My CSA progress report, more than just carrots

Even though Spring is mighty slow to come to Winnipeg, the response to the membership drive is going well. Thought I should offer some nitty gritty details about what a CSA is.  

 Sign up now to get our food box for this summer into the fall harvest, only  a few spots left to ensure that there is abundant harvest for all the share holders. .

How does it work?  Every second week for 14 weeks, mid-July till the end of September you get to pick at the urban farm 273 Enfield Cr., between 5-7 pm.   alternates are welcome if you send me a heads up email at nancyblokland@msn.com

What do I grow??  The season will start with leafy greens and herbs (tea, culinary and medicinal), edible flowers like pansies, zucchini blossoms and calendula. The unsung hero of Manitoba,  rhubarb. then there are the beans are usually mid July and there will be many different kinds, then zucchinis yellow green and striped and cucumbers.   August is always the most bountiful with squashes, tomatoes, peppers, sometimes the apples beets and carrots. In September and early October  I hope for pumpkins and butternut squash that grow high into the hedges,, so it is always a  treasure hunt. If there is surplus it will go to market, but this is an idea of the nutritious beauty we harvest every year.

When things get slow there's baking from cookies to zucchini chocolate cake, muffins , chutneys, salsa and surprises!




The cost for an Casi Cielo share?   325.00 for the season covers 14 weeks between July and the end of September, Mother Nature will decide some of the specific pick up dates, but there will be pick ups every second week during that time period.

How do I sign up?  You can email info@aurorafarm.ca to let us know that you will be taking a box.  You can send an email transfer or Paypal to nancyblokland@msn.com , with the message casicielo.  check out our group on Facebook for updates, photos, recipes and more Nancy Blokland Casi Cielo.

Don't delay.  We have limited spots left.   

Spring Planning on my CSA Casi Cielo

February has begun, and with it my urge to get back into the outside earth and

zucchinis 3 kinds great for all kinds of things including salt and vinegar chips!

apples from my tree in a handbuilt altered casserole

grapes are bearing fruit in September

That means I need to shift my lens slightly to the outside of my home. yep, Casi Cielo 2016 will be taking shares and in full swing.  Thursday afternoons were just not the same last summer without harvesting and having families coming to pick up their food boxes.

Of course, things are being tweaked and improved to be more effective and efficient. This is the link on Facebook to the group where folks can find photos, recipes an updates on what is happening in the garden.  This year I hope to have more involvement by families in the growing and harvesting of food, and to incorporate a barter system of sweat eqity.
Really hoping that there wont be any woodchuck updates this season.
Here is the link to the group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/492776387465846/

Details forthcoming shortly, room for 10 families over the season with bi weekly pick up!

My name is Nancy Bokland and my   Community Supported Agriculture project or micro Urban Farm, called Casi Cielo or Almost Heaven for 2016  I have a small house on a big yard in Norwood/St. Boniface where I am living out the principle of grow food, not lawns and working to make it all an edible landscape. Since my “farm” is quite small, my plan is to offer a crate of fresh, organic (not certified) , locally grown fruit and vegetables on a bi weekly basis starting in mid- July until the end of September for a total of 14 weeks. I may take a break of a few weeks in July if we have a stall in growth like last year, but will “beef” up any slow weeks with baking and preserves. 

I love growing food and flowers.  I love sharing the fruits of my labours with others, and would love to grow full time.  I want my customers to know how I grow the food, and even have input into what I grow, to match the needs of their family’s diet.  If you cannot pick up your vegetables due to travel or other summer time issues, please call and let me know if you are sending an alternate. 

 

This year,  a full family  share in the Casi Cielo project will 325.00 per food box.    The food will be fresh, full of nutrients and hand picked.  There is risk in any farming or gardening venture, but I will aim ensure a good quantity, with high quality food throughout the season.  Amounts  and types of produce will vary with the seasons, and the weather conditions. So far the list is potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, 3 kinds of beans, beets, cucumbers, 2 types of zucchini, peppers, kale, lettuce, spinach, rhubarb, butternut squash, spaghetti squash, ground cherries, hascaps, raspberries, okra, eggplant, basil, thyme, oregano, chives, lemon balm, snap peas. The list will grow based on demand, and always open to suggestions.  

My aim is to supply enough vegetables for a family of four, or two vegetarians for each week.  Pick up locations will be one mid city (downtown) point and my home in St. Boniface.  Pick ups will be on Thursday afternoons between 5-7 pm.

If you want to be a part of my farm dream comin alive; email me at nancyblokland@msn.com, with your name, address, and phone number.  deposit of 50.00 required by April 15^th, with the remainder due June 1, 2016. Please call me with questions, concerns or requests at 204-799-3792

 

 

Christmas in July!!

