I start my tomatoes NEXT weekend; can’t wait! I’ll be growing 32 plants and then a few that I’ll more than likely find when I hit the garden centers.
Lettuces, Kale, Peppers and Spinach are started and I’ll be able to use the (unheated) greenhouse in another week or so when nighttime temps stay above freezing - with some over-night protection, of course!
Thursday, to cope with a terrible case of cabin fever, mom & I took a trip across the mountain & 15 miles to a general store I have been hearing about. It’s in an old historical building so you wander room to room & see what he’s got.
I think he’s got everything Bob’s Red Mill makes, all sorts of other flours, flavored oils, many local jams, jellies, pickled veggies, salsa, & tomato sauce. Mushroom coffee (I want to try it), teas, regular coffee. Amish popcorn - several different kinds. Oysters, elk, wild boar, alligator, grass fed beef, pork, sausage, ‘cloth’ bologne, & eggs. Toys & vintage puzzles. There’s probably a thousand more things - the place is overwhelming. If I need some different, strange ingredient for a recipe, I can probably find it there.
When fresh produce is in, he has it. You can sign up for a produce (can add fruit, dairy, protein) box weekly subscription, but I would be afraid I couldn’t use it all. Flowers, herbs, etc. will be arriving soon. I also got some good intel on greenhouses & nurseries in the area.
We had a late lunch at a local place where the theme is the Dukes of Hazzard - good burgers (local beef) & onion rings.
I put up 2 batches of fire cider yesterday. One batch was the 15-minute variety for a niece who is ailing. The other batch will take 4 weeks to steep - it is ‘fruity & fiery’ ... apple, lemon, cranberries, elderberries, plus the usual ginger, horseradish, garlic & onion. I wimped on the cayenne - put in one tablespoon instead of 3 - 4!