Green Gal

Watching seeds sprout into seedlings and grow into plants never ceases to amaze me. The joy and wonder of new life! The first little brassica seedlings emerged on February 12, and I posted about it on Instagram here . And then two days later, the scallions began germinating, so now I've got broccoli, kale, and scallion babies photosynthesizing by the window. Some of the brassicas (broccoli and kale) seem to be getting a bit leggy, making me wish I had an outdoor greenhouse. The seedlings get a lot of sun in this window, but they still seem to be reaching a bit. Scallions on the left, kale on the right. With our strong wind gusts here in Reno, we'd need a sturdy greenhouse that wouldn't blow away. We're dreaming up designs for next season and thinking about where a greenhouse might fit in our little backyard. One idea is to place it where our hot tub currently sits. This hot tub came with our house and we've never used it. It drained while we were away--a pipe probab...

Sowing seeds is an act of hope & intention. In these uncertain times, planting seeds invites joy, wonder, & anticipation. There's still uncertainty, but with care & attention, we can cultivate new life. And if we're lucky, we get homegrown tomatoes! Yesterday, the 2021 growing season officially began here! I sowed my 1st round of seeds to start indoors by our sunny sliding glass door. I also finished most of my crop plan for 2021. Our growing season in Reno is short & hot. According to UNR Cooperative Extension , Reno has 90-120 frost-free days. The average last frost day is May 15, & the average 1st frost day is September 15--although this doesn't account for our specific microclimate. Since it's only our 2nd year in this house, I am just starting to collect data about our seasonal growing patterns so I can plan better in years to come. I enjoy crop planning--it combines my love for planning & organizing with my passion for growing food. For tho...

"'Now my dears,' said old Mrs. Rabbit one morning, 'you may go into the fields or down the lane, but don't go into Mr. McGregor's garden...'" - The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter, first published in 1902. When I was growing up, I had drawings from Beatrix Potter scenes hanging in my bedroom. I also had a giant illustrated book of Beatrix Potter stories. And in my dad's potting shed there hung a framed sketch from The Tale of Peter Rabbit . My dad drew all of the drawings--and  he built the potting shed himself . In February 2018, I posted about one of the drawings on Instagram , writing "One day I hope to have children and hang it framed on their wall." This hope has come true, and that drawing and the one from the potting shed have adorned my son's nursery walls since before he was born. As you can see if you scroll through the photos below, Liam's entire nursery theme emerged from those 2 drawings, made more than 20 yea...

Nevada Residents: On March 21st, the state legislature introduced SB389 , a bill that will - if passed - make it ILLEGAL to keep backyard bees in urban and suburban areas. Honeybees pollinate our local food crops--those grown on farms as well as in our backyard gardens. We need more honeybees, not fewer. Honeybees are not like wasps or yellowjackets--they don't harm humans unless provoked. If you live in Nevada, please submit your comments in opposition to SB389 here , and add your name to the petition organized by the Northern Nevada Beekeepers Association .  Link for public comment: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/App/Opinions/80th2019/  Sign Petition by Northern Nevada Beekeepers Association: http://chng.it/KMCLBy4JcD Here's what I wrote as my petition comment: We need more people raising honeybees so that urban and suburban folks who are growing their own food or growing food to sell in their community can have an ample supply of honeybees to pollinate their crop...

Nine months ago, I harvested my first vegetables from Green Gal's Garden. That initial harvest on May 20 consisted of nine heads of bok choy. Although the harvest that day was small and too early for my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program, it was a momentous occasion. Planting the bok choy transplants  Momentous because, with a little bit of my help, some living beings had rooted themselves in the garden soil and gathered sunlight and nutrients and grown from tiny seeds in my small greenhouse to edible vegetables. The miracle of seeds growing into plants has been happening for a really long time on this planet, but observing and supporting this process continues to be magical and profound. The process of photosynthesis is intimately tied to the lives of every human on earth. Bok choy seedlings in the greenhouse Nine months later, I look back on all of the vegetables and herbs that I harvested in the garden from May 20 until November 8, 2018, and ...

Colorful chickens, roosters, and two curious goats make up the welcome party that greets visitors to River School Farm in Reno, Nevada. I had the pleasure of meeting these farm animals, as well as Farmer Tom, during a first Friday farm tour on February 1, 2019. It was my first behind-the-scenes introduction to Reno farming, and it left me feeling hopeful and inspired to get involved with the local food system and begin growing my own food here in the high desert. The River School Farm is nestled between the Truckee River and a business park west of downtown. It was established in 1992 and features an event space with a firepit and stage, outdoor kitchen, a nursery in spring/summer, greenhouses, spaces for workshops and classes, compost piles, chicken coops, and more. It's a community gathering place, home to a cohousing project, and an educational space. Learn more about all of the offerings and services River School Farm provides on their website here . During the to...

The Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program through Green Gal's Garden is in full swing--we are already in week four of the twenty-week program! CSA boxes in the past month have contained a variety of veggies, such as chard, kale, summer squash, cauliflower, scallions, basil, dill, oregano, mint, rosemary, lemon balm, eggplant, spinach, cilantro, rhubarb, peas, flowers, blueberries, and more! The tomatoes are still green on their vines but there are hundreds of them, the corn is nearly ready, and the peppers are tempting me with their size but haven't started coloring up yet. So much deliciousness still to come! (See the latest photos from the garden on Instagram .) I'm grateful for so much these days--the potential contained within seeds, the land I am able to farm this summer thanks to the generosity of soon-to-be-family, the encouragement and support from those who believe in my dream and have helped the garden grow.  On harvest days like today, I am ...

Who else is ready for the weather to warm up the soil for our spring gardens? I've spent so many hours looking at seed catalogs and seed packets lately, I just can't wait for tomatoes and peppers! Despite the cool temperatures lately, the 2018 growing season has officially begun for Green Gal's Garden! We sowed our first round of seeds on February 18, including three varieties of basil and one variety of cauliflower. The first seedlings sprouted up out of the soil on February 24, and more continue to sprout and grow happily in their little cells of potting soil. I'm planting another round of seeds this week, and I finally finished my crop plan (just yesterday actually!) so now I have a schedule of what's getting planted when and how much and when it'll eventually get transplanted and then harvested. I printed it out to have a physical copy to refer to (see below), but it will be a living document on the computer that will get updated and changed as the ...