One Year In

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It's actually already been one year since our first blog entry. It is hard to imagine how much has happened in this time frame. I guess it is time to perhaps reflect on some of the things that we have learned from radically changing our family's lifestyle.

1. Country living provides a much greater sense of community. People living in the bedroom communities of large cities may live physically close to each other but never really develop the relationships of folk in the country.

2. Farming changes your concept of time. Whereas in most of my business life, actions were measured in hours, days, or perhaps weeks. Working on a farm requires patience and results may occur in weeks, months, and often times years.

3. Although we now have no one to report to, there is still one Big Boss: Mother Nature. She now dictates what we can do, when we can do it, and how we might be able to do it...no matter what our plans are.

4. We have lost a complete sense of time. Our time is no longer measured by the days of the week or the days of the month. We are now more focused on the seasons and the weather. In a way, it seems to me that time flows....quickly when much has to be done (spring, summer and fall) and perhaps more slowly when it is difficult to accomplish things (winter).

In the end, I think we've all developed an incredible respect for the small farmer. This is not a "get rich quick" career opportunity, but a lifestyle that demands patience, perseverance and passion. The people we met that have dedicated their lives to growing good food are intelligent and adept at whatever task is necessary of them. They must be biologist, veterinarian, economist, marketer, broker, mechanic and engineer...all in one package. Kudos to them all...they are highly under-appreciated.

For us, we continue to learn and this we get to do every single week. What more can you ask for in retirement!

So to celebrate our one year anniversary, we decided to carry out an official opening of the Ridge Berry Farm market and tea room. We did this with the gracious help of Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn. This lead to a fun and relaxed evening with everyone present.

Ribbon Cutting. From left to right, Jeannine Scholaert, Pelham Mayor Dave Augustyn, Chef Ryan Beck, Councilor John Durley, Christine Scholaert and Hugh Scholaert (photo courtesy of Roy Timm)

All this fun however did not preclude us from working and this week was difficult. With the Humidex taking temperatures well above 40 degrees C, I almost felt as if I was back in Malaysia. This made work extremely difficult. The fruits and vegetables however simply seemed to love the experience.

On the Purple Raspberry front, the girls were bringing in record volumes...to the point where we just had to freeze or process them as rapidly as we could.

The Purple Raspberries are reaching their peak.

In fact, we've had to develop new uses for them. One idea was Raspberry Cordial...and now it is on the menu in the Tea Room along with a rather luscious Rhubarb and Purple Raspberry Pie.

A new addition to the menu: Purple Raspberry Cordial

This week at the farm we have also turned our attention to the old grape vines we discovered last fall. We are now not certain that these are Concord. Given the size and shape of the leaf we suspect another North American "labrusca" variety called Catawba. We intend to verify this with local experts.

These are doing phenomenally well, despite our rough pruning job. In fact a few areas show significant grape production.

Beneath some very large and broad leaves are beautiful grapes

Having said this, the weeds are quickly gathering around these rows so it was time once again to clear the area.

Before: Our grape vines being invaded by weeds (in this case Staghorn Sumac)

After: Beautiful, healthy grape vines uncovered from weeds.

Knowing these grapes were good table and juice grapes (based on last year's experience), we also decided to do a propagation experiment. We decided to take some runners and cut them, trim them of their leaves, cut them to three nodes, and plant them (scarring the end we plant in the pots). To promote root formation we decided to use a tea of willow leaves.

Our first grape vine propagation experiment (Concord or Catawba and Niagara grape cuttings)

The vegetable garden has also provided us with a few surprises. The tomatoes are so healthy that I fear we planted them much too close to each other. These plants are not only loaded with fruit but are starting to reach 5 feet in height and growing beyond their intended cages.

The tomato plants have turned our raised beds into a lush vegetable garden

Even the heirloom Zucchinis reported on earlier surprised us by rapidly gaining in size.

Our heirloom Cocozelle Zucchinis have gone beyond their "recommended" size

On the foraging front, our discovery of Lamb's Quarters last week inspired Chef to create this weeks special at the Tea Room: Lamb's Quarters Canelloni (made with Upper Canada Ricotta Cheese). This was definitely another success in my book.

This week's special: Upper Canada Ricotta cheese and Lamb's Quarters Canelloni with Bechamel and tomato sauce.

I will leave you this week with a piece of history we cleared from the fields. Our tenant farmer Bryan had left a few years ago a piece of equipment which his grandfather had acquired: a corn binder. These machines were used to bind stalks of corn (primarily for decorative use now).

This machine was in the way of our intended planting plans and had to be cleared. Bryan assures us he can get it working again...and to me it really seems to be a worthwhile project.

Among weeds (Golden Roads and Wild Grapes), an old corn binder