Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Market Bulletin for Tuesday June 28


Look for us at the Agirama Independence Day Festival this Saturday July 2nd!  


Local, Organic
Heirloom Tomatoes
$3 per pound

Local, Organic
Red Russian Kale
$3 per bundle

Local, Organic Herbs and Lavender
$1 per bundle

Local, Organic
Spring Onions
$2 per bundle

Locally Handcrafted Lard Soap
Citrus Mint, Wound Wash, Thai Flower
$1 per ounce

Locally Handcrafted Organic Comfrey Cream
$15

Locally Made Organic Shiitake Mushroom Logs
$25

Locally Made Organic Oyster Mushroom Buckets

$25 pre-order

Handwoven Grapevine Baskets from 
Baskets and Bottoms ~ Tifton
$15 - $30

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Mushroom Cultivation Workshop - Saturday, July 16, 4-6 pm.

In the shade of the old green barn at Tonic Permaculture we will cover four methods for cultivating gourmet and medicinal mushrooms.

1) Growing oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus spp.) in buckets on pasteurized wheat straw.

2) Growing shiitake mushrooms (Lentinula edodes) on oak logs - demonstration,  group participation.

3) Growing reishi mushrooms (Ganoderma lucidum, a medicinal varnished conk whose Chinese name Ling chi translates to "mushroom of immortality") on semi-buried softwood logs - demonstration, group participation, and speculation on running mycelium.

4) Growing lion's mane (Hericium spp., a wild-looking "toothed fungus" that tastes like lobster when cooked with butter and onions!) on large-diameter oak via the "totem method" - demonstration.

This is the first workshop of the series.  There is no formal charge for it, although donations to our on-going project are always appreciated.  Attendance at this first workshop will, however, grant you access to all future workshops at 75% of the advertised fee. 

No need to bring any supplies or tools; everything will be provided, although a notebook and camera might be useful.  Shiitake logs and oyster buckets will be for sale at the same price we list at the farmers market - $25 each.  Permaculture garden tour at 3:30 for anyone interested.  At 4:00 the workshop will get underway in the kitchen garden with a quick talk on growing oyster mushrooms on wheat straw, before we head to the barn for the other 3 segments.

Bring a cool drink with you as it is likely to be warm on a mid-July afternoon, even in full shade.  We should be done in time to make it home for dinner, or to join me for an icy margarita in town.;) 

Tonic Permaculture is located at the west end of Corrie Farm, 880 Zion Hope Road, Tifton, GA.  RSVP if you plan to attend.

Looking forward to it!
Tripp Tibbetts

Market Bulletin for Saturday June 25

Local, Organic
Heirloom Tomatoes
$4 per pound
 
Local, Organic
Red Russian Kale
$3 per bundle

Local, Organic Herbs and Lavender
$1 per bundle

Local, Organic
Spring Onions
$2 per bundle

Local, Organic
Spaghetti Squash (last offering this season!)
$3 each
 
Locally Handcrafted Lard Soap
$1 per ounce
 
Locally Handcrafted Organic Comfrey Cream
$15

Locally Made Organic Shiitake Mushroom Logs
$25

Locally Made Organic Oyster Mushroom Buckets
$25 pre-order

Handwoven Grapevine Baskets from 
Baskets and Bottoms ~ Tifton
$15 - $30

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Market Bulletin for Tuesday June 21 (Happy Summer Solstice!)

Local, Organic
Tuscan or Red Russian Kale
$3 per bundle

Local, Organic Herbs and Lavender
$1 per bundle

Local, Organic
Spring Onions
$2 per bundle

Local, Organic
Spaghetti Squash
$3 each

Locally Handcrafted Organic Comfrey Cream
$15

Locally Made Organic Shiitake Mushroom Logs
$25

Locally Made Organic Oyster Mushroom Buckets
$25 pre-order  

Handwoven Grapevine Baskets from 
Baskets and Bottoms ~ Tifton
$15 - $30

Thursday, June 16, 2011

I love it when a plan comes together.

Summer '09, a very good friend of mine and organic gardener extraordinaire in Eastern Washington, toured my urban garden for the first and last time, plucking potato beetles from the leaves of my spuds and stomping them on the sidewalk.

"You don't want those guys hanging around," he said. 

"Why not?" I answered. "If we take on the role of predator ourselves, how will we ever get something else to do it for us? In other words, if there is no prey available, how will the predators establish themselves in my garden, and take the work load off of my shoulders?"

I think that was the first time his worldview had ever been challenged.

About a month ago I noticed that the top performing grape variety in my garden, which wasn't a muscadine or scuppernong just for the record, had a serious aphid infestation on the newer vines. A few years ago my reaction would have been to make a tomato spray, or break off the offending vines and take them as far away from my garden as I could. Sometimes I even put the aphid-infested vegetation in a black plastic bag, tied it tight, and left it in the sun.

