm store regardless of amount, you will get an entry into the contest. Simply leave a note in the “Add delivery instructions” section during checkout or send us an email after you’ve placed your order and include:
Your name
Phone number
We will then enter you into the contest 🙂
Secondary contest: If you snap a picture, post a review and put it on social media using our hashtag #LoveCastlegar you will automatically receive an additional entry in to a separate draw for staycation package in the Castlegar and District region!
Eat Local prizes:
1st prize - $1,500.00
2nd prize – 2 will be awarded of - $500.00/each
3rd prize - 2 will be awarded of - $250.00/each
All prizes are paid out in winners choice of gift certificates from participating local retail businesses in Castlegar and RDCK Areas - paid through the shop local grant.
Frost 🥶
Just when you thought things were going smoothly….
In Pass Creek where our farm is located it's at least 5 degrees colder than both Castlegar and Nelson. When the temperatures dipped earlier this week we got hit with a few days of below zero nights. We had just planted our tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, basil and peppers which are are cold sensitive crops.
We had to quickly build a plastic low tunnel and break out all of our fabrics that help keep plants warm. We didn't quite have enough so we used a few blankets, towels, and line s from the neighbours as well. Our peppers, zucchini and cucumbers seem to be okay but some of our tomatoes do not look happy. However most are re-sprouting from the base so hopefully they bounce back 😓
Meet Your Dairy Farmers: Jeremy and Keely from Jerseyland Organics Farm
We feel it's important to get to know the hard working people in our community who are making good food. That's why we wanted to share a little bit about farmers Jeremy and Keely, owner of Jerseyland Organics Farm out of Grand Forks.
1. Who are you and where are you from originally?
We are Jeremy and Keely. We both grew up in Grand Forks and are high school sweethearts!
2. What inspired you to become a dairy farmer?
Jerseyland Organics was just down the road and I started working for the Llewellyns when I was 15. My dad dairy farmed in the Fraser Valley during my childhood and this planted the seed for a future dairy farmer.
3. What's your favorite part about being a dairy farmer?
I've always loved the outdoors and cows! Being able to have a start to finish dairy operation gives us great satisfaction, from grass to the cheese on our table, all in one location. We are so thankful for all the customers that enjoy our products on a regular basis.
4. What are your future dreams for your farm?
That the farm continues to grow and expand. We are hoping to upgrade some of the processing equipment soon.
NEW PRODUCTS
Hon Tsai Tai
Description: Hon Tsai Tai sprouts tender young shoots, edible leaves and beautiful little yellow flowers, similar to Italian Rapini Sprouting Broccoli. These shoots are pencil-thin, juicy and crisp. Hon Tsai Tai has a distinct and pungent flavour ranging from tangy to slightly sweet. It can be eaten raw or sauteed.
Details: sold per bunch.
Purple Tat Soi
Description: Tat Soi is an Asian green with meaty leaves and crisp juicy stems. It has flavours similar to spinach but with notes ranging from slightly bitter to slightly spicy. Enjoy it raw or sauteed.
Details: sold per bunch.
Macro Kale
Description: Macro kale is baby kale that has outgrown its baby size. Macro kale is still very tender but a bit too big for salads. However, it's the perfect size for sautéing or adding to smoothies.
Details: Sold in 7 oz. bag.
Rapini Italian Sprouting Broccoli
Description: Rapini is a delicious Italian spring green that is very popular in Italian cuisine. It has soft leaves and tender stems with a unique savoury flavour with peppery mustard notes. To cook it try steaming or sautéing it. It tastes great in pasta too!
Details: sold per bunch
P.S. All of this rain we've been getting means we had a huge harvest of beautiful Rapini this week. We would hate to see any of it go to waste so we want to encourage everyone to add a bunch to their cart this week!
Gai Lan Asian Sprouting Broccoli
Description: Gai Lan, which is a close cousin to broccoli, has soft meaty leaves and tender and juicy stems. With a flavour that's somewhere between asparagus and broccoli with the occasional spicy bite similar to a mustard green, this elegant Asian green will have your friends and family asking, "this is amazing, what is it!?" Gai Lan can sautéed, steamed or grilled.
Details: Sold per bunch.
New Sausage Sizes
We got Granby Meat Company to create smaller sausage sizes for our Chorizo and Bratwurst sausage. They're now cheaper and contain four links per pack. These are seriously good sausages. Highly recommend!
NEW RECIPE
Cheesy Rapini Pasta
Sauteed Rapini pairs perfectly with any pasta dish. We like to make a quick and simple pasta with olive oil, cheddar and Gouda, a pinch of dried oregano and chili flakes. But if you want a proper recipe this one from Serious Eats is amazing!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT 🍎
The Corporate Takeover Of Organic
This talk is from the recent symposium held by the Real Organic Project. The Real Organic Project is a new movement attempting to save the what's left of the Organic Standards.
If you've noticed a proliferation of organic products in the supermarkets over the past few years it's not because more farmers are going organic. It's because the term organic has been diluted. Many people don't know this yet, but there is a quiet corporate takeover of organic happening right now. Corporations want to control and manipulate what the term organic means so that it better suits their factory- farm business models.
Under the USDA’s new interpretation of the organic standards chicken and dairy confinement operations housing thousands of animals indoors can now be certified organic. And fruits and vegetables that are grown hydroponically, meaning without living soil and fed a liquid nutrient cocktail, can also be labelled as organic.
This takeover not only deceives the public who are seeking to make healthier choices, but it drives the price of organic food down and pushes real organic farmers out of the market.
There is only one way to know how your food is being grown and that's to know the people who are growing it.
🍅 Save up to $200 by joining our Farm Membership! 🍅 Farm Members play a vital role in our farm business. By paying for food upfront you allow us to invest in seeds, new tools, equipment, ingredients, and infrastructure which greatly improves the overall financial stability of our farm.
⭐ Help us reach 100 Google reviews! ⭐
If you like what we’re doing and would like to help us spread the word, leaving a Google review can make a big impact. All you have to do is click the link below and leave a short review.
