June 29, 2011 Edmonton Newsletter

Edgar Farms Asparagus News June 29, 2011 www.EdgarFarms.com Dear Friends: The asparagus plants have really slowed down production this week and the spears are getting thinner which are indications that the plants are getting stressed so we need to stop picking. This Saturday, July 2 will be our last day at The Old Strathcona Farmer's Market 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM and the City Market Downtown on 104th. St. 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM. Our asparagus field in August We need to stop picking early enough in the season to allow eight weeks of frost free weather with the asparagus in it's fern stage. This fern will feed the roots to make them strong so that the plants will survive the winter and produce delicious sweet and tender asparagus again next spring. Next year we will be back at The Old Strathcona Farmer's Market May 5, 2012 and on opening day of the City Market on 104 th. St. with our pickles and a crop report on how the plants are looking. How long will our delicious fresh asparagus keep in your fridge?? Since this is the last week for our local asparagus, you might want to pick up an extra bundle so here is a great way to store it in your fridge. Stand the asparagus in about 1" of water and put a plastic bag over it in the fridge, it will easily keep a week. August 6 & 7, 2011 is the next open house on our farm!! Come on back to our farm for "Summertime Country Drive". Check out the asparagus fern on our field tour and also experience picking a few garden peas to taste. We will have a petting zoo in the barn with lots of animals for everyone to admire. There is also a bale fort to play in. Our farm store will be open, featuring garden peas, sugar snap and snow peas along with many other seasonal local veggies. No admission fee. Check out www.CountryDrive.ca for another 20 sites to visit in our area. Recycling & Composting Unloading our recycling at the Red Deer County Transfer Station. We have always believed in reusing, renewing and recyling on our farm. Doug's mother, Rose was always an avid reuser & recycler much before it was the norm. We very carefully recycle everything possible. Since farm pickup of our recycling is not an option, we haul it to the Red Deer County Transfer Station. Picture is of us unloading cardboard at the transfer station. We also do composting on our farm. This is one way we can contribute to a healthier environment. Adopt-A-Road The County of Red Deer has a program called adopt-a-road. We chose to adopt the 2 miles of the Cottonwood Road (4 miles of ditches) in front of our farm. We put the garbage in our own dumpster for disposal after removing the recyclables. The next asparagus festival! Due to popular demand, we are already planning our 2012 asparagus festival. Stay tuned for details. Photos by Michael Buckley Come visit our farm store anytime! Did you know that we have a little farm store that is open daily 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM until Thanksgiving? We are located 2 hours south of Edmonton and just 10 km west of the QE#2 on a paved road. There is a printable map on our website at www.edgarfarms.com At our farm store, we will have asparagus for a few more days after this weekend plus lots of other delicious locally grown produce. There is always a great selection of our own home raised hormone and antibiotic free angus beef, home made pies and preserves. Photo by Michael Buckley. Check out what is happening at our farm on our other websites: Edgar Farms Produce News http://edgarfarmsupdates.blogspot.com/ Doug's Farm Blog http://dougsfarmblog.blogspot.com/ We also have all our previous newsletters at http://newslettersedgarfarms.blogspot.com/ We have a Flickr account with lots of pictures of what is happening at http://www.flickr.com/photos/37363547@N03/ We also have a Facebook page and would love you to be our friend. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1646005197&ref=name Last but certainly not least we have our web site at http://www.edgarfarms.com And most importantly, THANK YOU so very much to you, our valued customer for supporting our farm and our farm families that are relying on you to come to the Farmer's Market faithfully every Saturday to purchase our asparagus. Elna Edgar Edgar Farms

