Well, new to us!
We were able to purchase a used greenhouse structure. The great part is that we will triple our space, the bad part is that we have to dismantle it and we won’t be able to use it until next year.
This weekend we are starting the process of taking it apart, marking all the pieces and transporting it to the farm to be stored until we can re-build it in the fall. Lots of work. It seems like we never stop.
Yesterday we seeded the peppers. This year we are nearly doubling our pepper production because we can not keep up with the demand. So, Hungarian Pepper fans (you know who you are) don’t worry, there will be LOTS!
The seeding greenhouse and the germination room are filled to the brim, but it is still to cold too move bedding plants into the sales greenhouse. We hope that after this weekend we will be able to move into the other greenhouse, as it will put us behind if we don’t have more room to seed. oh the joys of Saskatchewan.
For the first time ever, Lincoln Gardens will be attending Regina Farmers Market Spring markets!
Usually we do not attend until July, but we have received approval to sell vegetable seedlings and container gardens. I think we will begin in mid May running until mid June.
We will have onions, tomatoes, cabbage, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, artichoke, herbs, peppers and cucumbers. We will also have some tumbling tomato baskets and mixed ’salad’ gardens containers with edible flowers and lettuces.
Of course we will be selling these items on the farm in the garden centre also, as well as all your organic fertilizer needs.
Well, most of our time has been spent seeding and transplanting flowers for the garden centre. I can’t believe that in less than a month we will open the garden centre for the season!
We haven’t forgotten the vegetables. Yesterday we seeded Celery (about 3000 of them), Artichoke, Parsley and Garlic chives. We also transplanted some tumbling tomatoes, but those are for sale at the farmers market and in the garden centre, they are not going out in the field. We haven’t seeded the field tomatoes yet.
Today will be more transplanting. Petunia hanging baskets need to be made, and there are some Jungle Gold Impatiens that seriously need to be planted up.
We also have a seeding flat disaster to sort out. So many trays and so little storage space. Somehow this needs to be dealt with. It seems like there is still so much to do, but with the cold snap we had in March our schedule was really set back. If the snow would melt we might get back on track!
Lincoln Gardens is not attending RFM yet, still a little too early for us. But this is the first year for an early spring market and there is a lot of great things available there (just not fresh field grown vegetables for awhile!).
We have recently requested the approval to attend the early markets to sell organically grown vegetable bedding plants. Last year we had a number of phone calls from people looking for veggie transplants so that they could grow their own garden. We sell these on the farm in the Garden Centre but have never been able to bring them into the city to the RFM. We hope to get approval for these and start attending RFM as early as May. I will keep you posted!
Here is the info from the Market Manager:
“In the hopes of opening year-round Markets, we are introducing Spring Markets to the Regina public. We believe that our new members have brought a wider variety of products to serve the Regina public, we are a sound environmental choice, and we can offer fresher, tastier goods. The location is convenient, offers plenty of parking for Regina residents by agreement with Cathedral Safeway, has wheelchair access, it is located on three bus routes, and the Farmers’ Market is an excellent fit with the values of the neighborhood. We are proud of the fact that we are the only growing Market in Saskatchewan; that Regina supports us whole heartedly.”
“While it may seem that Spring Markets wouldn’t offer much to the public before the growing season begins, the Regina Farmers’ Market can easily dispel that assumption by offering:
• Fresh Greenhouse vegetables
• Ranched Angus Beef ( no hormones)
• Hot lunches and coffee from our licensed kitchen starting March 21st
• Spring Lamb
• Bedding and hanging plants in April
• Baking including European Breads, cookies, pies, and ethnic foods
• Convenient frozen pre-made meals
• Jams, jellies, pickled vegetables
• Honey
• Certified Organic and Pesticide-free Fall vegetables
• Pet treats and toys
• Hand sewn household goods and clothing
• Jewelry
• Beeswax candles
• Handmade Lotions and Soaps
• Books, handmade cards
• Woodworking
• And much more…
The indoor Spring Markets are open Saturdays only from 9:30am to 1:30pm starting March 7, 2009 and ending April 25th, 2009 on the Main Floor of 2900 13th Avenue. The RFM encourages you to bring your cloth bags!”
A potluck and public screening of the film “Real Dirt on Farmer John”
A movie about a farmer who is about to lose his farm and his community, but who regains them both through Community Supported Agriculture. This is an opportunity to learn about the importance of supporting local agriculture and how local agriculture also supports community development.
Saturday, March 14
Tommy Douglas House on 1122 Saskatchewan Drive, Regina
potluck starts at 5:30pm
movie at 6pm
Bring a dish to share, and your own plates and cutlery or attend the film screening only, as the potluck is optional.
The Regina Eco-Living network (a non-profit receiving government funding) is once again promoting a CSA farm from Hudson Bay SK, although this is by no means the only CSA in the province and is not truly local to Regina as it is outside of the 50km radius legislated by the CFIA.
Keep in mind that buying a CSA subscription is by no means the only way to support local agriculture. Farmers Markets, Farm-Gate sales and CSA are all form of direct marketing where the consumer has an opportunity to interact with the grower and purchase directly from the farm. Farm gate sales allow you to actually go to the farm and see where your food is grown.
Other means of purchasing local products is through marketing cooperatives or making an effort to read the origin labels at the grocery store. If your neighbourhood grocer is not supplying local and regional products ask them why and let them know that it is important to you. There is no reason that we should be importing greenhouse tomatoes from Mexico when there is a plentiful supply grown here in Saskatchewan and nationwide.
The film should be interesting, but the talk afterwards will be a sales pitch. If you are interested in finding a CSA closer to Regina or your region please contact me and I will try to send you in the right direction. Also check out the tab in the top right corner as we are offering a CSA pilot project at Lincoln Gardens.
It is only one month until we open the Garden Centre for the season but there is still so much snow and today is just as cold as January.
