trail setters: brussel sprout trees have arrived at the co-op

Finally after about a month of searching, I've had locally grown brussel sprouts (on the stalk no less) brought into the co-op. I found them by asking around- "who has brussel spouts? who has brussel sprouts?", whenever I'd be ordering from a farmer or talking to my PR gal (who knows some farmers as well). I could have just taken the easy way out and ordered California-grown brussel sprouts, but I wanted to bring in something really special and local for the upcoming holidays. These brussel sprout trees come from Snowgoose Produce of Fir Island, Washington, up near Mt. Vernon and down the road from Frog's Song Farm. I had heard that they had them, so when I was working in the back one day and Erica came in to deliver their gorgeous rainbow colored eggs (white, blue, brown and green eggs), I immediately asked her about the brussel sprouts. Yup, they had them! And yesterday they came with 28 stalks for the co-op along with their egg delivery. I wish I had a better photo of them...lately I've been having to take all of my photos on my cellphone. Anyway, it was quite the procession when we were bringing the stalks to the back. We carried box after box of these science fiction-looking tentacles loaded in sprouts. I kept jokingly saying, "be still my beating heart", as I was setting them out...I was so excited! To make the evening even better, Frog's Song Farm came in shortly after with a full delivery of arugula and ruby streaks mizuna bunches, fat green cabbage heads, bright lights swiss chard, fennel bulbs and beet bunches....this was as I was setting out more bok choi bunches from Five Acre Farm. Aww! Bringing in local!

our homestead: Brussel sprouts and Banjo

I was so busy with the last of the growing season and other adventures and projects that I haven't had the time to post a blog in a quite while. Finally things are starting to settle out a little more for me as we head further into the chilly part of autumn (we had our first frost a few days ago...brrr). Some quick updates: I finished the 2011 farmers market season on October 2nd with a subaru full of produce to deliver to the co-op (literally...full..you should have seen me driving down the road), my husband and I hopped on a plane on October 4th and spent two weeks on the Garden Isle of Kauai in celebration of our 1 year wedding anniversary (mmm lots of fresh tropical produce at the farmers market there!), I returned the 18th and had a festive rest of the month including running around the Bob's Corn corn maze, pressing my own hot cider from the wild orchard across the road, baking pumpkin whoopie pies using my own homegrown pumpkins and hosting a Sleepy Hollow themed Halloween party. My husband and I even planted our second crop of garlic using our own garlic seed (e.g. the wedding garlic).

As far as other announcements, we just added a new member to our family. His name is Banjo and we've been calling him an "Arlington Shepherd" as he came from Arlington, WA. We believe he is has an assortment of dog breeds in him including rottweiler, corgi and labrador. It took us three days to name him. My husband wanted to name him Hendo, I wanted to name him Huckleberry...and we settled on Banjo. It fits him. He's a mischievous little fellow who likes to howl and take super-man jumps from the couch. Currently he's afraid of walking downstairs but can scamper up them in a jiffy. Our other dog, Oswald, has been having a blast since we brought home a new brother for him.

Anyway, as far as the state of my garden is concerned, I'm still enjoying kohlrabi, spinach, sunchokes and kale from out back...as well as tomatoes in the greenhouse! I'm sure the tomatoes won't last long with these frosty mornings we've started having. I harvested all of my pumpkins and have been baking all sorts of cookies and breads and I made a batch of pumpkin chili the other night for supper. Today, I went to investigate my brussel sprouts and it appears they are in full swing. I'll have to plant more next year to sell perhaps! I harvested enough for dinner tonight. I'll be making baked macaroni with brussel sprouts and broccoli from Five Acre Farm. Good comfort food for a chilly autumn evening.

our homestead: surveying growth in a cold spring

Well, the sun decided to show itself today (finally!). What a glorious day it turned out to be- bright blue sky, big puffy mountains of clouds and a gorgeous pink and orange sunset (which I watched down on the riverbank with my dog). We've been having such a frigid spring this year. Last night's temperatures were 39 degrees Fahrenheit by my house and it tried to snow in a few spots, so I was very grateful for some sunshine today.

I spent my time outdoors starting the preparations needed for transplanting my tomatoes into my hoop house. Mainly, I have to finish ripping up the sod along the floor of the hoop house, and then I'll bring in compost and supplement the soil. Then I'll be able to direct transplant my starts into the earth. Luckily my hoop house will protect my starts from the cold (though the chill does slow the growing process).

While out and about in my yard I stopped to weed my potato and pea patch. Hooray! My sugar snap peas (bottom photo) are starting to shoot out of the soil. Not surprising since peas do fairly well in cooler climates. I also checked up on my garlic (which I planted in October), and all three varieties are growing quite well. Next year my garlic patch will become my vegetable patch and my garlic will be replanted in my current vegetable patch (right near the asparagus). I plan to do wider rows for my next garlic planting as well. Anyway, seeing that things are continuing to grow (albeit slowly) makes me hopeful for the growing season. I am chomping at the bit to plant some carrots and onions though!

our homestead: welcoming spring with a potato (and pea) planting

Spring! Spring! Oh my darling, you've come back to me! In celebration of the growing season, I've spent the day digging around one of my garden patches, planting out potatoes and sugar snap peas. To prepare this year's potato patch, I was sure to clear out any pesky weeds and dig up any large stones, then I put down heaps of rich compost (potatoes love some fertile soil) and "green manure", also known as alfalfa grass, grown by a local farm. I selected three organic seed potato varieties: 1) french fingerlings (a buttery, gourmet finger-shaped tuber with a golden flesh and blush, papery skin), 2) all blue potatoes (it's safe to say that this one's my favorite- blue in hue, slightly sweet, and oh boy! it makes the best mashed potatoes with peas), and 3) classic red nordland roasters (bring on the rosemary!). I dug three long trenches about 3-4 inches deep, about 2 feet apart, and dropped a potato every 12 inches down each row before covering them up with a blanket of soil.

When their first starts emerge from the earth, I'll begin drawing up the soil around their stalks as they grow. This is known as "hilling"...essentially as your potato plant grows you build a mound around it on either side, ensuring its developing tubers aren't exposed to any sunlight as sunlight causes them to turn green. Eventually the potato plants will grow bushy (they almost look like determinate tomato plants), flower, and then they will start to turn brown. A midsummer dying potato plant marks the kickoff for potato harvesting (of course you can always dig around before this point...usually when the flowers appear...and steal a potato or two). To harvest, whole plants can be pulled up, attached tubers and all, and digging around the plant's surrounding hill will reveal even more new potatoes.

So why did I plant sugar snap peas by my potatoes? Other than the fact that a fresh sugar snap tastes like vegetable candy, peas, another cool-weather crop, are kindred spirits with developing potatoes. Peas, like all legumes, are "nitrogen fixing", meaning they'll grab a hold of nitrogen in the air and enrich their surrounding soil. Nitrogen is essential for healthy green development (leaves, stalks and shoots), and potatoes are heavy Nitrogen feeders. Want to strengthen your soil for some summer corn or tomatoes? Plant some good ol' peas now!