May 10, 2012
In spite of my best intentions, I only managed to squeeze in a couple of weeks’ work on my new book this spring. I’m excited about this project, but the writing is deep and slow and will probably take a couple more years to get down. The book is about impermanence, about how we are all just passing through the land that we inhabit, and that we have a responsibility to leave it more fertile, more biologically alive, and to use our time on the land to nourish and to teach. A little excerpt:
All farming is an act of faith, an expression of hope and possibility. I cannot imagine that there are any farmers out there, who no matter how many times they have seen the miracle of a seed germinate, or a lamb being born, or a tree flower and set fruit, are not in awe of a force far greater than themselves. This is what keeps us going even when the work is hard and the return not commensurate. It is this force we rely on, it’s what we set the table for.
We prepare ground for planting, providing everything we can to insure that the conditions are right. We place tiny seeds, and plants, and trees in that ground, in rows, and lines, and blocks, on raised beds, in trenches, in holes, we wait and watch and cover and protect, always knowing that in the end we are not in control.
The most reliable part of our work is the mystery, the collaboration with the unseen, the hyper-focused intention followed by the willingness to let go. I imagine the original settlers on this land, out in that same empty field, placing each orchard tree in the ground, planting their hope for the future. I have trusted in their judgment, choosing the exact same sight for our orchard as they did theirs a hundred years ago, knowing that against so many odds they made a life, not an affluent one, but one that was certainly rich.
Michael Ableman
April 27, 2012
It’s been a winter whirlwind, not so much from the weather, which hasn’t been extreme, but from the intensity of human activity.
I’ve been traveling quite a bit, speaking in the US and in Australia on a three week lecture tour. My work with SOLEfood in Vancouver has expanded dramatically, as we have been funded to expand that project from its original half-acre parking lot, to close to five acres on multiples sites across the city. I am thrilled and fulfilled to be helping bring farming, good food, and jobs to Vancouver’s most underserved individuals through this very innovative social enterprise. Stay tuned for more on this.
We were lucky this spring, a few early dry/warm windows allowed us to get quite a bit planted. Beets and carrots and salad and spinach direct seeded, chard and kale and collards were transplanted in early April. The tomatoes and peppers went in earlier than usual, as did our berries. Spinach, with leaves the size of dinner plates, is now ready to harvest, as is salad mix and French breakfast radish. We planted an insane amount of our infamous basketball-sized sweet onions to support the cult following they have at the market. Strawberries have fruit already developing, and in our quest to find the perfect ever-bearing variety, we’ve gotten some French cultivars which are outrageously good.
Asparagus is pushing through now, so we’ll be doing our first market on Salt Spring Island on May 5. If you’re on the island, come and see us at the market, and sign up for our debit style CSA program. And whether you’re on Salt Spring Island, or live elsewhere, check out the upcoming workshops at our Center for Arts, Ecology, and Agriculture. Our first workshop is with my friend, colleague, and fellow lunatic farmer Joel Salatin on June 20/21. We’re excited about the upcoming season and look forward to sharing the abundance of this land, and the ideas and inspiration of our programs.
Michael Ableman
Michael Ableman on Food Sovereignty from Joel Catchlove on Vimeo.
August 27th, 2011
Foxglove Farm
Steamed artichokes dipped in lemon-butter, organic chickens baked in the wood-oven, glorious salads of spinach, beets, and local goat cheese, rainbow platters of heirloom tomatoes drizzled in olive oil, and local organic icecream topped with strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries. That is how we celebrate our work and life at Foxglove Farm.
This year’s addition of our wood fired pizza oven has led to many evenings of communal meals with staff, guests, workshop participants, and visitors to the farm.
The peak of summer is finally here and mountains of produce are leaving the fields and traveling to the market. Whether you grow your own of buy from your local farmer, the celebration of summer food is ubiquitous. Visit our facebook page and tell us how you cook, preserve, present, or share the summer’s fruits and vegetables
July 29th, 2011
Foxglove Farm
On July 24th we welcomed close to 1000 people at our Foxglove Farm Festival. The weather could not have been more perfect and our refreshing, homemade strawberry gelato and apple cider were a huge hit. Chef Paul Stewart and his team from the Salt Spring Harbour House blew us away with their wood-fired pizzas, with toppings ranging from ratatouille and goat cheese to candied salmon and arugula pesto. Jose Sanchez and his 5-piece Cuban band created a vibrant atmosphere that spread all the way from the stage to the grain fields! More photos here.
