This is a challenge that will take place via our Instagram and Facebook channels. Make sure youâre following us so you donât miss out! There is no limit to the number of seed types you enter into this contest!
Take a photo series, one photo every day, as soon as you see the little buddy starting to peek out of the soil. Select the best 5 that communicate the sprouting of the seed, share them with everyone, and tag us!Â
Are you a video creator? You're in luck, we have a special prize for the best video!
đ„ First Prize winners of the photo series contest will get their pick of 2 Seed Collections from a select list of collections presented upon notification, April 23rd, 2024.
đ„ Second prize winners will get 1 Seed Collection.
đđč đ±Best Time-Lapse Video: A special prize of 3 Seed Collections will be awarded to the best time-lapse video of seeds sprouting. There will be a winner for the most loved or liked video posted to each our social channelsâ Instagram and Facebook!Â
See an example of time lapse video here.
Prize-winners will be determined by the people, demonstrated by the highest number of likes or loves for each post, per social channel. We will be sure to highlight the popular contenders as well as the winners.
TAG us in your permanent post in order to cultivate the reciprocal JOY. We also LOVE stories, so be sure to tag us in those too!
Now, Grab your favorite packet of SRSC Seeds!
If you already have some, then youâve got a head start!
Good seeds to try: Lettuces, mustards, collard greens, or radishes.
These seeds are quick to sprout!Â
Need some more ideas? Check out this special collection of seeds that will sprout between now and Earth Day!
Posts will be reviewed April 22nd for a final count of reactions.
Winners will be directly messaged on April 23rd to be notified and orders arranged, and provided a select list of seed collections to choose from.
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]]>From Reiley, our Inventory and Grower Relationship Manager: We've been growing Principe Borghese Tomatoes for many years and are always amazed by the size of our harvests from these prolific plants.
]]>From Reiley, our Inventory and Grower Relationship Manager: We've been growing Principe Borghese Tomatoes for many years and are always amazed by the size of our harvests from these prolific plants. They remind me of the first taste of homegrown tomatoes every summer. We dream all winter and spring of the juicy goodness!
The fruits are salad size, just a little bigger than cherries, and can be eaten in one big, juicy bite. A wonderful snack in the garden and a superb tomato for making sauce. Since theyâre so juicy, we just let them cook down quite a bit to make our favorite spaghetti sauce.
Weâve enjoyed making salsas, sauces, and dehydrated tomato slices with these fruits. They are one of the first tomatoes we harvest at the start of July and they produce all season long. In early summer, we begin to scan the green fruits for a hint of color. One fruit is chosen as the most likely to ripen first and we keep our eye on it for about a week. Eventually that fruit proves us right when we give it a squeeze and pluck it from the plant. I can hardly wait for the sweet reward! This variety is a staple in our garden and I hope it becomes a staple in yours, too.
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Also, we have a pretty great recording of Casey, SRSC Founder, delivering an epic presentation on you guessed it â TOMATOES!
Hosted by Veer Wines in the Spring of 2023. This recording will immerse you in tomato history and lore! Listen, and gain tomato growing tips from an experienced organic farmer!
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"A lot of the time when you hear about heirloom tomatoes, people are talking about beefsteaks. (There are all kinds of heirloom tomatoes. A cherry can be an heirloom just like a beefsteak). They get big, with green shoulders. Really meaty, really yummy."
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"All Romas are paste tomatoes. They have meaty flesh, not a lot of seeds, not a lot of juice. I will say, Romas get blossom-end rot more than any of the others. Thatâs due to calcium deficiency. If you wait long enough, the later ones donât." Casey adds that "weâve selected against that. Weâre doing on-farm selection to hopefully move along the process."
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Casey notes that, "Everyone asks about slicers."
"Bred by the University of Idaho (U of I). The plants are VERY distinctly determinant, and very stout. If you donât have the ability to trellis, this a really good choice." Casey, "Would put these two up against an Early Girl hybrid any day." Early 3 inch fruits on dwarf plants with handsome foliage.
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"Slightly bigger - 3 inch - pretty early. THIS is a tomato adapted in Siberia and gifted to Bill McDorman, Idaho Seedsman, who went there in the early 80s, looking for tomatoes that would do really well in the cold."Â
Listen to the recording because the story of this tomato is epic!
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]]>Snake River Seed Cooperative began as a prayer for sanity. The call whispered through the seeds themselves, beckoning, and through many, many other teachers who could see this unmet need in our community.Â
The thing about seeds is, they grow. When you plant and tend one, it makes hundreds more, and each of those in turn becomes the house for even more. When I started saving seeds, without knowing, I was trying to link myself with something ancient, a genuine alternative to the horrors and misery of colonization and the ongoing aftermath that we are all currently enduring. I have witnessed this glimmer of remembering so often in others as wellâŠ. When they first make contact with seeds, when those miraculous bundles of infinity fall freshly-matured from a dry, brittle plant into dirty, outstretched palms, somewhere inside it is familiar, even if we canât place it. We are a loop in a string that reaches far, far back into the distant past.Â
Our bodies can remember, even when our minds cannot.
I think above all, I wanted this project to lick at our deep, deep wounds, both individual and collective. To balm them so they can heal without knowing what new topography the scars will bring, what new wonders will await us.Â
It is terrifying to admit this. Itâs a far bolder vision than we have cultural permission to imagine. We have not arrived. But I am grateful to have such wonderful company on the journey, walking the ridgeline between hope and despair, feeling heart-forward toward a world where the wisdoms of all the beings who have been silenced are at the center. We are students striving to learn their languages, to translate their natural counsel into something we can comprehend and guide our actions.   Â
Now SRSC is turning 10 years old. The daily heft this tiny labor of love undertakes to hold itself up under the weight of centuries of agony and disconnection while we try to stretch our imaginations toward something more sane is immense. But the seeds show us the way. They generously grow, and share, and grow, again and again. They help us learn the way back as we push ever forward into the unknown.Â
Itâs easy to get demoralized. The obstacles are great.
This writhing mass of greed and exploitation that we abstractly call the âeconomyâ will absolutely destroy all of us in its rampant path of wreckage. We donât bow down to it like a God, but we tiptoe through and around it like the vicious creature it is, scouting for possibilities of nurture and connection and belonging and, dare I say, healing, under its folds.Â
Itâs weird and scary and it often feels impossible. And yet, we plant and tend our seeds. We let their generosity wash over us and inoculate us with the possibility of abundance, love, respect, even while we navigate daily conversations about whether to raise our prices to survive amid the skyrocketing cost of money-dependent living in our region, or mourn as another one of our farmers quits because they canât secure a long lease on a piece of âownedâ land, or grapple with the hard truth that agriculture itself is directly implicated in the destruction of indigenous foodways in our area.Â
But seeds also adapt. With each year, we become stronger and more resilient as we work together rooted in our unique place on earth. The seeds are feeding us and our neighbors as we lean together into imagining the unknown. We have many guides in addition to the seeds who allow us to become caretakers, both human and other-than-human. We are not alone, even though it can feel like it at times.
Like the seeds, one of us becomes many. Every year, more of us accept the invitation to re-engage with the vital skill of saving and replanting seeds to nourish ourselves, our communities, and the earth, and each of us contributes our own unique gifts to sustain and grow this project. In the humble present of this lofty imagined future, what is available to us is the opportunity toâfor one precious moment in the dayâstep out of the throughline economy of extract, exploit, discard. Extract, exploit, discard. To come back into connection with a different way of being. To remember what it is to steward and nurture life, to support it on its own terms so that it can regenerate itself anew. To expand our minds to allow for the possibility of wholeness.Â
One of the gifts of the seeds is that they make the alternative to business-as-usual as nourishing and delightful as possible. The seeds make it, in the words of Toni Cade Bambara via adrienne maree brown, so irresistible that we canât help but join in.Â
Thank you for everyone who helped to launch SRSC and to everyone who supports and guides us on this journey.Â
]]>Just like every other seed company in the US, Snake River Seed Cooperative is required by state and federal law to provide proof of germination for all of our seeds. Regulators are primarily concerned with commodity seeds (agricultural and vegetable), but seeds of flowers and other ornamentals also require germination testing.Â
]]>Just like every other seed company in the US, Snake River Seed Cooperative is required by state and federal law to provide proof of germination for all of our seeds. Regulators are primarily concerned with commodity seeds (agricultural and vegetable), but seeds of flowers and other ornamentals also require germination testing.Â
I conduct most of these required germination tests in our office, following procedures laid out by the Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA). However, there are many varieties of seed for which AOSA has no guidelines, so I use my professional horticultural knowledge and experience to create protocols to test those seeds. There are a few varieties we carry that require complicated germination tests and we send those to the Idaho State Seed Lab.Â
Many seed companies have all their tests done at seed labs, however, germination testing in-house allows SRSC to be intimately aware of the nuance inherent in each lot of seed. Seeds from the same variety of plant grown by different farmers in the same year can have different germination results. We acknowledge and honor the individuality of each seed lot. Having this knowledge of each lot by observing it as it germinates in our office respects our value of sacred relationship with the Earth.
What inspires you about seeds?
Each seed contains everything necessary to grow a plant when the right conditions are present. Seeds touch every part of our lives.
We humans are not separate from and outside of Nature. Planting a seed embodies the essence of being human and helps us connect with our place as part of the web of life. The human race exists because our ancestors discovered the bounty that seeds can provide. Each time someone plants a seed, that connection is honored and renewed.Â
I hope to:
What is your background as it relates to starting plants and starting seeds?
My father was an avid gardener and introduced me to starting plants from seed kits when I was a young girl. Other activities he shared with me included going to the garden center and listening to the morning call-in radio show hosted by the horticultural extension agent for Harris County, Texas. As an adult, my first yard inspired me to become a serious gardener. It was nothing but lawn and I wanted so much more. I read gardening books and magazines, and pored over plant and seed catalogs. I soon realized that starting my own plants from seeds was a way to have more variety in my garden, since I wasnât dependent on only what the nurseries wanted to sell me.