June 24 Edmonton Newsletter

Edgar Farms Asparagus & Farm News June 24, 2011 www.EdgarFarms.com Just a reminder that Asparagus season is very short, our last day at the markets this season will be July 2. This week we will be at: The Old Strathcona Farmer's Market 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Saturday The City Market Downtown on 104th. St. 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Saturday South Common Market 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Saturday & Sunday Callingwood Farmer's Market 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Sunday Elna & Doug in the asparagus field in August We need to stop picking eight weeks bfore the first frost in the fall to allow the plants to grow into their fern stage so that they can build up strength in the roots to survive the winter. Our last day at the markets in Edmonton will be Saturday, July 2. Lots of delicious Asparagus Recipies at Cheryl Arkison's Blog "Backseat Gourmet" Here is the link to Cheryl Arkison's blog. She has tons of fantastic asparagus recipes. Alos, Cheryl has visited our farm many times and she talks about our asparagus festival. http://backseatgourmet.blogspot.com/There is a crustless asparagus/feta/dill quiche that looks absolutely amazing. We grow lots of rhubarb on our farm and Cheryl combines the two flavors in some of her recipies. Picking Asparagus Janelle picking on a cold, rainy day. We hand pick our entire field of asparagus every day in all kinds of weather. We require a tremendous amount of help during asparagus season. The asparagus is hand picked, hand sorted, hand weighed, hand banded, hand washed, hand labeled and hand packed. Any given day, we will have upwards of 12 people helping to pick and pack the asparagus. Taking a break We have lots of lovely, sunny days that are a pleasure to be outside in. Picture is of some of our daily crew having a picnic lunch on a nice, warm day. EDGAR FARMS ASPARAGUS 25 BEST THINGS TO EAT Plaque we have received Gail Hall has selected our asparagus as one of the 25 best things to eat as featured in the March issue of Edmonton's Avenue Magazine. Gail stated "It's a miracle that this Mediterranean vegetable from the lily family can grow in Alberta. In the hands of the Edgar Family, it flourishes. Between May and June each year, their asparagus spears are hand picked and delivered to farmer's markets within days of harvesting. It's so sweet and tender, you can eat it raw" Thank you, everyone for all the support of our family farm !! Picture is of our family, the 4th, 5th,and 6th generations on our family farm. Check out whats happening on our other websites Edgar Farms Produce News http://edgarfarmsupdates.blogspot.com/ Doug's Farm Blog http://dougsfarmblog.blogspot.com/ We also have all our previous newsletters at http://newslettersedgarfarms.blogspot.com/ We have a Flickr account with lots of pictures of what is happening at http://www.flickr.com/photos/37363547@N03/ We also have a Facebook page and would love you to be our friend. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1646005197&ref=name Last but certainly not least we have our web site at http://www.edgarfarms.com

Sincerely, Elna & Doug Edgar Farms

Edmonton June 15,2011 newsletter

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Edgar Farms Asparagus & Farm News June 15 , 2011 www.EdgarFarms.com We have had a few gentle rain showers and a little heat so we will have a great supply of perfect, delicious, sweet and tender asparagus at The Old Strathcona Farmer's Market 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM and the City Market Downtown on 104th. St. 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM this Saturday June 18, 2011. Just a reminder that Asparagus season is very short, our last day at the markets this season will be July 2. Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Here is a delicious, very simple to prepare recipe that our friend, Linda, shared with us. 24 spears Edgar Farms asparagus 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar 1/4 tsp. pepper 12 thin slices prosciutto Preheat BBQ to high and lightly oil grill. Toss asparagus with olive oil, balsamic vinegar & pepper. Cut prosciutto slices in half crosswise. Wrap each asparagus spear with a piece of prosciutto, allowing the ends to be exposed. Place on grill, close lid and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until asparagus turns bright green and is tender-crisp. Brush with any excess marinade. Picking Asparagus Janelle picking on a cold, rainy day. We hand pick our entire field of asparagus every day in all kinds of weather. We require a tremendous amount of help during asparagus season. The asparagus is hand picked, hand sorted, hand weighed, hand banded, hand washed, hand labeled and hand packed. Any given day, we will have upwards of 12 people helping to pick and pack the asparagus. Taking a break We have lots of lovely, sunny days that are a pleasure to be outside in. Picture is of some of our daily crew having a picnic lunch on a nice, warm day. EDGAR FARMS ASPARAGUS 25 BEST THINGS TO EAT Plaque we have received Gail Hall has selected our asparagus as one of the 25 best things to eat as featured in the March issue of Edmonton's Avenue Magazine. Gail stated "It's a miracle that this Mediterranean vegetable from the lily family can grow in Alberta. In the hands of the Edgar Family, it flourishes. Between May and June each year, their asparagus spears are hand picked and delivered to farmer's markets within days of harvesting. It's so sweet and tender, you can eat it raw" Thank you, everyone for all the support of our family farm !! Picture is of our family, the 4th, 5th,and 6th generations on our family farm. Check out whats happening on our other websites Edgar Farms Produce News http://edgarfarmsupdates.blogspot.com/ Doug's Farm Blog http://dougsfarmblog.blogspot.com/ We also have all our previous newsletters at http://newslettersedgarfarms.blogspot.com/ We have a Flickr account with lots of pictures of what is happening at http://www.flickr.com/photos/37363547@N03/ We also have a Facebook page and would love you to be our friend. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1646005197&ref=name Last but certainly not least we have our web site at http://www.edgarfarms.com Sincerely, Elna & Doug Edgar Farms

