Gardening Gratitude: A Voice from the Farm Table

Welcome to – A Voice from the Farm Table.  We look forward to sharing stories, tips and advice from farmer, mom and agriculture ambassador Sandi Knight.

Fresh from the Garden

Twenty steps from my back door and I’m there – my very own produce department!  The choice is abundant, the price is right and it can’t get any fresher.  The hard work has been done and it’s reward time.  As the crops are brought in from the surrounding fields, everything I need for  meals, with the exception of meat, can be picked or dug out here.

As long as a frost can be avoided, my cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers will continue to produce, albeit at a slower pace. The lettuce may be past its prime but later plantings of spinach and Swiss chard thrive with cooler temperatures providing a nutrient-packed base for salads.  While the peas are done, beleaguered beans still offer a feed one or two days a week.

Swiss Chard Sandi Knight | www.canlaeatwell.com

Dirt Therapy

If the raccoons can be kept at bay, fresh corn-on-the-cob is a harvest meal staple. There is a variety of squash to choose from and the zucchini, well, it never seems to slow down!  But it is versatile serving either a side vegetable or dessert. And who doesn’t love chocolate zucchini cake? Potatoes, carrots, parsnips and beets round out the meal-time options. The heady earthy aroma as you dig those root vegetables is one of those wonderful, distinctive scents of autumn.

Garden Carrots Sandi Knight |www.canolaeatwell.com

Herbs Bring Flavour

Aromatic dill and basil, along with parsley, rosemary and oregano  provide enticing flavor options for a variety of dishes.  When you have garden-fresh veggies packed with flavor, preparation is minimal – all you need add is a pat of butter or drizzle of canola oil with a few herbs or spices.

There is no other time of year that I appreciate my garden more than when we are in the throes of harvest.  The time spent planting and weeding is now all so evidently worthwhile. The freshness of food, from garden to plate in less than 30 minutes, can’t be beat!

Eat well…Sandi Knight

Sandi Knight | www.canolaeatwell.comSandi Knight is a farm wife and mom of two grown children who is passionate about agriculture, food, cooking and gardening.

She believes one of the keys to a healthy, balanced lifestyle is by making the kitchen not only a place to create nutritious, flavourful meals but also by making it a place a dance!