Seed Savers Exchange is mailing out free copies of their latest heirloom seed catalog. Check out this site to claim yours, and get your next garden planned extra early!
Backyard Composting 101–Tonight!
A quick reminder: Tonight is the latest session of the Backyard Agriculture workshop series. Tawna Skinner will teach us Backyard Composting methods. The class is 6-8 pm at the Sacajawea Center conference center, and the 2nd part of class will be outside, so please dress accordingly! As always, classes are $10/person and scholarships are available.
Second Quarter Backyard Agriculture Classes
Hey, everyone! Between now and the end of June there is a fun new lineup of Backyard Agriculture classes coming up!
Beginning in April, we will dig deep into the world of “Backyard Composting 101″ with the one & only Tawna Skinner. Then, things will start to really heat up in May with “Greenhouse Basics”–this time, a team effort with Tawna and Willie Mundy. Finally, after all of the manual labor, we will get to kick back and indulge our taste buds with an evening of “Artisan Cheese Making” taught by Jo Myers in June!
Upcoming Class “Extending the Growing Season & Growing Small Fruits”
Just a reminder to everyone in Lemhi county: The second installment of Salmon Local Foods’ Backyard Agriculture series is sneaking up very quickly! The next class is Thurs. Feb 23rd–Extending the Growing Season & Growing Small Fruits. We had a tremendous turnout for the first class, so it might be a good idea to register in advance. Call Salmon Valley Stewardship (756-1686) or U of I Extension (756-2815 ext. 283.) Classes are $10 and are held 6 pm to 8pm at Salmon Valley Business Innovation Center. Be there or be square!
Salmon Local Foods Group Presents “Backyard Agriculture”
Lemhi County Farmers’ Market, in coordination with many other local organizations, will be hosting an exciting new educational series!
“Backyard Agriculture” will focus on empowering anyone at any skill level to take on simple agriculture projects that don’t necessarily require a lot of your time or space. Most importantly, you can pick and choose what you want to learn. The first class is scheduled for the end of January and focuses on creating a garden from scratch–anyone, especially the absolute novice could benefit from the well-rounded information explored in this class.
If you are interested in getting signed up, registration is available at two locations in Salmon: the Salmon Valley Stewardship office, 513 Main St. in Salmon or at the University of Idaho Extension office, 200 Fulton St., Ste. 202.
Check out the upcoming dates, and stay tuned for more later in the growing season!
Final Farmer’s Market of 2011
Tomorrow is the last day to celebrate the farmer’s market in 2011. Our dedicated vendors and I will be down at Town Square Park from 9-1 with tons of squash, peppers, tomatoes, garlic, potatoes, jams, jellies, creative breads and pastries and amazing handmade crafts. Come help us all revel in the bounty of a season’s hard work digging in the soil!
Red Tomatoes, Green Tomatoes
I have been hearing recently that many people in town have a backyard full of tomato plants, growing voraciously and dripping with fruits, but none of these tomatoes seem to be turning red! I’ve heard a few remedies for this, from clipping off most of the plant’s leaves to drastically reducing watering. Then there’s the old standby–simply picking the tomatoes green and eating them that way! How do you all deal with your green tomatoes? Do you have a secret that ripens them on the plant or do you just have a fantastic recipe for the unripe fruit?
Tomorrow!
Hey, everyone! This weekend, we will have a unique musical performance by visiting musicians Brian & Katie Ernst, who will also be offering a veggie oil demonstration featuring the biodiesel van they are traveling the countryside in! Also, our local solar oven aficionado, Julie Hopkins will be baking up something tasty to share in the park tomorrow. Come and behold the radiant power of the sun, harnessed for cooking! It should be a very educational day at the market!
