Heirloom Club Member Annual Gifts

Incredibly, it's March which means the heirloom seeds purchased a couple of months ago are starting to arrive and will be ready for distribution to members shortly. These annual gifts are available to members who requested packets in the past. The only request is that anyone receiving these heirlooms contact us back to let us know how well the plants grew on, what you thought of each packet you plant, if you'd grow them again and if it was worth the effort (along with any interesting information about the quality, color and size of the plants).

Packets of seeds will be available for shipping the second week of March 2008. Members should forward a self addressed stamped envelope before March 21, 2008 to receive their selections. Include a minimum of .85 cents in US postage. Be sure to send an email letting us know the envelope is on its way so we can notify you when it's received and when we subsequently return it to you.

If there's something in particular you would like to make sure you do not receive because of taste preferences or growing conditions (such as melons because they don't necessarily grow well in colder climates if you live in a colder climate) please send a note with your stamped envelope. International members should contact us and we'll send you a Paypal invoice for $2 for the shipping of the packets.

If you haven't requested seeds in the past then feel free to use the form included on the site to try out a few of the selections available. This annual gift is only available to those who've made a request previously.

Please forward your envelopes prior to April 10, 2008. No annual gifts will be sent after that time.

Feel free to contact us with any questions. Do let us know how they grow!

Stylish Peas?

While I can't believe it's February already, I'm placing several orders for new items to try and came across a reference in a catalog for a 'stylish' pea. Now, come on people. Stylish peas? Delicious peas, yummy peas, even strong peas...but 'stylish'? Good grief, who writes this stuff? Not to take away credit from anyone but 'stylish' isn't really what most home gardeners' look for in a pea. If it wasn't so silly, I'd actually have a good laugh.

Now, this pea is certainly 'interesting' to say the least. It's named 'Blondie' and it's a pale green pea with pale yellow pods. It's quite intriguing. But, since I can't imagine someone growing these to wear with the best shoes, I'd have to defer the 'stylish' for something a bit more fitting like a pair of chic leather garden gloves...

What are people doing in their gardens at the moment? I really need to get into the garden. Am having terrible gardening withdrawls.

What are you doing in your garden?

Recently I realized how incredibly spoiled I am...I've spent less time in the garden than standing by the heater because it's been a tad too cold for me to pick up a shovel. There's no excuse because it really hasn't been 'that' cold to justify my doing absolutely nothing but nevertheless, that's exactly what I've done.

Amused by the cloudless sky, I decided to go out and garden today. I found myself lingering in the only area that had sun, which was the pavement (standing at a far, gazing at the 2 foot celery I intended to cut back, about 7 feet from the sun). Finally, I gave up and retreated back inside to the heater.

The goal was to:

1. Cut the for-ever growing celery (request some on the seed list - it's amazing stuff - haven't planted celery in years because some part of the garden is always reproducing the stuff and tossing seeds in different areas - so it's absolutely unnecessary to start seedlings).

2. Plant out the Earl Grey Larkspur, Penn State Ballhead Cabbage, Bok Choi and Red Deer Tongue Lettuce.

3. Check the plum tree cuttings.

4. Plant the daffodils and remaining tulips.

5. Transplant the avocado tree.

NONE of these projects ever happened. Just too cold and there was little to no motivation.

Shameful, I know.

So tell me, what are you doing in your garden this time of the year?

...I dream about the day I'm blessed with a larger area of land to grow all of my wild ideas...but I've no idea what I'd do with it if it meant contending with the cold (even though it's really only been an inconvenience for a couple of weeks).

Remember, I started the thread by saying...'I'm spoiled'...

Do share what you're doing. I'm hopeful it will give me some motivation to get off my duff.