It's Showtime!

Planting is going on almost daily and I'm pleased to say that a number of things are beginning to poke their heads above the soil line.


I'm new to this so providing an accurate estimate of expected harvests is still difficult, but I'll go out on a limb and say that my first market day will probably be June 16th or 20th.


Check this blog a little closer to the dates indicated and I'll be far more certain.  In the meantime, the rhubarb is almost doubling in size every day so I anticipate a good quantity for the 16th, along with some salad greens.


I'll take the camera down with me today and snap a few pictures.  It still looks like a dinosaur's graveyard, but one with hints of green here and there, a promise of things to come.  Stay tuned.

No More Tables, No More Windows

The plants under the tables are regularly rotated with the ones on top.

I'd hoped to get some more seeds planted in the field this week but it may be wiser to wait until the rain lets up.   However, there's plenty of action here in the house.

I was told to expect less than 75% germination so I over-planted to compensate.  

 It would be lovely to start a few more things inside but there's no place to put any more seeding trays.  Perhaps this summer people who drop by can suggest ways for me to create a makeshift greenhouse for next year.  Of course, with Cape George being the windiest spot in Nova Scotia, this too might be a challenge.

They may not look impressive, but these sturdy little broccoli plants are thriving despite the less-than-optimal light.

 One of my neighbours suggested that I read 'Carrots Love Tomatoes' by Louise Riotte.  I found so many of her companion planting suggestions intriguing that I decided to include specific flowers in the agricultural area because of their effects on insect predators.  

Primarily supportive flowers, seeded to help deflect insect and nematode activity in the field.

 This used to be the guest room; it's now a plant nursery (just like the rest of the house).  I thought that including the (well-scrubbed) dog wading pool as a drip pan was a touch of genius.

This used to be a night stand.

 Yes, there is room for a few more pots in the pool.  Unfortunately, I seem to have run out of pots and am now cutting up waxed cartons because many of the seedlings have outgrown their original pellets.  Sigh . . . 

This is the bed in the spare room.

I had more sweet potato slips last year so there's a good chance that this year's crop will be used as a seed crop.  However, if I do have a decent year I'll sell any extra that I produce.  This variety is Georgia Jet.

Even the formerly non-compliant sweet potatoes are springing to life.

Herbs - formerly my sewing table.

More herbs, just breaking through.

 Remember to keep an eye on this blog so you'll know when Rose Cottage Garden opens for the season.  

'nuf said

Food For Thought

Take a moment to watch this short video.  Although it was produced by Hellmans, I believe the message speaks to (and about) all Canadians concerned about our food security.


Oh, and for the record?  Planting has begun so I expect Rose Cottage Garden to have its opening day in early to mid June.  Stay tuned.

Good Advice

I ran into a number of neighbours at the Lakevale Mini-Trail Goods and Services auction today who asked how I plan to run my market garden.   Here's the plan.

Picture taken in August, 2011

This is the front of my place.  I will have a number of tables set up near the fence, and on these tables I'll have the day's produce on display.  Everything will be marked: type of product (i.e. Danvers half-long carrots, globe beets, etc.) and price per pound/kilogram/bunch/head/unit. 

In most grocery stores, certain items are sold by the bunch and others by weight, and I will be following the same system.  I'll have the scale set up on a table as well as clear plastic bags for  purchases.

People with computers will be able to check this blog every Monday or Tuesday to see what's ready.  I'll make those entries short and to the point.  For example:

(NOTE: these are sample prices, not actual prices)

Easter egg radishes - $ 2.00 a bunch

Albino radishes       - $ 1.50 a bunch

Purple kohlrabi       - $   .75 each

Snow peas               - $ 2.50 per pound

People without computers can telephone me to ask what I will have available that week.  My number is on the brochure and I'm also listed in the telephone book.

People who have specific questions can e-mail me at
RoseCottageGarden@gmail.com
and I promise to respond before the end of each day.  