In Texas, I worked at a major agricultural university, so I began taking Horticulture classes there part-time. Upon moving to Boise, I took classes and became a certified Idaho Master Gardener. I was employed for 9 years at the Idaho Botanical Garden and for the 8 years I was the greenhouse manager and chief propagator for IBG. I was also the volunteer plant production lead for the Boise River ReWild Project, focused on growing native plants for restoration along the Boise River.Â
What drew you to Snake River Seed Co-op?
Personally
Snake River Seed Cooperative grew out of Earthly Delights seeds and the Commonwealth Seed Library, headed up by my dear friend, Casey OâLeary. As an intern at Caseyâs Earthly Delights Farm, I was introduced to the wild and magical world of seed saving. Iâm proud to be part of this vision.
Professionally
SRSC was in need of a dedicated germination tester. My experience growing a wide variety of plants from seed has been a big help in understanding the magic and science of germination.
What are a few reasons that germination status is important to our customers?Â
To our Seed Co-op?
Required by law and we want to make sure we are offering the best possible seed to our customers so they can be successful. Our credibility as sellers of quality seeds is dependent on accurate germination information.
Want to garden but short on space? Container gardening and hydroponics open the door to the many benefits of gardening. In this guide, we explore the benefits and possibilities of container gardens while delving into the diverse range of plants available from Snake River Seed Cooperative. Whether you are planning a garden for salad lovers, exploring companion planting pairings, or dreaming of growing a wonderous flower garden on your balcony, this guide provides a pretty good overview of the joyous world of container gardening.
Jeff Middleton, founder of Boise Vertical Farms, advocates for a synergistic approachâusing hydroponics for a continuous source of fresh greens, and traditional container gardening for veggies that just do better in soil, or need pollinators for producing some of our favorite fruits and veggies. While hydroponics may have higher setup costs, the ability to grow indoors year-round presents an attractive proposition, particularly for urban dwellers. Combine that with container gardens, using outdoor space as available, to have a solid variety of growing plants to live among and enjoy!Â
From my seedy understanding, it seems the reduced measurable produce is compensated by the human-plant-reciprocal relationship that comes from tending to plants and connecting with nature - as compared to in-ground gardening. Â
Growing vegetables in containers is not just feasible but also advantageous. A range of plants can flourish in containers, providing a consistent harvest of fresh produce as highlighted by Naomi Davenport. This includes leafy greens, roots, vining plants, alternative grains, and herbs â not to mention flowers!
Success in container gardening involves thoughtful planning, including considerations for available space and support structures for specific plants like tomatoes and beans. Container gardening's adaptability allows for creative companion planting, maximizing the use of space and offering a delightful gardening experience.
While excelling in the year-round cultivation of greens and lettuces, hydroponics may pose initial cost challenges. Jeff notes that DIY systems provide flexibility and customization, allowing modifications to suit individual needs, and there are a ton of resources available out there. The basics of hydroponics involve water flow, airflow, and grow lights, ensuring optimal conditions and efficient water use. It's crucial to note that hydroponics may not support the growth of all types of vegetables, particularly root crops.
However, if daylight access is limited, hydroponics offers the best solution to fresh greens year-round!
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Container gardens extend beyond vegetables, accommodating the majority of the flowers SRSC offers. Pruning and attentive hydration are essential for the successful growth of flowers. For new gardeners, it can take a bit to overcome the feeling that one should preserve the beautiful living flower for as long as possible. Itâs the reverse. Dead-heading is essential for plant health, thatâs right! Flowers offer humans the ongoing gift of bouquets, we clip those lovely blooms to increase the plantâs health.Â
For the rest of this article, we focus on growing vegetables, and will focus on flowers in containers in an upcoming post!
Naomi shares invaluable tips for successful container gardening, emphasizing the versatility of growing anything in containers. Brassicas, including kale and cabbage, thrive in containers and offer aesthetic appeal. Feeding soil is important before planting to ensure optimal plant nutrition. You can use compost or aged manure (for outside containers and be sure to rinse your veggies before eating them). Look to organic potting mixes from your local nursery among other options!Â
When asked what she most enjoys about container gardens, âTheyâre easy to add spots of color, to cheer things up! Theyâre mobile. You can move them in and out of areas.âÂ
The temporary nature of plants in containers makes them excellent gifts, enhancing the gardening experience for both the grower and recipients.
Snake River Seed Cooperative's diverse seed offerings empower individuals to create flourishing container gardens and hydroponic setups. From the crispness of lettuces to the adventure of growing sweet corn, the possibilities are vast. With thoughtful companion planting and strategic herb integration, these gardens not only provide a bounty of fresh produce but also contribute to the joy of gardening on a smaller scale. As you embark on this horticultural journey, the possibilities are boundless, offering a delightful blend of flavors, textures, and the simple joy of nurturing plants at home.
Jeff Middleton - Boise Vertical Farm - Whose mission is to help people recovering from drug and alcohol addiction, providing them with alternative activities, finding related work, and offering career development while preventing relapse. People love seeing something coming from the seed, sprouts pushing through the soil. He will assign a tray to newcomers to the operation, theyâll plant it out, then go for a day or two. When they come back the first thing they say is âHow are my plants doing? Howâs my growth going?.â He elaborates noting that small-scale farming in this sense is something to take possession of and be responsible for. Learn more at BoiseVerticalFarm.com
Naomi Davenport - A Sneaky Garden Gnome - A CWI Horticulture grad who has participated in growing community gardens and those positive connections all over the City of Boise some years back. She and her husband ran a successful personal gardens and landscapes business in the area for several years. Theyâve since moved to Oregon where her gardening experience only grows more abundantly. She has provided this area do-gooder excellent insight, feedback, and encouragement on wild garden projects since 2018.
The Ultimate Raised Bed & Container Gardening Guide For Beginners: Grow Your Own Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits, and Cut Flowers with this Amazing Handbook - by Olivia Phillips.
Source Images:
3 herbs & basil photo & assorted herbs, tomato, and pepper
Photos CCBY Markus Spiske on Unsplash
Peppers and more - CCBY Enrique Bancalari on Unsplash
Containers on Panel - CCBY Ramiro Pianrosa on Unsplash
Balcony in sunlight with potted plant on table - CCBY Artur Aleksanian on Unsplash
Woman watering plants - CCBY Cassidy Phillips on Unsplash
Large Rectangular Containers CCBY Asparagirl on Flickr
Melons, Lebanese squash, Yellow squash, 'Green Globe' artichokes, 'Toma Verde' tomatillos (two boxes), various heirloom tomatoes (three boxes and many pots), various hot and bell peppers (three boxes), corn, etc. Already harvested: cucumbers, lettuce, string beans, onions, shallots
Tromboncino squash (Zucchini rampicante) growing in an Earthbox and up a string trellis
]]>We have been growing a collection of now almost 500 varieties of seeds adapted to the Intermountain West. Casey OâLeary, our founder told Mother Earth Gardener, we are particularly passionate about the Payette tomato, a delicious, stocky, early maturing slicer with resistance to curly top virus. âPayetteâ was bred by the University of Idaho in the 1960s, and itâs one of our favorite Idaho-bred varieties.
Adapting to our changing climate is no small task, as we all know. Open pollinated (OP) seeds play a critical part in our collective ability to be food-secure. With extreme temperatures, drought, fire, dramatically different winters, some dryâsome heavy with snow. We all witnessed some of the hottest temperatures on record this past year. All of the seeds the Co-op carries are OP, which means you can save them each year--and each year, those seeds adapt to the changes of the places they grow in.
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Gardeners, and farmers like the Co-op seed growers, who use organic methods are addressing this growing concern on an immediate scale. Functioning as part of widespread natural climate solutions âthe food and land use sector could contribute up to 37% of climate mitigation needed to reach 2030 climate goals,â according to the World Economic Forum.
With regionally adapted seeds we are increasing the potential for crops to survive diverse weather patterns. Saving seeds season by season contributes to our local abundance of seeds. One seed can grow a plant that produces a multitude of seeds (more than a single packet of seeds in some cases). For edible plants, we can add to our food security by saving seeds from them, in order to have food crops we can count on.
Farmers have known for centuries to save seeds from the best stock in their gardens. This practice was interrupted with the introduction of F1 hybrid seeds in the 1930s, quickly overtaking the tradition of heirloom seed preservation. By the end of the 1970s F1 hybrid corn dominated the US system of agriculture, along with a few other commodity crops. These seeds grew plants with uniform characteristics that met the expectations of the shifting marketplace. For farmers and gardeners, this created a dependence on hybrid varieties that must be purchased each season, in order to produce crops with the same characteristics each year. The lack of diversity this has produced in seed created dependence upon ever-more-costly chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Entire crop types are more vulnerable to the effects of increasing shifts in our climate, and more open to disease and damage from insects that move with changing temperatures.Â
Weâre working to preserve the agricultural tradition of seed saving, and growing without chemical inputs. All our seeds are open pollinated, which means you can save seeds from all of the plants grown from Snake River Seed Cooperative packets. All our growers commit to using growing methods that involve regenerative processes of seed cultivation, like soil health and consideration for increasing the communities of pollinators whom much of the magic of seeds and plants relies!
