Blog

February 27, 2023
There are other things than gardening in the winter, like enjoying our ocean and its wildlife. Though now we are back at the farm planting seedlings and organizing for our next farming season. The snow and bitter cold has put a damper on things but the seeds still need to be planted . The first seeds are sprouting in the propagation box and looking good. Hopefully, it will be a bit warmer soon as the early seedlings will need to go in the greenhouse soon but will depend on the sun for warmth. Seedy Saturdays are in full swing and so vibrant. Hope to see you there.

January 19, 2023
At the beginning of the year when the garden looks empty waiting for a new growing season to begin it is hard to image the jungle that will grow in the summer. In the midst of Seedy Saturdays and planning for the coming season the reward of looking back at the abundance of last years garden is wonderful. Now is the time to collect seeds and plan for your summer garden. There are many opportunity to support local seed growers in your area. Those seeds will be much more acclimatized your garden environment. Happy gardening everyone!

December 17, 2022
So much has happened since the last blog. Summer lasted into October and then suddenly there was snow and winter had arrived. The snow needed to be swept from the prepared beds so the garlic crop could be planted. Everything was made more difficult with the snow though always so very beautiful. The garden has been put to bed for the winter. The holiday market has come and gone. The seed catalogs are starting to arrive and plans for next season are under way. Hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season full of family, delicious food and loads of fun.

July 13, 2022
The garden is blooming and the warmth of summer has finally arrived. The bees are buzzing, the butterflies are flitting and the snakes are in their element searching for slugs to devour. The summer crops are in the ground and finally all of them are growing well. The cooler weather crops did great during the cold rain but the heat lovers were delayed and are just getting going. A large greenhouse would have been great this year to plant them all but at our farm the greenhouse is 8′ by 11′ so won’t hold much. The berries are starting to produce copious crops of luscious fruit. The delicious season is upon us. Next week starts the garlic harvest and then plans for planting the winter garden begin. For plants and seeds, along with a winter gardening chart, for your winter garden stop by Moss Street Market on Saturdays between 10am and 2pm. This coming Saturday is the Moss Street Paint-In so the market goes till 4pm and you can see some fantastic art and artist at the same time.

May 22, 2022
The bees are loving the brassicas going to seed, it is one of the earlier plants to produce pollen and nectar giving the bees a steady supply of food. The warmer days are bringing out more bees, filling the air with buzzing sounds. We will be away this coming weekend for a family reunion, back on June 1st and ready for your orders. We will be back at Moss Street Market with many different plants for your garden on June 4th. There are still many varieties of tomatoes ready to plant out, as well as peppers, eggplant, cucumber, squash, zucchini and much more.

May 2, 2022
It looks like a week of rain again but the following week is shaping up for warmer, sunnier weather. The frogs love all this rain, though the bug populations must be down due to the cold temperatures. The tomato and pepper plants are ready to plant out. There will be many varieties at Moss Street Market every Saturday during May plus many other seedlings for you to choose to add to your garden.

April 14, 2022
Spring has sprung and Moss Street Market is hopping! Stop by for all your garden needs, as well as beautiful crafts and fabulous food. In April it is open from 10am until 1pm but come May it will be open until 2pm. Even with the cold nights and the snow on Monday, the days are warmer and when the sun shines it feels like spring. The robins have returned and the frogs are singing their mating songs of love, wanting to attract the perfect mate. The lizards are active, searching for bugs but the snakes are still in hiding waiting for warmer days. With some of the cold nights it has been necessary to cover plants in the greenhouse with reemay, a spun polyester cloth used over plants for extra protection. Hopefully, we will have warmer days and nights soon. Happy Spring everyone!

March 18, 2022
At this time of year when the propagation box, light table and greenhouse are full of tiny plants waiting for the season to turn, the anticipation is so exciting. These many babies will become the most wonderful food producers for both humans and wildlife. There are more flowers started this year then ever before. All for the pleasure of our eyes and the sustenance of nature. The number of butterflies, bees and hummingbirds that visit our garden now is quite the miracle. Like the Pine White in the picture at the left they come for certain flowers. If you want the same visitors to your garden, join us at the Sooke Seedy Saturday at the Sooke Region Museum on March 26th from 10am till 3pm for seeds and plant starts for your own garden.

March 1, 2022
Spring is here with robins hopping around the yard looking for worms or other juicy tidbits to eat. The local bear population has also been around judging by the photo to the right. Only the bears destroy the black compost bins searching for food. It is unusual to see them in the spring, they must be hungry. The fall, when the apple trees in the neighbourhood produce fruit and the blackberry vines are loaded is their usual time to visit.