My FairyGardenTime shop is giving me lots of fun in the making and selling. I am going to do a little pop up sale this week during harvest of my vegetables at Casi Cielo.  Here is a peek of the kinds of pieces available on line and at my home, https://www.etsy.com/shop/FairyGardenTime.

It has been a wild ride the last few days with the wind, rain, visit from a deer, and the refrigerator conking out!!!
I am glad that vacation is only a few days away! I am not feeling the energy to do a full blown garden party right now, but a little selling in a mini farmers market ambience always appeals to me! so good deals, veg, flowers from Jay ( my neighbour), home baking and pottery at discount prices, who could resist that....

French Fry Gardening

this afternoon we had a little kick off to the gardening season in conjunction with Jamie Olivers FRD2014, Food Revolution Day. It is a global event, mostly about cooking, real not factory food, but food starts on the farm, so I decided to go back to basics. In September we can harvest the potatoes and have a feast of french fries, baked potatoes or mashed.. If its cold maybe potato soup!!

I thought we should have a family potato planting event, with the kids learning about the way potatoes grow, and in a container.  It was brief, but I still think it was a good start, motivates me to get out there and fight back the weeds.  HOping to do more events like this over the season as part of my mission to help families be more involved and knowledgeable about where their food comes from.  Here are a few pictures, of new little farmers

World Food Revolution Day and Casi Cielo

this year is the Third Anniversary of World Food Revolution Day, and I have decided that my CSA will participate through a container potato planting. Jamie Oliver is a food hero of mine, and he is dedicated to getting kids and families around the world excited about food, real food, not plastic.

It is the beginning of the gardening season in Winnipeg, and I want to start off a great year of farming with a bang! The start of the season is an exciting time full of hope and promise, so lets plant potatoes. I am inviting people to come with shovels, a 5 gallon pail or unused blue box, and we will each make a family potato planter to put all around the garden and add soil as the season progresses until harvest in September.

So... come on down between 4:30 and 5:00 on Friday May 16th to 273 Enfield Crescent. Oh yes, I love the logo it seems appropriately Cuban or Chilean (venceremos)!!!

Casi Cielo is a go!!

Happy to say that I will soon begin my season as a farmer growing custom food for 8 wonderful families.  I have lots of plans and dreams, since we have lots of boys in the families to give them opportunities that suit their interests, with the fairy gardens and lots of ways to incorporate folks as they want to be involved other than just eating good healthy food.  In one more month, I hope to begin seeding even if my yard is still mostly white.

muscari, a brave little perennial.

The top garden.

There is hope and the dear little muscari which are always the first each Spring, are beginning to bloom.   I started my first seeding project with wheat grass in eggshells.  Lets see if we have little creatures in time for our EAster Egg hunt.

.

Time to Sign Up!!!

Casi Cielo-CSA

My name is Nancy Bokland and my   Community Supported Agriculture project or micro Urban Farm, called Casi Cielo or Almost Heaven for 2014.  I have a small house on a big yard in Norwood/St. Boniface where I am living out the principle of grow food, not lawns and working to make it all an edible landscape. Since my “farm” is quite small, my plan is to offer a crate of fresh, organic (not certified) , locally grown fruit and vegetables on a weekly basis starting in mid- June until the end of September for a total of 14 weeks. I may take a break of a few weeks in July if we have a stall in growth like last year, but will “beef” up any slow weeks with baking and preserves. 

I love growing food and flowers.  I love sharing the fruits of my labours with others, and would love to grow full time.  I want my customers to know how I grow the food, and even have input into what I grow, to match the needs of their family’s diet.  If you cannot pick up your vegetables due to travel or other summer time issues, please call and let me know if you are sending an alternate. 

 

This year,  a full family  share in the Casi Cielo project will 325.00 or 23.21 per week.    The food will be fresh, full of nutrients and hand picked.  There is risk in any farming or gardening venture, but I will aim ensure a good quantity, with high quality food throughout the season.  Amounts  and types of produce will vary with the seasons, and the weather conditions. So far the list is potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, beans, beets, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, kale, lettuce, spinach, rhubarb, butternut squash, ground cherries, hascaps, raspberries, strawberries, apples, blackberries, asparagus, okra, eggplant, basil, thyme, oregano, chives, lemon balm, sunchokes, snap peas.  My aim is to supply enough vegetables for a family of four, or two vegetarians for each week.  Pick up locations will be one mid city (downtown) point and my home in St. Boniface.  Pick ups will be on Thursday or Friday afternoons.

