The CSA is definitely going to happen…but I still haven’t worked out a planting/harvest schedule or pricing. It’s coming! I need to get at least one person signed up so I can get the tiller fixed.
The Jefferson Township Community Garden is allowing me to use about an acre of their land this year in exchange for my acting as a consultant to their other gardeners.
After Chuck Lynd of Simply Living and Michael Jones of Local Matters helpfully put us in touch with each other, generous homeowner Art Yoho and I have worked out a deal where he’ll let me use the back 3/4-acre of his property in exchange for running a community garden on his front acre. (See the previous post.) I’ll be donating a portion of my produce from Art’s land to Local Matters for distribution to food pantries.
This means I’ve got almost two acres that I’ll definitely have access to this year, so it’s time to start planning out the CSA.
I got more seeds yesterday. Here’s the list (this is in addition to what I listed previously):
Nasturtium
Tomatoes (heirloom) – Omar’s Lebanese, Dutchman, Djena Lee’s Golden Girl, Golden Sunburst, Aunt Ruby’s German Green, Black Russian, Roma
Tomatoes (hybrid) – Super Sweet 100 (cherry), Red Lightning, Fourth of July, Super Beefsteak, Golden Mama (paste), Tangerine Mama (paste), Razzle Dazzle, Italian Ice (cherry), Honey Bunch (currant), Big Boy
Peppers (sweet) – Horizon, Purple Beauty, Midnight Dreams, Sunbright, Emerald Green Lilac Bell, White Cloud, California Wonder
Peppers (hot) – Anaheim, Long Red Slim Cayenne, Serrano Chili, Jalapeño M, Hungarian Wax
Okra – North & South Hybrid, Clemson Spineless
Scallions – Red Blush, White Lisbon Bunching
Squash – Vegetable Spaghetti
Herbs – OreganoSweet Basil, Florence Fennel, Sweet Marjoram, Rosemary, Genovese Basil, Cilantro, Long Island Mammoth Dill, Chives, Munstead Lavender (aromatic, not edible)
Spinach – Baby Leaf Hybrid, Double Choice Hybrid
Beans – Burpee’s Stringless Green Pod
Ornamentals – Coleus (Rainbow Mix), Zinnia (Dwarf Pumila Sprite Mixed Colors, Giants of California), Bachelor Button (Polka Dot Mixed Colors), Marigold (Petite Yellow, Petite Orange, French Dwarf Double Mixed Colors), Cosmos (Single Sensation Mixed Colors)
Pumpkins – Jack Be Little, Baby Boo (Yes, miniature pumpkins are edible! Read here for serving suggestions.)
I’m also going to be growing various small grains. These are mostly for the chickens, but I should have plenty of amaranth greens (the leaves are used like spinach) available this summer.
I’ll grow potatoes and sweet potatoes, but I don’t have the seed yet.
Now for the bad news. Perennials, that is, all those plants that take more than a year to grow–rhubarb, asparagus, grapes, berries of all kinds–are unlikely (other than mulberries, of course). As I noted above, most of the land I’m using is borrowed. I can’t count on having it again next year, and at least in the case of the Jefferson Township garden, the terms of our agreement specifically say that I have to remove all vegetation by November.
I do have a small garden plot here at our house (the property where we raise the chickens). I’m thinking of dedicating that to some sort of perennial, but I’ll have to do some soil tests to determine what is most suitable. I don’t have space to do enough strawberries to be worthwhile. I expect I’ll probably end up doing raspberries, as one of my customers has offered me some black, red, and yellow raspberry canes.
