on the 9th day of sprouting
Look how the broccoli is coming along!
I was hoping to have a salad photo to show you, but my lettuce was wilty this morning. Somehow I managed to ignore it for long enough that it was not very edible anymore. I’d say shame on me, but I’m trying to avoid shaming in my life…. myself or others. It is what it is. This is what happened. Moving on….
Another exciting thing that’s happened is a meeting with a good friend who has a really good handle on marketing and communication. She pointed out a few difficulties with the way I was presenting myself, and encouraged me to make changes to become more consistent and clear. She also pointed me in the direction of spreadsheets and product pricing, with the instruction to keep things simple. 7 products max. Yipes. Well, here we go!!
I’ll share with you what I’ve got cooking so far:
1. Seedlings for transplanting – many different kinds, but I count this as one ‘thing’.
2. Large Patio/Balcony planter – Basic Veggie – tomato, pepper, beans
3. Large Patio/Balcony planter – Climbing Veggie – peas, cukes, plus some tiny tomatoes
4. Hummingbird Haven – scarlet runner beans with a tall trellis. Bright red flowers turn into edible beans!
5. Salad Bowl – big pot of greens
6. Herbs – ‘Pesto Pot’ – yep, full of BASIL!!!! Different kinds too. mmmmm…..
7. Herbs – mixed planter
8. Patio Pots with individual veggies – all ready to put on your patio or balcony and stay there all summer.
9. Tomato and Basil planters. Because everybody loves them.
OOps. Well, 9 isn’t too much more than 7….
Can I ask you a question? Can you tell me which you’d like to see on your patio? You could win your choice by commenting here and letting me know. I’d also love to hear any other thoughts you may have related to these products. I’ll draw a name tomorrow. You’ll have to come pick it up in the spring though – I’ll send you a coupon.
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green sprouts day 5
The radishes are doing well! They’re on their way to a yummy salad in a few days. I expected them to be ready to eat today, day 5, based on the last batch I grew, but the other batch was right over the heat vent so I think that’s why these ones are taking longer. They’re in a window and they have a lot less heat on them.
The broccoli seems to be taking longer too – I thought it was quicker like the radishes – but there are little tails on the seeds now, you can try to make them out in the camera phone pic!
AND – finally – I see little pea shoots beginning to emerge! The peas are definitely taking their time.
I’ll be bringing the radishes to the La Leche League Garage Sale this morning, so people can take a closer look. If you have time this morning, stop by the First United Church in Waterloo, at 16 William St, to have a look at garage sale items as well as some items from vendors. My friend Carolyn will be there with Discovery Toys, and there will be other vendors too but I’m not sure who.
Hope to see you there!
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day 4 – wee leaves
The broccoli seeds have little tails now!! And the radishes have tiny curled leaves, waiting to turn green and unfurl. Peas…. well, they’re still soaking up the moisture. They’re slower than the others, probably because they’re a much larger seed and need to soak up more water.
I can hardly wait to see them tomorrow, I’m sure the radishes will be out in leaf. They grow so fast! I’ll be bringing the radishes to the garage sale/swap that I’m attending tomorrow, so you can see them up close if you come!
The website is slowly changing, hopefully for the better…. I added an “Events” page, so it’s easier to keep track of where you can find Sarah’s Kitchen Gardens.
So much to do…. I better get back to my preparations for tomorrow!
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try this at home
I love sprouts. I like to add them to salads or eat them on their own. Back when I ate sandwiches, I liked them on my sandwiches. They are full of great nutrition and tasty too. I’ve always had problems growing them in glass jars, though. So I’d like to show you the solution I’ve come up with, and encourage you to grow your own too!
First, I have to say that alfalfa is not in the picture here. I don’t have anything against alfalfa, but I think radish and broccoli sprouts are much more tasty. The wee radish leaves taste like radishes in your salad, without the super heat of the radish root. Broccoli leaves are a milder broccoli taste, and have all the good nutrition of cruciferous veggies. I’ve also started some peas, because pea shoots taste great too. But if you want to grow alfalfa, by all means please do! You could also do spinach, beets, and microgreens – but these will take longer to germinate and grow.
So, shall we get started?