But the question most often asked today was when I expect to be in full operation, and to be completely honest, I can't say for certain.  My rhubarb is doing well but is nowhere near ready to cut, and the garlic scapes will be at least another six weeks.  I guess the only thing that people can do is to keep checking this blog (have you bookmarked it for convenience?) or put my telephone number in a safe place.

Oh, and yes, I agree, the original font was too small for people to read with ease so I've enlarged the size.

Stay well, and drop on by whenever you're in the neighbourhood.

Progress Report

So far, so good.  The seedlings, begun in late March and planted according to schedule, have sprouted and are growing nicely.  The field is perhaps 40% complete, not bad for a one-woman operation.  And it's still only April 26th.  We've had two-plus days of steady rain so the soil is too wet to work today but there are plenty of other jobs to do, so I'll just post a few pictures of this summer's potential bounty in embryonic form.  And continue to dream . . . 


I hope that you've had a chance to look over my brochure.  They went into mailboxes yesterday and I'll print some more today when I go into town.  I hope to see some of you at the Lakevale Minitrail Goods and Services Auction on Sunday - I've donated two gift certificates to the cause.


Stay well, and keep checking back.  My rhubarb is out of the ground now and growing rapidly.  I expect that and asparagus to be my first offering of the season, and you'll hear it first right here.  Stay well.

Broccoli, peppers and cantaloupe

Tomatoes in the background (doing well); sweet potatoes - they aren't producing slips the way I'd hoped, but it's early days yet.

Under the warming lights

Sorted, dated and ready to plant in the ground

Leaps and Bounds

After a long and wet day in the field I was able to see what things will look like in a few weeks, and the vision was rewarding.  Of course, by the time I slogged up to the house to get my camera to record the progress of my work the fog rolled in and I couldn't see a thing.


Oh well, no matter.  Yesterday I moved earth and created mounds which will be the raised beds I have always wanted, and at the end of the day I came up to the house and finally created my brochure, the one that I will have printed in town this evening and will distribute through my coverage area in the days to come.  Busy busy busy, but wait!  There's more!


This Sunday the Mini-Trail Community Centre in Lakevale is holding its annual fund-raising auction and I will be donating TWO certificates for free fresh vegetables ($20.00 value each).  I'm thrilled to finally be able to donate something to this exceptionally important community building and I'm hopeful that the entire day will be a great success.


So, I hope to see some of my neighbours and friends at the auction, and, more important, I hope and pray for a good growing season this year.  


Incidentally, I did want to post my brochure here on my blog, but I haven't yet figured out how to adjust the size of the pictures (if, in actual fact, adjustment is even possible).  However, I'll put in the thumbnail screenshots anyway, just so you'll know I do have a brochure.

This Is It!

I've posted nothing over the past few weeks because there was nothing to post, and now that there are things to say I have no time to say them.  Is this true of all farmers in early spring or is it just me?  But let me quickly run through what's going on.

1.  The seeds that must be started indoors have all sprouted and now cover every flat surface in the house.
2.  The entire vegetable garden has been tilled, and tomorrow I'll begin making the raised beds.
3.  The brochure and letter which will go into every mailbox between Lakevale and Livingstone Cove are
     ready to be printed and distributed.  In other words . . .

                                                                   THIS IS IT!


Starting the week of May 1st, everyone who might be interested in buying vegetables at Rose Cottage Garden in Cape George (5884 Highway 337) will be able to check out this blog to see what is available.


I'll post pictures of my produce, along with the price of each product.  I'll also provide some helpful preparation tips for some of the lesser-known vegetables.


I'll tell my readers about what has already been planted, and let everyone know if there have been any unexpected problems that might delay a particular crop.  (This, of course, means deer.)


I've dreamed about this for years: my own market garden on my own property.  People stopping by to say hello, not necessarily to buy but perhaps just to check things out, maybe talk about the weather.  Or maybe just to meet me.


I am your farmer, and the season has just begun.   See you soon!