This year, our family is getting serious about produce. One of my best friends, Dava, has been telling us about the Bunching Onions CSA in our end of town for years now and we've decided to hop on board and buy a share for our family. CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. In Ottawa East, we are blessed to have Tucker House (tuckerhouse.ca) and its plentiful gardens. In a CSA, a family or group of four people buys a “share” in a farmer's crop in the early spring, and picks up (or has delivered) their box of fresh seasonal produce once a week from mid-June to the end of September.
In this cooperative community venture, the farmer gains by getting the money when it is most needed – at planting time – and is assured of an income during the growing season. The consumer gains by getting an affordable, ever-changing abundance of fresh, safe, healthy vegetables and herbs throughout the growing season. The environment benefits too, because organic food is grown in a manner that prioritizes the health of the land, the community and your family. No insecticides, herbicides, fungicides or artificial fertilizers are used. Wasteful packaging and transportation pollution are also reduced.
Adds my friend Dava about Tucker House gardens:
The Tucker House Organic gardens were started in 1999 by Colin and Isobel McGregor originally to provide fresh organic snacks to the children who were attending the summer Country Fun Nature Camp at Tucker House. It also gave city kids a chance to learn that food comes from the Earth and not plastic containers in supermarkets. The gardens grew from these humble beginnings into our present day bustling CSA! We now staff a full-time head gardener as well as an assistant, who are supported by many tireless and dedicated volunteers. We still provide organic goodies to the children who attend the summer camps, and they learn all about composting, bugs and nature!
If you are interested in learning more about Organic gardening, and would like to help out in the gardens, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator Dava McKay at volunteers@tuckerhouse.ca or visit our website for more details http://tuckerhouse.ca/programs-gardens.php
So go on, if you're local, join the Bunching Onions CSA! Or, if you're not, dig a bit, and you will find a similar program near you (or if you're the ambitious kind, start your own!!). The earth will thank you for it and so will your tummies (and wallets) !
In this cooperative community venture, the farmer gains by getting the money when it is most needed – at planting time – and is assured of an income during the growing season. The consumer gains by getting an affordable, ever-changing abundance of fresh, safe, healthy vegetables and herbs throughout the growing season. The environment benefits too, because organic food is grown in a manner that prioritizes the health of the land, the community and your family. No insecticides, herbicides, fungicides or artificial fertilizers are used. Wasteful packaging and transportation pollution are also reduced.
Adds my friend Dava about Tucker House gardens:
The Tucker House Organic gardens were started in 1999 by Colin and Isobel McGregor originally to provide fresh organic snacks to the children who were attending the summer Country Fun Nature Camp at Tucker House. It also gave city kids a chance to learn that food comes from the Earth and not plastic containers in supermarkets. The gardens grew from these humble beginnings into our present day bustling CSA! We now staff a full-time head gardener as well as an assistant, who are supported by many tireless and dedicated volunteers. We still provide organic goodies to the children who attend the summer camps, and they learn all about composting, bugs and nature!
If you are interested in learning more about Organic gardening, and would like to help out in the gardens, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator Dava McKay at volunteers@tuckerhouse.ca or visit our website for more details http://tuckerhouse.ca/programs-gardens.php
So go on, if you're local, join the Bunching Onions CSA! Or, if you're not, dig a bit, and you will find a similar program near you (or if you're the ambitious kind, start your own!!). The earth will thank you for it and so will your tummies (and wallets) !
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