At the Farm is located on Highway 5 in Carver County, Minnesota - 2.5 m. East of Waconia - 4.5 m. West of Victoria - 10 m. West of Chanhassen
Donna Frantz, Proprietor - 8880 East Highway 5, Waconia MN 55387 - imthefarmer@earthlink.net - 952-442-4816

At the Farm Newsletter

Sent August 19, 2009 Come spend some time Exploring the charm I love to have you At the Farm! Hello, I'm Picking Organic . . . Heirloom Tomatoes Slicing Cucumbers Green Beans Kohlrabi Onions - Yellow, Red, White Cippolini Onions Shallots Potatoes - Red, Yellow, White, Russet Carrots Beets Zucchini Patty Pan Summer Squash	Pickling Cucumbers Call Ahead to Order Pickling Cukes! 952-442-4816
Sweet Peppers - Green, Ivory, Red, Carmen, Yellow Banana, Jimmy Nordello, Krimzon Lee, Red Lipstick Hot Peppers - Jalepeno, Hot Spot, Georgia Flame, Pardon, Pablano Egg Plant - Hansel, Ichiban, Dancer, Night Shadow Parsley - Basil - Dill - Cilantro

Fill Your Willow Basket . . . Sweet Corn - Home Grown Tomatoes - Home Grown Grape Tomatoes - Home Grown Radishes - Home Grown Peaches - Illinois Blueberries - Michigan Nectarines - California Plums - California Grapes - California Blueberries - Michigan Muskmelon - Indiana Watermelon - Indiana Garlic - Gilroy California	Home Grown, Local Sweet Corn is picked fresh daily!
When you care enough to Eat the Very Best, ask Donna! Also available - Beautiful Fresh Garden Flowers in Hand-Tied Bouquets Thanks for shopping At the Farm! Enjoy Summer! Donna

August - More Gardening Tips! There are no problems in gardening . . . just opportunities to learn!
Tomatoes - Blossom end rot on tomatoes tops the list of opportunities. Watering is the hardest problem to control, that's how mulching helps keep the soil moisture consistent. If you are growing tomatoes on your deck or patio use a good potting soil for container tomatoes. I don't like a soiless mix, too light and the water runs through and does not stay in the pot. Blossom end rot can also be caused by hoeing too close to the plant, you may have injured the root of the blossom set. And lack of calcium in your soil can be a problem causing blossom end rot too. You can sprinkle a little powdered milk around the plant for calcium.	My tomatoes mulched with meadow hay.
Raised beds - Be sure to take out most of the soil next spring and add new soil. Soil in a raised bed does not re-new itself like soil in the ground. An in-ground garden draws minerals from all things around it. And its very difficult to properly water raised beds. Every plant can use water differently. Yes, when it rains it all gets the same water but nothing is like rain. Also, if you use city water it has chemicals of different sorts. Cucumbers - If they dry out in a raised bed the roots have collapsed. The roots do not reopen to get water. You can get a smaller curled cucumber, leaves go yellow or curl and get crisp. Cucumber beetles (black & yellow striped) also can be the problem. If you are not organic you can spray a little with seven. Do this when plant is small, not after cucumbers are forming. Containers - Dump all containers in fall. Do not use old worn out soil for next year's plants. And use plant varieties that work well in containers, not just any tomatoes or cucumbers. Most peppers work, herbs work. I tried zucchini and had a crop failure. When you care enough to Grow the Very Best, ask Donna!