Micro-Planning for Growing Success

How does a stick help us grow veggies?

When you visit our farm, it’s clear that a lot of high-level planning has gone into the design of our 11-acre space. But you might be surprised by how much micro-planning happens as well. Last week, our Market Garden Coordinator Rod was telling me about how the team designs and builds garden beds, and I was fascinated.

Lots of work goes into building the soil to grow our veggies. So, Rod and the team have introduced a system for building garden beds that reduces repeat work and keeps crop rows straighter and in the same place, season after season. They do this using pegs to mark garden edges, and the all-important marking stick to measure consistent widths for growing beds and paths.

Why does this matter? It ensures adequate growing space for our crops to thrive; It leads to fewer trampled veggies; It isolates soil compaction to foot paths; It enables more efficient weeding; It holds drip tubes better (not that we’ve had to use them lately!). Perhaps most important though, it provides a clear guideline and tools that make it easier for people with limited English and skills to prepare high quality and consistent beds. And we want our staff, as well as our veggies, to grow and succeed.

Enjoy your veg!

Lindsay Burlton
Fair Food Coordinator

In your box this week:

Note: We sometimes need to make changes to what we pack in your veg box based on the quantity or quality of produce that we can harvest and source. If you have any questions about what is in your box, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected].

Feature Veg: Leek

Leeks are part of the allium family and are related to onions, shallots, chives, and garlic. They have a sweet, mild, onion flavour and are much more versatile than most people think! You can use them in the same way as onions or shallots in most recipes and are great in soups, stews, pastas, risottos, and more! They can also be grilled or roasted on their own to create a delicious side dish. Leeks last up to 2 weeks in the veggie crisper in the fridge and should be cut and washed well before cooking.