The Bluegrass Blog

Bluegrass Farm is a certified organic, mixed vegetable farm in Jasper, Ontario (15 minutes from Merrickville or Smiths Falls; 75 min from downtown Ottawa). We are a small family farm, now in our twelfth year of organic vegetable production, and our ninth year farming on this 100-acre property. We are inviting a farmer or farm team to share this land and infrastructure in order to establish their own farm business.

After six years running a Winter CSA and selling salad greens nearly year-round to restaurants and retail customers, Brad and Leela returned to full-time off-farm jobs, scaling back our production to more of a side hustle. We grow a limited number of crops and sell most of our produce through Farmhouse Food, a farmer-run co-operative that markets into Ottawa-Gatineau, of which we are a founding member.

As a result of our shift in focus, much of our farm land and infrastructure is now underutilized. We feel we can offer a valuable opportunity to another farmer or farm team looking to start up or expand their own operation, without having to make major initial investments in land, infrastructure and equipment.

We are inviting a farmer or farm team to set up their own operation here alongside Bluegrass Farm. There are many ways this could work – from simple land and infrastructure rental, to a more collaborative arrangement where tools and labour are also shared, to a business partnership where crops are grown and marketed collectively.

Farm enterprises could include vegetable production, small livestock (chickens or goats), beekeeping, flower farming, agri-tourism, or outdoor education/hospitality. All production would need to be working towards organic certification, if possible for that production type.

Our farm land and infrastructure includes:

• about 20 acres of arable land, 5 of which have been in a vegetable/cover crop rotation for several years;
• 5 greenhouses (27’x 100′), connected to a radiant ground-heating system powered by an outdoor wood boiler, which can heat the greenhouse soil throughout the winter for cold-hardy greens production;
• an insulated walk-in storage room with heating and cooling (13’x 30′);
• an indoor wash and pack room with a root vegetable washer, two sinks and two industrial salad spinners;
• several tractors including 2 Allis Chalmer ‘G’ s

What we can offer:

• land, infrastructure and equipment rental as above;
• mentoring on vegetable production and farm business management;
• shared labour (e.g. you help us for a day, we help you for a day) and farm-sitting when one farm team is away;
• opportunities for shared production and/or shared marketing;
• opportunities for on-site housing: this would initially be temporary/portable housing (RV, trailer, tiny cabin etc), but if the partnership were to continue longer-term there are opportunities for more permanent housing on-site.

What we’re looking for in potential farm partners:

• At least one full season of growing experience on other working farms in the type of production you wish to pursue;
• A detailed production and business plan, including planting schedules, marketing outlets, sales projections, labour plan etc, as well as the financial resources to implement your plan;
• A commitment to at least one full season of production here, hopefully leading to a longer-term arrangement;
• A commitment to collaborative working relationships, i.e. willingness to invest time and effort into shared systems and communications;
• A commitment to ecological agriculture, organic production and a willingness to be certified organic.

A bit more about us and the farm property:

We are a family of four, two parents and two children aged 5 and 9. Our approach to farming is informed by our backgrounds in environmental science and sustainability education. Our farm’s innovation and leadership has been recognized by the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence, as well as grants from the Ontario Local Food Fund and the Eastern Ontario Development Program. Our current off-farm work is in municipal planning, and in local food distribution.

The farm property is Class 7 soil, shallow loam on top of bedrock. As such there are issues with drainage, moisture retention and fertility. We have seen significant improvements on a small scale with cover cropping, compost application and mulching. The arable land is at the front of the property near the road. The back is partially wooded, with hiking/ski trails and wild apple trees throughout.

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to Leela Ramachandran at leela@bluegrassfarm.ca.

To learn more about our farm, please visit our website and blog at www.bluegrassfarm.ca.

We are looking for two farm workers in 2019: a greenhouse manager and a field/equipment manager. Positions will run full-time from the beginning of March through the end of November, with the possibility for part-time work through the winter. Both positions will be involved in core farm operations, but will have their own areas of focus and responsibility.

GREENHOUSE MANAGER

• Manages greenhouse planting schedule and keeps detailed records. Takes lead on seed-starting, transplanting, and control of weeds/pests/disease.
• Responsible for daily greenhouse checks and operations: irrigation, ventilation, heating. Oversees successional plantings throughout the season. Applies, produces and sources crop inputs as needed (eg. Compost tea, effective microorganisms, worm castings, other nutrients).
• Installs and maintains irrigation systems in all greenhouses.
• Supervises all greenhouse production and reports daily to farm manager.

