DIGGING SWEET POTATOES.
Welp, we got a surprise frost last night, and although we were trying to give the rest of our sweet potatoes another week or so to size up, the plants are now pretty well toasted! It looks like tomorrow will look like a lot of this...
POSTCARD PEEK.
We have been so touched and overwhelmed by the response to our cabin campaign. And because of the tremendous response...Jesse and I have to get busy working on those perks! I spent yesterday finishing up some postcards for our lovely contributors. It is fun to have so many projects going on again - making tote bags, drawing and painting, and designing labels for Jesse's wine! We'd been feeling a bit lost lately - not knowing how to fill our days, what to do in our neglected garden. With the hope of our move and the help of so many of you, it is nice to have a purpose again!- Hannah.
GROUND CHERRIES.
I'm not sure what NPR program we were listening to this spring––perhaps Splendid Table, a personal favorite––but they were focusing on heirloom seeds. They brought up a plant we'd never heard of as a fun, easy one to grow: ground cherries (also known as husk cherries). In the seed catalogs we found they were basically tomatillos only smaller and sweeter so we ordered a packet––with visions of wine or curious salsa's––and were really pleased with the results (though we sadly never made it to the wine idea... this year).You would need quite a few to really make a large batch of anything, but we've enjoyed throwing them in sautés and salads. The other day we even roasted a handful––á la salsa verde––with some jalapeño and garlic which indeed proved quite tasty. It's hard not to agree with the radio program's reason for promoting ground cherries, as well, that they would make an entertaining garden project for a family. Popping a fresh, sweet fruit out of a small paper-like sack could be a fun activity for children. Heck, it's fun for adults––we can attest!- Jesse.
SOME VERY SWEET PRESS.
Yesterday morning Hannah and I were surprised with a very generous and moving piece of press. One of our favorite journalists and good friends, Jamie from Sustainable Kentucky, wrote an article about our crowd-sourcing endeavor which was so succinct and well-written, we regret not contacting her before we launched!What she accomplishes in this article, however, is not to just lend us a hand, but to contribute some wonderful perspective on the struggles faced by small farms and farmers. Read the article, yes, but please peruse her site if you're not familiar with it––she does such wonderful work. What she does to selflessly and excitedly support small farmers and local, sustainable business is truly inspiring. Hannah and I are proud to be her friends, but helpless to our fandom, respect and love for Jamie.- Jesse.