In this Issue...
Certified Organic Seedlings are in! Check out BUFCO's 2019 Seedling List and pick them up at a Farmers' Market near you.
Arlene shares her top 10 cold hardy crops for early spring planting, Marc shows you how to measure the slope of your site before installing a raised bed and he also helps you maximize your love of onions with his tips this month. Plus a little peek at the exciting transformations taking place at BUFCO!
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 In Your Garden:
Arlene's Top 10 Cold Hardys
Don’t Wait for May 2-4. Start Your Veggie Garden Now!
How early in the season can a vegetable garden be planted? Early! You might be surprised to learn that there are many vegetables like peas, kale and spinach that prefer growing in cool weather and actually grow poorly during the summer heat. Knowing when and how to plant cold-loving plants is the key to getting the most out of the early growing season. Amaze your friends and family with baskets full of beautiful, bountiful cold-hardy harvests. In honour of our 10 th Anniversary I highlight my top 10 cold hardy veggies to plant in early spring on the BUFCO Blog.
No matter what crops you grow, make sure to get top quality seeds from local growers. Tried and true, organic seed from a trusted source is worth the few extra pennies. Not only will you find varieties that grow well in your area, you’ll be helping to keep small businesses thriving.  We are so fortunate to have some fabulous seed growers here in Toronto. Urban Harvest and Matchbox Gardens are two of our favorites. And they will mail them if you are out of town. (Unsponsored, they are just our pals.)
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Marc's Tips in the Middle #1
Onions. A multi-talented, all-purpose veg that works for every meal of the day, in a billion different dishes. And, just like every version of A Star Is Born, most of us love them, even though they make us cry. Here are some handy oniony tips. Why? Because…onions!
 Recently, when a chicken soup for 30 called for about 15 sliced onions, I happened to spot a pair of swimming goggles nearby, which immediately led to a magic “what if” moment. After donning the goggles, I sliced dozens, if not hundreds of onions and not a single tear was shed. It was the most pleasant, if not the goofiest looking, onion-slicing experience ever. That pair of goggles now has a special place in our kitchen drawer. |
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Installing a Raised Bed? Consider the Grade.
One of the most important considerations is the grade, or slope, of the raised bed installation site. All yards are graded – sloped – down from the house (or should be) so rainwater flows away from the foundation, minimizing the chances of water damage. Usually, yards with a consistent, gentle grade don’t really require an extra tall raised bed. Steeper grades will require taller beds.
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| Beds on a yard that slopes away from the house |
When we install raised beds, we make sure the beds are level to the horizon. For one reason, they look much better than if the bed is just dropped on top of the ground, slope be damned. For another reason, if the garden bed isn’t level, then you run the risk of having freshly sown seed wash away in a heavy rain, or plant roots being exposed due to soil erosion. So it is well worth the effort to level the bed into the grade. Continue reading on the BUFCO Blog where Marc will show you exactly how. Read More...
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Marc's Tips in the Middle #2
Caramelized onions are just the best, but are often not prepared properly. A well-caramelized onion should be almost sticky with condensed sugars, well reduced in size and lightly brown in colour. The trick to perfection is patience. The process should take a good 20 to 25 minutes. Put two or three tablespoons of cooking oil in a medium-large fry pan and heat to medium high. Spread sliced onions out over the pan, cover with a lid, and immediately reduce the heat to medium. Now, let the onions sit undisturbed for a good 10 minutes, which really kick-starts the caramelizing process. Remove the lid, stir, and continue cooking until about one-third of their original size. Perfection! |
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 Get Your Organic Seedlings
Did you miss the window of opportunity to grow your own seedlings? Fret not, you can still incorporate long-maturing vegetables like tomatoes, peppers and eggplants into your garden plan!
All BUFCO gardens start with certified organic seedlings grown by our colleagues Sophie Clark and Vera Top at Trout Lily Farm. We carry many unique varieties of heirloom tomatoes, hot and sweet peppers, delicious eggplant, sweet and spicy basil, edible flowers and all your favourite perennial herbs like rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, parsley, and much more.
Pick up at one of our Toronto Farmers’ Market locations: Ottawa Street (Hamilton), Sick Kids, Leslieville Farmers Market, Withrow Park, Dark Horse Mini Market. We will also be at various pop-up markets around town. Alternatively, call (647) 290-2572 for an appointment and pick up your order at BUFCO HQ in downtown Toronto. 
Find our full list here. Cold hardy crops are in now, heat lovers are in May 6, call (647) 290-2572 or email info@bufco.ca in advance for availability to reserve your favourites!
While you're at it, pick up ever-popular critter barriers to protect your seedlings from our furry and feathery friends.
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Marc's Tips in the Middle #3
An onion’s second coming. Normally, we discard the cutoff ends of our onions. Instead, try this fun little trick to keep them growing. Take the root-end of the onion, and place it in water so the bottom is submerged. You can use a small glass, and keep the onion from sinking by sticking three or four toothpicks into the flesh and resting them on the rim of the glass. In a few days, roots will sprout. Once well established, you can transplant to some soil. Cover only the roots with soil, not the entire onion end. Soon, one or more new shoots will appear from the centre of the onion, and can be harvested and used like a spring onion, or let them grow longer and watch how big they get. They are as edible and delicious as any onion ever has been. |
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Behind the Scenes
Settling in at Fresh City Farms
Speaking of seedlings, we have been busy bees this week setting up a temporary home for your seedlings. Having outgrown our existing greenhouse last year, this year we are partnering with Fresh City Farms. Who could have known that your Trout Lily seedlings and your Fresh City Farms produce would become housemates! (Or rather, greenhouse-mates?!)
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| Table leg jungle |
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Table-tamer Grayson |
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Tables for days |
Set Change at Headquarters
Meanwhile, back at HQ, we are retiring our wonderful backyard garden in exchange for first ever BUFCO Hoop House. This tiny backyard was where we grew our first veggies... and this backyard, in turn, cultivated in our minds the crazy idea to leave to the film business and start BUFCO. Now, our ideas have now outgrown this backyard, so after 10 years of faithful service we're giving the trusty ol' backyard another face lift!
Check out our Instagram stories and posts where we documented the entire transformation!
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Give us a call!
Arlene at (647) 290-2572
Marc at (416) 450-3899
Email us at info@bufco.ca
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