Seeds hold the information of every season, going back through generations - they hold the cumulative information of what theyâve survived each year. Because of this, open pollinated varieties from our region have a greater chance of surviving our ever-shifting weather patterns theyâve been saved and cared for carefully, preserving all of those qualities we love about the plant varieties they have been saved from!Â
Sources:
"3 key levers to address the urgent global food crisis." 16 Jan. 2023, https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2023/01/davos23-key-levers-address-global-food-crisis/.Â
Curry H. A. (2022). Hybrid Seeds in History and Historiography. Isis; an international review devoted to the history of science and its cultural influences, 113(3), 610â617. https://doi.org/10.1086/721075
 Petra Page-Mann (2018) "How to Find Regionally Adapted Seeds - Mother Earth Gardener." 12 Dec. 2018, https://www.motherearthgardener.com/organic-gardening/how-to-find-regionally-adapted-seeds-zm0z18wzpop/.Â
 "The Hottest Temperatures Recorded In All 50 States." https://www.wunderground.com/article/news/climate/news/2022-06-21-hottest-temperature-state-records-us.Â
]]>Microgreens are good for you! Microgreens contain a concentration of nutrients essential for your health. Growing them through the winter months will help bridge the fresh greens gap! Now, if youâve been trying out season extension methods, you may still be reveling in all the fresh greens you like for a bit. But if youâre like many folks, you may not have much more space for gardening than a few containers on the balcony or patio. Fear not! This gardening adventure is for ALL!
There are several emerging areas of conversation and research around this topic. Our main point of interest with the development of Microgreens has been, first, a response to many requests for them from customers. Secondly, they continue to fascinate us as we learn more about them.
If you would like to find out for yourself and consider the possible health benefits of microgreens, check the linked reputable sources below, largely featuring studies from the National Library of Medicine, which detail several!
This in-depth study showcases the many benefits overall, stating that microgreens are "overloaded with an abundant level of various phytonutrients, varying according to the nature of the plants that are selected to produce the microgreens."
The blends we have developed this year have been created from Brassicas (broccoli and mustard greens, among others) and include Lactuca or lettuces mainly. We also developed the Pesto Lovers Delight which is ALL BASIL, Ocimum basillicum!! The benefits of these different varieties are covered in the linked articles.
Why we care and want to share! You can grow them quickly, no matter how much space you have to work with! You can reap the benefits of your efforts within a very short time frame, compared to the lifecycle of fully matured cropsâgenerally 2-3 weeks for sprouts, and just a bit longer for baby salad greens.
"Start small" is the common wisdom of experienced gardeners and farmers. Itâs an excellent way to develop a taste for gardening⊠literally! It doesnât get much smaller than this!
Weâll let you in on a little secret now. We waited for YEARS to explore microgreens, mainly because we felt it was a waste of seed. Shocking right? Not really. The same seed used for our microgreens can be used to grow hundreds of bunches of fresh greens over months of the year! We didnât want folks to miss out on that abundance! Thanks to the many requests we received from people to begin developing microgreens, we are now participating in all these discoveries with you.
Thank you for all that feedback, folks who wanted microgreens!
If youâre relatively new to gardening, you can use the very same packet of microgreens (or a new one for less than the price of a latte) and seed them over a regular-sized garden bed! Selectively harvest and thin through their growth stages, and allow the strongest to continue growing into full-sized plants! Heck, you might even leave the very best-looking plants alone so they go to seed and start to discover the magnificent world of saving your own seed! [Link]
Just a radical note, larger-scale gardeners and urban farmers work within the parameters of the growing season, and some utilize season extension methods as described here. When you start to garden on any scale, youâre beginning to get a feel for the work involved in growing good food, and in so doing, youâre connecting with the culture of agriculture, from the seedy start!
The point is that anyone can reap the benefits of greens! We just want you to know!
]]>By Mary K Johnson 10/17/23
I am a pandemic-era gardener and have been cultivating a quarter-acre plot with the help of high school students from One Stone and community gardeners since 2021, dedicating approximately 4-12 hours per week. Last week, I attended the Summit on Idaho Hunger and Food Security with nine students currently enrolled in an experiential learning course centered around "Food Equity." The summit, organized every other year by the Idaho Hunger Relief Task Force, brought together representatives from the USDA, the Idaho Food Bank, and various partners addressing hunger and food insecurity in Idaho. I see an evident connection between those who grow food in our region and organizations working to ensure that those in need have access to it. Due to the time of year, only a few food producers attended, as it is often challenging to participate during or shortly after the high harvest season.Â
The students received a warm welcome from the summit organizers and attendees. They shared insights and findings after the summit, including the motivation to deepen their learning, collect resources to share, and draw attention to food accessibility issues within their peer communities. There was a consensus that they would have liked to hear the voices of impacted communities being discussed at the summit. Greater efforts to build understanding in this regard are always needed. Â
For some, the summit highlighted a significant disconnection between our food and its source. Who grows the food we eat? Gardening is one step towards addressing food insecurity, from balcony gardens, to backyard gardens, to community garden plots. Our small-scale farmers understand this connection, and most of us have at least some understanding of the work involved in growing good food, if not a profound one.Â
Other representatives pointed out a generational experience gap. The ability to make do and provide nutritious food by combining bulk food items like beans and grains with homegrown vegetables is challenging for households with both parents working to cover rising housing costs. Compared to the experience people had 30+ years ago, when âmaking doâ in this way was much easier to do. Hearing some understanding about these challenges from a generational perspective was heartening.
A deep human connection and a shared desire to address hunger and barriers to accessing food were presented and discussed. FRAC, the Food Research Assistance Center, was one of many organizations that provided critical statistics about the rising costs of food and the combined impacts of increasing housing costs. Grocery prices increased by 24% since January 2022, compared to a 3% increase between 2017 and 2020.
Representatives from various organizations compassionately noted service gaps or "cliffs" that people encounter. For example, one mother of two children who regularly used SNAP benefits became ineligible after receiving a $1 per hour raise. This put her in a position where she struggled to afford healthy food for her children.
While the summit had few food producers in attendance, I found myself at a table with most of those who were present. It reminded me of what I learned at the Harvest and Hearth Conference hosted by the Ada County Soil and Water Conservation District last February. Farmers struggle to compete with the subsidized, discounted pricing seen in grocery stores for vegetables we can grow locally. Itâs hard to have a voice in these spaces and make these connections during the busiest points in the season for farmers or for our seed company.
It is important to note that there are numerous potential solutions available right now. This diagram shows federal programs that could help address this deficit. The USDA representatives at the Summit spoke about the range of federal funding opportunities available, and their goals to help encourage locally-based networking and awareness building to help connect these funds with the people who need them most.
Image from the USDAÂ Agricultural Marketing Service |Â Grants, Loans and Other Support
When programs like these are not utilized, costs for healthy locally grown food are often passed on to the consumer, which is at least in part a result of an outdated Idaho attitude about self-sufficiency â many expect people to âpick themselves up by their bootstraps,â no matter how far out of balance things are, or continue to get. Accepting USDA programs that could help bridge the cost gaps is sometimes viewed as receiving a handout.Â
There were a number of organizations working on food relief efforts such as the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) and the program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), and other providers of multiple human services. Advocates presented the great point that every SNAP dollar spent has a community value of about $1.50, which can be used to pay for food from local farmers who are growing fresh produce. These benefits even extend to seeds in certain retail locations like the Boise Co-ops, and at the Boise Farmers Market when we are there in December and April for edible plants.Â
This includes the work of City of Good, which has been collaborating with local farmers and chefs to provide ready-to-eat meals for those in need since the onset of the pandemic years ago. They've expanded their efforts and partnered with Global Gardens and the Idaho Food Bank to buy produce from the farmers that they were not able to sell through various distribution channels. Theyâve also partnered with the Boise Farmers Market for this year's indoor market over the winter, held at the Shrine Social Club run by Duck Club Presents, which builds the TreeFort Music Festival each year. Many exciting possibilities exist for reconnecting our collective awareness of our local food system.
One tomato seed can yield a plethora of tomatoes adapted to our unique local environment. A single packet of tomato seeds can potentially produce 30 plants and enough tomatoes to fill a pantry with sauce for hundreds of meals. Saving seeds from the best-quality and first-to-ripen tomatoes provides free seeds for the next season, with plants continuing to adapt to their growing environment.
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]]>The zucchini harvest is still in full swing, and we've got some mouthwatering ideas to make the most of this abundance!
Assembled by Nell Frazer Lindquist, our Seed Matriarch!
]]>The zucchini harvest is still in full swing, and we've got some mouthwatering ideas to make the most of this abundance!
Assembled by Nell Frazer Lindquist, our Seed Matriarch!
Confit is cooked low and slow in lots of olive oil! This super easy recipe is a wonderful spread for some crusty bread. I adapted this from an original recipe in Saveur magazine: https://www.saveur.com/herbed-squash-confit-recipe/
One of my favourite ways to use up excess zucchini! This cheesy bread doesnât last long around our house. I found the original recipe on the Martha Stewart website, where it calls for Parmesan cheese: https://www.marthastewart.com/326581/zucchini-parmesan-loaf.
I altered it a bit and added âsavouryâ to the name. so people expecting a sweet zucchini bread wouldnât be surprised!
I love this bread! Itâs delicious and helps use up two things I often have excess of: zucchini and sourdough discard. I found this recipe on one of my favourite websites, King Arthur Baking, but, as usual, I added a few tweaks of my own! https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/sourdough-zucchini-bread-recipe
Making pesto is a versatile and creative process that starts with a simple method: Chop Those Leaves: Begin by chopping your choice of fresh herbs or greens.
Nuts' Magic: Roast your nuts (like pine nuts, sunflower seeds, walnuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews) for aro
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Now that you have your flavorful pesto base, let's explore some exciting possibilities:
đ Pasta Perfection: Prepare and cook your choice of noodles, be it classic pasta or trendy zoodles, and generously coat them with your homemade pesto. It's a match made in pasta heaven!
đ Toasty Delights: Spread your pesto on a slice of warm, crusty bread for a delectable sandwich or a quick snack.
đ„ Roasted or SautĂ©ed Veggies: Elevate your vegetable game by roasting or sautĂ©ing them to perfection. Whether it's carrots, bell peppers, or zucchini, your pesto will add a burst of flavor to these garden treasures.
