Getting Too Cold for My Wash n' Go

It is nearly the middle of September and I'm already shopping for knit beanies to wear over my hair in the snow.  Welcome to Colorado!  Home of the mild summers and early winters.  This would be fine by me if I wasn't having so much fun with my wash n' go style.  Yes, recently I've been rocking my curls and enjoying my curly afro.  However, last night it was forecast to drop down to good ole thirty two degrees or freezing as I like to call it.   

To prepare for the cold, my family and I quickly harvested our large, unripe tomatoes from our community garden plot.  We hated to do it but we just didn't want to risk losing them.  While standing in the drizzling rain and feeling my fingers go numb, I decided it was time to start wearing braid outs.  The style works for me  during the colder weather because I don't have to revive the look by rewetting my hair in the morning.  Also, my hair will usually lay flat enough for me to wear a warm knit beanie hat over it.  Braid outs for the win!

My High Puff
I might be making a warm headband
for when I wear this style during the winter

I like to knit and crochet so I may possibly construct a new hat for myself.  I might even look into making a warm head band for those days when I want to wear a puff or high bun.  Another option would be to head over to Natural Born Hats and order a couple of their satin lined beanies.  Either way, I'm not about that dripping wet hair life when it comes to the colder temps.  Sure, we still may have a couple of sunny days coming up but as for me and my curls, it's braid out season.

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Growing Heirloom Tomatoes in Colorado

Heirloom Tomato plants and hearty basil

I can't believe that it has been a year since our last Heirloom Tomato plant sale.  This will be our fifth year selling and we can't wait to see some of our repeat customers.  The weather here is still on the chilly side but with Mother's Day coming up, hopefully we will be planting in the garden soon.  In Colorado, we have a different growing season so growing good vegetables takes a little bit more planning.  That is why my husband started the seeds for our tomato plants months ago so that they would be ready for planting in May.

We still have a garden plot at a local community garden where we grow most of our vegetable plants.  At home we'll also be trying a few lettuces and leafy greens in a raised bed.  We're not sure how they'll fare though because there are a couple of rabbits in the area.  If we're lucky they'll leave enough for our family to have at least one salad.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT COMMUNITY GARDENING IN DENVER

Planning our garden is always fun because that's when the kids chime in with ideas of what they would like to grow.  It feels good knowing that our little ones are learning how to care for the plants and also how to prepare them for the table.  They call them, "free veggies," because instead of going to the store we just stop by the garden for some good eats.

Getting ready for this year's Heirloom Tomato Plant Sale

If your in the Denver Metro area, feel free to stop by our Heirloom Tomato Plant sale.  It will be held at 1568 S. Fairfax St. in Denver 80222, May 2nd-4th.  We'll be starting around 9am on Friday and Saturday and 10am on Sunday.  We usually wrap up sometime around 4pm or until they're gone.  We'll have some customer favorites like Ananas Noire, Mortgage Lifter and Brandywine.  We also tried a few new varieties this year like Yellow Pear, Cherokee Purple and Green Giant.  We even have some basil this year which is always a favorite.  My husband has a wealth of knowledge and loves to share what he knows with other gardeners.  We also give tips on how to grow strong, healthy tomato plants in our climate.  Hope to see you there but if not, happy growing!

In the Garden

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.

READ MY GUEST POST @ HAPPYDIRT.BLOGSPOT.COM

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

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