Tucker House Organic Gardens

The organic gardens at Tucker House are used for educational programs and to provide fresh organic produce to members in our "Bunching Onions" Community-Supported Agriculture (BOCSA) Program.  We are also looking for volunteers to help work in the garden. 

Shares are now available for the 2010 CSA season. Read the BOCSA Flyer for more information or contact Damien Martin at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 613-446-2117 x 8.

Stories from the Tucker House CSA

CSA 2009

Despite a record breakingly cool and wet July the garden managed to produce enough produce each week to supply the 36 shareholders with delicious vegetables and herbs. The gardener is already looking forward to what will surely be a less challenging growing season in 2010.

CSA 2008!

The Bunching Onions CSA was a success in 2008 despite some challenging weather. Headed up by Tobias Bell and Intern Damien Martin, 35 half shares were provided to families.

CSA 2007!

Thanks to a $5000 contribution from the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, we have constructed a greenhouse for use in our Gardening Project.  We are currently seeking additional support from foundations and personal donations in order to create a well-developed organic gardening program for children and youth.  To support our activities or learn more, please contact Kristina Inrig, Executive Director at 613-446-2117 x 3.

BOCSA 2006

This has been a busy and productive year in the gardens. We have 21 half shares, in three dropoff areas – Rockland, Beaconhill/Orleans and Ottawa.

The start was delayed due to weather extremes and has been a challenge. This is what farming is about and why the CSA is so important. We are paid in the spring so we can hire and buy seeds and then share what grows in organic produce – veggies, fruit, herbs – as they appear. The value of the boxes is usually more than the cost and it is direct from the grower to user. Each week there is about 80-100 hours of labour that goes into producing,. packaging and delivering the food.

Our Head Gardener is Taj with help from Sebastien. There is food provided for the Rockland Help Centre each week in exchange for a grant from the Ladies
Playing Assoc. of the Outaouis Golf Club. During the Country Fun Camp, children learned where their veggies come from and helped pick some for a snack. Potato fries were a big hit!!!

We have had three groups come to visit the gardens. 15 British Girl Guides wanted a farm experience as part of their trip to Canada and they came out for 3 days and were a huge help in mulching the beds which conserves water and saves the soil. The Rockland Day Camp sent a large group of children to tour the gardens, house and property. The Sierra Youth Coalition also visited the gardens, house and grounds. All had good times. Thanks Taj and Sebastien for helping to create such great experiences. A special thanks to Diana Brushey for leading nature walks with all three groups.

We have taken part at the new Cumberland Farmer’s Market on 3 Saturdays in August where Tucker House has been enthusiastically promoted and received. We also shared the bounty of the gardens at the Summers Ending Tea on August 27th.

Joan Fulthorp Jubb, CSA Committee Member

Sebastien with a load of carrots

BOCSA 2005

 Summer is over and Fall is here. We had a tremendous year in the gardens with an overabundance of beans and summer squash.  Three happy Ottawa Food Banks gladly received the extras with the help of Rob Campbell who delivered the extra food from Rockland to Ottawa. Thank you Rob!

Of the many memorable, happy moments passed in the garden (and at the lunch table!) this summer between gardeners, Dava remembers Nature in particular.  “On one of the first weeks at the garden I stumbled upon a deer boldly eating bean plants one early Sat morning, and the deer wasn’t easily shooed away either!  Other fond memories include countless special encounters will crickets, ladybugs and little worms, as well as listening to the songs of birds while the sun warmed my back.  One of the most beautiful sites I’ve ever seen however occurred while kneeling to pick raspberries. I gazed up at the canopy created by the tall overlapping raspberry canes and saw the sun shining through the jewel green leaves and ruby red fruit. Everything just GLOWED.  The colours were breath-taking and beautiful.  It made me stop in my tracks, sit down and just stare in AWE and be THANKFUL for Tucker House and the opportunity it provided me this summer to experience such a remarkable thing!”

And, in keeping with the season of Thanks, we want to say THANKS to our paid gardener Aimee who toiled from May through August two days as week for us, and to our faithful gardening intern Sebastien Armand who toiled along side Aimee all summer and kindly took over for her in September.  Another BIG THANKS goes to our senior gardeners Isobel and Colin who faithfully came out for 2 days EVERY WEEK from May to October to make sure we had lovely organic food to eat.  And last but not least, a special thanks to everyone who volunteered in the gardens this year!!  We couldn’t have done it without you.
 
Dava McKay, editor of “The Sprout”, the Bunching Onions CSA Newsletter 2005

BOCSA 2004

Our newest eco project at Tucker House, the Bunching Onions CSA, was bountifully and deliciously successful under the enthusiastic leadership of Tucker House head gardener Jaime Carral and Rockland grower Stephanie Pelot last summer. WE are very sorry to lose them this year, but thanks to their pioneering efforts, Bunching Onions 2005 is ready to go again this year.

Many thanks to the  eager EGGers  (Eco Gardening Group) volunteers, Joy Nieckarz, Carolyn Best, Joan Fulthorp Jubb and Colin & Isobel McGregor who devoted at least one day a week  to help mulch, weed, harvest, sort and package.  Thank too to CSA members Ana Carral, Carlos Meza and Jonathan Coulman who lent much needed hands to plant, dig paths, prepare beds and harvest on “big work days”.

Comments from CSA Members

 
“We were excited to open our box each week. Amazed in fact!”   Andrea and Derek

“Loved the taste of the TLC’ed veggies. Loved having a better grasp of what grows when & what veggies taste of - so Canada”   Catherine and Joel

“Every week is a surprise.  You get what the earth wants to give you that week.  But no surprises on the quality front”  

“ A deliciously healthy experience - you’ve got us hooked”   Phil & Patos

“We would like to thank you for this opportunity to reduce our consumption of pesticides.  Also, we appreciate the [CSA] arrangement because we believe we should share the losses with the farmers, as well as the bounty.”    Peggy and Chris

“The produce in general was fresh and tasty, and the tomatoes in particular were superior to other organic tom’s purchased locally.”