Picking
admin
As We Fish and Farm

I came to Newfoundland for the first time just over four years ago. I can still vividly recall taking the ferry across from Nova Scotia in the late winter, listening to the groaning sounds of the ice around the boat. Within two months of arriving I made my first trip to Bonne Bay, a remote fjord on the west coast of the island. I went to learn about the food system and fisheries in the region as part of a PhD program I was beginning at Memorial University that fall.

As We Fish and Farm
Picking, Preparing
admin
DIY Maple Syrup

Maple syrup conjures up images of towering arboretums in places like Quebec or Vermont, but it’s a little known secret that the rugged and hardy maple trees of Newfoundland make darn fine maple syrup. With nothing more than a half dozen maple trees, some old salt beef containers and a handful of 25 cent metal tree taps, you’re good to go and can expect to end up with over a dozen bottles of hand made maple syrup.

DIY Maple Syrup
Picking, Planting, Preparing
Andreae C
My front yard grocery store
My front yard grocery store
Events, Picking, Planting
Costa Kasimos
Bits and Pieces: Along the Shore

Spectacular vistas, whales breaching, ice bergs floating by, and a foragers paradise. We are blessed with many wilderness areas that offer abundant edible plants. I rarely go on a hike without stopping to have a little taste of this or that. In this post, I will touch upon some of the edibles currently available in our wonderful wilderness.

Bits and Pieces: Along the Shore
Planting
Matthew Middleton
Growing In A Potato Box

Thanks to the listing from Seeds of Diversity, I was able to locate a gentleman in Newfoundland who has a great deal of experience growing a wide variety of potatoes here. Last week, I recieved by my set of samples from George, and here's what my benefactor told me about the varieties:

Red Dutch: A very dry, yellow flesh red from Holland in the 1940’s. An excellent potato. Late maturing.

Northern White: A white flesh variety, from Quebec apparently, from the early 1900’s. Very high yield. Good taste.

Growing In A Potato Box

Confessions of a Novice Gardener

’Tis the season to be seeding...

’Tis the season to be seeding...

Happy Spring!

It’s that time of year when you begin to think about buying seeds to plant all Spring and Summer long.

This year I got to work early dreaming about my garden and planning out all the vegetables I wanted to grow. Despite a goal of planting fewer varieties of plants we’d be growing my partner and I ended up with a huge list of indispensible, must-grow plants we absolutely had to have. That can get expensive, especially considering that most seed packets have way more seeds than a typical back yard gardener needs, so you're probably paying for seeds you won't use.

Harvest Times

Harvest Times

EEk! Sorry everyone - I missed September entirely. Oh well, at least I have a lot to say about the garden.

As you may remember, I've been growing my first real attempt at a garden this year, with a 12x4 foot raised bed. Last time I wrote I was complaining about the water ban, but that's certainly not a problem anymore! I've harvested just about everything now (a little less then I was hoping). What remains is to pick the carrots, beets, and turnip, and to prepare the garden for the winter.

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FEASt's Open Garden Day - Sign Up!

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FEASt's Open Garden Day - Sign Up!

Check out this awesome event happening next month! I'm signing up my garden, so come on down and visit on the 20th! Email local.feast@gmail.com to sign up your own garden or just sign up for the FEASt newsletter (in order to get the map to the 'open garden day')

-Rick

FEASt (Food Education Action St. John's) is planning an 'Open Garden Day' on Sun. Sept 20th, 1 - 5pm, to be followed by a Local Food Potluck Picnic (& Autumn Equinox Celebration) at Bannerman Park, 5pm - 8pm.

A Thriving Back Yard Garden

A Thriving Back Yard Garden

Hi folks - Rick here,

I have now had several delicious salads from the garden: lettuce, beet and turnip tops (while thinning out the small ones), some green beans and squash flowers (you can eat them). There have been a few issues to talk about, though.

Water Ban!

I'm sure every gardener using the city water supply has been affected by the water ban. You're not supposed to do any watering of any vegetable or flower garden. An exception is made for water from a rain barrel or 'grey water', used cleaning water from the house.