Feature Farmer
Mason St. Farms, on the edge of the downtown core in Victoria, are featuring their freshly picked lettuce mix this week. If you’re not getting enough greens in your Good Food Box/bag each week their farm stand found at 1015 Balmoral Rd where you can find greens, eggs, and more, along with Victoria Edible Nursery with starts for your own garden. They often have a $2 table if your budget is tight. They have two different food club subscription programs as well – one for mixed greens that last longer than any greens I’ve bought and one for greens with Lockwood Farm eco-eggs, non gmo, non-soy, non-corn, free range and locally produced.
This week Mason Street Farms is providing the BC Only, Cultural and Sustainable bags with their long lasting organic mixed greens.
What’s in the bags this week?
Standard ($30.00): BC small nugget potatoes, org. Jewel/Garnet yams, org. bananas, Cara Cara oranges, BC cucumbers, BC cherry tomatoes, org. broccoli, org. Romaine lettuce
Standard Plus ($40.00): org. Jewel/Garnet yams, *BC small nugget potatoes, Cara Cara oranges, org. bananas, BC cherry tomatoes, Northstar Organics *short cucumber & red kale, BC yellow pepper, org. broccoli, org. Romaine lettuce
Sustainable ($40.00): org. yellow onions, org. Jewel/Garnet yams, Northstar Organics cucumber & red kale, org. broccoli, org. bananas, org. avocado, Mason St. Farm organic lettuce mix
Cultural ($30.00): org. Jewel/Garnet yams, Northstar Organics cucumber, org. bananas, cherry tomatoes, BC yellow pepper, cantaloupe, BC LE cucumber, Mason St. Farm organic lettuce mix
Staples ($30.00): org. yellow onions, *BC small nugget potatoes, cantaloupe, org. bananas, Cara Cara oranges, Northstar Organics short cucumber, org. broccoli
Fruit ($25.00): Cara Cara oranges, org. mango, cantaloupe, org. banana
BC – Only ($30.00): *BC small nugget potatoes, BC brown mushrooms, BC yellow pepper, BC cucumber, BC cherry tomatoes, North Star Organic *red kale, *Mason St. Farm organic lettuce mix
*local, BC, organic
***Note: Some items may change due to circumstances out of our control but the value of the box will always remain the same.
Wet Weather Reminder — Bring your cloth bags or totes! Don’t forget to bring along your reusable grocery bags or totes to avoid the soggy demise of our paper bags if you’ll be hitting the elements on the way home. Even just getting to the car during this soggy season could be lethal for your produce — we want it to make it all the way home — not playing a game of 10 pin on the sidewalk!
What I love about Sailor Bailey’s “Simple Mixed Greens salad is that it’s flexible – a great way to try a new dressing, to use extra veggies, seeds or nuts in the fridge so they don’t get wasted and it can be tossed together in minutes. Click the photo to go directly to the recipe.
Note: Did you know the best place to store nuts and seeds is in the fridge or the freezer in a sealed container so they last longer and you can avoid the ill effects of them going off.
Living Lou’s Mediterranean Bean Salad brings both the crunch and the protein to this quick plant based meal. For the vegan salad eaters, there are some great plant based, vegan feta’s on the market these days. Not an olive fan or they’re out of your budget right now, sundried tomatoes can give it that extra kick too, or skip the more expensive produce in this recipe altogether and add chives or seeds, or even your stale, toasted bread crumbs.
This Cucumber Mint Cooler Mocktail shared by Recipes by Natalie is the perfect way to use your Northstar Organics cucumbers on one of these hot days when you need a light refreshing pick me up. It’s a lovely and sophisticated nonalcoholic beverage to serve at gatherings to keep your guests hydrated. Mint is up in most gardens by now and ready for a little pruning, perfect for this recipe. If you don’t have any growing yourself, it’s a good time to get to know your neighbours that have too much. Often gardeners can’t give enough away if it’s gotten away on them. Maybe post in your neighbourhood freebie group. The recipe makes approximately 4 servings. Click on the photo to go directly to the recipe.
Carnalized Onion & Mushroom Stuffed Sweet Potato/Yam’s by Tiny Nordic Kitchen is a delicious brunch addition to your menu. No sense having your mushrooms on the side, include them on top as the star garnish.
Optionally topped with Greek yogurt and served with fried halloumi you get that sweet caramelized flavour from the onions, the earthy taste from the mushrooms and salty flavour from the cheese – a brilliant combination!
Get Growing
View all workshops and register through the link in our bio 
https://compost.bc.ca/get-involved/public-workshops/
Sunday, May 25th
10AM – 12PM
Welland Community Orchard, 1215 Stancil Lane
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/…/welland-community-orchard…
Plant in the photo is Fringecup, Tellima grandiflora, one of our beautiful native plants currently in bloom at the Welland Community Orchard!
In-person sessions at Satinflower Nurseries Metchosin
July 9–20, 2025 | 9 hours total
Includes native grass seeds + samples to grow at home!
It’s gardening, hiking, BBQing season – we’re outside more and that means more opportunities for ticks (though in reality ticks are all season creatures). Be in the know.
Daily tick checks mean you’ll catch ticks early—but removing them safely is critical. There’s a lot of misinformation out there. Here’s what you need to know:
Don’t:– Don’t squeeze or twist the tick
– Don’t smother it with essential oils, Vaseline, alcohol, or soap
– Don’t burn it with a match or cigarette
These actions can cause the tick to regurgitate infectious material into your bloodstream.
Do This Instead:– Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible
– Pull upward slowly and steadily—no twisting
– If the head stays in the skin, try gently removing it, but don’t dig. If embedded, a doctor may need to assist
– Clean the bite area and your hands with soap and water or rubbing alcohol
Save the Tick:Place it in a plastic bag and label it with the date and location of the bite. You can send it to a lab for tick testing to check for pathogens like Lyme, Bartonella, Babesia, and more.
Dispose of the tick by:– Placing it in alcohol
– Sealing it in tape
– Flushing it
Never crush a tick with your fingers.
Learn more and find testing links here:https://aspire.care/…/tick-checks-removal-and-prevention
Knowledge is power—and safe removal is key to preventing infection. Stay tick-aware.
Connecting in Community
Sign up today and be part of something unforgettable — sign up here: https://fernwoodnrg.ca/events-directory/fernfest/volunteer/
Where: 1240 Gladstone Ave. When: Thursday, May 29th @ 5:30 PM
Why: To build connection, brainstorm welcoming ideas, and spark community-led initiatives!
by Monika Grabkowska shows several bowls and mugs of a hearty soup full of colourful veggies.
VictoriaReady will be on-site to help you learn how to:
Can’t make it?