Saturday, July 25, 2009

Ipswich Farmers' Market, growing mantids, and a teaser carrot

I finally managed to get down to our local farmers' market. It didn't get going until two weeks ago and we've been away so this was the first week I made the three block walk to buy my local honey. Marshview Apiary from right here in Ipswich is always there and that's right where I headed. Processed cane sugar sets off my Crohn's Disease, and it tends to be hard to avoid since cane sugar is in everything. So, I've figured out how to cook and bake with honey and I'd rather get it from Eric and Irene Josephson then from the store. Here's my husband shelling out $6.75 for 16 ounces, total bargain!

We indulged in a pint of blueberries and four amazing cucumbers from the stall next door. Sadly the blueberry bushes at Green Meadows Farm where our CSA share comes from are infected with a fungus and we can't pick any this year. And my one little bush in the backyard has only yielded 25 berries so far (but twice as many as last year!)






The best part about the day was when I got home I played a bit in my Monsanto Sucks, Michelle Obama Rocks Organic Garden. My ten tomato plants are now well over six feet tall and are loaded with little green tomatoes. I harvested a few zucchini, and just for fun I held my breath and pulled up one of my carrots just to check their progress. I was expecting a tiny little root but look! I've never grown carrots before and now I'm wishing I had! My husband and I split it, it was delicious. Only sun, water and Neptune's Harvest fish emulsion went into it and it's was just as good if not better than anything I've tasted from the store.

Then I poked around to check on my mantids and I found one amongst the green beans. It was twice as big as last week and I'm glad it survived the three inches of rain and high winds we got Friday morning. The garden looked like a tornado went through!

I'll pull up another carrot next week, now I'm getting impatient, especially since I have about 100 growing....that yummy baby carrot was such a tease!

For more virtual farmers' markets visit the Farmers' Market Challenge at The Road to Here.

11 comments:

  1. Oh cute carrots...those baby carrots seldom grows here and you're so lucky to have it grown in your own backyard.

    Yummy, yummy blueberries!

    AL

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  2. Thank you for the update about your garden and your honey search. I think that price is a bargain, too. And I am also appreciating the update on your mantids and how they are growing up. Still feeling especially tender toward them? They are growing on me.

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  3. Kate, the little carrot is great that means more to come, you will have to give us an update. It's good to see the mantids are still around and growing I still haven't seen any here.

    Thanks for the addition to the Farmers' Market, this has been far more successful than I imagined. I appreciate your contributions so much.

    Have a great day,
    Judy

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  4. The blueberries look yummy. And don't tell your hubby but he is a cutie - now remember that comes from an old lady point of view. I am sure it is not cool or proper to call him that now.

    Glad your garden survived the rain and weather. Hope to see the progress of the mantids.

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  5. That is one cute tiny carrot!

    The Nautilus pattern is on Knitty, here - I'd love to see how yours turns out!

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  6. I want a sneak peek at our sweet potatoes, but I'll be patient and wait. Love the baby carrot!

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  7. AL: I'll send you some carrots if you send me strawberries ;)

    DJan: I am definitely still attached to the mantids, I looked for them the past two days and couldn't find any, hopefully they just spread out around the yard.

    SQ: it was fun to participate! thanks for the challenge!

    Rae: my hubby sure is a cutie (and he will love to hear that you called him that!). I like to say he's a nerd trapped in a surfer boy's body!

    Jejune: I sent the pattern to my mom, thanks! she's getting her knitting club in it and promises one of them will figure it out, YAY!

    MzzLily: I couldn't wait and picked 5 more carrots today and ate them straight away....you have more patience than me!

    thanks for visiting everyone!! -kate

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  8. You have an impressive garden -- especially those wee carrots. They're so tiny. I'm sorry to hear about the rain and high winds but it sounds like all is well again.
    The mantid is definitely getting bigger. I hope the rest make an appearance soon. They kind of grow on you after a while.

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  9. YOU NEED WORMJAVA!!!
    www.wormjava.com
    I have a free trial in my office for you!

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  10. Susan: I saw a mantid today, twice as big as last week! yay!

    Sunnye: I never tried worm casings but I know they're far far better than conventional fertilizer. I would love to try some! I still have a whole jug of fish emulsion to get through and I was going to make weed "tea" for an experiment as well! Promise to get over your way next week to say hi!

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  11. Awwww, what a cute carrot and mantis too! They are so beneficial to have around. I love fresh produce. I grew some veggies last year but with other things happening this year I just couldn't devote the time. I use honey as a sugar sub as much as I can.

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