If you want to be a part of my farm dream comin alive; email me at nancyblokland@msn.com, with your name, address, and phone number.  deposit of 50.00 required by April 15^th, with the remainder due June 1, 2014. Please call me with questions, concerns or requests at 204-799-3792

 

 

Back again

Taking a few minutes away from tasks this morning to blog.  I have been busily making, with all of the steps involved.  The biggest challenge right now is to make plates that survive the drying process without S cracks and then getting them to the bisque kiln in the garage without wiping out on the ice.  This winter continues to drag on, and with it, seems the grey sadness of loss through death and accidents is ever near.

this is how the back yard still looks on March 26th, and I like everyone else in Winterpeg, has to be glad if we dont have frozen pipes or a collapsing roof.  For us, the boiler isnt really sending heat upstairs, the sink upstairs isnt working because of ice issues, but at least we have water and a roof, with only a little leaking in the bathroom from time to time.  I keep reminding myself that Spring willl come and then the busyness of the garden will keep me occupied, both physically and mentally.  Right now I am preparing for the big Spring Sales and Orders, with the WEST V sale on April 27th, Third and Bird on May 31st, and then fiber festivals, Sioux Narrows in August.  Hoping to be able to keep these within reason, cause I really want to give my energy to Casi Cielo and the CSA through the summer.  

CSA garden progress May 14, 2013

Here is a photo tour of this weeks progress on my Micro Urban Farm

Mothers Day, we are in green just like our grass.

the chive is up, soon to be used in potato salad, devilled eggs, and more!

 the apple tree is in bud, the rain barrel in the back needs to be hooked up, and the tree fort needs to be completed.

three of my six wonderful rhubarb plants are coming along quickly.

Spring is coming slowly and quietly in my yard.

So happy to see these little tulip, iris and other bulbs and hollyhocks beginning to appear in my yard.  As the garden begins to show a need for me to be in it, it means a change in focus between now and the end of May.  I still need and want to make a lot of pottery, but the outdoors will be calling me out there.  It will be time to get out of the dark basement studio and into my garden.

I started making pieces for my new plan of Fairy Garden adornments.

Birds, nests, leaf stools, mushrooms, fairy houses and more on the way. I love the change in focus from the wheel.

Tax Time and Rubbish!

I have set myself a goal to have all the paperwork ready for the accountant for the taxes for March 15th.  I didnt have shoebox of papers but an entire laundry basket, that became too heavy to even lift.

Well, of course when I began to rummage through there, there are burger King receipts, drawings from a very talented Grade 1 student ( Mr. G) and other treasures, but a whole lot of rubbish!  I try to have less paper and junk coming to the house, but we are burning lots of paper from the bank, since I dont feel comfortable putting it in the compost, and I already killed one shredder.  We will at least try to roast marshmallows on one of the loads this evening, and make something useful out of a whole lot of unsolicited material!

  will be glad to be done with the rummaging with the papers, so I can get to the clay. Red clay is on my agenda for this week.  Also very happy to have 2 confirmed CSA families signed up for my urban farm project!!

 

Community Supported Agriculture for Casi Cielo (almost Heaven)

Casi Cielo-CSA



I am developing a Community Supported Agriculture project for my micro Urban Farm, called Casi Cielo or Almost Heaven for 2013. I have a small house on a big yard in Norwood/St. Boniface where I am living out the principle of grow food, not lawns.



Since my “farm” is quite small, my plan is to offer a crate of fresh, organic (not certified) , locally grown fruit and vegetables on a weekly baiss starting at the end of June until mid September for a total of 13 weeks. A share in the Casi Cielo project will 300.00 (or 23.07 per week). The food will be fresh, full of nutrients and hand picked. There is risk in any farming or gardening venture, but I will aim ensure a good quantity, with high quality food throughout the season. Peter Rabbit ensures that we have well naturally fertilized soil that is augmented by compost. Amounts and types of produce will vary with the seasons, and the weather conditions. I will grow a variety of greens, root vegetables, squashes, herbs and beans. My aim is to supply enough vegetables for a family of four, or two vegetarians for each week. Pick up locations will be one mid city (downtown) point and my home in St. Boniface. Pick ups will be on Friday afternoons.

My Philosophy

I love growing food and flowers. I love sharing the fruits of my labours with others, and would love to grow full time. I want my customers to know how I grow the food, and even have input into what I grow, to match the needs of their family’s diet. If you cannot pick up your vegetables due to travel or other summer time issues, please call and let me know if you are sending an alternate. Food should not be wasted!!
I will offer 13 weeks of produce from the end of June to mid September, with produce available based on early to late producing vegetables and fruit and herbs.  I will be growing rhubarb, spinach, kale, lettuce,onions, raspberries, strawberries, apples, tomatoes, peppers, ground cherries, beans, carrots , beans and a variety of squashes.  Each share is 300.00, breaking down to 23. 10 per week with a wooden crate of produce every week!

I need 3 more families to make this viable and hope that you will support me in this new adventure. 
If you want to be a part of my farm dream comin alive; email me at nancyblokland@msn.com, with your name, address, and phone number. deposit of 50.00 required by April 15th, with the remainder due June 1, 2013. Please call me with questions, concerns or requests at 204-799-3792