sosnicki organics

Well, freakishly we've got enough rain we have not had to irrigate at all!  So much for the 'hot n' dry' theory -so far.  Pipes laid and connected, then disconnected and moved around so we could cultivate.  Each and every time the damn dames with their suits, hair & lipstick come on in front of a green screen on the weather network and start in with 'tornado warnings' and show pictures and video of 'hail' in neighboring county's with a sort of gleam in their eyes (like their job all of a sudden got exciting) make me obviously stressed and want to slap them sideways.  The majority of the time they are very, very wrong and don't know much unless it's pissing on their heads and for this forecast I can get myself on my iPhone via a nifty radar!! Despite the stupidity of some suits, this summer so far is great for the crops!  We've used an approved pesticide called 'Entrust' to finally help out with the Colorado Potato Beetle th...

There is just something special and irreplaceable between daddies and daughters! Especially so if your dad is a farmer.  There is something very nurtur ing about seeding, caring for and harvesting crops that makes these types of dads some of the world's best.  "Down to Earth" perhaps?  Though I didn't bother asking dad for money when I was young, (as I got the longest speech about the current price of corn and beans or his famous line: "You've got two hands and a brain - go make some yourself!") he would pull a few surprises and give me $50 before a school trip or when I didn't ask...  He made me work hard, taught me all about integrity and respect.  I listened to my dad (until I was about 15), then he backed off as I got older and let me grow and learn about life for myself.  There were times and are still times to this day when I don't often talk to him....but I know that I can call him anytime (on his cell, as he's likely to be in the fiel...

Our strawberry patch is nestled in between a beautiful crop of our spelt wheat.  Snakes, mice & our cats are having a lot of fun out there! Our first pick was Tuesday, June 8th this year.  The crop is bountiful! We have two varieties, an early and later variety.  Generally early berries are not super sweet, so don't worry if your first savor of the year doesn't prove to be the 'sweetest'.  With heat that June should throw, berries sweeten up later on in the month.  Ben and I have our berries picked into our white 3 litre baskets, then we grade them into the green quarts you see at market. (Quality control you see!)  We've bought our own boxes/flats this year to re-use and re-use again! They then head into our cold storage the day before market to stay 'cold' before the trip to the city!  We've ordered 20,000 more plants for this year, so another patch will go in (**another new variety we want to try for 2011!) as generally when a patch reaches tw...

*****Coming soon!**** Our Heirloom Tomatoes!  Grown in our own field soil and compost in our 'covered fields' - the taste is exceptional! Protected from winds, excessive overhead moisture, extra warmth - no matter what mother nature does to me this year I WILL HAVE HEIRLOOM TOMATOES!!! ; )  Over 80 varieties to choose from and let me tell you A LOT of work went into this project! Suckering and running these beauties on twine is an ongoing task - but a labour of love - perfect job for early mornings, late evenings and rainy days!! 

Trying to catch up with blogging! Lots of stuff happening around here!  Planting, planting like mad! Harvesting huge heads of Lettuce and Asian Greens like Bok Choy and Tatsoi; Weeding, hoeing, cultivating! What we've been up to the past few weeks: planting Winter Squash, second planting of Cucumbers, Sweet Potatoes (yes, another crop!**), transplanting Celeriac, Brussel Sprouts, Tomatoes (roma, round & cherry & heirloom), Peppers ( LOTS of different peppers thsi year!!); Being weeded and thriving is a huge Broccoli and transplanted Beet patch, sweet white Onions, Kale, Kolhrabi, etc,etc...**Picking strawberries, ordering new plants (our exsisting patch is two years old, time to get new); Peas in blossom, Green Beans thriving, Sweet Corn germinated and growing awesome, potato beetles 'mating' on potato plants and hanging out on every single Eggplant I have!! (soon to die via natural remedy called 'entrust') and the list goes on and on and on!!!! Fields look...