Cool article about the new Brewed Awakenings coffee shop in SE Regina, with a picture of our products! Hmmm, I think they are out of Prairie Cherry Topping!
http://www.leaderpost.com/life/dream+come+brew/4737929/story.html
Video: Varmints, Varmints Everywhere!
Spring is an exciting, yet scary time for fruit growers. Did our fruit trees survive over the winter? Are they going to have a crop this year?
Video: Behind the Scenes at Gardenscape
A little bit of fun setting up our tradeshow booth, handling the crowds and our ever not so popular Grooten Free Pie!
Organic vs Natural: Is There a Difference?
Recent statistics show that sales of organic products continue to rise, however what is surprising is that sales of products labeled as “Natural” rose even higher. Initially this puzzled me; why would consumers embrace inferior “Natural” products compared to Certified Organic ones? I soon realized that products labeled as “Natural” creates the image that the ingredients were grown using environmentally harmonious methods, and processed using the least invasive processes possible. The reality is a stark contrast to this imagery.
Unlike being Certified Organic, the term “Natural” is loosely regulated, meaning that companies can craft their own version of what they think is natural.
There are no independent inspections, no yearly audits, and no regulations to adhere to, thus their is nothing back up their claims. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates the term ‘Natural’ only in certain areas of food such as meat and poultry, and then as it applies to added colour, synthetic substances, and flavours. So what does this mean? A food labeled “Natural” can contain nasties such as:
- pesticides
- herbicides
- Gentically Modified Organisms (GMO’s)
- toxic heavy metals
- trace amounts of PCBs
- toxic fluoride
- hidden MSG
- high-temperature cooking byproducts
I can’t imagine any food containing the above being considered natural.
To Certified Organic farmers, the term “Natural” is a joke.
It has become a brilliant marketing strategy for companies; they are able to charge more money and gain perceived value for their products by slapping on a green ribbon and adding the words “All Natural” to their packaging. It is an easy way for companies to sidestep the hassles, costs and regulations of being organic but still gaining the respect organic food has. The obvious danger is consumers believing organic and natural are the same thing, or that organic is just a fancy way of saying expensive.
If understanding the food we eat was not already hard enough, now we have to sift through marketing material and labeling that has the sole purpose to deceive and mislead. Once again, our only defense is doing our own research to find what is the truth and what is a scam.
Video: Springtime Fun in the Orchard
A short video showing our excitement that spring has finally arrived!
Organic Fruit Tree Care 101:
Site Selection
Most trees need to be planted in an area that has full sun so that the fruit will ripen properly. Do not plant in low lying areas where water and frost can collect. Keep in mind that the 1′ tree you buy may grow 40′ tall and 15′ wide at maturity.
Planting
Dig a hole that is twice as wide as the pot the plant is growing in, and at the same depth as the pot. With the soil that was removed from the hole, mix in compost, well rotted manure, and/or peat moss. A more environmentally friendly alternative to peat moss is coconut coir, which collected from the husk of a coconut. Water the plant in the pot very well before carefully pulling it out. If the roots are all bound up together, gently pry some of the roots apart. Put the plant in the middle of the hole, fill with the dirt/compost mixture and tamp down with your foot around the plant to create a slight depression in the soil which collects water when it rains. Water very well.
Fertilizing
If you put compost or rotted manure in the hole, additional fertilizer will not be necessary in the first year. In early spring apply compost, rotted manure, or an organic fertilizer, but do not apply fertilizer after the beginning of summer as this will keep the plant growing in the fall when it should be shutting down for winter.
Watering
Water well the first couple months after planting, and after that the general rule is 1” of moisture per week. Unless in a severe drought, stop watering in mid summer, again to prepare the plant for winter. Just prior to the ground freezing, water the tree. This will ensure that the plant has moisture to help prevent drying over the winter.
Weeding
Bark mulch works great for a year but needs to reapplied and weed seeds will land on top of the mulch and start growing. High quality landscape fabric is a great alternative, although in the first couple of years you may have to lift the fabric up in the spring to put more compost on. Once the tree gets mature, you can put the compost around the fabric, as the roots will be out that far anyways. Having a mulch will prevent evaporation and the plant will require less watering.
