The February Thaw - very deceptive I must say

This past week has been somewhat difficult as I hurt my back earlier in the week whilst lifting heavy bags of wet seed starter mix and moving shelves and full trays around making room for growing.  Wednesday morning I knew I was in trouble when my lower back hurt, then a band across my middle back, then the shoulders, so I took it fairly easy that day.  Thursday morning there was no taking it easy, I was down for the count.  Tom came home early and did my chicken chores and lifted various items for me.  Friday was delivery day, I was moving real slow, got the orders ready and Tom delivered for me.  What the hardest thing is: to not move, to stay still - arghhhhh.  There is so much to do and everything I do entails lifting, moving, shifting, bending . . . you get the picture.  I visited our local chiropractor Monday morning and have been pretty good since then, more nervous about hurting my back again than actually in pain.  That’s a good thing, keeps me on the straight and narrow.

So, here are some photos of what’s growing on around here.  The earliest seeds were planted January 22, that’s a very short while ago.  Some seeds germinated in one day!  The leeks popped up January 27 and are about 3 inches tall as of today.  It’s so exciting watching the progress of all plants. 

                    

The little basil plants are doing great and will be ready for adoption soon.

The Salad Greens have their first leaves (called cotyledons) and will be ready to eat once the second leaves and those after that come out.    This should keep us happy enough until several weeks from now when the ground can be worked and outside planting begins.      

It was so mild yesterday, Thomas came out from the Nation’s Capital and watered everything in the Greenhouses for me.  The celery looks beautiful.  The other seedlings like cilantro, parsley, spinach and various lettuces out there are … um … resting, ya, that’s it, they’re resting, like not growing.  I imagine they, like the fox and skunks we saw around the chicken coop the other night, are confused as to what they’re actually meant to do right now.  I know I’m confused.  I did go out to the leeks in the garden the other day and gave the soil a kick to see if I could dig some up – no – not this week, the ground is pretty darn frozen out there, my toe will recover. 

“What seeds have I sown this week?” you ask.  Thanks so much for asking.  Let me tell you: six varieties of sweet peppers, cilantro, green onions, parsley, basil and thyme.  I’ll get back to it again tomorrow. 

Now for the good stuff – what’s for eatin’ this week:  - it’s only weeks until the list gets broader – C’MON SPRING!      

Herbs, fresh:  Rosemary, Sage, Thyme and Citrus Thyme, $2 bunch 

Tomatoes, quartered and frozen way back in the summer  $5 /bag  each bag is about 3 pounds, you can smell summer when you cut open the bag - ahhhhh, summer

Granola:  with cranberries, pistachios and almonds (or cashews in lieu of pistachios)  $10 500mL jar

                 with fruits  $8 500mL jar  I don’t have any made right now but will be happy to do so for you

  

Sprouts:  $3 bag

Ancient Eastern Blend (fenugreek, lentils, kamut & adzuki) 

Crunchy Bean Mix  (peas, lentils and garbanzos)

Sandwich Booster (clover, alfalfa, radish and mustard) 

Spicy Lentil Crunch  (lentils, red clover, alfalfa, radish & mustard)

Spring Salad Mix  (broccoli, radish, alfalfa & clover)

Tomato Sauces:  $6 500mL jar

Caesar (somewhat Celery-tastin, it’s good)

Crazy Green (made with ripe green zebra tomatoes, looks unusual, tastes great)

Crazy Green Hot

Hot (a few hot peppers tossed in)

Hot Plus

Just Nice  (the right amount of everything, just a pleasant tomato/pizza sauce)

Roasted Onion 

Warm (just a little bitty bit of hot pepper)

Vampire Buster (deliciously garlicky)

If you'd like to purchase any of the above items, I'd be happy to provide them if available after our regular customers have ordered.  Perhaps you might like to be added to our Weekly Delivery List.  I send my email out every Wednesday, collect orders Thursdays and deliver Fridays (or another day convenient to us and you if you're not too close to home).  See Contact information and email or call me.  Thanks.

And remember some of Day Brighteners Farm produce can be found at Heather's Healthy Harvest in Kemptville.  

Until next post, have a great every day.
Jo