Baby it’s cold outside! The low 20’s finally took the last of the tomatoes, so we no longer are a Christmassy red and green in the garden shed. But are we ever green, with spinach, lettuce, bok choi and arugula. The cole crops (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and kale) got a late start. Jesse is hoping they will be ready later in January. After eating some broccoli from the food store last night I hope so too! It ‘s good to get these little reminders, both of how important timing is in the garden and of how good fresh food tastes.
This was Jesse’s first year of manning the garden ship and he hit some rather rough waters in the way of blight and damaged soil. He probably thinks it was a baptism by fire, as he didn’t notice that his dad was so intent on putting him in charge until somewhere around last March. But as his eventual intent is to produce all of his own food (aside from wheat for flour), that means he will get this all together and have food for you year round as well. If the amount of spinach being produced is any indication, I think we will all be eating well in years to come.
Garlic will be disappearing soon, so you may want to stock up a bit. You can now store it in your frige in a container of some sort (ie plastic bag or whatever alternative you can think of). From here on out it will dry to something quite rubbery and pathetic by summer when left on the counter. I’ve started experimenting with dehydration, and that works quite well. I used the grating part of my food processor, possibly just the regular blade would do, and then spread the garlic on the dehydrator trays. It took the same amount of time as chopped onions and bell peppers.
The latest on our winter schedule is that we will be closed on Dec. 23, 26, and 30, and then open again on Jan. 2nd, 9am til noon, and continue on Saturdays only until we have more food, maybe sometime around the end of February. Jesse has a hard time disappointing people, and if you will come in for just lettuce and spinach and whatever else we find, as many have, then he will make the time once a week to accomodate. So, good job all of you who expressed dismay that we might close for a spell!
Life on the Urban Farm 