FIELD JOURNAL

Our log of experiences and experiments growing our own food.

Since 2014 we have been growing food on borrowed land in the city. Some of it we sell and some of it we eat. These are the stories of our experiences along the way. Use the search bar on the right to look for posts in the blog that match your interests. For more specific information about our growing methods and record keeping, check out the educational opportunities on our Grow With Us page.

Crop Rotation When it Matters

One of the more confusing experiences for new vegetable growers is the bombardment of crop rotation expectations from various sources. A...

Jun 28, 20236 min read

The Path to Liberation Starts With Drip Irrigation

Every spring, new growers are entering the world of vegetable production with dreams of amazing flavours, some quality time in the garden...

May 31, 20237 min read

Measuring The Heat Trapping Potential of Covered Spaces

Given our relatively cool climate and short growing season, I've accumulated a lot of qualitative experience in growing under cover...

Apr 29, 20236 min read

Essential Equipment for Starting Your Own Seeds

The very first step on your seed starting adventure is to equip yourself for success! Will buying the right equipment guarantee your...

Mar 31, 20235 min read

Can Peat Moss be Beat?

Every spring the peat protesters emerge from their winter hideouts to advocate against the use of peat moss, so this year I'm going to...

Feb 28, 202310 min read

Our End-of-Season Review Process

This summer, I mentioned to a friend that we were growing a few different types of melons despite our short and relatively cool growing...

Dec 31, 20229 min read

Growing, Threshing, and Milling Our Own Wheat

I feel like I am cheating on my vegetables a little when I say this, but to be honest, wheat may have been my favourite crop to grow this...

Nov 30, 20227 min read

Ginger Makes Its Debut

Ginger used to be on the list of crops I thought we would never grow in our cold climate but now it may have a place in our crop...

Nov 2, 20223 min read

How Garlic Spacing Impacts Bulb Size and Total Yield

If you've ever found yourself looking for specific vegetable growing information, then I can almost guarantee that you have been...

Sep 30, 20227 min read

Growing Potatoes in Containers

We have chosen to focus on growing our food in the soil almost exclusively these days because we have the space for field production and...

Aug 31, 20228 min read

My Path to Ethical Agriculture

This spring, I had the chance to sit down for a chat with Kristeva Dowling, host of the Ethical Agriculture Podcast. It was an...

Jul 30, 20221 min read

What to Do First in the Garden

If you've ever grown a vegetable garden, I'm sure you have asked yourself the question, "What should I do first?" and if you haven't been...

Jun 30, 20229 min read

Heating Water With Our Walk-In Cooler

Yes. You read that correctly. This is the story of one of the most exciting upgrades we will be making to our property this year. It...

Apr 29, 20227 min read

How We Take the Guesswork Out of Garden Planning

Have you ever found yourself strolling out to your garden plot with your seeds and tools in hand, only to arrive and be reminded that you...

Mar 31, 20228 min read

Leaping Into Small-Scale Grain Production

Last month's food tracking exercise showed us that the majority of our food can come from our own garden, even in the middle of winter,...

Feb 28, 20226 min read

Eating From Our Garden in January

Based on my experience of being immersed in the local food scene in our city for the last decade, it has become clear that the public...

Jan 31, 20226 min read

Growing and Winnowing Our Own Amaranth Grain

I have become accustomed to answering a lot of questions while I work since a lot of our growing space is visible to the public, but...

Dec 30, 20215 min read

Stretching the Growing Season with Relay Planting

If we limit our growing time to the number of days between our spring and fall frost dates, we don't have much time to work with here in...

Nov 26, 20217 min read

Growing Potatoes Without Digging

Can you really grow potatoes under mulch with no digging at all? And if so, how would the yield and labour requirement compare to...

Oct 21, 20214 min read

Taking Our Vegetable Garden on the Road

Like many vegetable growers, we have a love for the outdoors and that love can lead us away from the garden throughout the summer to...

Aug 31, 20216 min read