First, find yourself some ‘Small Food Waste Bags’ that are leak proof. This means they have a lining on the inside that looks sort of like plastic, but it’s really some plant-based fibre. This allows the bag to be ‘totally biodegradable and compostable’, as it says on the side. Cut through the bag where the little bump is:
Then start turning the sides down, so the walls of the bag become two thicknesses of the paper bag.
When you’re finished, you should have a little tray with sides about 1.5-2 inches high.
Fill it about one third to a half full with some dampened potting soil, plus a dash of composted manure if you have it.
Mix it up.
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of radish or broccoli seeds on top. If you’re using pea seeds, you’ll need about 3 tablespoons since those seeds are so much bigger.
Lightly brush your fingers across the surface of the soil, and then press down. Some of the seeds will be showing still but that’s ok.
Mist them with a spray bottle, or very carefully moisten the surface of the soil some other way if you don’t have a spray bottle.
Next, make a cover for the seeds using the leftover bag piece. Cut it in half, then cut one of the halves so that you have one thickness of bag to use as a cover.
This cover will keep the seeds dark and moist before they germinate. Check every day to make sure it’s still moist under the cover, and to see if the seeds have germinated. Once you see little sprouties, take off the cover and put them on a windowsill so they can use the sunshine! You should have ready-to-eat sprouts in about 5 days. Eat them when they still have 2 leaves each. For the pea shoots, each them when they are anywhere from 3-5 inches tall.
Cut them with scissors or a knife just above the level of the soil. Put your sprouts in a salad, or on a sandwich, or use them to garnish a stir fry. I’m sure there are other options too – feel free to leave comments below. Enjoy!
And when you’ve used all the sprouts, give the soil a stir and let the old roots dry out or wilt just a bit before you start the next batch. The old roots will contribute to the organic matter in the soil, feeding the micro-organisms that make nutrients available for the plants.
If you do this please let me know. Take photos and post them on the Sarah’s Kitchen Gardens Facebook Page!
You could also come to the Little City Farm on Saturday, December 11 for this year’s “A Little Bird Told Me Craft Sale” – I will be there selling these as kits, soil and seeds included, so you can grow your own sprouts. AND I will also be giving away a draw prize gift certificate for Sarah’s Kitchen Gardens at that sale.
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hot stuff
Everybody should grow food in their backyard. Or on their balcony. Or in a window, like my brother and his wife did for a year or two. Even if it’s only enough for a snack. There are many reasons why I say this, and one of the most important has to do with our children. How will they know where their food comes from, unless we show them?
Here’s a story for you: picture my cute little nephew, one and a half years old. Says a few words, communicates well regardless of how many words he uses. Hefty boy, tough as nails – he has to be, he has an older brother – and very adventurous. My sister has a garden in her backyard – she has to, we have the same genes – and in it she has a chili pepper plant, pictured above. It’s a big beautiful plant, because her soil is good and so is the weather where she lives. Don’t those peppers look tasty? Bright red, they just call you to come and have a taste. So, that’s what my nephew does. Every time he gets into the garden. Takes a bite, spits it out, and says “hot”. Every time. He’s learning about chili peppers, hands-on!
So where does our food come from? Carrots don’t grow on trees and peppers don’t grow underground. Oranges don’t grow in our climate so they have to be shipped from somewhere warm, far away. Broccoli takes up way more space in the garden than the head you buy in the grocery store. Parsnips are not white carrots, apple trees take at least 5 years to produce fruit, lettuce likes growing in cool weather, and sugar snap peas are pure candy when eaten off the vine. If you sat and watched a pumpkin vine for a few hours, you would swear you saw it grow an inch. There are thousands of tomato varieties, but for some reason the ones you buy in a grocery store are tasteless. I think the next generation needs to know these things and more.
My children eat beans raw from the garden, but if I buy frozen ones they put up a big fight about eating them cooked. In the summer they snack on the cherry tomatoes and beans and peas and ground cherries in the garden, sometimes playing restaurant outside, or playing that they’re orphans (gasp) and need to scavenge for food. Such imagination, such healthy food entering their growing bodies, I love it.
It doesn’t matter the size of the garden, or what is grown, but everyone needs to grow something edible. At least once. And share it with someone younger.
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