the 2011 elmer farm growing season has officially begun. our first CSA member has signed up, the potting soil was delivered last week, our seed order is complete and this week we have been preparing the hoophouse beds for seeding mesclun.
i love this time of year when we are planning for the upcoming season and anticipating it's possibilities. i suppose this would be obvious. putting the seed order together is a highlight of the year for me. i am always ready to add something new to the elmer farm veggie line up. this year, we are going to bring back matt's wild cherry tomato and add the cylindra beet. both of these are heirlooms, seeds that have been saved for many years and handed down generation to generation in their original form. we grow many heirlooms. they often draw customers into our stand at farmers' market with their unique shapes and colors. for instance... rosa bianca eggplant is round with white and purple streaks and boothby blonde cucumbers are stumpy, oval and light yellow. heirlooms are rich in history, taste and beaty.
