April

April 2, 2009

Hello to all

- Happy April!

No way the chilly weather is going to get us down. We feel confident the earth continues to revolve around the sun and the seeds will sprout.

So on that note, and since everyone really really really wants to know:

White and yellow onion sets are in. Yukon Gold certified seed potatoes are in. Soon to arrive are the certified organic Russets and Golds from Hugh's Gardens. Next will be the heirloom fingerlings, blues and golds form Seed Saver's Exchange. Click on the links page for info on planting these wonderful kitchen staples. They can be planted in 2 to 4 weeks, or when the ground can be worked. If it is too wet, it's too early.

Early next week: Pansies and a surprising selection of cold tolerant herbs.

Early to mid April: Cold tolerant veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, lettuces, kale, etc.

Tomatoes and peppers are warm weather crops! They become available in May.

We know you want fruit trees and we really did order a lot of them. That said, we really can't sell them until we lay our eyes on them. We will start to keep a list of what you desire at the store and call you when it comes in. A basic inventory: about 5 varieties of apple, including an edible crab, a plum, an apricot, a peach and several varieties of cherry. Look for all the oldies but goodies as well: strawberries, blueberries, grapes, etc.

We are also unwrapping the giant palettes of pottery and other products that are sitting on our lot and under one of those tarps is a really cool modular raised garden bed system. It is called Frame-It-All, it's made of a 60% recycled UV stabilized polyethylene and 40% wood fiber composite. It will not leach, it can be put together easily, and is very durable.

Thank you all so much for your participation in this year's seminars; we love hosting them. We have decided against a third veggie gardening class, logistics won't permit it - but stay tuned for our late summer/autumn lineup. But here is a link to a permaculture event that our veggie gardening instructor, Carrie Christensen is organizing:

Want to reinvigorate your design thinking to go beyond traditional problem-solving approaches? Learn about Permaculture—it's an old concept gaining new currency as we face increasing ecological, energy and economic challenges.
You are invited to the April 24th MASLA One-Day Education Session on Permaculture! Register Online at: www.masla.org.

And last, but definitely not least, two lovely sisters have adopted our store cat, Jolly. She is settling in beautifully. We miss her, but we are so grateful she is being so well cared for. Thank you, R and L.

See you soon...