Still time to plant garlic this week!

If you haven't planted your garlic yet you can still get it in the ground this week. Looks like Wednesday through Friday should be good weather for planting. We planted the last main field Nov. 9th right before the Arctic blast hit (phew!) However it's a long-standing tradition for me to plant some garlic on Thanksgiving morning so I'll probably plant some of the left-over smaller cloves in one small patch on Thursday.

The last garlic field was planted Sunday afternoon, right before this beautiful Monday morning sunrise, hours before the temperatures dropped 54 degrees in one day!

One More Market with Garlic on November 1st!

The Farmer's Market was a bit slower yesterday because of the CU game- so there is still some garlic to buy next Saturday! Mostly we'll have the long storing Inchelium Red that will store to January or February. There will also be some German Extra Hardy, a few variety bags for planting or eating and whatever other garlic we find that we don't have room to plant ...

BIG garlic on our Last Day!

Tomorrow we will be selling lots of big garlic, since I ran out of planting room and am selling some that was reserved for my seed stock. Lots of Inchelium Red, and also some variety bags of bigger garlic (for eating or planting), regular variety bags and small quantities of 10 other types of garlic.
I anticipate selling out tomorrow so come by to get the last of your garlic or just to say Hi!
The Boulder Farmer's Market will be going through the 3rd Saturday in November.

We'll be at market October 18th and 25th (Downtown Boulder)

Inchelium Red Garlic

Although last weekend was super-busy and we are running out of many kinds of garlic there is still lots of good garlic for the next two Saturdays. We grew plenty of Inchelium Red this year- the longest storing garlic. You can usually store it until January, many customers tell me they store it til March successfully! It's tasty and versatile- good for a lot of cooked and raw dishes. To store it a long time try keeping it a paper bag in a cool place, or the fridge.
There is plenty of bigger garlic for planting for this coming Saturday, too! It's a good time to start planting.
If you would like to see more about the Boulder Farmers Market and parking maps go to boulderfarmers.org
We are at downtown Boulder only and when we sell out there is no more!

We have not sold out yet!

Many years we sell out of garlic in early October. Because of the rain last September, and moist winter with good snow coverage we have had an extra-abundant crop this year. There is still lots of Inchelium Red which is the longest-storing type of garlic and has the sweetest, mildest taste. We also have German Extra Hardy- good for Pesto and fresh tomato salsas- but not a long keeper. Chesnok Red is still going strong, but we will probably run out in mid October.

German Extra Hardy for Pesto, Guacamole...

We have 3 newer garlics and LOTS of German Extra Hardy! This is my all around favorite since I love to eat garlic raw on crackers, in guacamole and with tomatoes or cucumbers. It's a customer favorite for its big, easy to peel cloves and great taste for Pesto. We have a lot this year and so are offering it at the bulk rate of 3 for $5.
We have small quantities of these 3 newer garlics:
• Dukanskij-  A delightful hardneck, originally from Kazahkistan. Raw, its starts smooth but finishes with a bite. Sweet and pleasant when baked or roasted. Fat cloves are easy to peel. Will keep through December. (ORANGE)

• Shatili- Excellent in stirfry, soups, stews, green chile & curries. Intense, spicy flavor stays strong through cooking. High in medicinal compounds. Gorgeous hardneck with 8-12 deep purple cloves per bulb. Originally from the Republic of Georgia. Keeps through December. (BLACK)

• Khabar ("Siberian Mild")- A fabulous smooth and mild roasting garlic. Spread on bread, add to mashed potatoes or eat with pasta. Nice garlic flavor raw, in hummus or fresh salsa. Collected from Khabarofsk, Siberia. Easy to peel with big cloves. Stores to December. (GREEN)
COLOR CODES ARE IN PARENTHESES AFTER THE GARLIC DESCRIPTION

There are only a few left of these garlics:
Killarney Red, Uzbek Turban (bargain bags), Tzan, Persian Star, Brown Tempest. If you are interested in these but don't see them out, please ask. We are also running low on Shantung Purple.
We have no more Chicago Italian or Malaysian

August update. List of 9 garlics with color codes

It's been so nice to see all our favorite garlic customers over the last 3 weeks! And some new ones, too. In the beginning of the garlic selling season we concentrate on selling the garlics that don't store as long, and have the best flavor when they're freshest. Tzan, Uzbek Turban, and German Extra Hardy all are at their best right now, and taste extra good with Pesto, Bruschetta, Guacamole, Hummous, Gazpacho, Fresh tomato sauce and Fresh Salsa. And of course our favorite preparation- sliced very thin on crackers or tomatoes.