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Now, your Herby Tomato Pesto is a perfect way to rescue those ripe tomatoes and transform them into a burst of delightful flavor! đ đżÂ
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For an ideal (or possibly chunky) pesto consistency, wield a hand-held immersion blender or a high-powered blender set to pulse. Remember to cut your ingredients into manageable pieces to protect your blender's engine. đ
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Get ready to infuse pasta, noodles (or Zoodles!), roasted or sautĂ©ed veggies, toast, even crackers, with a burst of fresh flavors!Â
]]>We are proud to share that in 2024 alone, we have significantly expanded our reach, providing vital seed resources to various initiatives. We have sent seeds to 26 school gardens (six more than last year), helped to stock 48 seed libraries (3 more than last year), supported 65 community gardens (40% more than 2023), sent seeds to 47 school gardens, collaborated with 41 other impactful projects (that aim for multiple community-based-food projects), provided seeds to 23 seed swaps (doubling our impact from 2023), and made seeds available for auctions, garden clubs, and special events, all centered around community food security.
We value the significant impact of these partnerships, as they enable us to support and empower communities to grow their own food, cultivate sustainable practices, and enhance local food systems. However, we recognize that our donations are limited to the seeds available at the end of the prior year.
We want to further our commitment to supporting community-minded initiatives working to promote food security, preserve pollinator habitat, and provide enriching experiential learning outdoors, including nonprofits, tax-exempt organizations, and institutions.
We extend an invitation to order specific seeds directly from us. If you have projects requiring particular varieties, we are here to assist you.
Reach out to info @ snakeriverseeds.com with your inquiry with the Subject Line: Nonprofit Project Request, indicating your interest in making a sales tax-exempt purchase (if applicable).
In your email, please include the following details:
1. Proof of tax exemption status. If you are not a tax-exempt organization let us know. We can offer a discount on your purchase to support your work!
2. Shipping address.
3. A list of the varieties and quantities you would like to purchase.
4. Please allow for one business week to process during the summer months and 2-3 weeks from November-May. If we can we will process it sooner.
If you are uncertain about the specific seeds you need, we encourage you to explore our comprehensive collections, such as our Big Collections. These thoughtfully curated assortments provide a diverse range of open-pollinated seeds to support your gardening and community-building endeavors. All our seeds can grow plants you can save seeds from, so the gift just keeps on giving!
Furthermore, for individuals or organizations passionate about fostering the development of more gardens and programs, we offer the Pay-it-forward Heirloom collection. By purchasing this collection, you directly contribute to our efforts in creating sustainable, food-secure communities.
We are grateful for the tireless work of tax-exempt organizations in addressing food security challenges, and we are honored to collaborate with you in this vital mission. Together, let's sow the seeds of change and cultivate a future of abundance, sustainability, and community resilience.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or require further assistance. We look forward to supporting your impactful projects!
-The Snake River Seed Cooperative Crew
]]>We owe a big thanks to Katie Batazzo of Front Yard Fresh for hosting a Squash Bug Strategies workshop at Edwards Greenhouse & Flowershop on May 6th, and to Sierra Laverty, the Idaho Plant Doctor, for researching squash bugs last season and sharing notes and strategies with us.
Article by Mary K, Marketing Manager, Community Outreach and Education CoordinatorFirstly, let's define what squash bugs are and what they look like. Squash bugs are a major pest of squash in our area. They lay eggs on the underside of leaves, which suck the juices from the leaves. Over several weeks, they can cause the plant to become shriveled, yellow, and eventually die. Read on for more more information from Wikipedia. Our growing season is short enough that we may not see the full host of issues here.
The adult squash bugs that do the wild mating dance on your plants survive over the winter. They have been lying in wait for those delectable tender young squash plants so they can feast and propagate. Each female lays between 300-400 eggs, which suck the juice from the plant under the leaves. Hatching occurs in 1-2 weeks, and then come the nymphs, which are small, gray, and fast-developing. In 1-2 weeks, they become adults. From there, they will either stay and feast on the remains of the squash or fly off to seek new squash to take over.
The theory is that last season was such a long, hot one that there was enough time for two generations of them to get established. This means there could be a ridiculous number of them to contend with this season. You could be dealing with about 100 bugs per vine.
We anticipate the return of increasingly warm temperatures next week, which means that squash bugs will begin appearing soon. Some gardeners have already reported sightings. When you spot them, pick them off and drop them in a bucket of soapy water. A soap that has grease-fighting abilities works well, like Dawn. Donât squish them, as it releases a scent that attracts more of them. Keep a lookout starting this week. We know that the first couple of weeks in June last year were an active time for them. Donât wait until the first week of July to begin dealing with them, as they will be well established by then.
Here are several strategies that you can use. Pick and choose the ones that suit you best, and keep notes!
If you have the space, plant a trap crop two weeks before you plant the crop youâre hoping for. The goal is to lure the squash bugs to an area where you can deal with them and grow your squash in a place where you can more strategically prevent them from attacking.
The key is to allow for space between the trap crop and your squash crop. Plant them on opposite sides of the yard or in containers located in different areas of your growing space. Plant the trap crop where you had trouble last season, and provide regular water and a little bit of food to get the plant going.
Just the one you love like a hawk - check them every morning
If this is your first year growing squash here, just ask around. Pretty much every gardener has a horror chronicle about squash bugs and will tell you what crops they lost. Use a crop that the squash bug loves to lure them in!
Adult squash bugs locate their prey by air. You can use insect barrier netting to provide protection, draped over wire hoops and weighted down with soil around the edges. You will want to open this up when the plants begin to flower to allow pollinators in there to get all that action going that makes plant babies!!!
You can also plant your desired crop under the shade of a tree. The plants will do better with several hours of sunlight per day, but if you donât have an insect barrier, this may be your easiest bet.
Some gardeners report having luck with companion planting the squash with corn, which if planted this weekend, can grow to be tall enough to provide at least some cover. You may also try growing sorghum, or Broomcorn, around your squash. It grows very well in our area and provides a ton of shade, not to mention a host of other benefits including a lovely addition to flower arrangements, biomass for your compost pile, and a source of grain that can be ground into gluten-free flour!
Other gardeners shared that companion planting spicy peppers with the squash seemed to deter the squash bugs. Cayenne, Aurora, Jalapeños will work, and Habaneros were emphasized. Look for these at plant sales if you don't already have some started.Â
I can report a certain amount of luck, if not strange results, from the weekly application of diluted fertilizer. See this great article on DIY Fertilizer Tea from Seed Grower Cindy Nipper in Rigby, Idaho, on how to make a variety of ferments to bolster the health of your plants and soil.
In 2021, I worked with a version of this that was largely made from rhubarb leaves, fermented for two weeks. I had read that this was useful for deterring those dusty white aphids from kale and wound up applying it to the whole garden. It seemed to have the effect of making the squash plants inhospitable enough to the bugs that they were laying eggs on earwigs that were left on the topside of leaves, and on live roly-polys that tend to congregate around the base of the squash plants.
This season, I will be applying this deterrent to the crop I want to keep weekly, and leaving the trap crop alone outside of watering it and watching it.
The population was so large last season we expect to have them this year as well. They seek shelter overnight, so you can dig a shallow trench next to your small squash plants and lay a board over it. In the early morning, you can easily knock these off into a bucket of soapy water. Check the leaves regularly. Once you see eggs, you can take a piece of duct tape to roll them off of the leaves without crushing them. Don't throw the eggs on the ground; they're tough-shelled and the nymph will hatch. You'll want to throw these away or submerge them in soapy water and then throw them away.
On your trap crop, you will want to let the population get established. Some light management wouldnât hurt, you will want to keep an eye on that crop. Focus your full prevention efforts on your desired crop from the beginning! The trap crop plants should be removed from your garden, put in a trash bag and totally cleared out. Do this when the eggs are on the leaves, but before they hatch. You have 1-2 weeks from the point theyâre laid before youâve got nymphs.Â
If you trellis your desired crop it will allow you to more easily see the underside of the leaves and manage the eggs, and pluck any squash bugs that show up.Â
Know that youâre not alone in the effort! Take photos and keep notes over the season. Itâs a good practice for your garden, helping you increase your success each year. You are also able to trade tips with other gardeners and grow together!
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]]>We are grateful for the moisture, 2.74 inches in Boise this March (2023), and on the high end in parts of Northern Idaho, as well as Salt Lake, Utah, according to Weather.gov, but dealing with prolonged cold wet seasons can present some challenges!
]]>We are grateful for the moisture, 2.74 inches in Boise this March (2023), and on the high end in parts of Northern Idaho, as well as Salt Lake, Utah, according to Weather.gov, but dealing with prolonged cold wet seasons can present some challenges!
Overall, gardeners in the Intermountain West face unique challenges when dealing with prolonged cold and wet seasons. However, with the right strategies and techniques, it is possible to overcome these challenges and grow healthy and productive gardens!
]]>It's more important than ever to find moments of joy and beauty in our daily lives. One way to do that is by planting flowers in your garden. Not only do they brighten up your space, but they also play a crucial role in supporting pollinators, like bees and butterflies. At the Snake River Seed Co-op, we offer a wide selection of spring flower seeds that are perfect for the intermountain west climate. Here are some of our favorites:
These flowers are not just beneficial for pollinators, they are also a way for us to show gratitude and acknowledge the reciprocal relationship we have with nature. So why not try planting them in your garden this spring?
Browse our full selection of spring flower seeds today and bring joy to your garden and pollinators!
]]>Are you just about mad with a craving for those sweet juicy focal points of your garden? Well, youâre in luck. Weâve got so many tomato varieties for you!! Now is the time to make your selections and start your seeds! Check out this handy blog article for seed starting!
Determinate tomatoes ripen earlier than indeterminate ones, so if you are in a hurry, choose determinate varieties. The earliest are usually Sandpoint, Stupice, and Sasha's Altai.Â
Cherokee Purple is a good choice for an early-ripening beefsteak type.
Concerned about the heat affecting blossoms? Try Oregon Spring and Sasha's Altai, they have been known to flower early enough for fruiting. Read more on heat strategies below.
Interested in Heirlooms? These are varieties with a documented history of being passed down through generations for more than 50-100 years. Many people consider the big multi-colored varieties to be heirlooms, but they are actually Beefsteak types!
