Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Ah, the first warm sunny holiday of the year. Picnics, boating, visiting with friends and family.... and gardening! It's finally here, the official "safe-to-plant" date. The cut off for frosts and damaging temperatures. From now on,  warm and sunny! ....Right? Well, we hope so. The weather in Western New York likes to surprise us. My Grandpa Kirby could remember a year when it snowed in July, a year without a summer, with a frost every month. That puts last week's chilly rain into perspective, doesn't it!

Because everyone knows Memorial Day Weekend as the weekend to buy plants and really get started on gardening, it's a very busy weekend for us. And we're ready! The early warm weather had everything growing like crazy in early May and our greenhouse is full of gorgeous colorful annuals.

Over the years we've developed a reputation for having big, beautiful, hanging baskets and great, colorful, container gardens. This year is no exception! The selection is really wonderful out there. I swear, I must say "Wow, what a great basket!" at least a dozen times a day as I watch people bring their purchases through the market. The size and bloom are just phenomenal.

Many people garden almost entirely with annuals, but perennials are a great way to add lasting structure to your garden. They're also more economical since they come back year after year. If you haven't tried gardening with perennials before, there are a lot of benefits (an upcoming post!). Take a walk in our perennial area and you're bound to be inspired by the great textures and colors out there. Planting with perennials for structure and durability combined with annuals for color is a great way to go.

If you're thinking about buying plants this weekend, try to get here early if you can. The lines can get long. Even though we have a good system at the register, sometimes there's a little bit of a wait as we sort out each purchase. If you can come before Friday, even better!

Have a great holiday everyone and happy planting!!

Locally Grown Gifts

The farm is such a busy place, it's really difficult to pick one thing to write about! A few upcoming posts will highlight what's in our greenhouse, our Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM, otherwise known as "good bugs that eat bad bugs") some of our favorite new perennials and native plants, and a crop update, so stay tuned!

For now, let's talk about some of the great locally grown gifts we have in the market giftshop. Carrying handmade gift items adds a bright spot to our day. We like seeing the displays of pottery, baskets, knit items and purses, created by our friends and neighbors instead of in a factory overseas. Please keep these folks in mind the next time you need to buy a little something for a special gift!

Deborah Wilson was our very first featured local artisan, and her pottery is definitely on the best sellers list. Beautiful bowls, plates, mugs, casseroles, teapots, and pitchers in gorgeous glazes of blue, green or brown.

Brooke Albanese of I Feel Like Dreamin' uses decorative paper to create stylish picture frames and little gift boxes. This year we're also excited to have hand knit items from Brooke. Felted bowls and baskets, cup cozies (keep your hand cool and your drink hot!) and wash cloth sets. The colors and textures are beautiful.

Sue Gaylard of Pursenality creates colorful quilted handbags that are so much fun! The patterns are great and they come in all sorts of themes. Bright and cheery or soft and subtle, a great way to make your wardrobe more interesting.

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We are also featuring the basket weaving of Jan Ferries. Unique, one of a kind baskets, no two are alike. We love the leather or wood handles, different textures and colors.

Our goal is to increase the percentage of items from local artisans every year. If you or someone you know is interested in working with us, just give us a call (585)637-2600 or bring in a sample.

Opening Day!

It's an exciting time of year here at Kirby's Farm Market!

I must confess, I say that a lot. It's hard not to - after Spring comes Summer, and then Fall and Winter... how can I restrain my excitement with an endless parade of seasons, each more delicious then the last? Asparagus, strawberries, peas, then peaches, tomatoes, peppers, and sweet corn, apples, squash... oh my! Hungry yet? And that's just the beginning. I'm sure you all know how I feel. We saw the signs when we posted about the arrival of our first annuals on Facebook, back in April. Even though there were weeks and weeks to wait, we know you're just as excited as we are.

May 1st. May 1st is a phrase that's heard frequently, December through April. Everyone wants to know when the market will be open, when will they get that first peak in the greenhouse? Or that first taste of fresh Kirbygrown asparagus? Even as we close our doors in December, "May 1st" is spoken about a hundred times to customers wanting to know when it will all start up again. A new year, a new season, a new array of challenges, accomplishments and miracles.

As I write this post, May 1st is just a few days away. And let me assure you, there's quite a hustle going on right now! So many things to pack into this last week. So many displays to make just right. One thing that was finished right on schedule, ready for opening day, are the renovations to the front of the market. Maybe you noticed a little bit of construction going on at the market if you've driven down Ridge Road lately. Our usual displays of garden tools, country gifts and Spring décor will look especially nice with new windows and doors as a back drop.

The greenhouse is so gorgeous this time of year, full from wall to wall with perfectly beautiful plants. It's hard to resist filling your garden with color right away, but we all know the danger of frost in this area. Don't worry, you can visit the greenhouse whenever you want to, until it's safe to plant! If you must buy now, you can join the group of determined gardeners that move their plants in and out of garages until the time is right. There are a few annuals that tolerate cooler temperatures - check back for a post on the subject in the near future!

Meanwhile, on the farm: it was only about three weeks ago that the warm weather had asparagus shoots beginning to poke out of the ground. Last week some of the stalks were amazingly tall, as tall as I've ever seen it! There will definitely be plenty of asparagus to start us off this year. As asparagus season goes into full swing, we'll be keeping a lookout for recipes. Do you have any favorites you would like to share?

Welcome

So, what have you been doing during the long cold WNY winter? Dreaming of Spring and sun?

Imagining the flavor of a fresh strawberry?

Vacations on the farm are short, and for us they always happen in January. February is pretty nice too, but before it's over the books come out and we start to organize for the coming season. One of the first signs of Spring happens somewhere around the last week of February, when Mr. Kirby sits down with seed catalogues and puts together his plan for the year. Broccolini or broccoli rabe? Golden beets or sugar beets? Will there be time to plant spinach and swiss chard? So many questions are answered at the kitchen table as seed orders are placed while snow still covers the ground.

Soon that same table is the meeting ground for brain storms and idea sessions. This year has been particularly exciting for us. Between my sister Jaime Brennan and myself, we've hatched some pretty revolutionary plans. First a facebook page, then a website and blog, soon to be followed by twitter and youtube! I know, I know. It's not exactly cutting edge, but things happen slowly when you work in one of the oldest fields known to humanity. It will probably be a while before we have things running as smoothly as we'd like, but I can't even tell you how much I'm looking forward to posting a video of my Dad, Tim Kirby (known to some as Farmer Tim) on Youtube. He wasn't too thrilled about the idea at first, but I think he's warming up to it. Maybe if we can get a few questions from our readers, he'll be even more enthusiastic. How about it?

Do you have any ideas for a farm planting it's first seeds online? Anything you'd like to know about farming in WNY, or how your favorite fruit or vegetable is grown? Send us an email or post comments here and we'll be sure to answer as many as possible. We're excited to hear your suggestions and questions!

Happy Spring!

Stacey Kirby