Ready to Eat?!
A child’s life moves in slow motion though they run and play with full speed. My granddaughter Ella wants to experience life to the fullest, yet slows down to view upclose a green frog hopping in the garden. Life is simple as a child. Slow is simple. Simply said …
Green frog in the garden, a child’s bauble, maybe prince charming, a fairy tale in the making …
So I am salivating while planting a micro green mix and red sails leaf lettuce seeds at the greenhouse … I think viewing this July vacation photo of a salad made by my longtime Minnesota friend, Tamie Jensen started it! 
Is it not a palette to behold?! I am craving leafy greens … like fresh spinach, pac choy, arugula, leaf lettuce, borage, you name it! Some of these items can be purchased at most local grocery stores, and fewer even have the organic variety. And how far did these items have to travel to my local Schnucks or Dierbergs? And how much did that price tag say??? I am not willing to pay $5.99 for a pound “fresh” spinach that was grown 2,000 miles away! I have become “spoiled” or a better word “selective” in my grocery purchases after farming with EarthDance Farms this past year. Organic and local are the way to go for optimum health. I froze several bags of spinach, swiss chard, and kale from my field labors this past growing season. I just want fresh right now! Deanna Greens and Garden Art recently bought this 1300 square foot greenhouse full of houseplants and flowering plants. And it now makes way for my leafy greens! Not quite the same as spring or autumn sunshine… but it is organically grown, local, and cost pennies to those dollars! In 4 – 6 weeks I will be satisfied when a few of our nasturium blossoms and leaves are married with Deanna Greens and Garden Art’s very own leafy greens …
I want to be in my greenhouse today, but instead I need to be at my office. I have a few green things growing near my desk. They are green reminders of the living earth opposingly different than the fax, copier, laptop, printer, and phone system made of hard plastic and metal screws. My co-worker dubs each of our plants with a name characterized by who gave it. I have a beautiful arrowhead philodenren named “Brian” after my ex library co-worker who give this to me 8 years ago. Three out of 5 ladies enjoy the living green things in the office. Yesterday I welcomed a red-leaf philodenren we named “Peggy” after the lady Dean & I bought the greenhouse from. I need the oxygen my plants provide and the pleasures of seeing living green things 24/7. Friends forever …
Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time. “~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
As I get older, I have simplified the holidays. Most gifts are bought throughout the year, decorating kept to a minimum, baking delicacies few, and gatherings short but sweet. Green gifts of houseplants and botantical soaps given at all the gatherings … I want to feel like a child again this Christmas … the magic of just being …
Garden art is an expression of one’s soul… Seeds packets, weathered hand trowels, a stalled tractor, the resting plow, pea shoots, sunflowers face the sun or lie their full heads to rest, rainbow reflections from the water-flowing sprinkler, dirt-cladded rocks, green garlic sprouts, worn ruts in the field road, sharp rows of green, bee’s visit to the flowering lavendar … all spiritual gifts to receive at the farm and share … an artist’s palette.
So I have in mind to use my abundance of dried lavendar into soothing, aromatic soap for Christmas gifts and sell at the farmer’s markets this winter. Bought some simple molds. I thought to use creative ideas, and welcome yours. What do you use for your soap molds? An antique or something contemporary?
Our 1st market finally came and went. We set up a colorful palette with holiday county plaid fabrics contrasting with our luscious green plants. I think we had the prettiest table. Dean primped while and I went around introducing myself at our 1st market day on Saturday. The weather was mild for early December. Perfect for our plants for traveling and making their way into the indoor market. Networking was great. It is a viable part of marketing and makes for an enjoyable time for all. Jessie Pearl, CEO of Sugar & Butter and Estie, Queen Bean are my new friends. Jessie’s and Estie’s food products are scrumptious. A little bartering kept me happy. Sales were slow, but our name and product are being introduced. Those business cards and product labels did not come in time, but hope to see them tomorrow in the mail. Need to pass those out as people asked for one. Off to another indoor market in Tower Grove next Saturday. See who I make friends with there …
Hubby and I are primping and preparing pretty plants for our first farmer’s market this coming Saturday. This is an indoor market due to the cold air settling in the St. Louis area now. I am so excited! We bought antique holiday props and simple table coverings for our market table while visiting Hermann, Missouri this past weekend. Hope to have our business cards in by tomorrow. And we will have paid our first quarter’s retail taxes before this first shot at sales. This tax stuff can be complicated, but I think we navigated through the online info correctly. Starting this new business absorbs most of our evenings, and our Saturdays are filled with the market. The American dream …
Deanna Greens and Garden Art 