Old 99 Farm, week of feb 5 2017

It’s wednesday and only two days till market, big rain yesterday eliminated remaining snow as we head back to subzero temps for a while. Normal for this time of year is -2 to -13, and the range of record high lows is +6 to -21.

The potatoes are keeping well in the cold cellar, there are carrots in the ground in the greenhouse, nice crisp and sweet. Still no greens, so sorry.

Lots of meats in the freezers and lots of eggs. Will offer a dollar off if you buy three dozen or more. I was in Goodness Me the other day, their top line eggs were $6.75 for large dozen. We’re $6 for Extra Large!

Healthy eating,
Ian and Cami

Old 99 farm, week of Jan 29 2017

We’re approaching the end of the "Persephones’ months when we get less than 10 hrs of daylight (barring clouds) and the plants just hang out in the greenhouse. Daylight hours now officially from 7:30 am to 5:30pm! The radishes, spinach and greens in the Hobbit House are sprouted and growing.

To repeat from last week, we have fresh lamb in the freezer, delivered last week, from 40 to 60 lbs each.
Lots of eggs, chicken and root vegetables.
Quiches prepared by Cami, frozen oven-ready

Healthy eating
Ian and Cami

Old 99 FArm, week of Jan 22 2017

Quick reminder note to you faithful farmgate shoppers, we’re back to Friday this week.
Fresh lamb in the freezer, delivered last week, from 40 to 60 lbs each.
Lots of eggs, chicken and root vegetables.
Quiches prepared by Cami, frozen oven-ready.

Healthy eating
Ian and Cami

Old 99 Farm, week of Jan 15 2017

First, please note we are moving the market day to Thursday for this week only, as I am out of town and Cami can’t be here Friday to prepare.

We’re sorry for the juggling of the schedule, hope you can make it or will call with a suggestion to come on saturday or sunday.

We’ve just got 6 more lambs back from the butcher, from 40 to 70 lb wrapped weight. These are 2016 lambs and the last of the flock. I’m re-aligning the enterprises of the farm to suit our capacities and sheep are not a fit. So enjoy your lamb from a local farm, pasture raised, organic, while you can.

The veggies are limited for a while to root crops: carrots, potatoes, leek, garlic. We still have parsley growing and the new crops of kale, cabbage and chard are planted.

We have a steady supply of eggs now, with lots on hand.

Healthy eating,
Ian and Cami

Old 99 farm, week of Jan 9 2017\

Mostly a reminder, not exciting you with choice internet finds about climate, trump or trudeau!

Winter meals are long on comfort foods: stews, mashed potatoes, leek soup, etc. We have lots for you in that department.

A friend has several 20 lb turkeys for sale at $60 each. That’s a good price for conventionally fed birds. Send me a note if you are interested.

Healthy eating
Ian and Cami

Old 99 Farm, week of Jan 1 2017

More for the symbolism of it, Cami and I were planting greens in the hillside greenhouse on Jan 1st! We moved kale and cabbages that were dormant in the main house, and planted lettuces, radishes and mesclun. They will take about three months to grow to market size, a month faster than if left in the unheated greenhouse, according to Eliot Coleman’s Four Season Harvest p49. We’ll see.

Greens available now; kale, chard, parsley, cilantro and romaine. Roots: carrots, potatoes, onions, leek. Lots of meats and eggs. Price for XL now $6/doz, $6.75 for Jumbo.

Market will be open Friday, 4 to 6, or by arrangement.

Healthy Eating
Ian and Cami

Old 99 Farm, week of Dec 19 2016

We will hold a market on Friday Dec 23, 4 to 6, and be available for last minute rush requests.

Here we are at the Solstice, Dec 21, shortest day of the year with 9 hours daylight. What a remarkable way to remember our intimate entanglement in the natural world! Makes me feel for the many blessings, realized and unrealized, of my daily life.

Do you have your turkey, ham, goose or duck for Xmas dinner? I have a good selection, so please don’t be shy. Call anytime.
All my meat is raised here on pasture: pork, turkey, beef, lamb, chicken, duck and goose. If you want lamb sausage or lamb kabobs made up on skewers like in the photo, pls make order.

As of Dec 19th , we can offer the following crops: swiss chard, bulb onions, leek, kale, arugula, carrots, potatoes (redskin, dakota and purple), garlic, and herbs: dill, spearmint, bronze fennel.

Here’s a meditation for the week. Did you ever consider how the soil is like the stomach of plants? See Farmer Patrick Holden’s essay here, “it really began to dawn on me how understanding the intimate, biological and symbiotic processes involved in my own digestion sheds light on the equivalent processes taking place in the soils of my farm.”

“True generosity requires more than a credit card. Spending less money on Christmas forced us to be generous with our time, energy, and talents. Those are the best gifts of all – because they are priceless.”

Healthy eating and drinking, with family close by,
Ian and Cami

Old 99 Farm, week of Dec 11

OMG, it’s thursday midnight and I haven’t put out the weekly reminder! I checked the orders report and thank you to the faithful, no prompting needed! Even one first-time customer.

The freezers are full, lots of meat selections, root cellar stocked, and the greenhouse is still producing. Lots of eggs, no more shortages.

Come on out, I’ll check the web for orders at noon Friday for harvesting greens. Meats eggs, roots, no order needed.

We’ll be open Friday 23rd.

Healthy eating,
Ian and Cami

Old 99 farm, week of Dec 4 2016

As I write this on tuesday evening I’ve been up since 4:30am, having loaded 90 live birds into crates to take to the butcher: turkeys, geese, ducks and chicken. Now they’re all back here, chilled fresh and being frozen over the next day or so. If you want a fresh bird, now is the only time it’s possible. Same price as frozen. The turkeys range from 8 to 18lb, ducks 5 to 9 and geese 7 to 12. The chickens are for making soup and stews, with lots of flavour.

A few frosty nites in the past week, but the greens are super, thanks to the greenhouses. Same long list as last week, as itemized in attached.

Did you hear the latest about Donald Trump? He drinks raw milk! Has for a long time. I’m starting to like the guy already!

Healthy eating
Ian and Cami

Old 99 Farm, week of Nov 27 2016

We’re loading up the freezers at this time of year, as the pork, beef, lamb and poultry goes off to the butcher. This friday will have beef, though in limited quantity as most was pre-ordered. Next week is marked for pork, which is in greater supply as we had 5 animals in total. Turkeys will be week of Dec 5th, same for geese and duck.

The Hobbit House (hillside greenhouse) is getting outfitted with a wood stove and underground heating this week, which I hope will extend the season for tomatoes and eggplant. Both are still blooming and fruiting in there. The bonus of the design is we will have a seedling germination room that can double as a sauna! Any volunteers to help christen it?

Still the usual bounty of greens (lettuces, chards, beet tops, kale) and roots (onions, carrots, celeriac, potatoes, garlic) and peppers, eggplants and tomatoes.

Looking forward to seeing you. Do bring your special requests and suggestions.

Healthy eating
Ian Graham and Cami Stoica