JULY Perennial of the Month

Hostas Perennial Manager Jaime Brennan tells us about a plant with leaves of endless variety, Hostas, the July perennial of the month here at Kirby's:

"What is a shade garden without a Hosta or two? They come in so many shapes, sizes and colors. My biggest challenge every year is selecting just a few new varieties.

One of our new varieties this year includes possibly the largest known Hosta, 'Empress Wu', growing up to three to four feet high and wide with leaves measuring more than 1 ½ feet wide and long.

It has a strong upright habit with pale reddish violet flowers starting in early summer.I only wish we had more shade to plant one. At the other end of the scale we have 'Love Pat' a 14” Hosta with intense blue, deeply cupped and puckered leaves. White trumpet shaped flowers bloom from mid to late summer.

When I first started gardening I used to challenge myself to design shade gardens without any Hostas. They were too common for me at the time, but now I have come to appreciate the gracefulness of their leaves, the texture and variety of color that help to brighten any shade garden. It is also a joy to watch the hummingbirds dance from blossom to blossom.

We carry 24 varieties of Hostas: Hosta plantaginea; 'Blue Angel'; 'Blue Mammoth'; 'Dancing in the Rain'; 'Elegans'; 'Empress Wu'; 'Francee'; 'Frances Williams'; 'Ginkgo Craig'; 'Gold Standard';  'Hadspen Blue'; 'Honeybells'; 'Love Pat'; 'Niagara Falls'; 'Northern Exposure'; 'Pauls Glory'; 'Peanut'; 'Remember Me'; 'Robert Frost'; 'Sagae'; 'Sum and Substance'; 'Thunderbolt'; 'Tokudama Flavocircinalis'; and 'Wolverine'.

Plant Sale!

I know a lot of our customers have been waiting for this moment. Our greenhouse still has plenty of beauitful plants in it,  including big hanging baskets, geraniums... and lots more.

Starting Sunday, July 3rd, all Hanging Baskets will be 25% off and all other annuals will be 50% off!

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Perennial of the Month for June: Baptisia

Talking about getting in under the wire....! There are still a few days left in June, plenty of time to talk about this star of the Spring, Baptisia. We have several plantings in our display garden, some paired with classic orange poppies, and they are attention grabbers.

>>> And as a special bonus, a selection of Spring Blooming perennials is on sale NOW, including some Baptisia! Follow the signs to our "Back Mat" (where we keep our extra perennials) to find a stash of bargain Spring Bloomers.

And now, a few words about Baptisia from our perennial manager Jaime Brennan:

"Baptisia is one of my absolute favorite perennials, being a native plant is one of the reasons why. I only wish it bloomed all summer, but it does produce attractive seedpods that last all fall and through the winter. There are some newer varieties that have longer bloom time.  Baptisia australis is growing in the garden bordering the west side of our parking lot. They have become large beautiful bushes that have attractive light blue green leaves. Right now (June) you can see what a wonderful combination they make with oriental poppies. We have one beautiful plant of Baptisia alba located in the east garden at the edge of the road. There have been many requests for this plant that has dark stems with contrasting white flowers. My fingers are crossed that we will be able to offer them this year (several years ago I ordered Baptisia alba but they all bloomed blue).

Baptisia has a very large taproot that helps it tolerate the heat and drought we can experience here in NY at least once a summer. Their tall spikes have flowers that resemble that of a pea flower, which is not surprising because it is a member of the pea family. One interesting function that pea family plants can do is make their own nitrogen. If you've ever wondered what those small nodules on the roots were for – now you know."

In Season Now

Dark Sweet Cherries showed up last Saturday.

Freeze them, dry them, blend them with lemonade, toss some onto a salad - if they make it home that is!  When the Sweet Cherries show up, Sour Cherries can't be far behind.

July is fast approaching!