Try San Marzano! The quintessential Italian paste tomato. The ONLY tomato for some...
There are also heirloom cherries, heirloom slicers, and pastes, it can be mind-boggling! Each of the 48 varieties available on our website notes whether the tomato is an heirloom or not.
The business of categorizing our tomatoes to help you choose is something we will be working on, but for now here are some classifications that may help:
Cherry small 1/2"-1" round ones
Salad tomatoes are round, 1-2"
Slicers are the tomatoes you generally see in the grocery store. These are 2-4" and round. Less meaty than beefsteaks.Â
Beefsteak is the quintessential "heirloom"...super thin skin, very meaty, huge & heavy, that classic shape
Paste/Roma Come in all shapes & sizes. Romas are paste tomatoes, as are a bunch of others. They have drier flesh and not very many seeds. Casey's fave that we carry is the Cuore di Capra, which ripens a bit earlier than San Marzano for her AND is a lot bigger AND doesn't get blossom end rot as many romas do.
There are a lot more types than that, and it's worthy of some serious study!Â
Plan to follow the seed packet spacing and trellising notes - It can be incredibly tempting to plant them more closely than recommended, but, trust it⊠thereâs a reason for the spacing recommendations. Crowded plants can reduce airflow, which may encourage unwanted bacteria or fungi to take up residence on them. Crowding can also increase plant stress, which signals some insects to feed on them. Itâs part of Natureâs way of maintaining a balance.
Feeding your tomatoes - We note for several of our tomatoes that itâs a good idea to add crushed eggshells to the soil when you plant your tomatoes. Some sources also recommend adding a mix of aged compost and a bit of manure 1-2 feet deep in the area of your garden where youâll be planting your tomatoes. If you add components such as aged manure mixed in with your soil now, it will allow time for the soil to incorporate it.
Soil health can increase plant resiliency - check out your local nursery or gardening center to ask about organic methods you can use right now to bolster your soil. If you prefer to do it yourself, Seed Grower Cindy Nipper of Tree of Life Revelation 22:2 offers this great article on creating your own Fertilizer Tea! It includes several great tips and suggested plants that you can grow and use for overall garden health!
Plan for deep watering - Tomato plants will need enough regular watering to get established in the spring, but after that, resist the temptation to overwater them! This encourages shallow root growth and consistent moisture in the soil can create a habitat for disease. Deeper watering less frequently encourages the roots to grow downward. Special care will still be needed to be sure they get the water they need during the hottest months. In 80-95 degree weather, if you plan it right, tomatoes have been known to do well with a deep watering once a week, potentially less. Avoid watering the leaves, use drip irrigation or a soaker hose instead. According to Wolf D. Storl in his book Culture in Horticulture, the soil should be as wet as a wrung-out sponge all the way down to the root tips. âFor experimental purposes, one could dig a hole to get an idea of the watering depth and assess the amount that is right for the soil.â Be sure to use a mulch to hold that moisture in place. Straw is an excellent material for this because it reflects the sun and keeps the ground cool. Hay mulch can perform similarly while feeding soil organisms.
Happy Tomato Seeding!Â
]]>By Cindy Nipper of Tree of Life Revelation 22:2 and SRSC Seed GrowerÂ
I don't use commercial fertilizers. I make my own "fertilizer tea" for feeding my garden plants.Â
Disclaimer I am not a scientist, I do not have a degree or even background in science. I do not use a microscope.
I don't use commercial fertilizers. I make my own "fertilizer tea" for feeding my garden plants.Â
DisclaimerÂ
I am not a scientist, I do not have a degree or even background in science. I do not use a microscope. I do not test my solution. I use my garden like an experiment and am constantly learning new things from reading, others, and my experiences in my garden. This is just what I do. You need to evaluate my information and make decisions on if you're going to try this, modify it, or decide not to use it. Only you can decide how you will garden on your land.
Fill a 5 gallon or larger container with anything from the list below. Use one or more. Different items have different benefits and can be harvested at different times of the year. Top your container with water. Close the lid. (If it doesn't have a lid, cover with plastic or wood to keep insects from laying eggs, and to keep the smell contained some.)
Wait at least two weeks, (you can continue to add to this container and continue to use every two weeks). You could use a 55 gallon drum and use it all year, continuing to use and add all season long.
Dilute 10 to 1. That's 10 parts water to one part "DIY Fertilizer Tea", and water garden as normal. (A "part" refers to any amount with your measurements. A small to medium garden can use maybe 5 gallons of the diluted mix, so use œ gallon concentrated solution and 5 gallons of water. You can measure with a cup or a quart or a gallon or more depending on how much area you'll be fertilizing.)
They all add different nutrients, different minerals, if the plants can't use it, it will lay dormant waiting for a plant that can. Except salts. Those can both wash away, and stay depending on the variety and amount. Protect your garden from excess salts.Â
Remember seeds can stay dormant for a long time. Some over 50 years. Some need a change like a fire to cause them to sprout.
Learn to read your weeds and discover what your soil is missing.
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Personally, I am excited to implement this information in the garden this season!
- Mary K
Dandelion photo via Flicker CCBY Truus, Bob & Jan too!
]]>With the rising cost of groceries, many people are seeking ways to supplement their food supply, and gardening is becoming increasingly enticing. Community gardens are more than just a source of fresh produce - they also offer a variety of benefits to individuals and the community as a whole!
Over 2022, our Community Seeds program supported 22 community gardens, in 2023, we are still putting together seed bundles for 35. Additionally, we have supported 12 other kinds of projects, several include seed redistribution to community garden programs as part of broad food security/food sovereignty efforts. In 2023, we have been assembling seed bundles for 22 such projects.*
In many regions, community gardens have played an important role in community food systems â as a way of providing fresh produce for residents who may not have access to it otherwise. Such gardens can bring together people from diverse backgrounds, helping to build a stronger sense of community and promoting social, economic, and climate resilience. The concept of holistic community food systems has been gaining traction in recent years, as more people recognize the need for a more sustainable and equitable food system. Such systems involve a wide range of activities and practices, including growing and distributing food, providing experience-based opportunities to learn about healthy eating, supporting local farmers, and building community connections.
ï»żPhoto from the USDA Office of Community Food Systems | Food and Nutrition Service
The benefits of community gardens can be seen in areas like the Treasure Valley, where rapid development and rising property values are making it more difficult for individuals and families to find affordable housing and access to fresh food.Â
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The Meridian Co-op Gardeners maintain a community garden and pollinator garden located in Kleiner Park. This is a collaborative effort with the City of Meridian. 33 families garden together and share in the harvest. They share in the labor and joy of watching the gardens grow. They are dedicated to growing locally grown and high-quality produce and committed to helping those who lack adequate food resources. The food from the garden helps provide healthy food to feed our families and works to reduce their food bills. They also help feed families in our community that struggle with food security. Excess food is donated to local food banks.
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Our community garden has been evolving since our first vision in the Fall of 2018 and our partnership with Trinity Community Gardens Inc. began. Due to all the wonderful people we have met thru the Treasure Valley Community Gardens Cooperative (TVCGCoop), Canyon County Extension, and others, we are currently focused on supporting our community in the following ways:
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In partnership with Eastwind Community Church.
Cultivating 1 acre with sections available for community members!
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Connected through Meridian Calvary Chapel Church.Â
A brand new location, co-op garden space, open to public co-op gardeners!
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A Co-op Community garden during much of the growing season and serves as a school garden during the school year. Partnered with One Stone High School and St. Stephens Episcopal Church. Located on Cole Rd. near Northview. Still seeking one or two co-op community gardeners for the 2023 season!
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You can connect with this local grass-roots effort via Facebook here!Â
Please note, space availability and gardening methods can vary, but now is a good time to learn more!Â
 Weighing out the benefits? You may be able to volunteer at a garden to learn more about some of your options. Itâs a great way to start!
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Shared garden areas benefit the community that surrounds them by providing green spaces that improve the feeling of an entire neighborhood. In some regions, it is common practice for property owners to offer community garden spaces at a rate of $2 per year. Considering the amount of invested energy and resources involved in creating and holding these spaces, it would make sense to provide them for a minimum of five years. This helps to establish a stable environment for gardeners to cultivate their crops and encourages a long-term commitment to the project.
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In addition to the social benefits, community gardens also offer environmental benefits. Growing food using organic principles reduces our carbon footprint by eliminating the need for transportation and packaging of produce. They can serve as great places to encourage regenerative practices, such as composting and water conservation. Such gardens can provide sources of biodiversity that can help combat the loss of pollinators and other essential species.Â
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Community gardens are a great way to promote sustainability, build community, and learn valuable gardening skills. If you have been considering joining or starting a community garden, now is a great time to get involved.Â
Visit the Treasure Valley Community Gardens Cooperative via FB to find, or list a community garden near you and get started on your gardening journey. If you are located outside of the Treasure Valley, check out the American Community Garden Association website to locate a garden near you!
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*We changed our method of tracking what kind of organizations are applying for our Community Seeds between 2022 and 2023, allowing for multiple selections. This helps broaden our understanding of the work some organizations are doing. Some are offering multiple services in their communities including, for example, educational community gardens, seed libraries, school gardens, and seed swaps.Â
]]>Winter Sowing is an interesting step gardeners are taking towards trusting the seeds to germinate when they are ready.
We have some success stories to share from the experiences of gardeners in the Treasure Valley, Rigby Idaho, and a special tip from a seed friend on the other side of the country to share with educators!
]]>We have some success stories to share from the experiences of gardeners in the Treasure Valley, Rigby Idaho, and a special tip from a seed friend on the other side of the country to share with educators!
Last season we provided some basics for how winter sowing works. Read here for details!
Cindy Nipper in Rigby, ID growing zone 5a, sows all of her tomatoes in jugs! As she notes, âI need all the help I can get.â Given the shorter growing season, thatâs the best way she can ensure that sheâll have tomatoes come summer.Â
This season Cindy is growing Johnny Jump Ups, a color mix of Petunias, Broadleaf Plantain, and the Sunspot Sunflower to contribute to the cooperative seeds!
