Seeds were ordered last week, and the bulk of the seed order is coming from FEDCO seeds out of Waterville, ME. They offer a huge variety of certified organic and sustainable seed. I like the candid information in the extremely detailed black and white paper catalog.
The remaining order will come from High Mowing Seeds and Seed Savers Exchange.
We reduced our potato order to 150 pounds and will revisit some french fingerlings (which I hope have improved in the past few years) Adirondack Blue, rose gold and Yukon gold which are my favorite. Not only are the Yukon's reliable for nice babies and large bakers early on, but they are so buttery and delicious. There is nothing like new potatoes, so earthy and fresh.
We are trying something new on the farm this year, sweet potatoes. On a fall visit to a friends farm in southern Illinois, I helped them plant a little garlic and pulled a few lost orange tubers out of the ground. I have been hesitant to grow them mostly because you order the "slips" or little semi-bare rooted plants (or vine cuttings barely rooted in a tray) and it all seems like a risky hassle. I like to start everything myself, even the onions I start exceed the sets I was buying in size and quality. I went ahead and ordered 100 sweet potato plants, I hope that is plenty for our members and my family, and hope for some seed stock roots for the following year.
It is going to be a good year. Right now we are looking at doing a farm pick-up early in the week, then the Charleston Farmers Market and a pick-up there, then depending on how many need to pick-up in Mattoon, a pick-up there possibly Thursday evening. I am craving spring veggies, thinking about sugar snap peas is a good motivator! Hope to see everyone soon!
One month old onions from last year, time to start again!