We've had strawberries for several weeks but they won't be here much longer. Now is the time to purchase by the flat for jam, juice, and freezing. Freezing is my favorite way to preserve strawberries for the winter. Last year I somehow ran out of time and only got around to making jam. Let me tell you, I missed them alll winter. And I learned my lesson - there are eight quarts in my freezer right now!

Our lettuce is grown right behind the market,

so we can take a short walk out back and pick more whenever we need to. We keep at least two heads of each type available (Green Leaf, Red Leaf, Ithaca, and Buttercrunch), and you know it's fresh! I didn't know what good lettuce was until we started growing it ourselves. It is so sweet and tender and beautiful!

Regular Peas are still going strong!

We'll have them for a few more weeks, so take a few pounds home to enjoy a little pea-shelling meditation on the front porch.

Ode to a Busy Saturday Morning

Five bushels of edible pod peas, still warm from the sun.

Twelve flats of strawberries, surrounded by a cloud of sweet perfume.

Crisp lettuce, like huge, ruffled, green roses, lined up patiently in a crate.

A pile of curling garlic scapes, like the discarded jewelry of faeries, ready to add garlicky flavor to anything cooking in the kitchen.

A wagon loaded with forty pounds of strawberries, picked by three generations!

The last of the asparagus: short, tender and sweet, like a final good bye from Spring.

They all disappear one by one, in the hands of a steady stream of fruit and vegetable lovers. Our customers!

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Baked Goods from Greg'ry's, Bergen, NY

Aside from the beautiful produce coming in on this beautiful day, I am excited to share the news with you that we are once again carrying baked goods from Greg'ry's Bakery in Bergen. For years we sold rows of their delicious fruit-filled pies, stacks of cookies and plenty of loaves of bread. Once again our display is full of their high quality treats. (I have spent the entire morning resisting the urge to try one of everything! Now I just have to make the choice between giant cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, scone or a little strawberry rhubarb pies...what to pick...).  Stop by on any Friday, Saturday or Sunday and savor a treat from Greg'ry's!

Delicious Days of June: Field Update & Recipe

Things are really picking up speed on the farm! You can practically watch the crops grow with the sunshine and warm temperatures we've been enjoying.

Kirbygrown produce available in the market right now:

• Strawberries
• Edible Pod (Sugar Snap) Peas
• Lettuce
• Spinach
• Asparagus
• Rhubarb
• Peppers (field grown in our high tunnel)
• MacIntosh, Empire and Crispin Apples (last years, from CA storage)

We also have locally grown gourmet mixed field greens (that's a delicious mouth full!),  and hothouse tomatoes.

We are expecting regular peas to be here by the weekend in about ten days if the temperatures stay above seventy, and we'll start Pick Your Own peas and strawberries in the next week or so. If you're interested in pick your own, give us a call at (585)637-2600 to check on picking conditions.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

Last week, Betty, one of our market salespeople, brought this salad in for us to try. It features two of our favorite early summer ingredients, and was so refreshing that we had to share it with you!

For the Salad

• 1 lb fresh, washed Spinach
• 2 cups sliced Strawberries
• ¼ cup slivered Almonds

For the Dressing

• ½ cup Miracle Whip
• ½ cup Orange Juice concentrate
• 1 Tbsp Honey

Preparation:

Combine Miracle Whip, honey, and orange juice in a small bowl. Set aside.

Tear the spinach into bite sized pieces and place in a large bowl or on individual salad plates. Arrange strawberries on top of spinach. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with Almonds. Enjoy!

Rhubarb, a Last Taste of Spring

Definitely one of the lesser known vegetables, rhubarb is tart, tart, tart. Just about any rhubarb recipe you encounter will also have a good amount of sugar in the ingredients list. Next time you pick some up, try a bite of it raw and you'll know why. Although rhubarb is most often found in pies and crisps, sometimes in breads, and occasionally as a sauce (my favorite), I've also heard of plenty of people eating it raw dipped in sugar. For those that favor this method, there's usually a story about hiding in grandmother's garden among the tall rhubarb leaves, with the sugar bowl.

