Ignatius Farm News
June 2022
Summer CSA starts next week

The first week of CSA pick-up is the week of June 21 - next week. All members received their confirmation email last week which included your selected pick up day and location. If you didn't receive this email, check your junk folder.


Not sure what Share segments you purchased? Your share(s) will be indicated beside your name on the sign in sheet. 

Do you pick up on Friday's? There's a pick up on Friday July 1 - Canada Day.

Let your friends and neighbours know about CSA. We are cropping for extra CSA members this year and there's still space!
Community Gardens update

May 21 marked the opening of over 250 community garden plots. It's wonderful to see the plots coming to life. Garden featured here is one of our long time gardeners!

A few reminders:
  • Weed your plot perimeter and pathways.
  • Most roads to garden plots are closed to vehicle traffic. Protect tree roots and soil from erosion. Load up your items into the wagon or wheelbarrow located by the Community Garden bulletin board before heading to your plot.

Are you looking for additional gardening space? Reach out to Pam.

All the answers to your questions can be found in the Community Gardens Guidelines found here or on the Community Garden bulletin board in the farm parking lot.
Solstice Farm Day: June 25th

Enjoy the Summer Solstice with the Ignatius Farm team! 

Join the team in the field for a community work bee in the morning and stay for a workshop after lunch! Bring your lunch, a blanket, or a camp chair! Top off your day with a hike on one of the many trails.

9am-12pm Work bee
Please dress for the weather and bring your own gloves. Tools will be provided. Seasonal field work is dictated by the crops, weather and what is most needed that day.

12-1pm Brown bag picnic lunch
Bring your lunch and enjoy eating outside at the farm.

1-3pm Afternoon workshops: Pay what you can, there will be a donation tin. 
Workshop options:
1. Insect pest Identification: Learn about some of the common vegetable pests, how to ID them and how you can prevent/minimize their damage.
2. Key practices of holistic orchard care: Come to this interactive workshop to learn how various elements of orchard care fit together - pruning, fruit thinning, pest control, management of the orchard floor, and more.

Donating extra produce
Did you have extra produce in your garden last summer? Not sure what to do with all your extra greens or tomatoes?

Tuesday's at Two is back for a second year. Beginning July 5th, drop off your extra produce under the tree by Loyola field hand wash station. One of our dedicated community gardeners will take the produce to North End Harvest Market for distribution in Guelph. Last year 23 bushels of produce were dropped off by community gardeners!

Ignatius New Farmer Training Program

Lisa and the interns were able to get out for our first off farm field trip of the season! We went to Trout Lily Nursery and The Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming at the University of Guelph.
 
New this year, in-person field trips! Program participants can sign up to join the Ignatius Farm interns on a variety of in-person farm tours.

Join the Ignatius Farm New Farmer Training Program for free this year!

Sign up for a single event or for a whole term at efao.ca/events Term 2 started May 9th but you can join anytime.  
 
The program is online with some optional in-person programming. Events are recorded for later viewing.
 
Some of the term 2 events coming up:
June 20-Flower production
June 22-Bee keeping
July 11-Composting
July 13-How to strengthen and get fit while farming 
 
Register at efao.ca/events or go to efao.ca/Ignatius-new-farmer-training for more details.
This Employment Ontario project is funded in part by the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario.
Early Summer in the Orchard
 
This spring has been a busy time in the Ignatius orchard. It was absolutely beautiful at flowering time, and now many trees have small fruits sizing up. Thanks to several volunteer work parties the orchard has many new plantings – pawpaws, Asian pear, peach, plum, quince, buartnut (butternut x heartnut cross), haskaps, and more. It’s well on its way to becoming a diverse orchard.
 
In early spring an amazing volunteer crew pruned the orchard, and have since been spreading compost and mulch. Most recently we have begun spraying a product called kaolin clay for pest management. Some of the orchard trees will look different this year, because once this product is sprayed on the trees, it leaves a white clay film that acts as a barrier to certain insect pests that otherwise blemish a lot of the fruit.
 
We hope to continue transitioning the Ignatius orchard into a place of communal learning and collective care. If you’re interested in being involved, please email Pam
Meat CSA with Growing Hope Farm at Ignatius Farm

Many of you already know Sarah from your CSA pick up at the Farm. She is offering a meat CSA (June to Sept) with pick up at Ignatius Farm on the 3rd week of the month.
  
Please email Sarah at [email protected] to sign up!  
Farm Fresh Photos
That's Heather on the Tractor!
Community Gardeners trellis
Nadia, Dan and Amber
Hoop House coming to life
Morning visitors
Farm team at work in the field
Workshare Opportunities

Email Pam or call 519-824-1250 ext. 244 to volunteer in exchange for a garden plot or CSA.

Volunteers at Reception with Loyola House

Are you welcoming, enthusiastic, and want to help out at IJC? We are looking for volunteers to help out at Reception. Come greet our many visitors who come to IJC. Contact Andrea at [email protected] if you are interested. Start the process of volunteering today.
Bobolink
gregor Y kennedy

the bobolink robocaller
on the wing above the weeds
of spring-awakened Sleepy Hollow…
the only stage in Guelph
the little sunny-haired android graces
to sing techno remixes
all mashed up of Gilbert & Sullivan

if I had lungs like that
and this kind of fresh
lighthearted audience every weekend
there’s no stupid question
my musical theatre career
would molt its long clipped feathers
and in a black/white flash take off.
Seasonal Recipe Round-Up
STRAWBERRY BREAD
Recipe: Simply in Season, Mary Beth Lind and Cathleen Hockman-Wert
Picture: www.allrecipes.com

Melt together in a large bowl, stirring until just combined.
  • 1 cup/250 ml flour
  • 1/2 cup/125 ml whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/4/300 ml strawberries (mashed)
  • 3/4 cup/175 ml sugar
  • 2/3 cup/150 ml oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

Pour into greased 8"/1.5L loaf pan and bake in preheated oven at 350F/180C until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 1 hour

Summer variation: replace strawberries with peeled, finely chopped peaches, blueberries or a combination.

Yields 1 loaf
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Ignatius Farm | 519-824-1250 | www.ignatiusguelph.ca