May 19, 2011 Farm Store Newsletter

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Edgar Farms Asparagus & Farm News May 18, 2011 www.EdgarFarms.com Dear Friends: Spring greetings everyone, our farm store is now open daily 8AM - 8PM !! We are now picking asparagus Finding a perfect spear to pick The soil has now warmed up and the asparagus is just nicely started growing. We are now finding a few spears to pick as our granddaughter in the picture is showing us. We will have a some what limited supply at the markets, but should have some at our farm store as we are picking every day. There are lots of spears that are just starting to emerge so the plants are definitely alive and well after our cold, cold winter. We are hoping for a really great supply of our delicious sweet and tender asparagus for our Asparagus Festival next Saturday & Sunday if the weather co-operates and the frost and snow stay away. Check out our great selection Asparagus Pickles of our wonderful homemade asparagus pickles in spicy or dill & garlic, delicious asparagus relish, and many other homemade preserves, home raised hormone & antibiotic free beef, homemade pies and our asparagus cookbook. Asparagus Crowns If you are interested in planting your own patch of asparagus, we have Jersey Supreme crowns available. There are detailed planting instructions with them. Supply is limited so don't delay. Planting more asparagus patches !! Randy displaying an asparagus crown while planting. With Keri and Randy back at our family farm, we have decided to keep our asparagus venture going for the next generation. In 2008 we planted a new 4 acre patch of asparagus that we will pick this year for a few weeks. Planting a patch of asparagus is no easy feat, each crown needs to be placed in an 8" deep trench. 2011 - We have just finished planted another 55,000 crowns in 6 1/2 acres so we hope to have a great supply of our delicious asparagus for many years to come. "Get into the 'SPEAR IT' of Spring!!" Asparagus Festival Next Weekend May 28 & 29 Touring the asparagus field If you are a lover of asparagus, looking for some fun on a real working farm, or maybe just a little curious about how this quirky member of the lily family grows, then you will definitely want to attend the hugely popular "Get into the 'SPEAR IT' of spring!!" Asparagus Festival at our farm. Enjoy a hay ride to the largest asparagus field in Alberta, tastings prepared by executive chefs, petting zoo, bale fort, shopping at our Edgar Farms store, other locally made/locally baked booths and lots more, so bring along the kids for a fun experience and create great family memories! Aspara-guy dress fitting in prep for his debut May 28 & 29, 2011 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Rain or Shine $5.00 per person or $20.00 per Family - under 3 free 10 km west of Innisfail on Cottonwood Road For a full day of fun visit countrydrive.ca for 19 other sites to visit while in our area. Thank you, everyone for all the support of our family farm !! Picture is of our family, the 4th, 5th,and 6th generations on our family farm. Check out whats happening on our other websites Edgar Farms Produce News http://edgarfarmsupdates.blogspot.com/ Doug's Farm Blog http://dougsfarmblog.blogspot.com/ We also have all our previous newsletters at http://newslettersedgarfarms.blogspot.com/ We have a Flickr account with lots of pictures of what is happening at http://www.flickr.com/photos/37363547@N03/ We also have a Facebook page and would love you to be our friend. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1646005197&ref=name Last but certainly not least we have our web site at http://www.edgarfarms.com Sincerely, Elna & Doug Edgar Farms

