It is absolutely marvelous out here. A full week of sun has already begun to reveal patches of brown, yellow and even green! As much as we can all appreciate the warm weather, the chickens are extra happy. After two or three months of beeing cooped up (literally) they have started their daily excursions up and down the barnyard.

I hope this early thaw will help dry out the barnyard, which will make an early start to spring clean-up an easy task. And if this weather holds up there could even be crops in the ground by month’s end!

My thanks go out to all those who have already submitted their registration forms. The group is already more than half full, but there are still 2010 harvest-shares available. Joining a CSA is a great way to help sustain a local, sustainable food system in Ottawa.

My seeds are on their way, and the crop list this year is very exciting! I’m looking forward to a larger variety of hardy greens and herbs, more broccoli, more onions, multi-coloured salad tomatoes, almost all open-pollinated varieties of vegetables, and no conventional seed whatsoever.

2010 Registration Package

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Proposed Egg Grading Regulation Under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001

OMAFRA proposes to develop an updated egg regulation under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 (FSQA) to replace the current Regulation 724 - Eggs and Regulation 726 - Processed Egg under the Livestock and Livestock Products Act (LLPA). To minimize the food safety risk associated with the sale of ungraded eggs, the proposed regulation under the FSQA would continue to require grading of all eggs for sale in Ontario with the exception of those sold at the farm gate. Grading eggs ensures that cracked eggs, with a higher risk of Salmonella contamination, do not enter the human food chain without pasteurization. Grading or processing of eggs could only take place in federally registered egg grading and egg processing stations in accordance with the Egg Regulations and Processed Egg Regulations under CAPA.  Specific proposals include removing provincial requirements that are redundant in the federally inspected system; removing outdated requirements that no longer align with current industry practice; and retaining requirements related to food safety. There are some sections in both Regulations 724 and 726 that may or may not be useful to industry.

Please send written comments by March 5, 2010 to Mr. Patrick Thornton at patrick.thornton@ontario.ca or to 1 Stone Road West 2SW, Guelph, Ontario N1G 4Y2. Alternatively, comments may also be sent before March 5, 2010 to the notice of the Proposed Egg Regulation under the Food Safety and Quality Act, 2001 on the Regulatory Registry, under current proposals. Comments received as part of this consultation process may be summarized and shared with other stakeholders during the development of a proposed regulation. Your comments will be considered in regards to drafting any proposed regulation but they will not necessarily be included. More information can be found at: http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/policy/legislation/propeggreg.htmthe proposal to ensure we have a modern regulation for the fresh and processed egg sector that reduces barriers to innovation, reflects industry and government practices, and maintains food safety.

Mr Patrick Thornton,

I would like to thank OMAFRA for reaching out to the farming community in order to receive feedback on proposed changes to egg grading regulations.

I support OMAFRA’s efforts in creating a safe and efficient supply management system for commercial egg producers. However, I think the restrictions around the sale of eggs by smaller producers could be more flexible.

I believe small producers (under 100 birds) are perfectly capable of collecting eggs and selling them in a safe and hygienic manner. In addition to farmgate sales, we should be allowed to sell identified and sorted (although ungraded) eggs through a diversity of direct-marketing channels, including restaurants and farmer’s markets. It is a simple process to ensure clean bedding, daily egg collection, removal of cracked and deformed eggs, washing, and storage in a cool location.

The sale of eggs enables me to diversify my sources of income, cater to increasing demand for farm-fresh eggs, and financially support one important pillar of manure production for my vegetable gardens. Direct marketing is a simple, accessible and traceable sales method. Adequate support from OMAFRA will help take egg sales from under the table and make the whole process more enjoyable, profitable and safe.

