Heirloom tomatoes.
They make me do my happy dance. I rode out to Sharp’s Farm this morning, the first morning the greenhouses are open. You have to go early to get some of the most exotic heirlooms. They are sold to many places like Brookside Gardens, the Master Gardeners and the Conservancy community gardeners, just to name a few. If you go during the first few days, you can score things like:
Chocolate Stripes
Legend
Paul Robeson
There are others. I forget how many. I believe they planted 35 varieties of heirloom tomatoes from seeds. They also have standard tomato plants, like Early Girl and Supersweet 100s.
I love the farm. I could wander around for hours.
The greenhouses are open Tuesday through Sunday. Check the hours on the web site. As I was leaving, school buses were rolling in for a field trip.
I came home and messed around a little with the heirlooms and put a few plugs of the herbs in a planter. I will be getting more once I check with my neighbor who wants what.
These plugs are Legend, Hillbilly and Chocolate Stripes, all will be put in the ground in two weeks. Right now, I will keep them out in the day and protect them in storms and wind.
It truly is spring when I get my tomato fix. Just brushing the leaves and getting the scent of tomato plants makes the anticipation of the coming harvest, two months away, even more exciting. Just think. All this waxing poetic about little green things that go in the ground.
When I came home, I harvested three wild asparagus stalks. Two more tomorrow and there will be asparagus on the menu tomorrow night.
If you want affordable plants, and can grow from plugs, you can’t beat going to Sharp’s. Or, get the pots. I got eight basil plants to go in the herb garden. All sorts of varieties. Great place to visit. And, don’t trust the sign. They hadn’t gotten up to change it at 10 am, when they opened.
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AnnieRie Unplugged 