Spring
Spring at Delfland: getting everything ready…
In spring, a big project awaits us every year, since our production is spread over such a short period of time (from April to November). We must be ready! Everybody knows that they have an important role to play within this short time because it is the weather that guides our actions.
The equipment that was built or adapted during winter needs to be adjusted and all machinery need to be prepared. The team gets the fields ready for seeding and planting, according to a pre-planned program.
Workers gradually come back and summer begins.
Summer
Summer, an active season at Delfland
In summer, lots of activities take place at Delfland. The entire team is in place: Québec and foreign workers, students, as well as many family members. Field preparation and seeding continue on a daily basis to ensure regular harvesting throughout the season. All operations overlap: irrigation, field monitoring, operations, scouting, food safety activities, etc. Harvesting usually starts around mid-June. The crops are carefully monitored to achieve optimal quality.
We have many field experiments and many researchers and partners who come to evaluate the results.
The annual food safety audit takes place.
Fall
In the fall, we are harvesting!
In fall, many vegetables are ready to be harvested. We take advantage of the sunny days to work longer hours in order to harvest all of our vegetables before the rainy and freezing days come along. Effective logistics is crucial to coordinate everything. It is also time for land maintenance works, such as leveling, drainage and sowing of cover crops that will protect the land during wintertime. When harvesting operations come to an end for the winter, the rhythm changes to a slower pace. The meeting season begins in December.
Winter
In winter, we are planning the next season
In winter, we take time to look at all research results and to take them into account. We have lots of ideas for the upcoming year.
Planning for the next season starts and supplies are ordered according to the chosen varieties, as well as the planned crop rotation. We also take a look at what we need to buy and repair in terms of equipment. Our needs in terms of human resources are planned, as well as food safety resources needed for the next season.
Research projects are planned according to the results obtained from the previous year, and progress reports, plan corrections and adjustments for projects that will be ongoing in the next season are made.
We are, as for the rest of the year, monitoring and managing our vegetable storage conditions. We are also storing equipment and repairing and maintaining our buildings.
In February and March, we are getting the greenhouses, accommodations, and equipment ready. Rested workers come back progressively and the seasonal cycle starts all over again.