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 May 26, 2010 The robins are nesting The sky is blue Heavens, please don't be resting Plant, sing and hoe! Hello, Thanks to all who attended my plant swap and sale on May 15. It was amazing! There were gardeners who came to sell and gardeners who came to buy. I think this could be a winner! People enjoyed the weather, chickens, ambience. The container garden seminar was excellent! Joe Marzano, the chef, gathered the largest crowd. He taught people how to cook with herbs. Very, very excellent! And then he served the food he prepared. The elves helped him prep some of the ingredients. Herbs flew off the racks after people learned how to use them. Its always fun to learn. I was hoping Waconia would get the 2011 Governor's Fishing Opener but that didn't happen. Maybe 2012. That would be a great marketing tool for Sister Saturday!
It's Still Planting Time! Come and see me! I have: Bulk Vegetable Garden Seeds Yellow Onion Sets Seed Potatoes - Yukon Gold, Superior, Dakota Pearl, Pontiac Tomato Plants Heirloom Tomato Plants Pepper Plants - Green, Sweet, Hot Cabbage Plants Squash Plants Cucumber Plants Herb Plants - Basil, Mint Potted Deck Vegetables	Creek Side Premium Potting Soil from Hutchinson, MN Creek Side Compost with Manure from Hutchinson, MN
Available Now! Fresh-picked rhubarb (organic) Honey from my farm Local new crop maple syrup from East Bay Rhubarb jam My homegrown popcorn!	NEW! Tea from Tea District Natural and Organic - It's a Winner!
Gardening According to Donna, by Donna Frantz, is still for sale. It will be a great gift for Father's Day, birthdays or any occasion! Buy my book especially for beginning gardeners or just for yourself, because you would like to have a copy of your very own. My fifty-plus years of Minnesota garden experience fills 72 pages with tried and true vegetable gardening hints. Its compact size makes it easy to carry along to the garden and the book is spiral bound so it lays flat. There is an area on most of the pages for you to write your own notes too as you experiment in your garden and learn! It's good to be able to keep track of your progress! Order Gardening According to Donna books now! Just $16.95 each, plus $5.00 shipping. Send a check to: Donna Frantz, 8880 Hwy 5, Waconia, MN 55387 I have it for sale At the Farm and at Jim Gilbert's Wild Bird Store in downtown Waconia. Thanks all who have purchased my books!
Pride and Glory Garden Project is alive and well! Free vegetable seeds, seed potatoes, vegetable plants and gardening advice to unemployed people who come to my farm. Pass the word to those in need! When you care enough to Eat the Very Best, ask Donna! See you soon! Donna
Gardening Tips The picking season is a little behind so far for 2009. Seems like it should be ahead but the cold snap a couple of weeks ago did that. It should be safe to plant almost all your plants and seeds. The soil is warm now in this area of Minnesota (Zone 4) and things should grow well. If your tomato plants seem too tall just dig the hole deeper and plant deep. Peppers can be set deeper also.
Cucumbers, herbs, eggplant, zucchini, melons, corn, beans, dill can be planted now. Pumpkins in another week to June 5 or so. If planted too soon they ripen early and sometimes will not hold to Halloween. Flowering annuals also can be planted. You can side-dress with fertilizer if you didn't put it in your beds early. Do you have any clematis? They like cool feet. You can mulch them in June with grass clippings. Crush egg shells and put on the soil first. Its good feed for them. Maybe 2-3 shells per plant. I'm going to learn how the use lunar planting (plant by the moon). I will pass that on to you when I figure that out. My dad could do it but I could never get it in my head. Common sense is great also when planting ... like February and March is too early to plant! When you care enough to Plant the Very Best, Ask Donna! Happy Gardening!