From early March until we start coming to Vancouver with food in early July, we are busy pruning fruit trees, seeding all the annual crops and keeping them warm in the wood-stove-heated greenhouse, building beds in the garden and planting the baby plants that will grow the food we bring to you.
July
Cherries! - There are usually a solid 5 weeks of cherries that we harvest and bring to the city. Bings and Vans dominate this landscape. You won’t find anything sweeter!
Basil - We grow Italian large leaf and Genovese, both succulent and oily and great for eating fresh or filling your freezer with pesto.
Tomatoes - We grow over 30 varieties of heirloom tomatoes, all outside to gain maximum flavour. Green Zebra, Datterini, Amish Pate, Black Prince and many others for fresh eating and preserving.
Zucchini - Romanesco, a traditional Italian heirloom with a rich, nutty flavour as well as Goldy and patty pans to round out the mix. “Zucchini with every meal” is a standard phrase at the farm.
Cucumbers - Suyo Long, Lemon, Manny and Striped Armenian for all the best fresh eating all summer long!
Beans - Borlotti, creamy and rich, Dragon’s Tongue, crisp and tasty and Favas, the steak of beans.
August
Peaches - Early and Late Red Haven dominate this luscious season. If we are lucky, we will pick peaches weekly until September!
Plums - The crowd favourite, Mirabelle, starts the plum season, followed by Shiro, Elephant Heart, Friar and finally the mighty Prune Plum for all your preserving needs.
Onions - Walla Walla sweet - need I say more?
Tomatillos - green and purple varieties for all your salsa verde needs.
Melons - Charentais, Petit Gris de Rennes and Tigger are our favourites. Sweet and deeply delicious.
Eggplant - Traviata, Rosa Bianca and Listada di Gandia - we stick to mostly Italian varieties.
Hot Peppers - Joe’s Long Cayenne, Padron, Poblano, Sugar Rush Peach and Buena Mulata are just a few varieties we grow. From mild to hot, we love to bring spice to the table.
September
Apples - Pink Pearl, Gravenstein, Gala, MacIntosh, Ashmead Kernel, Sweet Pippin - we pick apples weekly for about 4 weeks. There are varieties for fresh eating, baking and storage.
Winter Squash - Butternut, Kabocha, Hubbard, Delicata and Spaghetti squash - stock up to eat these beauties all winter!
Click the photos above to see more!