Last week was International Compost Awareness Week, so what better time than now to talk about compost?! For us at Eatmore Sprouts it is particularly important due to our commitment to organic practices. Organic food production doesn’t exist without a successful compost system. We take regular temperature readings of our compost to track the decomposition process (see photo) and to know when and how to make changes if needed.
The basics of composting takes into account a variety of factors such as:
the ratio of carbon and nitrogen
surface area & particle size
aeration
porosity
moisture content
temperature
pH of materials
nutrients
toxic substances
There are many benefits to using compost. Here are a few:
recycling – putting nutrients and organic matter back into use reduces disposals into land fills
eliminates the need for pesticides by naturally suppressing plant diseases and pests
produces higher yields and improves the nutritional value of your vegetables
reduces water usage by improving the capacity of the soil to hold water
The most commonly recommended ratio of sources of nitrogen and carbon in your compost pile for it to work effectively is 1:3. Here is a list of sources of both:
Nitrogen Sources:
food scraps
coffee grounds
hay from legumes like alfalfa and clover
grass clippings
fresh green weeds and plant waste
manure
seaweed
Carbon Sources:
The materials in this category are important not only to balance your carbon nitrogen ratios, they are also important in providing your compost the structure it needs to maintain some air and oxygen flow through your compost during its decomposition.
dried leaves
straw
hay from non legume crops
corn cobs and stalks
paper
shredded cardboard
sawdust
woodchips
This is a very brief and outline of why compost is important and how it works. There are endless resources available online to find out more information but we recommend starting with some basic information and just experimenting. And have FUN!
As some of you might know, here at Eatmore Sprouts not only is fresh organic food important to us – so is active living… particularly biking! Over the years, Eatmore has informally supported bike racing by donating sprouts to races. In 2010, they teamed with Trail Bicycles and smaller sponsors to create a professional cycling team. These cyclists have competed in all types of cycling (road, downhill, mountain biking, cyclocross). One member from the Eatmore team is now in Europe racing with a French team.
Glenn, one of the owners (shown in photo), has done lots of racing and Amanda Wakeling (Glenn and Carmen’s daughter) has been racing for a few years. Amanda has raced nationally with great results. Last year, Amanda traveled with cyclist Mical Dyck. Amanda enjoyed this experience immensely and gained a lot of respect for Mical. This year, due to gaps in Mical’s sponsorship, Eatmore Sprouts decided to support her along with her other sponsors and are now sponsoring 3 women cyclists in total. Mical was in the Comox Valley this weekend for the bike race in Cumberland and stayed with the Wakelings. Click here to check out Mical’s blog and read her thoughts about the race and about her fun here at the farm and at home with the Wakelings.
For more information, here is a list of links to some local island cycling clubs…
Many people are curious about the specific nutritional content of our sprouts which has lead us to explore the option of getting the nutritional analysis done on each of our products. We all know that fresh organically grown sprouts must be healthy, but just how healthy? In what particular ways? How does our health benefit and what can different sprouts do for different aspects of our health?
HISTORY: Medicinally and nutritionally, sprouts have a long history. As far back as 5000 years ago, Chinese physicians recognized and prescribed sprouts to treat many ailments. In the 1700′s, sailors commonly suffered and/or died from scurvy (lack of Vitamin C) during their long voyages. Captains and their sailors ate limes, lemons and sprouts; all abundant in Vitamin C. This boost in Vitamin C was credited with solving mariners’ greatest casualty problem.
FACTS: The International Sprout Grower’s Association offers lots of useful information about the nutritional benefits, particularly the disease preventing properties, of many types of sprouts. Click here to read more. International Specialty Supply, a company supplying sprouters globally, has a very comprehensive website with lots of great information about how sprouts contribute to wellness and prevention. Click here to check it out. Click here to read about the nutritional goodness of pea shoots and here to read about sunflower sprouts.
Our website does contain “nutritional highlights” under the products page when you click on each individual products, but there is much more work to be done in this area. Needless to say, whether you understand the complexities of each health benefit and each type of sprout, you can be sure that they’re healthy for you. Especially when they’re organically grow!
How do I love thee sprouts? Let me count the ways…
There are endless ways to prepare sprouts but here are some ideas from the staff here at Eatmore….
