Norfolk County - from our fields....

The signs for Norfolk County add "Ontario's Garden; from our fields to your table". I have been taking pictures for the last couple of months of the produce that we grow in Norfolk County. There is truly a vast array of fresh produce to be found near to where we live. The advantage to us is we can buy "at the farm gate" and then freeze for later consumption. One day I did a "dedicated photo shoot", taking my camera and driving along St John's Road which has a lovely variety of food grown and taking pictures of the produce in the fields.

Asparagus and corn.

We buy asparagus just north of Port Rowan, stepping into the barn which smells/feels of cold water and earth, and watch the cleaning and sorting process. The offerings are Grade 1, Grade 2 and Tips and we buy 5lbs of Grade 2. We bring it home to sort ourselves. We blanche and freeze the best, boil and blend the worst (for winter soup when we will love the taste even more for that spring nostalgia) and eat the in between (baked, tossed with olive oil, garlic and sea salt)

After the season, the asparagus is left to grow and go to seed. It is a pretty green with
delicate fern like fronds.

Hops. Who knew!

This field is at corner that I used to turn on when I commuted between Long Point and Brantford. I was very curious when tall posts were planted. Then strung with wires. Then something started to grow up them but I had no clue what it could be. On the day that I went "Veggie shooting" there was a man walking in that strange field. I stopped to take a picture and was able to ask him what was growing. He worked for the Ministry of Agriculture and was monitoring the progress of the Hops! We have a new local micro brewery so I suspect that is why the area is now growing Hops. I am not much of a beer drinker but I gather our local beer, Ramblin Road, is pretty good.

Cabbages

Unfortunately Norfolk County still grows quite a lot of tobacco. I have to admit
it is quite an impressive crop with its huge leaves and growing to about 4ft.

In Norfolk we also grow strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, saskatoon berries eggplant, lots of different kinds of peppers, tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, onions, leeks, broccoli, garlic,sweet potatoes, potatoes, carrots, various varieties of melons, sweet corn, peaches, cherries, apples, pears and various varieties of squash. I will post about pumpkins later.

I found some other wonderful images while on this photo safari for produce pictures, like this old windmill. I have been planning a barn rug or perhaps some barn cushions for a while but got some shots on this trip that I may use in those rugs or may dedicate a cushion to this windmill. Not sure yet but I found myself very inspired by just driving around the countryside, taking pictures.