First Harvest Day

Welcome back!  The garden is coming around nicely, even thought the weather has been going back and forth like a seesaw!  The only disappointment so far has been the first planting of broccoli.  It just did not produce like it should have and I think it is because the weather was so hot early this spring and then it became cold.  It didn’t know quite what to do, so it just bolted before it started to form heads.  New transplants went into the ground on Monday, so we will have a later harvest.  The cabbage and cauliflower are starting to head up the snap peas are sending up their tendrils in order to climb the wire fencing.

 

We have been spending the majority of our time WEEDING!  Hopefully our diligence at keeping them at bay early this season will result in not having too many of them this fall and again next spring.  I am not stupid though! They will still come back, but hopefully not as bad.  Of course the grasshoppers are a real issue this year because we didn’t have our usual cold freezing temperatures this past winter.  I have had to keep the kale, chard, cauliflower and even some of the herbs covered up under Agribon.  There will be a few holes, however.  This is just part of gardening without using pesticides.

At Kate’s Garden all of our vegetables are started from seed in the greenhouse and transplanted out into the garden at the appropriate time, or are direct seeded.  The majority of seed purchased is organic, heirloom and open pollinated.  Hybrid seeds are usually purchased because heirloom varieties are not always available.  Under no circumstances will GMO seeds be planted.  So, what does all of that mean to you?  I thought I would spend a little time and explain the differences between the seeds.

Heirlooms are open pollinated varieties that either pre-date or are unaltered by modern breeding work.  Many heirloom varieties are currently enjoying revivals as the public gains appreciation for their unique appearance, superior flavor, and importance in maintaining genetic diversity.

My grandfather, who was an incredible gardener, went back to his homeland in Italy just to bring back native seed.  My mouth waters when I think about the fava & Romano beans, huge tomatoes and beets that were served at our table.  Wonderful memories centered on the garden!

If properly isolated from other varieties in the same plant species, Open-Pollinated varieties will produce seed that is genetically “true to type”, meaning that the seed will result in a plant like the parent.  Open-pollinated varieties are important because they allow farmers and gardeners to produce their own seed supply, and to adapt specific variety strains to their region by selecting the best plants from which to save seed each year.

I don’t think I have to tell you how important it is that we have the ability to save seed.  Our food supply is at risk with more and more hybridizing and GMO seeds being planted.

Hybrids result from the deliberate crossing of two distinct parent varieties from the same species.  Plant breeders began producing hybrids as a way to combining the best traits of separate varieties into one.  Hybrid varieties often offer greater disease resistance, vigor and uniformity than open pollinated varieties.  If you plant seed saved from an F1 hybrid variety, you will not get the same result as the partner plant.

GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) refers to varieties that contain a genetic trait not normally occurring in the plant’s DNA.  Genes from one species are artificially implanted into the DNA of another species, the seeds of which contain combined genetics that would not exist in nature.  However, once artificially created, certain GMO crops have demonstrated the ability to pass along their modified genes to other plants within the species.  This inability to ultimately control the dispersal of genetically modified traits is just one of the concerns that exists about GMO seed.

There will ample amount of greens this week for you to enjoy in stir fries, salads, wraps and omelets.  Rhubarb, radishes, baby beets with their tops, scallions, beautiful Red Sails lettuce, Siberian kale, Hon Tsai Tai (Asian Greens), and an assortment of fresh herbs will round out your share.  I have included some recipes for the Rhubarb and Hon Tsai Tai for you to try!  Let me know how you like them.

***I have been working on making available to you other food products from local growers.  I am happy to tell you that I have made arrangements for grass fed Charter Beef to be delivered here for you to pick up on your share day.  To place an order you can message Merry Ann Peters on facebook, or call Merry Ann @ 406.860.7879. 1# chubs of ground beef are $4.50/lb and always available and 20 & 40 pound mixed boxes are available on a limited basis. Place your order with Merry Anne Peters.     

Miller eggs can be picked up anytime right down the street on Main, at Prairie Blossoms Quilt Shop.  $3 per dozen.  You don’t have to order ahead of time, as they always have them.  Ed Miller and his wife, Linda, live in Shepherd, and are hard working, wonderful people.  The store is open until 7 PM, so it should be easy for you to drop by for your eggs on your share day. 