Pest control
For birds control, bird netting works well, but ensure that it is secure to the ground with no openings because the birds will get in. There are some organic products that can help in the battle with insects such as homemade insecticidal soap (3 drops of mild dish washing liquid, 1 tbsp cooking oil in a quart of water), and even a blast of water can remove pests. Natural predators such as the lady bug can be your best ally in the battle, and you can even order the predator insects on-line.
Harvesting
The biggest mistake people when picking fruit is not waiting until the fruit is fully ripe and then wonder why it is so tart! The Prairie Cherries are not harvested until the skin is almost wrinkled; so much flavour and so much natural sugar! Pick the fruit in the morning when it is cool. After picking, clean and wash the fruit, then store in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat.
Grocery Shop once every five years, what would you change?
Today’s society places great importance on the quality of certain items we purchase. We want high quality in our big ticket items such as houses and vehicles, but place relatively little importance on the quality of the food we eat. Is it a prestige thing to have that luxury car, and food just isn’t prestigious, or is it because we consume food everyday, and the act of purchasing it just becomes boring?
Imagine if we purchased food once every 5 years, just like we do a vehicle and how that would affect the choices we make.
You’d walk onto the “food lot” to take a look at all the different food packages you could purchase, with everything available from the top of the line “Certified Organic” package all the way down to the bargain basement “Calorie” package. At the car lot you ask yourself if you want a cheaper vehicle just to get you from A to B, or a good quality one that is safe for your family, dependable, and enjoyable to drive? Similarly, at the food lot you would ask yourself if you want a cheap food package just to keep your family’s stomachs full and body functioning, or a good quality food package that is safe, keeps your family healthy, protects and sustains the environment, and helps make your life more enjoyable.
A family of four in Canada, spends on average $40,000 on food for a period of 5 years. It is hard to comprehend why we would put more thought and care into the purchase of a car than we would about what food we consume to fuel our bodies. We have no problem in seeing the necessity of getting a car loan or mortgage for a house, maybe it is time to consider investing in a food loan.
Today’s society places great importance on the quality of certain items we purchase. We want good quality big ticket items such as houses and vehicles, but place relatively little importance on the quality of the food we eat. Is it is a prestige thing to have that luxury car, and food just isn’t prestigious, or is it because we consume food everyday, and the act of purchasing it just becomes boring?Imagine if we purchased food once every 5 years, just like we do a vehicle and how that would affect the choices we make. You’d walk onto the food lot to take a look at all the different food packages you could purchase, with everything available from the top of the line “Certified Organic” package all the way down to the bargain “Basic Calorie” package. At the car lot you ask yourself if you want a cheaper vehicle just to get you from A to B, or a good quality one that is safe for your family, dependable, and enjoyable to drive? Similarly, at the food lot you would ask yourself if you want a cheap food package just to keep your family’s stomachs full and body functioning, or a good quality food package that is safe, keeps your family healthy, protects the environment, and helps make your life more enjoyable.
It is hard to comprehend why we would put more thought and care into the purchase of a car than we would about what food we consume to fuel our bodies. We have no problem in seeing the necessity of getting a car loan or mortgage for a house, maybe it is time to consider investing in a food loan.
Video: SaskTel Max tours the orchard
SaskTel Max came out to our orchard in July 2010 to shoot a video on our operations
The Costs of Organic Food
I am frequently frustrated with what seem exorbitant prices for some organic foods. It makes you wonder if some companies are exploiting the rise in demand for organic foods, or are costs that much higher? At a trade show in Calgary, I witnessed what I considered utterly absurd prices by an organic vendor there. Their cherry jam was $12, and $23 for a pumpkin pie! As an Certified Organic producer, I hope to receive more for my products than conventional ones because my costs are higher, and the end product should be of higher quality. So how can imported organic jams can be lower in price at the local organic store than local jams? Read more »
Local vs Organic: Is There a difference?
At a recent local food conference in Baltimore, I was surprised to learn how incredibly popular the local food movement was. However, I found out that much of that popularity was due to the belief that if the food was local, it was organic. Surprisingly, many farmers blurred the lines between organic and local to cash in on the growing organic movement by intentionally deceiving their customers. In fact, the keynote speaker at the conference told the audience of farmers “Some of your customers believe that you are organic just because you are local, and if they do, just go with it.” Pretty sobering words if you are indeed an organic farmer! Read more »