May 18, 2011 Edmonton newsletter

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Edgar Farms Asparagus & Farm News May 18, 2011 www.EdgarFarms.com Dear Friends: Spring Greetings Everyone !! We will be at The Old Strathcona Farmer's Market & the Downtown Market on 104th. this Saturday Finding a perfect spear to pick The soil has now warmed up and the asparagus is just nicely started growing. We are now finding a few spears to pick as our granddaughter in the picture is showing us. We will have a some what limited supply at the markets this Saturday. There are lots of spears that are just starting to emerge so the plants are definately alive and well after our cold, cold winter. We are hoping for a really great supply of our delcious sweet and tender asparagus next Saturday, May 28 if the weather co-operates and the frost and snow stay away. Check out our great selection of our wonderful homemade Asparagus Pickles asparagus pickles in spicy or dill & garlic, delicious asparagus relish, frozen asparagus soup and our asparagus cookbooks. Planting more asparagus patches !! Randy displaying an asparagus crown while planting. With Keri and Randy back at our family farm, we have decided to keep our asparagus venture going for the next generation. In 2008 we planted a new 4 acre patch of asparagus that we will pick this year for a few weeks. Planting a patch of asparagus is no easy feat, each crown needs to be placed in an 8" deep trench. 2011 - We have just finished planted another 55,000 crowns in 6 1/2 acres so we hope to have a great supply of our delicous asparagus for many years to come. Asparagus Crowns - If you are interested in planting your own patch of asparagus, we will have Jersey Supreme crowns available at the Downtown Market this Saturday, May 21. There are detailed planting instructions with them and Keri is at the booth and can answer any planting questions. "Get into the 'SPEAR IT' of Spring!!" Asparagus Festival Touring the asparagus field If you are a lover of asparagus, looking for some fun on a real working farm, or maybe just a little curious about how this quirky member of the lily family grows, then you will definitely want to attend the hugely popular "Get into the 'SPEAR IT' of spring!!" Asparagus Festival at our farm. Enjoy a hay ride to the largest asparagus field in Alberta, tastings prepared by executive chefs, petting zoo, bale fort, shopping at our Edgar Farms store, other locally made/locally baked booths and lots more, so bring along the kids for a fun experience and create great family memories! May 28 & 29, 2011 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Rain or Shine $5.00 per person or $20.00 per Family - under 3 free 10 km west of Innisfail on Cottonwood Road For a full day of fun visit countrydrive.ca for 19 other sites to visit while in our area. Thank you, everyone for all the support of our family farm !! Picture is of our family, the 4th, 5th,and 6th generations on our family farm. Check out whats happening on our other websites Edgar Farms Produce News http://edgarfarmsupdates.blogspot.com/ Doug's Farm Blog http://dougsfarmblog.blogspot.com/ We also have all our previous newsletters at http://newslettersedgarfarms.blogspot.com/ We have a Flickr account with lots of pictures of what is happening at http://www.flickr.com/photos/37363547@N03/ We also have a Facebook page and would love you to be our friend. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1646005197&ref=name Last but certainly not least we have our web site at http://www.edgarfarms.com Sincerely, Elna & Doug Edgar Farms

Farm Store now closed for the season

With the colder weather now happening we will be closing our farm store this weekend. For the last couple of weeks we have not had the preserves out on the shelves as they could freeze during the nights.
We are still open by appintment for preserves or beef at anytime so just call and we can arrange a time. 403-227-2443