January 9, 2022
Happy 2022 to one and all. In the midst of winter we sometimes forget the abundance of the summer harvest and the intense heat that permeated the air. With the snow on the ground and the short days at this time of year the only reminders of the summer are the meals made with all the yummy produce put up last fall. Still eating lots of garlic, Longkeeper tomatoes, winter squash and many dried and frozen treats. Stay safe and healthy.

December 5, 2021
Though it is only the 5th it feels like winter has arrived. The trees now have bare branches, the last couple of days have registered much colder temperatures and yesterday morning there was a sprinkle of white on the lawn. At the farm the colours have changed and there is a film of ice on the surfaces where water has pooled. The garlic is planted, berry bushes have been pruned and the seed crops are cleaned and being packaged. The greenhouse has been cleared and the tables set up for the bedding plants which will fill it in the spring. The fava beans still need to be planted and an inventory taken of supplies for the next season but everything is looking good. Join us at the Moss Street Holiday Market on Saturday and Sunday, December 11th and 12th for beautiful crafts, delicous treats and lots of produce.

October 27, 2021
Fall is officially here with rain, wind and cooler temperatures. Lots has happened in the last months. The garlic was harvested, hung in the shed to cure then cleaned for sale, the dry bean crop was harvest, winnowed then packaged for sale and the over wintering vegetables were planted and now ready to harvest. Everything has been harvested from the summer crops and the beds are being cleared of spent plants. Beds are being re-built and ammended for the next seasons garlic crop. The harvests this season were very abundant and the pantry is full of preserves to be enjoyed over the winter months, bringing a hint of summer to many meals. The seed crops are still being cleaned and winnowed and will soon be packaged for sale at the Moss Street Holiday Market on December 11th and 12th. A few new varieties have been added to the collection, including De Milpa tomatillos and Golden Zucchini. It is wonderful to live in such a beautiful place with so many supportive people and a lovely climate that makes farming year around possible.

July 13, 2021
The garden is in full bloom with the bees buzzing everywhere and with Western Swallowtail butterflies alighting on all the flowers they love. The heat wave took its toll on the berry crop, cooking them on the vine. The spent berries have been removed and discarded. The plants given an abundance of water and all are recovering. Now producing beautiful ripe yummy berries to eat while working and take to market on Saturdays. The garlic crop is being harvested and hung in the shed to dry. The beds that grew the garlic are being cleared and amended, ready for the next crop of winter vegetables. It is time to plant the winter garden with an abundance of things to savour during the cold months. Stop by Moss Street Market for plants and seeds, along with a handout with instructions for planting your winter garden.

June 16, 2021
The garden is exploding with many happy plants, birds and bees, snakes and lizards, gorgeous butterflies, and abundant wildlife. The owls are mating, singing there wild songs of love. Being nestled in the woods gives the opportunity to observe and interact with nature. The robins have mated and are raising their young. Learning to fly and find their own food threatens the ripening berries, especially the strawberries which are so close to the ground. Chasing them away only works when a farmer is in attendance. Otherwise netting is mandatory. Later in the season as the robins grow they lose interest in the strawberries and would rather search for worms but when young they are a bit inexperienced and lazy.

May 10, 2021
The first wild bees are visiting all the flowers, frogs have returned to the garden, the first snakes are looking for slugs (so many in the garden) to eat and the robins are building their nests. Lots of tomato and other plants available at the Moss Street Market. Come by on Saturday between 10am and 2pm for beautiful produce, plants to fill your pots and gardens, quality crafts and a delicious lunch.

April 18, 2021
Spring is definitely here with sun, warmth and seedlings sprouting everywhere. Moss Street Market is hopping with produce, plants and so many special treats. Gardens are coming to life and everyone is excited about a new season and a new start. Join us at the market for all your bedding plant needs. The first week in May the tomato and pepper plants will be arriving at the market ready to go into your gardens.

March 27, 2021
Just launched the website! Looking forward to feedback from friends and family. Seedlings are sprouting at the farm. In fact hundreds of them. Many little babies to take care of for the duration. We will be at Moss Street Market on Saturday April 3rd from 10am to 1pm with bedding plants, seeds, preserves and some produce. Hope to see all of our friends there.

February 20, 2021
Perfect day to be at the computer working on this website. Hopefully, ready to launch soon. It has been a steep learning curve with many difficult, frustrating days but also lots of fun. Could not have done it without the help of a good friend. He is quite incredible. When viewing the site you will see his work as it is much more professional looking than the work this farmer has done. So there are some inconsistencies since there are two of us working on inputting and building the site. I call it a work in progress that will probably continue for some years. Looking forward to a better understanding of how it works as time goes by. It has been great using many of the pictures that have been taken at the farm. Some by me but many by the volunteers who visit and help out with all the work involved. I want to thank all of my family and friends who have contributed. All things no matter how small have added to the success of this farming enterprise.