History and Nutrition:

Wikipedia tells us that rhubarb has been enjoyed for thousands of years in China and Russia. As an import, it's value topped expensive spices like cinnamon in medieval Europe, but it didn't appear in the states until the early eighteen hundreds. Rhubarb's biggest nutritional contribution is Vitamin K (45% of your daily allowance) and Vitamin C (16%). It also tallies up a notable amount of Calcium (10%), Potassium(10%), andManganese (12%), among other nutrients. The leaves are, in fact, poisonous. That's why you will never see them for sale, we always chop them off first.

Recipe: Rhubarb Sauce

New to the flavors of rhubarb? I definitely recommend trying this recipe for Rhubarb Sauce. It's incredibly simple, you get to put it on vanilla ice cream, and it would be impossible to feature the flavor of this unique vegetable to a higher degree.

• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 2 lbs Kirbygrown Rhubarb, trimmed, washed, and cut into small chunks.

Preparation: In a saucepan simmer sugar and water until sugar is dissolved. Add rhubarb and simmer for 15 minutes,  stirring occasionally. Adjust sugar to taste.

Set aside to cool for about twenty minutes, then serve warm over vanilla (or strawberry!) ice cream, or simply in a cup by itself. It's also a great breakfast chilled, with vanilla yogurt.

sauce

Variations: Stir in 1tsp vanilla extract before serving to balance out the rhubarb with some mellow sweetness. For another delicious variation, add 1 cup of fresh, chopped Kirbygrown strawberries or whole raspberries right after you take the sauce off the stove.

If you've tried all of the the usual rhubarb options and you're looking for something new, check out some of the ideas at epicurious. The sweet/sour/savory chutney paired with a pork tenderloin is definitely on my to-do list! Have any favorite uses for rhubarb, or stories of grandma's garden? Let us know, we'd love to hear about it!

Featured Artisan for June: Deborah Wilson

Deborah Wilson, from Waterport, NY, makes her pottery by hand from stoneware clay. The pieces are thrown on a wheel or constructed from slabs. The glazes she uses are non-toxic and durable (dishwasher, microwave and oven safe). Her pieces are meant for functional, everyday use, and their fun, vibrant colors make them even more enjoyable. Deborah likes to find inspiration for her designs from nature.

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We asked Deborah toshare a little bit about what it's like to be a potter....

What is your favorite part about creating pottery? DW: "My two favorite stages of the process are the actual forming, where I get to interact with clay; after 25 years I've never lost my love for this wonderful, infinitely malleable, expressive material. The other part I love is opening a warm kiln full of glaze fired pots and seeing how the pieces were transformed  in the firing process."

What do you enjoy about being an artisan in WNY? DW: "I enjoy living and working in a more relaxed semi-rural environment after many years of being a city potter. There's a great appreciation of handmade work in this community. There aren't many other potters locally, so I enjoy being able to teach the craft to students who otherwise wouldn't have the opportunity."

Is there a particular thing that inspires your work? DW: "Most of my pottery is designed to be used for a practical purpose. I'm striving for a good combination of functionality and beauty in my pieces. I'm inspired by the colors and forms of nature. I love the subtle variations and "happy accidents" that can happen with glazes."

Thank you, Deborah,  for sharing your art and your process with us!

By Jessica Young and Stacey Kirby

A Memorial Day Update!

I have to admit, I did not have high hopes for the weather this Memorial Day weekend (pretty sure I'm not alone on that)! But it has been so nice, aside from those brief, spotty showers Saturday morning. The sunshine is a boon for barbecues, gardeners and garden centers alike. We need a little break from the wet to relax by the grill, visit with friends and family, and to add a little beauty around our houses - colorful annuals, hardy perennials, and a tomato or six.

Out on the farm, we've been lucky enough to continue planting in most areas. There are a few fields that look more like a swamp then a field, but the high, sandy soil here on the Ridge is a huge benefit. When asked about the weather, Farmer Tim will answer, "First it was challenging, then it was frustrating, and now it's just unbelievable." Things are still growing though! Yesterday we saw the first bloom on the pea plants - fresh peas in about three weeks!

