Category: vegetables

In the Garden

Posted on by Michelle

My family joined a Community Garden in Denver this summer.  We found out about it during our Heirloom Vegetable Plant Sale and decided that it would be a great way to grow some of our own veggies.  Our garden at home is full of perrennials and does not receive full sun so growing vegetables was never successful there.

My husband is the one who really knows what he’s doing in the garden but after this summer I feel like I’m starting to get the hang of it.  The hardest part was ammending the soil in the very beginning.  Later on I discovered the joys of weed pulling (heavy sarcasm) but things got easier once I got into a rhythm.

We were hit hard during the draught but our plants made it through.  For me the best part was watching the kids help out with gardening.  They were really excited to see all of the great food we were bringing home.  I’ve been very proud of our little garden plot and have shared our experience with friends and family.  Most recently I wrote a guest post for a friend’s blog about our tomatoes.  When she was in town this summer, I showed her the community garden.  Since then she has started working on starting a community garden in her own neighborhood in Austin, TX.

Bringing home vegetables every week has forced me to learn a few new things in the kitchen as well.  Hopefully I’ll be sharing some tips in the coming weeks.  For now here are a few pics.
I’m surprised at how many pumpkins we’ve grown!
Heirloom Tomatoes on the Vine

 If you’re in the Denver Metro Area, check out Denver Urban Gardens online to get info
on joining and/or starting a local Community Garden 

Harvesting veggies each week keeps me busy in the kitchen!
Mmmm Mmmm

To Market, to Market

Posted on by Michelle

This weekend I’m helping my husband sell the plants he has grown for our  Heirloom Vegetable Plant Sale in Denver.  This is our second year and the turnout has been great so far.  I have to admit that the past ten weeks have been full of ups and downs.  Still, we like the fact that the plants we watched grow from seed are now strong, healthy and ready for the garden.


Why buy Heirlooms?

Heirloom Tomatoes and Peppers

Normally you’ll find hybrid vegetable plants at your Big Box stores like Home Depot and Walmart.  This is when you cross two plant varieties to create a completely new one (a hybrid).  Because of this, the seeds cannot be saved to plant the following season.  Heirloom vegetables offer more taste and nutritional value than those that are grown from hybrid varieties.  Also, the seeds can be saved and used to grow new plants the following season.

It’s fun to hear how the plants will be added to gardens and containers.  Still, even though we have been lucky with the warmer temperatures this spring, we explain to our customers the importance of waiting until May to plant them.  This is because of the unpredictable Colorado weather.  One frosty night can stop a healthy vegetable plant in its’ tracks.

We are both weary from today’s activities but happy to know that there are lots of people in town who prefer to by from local growers like my Husband.  We’re so excited to meet others who appreciate the value of our heirloom plants.  The plant sale will continue through Sunday.  Here are some pics from the first day.

Straight Eight Cucumbers

Heirloom Bell Peppers

Genoa Basil

 CLICK HERE  for more details on the Plant Sale