Life in Aylmer Quebec

A few weeks ago, Todd and I made the dangerous decision to rejoin Costco, after many years of being non-members. The membership paid for itself just the other day, when I picked up my new glasses! Yay, I can see again. I wear contacts during the day, but in the morning and at night, my eyes are just too tired for them. I must be getting old!

The danger of Costco is obvious though. Especially for someone like me, who loves to grocery shop. Yes, I am weird! Some people love shoe shopping (Sarah comes to mind here), some people love car shopping, I love grocery shopping. Don’t ask me why. When I go to the store for dog food, I usually come out with stuff that I had no intention of buying when I went in. But it was on sale – like cookies. Or I’d forgotten that we needed it – like toilet paper. You know what I mean. So anyway, Costco could be dangerous for someone like me. But my glasses were a good deal, and they were necessary. And I really like them.

What do you think?

Anyway, still working on planting tomatoes. I didn’t get anything done this week, except to finally set up my shelves and lights, and drag the greenhouse shelves to outside the back door so I can lug the trays of seedlings outside for a while during the sunny days, and back in for the night!

As I write this, a bunch of flats are out enjoying the sun. It feels so good to see some green, and I’ve even got some crocus blooming. Spring, spring, glorious spring!!!

Happy Easter Weekend, here’s hoping the bunny will swing buy to indulge my children in chocolate and yours as well.

The tomatoes have been let out of the barn (how’s that for a mixed metaphor?) I’ve started 6 flats of 36 cells worth of tomatoes. For those who don’t get the new math either, that’s 216 possible plants. (I used a calculator, pretty sure it still works!) That is so far only 17 different varieties. I still have many more to go. In the last few days, I’ve received some unexpected (and overly generous) packages and I’m still waiting for my order from Baker Creek. Did I mention that I broke down decided I should still support the small seed company(s) that I like, even if it’s just a small order, because I believe in their business philosophy? So I’m starting to realize that my cup will overfloweth with tomato plants.

I am really hoping that my tomato sales will be a success this year. I have had a small plant sale in the spring for the past few years, and they’ve been pretty well received. I’m looking into perhaps setting up shop at the Chelsea farmer’s Market, although it doesn’t open until June 2nd, and most people have purchased their plants by then. Still trying to come with ideas to make this a hobby that pays for itself at least. Profit would be nice, but let’s face it, I don’t think anyone growing and selling plants has gotten rich!

I’m also working on a tomato database, with some help from my patient husband, the computer genius. There are many resources out there already, but this is for me, and for what I grow.

We went traipsing about town today, and I made it to Ritchie’s Feed and Seed, finally. Picked up some of Bavicchi’s Pleurotus ostreatus mycelium – or in plain english, Oyster mushroom spores. I’ve never tried to grow mushrooms before, so this should be interesting. I also bought some snow peas sprout seeds (yes, I realize they are simply snow pea seeds, but they aren’t treated with anything because they are specifically for human consumption). And Meg picked out a package of Watermelon seeds, that she really, really wanted. How cool is it that my five year old begged for watermelon seeds, out of anything else in the store?

I wanted to price the plastic for some low tunnels that I’m thinking of building. $300.00 for 100ft of commercial grade plastic. Ouch. I can’t afford that. I’ll have to do some shopping around, and see what else I can come up with.

Well, back to dyeing Easter Eggs.

Here’s a pic of the 6 trays (that took me almost 4 hours total – I’m picky about seeding), behind my flowering fuschia. This plant has been going strong all winter. It was a tiny little stick of a fuschia, when I bought it late last summer, for a whopping 50 cents. Look at it now.

I finally broke down and ordered some tomato seeds from BakerCreek. They were sold out of two types that I had my heart set on trying this year, so I’m still hunting around for a trade to obtain them. I was good, I restricted myself to eight (would have been ten obviously, if they’d had them all), and some new snow pea seed, and asparagus seed. The obvious questions came from my husband. If the ones I have are ‘heirloom’, and I saved a lot of seeds last year, then why on earth did I need to purchase more? And seeing as I have made some great trades with others, do I not have more than enough?? I obviously just like spending money, don’t I??? And, hey, I don’t even like tomatoes???? Well, he obviously just doesn’t get it!!

If you are a gardener, then you understand the desire to collect seeds and grow them. And if you are a tomato grower/enthusiast, then I’m sure I don’t have to explain it. Once you see the pictures in the seed catalogs, and you hear the debates between others over which tomato is superior, and not one person has a favorite’s list that matches anyone else, then you slowly start to realize that this is something you have to do yourself. You have to try as many different ones as possible, you have to encourage others to try them, and you will never be satisfied until you are swimming in tomatoes of every color, shape and size. Or at least have the seed collection to grow the tomatoes to do so (when you’ve actually gone crazy and swimming in tomatoes is part of your plan.)

And I do so like tomatoes. As long as there is some salt, or they are in a salad, or bruschetta, etc. I just don’t like them by themselves.

PS Did you notice I didn’t mention the weather once??