In the market right now, we have fresh Kirbygrown asparagus, spinach and rhubarb. We also have three varieties of CA Apples: Empire; AC Mac; and Crispin. (CA stands for controlled atmosphere, a method of storage that keeps the apples unbelievably crisp.) I had a Mac for lunch earlier and it was great! The apples are absolutely delicious with Kutter's cheddar, available in our cooler right now.

Walking around in the greenhouse area is so pleasant today. It's warm in the sun with a little breeze, and there are flowers everywhere. Peony, foxglove, lupine, poppy, columbine and coral bells are just a few perennials in bloom. We have container gardens of various sizes for sale, perfect for Memorial Day, or brightening up your porch or deck. Stop by soon, some varieties are selling out!

Asparagus Season!

History and Nutrition

The brief season of our first vegetable is full of enthusiastic fans, and for good reason! Asparagus has been enjoyed as far back as 3000 B.C, as documented in an Egyptian frieze. Beloved by kings, early physicians, and ancient epicureans alike, asparagus has a lot to offer the modern vegetable eater! 4-5 grams protein and 3 grams of fiber per cup, an excellent source of folic acid and a very good source of vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6, not to mention it's high rating on a scale of deliciousness. Grilled, satueed, steamed, boiled, roasted, or broiled asparagus is delicious with just about anything. Beef, chicken, eggs, salads, pasta... The flavor of asparagus pairs especially well with garlic, rosemary, tarragon, thyme and lemon.

Try this simple recipe!

• Cut 1 pound of fresh, rinsed, Kirbygrown asparagus into even pieces.
• Heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil in a pan on medium.
• Add one clove of fresh, minced garlic and saute briefly, then toss in your asparagus.
• Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the asparagus is crisp tender. (My asparagus of medium thickness was done in 8 minutes.)
• Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt or to taste, and serve! I recommend a garnish of chive flowers or purple violas.

Variation: Toss with the juice of 1/2 a lemon.

Storage and Peparation Tips:

1. It's best to use asparagus within a few days of purchasing to get full flavor and nutritional benefits.
2. To store asaparagus, wrap the ends in wet paper towel and then put the entire bunch in a plastic bag. You want to contain a little moisture so the stalks don't get dried out.
3. Asparagus loves growing in the sandy soil of our Ridge Road farm, so make sure you rinse it well to avoid crunching on grains of sand.
4. Break off the white woody end before cooking to remove the fibrous part of the plant that grows under the soil.

More recipes to come!

Field Update 5/9/11

Peaches - Our early peach varieties are in full bloom right now! When you drive by the farm you'll see rows of cloudy pink - those are the peaches and they smell fantastic. Peaches won't be ready until July, but Spring is still a crucial time of year for our peach crop.  A hard frost wiping out thousands of peaches is a very real danger through the month of May, which would mean the end to delicious Kirbygrown peaches for 2011. How can you tell if it gets too cold? The morning after a cold break Mr. Kirby will go out to the orchard and open up a blossom. If the center is black, the fruit has been killed. This is also true of strawberry blossoms. As of this moment our peach crop is looking great - let's hope Mother Nature is kind this season!

Asparagus - On a hot day you can practically watch the asparagus grow. This cold wet Spring we've had so far has slowed it down. Our first picking came in last week but it will be a few days before we pick again. If you're planning to come by for asparagus before the weekend, call ahead to be sure we have it in. We also take orders by phone, which is always a good idea for large quantities (asparagus freezes and pickles well). Check our facebook page for updates!

Rhubarb - we'll be picking some nice big stalks this weekend. Rhubarb pie anyone? Or sauce! Yum.

Spinach & Beets - if we continue to get warm sunshine for a while (cross your fingers!) we'll have spinach and beets in two weeks.

