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Doing our annual tea cupboard clean out, I came across some Blue Vervain herb I had purchased from a reputable organic supplier before we were growing it ourselves. That is the herb on the right side of this picture. On the left side is our own farm grown Blue Vervain from this summer. These would be sold as the exact same product - and without knowing what a herb should or could look like at top quality, a customer (like me, previously) would never know if the quality is sub-par. Here’s some helpful guidelines: does the herb still have colour (green leaves still green)? Does the herb still have aroma? How much stem is there VS leaf? We harvest only the top portion of this plant, skipping the thicker stems at the bottom. How old is the herb? While they shouldn’t go “bad”, they do lose potency over time.
Every year we “go silent” over the holidays for our own two week business planning retreat. How did this year go? What will we grow next season? And where? How much can we pay for farm help? What do we want to change about our operation? Are we happy? What is the meaning of life? 📓📝 So this is officially your one week notice to place an order before we head off to figure out 2019 and beyond! Our store will be open until Wednesday December 12, with all shipments sent by December 14. 📦📬 If you need any assistance deciding what tea or skin care items suit your needs best, just send us a message!
When we fell in love with this property years back, we had a shared vision of THIS being the place we wanted to raise a child. What a surreal moment to take Piper into her forest playground, a place that will teach her so much. One of those moments where the stress and doubt and challenges of choosing this path fade in the background. 🐻🌲
Restocking our Hydrate face serum for tomorrow’s holiday market in Uxbridge: oat oil infused with our lemon balm and lavender... ready for winter skin! These skin products came to be after having bad reactions to store bought stuff and wanting something gentle and simple. Now we just make bigger batches to share with you!
~* Faces of Foggy River *~ Hi, I`m Susan (Sue), My history begins with growing up on a Dairy/Sheep farm, where we all learned and lived the meaning of `land to table` and `food for families`. Reduce-Reuse-Recycle was a way of life long before it became socially popular. The farm was also where my passion for livestock took seed. This beginning was followed by education and careers in Food and Nutrition Sciences, Family and Consumer Studies and Early Childhood Education. Then back to the farm as Manager of a family owned and operated Equestrian Centre. I am now truly thrilled to be able to put my knowledge, experience and energy to use for Foggy River, in any way or task that Phil and Kate send my way. And, more so, to have the opportunity to listen and learn from these two passionate and dedicated environmentarians (my word). The Chamomile, Calendula, Mint and Tulsi Basil patches are some of my favourites. And, oh yes, harvesting Spruce Tips. Tending to the hoop house and the orchard are also in the running… it is so satisfying to be a part of the Heart Nut trees growth, from being knee high in their protective sleeves, to now towering above me in full foliage! And, of course,….the animals…first …every morning, and last every night, year round. I am keen to see what next season brings, and hope for more Chamomile!! Random fact about me: I am also known as `Mom` and `Milly` and most recently `Grams`…or whatever Piper chooses to call me.
~* Faces of Foggy River *~ Hello, I’m Karen. I truly enjoyed my time at FRF this year and can’t wait for spring! Wanting to grow food & herbs has been one of my commitments towards being more self-sufficient and sustainable after completing an international permaculture course in Nepal in 2017. I’m pretty new to vegetable/herb gardening and it’s been amazing to see how certain plants interact as companions with other plants. It’s just a little glimpse of how important these interactions are to maintain healthy ecosystems. My favourite herb to harvest this season was lemon balm, it smells wonderful, and my least favourite was stinging nettle (ouch). My favourite herbal tea is anything with chamomile! Something I was surprised to learn in the tea making process is that the flowers, leaves, stems and roots for some herbs can all be used for different beneficial purposes. Also I learned new words, which I thought were just “Phil” words, such as a dibbler and garbling. They are real words! Random fact about me: I’m retired, after 39 years in Accounting and IT. Now, per my 2 daughters and husband, I’m a “hippie environmentalist”, zero-waste, no single-use plastic, climate change advocate (not perfect, but I try to do what I can). #iamamodernfarmer #womenwhofarm
~* Faces of Foggy River *~ Hi, I’m Chantal and I was blessed to to work at FRF this past summer! I loved being able to play with the soil, and find the deep connection to our Mother Earth, there is seriously nothing better. I've been playing in the dirt since I was a kid, and it progressed from there. I'm so glad it has never stopped. My favourite plant to harvest this season was Calendula, not only the ease of harvest but the scent that carries with you for the rest of the day. Or white pine.. or chamomile.. I really can't decide! My favourite herb to consume is roasted Dandelion root, the flavour is like nothing else! Peppermint tea was also my go-to all summer long. Random fact about me: I love exclamation marks.. clearly!✨ #womenwhofarm #iamamodernfarmer
~*Faces of Foggy River*~ Hello! I'm Samara and have loved tea for many years. Being part of such a lovely, humble organic herb operation has been a heart-warming and mind-expanding experience. My favorite part about working with plants is the basic act of doing what's humanly possible to help them thrive and watch them do most of the incredible work to produce their individual magics 💫 it's also an uplifting way to connect with the seasons in Ontario and to observe the life-cycles of the different plants. My favorite herbs to harvest are root crops and all of the herbs growing wild (Yes, even stinging nettle); adventure guaranteed! My favorite herbs to consume are tulsi, motherwart, and roasted dandelion for taste and effect. I decided to explore growing when I started questioning the practices of conventional farming and decided it was really important (and hard) work to grow and consume plants that support and nourish the earth rather than deplete it. The most surprising and humbling aspect of tea production is the quantity of fresh products that need to be cultivated for the amount of dried product because of just how much it shrinks down. I was also delightfully surprised by my love for garbling the herbs because it turned work into aromatherapy! Random fact about me: my cat is better than yours. #womenwhofarm #iamamodernfarmer
A little flashback here to early in the season, and the crew hard at work prepping for planting. Who is this crew we speak of? Over the next few posts we’re going to introduce you (or let them introduce themselves) to the 2018 dream team. It’s real important to us that YOU know the hard working individuals behind the product - cultivating connection between buyer and maker.
Just another day on the farm, planting PawPaw in the forest. Samara has been facing all the elements out there the past two weeks #trooper
Mason jars for the win. We steep our tea in jars with the herbs dancing around freely, and then strain into glasses/mugs. All about the Oatstraw and Nettle for this hungry breastfeeding mama! Every time I can ditch a supplement/capsule/vitamin containing ingredients sourced form mysterious far off places in exchange for herbs grown at home, it feels like a victory. #herbalinfusion #medicinalherbs #growyourmedicine
November is a mad dash in Ontario farming to complete infrastructure projects before winter sets in, plant trees, and earn what could be the last farm income until spring. It’s that final push before hibernation (when you have a chance to reflect on the season and plan for the next). An oddly bittersweet time of year. Tired and ready to rest, and also bracing for the long Canadian winter.

Foggy River Farm South

 

Foggy River Farm North