2010 Container Garden

This year we are repeating our container garden efforts. This time we have lettuce, kale, chard, spinach, basil, and one stray cabbage plant. The cabbage plant came with the one of the chard seedlings. I am reusing the containers from last year, but with new soil. The tomatoes haven't been planted yet. We were gone over Memorial Day weekend and I didn't trust that there wouldn't be a frost. So this summer I will probably have the latest tomatoes of anyone I know. Oh well, such is life. By the way, no peas this year. For the handful we harvested last year, it wasn't worth the effort. Maybe next year.

Wyandotte to Get Farmers Market

Read an article in the News Herald that the city of Wyandotte has approved a farmer's market for this summer. On Thursdays, from June 17 through September 16 (excluding July 8, Thursday during the Street Fair) there will be a farmer's market on the site of the old Wyandotte Theater, corner of First and Elm.

Superweed outbreak triggers arms race

This article from today's Wall Street Journal raises some interesting thoughts. Think about the implications and consequences. - Mike

The Wall Street Journal, By Scott Kilman (June 4, 2010)
Hardy superweeds immune to the Farm Belt's most effective weedkiller are invading fields, prompting a counterattack from agribusiness that could leave farmers using greater amounts of harsh old-line herbicides. The flagging weedkiller is Roundup. Its developer, Monsanto Co., also sells seeds for corn, soybean and cotton plants unaffected by the chemical, enabling farmers to spray it on freely without fear of harming their crops. Farmers now do so en masse, using "Roundup Ready" crop varieties for 90% of the soybeans and 80% of the corn grown across the U.S. The rise of Roundup, more than a decade ago, sent older herbicides that damage both weeds and crops into deep eclipse. But now, as nasty invaders with names like pigweed, horseweed and Johnsongrass develop immunity to the mighty Roundup, chemical companies are dusting off the potent herbicides of old for an attack on the new superweeds. (The complete article is available on page A1 of today’s edition of The Wall Street Journal)

Carlton Corn at Kurtzhal's

Stopped at Kurtzhal's yesterday (July 6) and they had the first corn from the Carlton farm. It was tasty but small. 3 ears for a dollar. --Jan

Hey, folks, sorry I've fallen down on the job. I wanted to draw your attention to something in this morning's paper. The Detroit Free Press has an article about all the local farmer's markets (although it disappointingly doesn't include Monroe). Check it out at http://www.freep.com/article/20090604/FEATURES02/906040354/1025/FEATURES/Farm+fresh+fun+at+farmers+markets

The article includes a link to a .pdf map of the metro area showing the local markets. This link includes descriptions of all the markets listed on the map: http://www.freep.com/article/20090604/FEATURES02/906040353/Metro+Detroit+farmers+markets


Does anybody know about the one in Lincoln Park? According to the Freep, it's Sundays from 11 to 4, and the goods sold include not only produce and flowers, but products from both Avalon bakery in Detroit and Wyandotte's Vinewood bakery (which I believe is owned by a Grosse Ile family). I plan to check it out Sunday if I can, and I'll post what I find out.

I see tendrils....

The peas are growing nicely.  There are even some short tendrils.  I guess that means I have to start seriously thinking about stakes or some other climbing support for these beautiful little plants.  If you look closely, just to the right of the left-hand row of plants is a row of smaller pea plants.  These are from the second sowing - the one I did when I thought the first crop had failed.  Who knows how many peas we will or won't harvest this year?  It is fun watching.

I'm seeing green....

Yes, there are tiny green shoots poking out of the dirt in our self-contained planting unit.  The picture says it all.  I first saw the shoots on Monday evening, April 6th - 16 days after we planted them.  The picture says it all!  Tiny green shoots all lined up in a row. 

The past two weeks seemed to take forever to pass.  In reality, I thought a month had gone by since we planted peas.  Oh joy!  Oh delight!  We may even have peas this summer!  What encouragement as we move much too slowly into spring.