MAY Perennial of the Month

It's too cold out there for planting annuals, but stop by the market this weekend (our displays will be complete by Saturday, May 7th) and find a gorgeous spring blooming perennial for your garden! These hardy plants will survive a WNY winter so you know they won't mind a little Spring chill in the air.

Perennial Manager Jaime Brennan tells us about Amsonia hubrichtii, Thread-leaf Blue Star, the perennial of the month here at Kirby's:

"The Perennial Plant Association has chosen Amsonia hubrichtii, Thread-leaf Blue Star to be recognized  for 2011. This beautiful and graceful perennial is also a native plant. Long lived, bug and pest free, it's flowers emerge in May and June with clusters of steel blue. The long narrow leaves give the plant a look of a bottle brush that turns to a golden yellow in the fall.

Amsonia is a beautiful addition to any garden. It keeps a nice bush shape and I have seen many early butterflies enjoying it's blooms in our garden along the east side of the greenhouse. Stop by to meet Amsonia today!"

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Some examples of perennials that are blooming in our displays right now:

(Mouseover for the name of each plant. Click for a larger image)

New Annuals for 2011

Every year we add a handful of new and interesting plants to our selection of Annual bedding plants. Sometimes they can get lost among the many beautiful varieties that fill our greenhouse. It's great to have this space to feature them. We hope you enjoy!

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"Zion" Osteospernum

Beautiful sunset-like colors.

Likes full sun or part sun.

Height: 16"

Care: Remove spent flowers. Allow soil to dry between waterings.

Uses: Containers, borders, rock gardens

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"Butterfly Deep Rose" Penta

Attracts butterflies.

Likes full sun,

Height: 18" - 24"

Care: Heat tolerant, drought tolerant, fertilize regularly.

Uses: Containers, borders, garden beds

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"Mini Famous" Calibrachoa Double Salmon, Pink, or Blue

Likes full sun or part sun. Produces lots of flowers!

Height: 4", Trailing

Care: Keep soil moist on hot days. Fertilize regularly.

Uses: Containers, window boxes

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"Beth's Blue" Star Flower

Likes full sun

Height: 12" - 14"

Care: Heat tolerant, deadheading not necessary, fertilize regularly.

Uses: Containers, landscapes

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"Fiber Optic Grass" Scirpus cernus

Creates a unique texture!

Likes full sun or part shade. 

Height: 10" - 14"

Care: Heat tolerant, fertilize regularly.

Uses: Landscapes and containers

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"Picobella Carmine" Petunia

Likes full sun or part shade. Attracts butterflies and hummingbirds!

Height: 8" - 10"

Care: Heat tolerant, remove spent flowers, fertilize regularly.

ses: Containers, landscapes

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"Butterfly Deep Rose" Penta

Likes full sun, attracts butterflies.

Height: 18" - 24"

Space: 10"

Care: Heat tolerant, drought tolerant, fertilize regularly.

Uses: Containers, borders, garden beds

A Wet and Muddy Spring

  Oh 2011, what a Spring! The rain has long overstayed it's welcome, and according to this week's forecast it hasn't caught on yet. We've all been effected. Many gardens are still unplanted, lawns look more like pastures or swamps, and many an event was rained out. It could even be a matter of seasonal depression. Don't we suffer enough with these long, grey, windy winters? It makes us even more thankful for the few days of sun and warmth that we've had so far.

Enough complaining, you know what I'm really here to talk about. How are the crops coming along? In this part of the world, if you aren't farming then your neighbor or your cousin is, so plenty of people are talking about the rain and mud keeping tractors out of the fields. Sections that should be sprouting corn or soybeans right now are grassy wetlands instead. And some fields that were planted have been tilled and planted again, the first seeds rotting in the soil.

We are lucky to have well drained, sandy soil here. Our farmland in Albion has a few low, wet spots but most of it is high and hilly. Because of the quality of the land, we've been able to keep things going pretty well. But even so, it hasn't been easy.

