This time of year always reminds me of being 11 years old at some School Sports Day event, trying to jump around and get warmed up for whatever race I had had the misfortune to be entered into (I was not a Super Sporty Girl). There is that lull, when you are waiting around for things to begin- you know it's coming, you know you can't avoid it, there is a fair amount of excitement, a lot of nervousness and "What if Something Goes Horribly Wrong" thinking, and just an overwhelming sense of impatience. Let's just get started!
Fortunately I am better at starting seeds that I ever was at the 400 meters relay, and so I always approach 'Seedling Time' with a wee bit more confidence. Oddly enough though, the nervous anticipation is still about the same. Plus, I know that as soon as I sow that first seed, I am starting myself on a journey that may begin at an easy pace, but which will slowly build into a crazy race that won't end until the final market is over sometime in October. It's hard to remember the feel of Summer Market Season now, sitting here at my computer in our freezing cold office, looking out the window at the rain-threatening-to-become-sleet, the alder trees down by the creek still looking bare and asleep. But I know it is coming.
I had fun ordering seeds this year! I managed to wade through the vast sea of tempting catalogs with some restraint borne of experience, and so hopefully will have fewer moments of looking at a packet of seeds in March and saying to myself, "What was I Thinking?!?" It is shockingly easy to get caught up in the excitement of color photos and descriptive writing, luring me to try just one more variety of lettuce or poppy that our farm will be Devastatingly Incomplete without.
There are some new plants we will be trying out this year- great new (to us) varieties of tomatoes to test for their Northwest Coast hardiness- hopefully we will have less soggy summer this year, everyone keep your fingers crossed. We will have even more lettuce varieties, colorful Swiss chards, gorgeous kale and spinach, plus an assortment of herbs and veggies that are making me long for Spring. Check back here soon for our 2008 Tomato Variety list, plus other Plant Lists.
We are going to work out a way for people to reserve tomato plants so that you can make sure you get the varieties you want, as so many seem to sell out so fast. We are also hoping to work out a 'Pick Up at the Farm by Appointment' system so that if you can't make it to one of our markets or events, or you just want to get started earlier in the season, you can still fill your garden with healthy, chemical-free Ostman Farm plants.
And the flowers! I did give in to temptation a bit here... some gorgeous new dahlias are on their way, plus new sweet peas, snapdragons and some other floral beauties that I am longing to see bloom. I am looking forward to making bouquets again this year, let me tell you. We are clearing space for even more flower beds, and I am trying to work out the logistics of a Bouquet Subscription service- we had requests for such a thing at both markets last year, and we hope to work out the details for this season.
So, I'll leave you now with a little memory of last summer's flower harvest, and go get busy on clearing off the light tables and heating mats, and try to remember where I put the UV resistant marking pens for filling in plant labels. I know I put them somewhere Obvious At The Time, a location that is now lost to me.
Stay warm, wherever you are!
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