Thank you,

David Burnford

Type: Full-time with stipend, room & board

Language: Français et anglais

Duration: May1st - October 31^st

Riverglen Farm is a certified biodynamic farm located in Ottawa’s Greenbelt. This 112 acre heritage site is located in the west end of the city, surrounded by Greenbelt forest and wetlands, on the banks of the Ottawa river. An assortment of vegetables are grown and sold to an 80 harvest-share CSA as well as restaurants and natural food stores. A flock of laying hens supply eggs and share manure production duties with a few cows, sheep and ducks.

Position description:

I am seeking a solid pair of arms and a clear mind to help with farm tasks this summer. Vegetable production, harvest and distribution will take up a good part of the time, but there are daily animal chores to share, as well as property maintenance tasks to carry out.

The typical workweek is Sunday to Thursday but it may change and evolve, depending on celestial rhythms and tasks needing to be accomplished. You are expected to be fed, dressed and ready for work by 8am on regular days and 7am on harvest days. The workday ends at 6pm or 5pm respectively, and we break for lunch between noon and 2pm. All crew-members are expected to take their turn preparing a common lunch for the rest of the crew.

In exchange for a commitment to a full season, a dedicated work attitude and an eagerness to learn, I offer a weekly stipend of $100 - $150 per week. The amount depends on prior experience and accommodation arrangements.

Accommodations:

Interns should be ready to tent it. A sturdy tent on a wooden platform will be provided, along with a mattress to keep you dry and comfortable. A spot in the trailer or a room in the farmhouse can be made available for the cooler months.

A common kitchen in the barn is equipped with hot water, a stove, fridge, kettle, as well as dishes and cutlery. The barn kitchen has a kitchen table and chairs, and an assortment of couches and chairs can be found nearby. Picnic tables, porches, benches, hammocks and a beach can be found around the property.

A compost-toilet is in the works for 2010. In case this doesn’t happen, a chemical toilet will be provided. An enclosed outdoor shower(with hot water) is accessible at all times. Laundry, telephone and internet facilities are located in the farmhouse and can be used during specified times.

How to apply:

Write a few paragraphs about the reasons why you want to join the farm crew and what you feel you can bring to it. Send it along with any questions to:

david.burnford@gmail.com

2010 Registration Package

You can find out more about Community Supported Agriculture at Riverglen Farm by reading up the relevant sections on the website. Past newsletters have been posted to the ‘Communication Archives’ section so you can get a feel of what members were doing and eating over the course of the year. Of course, you can also send me your questions by email and I will do my best to answer them.

I greatly appreciate your willingness to join our CSA. Thank you for your time and your positive energy!

I’m happy to write that I had a fabulous time during my Christmas and New Year holidays. I was able to enjoy some well-deserved rest in the company of my loved ones and it was absolutely terrific! It’s nice to put aside a few of your more tedious responsibilities, if only just for a few days.

That’s not to say we’ve all been farting around over here. Just doing a little hiding out… You know how it is! So, since the last time I’ve entered a blog entry… well, the big field was plowed. I’m lucky to have a good relationship with my neighbour Kevin, with whom I often exchange favours. Kevin brought over his equipment in mid-November to turn over the soil in one of the garden areas. This will help break down both garden crop and cover crop residue, as well as expose the roots of any perennial weeds that are trying to take hold of the garden.

Kevin plowing

There has also been a good deal of wood cutting. Thanks to the generous help of my brother, my friends, Johann the mason and the good people from Canada World Youth, we were able to pack the porch with a few cords of wood. We’ll need to chop more to make it through the cold weather, but what a great start!

