Seed Exchange Potluck

I am very excited about this announcement which just came to my attention:

Date/Time:	Friday, Oct 30, 2009 - 6:00 PM
Event:	First Annual Seed Exchange Potluck Working toward creating a regional seed bank.
Event Type:	Lecture/Discussion
Location:	The Depot
Fee:	Free
Description:	The College Farm and Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture invite seed savers, food lovers, and those who want to learn more to the First Annual Seed Exchange Potluck. Bring a dish or beverage to share plus any seeds collected from this season that you are interested in sharing or exchanging. Please RSVP.
	For more information: Call 717-713-0275 Email halpinj@dickinson.edu Go to http://www.dickinson.edu/storg/sisa

Maybe I will see you there?

Planting Garlic

I planted my garlic today! I bought five soft neck bulbs from the Seed Savers Exchange. I really wanted to support this organization, but it was not cheap and they were shipped from pretty far away. I planted one Elephant Garlic (4 cloves), one Pskem River Garlic bulbs (8 cloves), one Bogatyr (8 cloves), and two Samarkind (16 cloves).


Mr. Hench saved some of his oak leaves for me to use as mulch to keep the little cloves warm and happy over the winter.
I still had four 12-inch squares I want to fill with garlic, so I am planting the cloves from the two organic garlic bulbs (14 cloves) I got from Dickinson College's Farm. I am not sure how they will do, but they were only seventy-five cents each, which is quite inexpensive compared to the Seed Savers prices. Plus they are as local as you can get. Time will tell if they grow well.

DC Garlic and Produce

This is some of the produce I bought today at the Dickinson College stand at the farmer's market. Look at the radishes! They are HUGE!!

Nate's Sunflower Seed Offer

I saved quite a few seeds from the largest sunflower produced from Nate Kirkland's memorial sunflower seeds. Not many people took them in the office, so I have these left. If you knew Nate or are a member of the Dickinson College community, I will be happy to give you some. I think I will offer them again next spring when it is time for planting. The response will probably be better.

They Keep on Blooming

Dickinson College student, Nate Kirkland's memorial sunflowers

More Pictures of Nate's Sunflowers

Click on the picture to enlarge it and see the bee.

Beautiful! This little bee may not be able to fly with having the whole sunflower pollin to himself and his legs already full of pollin.

Nate's Sunflowers and Bees

The seeds for these beautiful sunflowers were given out at the funeral of a young Dickinson College student named Nate Kirkland. Nate tragically died this year. I will try to collect some of the seeds before the birds eat them all, so I can pass some along and grow more sunflowers next year. If you knew Nate, let me know if you would like some of the saved seeds.

Life of a Sunflower

Thuja Replanting

I am not sure you can see them all, but we planted the remaining Thuja in front of the fence all the way over to the gate. Now if we lose the fence, we will have a natural fence for privacy. Dickinson College student Nate Kirkland's sunflowers are surviving despite being stepped on by us and chewed on by the rabbit.

More Planting

Mimi and I planted Buttercrunch lettuce, Icicle radishes, and more Red Globe radishes today. Kilo did her job of looking cute.

We also planted the sunflower seeds given out at the Dickinson College memorial service for Nate Kirkland.


Then it was time to get out of the sun and enjoy Ali's Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing. Whoa...