In difficult times

In difficult times - we GROW

Morley, Hubert. Your victory garden counts more than ever!, poster, 1945; [Washington D.C.]. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc544/: accessed March 17, 2020), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.

Dear Friends,

As the reality of our situation continues to set it (COVID-19, social distancing, shelter-in-place, tp hoarding), a garden may be a useful place to shed anxiety, get fresh air and maybe even grow some extra food. If you have a spot outside, the recent rain and intermittent sunshine make this a great time to start some herbs and summer vegetables. A small pot in a kitchen window can grow basil, rosemary or oregano to add to tomato sauces and soups. You may find the online resources below helpful and/or interesting:

www.groworganic.com

This is the online home of Peaceful Valley nursery - which is located in Grass Valley, CA. They have a great selection of products for organic farming and a deep library of how-to videos for assistance. You might consider them for bulk purchases of organic soil amendments like kelp/blood/feather/bone meal, calcium, azomite or other trace minerals.

www.rareseeds.com

This is the site for Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Based in Missouri, they do have a store location in Petaluma. If you've never really considered the benefits of heirloom seeds, this would be a great time to learn - and seed orders ship for free.

https://charlesdowding.co.uk/

Have you heard about "No Dig" gardening? It's worth the time to learn more about this compost-intensive approach to organic gardening.

Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web

Here's a great book if you want to gain insight into why you shouldn't use chemical fertilizers and should adopt No Dig gardening. It's a deep dive into soil biology.

Hope that you have many opportunities to get your hands dirty over the coming months. We'll all get through this together.

Best,

-Bill S.

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