CWY gathering  CWY chopping

My neighbour Kevin also does another kind of plowing at the farm. Snow plowing! He does a fabulous job opening up our lane-way, as well as clearing out the farmyard and the barn entrances. He only comes out every now and again, however, and sometimes perhaps a little later than sooner… We got a tone of snow over the weekend and even my AWD Subaru (thanks mom and dad) had trouble getting through. Thankfully, it only took a little digging to get through the offending snowdrift. And not that I can complain about the snow. It has been an incredible winter for cross-country skiing!

subaru stuck

As for the critters out in the field, they have all been moved to their winter homes. The paddock on the North West side of the barns acts as the temporary home for my Highland cows and Shetland sheep. There they find shelter from the wind, a big heap of hay and a bathtub full of water. An electric tank heater keeps the water in the tub from freezing. A similar system of heated buckets ensures a supply of fresh water for my flock of chickens. I’m very impressed with the dozen and a half eggs I still collect daily. I’m also quite impressed, as were our Christmas guests, by the quality of their meat. Caro and I slaughtered, plucked and cleaned 4 roosters, on Solstice, to share with friends and family. The full-textured meat was bursting with flavour.

caro wire  indoor flock  plucking feathers

So what about buying harvest-shares of delicious biodynamic vegetables this season? Stay tuned; I’ve got a little something up my sleeve…

Hello again!

It’s nice to be back at the keyboard after somewhat of a hiatus. Did anybody else fall flat on their backs after the last CSA pickup? Luckily it was muddy and the landing was cushy…

Much has happened in the last month or so. We’ve been picking surplus vegetables here and there and packing them away in the basement. A few members have been visiting and participating in a little gleaning. Even the cows, who now have roam of the entire field, have discovered the tasty tops of carrots, kale and broccolli.

Besides putting all the toys away, cleaning up, wrapping up, packing up and battering up all the hatches, there’s a mighty chunk of administration work to do. My understanding, and appreciation, of accounting is once again expanding in leaps and bounds. There’s a pile of wood expanding on the porch and a pile of garbage shrinking in the barn. The chicken coops have been cleaned-out, stack with fresh hay and sealed up for winter. One by one the machines are getting a cleaning, oiling and hanging.

We’re also loosing two very special people on the farm. Jean-Leon and Kristina have moved into their new house on the Quebec side. There’s a big hole left behind which Johann and I are trying to patch up, one step at a time. Over the year and a half that Tina and J-L have been around, they’ve put a tremendous amount of energy into renovating, fixing and upscaling Riverglen. They’re presence will be missed!

But even in the cold and rain, there’s always something about November that is somewhat re-assuring. Amidst the calm crumbling of the delicate structures erected over the summer, there is a sense of returning home. Energies are now clearly directed inward as friends and communities come together to ensure each others’ warmth and comfort. Thank you for your patience as I take some time to settle a few loose ends.

In the coming weeks, you can look forward to a survey with a few feedback questions from myself as well as from our coordination group. You’ll also receive information about next year and how to go about saving your spot for a 2010 harvest-share!

Keep cozy,

-David

Saturday, November 14^th

1:00 p.m. To 5:00 p.m.

Champlain Park Fieldhouse

149 Cowley Avenue

 (Corner of Clearview and Cowley Ave)

Local vendors with a terrific variety of handmade goods for sale:

 Jewelry, baked goods, jams and jellies, soaps and lotions, hand knit goods,

organic honey, Christmas ornaments, note cards and much much more!

** Your chance to buy Riverglen Honey! **

For a complete list of vendors and directions to the craft show, please visit

our blog for this year’s event:

 http://champlainparkxmasfair.blogspot.com/

Riverglen Biodynamic Farm’s

first annual
Harvest Open House and

Ottawa’s Hugest Hundred Mile Potluck!

The days are shorter, the pumpkins are plumper and the harvest is coming in.

The fields are getting emptier and our cupboards and root cellars are getting fuller.

The work is winding down, and it’s time for
a festival celebration!

Come celebrate the culmination of the season with other members of the CSA Community. Bring your friends and neighbours who may be interested in the farm or joining the CSA next year.

Saturday, October 17, 2009

3:00 p.m. Children’s harvest activities

Gleaning the fields and farm tours

5:00 Ottawa’s Hugest Hundred Mile Potluck
(featuring Beau’s beer!)

7:30 Music and dancing

Save the date- more information to come!