Last Friday we witnessed a diluvian downpour,
the likes of which we had not seen in a long time. In a few hours, all our fields were flooded, and our spring-fed pond and field drainage-replenished pond was likewise filled to the brim. A nice problem to have, those who suffer from chronic water deficits – our friends in the Outaouais valley, for example – countered as I was complaining about the collateral damage wrought by the torrential rains.
At the risk of oversimplifying, there are
two basic types of soil:
soil that absorbs water in a flash and rids itself of it just as quickly, and soil that acts like a sponge, storing it deep below the surface for drier times to come. We are fortunate to have the latter, a nutrient-rich soil which can stock water and release it slowly in harder times. To each his good, or ill, fortune – as I say to my Gatineau friends…
Yours will be another greens-filled basket this week, albeit with a touch of colour
courtesy of our friend Mathieu from Les Jardins DiversiBio – namely, Québec strawberries. Meanwhile, our garlic scape harvest begins tomorrow at dawn. And we’ll be serving up another novelty: an early season mustard green, the perfect addition to a salad of mixed greens or in a hot or cold soup (potage). The other items in your basket are safe bets, guaranteed to keep your intestinal tract in good working order : lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, coriander and more.
We look forward to seeing you all again.