Earlier in the week was the Children’s Farm, Arts, and Culinary Camp. From milking goats and feeding chickens to harvesting vegetables and cooking gourmet lunches, the group experienced both the hard work and rich benefits of an agrarian lifestyle. Each afternoon, art teacher Tracy Harrison let the beautiful natural environment inspire the childrens’ art projects, which included paper lanterns and illustrated journals.
With hotter weather upon us, new crops are ripening daily. At the Tuesday Farmers Market in Ganges this week we had our first full-sized tomatoes and some beautiful purple gypsy peppers. Other recent additions include raspberries, artichokes, French fillet beans, and summer squash. On the horizon are blueberries, a multitude of peppers and tomatoes, and our beautiful French melons.
July 14th, 2011
Foxglove Farm
“We always say that summer in the Pacific Northwest really doesn’t begin until the 5th of July” – wise words spoken by farmer and seed expert John Navazio during his workshop last week. If that is the norm then this year is right on track! All the fields are finally planted and we have transitioned into a steady state of harvesting and cultivating. Favourite crops such as raspberries and sungold tomatoes tempt us with their first blush of colour and shoppers at the market remark on the growing diversity of produce for sale.
This season marks a time of vibrancy and bounty. Foxglove Farm has many ways of celebrating and sharing the joy for summer. Last week we had the pleasure of hosting John Navazio for his workshop “Seeds for Change: Organic Seed Production & Crop Variety Improvement.” John blew us away with his passion and impressed upon us the great importance of preserving seeds and crop integrity. The farm will continue to bring inspiration next week with our Children’s Farm, Arts, and Culinary Camp and then the height of summer is rung in with our annual Foxglove Festival on July 24th.
If you are planning a trip to Salt Spring this summer, be sure to tour some of the great Farm-Table destinations on the island.
Visit our Facebook page for more photos and info about upcoming events.
June 3rd, 2011
Foxglove Farm
This year’s reluctant spring, with its soggy soil and cold temperatures, has made it difficult to plant and slowed down those crops we were able to slip in between storms. In spite of the challenging conditions, cherry, pear and apple blossoms have exploded in a dynamic display, spinach, kale, parsley, chard, rhubarb, and salad greens are flourishing. The first strawberries have ripened under the protection of giant un-heated tunnel houses and our signature asparagus is in full production.
This season’s crew at Foxglove Farm has been on the ground doing an amazing job for over a month. Field foreman Sean has moved up from California to learn about farming on a rainforest island while guiding our team of apprentices: Patrick, who hails from Ontario hoping to pursue a career in sustainable agriculture, Janet, a literature student from Vancouver Island, is looking to supplement her research on the relationship between healthy land and healthy people with practical experience, and Kaity, a global studies student who plans to create a market garden on her family’s ranch in Alberta.
One of the crew’s first outings as a team was to check out SOLEFood Urban Farm in Vancouver’s downtown eastside, where Foxglove farmer Michael Ableman is also co-director. There they took part in planting strawberries in ten-foot vertical tubes and witnessed how growing food has the potential to change the lives of individuals, improve neighborhoods, and provide meaningful work.
While it has been a challenging spring, we all maintain a deep sense of hope and possibility, a basic requirement for anyone who does this work.
We look forward to seeing you at the farm for one of our programs or at the market to share in the abundance of our land.
Early Spring, 2011
After finding a moment for some winter rest, the staff at Foxglove have emerged with the first snowdrops to get an early start on the exciting season ahead. Sunny days inspire dreams of raspberries and hot peppers, but memories of autumn are stirred by wholesome meals prepared wit hard squash and home-grown wheat.
The theme of January was greens; a myriad of kale, chard, and spinach seedlings lined the propagation house. However, these plants have a very unique fate – check out the Vancouver Art Gallery this spring for a special installation showcasing our partners SOLEfood and innovation in urban agriculture. While waiting for the groundhog to forecast our next six weeks, we began February with a mass seeding of nightshades (the family of tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants). Imagining the fruition of all those beautiful heirloom varieties, the tangy sweetness of Sungold cherry tomatoes is not far from mind.
Although it will be two months until our first asparagus spears break ground, the action on the farm never ceases. Tilling in cover crops, direct seeding into prepared fields, and transplanting seedlings will set the stage for a vibrant and abundant season. These tasks are paired with equal amounts of brainstorming, planning, and preparing for our exciting workshop series, updated CSA program, and NEW onsite farmstand. This year we are expanding and enhancing our communication with the community; soon you’ll find us on facebook, twitter, and our NEW blog to learn about all the happenings at Foxglove Farm.