Farmer Friday

Eggs from the compost chickens

The compost chickens are doing well and give me a few eggs a day; lots of these are going into the incubator because they are all older girls and still laying.

cardboard and manure mulch

I planted out some rosemary, oregano and a Lady Banks rose by the chicken pens. They were mulched with cardboard and newspaper covered with manure.

helpers!

I've had some helpers lately and certainly appreciate them!

The Silkie babies got a new house

The plum trees are blooming

It has been way too warm here, with trees and flowers blooming as much as a month early.

eggs for the incubator

Time to hatch chicks! Lots of eggs going into the incubator, duck, Ameraucana, Buff Orpington, Black Copper Marans, olive eggers.

Superior Farmer's Market

Tomorrow I'll be back at the Superior Farmer's Market with baby mustard greens, kale, collards, Superior grown grapefruit and lots of fresh eggs!

A peak at the light set up at my house:

And soon I'll have lettuce for market!

Farmer Friday

left 4 eggs from the bantams and a olive egg from a compost chicken

After taking a couple weeks off for the holidays tomorrow we'll be back at the little market in Superior, Arizona. So today was mostly about getting things picked, washed and packed for that. The little bantam hens I was given have been laying about 4-5 eggs a day. They are small eggs and go in my 18 count cartons. Most of the compost chickens, being older hens have taken the winter off so I was surprised to find this pretty olive egg in their nest box this morning.

Rainbow carrots

I finished cleaning out a bed of rainbow carrots. I'll probably plant lettuce there as soon as it's ready to replant. Only one more bed of carrots are left.

Baby Mizuna Mustard

I picked a couple bunches of baby Mizuna Mustard. Its frilly cut leaves are really pretty with the red and green color.

cilantro

Cilantro, also known as Chinese parsley, is a multi-purpose plant. While the flavor is not to everyone's taste, once you get used to it, it's addictive. It's chock full of vitamins and minerals so it's good for you too. It grows very well in cool weather, but won't even sprout once the heat sets in. I like to grow patches of it all over the yard and let them bloom. In the spring they feed the ladybugs and butterflies. Then they make tons of seed. That seed is another herb known as coriander! I love to add a few to my pepper grinder for a different taste. The entire plant is edible, roots, leaves, stems, flowers and seeds.

Lancinato Kale

Lancinato Kale is also called Dinosaur Kale or Palm Tree Kale. It grows up a fat stem and since you pick the leaves starting from the bottom, you end up with something that does resemble a palm tree. 

DiCicco broccoli shoots

The DiCicco broccoli is still putting out little side shoots. These are so tender and yummy even raw. You have to be careful not to overcook them and make them mushy. As soon as they turn bright green they are done!

I also picked some Giant Red Mustard and some Georgia Collard greens, just forgot to take a picture! Besides the veggies I'll have some eggs and my daughter and grand daughter will bring their Peace &  Harmony brand all natural face scrubs and chap sticks.

Fall Might Be Here Finally

Rainbow Carrots

Fall was certainly in the air this morning as I loaded produce for the last farmer's market of the year. I'm always a bit sad at the end of market and wish we could have one year round, or at least into November. Perhaps someday, I know there are some plans in the works for new things for the market.

Rainbow beets

I've had a lot of fun growing the rainbow beets and carrots this year. However, from an efficiency stand point it might be better to order the colors and grow them separately. This is because some colors grow faster and are ready to harvest before the others.  If they were grown separately then I could clean out a complete section and replant sooner. For a home garden however, the mixtures are great.

extra large Gold Rush Zucchini

The big yellow Gold Rush Zucchini have been pretty popular at the market over the summer. Some of my customers also liked the green and yellow patty pans, but those plants did not do well once it got really hot. Neither did the green zucchini, whereas the Gold Rush really kept on going.

tomatoes

The cherry tomatoes are still going strong. Some of the large fruited tomatoes have a lot of green fruit on them yet. Hopefully they will have enough time to ripen up before our first freeze, sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving.

mini bell peppers

The rainbow mix of mini bell peppers have done really well considering they were only in 2 gallon pots and wilted frequently in the heat this year. Looking forward to seeing what they can do planted in the ground next year.






I am already working on plans for next year as January (when I start tomato seeds) will be here before you know it. I am really excited about the book I just got in from Amazon, The Market Gardener. It is providing some missing links for me, especially when it comes to planning and organizing the garden. I am really looking forward to implementing this new information in the coming year and seeing what a difference it will make,  not only in the garden, but in my bottom line.
(yes this is an affiliate link which means if you click on it and order something from Amazon in the next few days I will get a small commission for  your purchase)

Get Ready for Market

Rainbow Chard

Friday was harvest and get ready for farmer's market day. I picked a couple of bunches of swiss chard and harvested some buggy and wilty leaves for the chickens.

Benning's Green Tint pattypan

Some nice patty pan squash, both green and yellow.

Gold Rush Zucchini

Some Gold Rush yellow Zucchini along with some green ones.

trapped by the zucchini plants!

Rainbow Carrots

Rainbow Beets

I pulled some rainbow carrots and beets. They are as much fun to look at as they are to eat.

when you can't find the muffin tin

Last week was National Farmer's Market week and our market always chooses that Saturday as Customer Appreciation Day. We have a free cupcake bar where you can frost and decorate your own cupcake. So I made a batch to take. A friend told me next time to put the papers inside a canning jar ring.

mixed tomatoes

I had ladies lined up waiting to snag the nicest tomatoes in the box as soon as the bell rang!  (at our market we are only allowed to sell during the set hours, marked off by the vigorous ringing of a cowbell by the market manager)

eggs from the Compost Chickens!

The Compost Chickens outdid themselves this week with 13 eggs!

Farmer's Market

Miracle with my veggies

On Friday afternoon I went and picked up my oldest grand daughter, Miracle to spend the weekend with me. On Saturday she came with me to our little Farmer's Market and brought her violin to play.

On the table you can see all of my different kinds of squash and a few small tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and some herb plants.

co-op table friends

Our market has co-op tables for gardeners with a glut. Here are some of the ladies that have been sharing the co-op table with me this summer. They are fun to be with and talk to each Saturday.

Miracle plays for FM patrons

Miracle had a good time playing her violin for the patrons of the farmer's market.

Miracle plays for the market manager & helpers

Miracle plays the market

Our county extension agent plays guitar and is out most Saturdays to sing and play at the market; Miracle talked him into playing a duet with her.

Miracle can play & hula hoop at the same time!