Monday, August 1, 2011

A trip to Landman Farms




I visited Landman Farms near Grand Valley Ontario yesterday. The blackhouse built during Rocktoberfest 2009 is looking pretty spectacular. The reason it looks better and better is that it's surrounded by an increasingly amazing assortment of wonderful greenery, which spreads out in all directions into beautifully tended flower and vegetable gardens.

Becky Landman is a grower of natural market garden produce and is a professional participant in CSA program. (Community Supported Agriculture)

Among the many vegetables she provides to clients on a regular weekly basis are yummy potatoes, fresh zucchini, squash, corn, garlic (a variety whimsically called 'Music') as well as scrumptious beets and beans.

The new shop being built on the property, where much of the farm produce will be prepared and sold, is just about completed. With its spacious interior and carefully thought out proportions, it looks like it is going to be a magnificent facility and will likely give the blackhouse some serious competition.

While we were walking around the gardens Becky's father, Eric Landman pointed out an interesting fact that the plants seemed to thrive more and grow taller nearer the dry stone walls....

while those growing further away in the fields didn't grow so quickly. Another point for dry stone walls.