The weather couldn’t have been more perfect and the farm was buzzing with people of all ages. Volunteers were always nearby to answer questions about the plants for sale and how to care for them. Annuals, perennials, medicinal and culinary herbs, fruits and vegetables were spread out all over the grounds.
Today I visited the Southside Community Land Trust City Farm (at the corner of West Clifford and Dudley Street) for their anual plant sale. I had never been there before and I was absolutely amazed to see how much is growing on the city block plot. The sale was from 10:00am to 2:00pm today and for those of you who live near by but weren’t able to drop in, you’ll have another chance tomorrow (Sunday) when the sale happens again at the same time.
Delicious and beautiful arugula flowers from New Urban Farmers. I never knew that so many greens could be eaten in their flowering stage. I always assumed that once plants like arugula and kale shot out blooms, they were past their peak. These are great in a salad or as a garnish.
Finding completely naked produce isn’t easy. Plastic bags, mesh sacks, cellophane, twist ties, tags, stickers, baskets, boxes, and even Styrofoam trays fill the display stands and shelves of nearly every grocery store in the country. Even at my local farmer’s markets, some venders use plastic bags to parcel out salad mix and berry boxes to hold berries and cherry tomatoes.
I’ve learned to avoid all of these offenders and still eat a huge variety of fruits and vegetables, but I decided a while ago to make an exception for the rubber bands that tie together bunches of herbs, dark leafy greens, beets, radishes, and stalky vegetables. A rubber band is a useful thing, but I’ve found that I seldom have a reason to use them and I’m having trouble finding anyone else who does. The grocery store won’t take them back, and I have stocked my office supply closet at work with at least a year’s supply for the entire staff. I’ve also been trying to pass them off to other artists in the building where my studio is located, but no one seems to be chomping at the bit for rubber bands.
I plan to ask venders at the farmer’s market this Saturday (the first outdoor market of the season!) if anyone can reuse them. The best case scenario would be to return them to the source. I’ll post an update when I find a solution.
These energy cubes recently appeared in a local bulk bin and I’m really excited about them because they taste a lot like Lara Bars, a packaged food I used to enjoy. Just like a Lara Bar, this snack has is made from very simple, healthy ingredients. Dates are the base ingredient—a fruit I love but have not been able to find in bulk. Buying these is far more economical than buying individual plastic wrapped bars.
I’ve been enjoying these Schartner baby beets raw and thinly sliced in salad.
Started some jalapeño peppers in a pot in the garden below my kitchen. My landlady left a few containers for me to grow things in. I noticed that she doesn’t use organic potting soil so I tried to top my designated pots off with as much organic soil and compost as possible.
Asparagus from Schartner Farms.
This salad mix is also from New Urban Farmers. Are you seeing the color theme of this week’s market bounty? The purple leaves are amaranth! I never knew that little grain produced such a beautiful and delicious leaf. I think it tastes a little bit like chard. I read that you can even sautée the leaves when they mature. I wonder if I could get the amaranth I buy in bulk to germinate? I’d love to grow some this summer.
Look at these perfect baby radishes from New Urban Farmers in Pawtucket. Whether you live near by or not, I strongly recommend checking out their site. The farmers are doing amazing things in their Garden of Life. They even have three geodesic dome greenhouses, and the largest is equipped with two aquaponic systems.
Beautiful rhubarb from the Schartner Farms! I love relying so heavily on the farmer’s market for groceries because it means buying local, seasonal foods. My ingredients shift based on what’s available at the moment and I’ve been inspired to try a wider range of food than I used to when I did most of my shopping at the grocery store. My meals are made with fresher, more flavorful foods because they aren’t being trucked in from far off places.
Aside from strawberry rhubarb pie, I am not very familiar with this stalky vegetable. I think I’ve always been intimidated by the idea of having to cut the tart taste with fat and/or sugar. But I did some browsing through recipes and tips online and I am looking forward to experimenting with this batch. I saw some rhubarb and spinach salads on several sites that look pretty good. I will post what I come up with.
An update on the worm bin.
A little over three weeks ago I took a trip to Charlestown, RI to visit the Worm Ladies. I came home with a half pound of worms to start my own bin. They are currently living in a found restaurant tupperware container in the tenant garden. There are instructions on the Worm Ladies’ website on how to get started.
So far, they seem to be doing well. I’ve been monitoring the moisture balance and the food scraps every couple of days, but overall they are pretty low maintenance pets. I’ve noticed a lot of babies wriggling around. Eventually I will move them into a bigger container and perhaps share some worms with friends interested in vermiculture or sell some back to the Worm Ladies.
I cant wait to harvest the castings to fertilize my plants.
…and rhubarb!
We also passed a field of strawberries. The Four Town Farm website indicates that the Pick Your Own (PYO) season for strawberries starts around June 20th. I will certainly be there!
After wandering through the greenhouses, we walked around the fields a bit, which are filled with young peas!
This weekend my brother visited from New York. We took advantage of the beautiful weather on Sunday and headed over to Four Town Farm in Seekonk, Massachusetts. I’ve always heard great things about it, but had never been before yesterday. They have a wide selection of herbs and vegetables right now. My landlady has agreed to let me plant a small section in the tenant garden below my kitchen. I’m really excited to have a piece of ground to grow things in because since I’ve been renting in Providence, I’ve only been able to have a container garden. For the past week I have been daydreaming about what to grow in my little bed.
While walking around Four Town, I was thinking about how buying plants this season is going to be tricky because of all the plastic that is often involved. I asked a woman who worked there if it was possible to return the containers for reuse. She told me that unfortunately they could not accept them back because they would need to be sterilized before planting anything else in them. I’ve been told the same thing by employees at other greenhouses before, but a few venders at the farmers market have told me they welcome returned containers.
The plastic packs and pots that I most often see young plants in are either number 5 or number 6 plastic. As far as I know, the plastic identification/care tags are not recyclable. I could bring the containers to the Whole Foods recycling bins, but I’d rather find a way around the plastic completely. I did see a lot of plants in coir pots at Four Town, which are compostable. I’ve also seen plants sold in recycled paper pots.
Of course one way around the containers would be to grow things from seed. When I moved last summer, my container garden was disassembled and much of it abandoned and I didn’t save the seeds from my tomatoes and herbs the way I have in the past, so I would have to purchase them. Though I am seeing more and more seeds packaged in thick plastic pouches, seeds in paper envelopes are still widely available. It’s still early enough in the season that I could start some things.
Meanwhile I’m keeping my eyes peeled for compostable/biodegradable containers. I love every aspect of growing my own food and hope to take full advantage of the season.
Ariel’s party
Ariel’s party
Day off
