Turning Hostile in to Habitat

Spring in Minnesota can be wild and unpredictable. You won't be able to do any serious tillage until middle to end of April. So what do you do if you want to get a jump on the growing season and get things planted as early as possible?

Plants That Do Well Together in Pots

There are a number of combinations of garden plants that do well together in pots. Here are 10 combinations:

1. Sunflower, squash and peas. Similar to the three sisters that were planted by the native Americas when the Europeans first settled in America.
2. Two peppers do well in pots. They also do well planted together in the garden.
3. Combinations of herbs, such as Basil, Rosemary and Thyme.
4. Edible flowers such as pansies work well with shorter herbs.

Summer Greens Are Amazing

For the freshest, just out of the garden flavor, visit our farmers market stand for some amazing greens. We are at the market right now getting set-up (I wrote and scheduled this post at 4:00 this morning.) I think the cooler weather over the last few weeks has contributed to the exceptional flavor. We have:

1. Baby spinach is back after taking a break for a few weeks.
2. Spring mix with gorgeous baby kale, 4 varieties of lettuce, baby beet greens and a touch of sweet ruby
3. Red Russian Kale micro greens, very small
4. Baby Kale
5. Arugula, Arugula, Arugula zesty and fresh
6. Sweet Ruby
7. Cress
8. Dandelion Greens

Don't miss the fresh basil and cilantro. 

We picked 20 pounds of beautiful basil yesterday evening. Stand half way between the onions and the basil for the Italian experience.

Cress

We grow some spicy cress in the beds with our spring mix greens. We will start harvesting this week. This is one of the fastest greens to grow at 15 days.

Cress has a peppery flavor and is used in salads and for soups and sandwiches.

We sell it separately so you can use it mixed with greens or separate.

It can also be used as a medicinal herb to prevent postnatal complications, indigestion and constipation.

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Heavenly Tasting Greens

It is show time in the garden for those heavenly tasting greens. Lettuce, spinach, kale, mizuna, tatsoi, cress and arugula are our favorite greens. They are especially flavorful compared to store purchased greens. We have been told this by our customers many many times and they often ask why this is. Some customers have even gone so far as to do a taste test.

There are several reasons for this amazing flavor.

First we work very hard at remineralizing our soils. We add kelp meal, low magnesium lime, and highly mineralized salts. These minerals replace those removed from the soils over the years of farming activity.

Second we use several inches of compost in each bed. The substrate for this compost is vegetable matter such as leaves and alfalfa hay that brings up minerals from deep in the soil. These minerals are maintained by the compost. Compost is not a fertilizer perse, but it does contain a nice amount of slow release nitrogen that is just right for light feeding greens. It is more of a soil amendment that feeds the microorganisms in the coil. A primary purpose for the compost is to provide a weed free shield for the greens to get ahead of any weeds that may be present. This makes for a low maintenance growing site.

Third we harvest the greens Friday night right before market. They are extremely fresh for the market and that gives them incredible shelf life. We have had many customers tell us that they have been able to enjoy their salads for two weeks after purchase.

The best way to get the maximum shelf life is to wash the greens you purchase and then spin or pat the greens free of moisture. Then put them in a zip lock bag with a paper towel to collect any residual moisture. It is the anaerobic conditions where drops of moisture collect that cause spoilage.