Welcome to Spring!

Seeds of Intention
Eat What you Sow

The Power of Intention
Seeds of Intention
by Deepak Chopra

Intention is the starting point of every path in life. It is the force that fulfills all of our needs, whether for money, relationships, spiritual awakening, or love. Intention generates all the activities in the universe. Everything that we can see – and even the things we cannot – are an expression of intention’s infinite organizing power.

As the ancient Indian sages observed thousands of years ago, our destiny is shaped by the deepest level of our intention and desire. Once we plant the seed of an intention in the fertile ground of pure potentiality, our soul’s journey unfolds automatically, as naturally as a bulb becomes a tulip or an embryo becomes a child.

Nurture your Intentions Here a few recommendations for using intention to the highest possible benefit:

Set your intentions high.

Aim to be a saint and a miracle worker. If you know that the goal of inner growth is to
acquire mastery, then plant the seed for mastery as soon as possible. Don’t strain to work wonders, but don’t deny them to yourself either. The beginning of mastery is vision; see the miracles around you, and that will make it easier for greater miracles to grow.

Unmask your false intentions.
False intentions take the form of guilty desires: I want someone else to fail. I want to get even. I want to see bad people punished. False intentions can be elusive, but you will notice their existence by the feeling connected with them – a feeling of fear, greed, rage, hopelessness, and weakness. Sense the feeling first, refuse to buy into it , and then remain aware until you find the intention lurking beneath.

Nurture your intentions every day.
Everyday life surrounds us in a swirling chaos, and it’s easy to fall into the grip of our ego’s fears, demands, and confusion. You need to remind yourself – daily – of your intentions and purpose. Some people find it helpful to write down their intentions and review them each day; for others, periods of regular meditation and prayer are invaluable. Find your center and don’t let go of your intention until it feels centered inside yourself. Detach. Intend for everything to work out as it should, then let go and allow opportunities and openings to come your way. Don’t listen to the voice that says you have to be in charge, that constant vigilance is the only way to get anything done. The outcome that you try so hard to force may not be as good for you as the one that comes naturally.



Eat What You Sow
Gail Oliver © 2009

Every May for the last 20 years, for Mother’s Day, my gift to my Mom has been an edible garden, the gift that keeps on giving.

We spend the day playing in the garden... eating fresh strawberries, giggling and getting dirty... The usual crop was 3-4 different varieties of tomatoes, herbs in a lovely herb pot, strawberries and miscellaneous veggies that tweaked my curiosity at the nursery....

Last year, I got industrious and added miniature fruit trees in the mix. I planted an avocado tree, a blood orange tree, and a red plumb tree. I also planted collard greens and edible flowers (pansies, marigolds, astumerias (sp?) and nasturtiums.

On my patio this winter (always mild in Southern Cali) I planted big pots with lettuces, red and green romaine, watercress, curly lettuce, curly spinach, red kale, and other colorful varieties...yum! It’s kinda cool to be able to go pick my own fresh and “organic” salad right out my back door...

The Surprising Benefits?

I save about $5-8 a week the equivalent of 2 containers of organic salad mix from the market. It never gets old or limp if I keep it past the expiration date....ooops. I don’t run out of salad, I no longer waste salad greens... I only pick what I need, I don't get bored eating the same salads all week... I can mix them up, it’s always fresh and it has much much more flavor than salads picked a week ago and then shipped in cold storage to the market...

Soooooo, I started sowing seeds to transplant in my mother’s garden later this month.... I sowed: multi colored beets (Obama doesn’t know what he’s missing ;-), multi colored carrots, Kentucky bush beans, more curly spinach, brussels sprouts, and cherry tomatoes (sown from my coolest neighbor’s crop last year). I will also plant 2 other varieties of tomatoes, broccoli, broccoli rabe, swiss chard (the colorful kind) and my coolest neighbor is giving me a starter blackberry vine from her big BB vine. Planting all these goodies will give my mom something to fuss over and nurture every morning, and me something to share with her. I am looking forward to reaping all the benefits of a tasty harvest this spring and summer.

Now I know Michelle, our First Lady has gone public with her White House Victory Garden, but why not follow her lead? It’s a great lesson for your kids and the kid in you (a great reason to play in the dirt and mud). It’s a great way to show your loved ones you care about their health, after all, your garden is organic and there are no mysterious and/or harmful pesticides on your mini crop unless you put that crap on them. It will save you money. You get great satisfaction from knowing you are being green.... no plastic bags, no packaging, no waste, and you only pick what you need to prepare.

Every thing old is new again...
Thanks Grandma Mamie, for teaching me how to garden...
I paid attention!

Good to Know Stuff About Gardening...

Vegetables need 7 to 8 hours of full sun daily. Cool season vegetables get by on 6, some can even be planted in partial shade.

Framed Bed Soil Recipe: 50% existing garden soil, 25% aged manure, 25% compost or humus

Gardeners in tropical regions plant & grow cool season vegetables in fall and winter.

So you are looking out the window at 2 feet of snow wondering what you can possibly do now to start your garden the first thing to do is place your seed order. When your order arrives, it may still be too early to plant the seeds outdoors, but many cool season vegetables can be started from seed indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the frost free date in your area.

Some transplants can be put out a few weeks before the frost free date as well. Now I foresee the comments from readers in the Deep South already, “This doesn't apply to me!” Well, you are right. You are already midway through your cool season vegetable garden time frame, but there is still time to plant. A great resource for you is www.FloridaGardener.com.

On the flip side, gardeners in the extreme north have such a short growing season that they will plant their cool and warm season vegetables practically side by side.