Cindy started gardening about 10 years ago. âWeâre military, we move around a lot. Every place we go I start from scratch. Every 3 years we tend to move.â In the last location her âregion was similar temp, but more wet. Rains every week. We had trouble with weeds. If I went away for a week theyâd run over. I started researching ways to deal with it. No Till means I don't till the soil, but I'll used native soil and add manure, compost, leaves, hay, straw, wood chips, and other compostable materials to improve the soil. This is often described as Deep Mulch, the Ruth Stout Method, Back to Eden, Lasagna Gardening, etc.â
I asked about some of her observations.Â
âTomatoes canât be planted till the first week of June, and first frost is mid-September.â Last season they did amazing!
Initially, she planted many different seeds and none came up. So she went to a nursery and got four. She said that âabout a week after my transplants went in I was checking my winter sow jugs and there were a number of them, though they were small. About 1 in.â She had a lot of people tell her it was a good year for tomatoes.Â
With winter sowing âI start in Jan/Feb and continue all the way until itâs time to plant. I transplant my tomatoes in the first week of June.â I asked about other forms of season extension. âI tried used the Wall O Water, but noticed it didnât make a difference, so went back to planting a week or two later.â
Sheâs been following some growing advice from a fellow in Salmon, ID. He puts fish, egg shells and banana peels in the hole and fertilizes once a week. She fertilizes more randomly, and changes up her recipe (upcoming compost tea recipe!), based on whatâs available and when. Sometimes itâs just comfrey.
In 2022, Julia Bennett Sanderson sowed everything in jugs, providing these excellent notes and findings! Julia is an avid home gardener, and has been working on a school garden at Grace Jordan Elementary in Boise, ID where she also serves as the President of the Parent Teacherâs Organization. Sheâs been with Treasure Valley Community Gardens Cooperative since late 2020, and this season plans to lend some of her studied insight while working in a co-op community garden near her base of operations. This includes Matt Powers Regenerative Soil course!Â
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Juliaâs report on Winter Sowing:
Tomatoes did well â it took forever for them to turn color â they popped in April. I covered them with comforter blankets when it got to be 34 degrees or less. They were much stronger plants, no tomato blight!
The dill did really well like always, and I have a ton of seed from those plants for next year! Â
Out of the two dozen jalapeño plants, about 15 thrived enough to transplant out. I kept 6 and shared the rest with others. Two of the plants have given me lots of medium sized peppers (guessing about 2 dozen each), but I only fed them once this season.Â
The onions transplanted really well, but I was impatient and harvested them before their full potential!Â
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The beans were transplanted May 1st, I covered them with the last couple frosts but I think their growth was stunted and they never produced. They were beautiful though and I loved the different colors.Â
The cucumbers actually transplanted much better than expected. I over-seeded my jug and was worried their roots were going to be too disturbed. However, the roly-polies mowed down most of them!
I got two plants that powered through, and they have been high producing and did pretty well through the summer. I had enough for my kids lunches nearly every day for quite some time. They are surprisingly hardy tooâI kind of neglected them with regard to watering, and I only fed them once. I will definitely grow this variety again.
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For educators, we want to uplift this example from Bonnetta Adeeb, a Commissioner with the Cooperative Gardens Commission, and founding member of the Ujamaa Black Farmers Alliance based in the D.C. area. Bonnetta sows everything in the winter (and uses this method in the summer) too! An educator for 37+ years, sheâs found that sowing 100 seeds at a time in 5 gallon buckets allows her to start enough seedlings to distribute to the many communities she serves, with a focus on âminority and under-served youth pursuing higher education in STEM related fields.â She works with schools ranging from elementary to college, and has noted that itâs very handy to have a large number of seedlings going for their hands-on learning.
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To cold-stratify your seeds indoors you can use simple items you may have at home!
For this, you will need a sandwich bag (used is fine, so long as it's clean and dry to begin with), about 1/4 cup of sand (playground sand from the hardware store is great), and a permanent marker. For transplanting in the coming months, you will want to have small pots or seed trays and seed starting mix.
If you're stratifying small seeds, like Goldenrod, you can use one packet for one bag. If you are using larger seeds, such as the Antelope Bitterbrush, you may want to use two bags.
Nell's preferred method is to use paper towels or coffee filters. For the home gardener, this works well for medium to large seeds. For this, you will need a paper towel, a ballpoint pen, and a 1-gallon freezer zip-sealing bag. For transplanting in the coming months, you will want to have small pots or seed trays and a seed starting mix.
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You can sow your seeds into prepared pots or flats outside, and then transplant them in the spring after they germinate. This works well for small seeds that aren't as easy to directly place on a paper towel.
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On Friday November 4th we gathered at Purple Sage Farms in Middleton, ID who kindly hosted this yearâs meeting! In the past we've held the meeting in the Summer, but in line with our producer-driven value, we surveyed growers in the late Spring to ask where and when they wanted to conduct this yearâs meeting. The majority wanted to have it later in the year, at the time that they normally bring or ship the seeds for the coming season.Â
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This annual gathering is important for a number of reasons. It provides our cooperative with a sense of community. It helps the employees develop deeper connection with the seed growers, and provides us hope, and inspiration for things to come. We come away from these with more gratitude for the growers each season. At the gathering we closed out the session with a circle-up, and expressed our feelings about the day in one word. Some growers expressed hope, some felt empowered, and there was an expressed sense of pride in the co-op overall.Â
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Itâs wonderful to be able to just see one another! Many attendees met for the first time in person. With the help of a grant the co-op was able to cover the cost of travel for growers making the trek from farther reaches of the Intermountain West, including Western Montana, Northern Idaho, and Utah. Growers from all over the valley navigated a snowy morning and joined us in Middleton.
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Danny OâMalley presented the Operations and Wholesale report, and Reiley Carney provided the Financial Outcomes of the past year. Growers offered feedback, asked questions, and discussions were held that serve to inform our function in a cooperative fashion.Â
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After snacks and an inspiring tour of the many epic operations of Purple Sage Farms, we had a meaningful discussion about some key plans for the coming year, inviting feedback about how we do crop selection and provide insight on the seeds that each grower cares for and cultivates. We also talked about knowledge sharing within the co-op, what we share with the seedy world of small scale seed farmers, and the importance of sharing knowledge to help seed growers from all around.Â
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Many hands holding the seeds keeps them saferâa tenet weâve grown with from the beginning of this seed cooperative.
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Learn about our growers by visiting our Growers Page!
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]]>Hopefully you were able to fully transition your garden for the fall/winter before freezing temperatures established themselves around the Intermountain West! With the swift weather change, and holiday season underway, itâs understandable that we might not have gotten the whole garden ready for its Winter rest. Fear not! There are ways to retain the nutrients in your soil over the coming months. Timing is the trick, aiming for a couple of afternoons that allow for as many of the following activities as possible. It may seem too cold for it, but just think of the folks you might see running and biking, bundled up in gear they can move in, and know that weâve just got to add a couple of mobile layers to work in, and weâre ready to go. The garden could do with some layers as well! A few well-planned hours spent now could save hours and hours spent weeding next season.
One practice farmers employed in preparation for this drought earlier this year was thick straw mulch, though finding straw at this time of year might be hard. Gardeners practicing on a smaller scale can get a jump on mulching now, using an abundant (in many areas) natural material, tree leaves! According to an article in Catalyst Magazine on soil building from seed grower James Loomis of Green Phoenix Farms, now is the time to lay it on thick! 2-4 inches minimum, more than that is wonderful. According to some, 6 inches of leaves can all but eliminate weeds by depriving them of light, while providing shelter for earthworms and other micro-organisms to do their work in the soil.Â
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Keeping soil covered is mimicking Natureâs way of doing things. In our freezing temps just think of it as a blanket (or two) to tuck in the garden and the many interconnected processes within it. Now is the time to collect leaves and lay them on thickly in areas youâre wanting to protect. Trees draw nutrients up from deeper layers of Earth and shed them this time of year, giving us an abundant resource to work with!
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At this point itâs a dance many of us have not encountered yet. Boise, the City of Trees hasnât fully dropped leaves yet. The branches are holding canopies partly covered in wet heavy snow thatâs been falling off and on since last week.
Usually we get a chance to rake up fallen leaves before the snow falls. Now, we have to wait for the snow to melt, leaves to fall, and then collect them for this process. They may be wet and heavy. That said, theyâll be part of the way through their natural breakdown process, more evenly exposed to a layer of frosty snow. Around the first and last frosts, weâve been suggesting the use of season extension methods to protect plants in our gardens from freezing because the cold will damageâand alterâthe cellular structure of leaves. This can work in our favor in considering the strong fibers many tree leaves have, which cause them to break down more slowly.
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Pest Negotiations
This past year many gardeners had trouble with roly polys. Theyâre drawn to decaying matter, so you will want to carefully consider where and how you use leaves in the garden.Â
 In a Fall cycle like last season when leaves fell before the snow, gardeners who mulched with them may have a thick layer of mostly dry material under the upper layer that typically gets the precipitation. Leaves situated in that way would have taken longer to break down, providing roly polyâs a pretty ready source of food by the time our precipitation really hit in the Spring. Though ravenous, these critters were still doing their work of breaking down matter. This early snow can serve us by adding moisture more evenly to decomposing matter where we want roly polys to be feasting. Adding some coffee grounds or aged manure to the mix can aid in the decomposition of tree leaves as well. We can plan to redirect the hungry bugs from the tender tomatoes, squash, and bean plants that we want to be feasting on next year.Â
Cover as much of the garden area as possible with a thick layer of leaves in their varied states of dry, wet, and maybe still a bit frozen. We can plan to move leaves off of the areas of the garden that weâd plant our edibles early next season. For the winter months, your soil can benefit from a nutritious sheltering layer of decomposing leaf matter, which is depriving weeds of light.
