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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

 

 

Gardening Tips from the beautiful Blog Tillys Nest, a handy chart for organic gardening

Tilly's Nest: Fennel Doesn't Have Friends: A Guide to Companion ...: If you are like us, you enjoy growing, harvesting and eating home grown fruits, vegetables, and herbs.  As we have transitioned to garden...


Live consciously is one of my mantras and I am trying to be mindful of this in the garden too, so am using marigolds, nasturtium and some strongish herbs to be the guardians of my Casi Cielo garden.

this list is something I will try and put into practice this year and in the future to ward of pests without resorting to anything that comes out of a bottle.  We saw the wonderful movie Epic from Disney yesterday, so I may start referring to the leaf men and the wretched mandrake or the pod.

If you have not seen it, you should it is visually stunning, and makes me want to make more lily pad plates and attempt lily pad blossoms in clay too.