Last Frost Dates by Zone
Zone 3 1 May / 31 May
Zone 4 1 May / 30 May
Zone 5 30 Mar / 30 Apr
Zone 6 30 Mar / 30 Apr
Zone 7 30 Mar / 30 Apr
Zone 8 28 Feb / 30 Mar
Zone 9 30 Jan / 28 Feb
Zone 10 30 Jan or before
Zone 11 Free of Frost throughout the year.

Before you start sowing seeds and planting it's important to know what the last frost date is in your area. This will determine when your spring growing season begins. There are several on-line sites where you can find this information using your zip code or by checking frost dates of near-by cities. These are average dates that may differ slightly year to year but they give you a basic window of time in which you can create a planting schedule. Another good source of local, reliable advice is your area's County Cooperative Extension Service or check with knowledgeable members of local gardening clubs I don't want to mislead you, even though many of these vegetables are regarded as cold tolerant, they can all be wiped out by a sudden, severe drop in temperature. It's important to be prepared with something to drape over the crops if an overnight cold snap is expected. Simply cover your crops with newspaper, old sheets or frost blankets. Just remember to remove the covering the next morning.

So that brings us to just what types of vegetables should we plant.

Here is a list of common cool season vegetables with a few tips to help you produce a bountiful spring garden.

Arugula – Sow seeds in the garden as soon as soil can be worked in spring. They will germinate in about 7 days and are ready to harvest in 3 to 4 weeks. For a continuous harvest, sow seeds every 2 weeks until temperatures heat up.
Beets – Sow seeds in early spring as soon as the soil can be worked. Beets prefer a well-drained, sandy soil. Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers as this will encourage top growth at the expense of root development. As with all root crops good soil aeration is key to uniform, robust development. Consistent moisture is also important. Keep areas weed free to avoid competition for nutrients.
Broccoli – Broccoli seed can be sown directly in the garden 4 weeks before the last frost date in your area or set out transplants 2 weeks before the last frost date. The ideal day time temperature for broccoli is between 65 and 80 degrees. Feed the plants 3 weeks after transplanting into the garden. Use a low nitrogen fertilizer.
Cabbage – Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last front date or plant transplants in the garden 2 weeks before that date. Direct sow in the garden immediately after the last frost date. Cabbage plants are heavy feeders that require fertile soil rich in organic matter and consistent moisture.
Carrots – Sow seeds in spring about 2 weeks before the last frost date. Carrots need deep, loose soil to form a robust root. Keep the bed weeded to avoid competition for nutrients from other plants. Too much nitrogen will result in forked roots. When the seedlings are about 2-inches tall, thin them so there is about 1 to 4-inches between them. Cover the shoulders with mulch or soil to keep them from turning green and bitter.
Collards – Collard transplants can be planted 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date in your area. Plant in fertile, well drained soil with a pH of 6.5 to 6.8. Rich soil encourages rapid growth and tender leaves, which are the best tasting collards. English Peas – Direct sow in the garden 4 to 6 weeks before the last frost date in your area. They will germinate in soil temperatures as low as 40 degrees F. Seedlings will survive a late snow and short periods of temperatures down to 25 degrees F.
Kale – You can plant kale in early spring, about 3 to 5 weeks before the last frost date. Cover with frost blankets during severe cold. Similar to collards very fertile soil is ideal to encourage rapid growth and tender leaves.
Kohlrabi – Kohlrabi is similar to a turnip, but is actually related to cabbage. Set plants out 4 weeks before the last frost date. Protect young plants from freezing temperatures with a frost blanket. Cool temperatures enhance the sweet flavor. Lettuce – Sow lettuce any time in spring when the soil is workable. Lettuce is more sensitive to cold than other cool season vegetables and should definitely be covered during cold snaps. The ideal day time temperature is between 60 and 70 degrees. Fertilize with fish emulsion, which is high in nitrogen. Lettuce will grow in partial shade and actually appreciates the shelter from intense late spring sun.
Onions – Onions can be grown from sets, small bulbs, or transplants, which look like scallions and come in a bundle of 60 or so. Either method should be planted in early spring as soon as the soil is workable. Long-day varieties are suitable for Northern gardens and short-day varieties can be planted in the South. Place time release fertilizer in the planting hole so that it is close to the roots. Follow the fertilizer's label directions.
Potatoes – Greening of grass is a good indicator of when to plant potato sets, dried potato pieces with 2 to 3 eyes. In my zone 7 garden that occurs in March. Soil should be loose, fertile and well drained. As the tubers mature, cover with soil to prevent burning.
Radish – Sow radish seeds in the garden about 4 weeks before the last frost date in your area. No feeding necessary, but soil should be fertile and well drained. They are quick to mature so check them regularly. They are ready to harvest as soon as they are of edible size.
Spinach – Spinach seeds can be sown over frozen ground to germinate as the soil thaws. Transplants can be set out 4 weeks before the last frost date in your area. Fertilize when the plants are about 4 inches tall. Spinach prefers very fertile soil to encourage rapid growth and tender leaves. Once the days get long and warm it will bolt, meaning that it grows tall, blooms and becomes bitter tasting. For grit-free leaves select plain leaf varieties such as Giant Nobel and Olympia.
Swiss Chard – Swiss Chard is one the more beautiful vegetables in the garden. Bright Lights and Ruby are favorites for adding color to the garden and the dinner table. Plant or sow seeds 2 weeks before the last frost date in your area. Thin to 6-inches apart when seedlings are 3-inches tall. Water regularly.
Turnip – Plant 2 weeks before the last frost date. Any well-drained soil will do. Consistent moisture is key for healthy root development. Although it is not necessary, the greens will be the most tender if you plant in a fertile soil.

I got this information when I googled Organic Spring What to Plant. Sorry I didn’t get the link....
my bad!