Your Future Veggies: How we start seeds

We are all excited about the 2011 C.S.A. season and there is nothing better than to wake up every morning and turn on the lights for the little seedlings Steve started. The photos are of the parsley and broccoli seedlings. As you can see, Steve starts the seeds indoors. He sterilizes the dirt and the containers (we recycle plastic cream cheese containers etc...) he plants the seeds and keeps them warm with a small fire in the wood stove until they start to come up then he moves them to a light source. We use a few fluorescent bulbs and some bricks to raise the seedlings closer to the light. They love it! He keeps them watered and waits until they are up enough to transplant to larger containers and ultimately they will be planted outside. Before he plants the seedlings outside he takes the containers and puts them on a table outside so the seedlings will get used to the wind and weather, in other words to toughen them up or make them hardy.

Steve demonstrated how to start seeds at the seed swap in Carbondale recently. People have been asking about the ratios in the potting soil he makes. Steve uses two parts soil, one part Perlite and one part sand. Remember to measure by volume and not by weight.

*Perlite can be found at Lowes.


These will hopefully be on your plates at some point this season. I, for one, am ready to be eating fresh local, organic vegetables and herbs...the fruit comes later folks!

We are keeping a good thought about this seasons weather. We have planted a large variety of produce this year so your bags will be filled with a bounty from Hollow Pumpkin Farm.