Fresh From the Field: Home-Grown

Hello produce lovers! It sure does feel good to see signs of Spring.

Complete with old-school drawings!

Local salad mix is here, with radishes and spinach on the way. Before you know it the local veggie season will be in full swing. Mmmmm… fresh local produce. I aim to grow some veggies of my own, so it’s time I gave my garden some thought. Luckily the Co-op has plenty of locally composted soil from the good folks at Soilutions, as well as plenty of veggie, herb and flower seed from Botanical Interests.

Botanical Interests is a family-owned seed company from Broomfield, CO. Next to Botanical Interests, no one compares—it has a higher germination rate than any other I’ve come across. And they’ve got plenty of Certified Organic varieties to choose from. I heartily endorse the Brandywine Tomato and Straight Eight Cucumber… oh man, just writing about homegrown tomatoes sets my mouth to waterin’.

Mmmm, orange and green…

Right now the Co-op is runnin’ deals on Braeburn apples, Minneola tangerines, strawberries and green chard, all organic and all super-delicious. I had some of the strawberries today and was quite impressed—this looks like it could be a really good year for strawberries. And if you haven’t tried a Minneola lately, you’re in for a treat. They were a little on the tart side earlier in the season, but they’re spot on now, so eat lots and enjoy!

Peace, Phil

{Ed. note: Botanical Interests also offers a very well-reviewed iPhone/iTouch app for $5, replete with gardening tips tailored to each seed. Have a look at their site.}