I pulled out my very first radish yesterday!! Miraculous, I know...This feat was accomplished by starting radishes in a deep pot in early February. Look at that glorious tap root! And that perfect cherry rose color and egg shape! I'm in LOVE...makes it hard to pull them all out and eat them. Actually, no, not hard at all. I'm getting crusty french baguette and cultured butter this afternoon...YUM!
Kisses,
The Bear
Monday, April 30, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
It's Not Tomato Time...Yet!


If I'm feeling like getting my tomatoes started really early, and I just can't wait all the way til June, I put up a big cloche over all of my starts to warm the air and soil or my little tropical babies. This technique means that I do have to keep a very close eye on hydration, as the soil can dry out quickly under the cloche and while the tomatoes are small they need pretty consistent water. But the payoff can be earlier yields of my favorite food...That's definitely worth the work!

There are many more spectacular techniques and tips I've gleaned from my teachers and my relationships with many enigmatic tomato plants over the years. Let me know if you'd like a hand cultivating your own tomato-growing techniques and successful relationship with this juicy plant! Check out my mentoring and consultation services here!
With warm anticipation,
-Melissa aka The Flying Bear
Friday, April 27, 2012
Strawberry fields...
Don't say "forever." We might get sued for copyright infringement. Melissa and I have been busy putting in new beds. One of them, and my new favorite, is at the 46th Street farm-patch, and it is full of STRAWBERRIES!!! This particular bed has been here for some time, but has been neglected over the years. Three rose bushes and an old holly stump (which still grows, you can't seem to kill holly) are all that were there. They were infested with bind weed when I first moved in. I had to rescue the rose bushes from strangulation at the "hands" of the bind weed.
Today the 15' long bed is weeded, bordered with rocks found on sight, and planted with strawberries. The strawberries are joined by some delicious and beautiful companions including rhubarb, lilies, sun flowers and a few other flower varieties (Melissa knows what they are, I'm terrible at remembering flower names). Oh yeah, bachelor's buttons! I remembered one :) The holly stump is still there and looks like a crown...we'll keep that one trimmed. Also check out the lavender and sage we rescued from a friend's yard that was too shady. They're basking in the sun now.
More updates to come. I dug out a new bed yesterday where the ground cherries and tomatillos will go. Exciting times on the eves of May.
- Ben
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Where has April gone?
More importantly, where have we been and what have we been doing? Well, we have we been very busy this month. Need evidence? Our lack of blog posts are a good indication, but that also means we have a lot to update you all on. I write this while on a quiet shift at Makeda Coffee in Greenwood, so I'll leave the details to further posts. Melissa can probably tell you more about her flowers and seed starts than I can. She has been out on in the dirt on 70 degree days like today, while I look longingly out the cafe window...
Enjoy these pictures in lieu of some story telling from Melissa. The first one, where I'm mysteriously invisible, was taken while we were installing a terraced strawberry garden, veggie beds and fruit trees at Melissa's aunts house near Olympia. The other picture is at the same location. We saved a little salamander from being nearly chopped up by our shovels. See how he's the same color as the dirt, amazing! Enjoy the sun and warmth!
- Ben
Enjoy these pictures in lieu of some story telling from Melissa. The first one, where I'm mysteriously invisible, was taken while we were installing a terraced strawberry garden, veggie beds and fruit trees at Melissa's aunts house near Olympia. The other picture is at the same location. We saved a little salamander from being nearly chopped up by our shovels. See how he's the same color as the dirt, amazing! Enjoy the sun and warmth!
- Ben
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Spring Flowers Spring Forth!
Hellebore, Magnolia, Plum branches, English Ivy seed heads, Muscari (Grape Hyacinth) straight from the Flying Bear Farm 92nd St. Patch! The magnolias are about to fully peel open and the plum blossoms smell divine! I have better photos that I'll post later...good thing for iPhones though!
Wishing you delicious, delightful Spring exuberance!
-The Flying Bear
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