Day 9: Planting Spring Cabbage

Celebrating Ten Hours of Day Time — 2018

We like the occasional bowl of coleslaw, we like wraps and fish tacos with cabbage; but honestly, we do not eat a lot of cabbage at the The Toy Box Urban Farm. However, when we do eat cabbage, it is because we grew it ourselves.

This spring, I’m only starting 7 soil-blocks of cabbage. Three of red and four of green (or golden) “Acres” cabbage. These are small cabbage heads that do well in the spring.

Plant 2 seeds per cell. Check for sprouts in six to ten days. If both of your seeds in a soil block sprout, you will need to force yourself to clip or pinch one of them off. (I feel your pain).

A few words about soil blocks. We have a recipe for making soil blocks (it came with the soil block tool). It is a healthy mixture of garden soil, sifted compost, peat moss, sand, bone meal (there is a vegan option), worm castings, rock phosphate, garden lime and I forget what else. We mix it up in fall, put it into a large tub with a lid, where it is ready to scoop into a wash tub, add water and make soil blocks. The tool makes neat rows of blocks that fit into a flat. If using a smaller container, like I am, they hold together well enough gently pick up and set into the container you choose.

In a nut shell (or maybe a soil block) Plant Cabbage:

1. Make soil blocks, place in chosen container.
2. Plant 2 seeds in each soil-block (thin to one)
3. Cover with vermiculite.
4. Label and cover container or pot.
5. Expect germination in 6 to 10 days.

That’s it for now. Will you be planting spring cabbage from seed?

 

Still freezing cold in the PNW. In my Toy Box green house it was 86 degrees inside. Outside it was 36 degrees. That is 50 degrees warmer from radiant heat. At night the candle lantern keeps the temperature at about the 40 degree mark while it is below freezing outside. The hard part is determining how long the candle will burn and replacing it on time.

Today (2/19/18) in Everett, Washington  37/22 and blue-sky sunny! Sunrise was at 7:09 AM. Ten hours and 29 minutes later it will set at 5:38. Get out and look at the moon tonight, it is breath taking!

Debs… still wearing wool socks and a bunch of sweaters (one of those is wool)

Sunday Snow

Just because we expect snow in February, it doesn’t always mean we welcome it.

The trouble with putting yourself on bud watch, or bulb watch or with starting seeds is the feeling that spring is coming. I guess snow is a nice change from all of the rain we have experienced in Everett, Washington, but this is not the change in weather that I was hoping for. I am thankful for the slice of spring I experience in the greenhouse!

I want to be that Proverbs 31 warrior, the one who laughs at the snow.

She is not afraid of the snow for her household; for all her household are clothed with scarlet. Proverbs 31:10

The regular Sabbath reading for this week is #19, Contributions. I was just reading one of the New Testament suggested readings, feeling a little bit sorry for myself because of my lust for spring. 2Corinthians 9:1-15 speaks of being ready to give, as might be expected from the Torah Portion title. After all of my fussing about forgetting to save some of my seeds and needing to order seeds that I usually save seed for, I came across these verses.

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God 2Corinthians 9:10-11

Why do I worry? The Almighty takes care of me! I get to plant seeds that he provides. I get to watch things grow, I get to harvest and eat the most amazing food imaginable. I get to work outside. And I get to give of what He provides to bless others Hallelujah!

So I will continue with one day at a time planting. Maybe this week I’ll call it celebrating the greenhouse in the snow… maybe not. I will probably light a candle (or three) under a big clay pot to take the chill out of the atmosphere in the greenhouse. Spring is still coming.

The plan for this week, February 18-23

• Fennel (including how to start seedlings for transplanting: 2/18/18)
• Red and Green Cabbage (with instructions, 2/19/18)
• Kale (so simple, you may not need directions, but here they are: 2/20/18)
• Purple and Green Brussels Sprouts (with instructions, 2/21/18)
• Dakota Peas (which I did happen to save, link includes my how-to video 2/22/18)
• Frog Island Nation Fava Beans (February 23, with a dinner to table video)

Now, to find my old hiking candle lantern and a big dry clay pot to keep the frost off of my bay laurel and rosemary… both of which are far too large to sit on my kitchen table. Maybe I’ll be laughing at the snow after all.

Winter Storm Warning! In Everett that means more snow and nights so cold that I will either  heat the green house -or- Ray and I will be hauling flats of seedlings from the greenhouse to the kitchen table every night. Suddenly I am glad that I did not use heat to sprout my seeds, they would be too tender!

This Week: Highs in the mid 30’s and lows in the lower 20’s. Do I keep planting? probably. What would you do?

Debs in wool socks.

Cold, cold July (until today)

The Toy Box

Suburban Farm Episode #25 (Season 3)

I have no idea why or how you-tube chooses a cover picture. This looks liked my pumpkin vine growing outside of the fence. By the way, I did finally get my lawn mown. Sorry about the mess.

Is that a dragon fly sitting on my corn?

Today was warmer outside than it was inside, we have not had many days like that. Blue sky, 75/57 sunrise at 5:37, 15 hours and 15 minutes later the sun set at 8:52. I am missing my late walks with the dogs.

Early July 2011 in the Toybox, Wet and Cold

Lavender-Cilantro Cole Slaw

This recipe has been adapted from the LAVENDER COOKBOOK by Sharon Shipley. In Ms Shipley’s book this is a sauce for Crab Cakes. Her recipe makes
a generous amount of sauce. The first time I made this I knew that the leftover sauce would be lovely as a dressing for cole slaw. With very little tweaking,
it is now a regular at my table when cabbage is garden ready. I make the dressing before I chop the vegetables so that the flavors have a chance to assert themselves

Creamy Lavender-Cilantro Dressed Cole Slaw

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup buttermilk (both sour cream and yoghurt will work)
• 2 Tablespoons Honey
• 2 Tablespoons fresh, chopped cilantro
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 generous Tablespoon Stone Ground Dijon Mustard
• 1 teaspoon dried culinary lavender buds, rubbed between the palms of the hands
• Sea Salt and fresh ground Pepper to taste.

In a small bowl, whisk everything, except the salt and pepper, to a smooth sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

 

Use this dressing on thin sliced cabbage with any additional vegetables and fruit that you may normally use for cole slaw.