I no longer post to this blog but
you can check out the new BA Farm Blog at:
http://realveggiesfarm.blogspot.com

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Another trip to our local garden center

I love buying seeds!
I can not stress that enough. I order a lot of our seeds online, through catalogs, but I still have to visit our local garden center Gales Garden Center, a least once a week, and I never walk out of there without buying some seeds. Today I had to stop at Gales because I had a short list of seeds that I had to get, actually a log list, that turned into a really long list. But anyhow, I bought some seeds that I am really excited about. Here is what I bought:
  • Kohlrabi: This will be my first time growing this, and selling it. I mostly bought it because it is something new for me (I have to try everything), and because it should mature early enough to be able to sell at Valley City in the spring. According to the package in can be used in stew, stir-fry, sauteed, or steamed and raw with dip or in salads. It is suppose to taste like a mild white turnip, and is a member of the cabbage family. I sounds really interesting, like it could have lots of potential. I can't wait to experiement with it.
  • Diakon Radish: These radishes are suppose to be different from normal radishes because of their mild flavor. They are white and can grow up to 18" long. I think that these radishes should be good for those who do not like the strong taste of regular radishes.
  • Lettuce (Romaine Hearts): These just looked interesting to me and should be something else for us to have available for our first market of this year. I can also use the baby leaves for our bagged lettuce mixes.
  • Leeks: I really should have bought these earlier and started them in the cold frame or hoop house, but I didn't because I did not like the fact that they take soooo long to mature. But the more I thought about it, and the more research I did I figured I can start them a lot earlier that I had thought and have them mature earlier that I had imagined. So of coarse I just had to buy them. I have read that they take to transplanting really well, so I will be able to start them earlier then expected.
  • Onions: This is another one that I should have started aready. I have been debating for I long time now weather or not to grow any onions this year or not. But I love onions so how can I not buy them. I am still not sure weather we will be growing enough to sell this year or not, but at least I will have them for myself :)
  • Okra: This is another one that I was not sure if I should grow or not. It has been tempting me for quite some time now, so I decieded to just go ahead and buy some seeds. I really don't know much of anything about okra. You just don't see it much around here. I wasn't sure if it was something that would sell well in our area. So I will probably only be planting a limited amount of okra just to give it a try.
  • Sunflowers: I bought two beautiful kinds of sunflowers that I am really excited to grow for cut flowers. I think they should look beautiful together. I can't wait to see them bloom.
  • Nasturtium: I bought these to add a little bit of color to my bagged lettuce mixes. The flowers are edible and have a spicy, peppery flavor.
  • I also bought some more flowers for cutting. I am so excited to be able to add cut flowers to the list of things that we will be selling for this year, and can hardly wait to see how the flowers that I have selected look together!
  • I just learned that some varieties of sweet peas can be grow for containers and hanging baskets! I can't believe that I did not know this before! I found a package of sweet pea seeds that are for hanging baskets and just had to get them. The only thing is there are progbably not enough of seeds for me to be able to sell any. I will just have to be for me :) But the good news is that I looked through one of the catalogs that I order from and they carry a few varrieties that can be used for baskets! So if they work out good for me this year I will hopefully have some to sell for next year!
Most of the seeds that I bought today were new things that I wanted to try this year but debated for awile weather or not to get them.
I should have just got them from the beginging, what was I thinking? I should know by now that I just can not resist buying new seeds.

And that is what happens when I make a trip to the garden center. I always come home with more seeds!

Tomorrow and this weekend I will be starting my first group of seeds for this year. I just can't wait to get started with this years growing season! Hopefully now that I will be starting seeds soon that will keep me busy enough to where I will stay away from the garden center for now, at least for a little while.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Plans for our first market on June 13th

Our first market this year will begin on Saturday, June 13th from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. And will be at Valley City Farmers Market located on Center Rd. in Valley City. It seems like so far away but market season is getting closer than you may think.

Here is a list of what we plan to have available to sell for our first market:

  • Red and White Scallions
  • Beets
  • Carrots
  • Broccoli Raab
  • Bok Choy
  • Dwarf Pak Choy (Bok Choy)
  • Bagged Salad Mixes
  • Head Lettuce
  • Individual Lettuces
  • Leeks
  • Collards
  • Peas
  • Radishes
  • Spinach
  • Swiss Chard
  • We should have some kind of bread available also, not sure what kind yet though, maybe carrot bread or mulberry bread and muffins.
  • We should have some plants available for sale also but will post what kinds when it is closer to market time.

This is just a list of what we are planning so far to have available for our first market day. We will post a new list just before our first market day.

Right now we are pretty much doing the same as you probably are, just looking out the window waiting for the snow to melt, wishing is was spring already. But, spring is coming soon, we know because starting next week we will begin starting some of our seeds inside. It seems like winter drags on and on until we start planting our seeds. That is when all the work begins and soon after that, before we know it we are tilling the gardens and planting everything. So for those of you that just can't wait for spring, it will be here soon.