Good morning!
As I stretch for new items for the weekly menu, we are transplanting into the high tunnels at a pretty good pace, and a few of the new Spring Produce Parade is getting close beginning this week!
The warming days begin to entice us towards more outdoor gardening, and certainly some cool weather crops are doable like early potatoes, onions, peas, spinach and certain lettuces. A peak at the 10 day forecast looks like some very below freezing overnights next week, so I'll hold off for awhile. We do have the know how to force the issue and I have Baby Spinach that needs to go in soon, but we have a sizeable investment there, so I'll go back to the nursery and prepare for friendlier conditions.
Our organic and untreated seed supply is very expensive, and the certified organic potting soil is even more so. I want to reuse previous year's seeds like everyone else, and a failed germination flat is the most expensive event of all. We'll plant 20 suspect seeds (say red onions) in a 3 1/2 inch pot with the pertinent information tag and observe. I usually don't pursue anything less than an 80% germination rate. The results will save a lot of time and money, and will suggest how many seeds per cell are needed to produce a successful crop! Disposing of non productive seeds is much less expensive than forcing an issue that isn't going to happen.
This week I am at the Family Fare parking lot in Eaton Rapids on Wednesday at 12:00 noon and the Allen Street Farmers Market after that, 3:00-6:00. Thursday afternoon is farm pick up, and Saturday morning I'll be in the parking lot behind Flour Child Bakery in Grand Ledge 11:00-12:00 noon. My Apple supply is exhausted for the season, and unfilled orders from last week will be replaced with Strawberries in June!