FIELD AND EQUIPMENT MANAGER

• This person will be the main tractor operator (we have 2 Allis Chalmer “Gs” and two Massey Ferguson tractors.) Manages field planting/cover crop schedule and takes lead on field prep, mechanical planting, and cover cropping. Installs and maintains field irrigation. Oversees compost production and application.
• Maintenance of farm equipment and tools: hand and power tools, small rototiller, quick-cut greens harvesters, tractors.
• Maintenance and upgrades of farm infrastructure: cold storage unit, wash and pack station, greenhouse heating system (radiant soil heating fed by an outdoor wood boiler) and ventilation (exhaust fans and circulation fans). Also maintains remote sensing system to monitor temperature/humidity in greenhouses and storage rooms.

SHARED DUTIES

• Greenhouse and field production: bed prep, seeding, transplanting, mulching, weeding.
• Harvest and Delivery: harvest, wash and pack produce for weekly CSA boxes, wholesale orders and farmers’ market; weekly deliveries to Ottawa, Perth, Smiths Falls, Merrickville, Almonte, Kemptville.

What we offer: (See end of post for more background on our farm)

• A great opportunity for someone wanting to learn more about small organic greenhouse/vegetable operations, as you will be exposed to all aspects of the business over the course of the season. We like our staff to understand not only the production side of the farm, but also the business model and finances.
• A close working relationship with the farm managers and the chance to participate in farm planning and decision-making. A small team means everyone is given responsibility, takes ownership of certain aspects, and plays a key role in the farm’s success.
• On-farm accommodation is available in a three-season cabin, suitable for one person or a couple. We are open to other options for on-farm housing such as bringing a camper/trailer on-site, or temporary accommodation in our home. All on-farm accommodation would be offered at an appropriate rental rate.
• We care about your learning and will work with you to set goals for your time here. We are also open to staff starting their own on-farm project, which could include beekeeping, chickens, value-adding, or more. We will do our best to support projects that are in line with our farm goals.
• The farm house is open for lunches and breaks, as well as access to our extensive resource library.
• Salary will start at $14-15/hr depending on experience. These positions are covered by WSIB and include 4% vacation pay and 2 paid sick days/year. Up to 2 weeks’ unpaid vacation can be taken, but must be arranged in advance so that they don’t conflict with peak periods.

What we’re looking for:

• At least one season of experience on a vegetable farm, or equivalent experience. Greenhouse experience required for the greenhouse manager, tractor experience required for the field/equipment manager.
• Ability to perform full days of physical labour outdoors in all weather conditions;
• Someone with their own vehicle who is willing to make weekly deliveries to Ottawa and other local destinations (Kemptville, Almonte, Smiths Falls, Merrickville). We pay for your time and mileage expenses;
• Willingness to take on a range of tasks, adaptable to changing circumstances, creativity and problem-solving skills;
• Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to keep detailed, organized records;
• Comfortable working as part of a team and independently; able to represent our business professionally with customers and the public;
• Commitment to local food systems and sustainable food production;
• Funding towards one position requires us to hire someone 30 or under who has graduated from a college, university or CEGEP. Both positions must be Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

These positions will run full time from March 4th through November 29th, Monday through Friday. Hours of work are typically 8:30-4:30 but will shift slightly throughout the year. There is the possibility of part-time work through the winter. Our goal is to retain the same people for 2020.

To apply, please email your resume and cover letter to Leela Ramachandran at leela@bluegrassfarm.ca . Applications will be reviewed on an ongoing basis until January 20th.

About our Farm

Bluegrass Farm is a certified organic, mixed vegetable farm in Jasper, Ontario (15 minutes from Merrickville or Smiths Falls; 75 min from downtown Ottawa). We are a small family farm, heading into our ninth year of organic vegetable production, and our sixth year farming on this property.

Our goal is to extend the season that local produce is available in our region. We operate an innovative system of 5 heated greenhouses to grow greens nearly year-round. From 2014-2017, we offered a Winter CSA from October through March. In 2018 we changed this to a unique Spring and Fall CSA, focused on greens, from April-June and Oct-Dec. We also deliver produce weekly from March – November to restaurant and retail customers in Ottawa and the surrounding area.

Our approach to farming is informed by our backgrounds in environmental science and sustainability education. We are certified organic, and emphasize soil health as the foundation for growing healthy and delicious food. Our business model is driven by continuous research and learning; we are always experimenting with new crops, growing techniques and methods for season extension. Our farm’s innovation and leadership has been recognized by the Premier’s Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence, as well as grants from the Ontario Local Food Fund and the Eastern Ontario Development Program.

In 2019 we will focus mainly on intensive greens production in our 1/4 acre of heated greenhouse space, plus about one acre of field crops. Our produce will be marketed through our CSA, food stores and restaurants, and at a farmers’ market.