Farmer Tim Kirby corrected my quote today when we sat down to talk about the weather. "Challenging, frustrating, and depressing," he said. "Everything is upside down, in chaos. But we're trying to make it an organized chaos."

"Cloudy wet conditions like these are the perfect storm for fungus and mold," he went on. Crops are most susceptible when in bloom and in the final stages of ripening, and some varieties are more vulnerable then others. Remember those sweet juicy donut peaches? Keep your fingers crossed, we might not see a lot of those.

Low temperatures are delaying things, there's no doubt about it. Most crops are very dependent on 'heat units' for growth, and this means a shorter season since those cold Autumn frosts will be right on schedule. Fruit trees are one exception to this rule. "As a perennial crop, they are not driven by heat units." Mr. Kirby was happy to add.

The good news: We'll have a nice continuous sweet corn season because Mr. Kirby has not missed a planting. All of our vegetables are in the ground (tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, and pickles) so you can count on us to have a wide variety of high quality produce, as always. We have a few tricks up our sleeve yet!

CSA Pricing Options

Last week we met with a small group of people interested in our new CSA program.

It was a wonderful meeting. We had a great time sharing information and then hearing their feedback on several issues that we were still figuring out. A great big thank you to them! Our biggest question was price for a CSA share. With the help of our meeting participants, we came up with several solutions.

We will be accepting membership applications until May 22nd or up to 50 shares, whichever comes first.

>Half or Full Share

From the beginning we have offered a half share or a full share and they are just what they sound like. A Full Share will provide 4-6 people with most of the produce they need for the week. A Half Share will provide 1-3 people with most of the produce they need for the week.

>Make One or Two Payments

We appreciate the difference between paying a small amount each week (normal grocery shopping) and paying for a season of produce all at once. Lighten the load by breaking it up into two payments, one due on May 22^nd, and the second one due by July 22^nd. There is a $5 payment fee (to cover administrative expenses) if you choose two payments. If you choose to pay in full, that payment is due when you register, no later then May 22^nd.

> A Shorter Season

You can purchase a June-October 22 week share (instead of June-November 26 week share). Some people are most interested in the abundance of Summer when they purchase a CSA share. Save some money by purchasing the shorter season... of course your welcome to come in any time for apples, squash, pumpkins, etc, etc.

Click here to view a pdf illustrating examples of what's available to a CSA member throughout the season. Click here for pricing and FAQs.

Spring Color at Kirby's

Click on any photo to see the full image.

Photography by Stacey Kirby

2011 CSA Pricing

UPDATE: After hearing from our customers we took another look at our prices. We hope the new options available (as listed in this post) make a CSA share a more viable option for you! Prices are corrected below. ____________________________________________________________

Thank you for being patient as we calculated the pricing for our CSA shares. Whew, that's a lot of numbers to crunch!

A Full share will provide 4-6 people with most of the produce they will need for the week. The cost is $650 $625.

*

A Half Share will supply 1-3 people with most of the produce they will need for the week. The cost is $390 $320.

>>Our CSA Meeting is coming up next WEDNESDAY, APril 13th at 7pm. Please come by with your questions and ideas! We can't wait to hear from you.

Is CSA Right For You?

CSA Informational Meeting

Wednesday, April 13 at 7:00 pm

Location: Our greenhouse at the Market (map).

We hope you can make it to our first meeting! Topics for discussion include our farming practices and what you can expect from a CSA share with Kirby's. Then we will open the floor to questions! Your feedback will help us make decisions throughout the season, starting with our first meeting.

A few details about our CSA Shares

• There are 50 Shares available
• All produce we grow will be included as permitted by Mother Nature, including fruit!
• Choose a Half Share or a Full Share.
• A share can be paid for in one or two payments.
• Your first payment is required to reserve your share.
• Shares will include additional market benefits.
• Members must commit to picking up their share on Tuesday 1pm - 7pm or Saturday 1pm - 7pm.

