Winter Garden Notes

A very dry winter in Mountain View so far in 2011-12, but bountiful veggies emerge nonetheless. Broccoli fresh from the garden is noticeably more tasty and tender than any I've purchased, even from the farmer's market. It's so much fun to watch the cabbage grow from leafy plants to hopefully tightly curled cabbages. I'd never grown most of these vegetables before. But now that I understand you just have to start the plants before the ground gets cold, I plan to grow a winter garden every year. And homemade Garlic Fire Sauce organic spray successfully killed off aphids that afflicted our broccoli during the rainy October. Here are some January images:

Local Cafe, Bumble, in Los Altos: Eat-Play-Grub, All Organically

My friendly neighbors Margie and Alexander visited Bumble with me in December

I visited a new local business recently, Bumble, located in Los Altos, to learn more about their sourcing of local organic food. It's certainly child-oriented, but I discovered if you are looking for a cozy, quiet place for your morning coffee, you can visit their beautifully remodeled cafe during any weekday morning and support a local business while you sip!

Visit them on First Street in Los Altos, across from the Safeway.

Here is an excerpt of my post published on Eat Drink Better:

"Bumble's ambitious goal is to be a family’s dream come true - a cozy, comfortable, kid friendly cafe that not only goes all out to make children and their parents feel welcome, but that also focuses on providing the healthiest food possible. Organically grown ingredients from local farms dominate the menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This not only includes their fresh produce, but all of the dairy and meat products offered too. Parents dining here with their children need not worry about hormones or antibiotics in the milk or meat. The overall intention is to be a comfortable gathering place for families to socialize together while enjoying a healthy meal or snacks."

Bumble is a new cafe in a beautifully remodeled cottage

Photos: Urban Artichoke

End of season photos

Time to uproot tomato plants because they're not prolific any more.












With green tomatoes to ripen on the window sill in the next few weeks, favas from my wonderful neighbor to replace them, and a winter garden to look forward to, I can't even be too sad. The entire backyard re-engineering will take at least through the spring.

Seasonal Riches at Our Local Farmer's Market

Those of us in Mountain View have convenient and easy access to California’s gorgeous seasonal produce; all we have to do is to take a trip to our local Mountain View farmer's market at the Castro Street train station. For me and my husband it's a weekly ritual that we enjoy as one of life's simple pleasures; the outing provides opportunities to interact with my neighbors, and to chat with our dedicated vendors about their farms and the lovely products they bring every week for us.

It's definitely much more fun than just an ordinary grocery shopping chore!

Here is my picture album from this August:

 Garden Variety Cheese is a sheep diary in Northern Monterey County at Monkey Flower Ranch. I visited there last January. It's fun trip and a great family outing.

The explosion of colors of the myriad fruits and vegetables on display turns our shopping excursion into a celebration of the season. Mounds of perfect, temptingly plump vegetables at their peak fill the grower's stands and our shopping bags as we greedily overfill them; we can't help ourselves.

Lovely summer flowers (food for the soul) of many types are a popular item and are sold by several vendors, including bulbs for fall planting. I bought several bulbs to add to my front yard garden. They will divide over time and make a beautiful early spring display.

Buy fresh eggs from chickens that are kept humanely.

We bought  some flats of fragrant ripe berries and made incredible sherbet with our ice cream maker. My foodie husband blenderized them and keeps them frozen in the freezer, ready to make colorful, rich sherbet at a moment's notice.

Our farmer's market is a much valued weekly community event. Besides offering the freshest produce available, many other foods are sold by local producers: fresh eggs, honey, live plants, tofu, artisanal breads and more, making your shopping trip a worthwhile one.

And if that wasn't enough, our Mountain View Farmer's Market is open all year round every Sunday from 9Am to 1PM. Don't miss it!

Profile: MV Teen Super-Gardener, Sophia Falco

"We can help save the planet together. Anything is possible, but we have to start today!" -Sophia Falco

My Aunt first introduced me to gardening when she showed me her vegetable garden. After helping her, my passion about plants and the health of the planet grew. I was inspired to create my own garden; first a vegetable garden, and then of California native plants. I'm starting a tradition for my family of growing native plants, and of following in the Native American's footsteps. I am helping to keep their knowledge of medicinal plants alive by sharing it with others, by collecting seeds, and by giving seeds to my friend Zach to sow. I introduced Zach in 3^rd grade to gardening. Even though he moved away in 4^th grade, he took his passion with him. We both don't know anyone but each other who garden like we do. Last month I let the flowers on my native plants dry, then collected the seeds, and sent them in the mail to him. Now we both have native plant gardens.

Sophia's Lavender Bee Balm

Currently I am a sophomore at Mountain View High. Even though I am only 16, I have a gardening background of over 10 years. Three years ago I was given a garden bed filled with soil as a present. It was just for vegetables. Then over time my dad and I have expanded it into 3 beds, the rest filled with California natives. I practically took over the whole backyard! I'm lucky to live in California because I can have a vegetable garden all year round. In the summer time I grew 12 heirloom tomatoes plants that grew to about my height 5' 8'', and I bought the organic seedlings at the Farmers' Market.

Sophia’s heirloom tomatoes

I also grew sunflowers, and Hopi squash from seed, which is rare. In the winter I like to grow dragon carrots, yellowstone carrots, lettuce, kale. I purchased those seeds from Seeds of Change (available at Common Ground) because their seeds are organic. I am super excited because I just discovered a new brand of seeds – BlackBird Naturals. I received a packet of 13 different superfood seeds for my birthday; which means they all are full of nutrients, have special healing properties, and help the bees. These seeds are hard to find; so I ordered them online. I planted them for my winter garden this year. I am also growing a Goji berry tree, and a tree collard. I only use organic methods in my garden. Gardening can help save the planet, if sustainable practices are used. I amend the soil with rich compost, Happy Frog, and worm castings from my worm farm. I also want to add rock dust mineral to re-mineralize the soil because a lot of our vegetables are lacking minerals today. Soil is the foundation for all plants, and it is critical to take proper care of it. I was super excited to get my own garden because now I can make all the decisions!

Sophia's Chamois Rose Hollyhock

I am very passionate about native plants. I bought many of them at Common Ground and bought some at the fall Native Plant Society’s annual native plant sale. Many of my natives can be used for medicinal purposes and food, such as the Anise Hyssop, Coyote Mint, and Elderberry, Western Raspberry, and Huckleberry. I have many more native plants to help save the earth and to promote biodiversity. Since planting my garden it has attracted so much life full of diversity, such as bees, insects, and birds. Every living thing is interconnected. If we don't have any native plants then bees, insects, and birds suffer and the natural cycle breaks.

Sophia's Spotted Bee Balm

I will definitely continue pursuing gardening in the future because I want to help save the earth. It is my mission and dream to do so. I am especially interested in saving the rainforests, which are being destroyed at an alarming rate. There are so many medicinal plants that we haven't discovered, and the indigenous peoples' knowledge of it will be lost too – if we don't stand up to protect it. Without the rainforests the planet can't survive. I am interesting in saving endangered plants because here in California the Native American's medicinal knowledge about plants is being lost.