It's Seedy Saturday Season!

You know it's spring for sure when communities begin gathering for Seedy Saturdays! For the uninitiated, Seedy Saturdays are community events for trading seeds, sharing knowledge and sometimes hearing some good gardening speakers, they're always a blast! They started in BC in the 80's and are really starting to catch on in the Maritimes. I'll be attending five around Nova Scotia this spring:

Bridgewater, March 20

Wolfville, April 10

Halifax, April 17

Truro, April 24

Middleton, April 30

(Check out Seeds of Diversity for more info on them)

I'm organizing the first ever Middleton event this year, it's tying in with the farmers' market on April 30th. Hope to see you there (whether you have seeds to trade or are looking to get some seeds, it should be fun!).

ACORN 2010

I'm back recovering my energy and catching up on orders after a very busy three days in Charlottetown! There never seems to be enough time to catch up with everyone, it's quite a feat to gather the entire maritime organic community in one place so it's often the only chance in the year we all get to see each other. Here're a few photos I thought I'd share!

(Two very seedy people. Check out Andrea's company Hope Seeds if you haven't already!)

(Contra Dance with the Smokin' Contra Band)

(The Seedy Saturday swap table)

Spring is Almost Here!

As this winter's deep snow begins to recede and the streams flow swiftly with cold meltwater we're reminded just how close spring is now. The maple trees are nearly flowing with sap and I saw the first starling singing sweet songs of spring in his usual place at the corner of the barn roof.

I started my first seeds in trays the other day; leeks, onions and celery as well as fennel, angelica, nettle and a bunch of other herbs sent to me by my friend Dan Jason on the west coast (www.saltspringseeds.com). Some exciting news to report... I have a greenhouse on the way! I just bought a 20' x 36' greenhouse from Ontario, unheated with double-poly and roll up sides. It arrives in April (I expect in a million pieces) and with some luck should be assembled in time for next year's seedlings (hopefully sooner though!). In any case this will be the last year where I'll have to hijack the entire sunny kitchen for seedlings, soon I'll have a whole greenhouse in which to propagate things! I'll also grow peanuts, sweetpotatoes and peppers during the summer months (plants that are somewhat borderline in the field), I'll be experimenting with okra too... stay tuned.

Another ritual of spring comes up on Thursday, the ACORN Conference! In Charlottetown this year, I'll have a table in the trade show for the three days. There are lots of great workshops I hope to catch if I can get away from my table, as well a contra dance with the Smokin' Contra Band!