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 March 30, 2011 Rain drops are falling Spring is here and I'll be planting It's my favorite time of year! Hello, Yes, we'll get there! To till the soil. Plant the seed. Pull the weeds. Watch it grow and harvest the reward! Thanks and welcome to all the new people who wanted to subscribe to my newsletter after reading about me in the 'edible Twin Cities' magazine. I am so excited about the response to the article. It was fun to be interviewed and to share my story. This whole farm experience is beyond my wildest dream. I am so blessed. I hope you can all come and see me At the Farm during the season.
I will be at the Waconia Chamber of Commerce Business - Home - Family Expo this coming Saturday, April 2. The event takes place at the Waconia High School 9 am to 4 pm. At 10 am I will conduct a short seminar on canning to teach you about different methods of canning. I will have a booth there also to sell my updated book, Gardening According to Donna - With Canning Appendix. The book that I published last year has been reprinted with an added chapter on canning tips. See you at the expo on Saturday!
Sister Saturday Party and Plant Swap At the Farm Come to Sell - Swap - Buy and to Just Enjoy all the Activities! Saturday May 14, 2011 How this works . . . Do you have extra plants, bulbs, starts? You can bring them to sell or swap! In 6-inch pots (or smaller) Divisions of plants (peonies, grasses, lily of the valley, ferns, lilies, cone flowers, yarrow, hostas, etc.) Perennial starts Bulbs (callas, dahlia, cannas, iris, etc.) No seeds, bedding plants, annual flowers or vegetable plants Containers (fancy pots, urns) Gardening Books and Tools Trellises, Arbors, Garden Décor Anything related to Gardening FREE Setup Area for Your Items! Bring your own tables, chairs, etc. Set up starts at 8:30 am. I do not charge you for the space or anything. It's a way for you to move some of your plants and meet other gardeners too. I know you will be great and will "Sell the Sizzle"! Events 9 am to 2 pm - Plant Swap and Sale 9 am to 3 pm - Junk Market 9 am to 1 pm - Vintage Photo Shoot (Taylor Hubbard of Waconia) 10 am to 12 noon - Master Gardener (Evie Burau) 10 am to 12 noon - Tea Sampling (Hostess - Yvonne Brown, Folk Artist of Excelsior) 11 am to 12 noon - Rhubarb Sorbet Demonstration (Olivia Kornelis) 12 noon to 3 pm - Wine Information (Sovereign Estates Winery of Waconia) 12 noon to 3 pm - Live Music by Jenn Bostic I will have my fern peonies for sale at the Plant Sale and Swap on May 14th. Reminder, I have eggs available most of the time now. Call ahead to make sure 952-442-4816. Think Spring! Donna
Gardening Tips Have any garden seeds left from last year? You need to germinate them to make sure they will grow. Take 2-4 seeds and a 4x4" piece of paper towel. Wet the paper towel and put seeds on it. Roll up the paper towel and put in a plastic bag. Fold the bag over but do not seal it. Put it by the heat or by a window.
In a few days open it to see what sprouted. If nothing happens you need new seeds. This test prevents you from planting seeds in the garden and have nothing come up. Don't start your tomatoes too soon. Maybe the last week of March or first week of April. If you start them too soon they get too tall and will fall over because they are weak. It's too late to start pepper seeds. They need to be started in February. When you care enough to Grow the very best, ask Donna!