"I Love My Truck"

I assume many of you are familiar with the country song, "I Love My Truck". If a song can be written about loving one's truck, then I believe I can write one about my job. Being in the seed business all these years certainly has returned significant rewards to me. I have been fortunate to gain many friendships throughout my tenure with Harris Seeds. I have come to personally know plant breeders, seed managers and growers large and small across this great land, and I clearly treasure these relationships. My co-workers are a mighty fine bunch of people as well.

One of my favorite responsibilities in the seed business has begun, and will continue through the summer and fall months. It is widely known as flower and vegetable trials. Occasionally I travel to California to attend the greatest flower show on earth…Spring Trials, formally known as Pack Trials. I have not attended in a couple of years, but recall that in the past it was always a spectacular event.

At our facility in Rochester, NY, we have been noting early greens and radishes. Mark Willis, our vegetable seed manager, has put together a new oriental greens mix that is outstanding for flavor and color. We have looked at new radish entries in our high tunnel, and some will most likely hit our catalog this fall. Also in our high tunnel we have our "grafted" trial for cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes. The tomatoes and peppers are setting fruit and we have picked cucumbers already. We are just finishing our plantings of annual flowers in garden beds and in containers. Photos will follow this summer.

Yes, the summer and fall months are busy times as we travel frequently to nearby Hall, New York to the Seneca Vegetable Research Farm, managed by plant breeder, Dr. Walt Whitwood and his plant breeding sons. They are super people and do a great job trialing peppers, tomatoes, sweet corn and squash for us. In late August we are off to Wisconsin to take a look at new beans and a lot of sweet corn. The trialing season comes to an abrupt end with a visit to the Bob Chase Farm in Macedon, New York. On Bob's farm is our fall ornamental trial consisting of pumpkins, gourds and winter squash. Bob is a terrific grower and does a fine job for us. There are always many new introductions that are selected and added to our product line each fall.

I do not look at my job as hard work (as it truly is), but more importantly as great fun. Yes, having a career in the vegetable and flower seed business has been truly richly rewarding. I cannot think of a better one.

It's nearly bedtime!

As we roll through the beginning of fall, it becomes quite clear to me that it is nearly time to put the garden to bed. Here in the Northeast, the cool, early morning outside air beckons the call for warmer clothing. Blackbirds flock together to perform their annual ballets in flight, and colorful fall foliage starts to make its way into the landscape.

My garden this year was a successful one indeed. It is relatively small, compared to the efforts of my departed father. Gardens of the past were always big, and so were the annual harvests. My garden consists of four raised beds and the produce I harvested was impressive. My tomato plants were very productive, and they skirted the devastation from late blight. Many fellow gardeners were not so lucky. Red Candy grape tomato was outstanding, as its texture and sweetness were at the top of the charts.

I have never attempted to raise sweet corn, as it is always commonly available around town at most farm stands, but this year was different. In an area of around 5 feet by 8 feet, I planted my favorite variety to eat - "Mr. Mini Mirai". This yellow supersweet is so tender and sweet that it is clearly classified as gourmet quality. If any of my readers grow sweet corn and have not grown this one, then I highly recommend four or five rows in your garden next season.

I also had a couple plantings of Crockett green bush bean. Given the fact that I had four small rows throughout the season, I believe I harvested a bushel of tasty, dark green beans. I picked the plants several times, and the beans kept on coming. Crockett is a slender, dark green bean that eats exceptionally well.

If any gardener is a fan of radishes like I am, then the one to grow is Red Satin. In my opinion, this is the finest radish in the marketplace. Hybrid radishes have not been around for very long, and hybridization has greatly improved the species. Red Satin is consistently clean, smooth and round, with an appetizing bright red color. In 20 days, you will harvest beautiful red radishes with a delicious mild flavor. There's probably still time to plant a few more rows before cold weather sets in.

My Kuroda carrots made excellent size, and I have left a few to sweeten up for a later fall harvest. Add a few rows of spinach, Swiss chard and lettuce and my garden was quite complete.
In a few weeks, clean-up will begin. Plants will be pulled and composted. I will top my beds with an organic fertilizer and till it in. Then I will wait. I will wait for the snow. I will wait for spring to follow. But then, my garden will begin its next life cycle.

Oh, those happy Holsteins…

While growing up in rural New York, I had the privilege of working with my brother-in-law on his small dairy farm. He is gone now, and so is his farm. But, I do recall being there when he would open the barn door to allow his small herd to go outside for the very first time in the spring, after being cooped up in a stanchion during those long winter months. Much to my surprise, they cows would rush through the door and as soon as they got outside, they would kick up their heels as to say…wow, this weather is really nice. They knew greener pastures were right in front of them.

I don’t know about you folks, but I am starting to feel much like those Holsteins did. This winter seems to be longer than usual. It started with cold damp weather in November, and December brought cold snowy weather that has remained into March. It looks like a full 5 months of winter, and I know it is only supposed to be 3.

Well, I am truly looking forward to greener “pastures”, as spring is soon to grace us with its presence here in the North. Planting has started in the South, and greenhouses around the country are filled with flower and vegetable transplants. My brother says his radishes are up in his garden in South Texas, but mine will have to wait for another few months. Then, we all can kick up our heels.

Gifts from the Garden!

Within days I will be harvesting home grown radishes from my garden, and salad greens will follow thereafter. Everything has been planted, and my transplanted sweet corn is also doing well. My garden peas are half grown and before long they will be on my dinner table too.

In my ornamental beds I had a few surprises. I planted some cutting snapdragons in a full sun bed out behind my home and to my surprise, they all over-wintered. They are now about two feet tall and are loaded with blooms. I had some dwarf snapdragons in front of my house last year, and they also over-wintered and are in full bloom already, and have been since June 1^st.

Dusty Miller is another plant that is commonly sold as an annual, but mine made it through the winter and the plants have bushed out nicely so early in the season.

One of my favorite flowers for cutting is the peony. It ranks right up there with gladiolus. The booms are very striking and quite fragrant. Too bad they don’t last longer.

As late spring progresses and summer about to begin, we all shall have many gifts from the garden to make our lives just splendid.