We are still in the process of calculating a price. We will publish that information by Friday April 8th.

Click here to visit our page on localharvest.org for more information, including a list of the fruits and vegetables we grow and a description of our farm.  And, if you are new to the idea of Community Supported Agriculture, check out this article at Local Harvest.

News! Kirby's CSA Program

We spent this afternoon hammering out the structure of our brand new CSA program. There is still more work to do, but we are all very excited to offer 50 CSA shares! for the 2011 season.

If you don't know much about CSA, (which stands for Community Supported Agriculture) check out the articles at localharvest.org. This is a wonderful site with so much information on what's available from small farms across the country. (We used it when we visited California last year and enjoyed some really fantastic produce.) We've also used it for sourcing locally grown beef and pork. Kirby's has our very own listing, and if you have an opportunity we would love for you to share your experiences at Kirby's by reviewing us on the site. We need to see some green stars on there!

Stay tuned to learn more about Kirby's CSA shares! We'll be posting more details soon. If you have any questions feel free to email or message us on facebook.

Spring, Phase 2

Seeds to sprouts, dormant twigs to unfurling leaves, a yellow bud to a tiny flower- these first stages are the most exciting, as the blank canvas of soil begins to show the first vibrant brushstrokes of new life.

Last week hundreds of tomato and pepper plants were seeded, destined to bloom and fruit in the field. By now the seeds should be sending tiny, tiny shoots towards the sun. Meanwhile, the tomato plant pictured is a good five inches tall. It was seeded back in early February. This six week head start is what makes our Patio Tomatoes such an exciting purchase for our customers in the Spring. Fresh tomatoes will be on their table a month before they're picked in the field.

I stepped into the perennial house while I was at the greenhouses and shot this aquilegia, one of the first plants to come out of dormancy. Many of the perennials in there are still hiding under the dirt, waiting for whatever signal Mother Nature sends before they poke their little green leaves out of the ground. But this early-summer-blooming combine is already leafy and green.

Bacopa (below)is one of the few annuals showing any color. At this time, we're plucking flowers off almost all of the annuals. It's important for the plants to spend their energy on building strong root systems and vigorous foliage, instead of on flowers. And we get to take home tiny little bouquets of insane color to brighten our houses.

Bacopa however has so many tiny flowers that we don't bother, bringing you this little bit of sunshine!

I love primroses at this time of year. Their bright, sunny, colors are one of the loudest reminders that Spring is almost here! When you're walking around the perennial area this summer, an unassuming cluster of long green leaves is all you'll see in these pots. But remember these colorful  flowers, plant them in your garden, and you will be well rewarded next year!

Next week we'll share updates about new perennials we're planting this season. See you then!

Squash Bisque

This is a squash soup I put together one fall, with left over roasted squash. The parsnip adds a little complexity with a hint of spicy sweetness, but feel free to leave it out if you're not a fan of parsnips. For a non-dairy squash soup with more of an exotic flair, try our Curried Butternut Soup with Coconut.

Ingredients

• 1 small onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• A good swirl of Olive Oil
• 1 cup Roasted Squash, mashed
• 1 small Parsnip, grated
• 2 cups Chicken Stock
• 1 cup Half and Half
• 2 Tbsp Apple Cider

Over medium hear, sautee onion in olive oil until golden. Add garlic and parsnip. Continue to cook for a minute, until the garlic is lightly golden. Pour in the chicken stock and apple cider. Stir in the squash and simmer 5 - 10 minutes. Reduce temperature to low and gently stir in the cream. Cook until heated through. Enjoy!

Serving suggestion: For a smoother soup, puree with an immersion blender, or carefully in a regular blender.

I made this for Christmas Eve dinner one year with a swirl of homemade creme fraiche on top. The end result was beautiful little bowls of elegant and earthy, savory with a little sweetness. Creme fraiche, which is kind of like a thin sour cream I guess,  is easy to make and it's fun having a delicious and unusual ingredient in the fridge.