Early next year plan to weave some of these leaves into your compost piles. They can also be used in areas of the garden that could be mowed, shredding the remaining leaves into small bits for a last round of decomposition, or even till them under (noting mixed opinions about tilling), or turn them under by hand to provide the soil a layer of easily available nutrition.Â
One way or another something will grow in soil in varied states of soil health when temperatures begin to warm again in the Spring. Without a thick layer of mulch, or another means of covering the soil, grass and weeds are likely to take up the cleared space unless it is covered with something else. Gardeners can always cut ourselves a little slack (and Nature) and allow for some weeds.Â
Some gardeners and farmers maintain a successful output without spending a ton of time, energy and money by clearing all weeds, instead they work with them strategically. You can find out more about this in an interview we did with James Duxbury of B&B Farms in Kuna last month.
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Just give it a few hours now, and revel in the benefits of this cultivated and cared for soil later!
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]]>A garden design should include 80% native plant species to help sequester carbon. This goes beyond vegetable gardeningâto sequester carbon we want to reduce the need to till the soil. In the arid high desert, we also want to avoid setting ourselves up to commit to caring for incredibly thirsty plants accustomed to areas with high annual rainfallâlike the grass used in typical lawns!Â
Plants native to this region require the amount of water we tend to get here. Many of these offer pollen for bees, birds and other beneficial insects. The huge bonus here: Adding beauty to your living space, while reducing the amount of labor-intense digging over time, or using gas-powered lawn care equipment, chemical fertilizers or herbicides. All of these efforts contribute to carbon sequestration.Â
Plant choices depend on where you live and what has historically thrived there. According to the Xerces Society Guide to Attracting Native Pollinators, you want to provide food for pollinators over the changing seasons, Spring, Summer and Fall. To do this, you select plants that bloom at different points in the season.Â
Early season plants
Arrowleaf Balsamroot, Chokecherry, Golden currant, Lupine, Northern Sweetvetch, Palmerâs penstemon, Rocky Mountain penstemon, Firecracker penstemon, Gooseberry globemallow, Muleâs earâs and Serviceberry.
Mid-season plants
Blanketflower, Bee Friend, Purple Coneflower (Echinacea), Rocky Mountain Bee Plant, and Showy Milkweed.
Late-season blooming plants
Rubber Rabbitbrush, Showy Goldeneye, and Wild West Sunflower
All plants listed here require low-to-medium annual precipitation, no more than 18 inches. Compare this to a lawn that needs between 52-78 inches of water annually (1 to 1.5 inches of water per week, according to Scotts.com a source for lawn care)!Â
Check out our Intermountain West Native Plants page to see some more options.
Curious about how you can be growing food while implementing some of the potentials of working with native plants in your garden space? Check out our interview with James Duxbury of B&B Farms in Kuna. In it, he shares about his methods of working with natural processes. Mimic Nature and You Can't Go Wrong!
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Sources:
Xerces Society
The full PDF provides detailed instructions for installation. Look at page 12 for the Appendix of Plants, https://xerces.org/sites/default/files/2018-06/17-055_01_InstallGuideJobSheet_Idaho_PollinatorPlantings_July2017.pdf
Scotts
https://www.scotts.com/en-us/library/lawn-care-basics/lawn-watering-tips
Resilience
https://www.resilience.org/stories/2020-01-27/carbon-gardening-a-natural-climate-solution-that-can-help-reduce-co2-emissions-while-restoring-biodiversity/
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]]>Yellow Crookneck Squash with Fava Beans
The basis of Jamesâs farming theory is to âlook at what Nature does and you canât go wrong.â James works with the concept of polyculture vs monoculture, meaning diversely planting a number of different crops. âYou canât stress out about it with all the natural predators and pests - deer, rabbit, squashbugs⊠If you have monoculture vs polyculture, itâs like opening the door and ringing the dinner bell. If theyâre going to do damage to a crop, theyâll take out the whole thing. If you have other things mixed in, theyâll do less damage.â
Squash bugs are a threat to melons as well as squashes. I was fascinated to learn more. He said âThe squash bugs werenât too terrible the first few months this year, this last 6 weeks [late August into September] has been terrible. Itâs been hard on the Yellow Crook Neck.â Heâs growing them in an 80x40 ft space âamongst corn, peppers, tomatoes, radishes, wine grapes and everything else.âÂ
His understanding is that âif my soil health is well balanced the plants will be as healthy as possible, and the bugs wonât want to feed on them. They prey on the less healthy plants. Thatâs where I do have this wonderful compost tea that Iâve been using. Helpful for bringing trees back, some of the grapes as well. I havenât done it to the annuals yet, but I did it to their soil beds. I think thatâs definitely helped compared to the last few years.â This is right in line with the Dr. Elaine Inghamâs Soil Food Web work, which heâs been inspired by.
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More Natural Approaches
James is âexperimenting with cover crop in small areas, including daikon radish.â The nature-intent he is mimicking is to keep the soil covered in the winter. âRight now Iâm doing the âtarping method,â which worked well last year. In the fall, you water an area, lay down a tarp, such as silage tarp, which is pretty heavy duty.â He recommends checking out Farmers Friend. For home gardeners, large pieces of cardboard can achieve a similar outcome. The function, he explains is that the tarp âbasically doesnât let weed sprouts survive. Iâve had carbon based stuff underneath the whole winter through. You pull the tarp in the spring. Maybe run through the heavier weedy material with a weed whacker. That robs it of sunlight, and saves an enormous amount of time with weed pressure. This is also working with alfalfa, I whack it down, let it lay and it provides nitrogen to the soil.âÂ
I asked what kinds of weeds heâs contending with. âScotia - pretty much a tumbleweed, with Goatheads here and there. We have irrigation issues, as much as surface water--weâre surrounded by it. At least once a year we get surface floods and get weed seeds and undesirables. The water laws are 150 years old, and weâre surrounded by industrial farms, and thatâs a major challenge.â
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He is inspired by the regenerative no-till methods Gabe Brown writes about in his book Dirt to Soil, One Familyâs Journey Into Regenerative Agriculture. These are essentially: limiting disturbance, keeping soil covered at all times, diversity in crops and in animals, living roots, and integrating animals into his practice.Â
James raises goats and utilizes a mix of manure and barnyard straw to add nutrients as well as cover to his soil. I asked if there was a particular time he works on soil health, and he said âConstantly! Focus on keeping carbon on the soil and keeping things managed. Right now Iâm weed whacking between the grape vines. Alfalfa, Scotia, and different grasses. I wonât spray them of course. Cut them at the base and let them rest. I donât irrigate between the rows. Itâs definitely helped with the 8 years weâve been here. Even in a desert landscape Iâve got no reason to irrigate here. Similar to what Gabe Brown is doing, no till.âÂ
 This coming season he intends to continue expanding his growing space, using drip irrigation vs. accessing the local irrigation. âThe surface water/irrigation isnât desirable at all, itâs full of nitrates.â
He works to preserve the beneficial fungi that grows in the carbon matter heâs accumulating, by not disturbing it. Heâs established sections of woodchips and allows for what he calls âbeneficial weedsâ like alfalfa. James explained that âtheyâre great pollinators. Bees and flies come to them. The sunflowers that are going crazy love them. Weâve got lots of moths and birds, huge amounts of goldfinches that show up.â He has installed bird boxes, and plans to install more. Heâs âconsidering owl boxes to help take care of gophers and voles. In 'Snowmaggedon' [2017] the voles were terrible, possibly due to the long snow covered winter. Gophers are the biggest challenge, I trap them as much as I can.â
In terms of adapting to shifting frost dates, he just checks the weather regularly and takes note of changes. âLast year it was Sept 26th, year before the 30th. The frost in the spring has been delayed more and more. Here itâs supposed to be May 20th, its been June 6th. I work within last frost to first frost. Weâre in a little valley, a couple hundred feet lower than Boise.â
Crane Melon
 He plants way more than he anticipates needing, saying he âwould rather have too much than not enough. We had late flowering for some desired crops, the Crane Melon. Planted them in two areas, to see what method would work better. One heavily mulched with goat barnyard waste, that did really well. The later-in-development crop, was planted with plastic weed cloth between rows. I rotate them. The sunflower seeds were hard to keep thinned out, in these particular areas. Just got to cover them and rotate and go from there.â
Lastly, though he mentioned it early in our discussion, he works with an interesting philosophy about weeds, he allows 50% of his operation to go to nature, some of which can get weedy. His logic is multi-part. For the Crane Melons, and the anticipation of pests, he reasons that âif they have many roots to choose from thereâs better odds of success.â The melons are âplanted all around the gopher mounds. Interspersed with purple millet, beans, corn.âÂ
On this method heâs inspired by Bob Cannard, a farmer practicing sustainability for 30 years, who provides produce to a notable chef named Alice Waters at the Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley. He grows 50% for humans and leaves 50% to nature.
The amount of effort gardeners and farmers can put into keeping a space weed free âcan drive a person crazy, or to spend a bunch of money. If you go down to the Boise river and check out the soil under the base of a great cottonwood, itâs the best soil youâre going to find, with natural plants and weeds all around.
James's growing philosophy and practice relate well to some of the points we were exploring in our other focused post this month, exploring ways that gardening can help to mitigate climate change!Â
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By Mary K Johnson
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]]>Includes German Striped Stuffer Tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, zucchini, carrots, scallions, and quinoa!
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ï»żRecipe by Reiley Carney, Finance Manager and Seed Production Manager.
Ingredients
5-10 German Striped Stuffer Tomatoes
1 zucchini
2-3 carrots (or one large Lofthouse Carrot)
1/2 bunch scallions
1 cup quinoa
2 1/4 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin
salt (optional)
pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese (option to use vegan, option to use more or less cheese)
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Instructions
Bring vegetable stock to a slow boil. Rinse quinoa and add to boiling vegetable stock. Reduce heat of quinoa pot to low-to-medium heat. Cook for about 20 minutes. Stir quinoa occasionally and check water level. When there is no water remaining in quinoa pot, turn off burner and place pot in a cool spot. Add a lid and let quinoa sit for 5-10 minutes while you wait for your carrots and zucchini to cook.