But the new me resists those urges, and this time I said, no, I will let nature come up with a solution for these aphids. Tonight, a month later, when I toured the garden with my toddling son as dusk came on, I happened to notice that that grape vine was completely aphid-free! I stooped to inspect it more closely and there wasn't a single aphid to be found!
Red Guinea Wasps on the nest.  They pack a painful punch on anyone who dares to disturb their peace, but potato beetles are one of their favorite meals!  Don't rush to judge your helpers. (Photo courtesy of http://www.pbase.com/red_slough_wma/image/128764822)

And I didn't lift one finger to intervene.

If it matters, red guinea wasps are the potato beetle's main natural predator, and ladybugs are the aphid's primary, though certainly not only, hunter. I've left some "weeds" in my garden this season that I didn't particularly care for just because they seemed to be hosting ladybugs.  It's a hard lesson to take to heart, but the rewards are endless.

I could tell you a similar story about tent caterpillars on a few of my blueberries and pomegranates, but I'll save it for another time.

A reminder every time we come home.  Dump the hubris, and let Mother Nature do what she does best.

God I love it when a plan comes together...
Tripp

Market Bulletin for Saturday June 18

Local, Organic
Ronde de Nice Zucchini or
Straight Neck Summer Squash
$1.50 per pound

Local, Organic
Tuscan or Red Russian Kale
$3 per bundle

Local, Organic Herbs and Lavender
$1 per bundle

Local, Organic
Spring Onions
$2 per bundle

Local, Organic
Spaghetti Squash
$3 each

 Local, Organic 
Oyster Mushrooms
$10 per pound

Locally Handcrafted Lard Soap
$1 per ounce

Locally Handcrafted Spearmint Lip Balm
$5

Locally Handcrafted Organic Comfrey Cream
$15

Locally Made Organic Shiitake Mushroom Logs
$25

Locally Made Organic Oyster Mushroom Buckets
$25 pre-order  

Handwoven Grapevine Baskets from 
Baskets and Bottoms ~ Tifton
$15 - $30

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

June 14 Market Bulletin

Yellow Squash Sold Out This Morning
Ronde de Nice Zucchini
$1.50 per pound

Local, Organically Grown
Red Russian Kale
$3 per bundle

Local, Organically Grown Herbs and Lavender
$1 per bundle

Local, Organically Grown
Spring Onions
$2 per bundle

Local, Organically Grown
Spaghetti Squash
$3 each

Locally Handcrafted Lard Soap
$1 per ounce

Locally Handcrafted Spearmint Lip Balm
$5

Locally Handcrafted Organic Comfrey Cream
$15

Locally Made Organic Shiitake Mushroom Logs
(I'll have some ready on Saturday)
$25

Locally Made Organic Oyster Mushroom Buckets
(I'll have some ready on Saturday)
$25 pre-order  

Handwoven Grapevine Baskets from 
Baskets and Bottoms ~ Tifton
$15 - $30

Saturday, June 11, 2011

June 11 - Market Report

I had baby Oliver all to myself today, and he rode (mostly) peacefully on my back as I tended to the affairs of our market booth.  I used him shamelessly to draw in baby lovers of all ages.  In the final tally, we sold two of Grandfather's grapevine baskets (I have a check for you from one of your church mates), several tins of comfrey cream and spearmint lip balm, several bars of lard soap, and at least half of the produce on offer.  I can usually tell what's for dinner on Saturday nights as the market winds down, and people start packing up.  Tonight will be (surprise, surprise) squash and zucchini with fresh herbs!  Again, Daddy?

Lavender and chocolate mint sold well; everyone wanted the basil that we didn't bring; round zucchinis did pretty well, some straight necks too; pre-sold 2 oyster mushroom buckets for next weekend, and I'm looking forward to having shiitake logs back on the menu by then as well, possibly Tuesday afternoon, we'll see how busy early week is.  A new mushroom called Lion's Mane will be incubating in the totem pole style, and hopefully we'll have them for sale before the new year.  (Although they say they taste like lobster when cooked in butter, so don't hold your breath that any will make it to market!)  Wine cap Stropharia mushrooms should be on the list by fall too.


Wildean Easters and Sharon Petzel, I owe each of you an oyster mushroom bucket next Saturday.  This round is a flashy citron yellow oyster variety!  Looking forward to seeing them in "bloom."

Thanks to all for your support!

Tripp and Jess

Friday, June 10, 2011

Market Bulletin for Saturday June 11

Local, Organically Grown
Ronde de Nice Zucchini or
Straight Neck Summer Squash
$1.50 per pound

Local, Organically Grown
Orange Fantasia Chard,
Tuscan or Red Russian Kale
$3 per bundle

Local, Organically Grown Herbs
$1 per bundle

Local, Organically Grown
Spring Onions
$2 per bundle

Local, Organically Grown
Spaghetti Squash
$3 each

 Local, Organically Grown Oyster Mushrooms
$10 per pound

Locally Handcrafted Lard Soap
$1 per ounce

Local, Organically Grown Lavender
$2 per bunch

Locally Handcrafted Spearmint Lip Balm
$5

Locally Handcrafted Organic Comfrey Cream
$15

Locally Made Organic Shiitake Mushroom Logs
$25

Locally Made Organic Oyster Mushroom Buckets
$25 pre-order  


Handwoven Grapevine Baskets from 
Baskets and Bottoms ~ Tifton
$15 - $30