Ready to start eating fresh and local again? Our new Spring Greens CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program offers 10 weeks of certified organic greens from our greenhouses, from April to mid-June. Our goal is to help bridge the “hunger gap” in the spring, before most local produce is ready.

Each week, CSA members will receive 5-6 bags or bunches of freshly harvested greens ready for salad, smoothies, or cooking. Items will include mesclun (mixed salad), head and leaf lettuce, spinach, arugula, bok choy, baby kale, chard, mustard and Asian greens, microgreens, basil and more. Each box is worth $25 for a total share price of $250.

This is a pilot project, with possible pick-up locations at our farm (in Jasper), Kemptville and Ottawa. Locations will be confirmed in late March based on the level of interest. No payment is required until we confirm locations. Full payment will be required by the first pick-up in April.

If you would like to register, please complete this short form. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have questions.

Get a jump on spring and replenish your body with farm-fresh, organic, nutrient-dense greens! You will see and taste the difference from the grocery store.

Using rock minerals to improve carrot flavour and nutrition at Bluegrass Farm. 

“The ‘green revolution’ in Asia provided impressive steps forward with regards to food production, but in recent years the rate of increase has slowed down considerably… It is important to note that the external inputs for higher crop production, such as fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides, are reliant on non-renewable fossil fuels… Their energy-intensive production and shipment around the world is, in the long run, not sustainable.  In addition, many of the high external input practices in the green revolution have been environmentally not very sound, and are in fact far from ‘ green’.  We require practical, low-cost and result-orientated long-term strategies that address the needs of farmers and the need for better and long-term care of the land.”  Peter Van Straaten, 2006.

Peter Van Straaten (University of Guelph) is credited as being at the forefront of soil remineralization and agrogeology to improve soil and crop quality.  A review of rock minerals as fertilizers was written by Eliot Coleman in 1975. Coleman concludes that selecting the right rock mineral for a particular soil, applying it at the appropriate rate, and utilizing particles that are small as possible will lead to improvements of agricultural crops.  There are now organizations such as Remineralize the Earth working on education and knowledge transfer and companies like Rock Dust Local (Vermont) who specialize in the sale of a wide variety of rock dusts.

In 2017, we conducted a soil amendment research study on carrots at Bluegrass Farm. The goal of our study was to determine if different soil amendments could improve the flavour and nutrition of carrots. We applied three different kinds of rock minerals to the soil on different plots, and then harvested and tested the carrots for Brix levels. We also invited our winter CSA members to participate in a blind taste test by providing them with all three carrot types in bags labelled A, B, and C.

Our three soil amendments were Spanish River Carbonatite (SRC), Wollastonite, and basalt. All three are naturally occurring rock deposits. They are considered broad spectrum multi-nutrient rock fertilizers since they contain over fifty different elements at trace levels.  Table 1 provides a detailed breakdown of the available nutrients found in the three different rock minerals.

Table 1. Percent content of selected elements in our multi-nutrient rock minerals.

To assess nutritional value, we measured the Brix levels of juice from carrots grown in each plot. Brix is a measure of the amount of light that is refracted (bent) while passing through a fluid. High brix readings in plant juices are often used as a surrogate for greater nutrient density, as Brix is a sum of the sucrose, fructose, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, hormones, and other solids.

Carrots from our control group (no rock minerals applied) had a Brix level of 9. “A” carrots (Spanish River Carbonatite) had 9.5. “B” carrots (Wollastonite) had 9. “C” carrots (Basalt) were the highest at 11.

Table 2 illustrates our CSA member votes on their favourite tasting carrot.  While the results were mixed, indicating that taste is a subjective quality, overall our CSA members identified “C” carrots as having the best tasting or sweetest flavour, followed closely by “A”. Of the three rock minerals, basalt contains the highest levels of micronutrients and trace elements. This may have resulted in higher Brix levels, and may be reflected in the carrot taste testing.

Table 2. Survey results from CSA members with ranking of A, B and C carrots. (Some participants only ranked their first choice).

The photo below shows a taste test completed by one of our CSA members and his one year old son, Jason and Jacob Garlough.  As Jason put it: “Length of carrots were equal at start of experiment so the deliciousness factor is inversely related to their ending length below.” It appears that C is the clear winner in this highly rigorous taste trial!

Another CSA member, Anita, shared this photo from her son David, who took the carrots to his Grade 2/3 class to share the taste test.  These are the class’ tasting notes for carrot ‘B’, but note that their top pick was also ‘C’.

