From April Fools to May Baskets
Wind. Someone has hinted that we—by that I mean our entire state—may be blowing into Minnesota, or even beyond into Canada. And I don't remember if my passport is current...
We would like to pretend that spring is here at last, but I've seen this play before. You let your guard down and boom, you get hit with a snowstorm—at least— if not eight inches of snow and a blizzard.
Old Fuzzy (from Fuzzy Farmers) has been busy starting outside garden things. We've both been busy purchasing things for future harvesting. For instance, Old Fuzzy ordered onions plants for us and any of our kids who want them. Some friends (also neighbors) have a wonderful garden and they raise most of what they need for themselves. A few years back he shared some of his potato starts, and we've been fans of "Kenny's potatoes" ever since. In the same manner he had some extra onions two years back and brought them to church on a Sunday to share. Beautiful onions, and long story short we got the name of his supplier. Now we have beautiful onions as well.
I have most of our plants started, for Old Fuzzy and I, and also for any of the kiddos, we divvy them up amongst us. I'm still starting some things. I need to start some flowers and herbs, but I want to spray paint the outside of my flower pots. I ordered some special pots that come with herb disks that are in a biodegradable mesh. I get them from Johnny's Select Seeds of Main (www.johnnyseeds.com/) one of my favorite seed companies. I'll try to slip in a picture of the pots in a separate post tomorrow. Johnny's isn't the cheapest company, but they have quality items, they've always been friendly, and fast service. Two years ago I was cutting my time close, needing to get my plants started, so I called my order in Monday morning. I received my order the next day. That's what I call service.
I have ordered something most years from Gurney's Seed and Nursery Co. for the last forty-five years at least. Gurney's has had it's change in hands and it isn't the same company, or owned by the same people, but I still try to order from them at least something. I suppose it's 'auld lang syne' or whatnot.
Several years ago I ordered a variety of Gurney's strawberries, and amongst them were ten or so of their 'Whopper' strawberries. Personally in the grocery store the big berries don't impress me with their flavor, so I didn't expect much from these huge berries either, but... Wow, were they good. And I've been pursuing them ever since. I ordered a hundred plants about eight years ago, but was unable to keep them cleaned up. I tried year after year, to no avail. Although I gave some plants away, I never had enough for preserving. Between the chickens, bugs, birds and the eternal weeds. Last year I ordered another batch, between fifty to one hundred, but gave them away planning on keeping ten or so for myself. Not a one grew, but I mailed Gurney's and they refunded me our money.
So this year I ordered ten (10) plants for myself. We'll see, they aren't here yet. (Yes, I'm laughing.) I also ordered a couple of fruit trees, and some berries. Gurney's had a 'buy $50 get half off sale', so I reinvested my original refund.
Eight years ago we planted a Contender Peach tree (yes, from Gurney's). It didn't take long before we began getting a few peaches.
My youngest son brought in the first peach off the tree. "Mom," he said, "try this." I thought it couldn't possibly be ready. Another 'wow'. Homegrown fruits and produce are rarely a disappointment. Yes, varieties do have differences, and I have found some that aren't my favorite, but often the flavor of fresh homegrown is superior.