And…if there is enough interest, Raw Milk is available. We have to guarantee that at least 1 gallon per week per client will be picked up.  Pick up will be at Prairie Blossoms, too!  The milk comes from grass fed Holstein dairy cows…no hormones.  There is no up front cost and the milk sells for $4 per gallon.  What a deal!  The owner of the farm has been challenged keeping the diary going as he

has no way to really advertise his product.  Of course, he can always have it picked up by Meadow Gold!  But that kind of defeats the purpose, doesn’t it.  I am sure you can understand how hard it is as a farmer to both farm and market too!  That is why we need to support our local growers!  He is about ready to quit, but he knows the importance of making available high quality raw milk.  The farm is between Red Lodge and the Wyoming border, so it is a drive for him to bring the milk in.  We have ten clients so far, but need another 10.  Call me or send an email as soon as possible to let me know one way or another if you are interested so we can support him and get this going. 

Okay!  So, Bodie and I are anxious to see you on Thursday for the first share day.  Bodie is my German shepherd (some of you already know him) and can be a little rambunkious when he first sees you, but once he settles down, is a real lover! Pick up is between 2 & 6 PM.  If you have any problems getting here please give me a call.  245-9182. I am usually out in the gardens, but check messages periodically during the day.  The big double gate will be open on the driveway side of the house.  Walk back to the shop/greenhouse where we will be waiting for you.  You can park anywhere out front.  If you have the time and interest, I would love to walk you around the gardens.  They would love to meet you!

Kate's first blog

I am so excited to welcome you to Kate's Garden's first blog!  I am not the most computer literate person on the block, so forgive me if  my attempts are less than perfect.  I have come to realize that being a perfectionist definitely has it's drawbacks.  Life is to be enjoyed, one minute at a time and gardens have always kept me centered and at peace.  Now, if only sitting in front of the computer could do the same thing!

This is the second season for my CSA and I have doubled my subscription shares.  I have hired two wonderful wise garden goddesses to help me, Barbara and Sandy, and we have been working our tails off getting everything seeded and transplanted.  Krysta Brayko, who is a member of the CSA has been coming by too as we need all the help we can get. It is so much fun being together in the garden.  It doesn't seem like as much work, when you are in the company of friends.  I welcome you to come by for a visit, or some work time.  It can be a very rewarding spending time with the "plant people".

My new greenhouse allowed me to start more seedlings earlier this year.  I jumped the gun a little to early with the tomatoes, however!  They were ready to go in the ground over a month ago.  I was so glad that I listened to the nature spirits when they told me to "hold off" transplanting them into the garden until after the first of June, as I had frost here on May 29th.

Because we had such a mild winter, I knew we were going to have challenges with more bugs and weeds.  I have already seen grasshoppers chewing on the brassicas, the coddling moths have been hovering ready to lay eggs, and the flea beetles are jumping around the greens and radishes.  So I have had to cover all of  those crops with agribon, which is a spun polyester fabric.  It makes it a little more work to fertilize, water and check the growth, as I have to uncover them and cover them back up again, but I would rather do that than have plants with holes and little worms.

We are still on track for the first harvest/pickup on June 21st.  This last cold spell slowed down the growing a little, but I am hoping there will be greens, scallions, radish, lettuce, herbs, kale, chard and rhubarb in your basket.  There may even be some cabbage and broccoli.  I will keep my fingers crossed.  Pick up time is from 2 to 6 PM.  If you are unable to pick up your produce, please give me a heads up, or find a friend or neighbor to pick it up for you. We are really trying to form a strong community here, so once you have the opportunity to meet your fellow members, it would be wonderful to maybe car pool or pick up each others baskets when needed. We can share each other's contact information if you let me know that it is okay with you to do so.  We begin harvesting in the wee hours of  the morning, so it is a really long day for us.  By 6 o'clock we are ready to put our feet up and relax.  I do not have extra refrigerator space to store your produce for an extended period of time.  

I have wooden crates and garden tubs that can be used for your shares for a refundable $10 deposit.  However, if you would prefer, you can bring your own box, cooler or shopping bags to carry your share home.  I would prefer to not use plastic for packaging, so if you have fruit and lettuce clam shells, or larger plastic tubs from your purchases at the grocery store, be sure and save them.  We can fill them here, and that way they won't go to the dump!

The recipe corner will provide food for thought and experimentation with crops from the current harvests.  I would love it if you would share your recipes, too. I am sure you have favorites, maybe even passed down from your family, that would be a welcome addition to our selection.


That's it for now!  I hope  you  enjoyed the update.  I welcome your suggestions and critique.  As a said, it is all about forming a strong community.  Let's start the process.

I will send you a link for next weeks blog as soon as it is posted.  


Have a great week!