Grown At Home

I planted four pots of baby salad greens in November from starts I bought from a tall elf like man at the Marin Farmers' Market. I didn't think of it as gardening or even growing food. It was an experiment. I mean, food doesn't grow through the winter. There's no sun, too much rain. It's cold.

But I'm often frivolous and the grower looked lonely week after week in his unfolded chair and tables full of six packs of mixed greens, spinach, mizuna, arugula and tat soi displayed in perfect rows.

"They'll be fine," he told me as I packed a flat with nearly one of everything. "They're strong."

They haven't seen my yard, I thought. No cover for protection, the big dog and kids from next door with their noses in everything. The frost. The night animals. They'll never grow.

And I'm an optimist. And often wrong.

The damn things took off. I have done exactly nothing after they were planted. No water, no food, no anything.

Every few weeks I take their picture and stand on the back deck saying, you guys are beautiful. You are so beautiful. And then I eat them.

I've harvested a couple of colanders and added them to market mix, once for friends after I made them taste the different kinds. And the plants keep going.

Even though they have been complete troopers through the winter, the last week of sun has strengthened them up even more. It's as if they are in training for the Olympics. Which means there are more of them for dinner.

I had no idea eating at home could be so easy.

4 comments:

Donna said...

Katrina,
You do live in a fairyland...tall elfs in folding chairs. I love it. Are there any wizards at the Marin Farmers Market? I think I need a little greenhouse. Are you and the nice guy available sometime this summer...? Your live salad greens look luscious.
Hugs........Olivia

Kale for Sale said...

The were wizards at the market once - Pt. Reyes in October. You'll have to come and see for yourself. They were selling winter squash!

Anonymous said...

Katrina, I planted mustard greens from seed back in late August I think. I never ever expected anything to grow in my garden as I'd never done this before, let alone anything throughout the winter! But I have beautiful, scrumptious mustard greens still growing strong! Who knew? Don't they die after a while or something? I guess not! I'm sure sometime in the next couple of months they'll go to seed, but wow - what a run!

Same goes for my kale and beets - I planted a lot thinking not much would grow. We eat them every day, and it looks like they've never been touched!

Ah, gardening. Plants grow when you least expect it!

Kale for Sale said...

Melinda - Okay, next year I'm planting mustard greens. I should be able to have some in pots. This is the first year I've eaten them or even knew what they were and I can't get enough of them. I should really plant some kale in a pot too. Thanks for the ideas! In the meantime can I come over for dinner?