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While your quinoa is cooking, chop carrots into small pieces, about 1/4â diameter, and add to a sautĂ© pan with olive oil. Add cumin and basil to olive oil and place on stove over low-to-medium heat. Chop zucchini into small pieces, about 1/4â diameter, and add to sautĂ© pan. Stir carrots and zucchini. Add more vegetable oil if veggies donât all have a light oil coating. Continue stirring carrots and zucchini occasionally. They will be finished when most look slightly translucent and soft.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using a knife, cut tops off of the tomatoes. Try to make a hole that is large enough to stuff, but save as much fruit as you can! Remove seeds and liquid from inside of tomatoes. Lightly coat the bottom of a glass or tin pan with olive oil. Place tomatoes on pan with holes facing up.
Chop scallions.
When veggies are finished cooking, combine quinoa with veggies and stir. Add salt and pepper. Use a spoon to add mixture into the tomatoes. Top with as much cheese and scallions as you like! Place in oven for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 5-8 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
]]>In the Treasure Valley the first predicted frost date is October 14th according to The Farmers Almanac, which has held a pretty good track record for predictions for decades. The current 10-day forecast predicts a low of 40 degrees through October 26th, but it's good to be prepared and check weather forecasts regularly!
]]>Some of the last opportunities for fall planting are upon us, and we are preparing crops to overwinter. In the Treasure Valley the first predicted frost date was October 14th according to The Farmers Almanac, which has held a pretty good track record for predictions for decades. These days however, people are turning to other sources for weather reports and predictions. We just sailed through our first projected frost date which was partly cloudy, but plenty warm. No frost yet. Folks in the Treasure Valley strongly recommend following Kody the Weather Guy, who offers pretty reliable information for Idaho, Oregon, and even Colorado.Â
To check frost dates in your exact location anywhere in the Intermountain West, check out the National Weather Service (NOAA) where you can pinpoint your exact location and get a read on what's happening in your unique place on Earth, micro-climate and all.Â
Quick overview:Â If you want greens in February, NOWâs the time to direct seed your favorite varieties and bury them in mulch, we traditionally recommend a thick layer of fall leaves.*Â Seed Garlic has obviously been our favorite recommendation for this time of year! We are sold out for this season, but be sure to check your local growing center to see if they've got seed garlic. We'll fire things up again next season with more, be sure to stay tuned!Â
What About Greens in the Winter?
Provided they have a pretty good start, many plants can grow through the winter if they are protected. Check out our free Summer and Fall Vegetable Planting guide for specifics. If you haven't started any plants for fall eating, check out your local nursery to see what they've got! Using a cold frame helps to ensure that you will have greens to eat over the winter. Adding additional lighting may increase the potential of edible greens before February. Without added lights, plants will take longer to grow and get leggy.Â
Root Veggies and Cold-Hardy Crops
The veggies you already have in the ground are the most likely to overwinter well. Cover carrots or beets with a big thick layer of leaves, so you can go out and dig them later. You can do the same with parsnips though they donât need it⊠theyâre so winter hardy. If the top of either carrots or beets gets frozen they can turn to mush. If they are protected with mulch that wonât happen. Parsnips are hard to dig out of the ground if theyâre frozen in place. Just another thing to love about mulch! You can simply push it to the side when you're ready, and youâre able to dig into the soil and get them out.Â
Regions that get more snow have an easier time overwintering because snow serves as insulation itself. With a thick layer of snowfall, the ground will maintain a consistent 32 degrees, no matter how cold it gets above the snow. A lot of our cold crops donât care if itâs freezing, or 10 degrees above ground. Below ground, they are vulnerable to colder temps, especially in areas that donât have a lot of snow cover but reach those low temperatures.
In short, if you really want to try a crop from seed that you're able to eat before February, implement season extenders and lights. If you want to increase your chances of success, buy some starts. Protect your root veggies, and check out our cold-hardy varieties! Mulch!!!Â
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*Due to an invasion of voracious roly polys the past couple of seasons, the garden shown here is enjoying thick straw mulch--they reportedly thrive on decaying leaves. Additionally, due to the late warmth we're experiencing in the Treasure Valley, there aren't all that many leaves to collect just yet! But when they do fall, they'll be incorporated around other areas of the garden to bring the nourishment and cover to the soil that they offer. Protecting alliums is a good use for leaf mulch, as roly polys tend to avoid those.Â
]]>This is a general guide! If you have access to a grill, you can prepare a fair quantity of food in as little as 20 minutes of cooking time. You can also set your oven to broil for a similar effect, but be sure to look into variations on cooking times for different vegetable types.
]]>This is a general guide! If you have access to a grill, you can prepare a fair quantity of food in as little as 20 minutes of cooking time. You can also set your oven to broil for a similar effect, but be sure to look into variations on cooking times for different vegetable types.
Preparation:Â
Cook Time:
Preservation Options:
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]]>Every gardener is challenged to spend one hundred hours in their garden in the first hundred days of their season. That may sound like a lot, but if one tracks back through the season's photos it's not hard to present some of the 100 hours put into a successful garden over the course of the season!
The Low Tech Institute identifies "ancient and contemporary nonindustrial technologies appropriate for use in modern, small-scale, self-sustaining infrastructure" and provides their findings to the public to freely use.
They found us through the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI). SRSC believes that seeds should remain a part of the public commons and we do not knowingly grow or sell varieties that are patented. We believe continued plant breeding is crucial to the progression and adaptation of high-quality organic seeds that can thrive in a changing climate. Therefore, we pay voluntary âroyaltiesâ of 5% of OSSI pledged variety sales to the plant breeders who spend years creating new varieties and then release them open-source into the world for other farmers like us to grow and save seed from.
We only provide open pollinated seedsâno hybrids or any other types. We want people to be able to save their seed at the end of each growing season!
The challenge has been particularly inspiring - the thought of sharing in the work with everyone else participating has been particularly helpful for keeping that gardening gumption going. Deciding to take part in it, Iâve been sharing some the processes of learning in a school/community garden space. Youâre invited to take part in it as well and tag @LowTechInstitute and @SnakeRiverSeedCoop
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And/or use these hashtags:
#100Days100HourGardeningChallenge
#SnakeRiverSeedCoop
Note from the author, Mary K:
I am the Marketing Manager for SRSC, starting here in June 2021.
Personally, I am one of the millions of pandemic-era gardeners, seriously inspired to try and grow a significant amount of food, to supplement what I eat regularly. Like many, I have come to find a lot of solace and wild inspiration in the garden. Iâm no expert, but I can grow some tomatoes pretty well. I add new veggies, greens, herbs, and flowers to garden spaces each season.
I started by learning from others, collecting information by rapidly photographing and note-taking during garden tours in 2020. I continue learning from and with others in-person and via Zoom meetings. We research various gardening practices together, such as winter sowing, and report back to each other.
The internet offers a ready source of information and reference as needed. Looking to multiple sources helps me sort out what may be legitimate information. From there, itâs trial and error, discussion, and learning to adapt.
I was particularly inspired by the 100 Days 100 Hours Gardening Challenge and have decided to take part in it, to share the processes of learning in a school/community garden space. This is just another means to learn to grow together!
]]>Do you ever wonder what else you could be doing with the precious water and available space you have? Why not expand your growing area?Â
If you give yourself about 6 months to prepare, you can try any one of the less labor intense methods described here.
]]>Do you ever wonder what else you could be doing with the precious water and available space you have? Why not expand your growing area?Â
If youâre feeling the need to get right to it, you can bust the sod by hand. This can be hard on your body, but itâs also a great workout in the wee hours or after the sun goes down and temperatures drop a bit. You do this by cutting the turf into pieces, prying them out and discarding them in your city compost. Try to save as much soil as you can, but even then, youâll likely need to add compost to establish a good growing area. Check out this article from The Spruce for details.Â
If you give yourself about 6 months to prepare, you can try any one of the less labor intense methods described here. Check out the sources for further details.Â
Start by outlining the area you want to convert into a productive vegetable garden, a beautiful pollinator habitat, or a blend of both!
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Want to better understand our collective tendency to cultivate a lawn and why itâs so hard to consider this conversion? Low Tech Institute put together this great video that takes a compassionate look at our shared history with this âkept area of cropped grass.â
Sources:
https://www.thespruce.com/gardening-tip-getting-rid-of-grass-2539977
]]>Best:Â Â Sow wildflower seeds directly outside in the fall. This lets the weather and all the moisture, temperature fluctuations, and other climactic conditions do its work on them. They will sprout in the spring when and if they are ready.
Good:Â Put your seed packets outside in the fall or early winter, or place the seeds in a bucket of damp sand outside in the fall or early winter, and then sow them in the spring as soon as the ground starts to thaw.
OK:Â Store your seeds in damp sand in the refrigerator for a 4-8 weeks before planting. This will mimic winter but will not allow the temperature fluctuations and varying moisture that can help the seeds know when the time is right to sprout in spring.
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Additional Tips:
*If you are unsure of what they look like when they sprout, consider sowing the seeds in rows so it is easier to see where you are expecting the sprouts to be. Â
*The NRCS Plant Database is a great resource for finding additional information and tips for germinating and growing many different types of native wildflower seeds.
*Sow seeds that are hardy in your zone. If you are unsure what plant hardiness zone you live in, you can check out the USDA's Plant Hardiness Zones map. Looking at what plants grow wild around you will also help you understand what grows well in your area.Â
*Sow a larger diversity of species than you otherwise might, to allow what suits your place best to take hold. Sometimes after a species that can really rock it in your area is there for a year or two, it can provide protection or other subtle encouragements to additional species to join it in your yard.
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For a deeper explanation of wildflowers, please read Thinking Like a Wildflower, by Casey O'Leary.
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