A Slice of 'Za

We're still using up clippings from our onion seedlings and they are already growing back!  We mixed a few handfuls into our focaccia-style pizza dough for extra flavour.

Cold Weather Warm Bread

The sap is not running with Winter keeping its hold on March so we had some free time to bake a loaf. If nothing else, this cold weather is keeping us in warm bread. Hopefully April brings with it some more Spring-like weather.

Fancy Loaf

Getting busy in the kitchen.

Liquid Gold

Can you guess what is in this bottle?

I’ll give you a hint…

Scallion Snip

Our baby onions were getting a bit unruly and needed a quick snip. Not one to waste delicious onions greens, we whipped up a batch of cheddar scallion buttermilk biscuits.  These were certainly a hit.

I started culturing some more buttermilk just so we have some extra on hand in case we get a request for a repeat performance.

Poop & Prints

Alistair headed off for a day at Grandma's today which freed up the rest of us to have an especially busy and productive Saturday.  Here's what we got up to - prepare yourself to be exhausted just reading it!

1) Transplanting our growing seedlings into bigger containers. We have so many now that Ian even made us a second grow stand! With the cost of lumber right now there is no better way to say "I love you", right?!

Look at those beautiful eggplants!  Ooohh! Ahhhh!

Well established rosemary and lavender.

Peppers and onions, of course.

2) Planting our next crop of broccoli, cabbage and lettuce.

3) Maple sap collecting and boiling.

Yesterday's boil.

Today's boil.  We're getting there!

4) Direct sowing our cool season greens garden and sugar snap peas.

5) Building our hoop greenhouses over our pallet gardens.

This morning.

This afternoon.
We are a farm of mini greenhouses!
Now to wait for sprouts.

6) Archery practice

7) Looking for poop and prints.

Nature's scavenger hunt anyone?

When you need to keep everyone busy, you think of
creative ideas for getting out and about.
Searching for poop and prints seemed like
as good a reason as any to get outside.

Deer print. You can even see the toes!

Deer poop.

Bird poop. Maybe turkey? Maybe crow? Maybe wild duck?
Impossible to tell but no turkey tracks so likely something else.

Coyote poop.

Fairy house complete with a moss garden out front.

We followed lots of deer highways
and got epic soakers.  Everyone's boots
were sloshing by the end.

A day for the books to be sure. I love planting season! And Saturdays - I love those too!

Hoping

March showers bring April flowers? Here’s to hoping!

SOLD OUT! Seeking One More Family for our 2022 CSA

Are you looking to access fresh, local veggies in west Ottawa?

Gael Glen Farm is operating a 12-week CSA program.

Our Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program allows neighbourhood families to partner with us, a small-scale local farmer, by pre-ordering a basket of vegetables, eggs and a surprise for pick up weekly throughout the harvest season.

By supporting Community Supported Agriculture you are not only investing in the farmer but you are also investing in the future of your land, your health, and building a stronger community by keeping your dollars local.

Cost: $895 for weekly baskets for 12 weeks (June to September).

Porch pick up will be once a week at 997 William Mooney Road in the afternoon/evening.

Some of the vegetables you can expect in your basket include: beets, beans, blackberries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, chives, chinese cabbage, cucumbers, daikon, dill, eggplant, garlic, hot peppers, kale, lavender, lettuce, mesclun mix lettuce, microgreens, onions, parsley, peaches and cream corn on the cob, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, raspberries, rhubarb, rosemary, sage, scallions (green onions), spinach, squash, sweet basil, sweet peppers, swiss chard, thyme, tomatoes, turnip, winecap mushrooms, and zucchini.

You will also receive a dozen of our farm fresh eggs in your basket each week.

In addition to eggs and vegetables, each weekly basket will include one "bonus" specialty item at no extra cost. For example, hops infused iced tea, fresh cut flowers, homemade artisan bread, beeswax lip balm, raw honey, maple syrup, pickled eggs, jams or jellies, hot sauce, salsas and relishes, canned tomatoes, kombucha, homemade scones, beeswax candles, sauerkraut, kimchi, homemade cheese, apples, goat milk soap, etc.

As we try out new things as part of our homesteading lifestyle we inevitably make too much. We are looking for families that will be excited to receive these types of items in their baskets in addition to fresh vegetables and eggs.

We are looking for families that are flexible. We are a small operation. Our garden will be epic but vegetables are weather dependent and there are always surprises when farming.

If you are interested in joining us for the 2022 season, please contact us at info@gaelglenfarm.ca

We are exanding our garden space this year to help address the need for fresh food sourced locally but space is limited.

We have exceptional references which we are happy to share upon request.

Check out some of the photos below of the veggies we grew last year!