Next Generation Organics

As I was walking past the greenhouse yesterday I saw this bright purple berry just laying there in the dirt????? I realized it was a whole ripe mulberry a bird had dropped.. what are the chances?   So that’s Natures way of saying “Hey, there are ripe Mulberries back there go pick them”    They are delicious, they are almost like a concord grape with a real mild flavor. They are the  most organic product we have. We don’t do a thing to them.  They are considered a wild harvest product under our organic plan. The trees are about 40 feet tall and chock full to the top. We let the birds pick the top, and they stay off the raspberries.  

I took some of the B grades and made a syrup we had over vanilla ice cream last night.  IT WAS GOOD……  We will have some available at the Capital City Public Market this saturday. We are on the NW corner of 8th and ID. Look for the Next Generation Organics banner with the picture of my grandparents sitting on the old Ford Model A.

The Capital City Public Market is opening a new wing. It will extend down ID st. from 8th st. The T we are calling it. It should be pretty cool.  It will centralize the market more and there will be fewer busy roads to cross. We will be down ID st somewhere. Come on down, we will have lots of plants still. We have herbs, including Basil, and summer squash, winter squash, cucumbers, the tomatoes and peppers are done but there are still a lot of great things. We have a bunch of gourmet herbs to put in the windowsill and use as you need. That way its right there when you need it, instead of running outside to the garden and burning the food.

Come on down to the mkt for the last of the tomatoes. We are sick of watering them and looking at them. I want to start harvesting already, so should you. This weather has set everything back so there is still time to plant but you better hurry. We got all sorts of other things gourmet herbs, 9 different types of Basil, summer and winter squash, a few peppers left mostly anaheim types, cukes, lettuce 6 pks and Kales too. More stuff than I can remember.. Fresh picked Kale and Lettuce blend too. All Certified Organic of course…So come on down and have a Saturday morning out at the market and then go home and plant a garden.  See you there. OH and get a stroopwafel cookie at the booth next door, oh god they are good. on 8th between Idaho and Main

Oh Boy, yet another study linking pesticide exposure to some nasty disease. This one involving kids. Read more about it here:http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/20100517_nr_Study-ADHD-linked-to-pesticide-exposure  That just one more reason on  a list of hundreds to eat organic. Kids don’t always have a say at what groceries go in the fridge or the cupboard so be sure and provide them with the best you can. Check out this list of the top foods to eat organically:http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/Dirty-Dozen-Foods its pretty interesting.  SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL ORGANIC FARMERS!!!  please

Its a cold wet spring thats for sure. Farmers are behind at least two weeks even more in some areas. I was talking with Lee Rice of Rice Family Farms at the market this weekend and he was saying this is the coldest spring he has seen in 20 years of growing for market. When the ground is cold seeds don’t germinate and things don’t grow nearly as well. Greens and lettuce do OK, but tomatoes and peppers aren’t that happy. Tomatoes and peppers are transplanted from greenhouse stock, but things like cukes and melon are direct seeded into the ground. Seeds like a nice warm soil to get germinated and up and growing. In weather like this its pretty tough to warm up. So don’t look for melons any time soon. Lee Rice estimates some items to be 3-4 weeks behind schedule. Lets hope there are watermelon in July but maybe not. So get out there and do a sun dance if you want to support local agriculture. Don’t forget to come out to the market on Saturdays and get your certified organic plant starts at the Next Generation Organics stand. Its a perfect time to transplant tomatoes and peppers when the weather is nice and cloudy. We have been selling out on a lot of peppers but there are tons of toms still around. Also, all sorts of gourmet herbs, cukes, summer squash, melons, all sorts of great stuff ready to go out in the garden.  Plus its the coolest place to be on a saturday morning.

Stop by  Touch of Dutch. the Stroopwafel stand next to us, and have a waffle cookie with homemade carmel filling. THEY ARE SO GOOD. The gal Jeanne is a sweety who lived in Holland for 3 years. The Stroopwafel is like the dutch national cookie. My Saturday isn’t complete until I have at least one or five.