During the winter months for something warm to eat, many of our staff bring a baked potato to work for lunch and pile it high with their choice of either garlic, alfalfa, clover, deli or broccoli sprouts. We have many Omega Nutrition products (click here to check out their website) in the fridge so staff also like to drizzle flax seed oil or Essential Balance as a source of highly nutritious essential fatty acids.
At lunch break you will also see many of our staff dumping the contents of our “Combo Packs” (pea shoots, mixed bean & clover sprouts) into a bowl and pouring a simple dressing of essential balance oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard and maple syrup. Combo packs are great for this because they include three types of sprouts for a nice variety.
When you’ve got lots of sprouts to deal with and you’re not sure you’ll get through them all while they’re still at their best, some of our staff recommend adding them to your smoothie ingredients and blend them up. With our mixed beans however, they are better to throw into soup either as is or as a soup thickener when blended.
These are just some of the ways we commonly prepare our sprouts but the possibilities are endless!
At Eatmore Sprouts and Greens we are deeply concerned about the threat of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the future of sustainable farming. As a certified organic producer of food we are committed to educating the public about the status of GMOs in Canada and beyond.
There are many groups working to achieve this goal. One such organization is the Canadian Biotechnology Action Network (CBAN) who just released a fun and informative video educating consumers about the threat of genetically modified (GM) alfalfa to the future of sustainable farming. Below is information taken from CBAN’s website explaining what alfalfa is and why it is so important to farming, food and the future. Enjoy the video, learn more about GM alfalfa and how you can take action to stop it in Canada.
GM Alfalfa Threatens Organic Food and Farmers
Genetically engineered (also called genetically modified or GM) alfalfa will quickly contaminate organic alfalfa and impact the entire organic food and farming system in Canada and the U.S.. Many different types of farmers plant alfalfa to improve soil fertility to grow other food crops. And alfalfa is an important food for organic dairy cows and other farm animals. If GM alfalfa contaminates hay fields, what will organic farmers feed their animals?
What is Alfalfa?
Alfalfa is Hay: Alfalfa is most often harvested as hay. The hay bales we see across our rural landscape are often made from alfalfa and other grasses.
Alfalfa is a Perennial: Alfalfa is a deep-rooted perennial crop. Perennial means that the plant survives for more than one year and actually lives under the soil to regrow for many seasons. This means that GM alfalfa will be very hard for farmers to get rid of.
Alfalfa is Pollinated by Bees: Alfalfa is insect-pollinated which means that insects collect the pollen and distribute it to other individual plants. Alfalfa flowers depend entirely on insects, mainly leafcutter bees, for cross-pollination. This means that GM alfalfa will quickly contaminate farmers’ fields.
Alfalfa is an Unsung Hero: Alfalfa is one of the most widely planted crops in Canada. By area, it is the third largest crop in Canada. 4.5 million hectares are in production, mostly in the three Prairie provinces (75%) and 20% in Ontario and Quebec.
Why is Alfalfa so Important ?
Alfalfa is Animal Food: Alfalfa is used as food (mostly hay) and pasture for grazing animals like dairy cows and beef cattle as well as for lambs, pigs and even honeybees and horses. Alfalfa is important high protein feed for animals.
Alfalfa Builds the Soil: Instead of using chemical fertilizers, farmers plant alfalfa to build soil nutrients. Alfalfa is the most important nitrogen-fixing perennial crop. Alfalfa improves soil quality and fertility, and helps stop soil erosion.
Alfalfa controls weeds: Because it is a perennial, alfalfa can help suppress many weeds.
Alfalfa products are important exports: While alfalfa is primarily cut for hay, it’s also grown to produce seeds as well as dehydrated alfalfa products such as pellets and cubes, exported to livestock producers in other countries like Japan. Canada is the world’s largest exporter of alfalfa pellets and cubes.
On March 3rd, the Comox Valley Growers & Seed Savers will be hosting the 13th annual Seedy Saturday, an event that Eatmore Sprouts has sponsored in one way or another since it began. Creating a sustainable community is really important to us so that is a key reason for us to support the Seedy Saturday event. Issues around seed ownership and GMOs are front and centre for us so we are so happy about the work that the CV Growers & Seed Savers do. This year at Seedy Saturday you can find Eatmore Sprouts, as well as other certified organic growers from the Valley, at the Certified Organic Association of BC (COABC) booth.
