Seeding and cooking

Starting seeds in the presence of others is a great way to start the day.  I keep a compost bin full of worms and food scraps the whole year.  I later sift the mixture to get the rich soil full of worm castings. I use seeds from HIGH MOWING ORGANIC SEEDS in Hardwick, VT.  I am not trying anything different from other years. I learned that onions and leeks are very hard to grow by a windowsill. It is better to get onion sets later in the season at the nearby Coop. They also need loose soil and lots of water to grow.  Also, I remember growing peas in containers during my first year as a gardener. Big mistake. Peas are not meant to be transplanted or manhandled. Tomatoes and Peppers are the other heavy feeders and needy plants that I don't start from seed anymore. I get them from Jinny Cleland, at Four Springs Farm. She gets her potting mix from Vermont Compost, then she takes samples for nutrient analysis and then amends the soil as necessary. Therefore, her plants grow in a perfect medium and in a greenhouse. I love working inside a green house. It is warm, the soil smells great and the plants bring you a kind of bliss that in terms of spring, is irreplaceable. 

Redwing blackbirds, golden finches, geese and phoebes are making their appearance around our home.  The other day, while taking Fugee for a walk, we found a beaver dam nearby.  We saw a lot of fallen small trees, chewed hemlock bark of older trees and chewed "snack" twigs.  The dam is broken but the beaver lodge is still there. I hope the beavers will soon come out (if they still live there), fix their home and don't mind getting photographed. 

 

 The other side of coin, after seeding, planting and harvesting is the cooking. Teaching children how 

to cook and have fun by competing with a recipe of their own is great.  I sponsored three teams to compete this year in the Junior Iron Chef venue in Essex Junction, VT. One team won with a root veggie wrap. 

WE love you Fugee!