Overall, we feel that there is a need for more holistic soil science, where we consider the role of micronutrients not just on plant yield, but on plant nutrition, soil microorganism activity and human health.  For too long, there has been too much emphasis on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium for crop yield.  There is an urgent need to remineralize the land with micronutrients and trace elements that play critical roles in the agroecosystem.

We continue to lose quantity and quality of soils around the world through current agricultural practices.  As a result, studies have shown a reduction of elements and nutrients in our food by 14-37% (calcium, phosphorus, iron, potassium and vitamins) (Davis et al., 2004).  Our goal for organic agriculture is to produce nutrient dense foods in an ecological manner that will sustain and improve human health.

Rock minerals are cost effective, slow release, and readily available.  In contrast to conventional chemical fertilizers, rock minerals offer a low risk of groundwater contamination and are compliant with the organic production regime.  Our initial experiment has shown enough promise that it is worth further investigation of additional rock dusts on carrots and other vegetable crops at Bluegrass Farm.  (This experiment focused solely on carrots; other crops have different nutritional requirements and may benefit differently from various rock minerals.) Our research was limited due to financial constraints, however, a detailed nutrient analysis of our soil amended carrots would allow us to better understand what nutrients are moving from the soil to create better tasting and more nutritious carrots.

Acknowledgements

This research would not have occurred without support from Achillea Endeavours, Ottawa, Ontario.  https://achilleaendeavours.wordpress.com/

Thanks to our CSA members for eating their veggies and conducting scientific trials at their dinner tables!

References

Coleman, Eliot.  1975.  The use of ground rock powders in agriculture: A survey of the literature on granites, feldspars, micas, and basalts.  Small Farm Research Association.  Harborside, Maine 04642

Davis, D.R. Epp, M.D., Riordan, H.D. 2004. Changes in USDA food composition data for 43 garden crops, 1950 to 1999. Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 23(6):669-82.

Van Straaten, Peter.  2006.  Farming with rocks and minerals: challenges and opportunities.  Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences. 78(4): 731-747

By: Bradley Wright, B.Sc., M.E.S., Bluegrass Farm

Guest Post by Abbey Gregus

When I started working at Bluegrass Farm back in September, we were finally starting to enjoy some of the warm, dry, sunny weather that we had been waiting for all summer long.  Days were spent going out to the fields and harvesting crops to be stored in the cold cellar for the winter CSA.  Unfortunately, as we progressed through the autumn harvest, impacts of a summer abundant with rain and very little sunlight became quite clear. The veggies just weren’t sizing up as hoped and expected.  Luckily, an increase in the number of seedlings and seeds planted initially is what saved us; the number of plants started has made up for lack of size, and we are moving along with our winter CSA!

Jump forward to today, in mid-December, and trying to keep things going in extreme cold more typical of January and February.  The wood boiler that keeps the soil temperatures above zero in the winter months got fired up almost a month early this year, and we have been busy trying to make sure that the greenhouse walls are as insulated as possible.  On a daily basis, a great deal of time and energy is invested on things like row cover, soil heating, air heating, and making sure our veggies are being stored at the right temperature.

Feeling the impacts of a rainy summer, and now dealing with extreme cold temperatures so early on, its hard not to think about what’s “normal” for our weather, and what might be a result of climate change.

These are just some of the trials and tribulations of a farming lifestyle.  Last summer was a drought, this summer was rainy, and we have no way of knowing what next season will have in store. Scientists have been warnings us for years about climate change, but it seems as though the time has finally come that we are really starting to feel the impacts. In systems of organic agriculture, we are to a large degree, at the mercy of mother nature and unfortunately, dealing with these extreme weather patterns is something that is likely to get only harder, not easier.  Farmers out there trying to produce food in an ecological manner are not only suffering the adverse affects, they are also the ones taking part in the fight against climate change.

This brings me to the cumulative impacts we can all make at the consumer level. Every time we purchase food, we are making a decision on the kinds of agricultural systems we are supporting.  When you buy food from a local organic farm, you are not only supporting your community, you yourself are taking part in the fight against climate change. Local people farming ecologically, are the people we need to support for the health of our communities and our environment.  Supporting these hard working people in whatever way we can, is the least thing we can do!

I have learned so much while working here, and gotten to know some pretty amazing earth warriors. I’m sad to say that my time at Bluegrass Farm is coming to an end, but I can’t wait to come back and visit this amazing place, and watch the farm grow and develop in the coming years!

Thanks for reading 🙂

Abbey

Curious to see how we grow and store veggies through the winter? Join us on a fall Farm Tour for a peek in our greenhouses and a walk through the fields. Learn about our innovative heated greenhouse system that keeps greens growing all winter long, and supports our Winter CSA.

