and then POOF it's Spring

One day we're scraping and shoveling and racing from car to building and from building to car, warming up the car first - then a couple of days later, we're shedding a layer of clothing and our mitts get left behind as the day warms us.  Spring - bouncy, sproingy, can't make up it's mind Spring.  And we've just begun.  

The unheated greenhouses are now, in fact, heated by the sun, that wonderful star of ours which is holding on to every last hour of daylight with us and keeping the greenhouses at about +20C these days - that's with the doors open too!

The seeds I started indoors over the last month are growing well and some will be up-potted tomorrow.  More seeds will be planted this week and next week and more the next week and the next week . . . you get the picture.

I have several goals set right now:

a.  to keep the Sprouts growing for you - they are nice to keep us healthy in the meantime;

b.  to have potted Herbs and Salad Greens ready for our booth at the SNG Sustainability Fair - Sunday April 26;

c.  to have hundreds of Vegetable, Herb and Edible Flower plants available for our Annual Plant Sale - May 23 to May 31;

d.  to start each plant indoors to be ready for transplanting outdoors at the precisely correct date;

e.  to start and maintain plants in the greenhouse until the soil outdoors is ready, get them out of there in time to transplant the plants waiting indoors to be deposited into the greenhouse;   

f.  to get all the gardens started in time to ensure a good harvest;

g.  to keep all of you happy and well fed over the next nine or more months; and 

h.  all the other stuff that isn't coming to mind right now and there's a lot.  

Whew, that's a big plate to fill and a good portion of this "planning" is left to the weather.  

I now have all seeds I need for the upcoming season, that's a good start.  This will be my first year with the Market Garden full-time.  I'm looking forward to every minute of it:  being outside by 5 a.m., having hands and feet in the soil, watching the hummingbirds a few inches from my face slurping from the bean flowers while I'm weeding (the birds are slurping, I am not), noticing a small family of deer watching me from a hundred feet away (or maybe it's the beans they're watching), sleeping soundly at night after filling my lungs with fresh air all day and knowing that I can provide totally nutritious foods to my customers.  

With all of this said, if you'd like me to start a particular item for you, best to let me know now. I love helping people get their own gardens started each Spring.  If you have certain herbs you'd like to grow in a sunny window, order a mixed container for yourself or a gift for a gardener friend.   

I'm currently putting together the best system for us to ensure your orders are filled and delivered to the best of your schedule.  If you know someone who is looking for food delivery, please let them/me know soon so they can jump on the band wagon.   I'll soon send out a survey asking for your likes/dislikes and will have to set a cut-off date for new customers.  

Please note:  Ottawa deliveries will be made Wednesday so my emails will go to everyone Mondays beginning April or the soonest date when Salad Greens are ready to eat.  

I`ll report in next week.  Have a great every day from now until then.  

Jo