This Years Seeds: Our Pre-Farm Garden

A while back I wrote about my dilemma this year: Deciding which seeds to buy.  As you may recall, if you have been following along, I wasn't sure exactly where we would be for this year's growing season and not knowing was causing a little bit of indecision for this gal.  You see, the seeds needed for our homestead garden would be VERY different from the seeds needed here in the city pre-farm garden.

Well, fate decided that we would be here in the city, for at least the beginning of the season, and that is perfectly OK.  Everything happens for a reason.  That meant, however, deciding between planting a garden that we may have to abandon and not planting a garden at all and...well... I can't imagine going with option number two.  Not having a garden of some sort just seems unhappy.  So, we decided to plant a garden, knowing that we might very well have to leave it should the city house sell before harvest.  My reason for this (in addition to not having a garden being unfathomable) is that an awesome garden might very well be appealing to potential buyers and in the very least, if an 'un-gardener' buys the house, they may love having it and I just might bring one more person over the the dark side... or green side.  Yeah.  Let's go with that. :D

So, what did I decide on, you ask?  Well, check it out:


I placed my order with one of my favourite Canadian Seed houses, The Cottage Gardener.  I love them because of their dedication to preserving old varieties, their cute old fashioned feeling catalogs, their interesting seed info and the fact that they do it all by hand and work with other people on the same mission.

Here's what came in the mail!


Paris Market Carrot- I love these carrots.  They grow small and round, like beets or radishes.  Excellent for container gardening.  I like to pick some when they are small and pickle them whole!  I'll find a picture from last year and show you. Maybe even a recipe!

Purple Dragon Carrot- So much fun, especially for the kids.  I love their expressions and teaching them that although we only see orange carrots in the grocery stores, carrots actually come in a rainbow of colours!  One thing I have found about this variety in the past is that the tops tend to break off easily when you pick them, so be careful.

National Pickling Cucumber- A must have for a pickler like me.

Brune D'Hiver Lettuce- A lettuce that turns reddish brown when it gets chilly.  A fun lettuce to have in a green salad to break up the colour monotony.

Aunt Molly's Ground Cherries- I fell in love with these when our local produce pack guy offered them.  You can make a jam out of them or just eat them raw!  You don't pick them, though.  You wait for them to fall off the bush, in their cute little paper lantern, pull them out and enjoy.

Canada Crookneck Squash- I can't wait to try this almost extinct variety of squash!

Double Standard Corn- I've grown corn the past few years and havn't been overl successful, so I'm trying again.  This is going to be my first time growing it from seed, so stay tuned to see how that goes!

Early Wonder Tall Top Beets- I don't know about you, but I like the beet greens just as much as I love the beets.  This variety grows lovely greens, that you can enjoy with your beets or in a different meal spread.  My favourite way to enjoy the greens is steamed with a little butter and salt.  Yumbo!!!

Albino Beets- Do you like pickled beets?  Afraid of staining?  Try these beauties.  I pickled some of these two years ago and they were a huge hit.  I had customers hunting me down for more.  They are very similar tasting to the usual red beet we are all familiar with, but with a slightly sweeter taste, I find.  Try Them.

Green Podded Asparagus Pole Beans- Amazing!  These beans are soooo long.  I can't wait to see the kids faces :P

Aurora Hot Peppers- So pretty!  A little ornamental bush of tiny peppers that grow to about an inch and a half long.  They ripen from orange to red to purple... yes purple!  So fun!  Awesome for a container garden.

Marconi Peppers- On the complete opposite end of the pepper spectrum, these monsters grow to be about 12" long.  Some say they are the biggest pepper. I can't wait to see them.

Early Jalapeno- Must have in our garden.  Hubby is obsessed with making bacon wrapped jalapeno shooters, plus the oldest wants to make his own hot sauce this summer... might as well pick them from our own garden!

Don't worry, that's not all!  I'll be picking up some started seedlings as time goes on.  I have some seeds started down stairs in my everything room.  I'll show and tell those a day very soon.  it's late and this chick needs to get some shut eye!