It's about to get "real(er)"....

Yes, it's been relatively quiet (for me) on the blog front; I posted only two entries in January so far, and February is knocking at the door. Things behind the scenes haven't really been quiet, though. From doing a few radio and podcast spots, sorting logistics for upcoming gardening seminars, identifying others, sending out seeds for the dwarf tomato project, to finalizing slides and determining my own gardening plans, it's show time for 2016. And I can't wait!

Looking ahead, my first opportunity to share my stories with other gardeners will happen on Monday February 1 in Apex, followed soon after by a trip to Morehead City for an event on Thursday February 4. The month will also find Sue and I in Seattle for two talks at the Northwest Flower and Garden Show, and a week later, I will be in Chicago for a blogger lunch, seminar and seed swap. Details for all of these events can be found on this website at the Events button toward the top of my website, or by clicking here.

If all goes well, the first seeds that will produce plants for our 2016 garden will be planted in the next few days - most likely lettuce, beets, chard and kale. I may get some slow growing peppers going as well; it is going to be a bit of choreography around my upcoming trips, assessing  my presence here at home to tend to young, fragile seedlings. Thankfully, our dog and cat sitting daughter is a really fine gardener herself.

The act of planting seeds guarantees more frequent blogs, because I love to share the excitement of seeing things grow. This start of the gardening season kicks off months of daily change, surprises, and just the fun and "therapeutic mental benefit" of watching things grow and sharing the results.

For anyone looking for links to my activities to date, see below.

Garden America radio show from January 2 - listen here - this will probably be around for only a few more weeks.

America's Home Grown veggies - two appearances - January 9 is here, and January 16 is here.

The Ruminant podcast - two appearances -  first and second.

Happy listening, and please send me any questions that you have.

In between, and on the cusp....

In between - as in birthdays...mine was yesterday (I turned 60...yikes!), my wife Susan's is tomorrow. So I am sitting here, looking forward to cooking her a nice breakfast, and later on, dinner, on her special day. 

In between, as with gardening seasons, firmly between 2015 and 2016. I am still pondering last year - what went well, what didn't, what I want to try this year, or do differently. And I am planning this season - what to start when, and for what purpose. It is like trying to solve a big Rubik's Cube - this year made more challenging because of the decision to stop selling seedlings, but have some to bring on appropriately timed tomato events.

On the cusp... of a storm! If we were to ponder Sue's birthdays during our 35 years together, I bet that more often than not we have wintry messes on that day. We will likely be - yes! - in between the various lines of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain. As usual.

On the cusp.... of hitting the road and spending time with gardeners talking tomatoes, container and straw bale gardening, swapping stories and experiences and seeds, and making new friends. Last year was just amazing - and this year is not going to be much less packed, especially between very soon and mid summer. Apex - Morehead City - Seattle - Chicago - and that is just February. Power Point and I are about to become very familiar again. And once more, I will end up wishing I had a better, more organized system for my gardening pics.

And it is after midnight, so I am now on the cusp of going to bed. I hope to start sharing my garden plans very soon in an upcoming blog....because it is time to get some seeds planted, seedlings started. I just love this time of the gardening season!

Dreaming of tomatoes on a gray January afternoon. Random thoughts...

Does anything instill energy and excitement on days like this (gray, drizzly, raw) as much as thinking about the gardens to come? I could spend hours scribbling on pads, going through my options (which takes a bit too much time spent in spreadsheets), and narrowing down what will hopefully be appearing in our meals in a few months.

I just finished saving seeds from a tomato. That is a sentence that I've never, ever written in early January! The tomato was the result of a cross made between one of our new dwarf varieties, Bundaberg Rumball, and a large pink heirloom, Dester, early last summer. The cross took, seeds were saved from the small, chocolate colored tomato growing on the dwarf plant, fermented, dried, and planted in early August. The plant grew, flowered, produced a handful of tomatoes. Because of the cold weather (and the occasional relocation of the plants from driveway to garage), any fruit formed on this and nearly 20 other new hybrids were picked when I thought they were sufficiently large to ripen indoors. The pale color and rather firm texture didn't tempt me to take a bite, but just the aroma of fresh tomato was enough to energize me for the rest of the day. 

There is something really comforting, looking out back, seeing the soft greens, browns and greys. (no, Bambi is not in that particular picture - they are thick in our neighborhood, though).

In the coming days, I will be continuing to decide what's next, and who gets what, for the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project.  I've got to plan my garden (and will share my plans here, in a future blog). My tomato talks begin soon - in early February, so I've got logistical considerations to nail down and slides to prepare. There's lots more to do, but I will leave that for another time.

Happy New Year to you all!  Let's see what 2016 brings!