Tours are free, and will be held Sunday, September 24th at 2 pm, and Saturday, September 30th at 10:30 am. Our farm is about 75 minutes from downtown Ottawa.

To register, please email Leela@bluegrassfarm.ca with your preferred date and the number in your party. Directions will be sent to those who register.

We look forward to seeing you!

Bluegrass Farm was a fledgling idea the last time I had an opportunity to visit back in 2012. Back then I was amazed to see the dedication and passion Brad and Leela put in to pursuing something they love. I remain inspired when I see the full blown farm operation they have today.

As spring slowly makes it’s way here, the farm is abuzz with energy. The fields are being tilled ready for plants and warmer weather. The greenhouses are thriving full of greens, that make their way to plates across the Ottawa area. The newest addition to the farm is Greenhouse 5, which includes a heated portion. The heated portion provides a place to sprout plants for the fields, plus grow microgreens.

As an urbanite who spends her days on a computer, farm work has an amazing allure. I got to spend my day getting dirt under my nails in Greenhouse 5. Karen and I planted over 20 trays of green starters and microgreens! The variety amazes me. My yuppie life only sees the variety on my plate. I’d be hard pressed to name or identify either the seed or leaf of most of the plants in the greenhouse. Fenugreek was the most intriguing to me. The seeds have a wonderfully spicy aroma, and rich golden colour. The smell doesn’t translate to the flavor of the seed or the green. Making and planting the trays felt like childhood and time spent making mud pies. Layer the dirt, add the seeds, top with perlite – like white frosting! The day of work was a great way to spend the day, as I was rewarded with tangible outputs.

The day helping at the farm was a real treat! Not only did I get to help my friends, I can better appreciate the effort put into growing food and the work required for farming. Added bonus – the inspiration and knowledge to grow microgreens back in the urban jungle.

Guest blogger: Lana (https://enroutetoanywhere.wordpress.com/ travel adventures and book reviews)

Every spring and fall, we open our farm to CSA members and the public for farm tours. It’s a lot of work to organize and prepare for the tours, especially on weekends after a busy week. But we love meeting our members and showing them where their food comes from. It’s important to us for people to see and learn about what goes into small scale, sustainable agriculture in their region.

This fall we held three tours, with 35 participants in total. Thanks to CSA members from each tour who shared their photos with us*, we’re offering a little virtual tour here.

The highlight is the greenhouses, especially if it’s a cold rainy day. This is where the magic happens at our farm, and October is a pretty magical time to check them out. This fall our greenhouses are looking their best ever, for many reasons.

We now have two years of greenhouse production experience, planting in the fall and growing through the winter and spring. In this time we’ve learned a lot about planting schedules, crop varieties, pest control, and managing the growing climate. With a bigger team this fall, we’ve also got more labour to put into greenhouse maintenance: planting, weeding, watering, harvesting and cleaning up crops on a more regular basis.

We grow many different crops in the greenhouses, but most of the ones we keep through the winter are cut-and-come-again, meaning you can harvest the leaves and the plant will grow back. Having an established root system is essential for plants to survive through the winter. These crops include spinach, a diversity of mustard and asian greens, Sala Nova lettuce, kale, chard, bok choy, arugula and more.

October is peak production time for the greenhouses: the temperature is not too hot or cold, and there is still enough daylight for crops to grow quickly. As the days get shorter and colder, growth will slow down dramatically. By December most crops are either growing back slowly after cutting, or just staying alive. Even with the heat on, the greenhouses become almost like a giant refrigerator, storing banked greens for weekly harvest. By March, it will be warm and light enough for growth to pick up again, and we’ll plant new crops.

We’re also busy in the fields in October. We time our field plantings so that the veggies are ready as late as possible in the fall, minimizing their time in storage before going into your winter boxes. This gets tricky as fall weather is unpredictable, and a hard frost can damage crops that have taken all year to grow. It also means that around this time, everything is suddenly ready all at once!

As we scale up our production, getting the harvest out on time and finding a place to put it all have become new challenges. Our cold storage is filling up fast, even with new pallet crates we bought for vertical storage. We plan out our field harvest carefully, picking more sensitive crops first (like broccoli) and leaving hardier ones for last (carrots and parsnip are sweeter after a couple of frosts). But we don’t mind snacking on a few carrots while we work or visit!

Thanks to everyone who made the trip out to see us. If you are interested but didn’t make it this fall, we’ll hold more tours in the spring, and look forward to seeing you then.

by Leela.

*Thanks to our CSA members Margaret and Kyle, Nicole, and Judy for sharing their photos!