Sprout Farm Newsletter Oct/22/2022 sproutfarm.net Open 9-5 daily until Thanksgiving
Hello Everyone,
Jay says, "We only have 12 Montauk daisies left." Those are the last plants of the year. We still have tomatoes from the greenhouse and all your other fall favorites. We have ten varieties of apples on display and two tucked in the cooler. Jay is trying to figure out where to display the Baldwin and the Ida Red apples. We have had some Bosc pears but we have on display is the last of them. That addition we made on the farm stand in 2020 is looking a little small right now. I'm surprised to see we're still picking green beans. That is the last plant at risk in the garden. Everything else can handle a light frost without a problem.
I asked Jay about garden care at this time of year and he didn't have much to offer at first and then he said, "
Do not compost oak leaves and maple leaves together." OK that deserves a little research. so I offer this article that explains the composting process for all kinds of leaves and why some are good leaves and some are bad leaves. We have a beautiful maple tree and our theory was that maple leaves are very light and a good south breeze will blow them out of the yard so why spend the time and energy to rake them up. When you drive around you quickly realize that we have two foliage seasons. First the maple leaves turn those beautiful colors then the leaves drop. Two weeks later the oak leaves turn color and drop, except the pin oaks. I think that is the tree that holds onto its brown leaves until spring. If this is true then we have two raking seasons; one for the maple trees for composting and one for everything else for disposal. I'm old enough to remember the wonderful smell of burning leaves.
https://thisismygarden.com/2021/10/what-leaves-to-compost/
There is a brief kitten report. We have gone through the kitten list and contacted the people who showed interest in a kitten. We even have enough names in reserve in case one of the four can't adopt one of Ziggy's new kittens. Yes, Ziggy had four kittens about ten days ago. They are all sorts of colors and everyone seems to want the orange one so I think a lottery will work. Ziggy found the perfect place to secure her new family. She tucked herself into a long flat storage unit that slid under a bed. When she didn't show up for breakfast one day we were worried that she had given birth outdoors. That was an anxious eight hours. She is a wise cat for all her experience and her kittens are happy and she is back to begging with her eyes for another meal, which we are happy to supply.
I know this is brief but that what fall is like here. Everyone is getting ready for spring when we won't have enough time for anything.
Stop on by and see what we have. We'll all be here.
Jay and Phyllis Sprout