Eatmore Sprouts has been a member of the COABC since its inception in 1993. The COABC takes an approach to food production that is based on care for the earth and it recognizes people as one creature among many that are all inter-related and interdependent, hence the priority it places on certified organic practices. You may recognize the check mark found on our labels (as well as other BC organic growers). The importance of this check mark is that it gives the consumer the confidence that what they spend their money on and what they consume has been grown with certified organic practices and within the province of BC, ensuring the support of a more local and sustainable food system. We are excited about attending “Innovations“, the annual COABC conference Feb 24-26 in Chilliwack. Anyone interested is welcome to attend.
To learn more about the COABC, its members, seed saving and much more, come on down to Seedy Saturday on March 3rd at the Florence Filberg Centre from 10am to 3pm. The Comox Valley is also hosting the annual conference of BC Association of Farmers Market that weekend, which is also open to the public. Click here to find out more. We hope that members of this association get the chance come and visit us at the COABC booth at Seedy Saturday.
In the spring of 2011, the construction of our new greenhouse began. This is not just a regular greenhouse. In an effort to maximise thermal mass, it is being built with environmental sustainability in mind by using earth.
Why use this method for a greenhouse wall? The main reason is to store heat and increase the growing season. The thickness of the rammed earth wall allows for solar energy to be absorbed and released slowly, which helps to increase the temperature at night as the heat is slowly released. During the spring and fall when the weather is cooler but the sun is still shining, it will raise the greenhouse temperature and help to increase the growing season.
There are many benefits to this method of building. Some of these include:
reduced amount of CO2
passive thermal mass
lowered cost of heating
cost comparable to conventional construction
The long south facing wall features a 4’ high compacted earthbags and a tire base. The heated beds in this new greenhouse are also formed with compacted subsoil that was excavated from the site. These beds are 72’ long 6’ wide and 3’ high – we’re talking a lot of mass! As we’ve done in the past, we are using hydronic heat (hot water pipes) to supply the even temperature required for optimal growth. Greens and shoots are baby plants which like warm roots. Our new beds are built to store and release year round warmth. We’re super stoked to be adding a garn wood gasifier and a bank of solar tubes to make the water hot while reducing carbon emissions.
This new greenhouse will allow us to increase our production overall, improve growing conditions and particularly help us with production through the winter months. We are very excited about this project as it aligns with our values which place importance on sustainability and creativity, for people and the planet. Stay tuned for more photos and information throughout the process!
Last week our team traded its’ hair nets, rubber gloves and aprons for more festive attire and met at The Old House Restaurant for our annual Eatmore Sprouts Staff Christmas Party. We celebrated a successful year of growing sprouts over a delicious meal in a cozy setting. Thank you to the staff for their hospitality and their wonderful service.
At the party Glenn and Carmen, owners of Eatmore Sprouts & Greens Ltd., presented Tanya Harmon, our Office Manager, with a donation to Canada to Kenya, a project she co-founded and is very passionate about. This money will be used for the purchase of bicycles for women and youth to add ease and efficiency to collecting water and fuel, transporting goods to buy and sell at the market, getting kids to school or as an income generator by way of bicycle taxi.
Building sustainable communities on a local and global level is important to us here at Eatmore Sprouts. We wish Tanya and her husband Terry a safe and successful trip.
Our team has been busy preparing our production plan for the holidays in order to work around seasonal closures at all levels from labs to trucks. Our goal is to provide our loyal customers with the sprouts they have come to love to the best of our abilities during this logistically challenging time.
We wish you all a safe and joyful holiday and thank you for all your support this year! Best wishes for 2012.
Today is the first day of December. Temperatures are dropping. Snow has begun covering the mountain tops. And plant growth has slowed down. We are feeling the effects most dramatically with our greenhouse products. As with any type of farming, the weather plays a crucial role in the success of the harvest and unfortunately Sunflower Greens, Pea Shoots and Micro-Greens just don’t grow well when it’s this cold outside.
While we are doing our best to keep our greenhouses heated, it is not enough to compensate for the extreme cold. Please be assured that our greenhouse will be in operation all winter, and we will do our best to maximize our yields. All of our other products are grown indoors and production will continue as usual.
Thank you for your patience and continued support while we negotiate with Mother Nature! Our dedicated staff are working their hardest to provide the best quality products. In fact, we are currently building another greenhouse so we will have more capacity and improved systems to manage and maintain consistent service and quality in years to come. Stay tuned later this month for some exciting details and photos of our new greenhouse project…
