Don't Forget - Free Gardening Workshop on the 17th

Be sure to mark your calendars for 3pm to 6pm on March 17th (Sunday).  We are gearing up for a great workshop on greenhouse gardening and food preservation.  Be sure to tell your friends and neighbors about it.  I'll try to get the powerpoint presentation up on the farm website next week.
  With the days getting longer and the beautiful spring sunshine in great abundance, thoughts turn to green gardens!  The last frost is less than 3 months away.  Here on the farm, we have already received several shipments of bare root raspberry and blackberry plants and flower buds are forming on our over-wintered bell pepper plants.  My green thumb is getting itchy!
  On a more decorative note, it appears that peony farms are coming to Goldstream Valley.  Here at Solitude Springs Farm, we began dabbling in them three years ago, but decided to go commercial last year.  It will be a couple of years before we are really producing these huge and gorgeous blooms in a variety of colors, but we may be able to provide a peek at what a field of peonies in bloom looks like next year.  If you are interested (it is neither cheap nor easy) in becoming a peony grower (there is a HUGE market for summer peonies), look up the Alaska Peony Growers' Association and keep an ear out for future meetings of the Interior Alaska Peony Growers.  Our next meeting is scheduled for April 7th @ 2pm at the Cooperative Extension Office (location subject to change).
  Our 5th annual plant sale is tentatively scheduled to start the 4th weekend in May (Memorial Day weekend).  It will take place at the usual location - the gravel pit at Jennifer Dr. and Murphy Dome Rd., although I might try setting up near the Goldstream Store once or twice.  Check back later this spring for further details.

  Now back to reality.  The snow depth is still around 20 inches and temperatures are mostly below freezing.  Hundreds of downed trees need to be cut up and the dozer needs to be fixed.

  I can dream, can't I?