Here is a list of the main kinds we've been selling so far with the corresponding color codes:
•  Killarney Red-   Fabulous garlic for garlic bread! Mellow, smooth flavor when cooked- rich and spicy raw. A Rocambole hardneck variety that peels easily. Won’t keep long, eat by Oct. GREEN

•  Brown Tempest-  Robust garlic flavor for true garlic lovers. A very strong, tangy quality when used raw for appetizers & salads. Mellower, but delicious when cooked. Perfect with potatoes, meats & stews. Stores to December   BROWN

• German Extra Hardy- Great sliced raw, an addictive garlic taste, with full flavor. Big, easy to peel cloves. Excellent in red sauce: put in at end of heating. Loses flavor if cooked too long. Will keep through November.  BLUE

• Chesnok Red- Excellent-tasting hard neck garlic, originally from the Republic of Georgia. Earthy with a unique zesty bite. For roasting or sauteeing. Stores to December.     PINK

•  Inchelium Red-  Softneck that is excellent for roasting.  Discovered on the Colville Indian Reservation in Washington State. One of the best-tasting softneck garlics with a mild but lingering flavor. Stores til January.     RED  

• Persian Star- Spicy, exotic, and very flavorful. Try on salads, in dips or in pesto. Great with green beans and veggies or raw on crackers! Stores through December.       NO COLOR

• Shantung Purple- Extra-flavorful chinese softneck has 6-8 beautiful rose and beige cloves. Strong earthy flavor cooked, or eat raw for a fiery heat you won’t forget! Stores to Nov.  PURPLE

• Uzbek Turban-  Delightful mellow flavor.  Excellent choice for gazpacho, bruschetta, fresh tomato sauce.  A hardneck Turban from former USSR. Harvests very early. Stores to Nov., sprouts early but stays firm.  TURQUOISE

• Tzan - (Also called “Mexican Red”). Superb Taste &  EASY to Peel! Tangy & flavorful with pasta and for oriental cooking. A delicious raw garlic. Will stay firm through November, but often sprouts early.   YELLOW

Note: This Garlic is for eating. If planted it must be treated with hot water soak first.

We are in the middle of Garlic Harvest! Won't be at Market til August 2nd

The garlic looks mostly fabulous and large this year! The moist soil from September's big rain, and the moist winter helped the garlic tremendously. There are a few hitches - some garlic nematode that causes rot- but it only ruined about 1% of the garlic. There's always something!
We will be back selling garlic on August 2nd. Or maybe a week earlier or later. Check back for postings on our progress!

the early harvest drying

A big Inchelium Red

Shantung Purple

The Chesnok Red will be ready to harvest in about 5 days

Using the tractor harvester makes it a lot easier- but there's still a lot to dig!

When do I harvest my garlic?

Quick answer: When half the leaves are brown.

Harvest- Dig up when half of the leaves are brown (including the bottom leaves which have fallen off), usually June 25- July 10 for me. "Turban" garlics such as Tzan and Shantung Purple are usually ready 3 weeks before the rest (June 15 or so). 
When harvesting, remove the biggest chunks of dirt from the garlic by giving a gentle twist to the dirt clump. I leave on the roots and stems. After harvest shade immediately. Hang or put on ventilated shelves for 3 weeks to “cure” with stems on. They must have good air circulation and shade.

How To Store- Clip off the stems after they are cured. Store at room temperature or cooler, out of direct sunlight. Cool basements and garages can work well for storage. The bulbs need air circulation, but storing in paper bags is recommended for long-term storage to keep them from drying out too much. Many people have luck storing in the fridge in paper bags. Hardnecks generally store up to 5 months. Softnecks up to 9 months. Turbans stay firm til December or January, but send up random sprouts starting in November (still great to eat).
Garlic that has been in the ground too long will start to lose the skins and will not store as long but is otherwise fine.
Cleaning-  After curing just rub off the dirt, and maybe one layer of dirty outside skin and they will look gorgeous.

Garlic "Curls" are here!

We will have lots and lots of garlic "curlies" (scapes) for sale tomorrow! Come get them while we have them. They store for several weeks in the fridge in a plastic bag. (Bring your own bag for a discount)

• Chop and add to cooked beans, chili, eggs, omelets, quiche, soups, stir fry, tomato sauce and veggies.

• Chop and sautee in olive oil for a minute. Serve generous amounts over pasta or veggie dishes

• Chop fine and eat raw in cold salads, potato salad, tuna or salmon salad, hummous, tabouli

• Roast on the grill whole with a little olive oil and salt 

You can use the whole thing including the blossom, maybe slicing off part of the tougher ends.

Time to put your lettuce and salad bowls in the shade!

Salad bowls and lettuces love cool weather and it's time to get them in the shade! This will help them last longer and taste crispier.
Reminder for next year- the best time to plant lettuce or buy a salad bowl is in April! Yes- they'll freeze and get smashed by snow-  but they'll bounce back nicely and produce more than lettuce planted later!!

Creekfest Weekend!! Come Early for plants! Look for us South of the usual spot.

From 8am to 10:30 or so will be a peaceful shopping experience at the Farmer's Market. Park at the RTD lot at 14th St (from Canyon go north on 14th, enter from Walnut).
WeeBee Farms will have a huge selection of plants from kale to tomatoes. It should be a good gardening weekend.

Mother's Day Weekend- SALAD BOWLS!

Salad Bowls!
 We'll have lots and lots of "Salad Bowl" planters to choose from. A great gift idea! Also 8 different types of kale, broccoli, chard, collards, lettuces, peas, kitty oats, onions, chives, parsley, mustard greens, and more! You can plant all of these cool weather plants out now, they will withstand cold temps to 15 degrees.
Tomatoes - We'll have several types to choose from. Semi- hardened off for planting early next week. We don't plant out our tomatoes until May 31st (for Boulder May 20th is usually good)

Peppers get planted in early June. (end of May is usually OK for Boulder) They grow better that way!! Never plant them before the ground is sufficiently warm. Cooler temps promote fungal growth and stress for peppers, and they don't usually recover well. We have had great success growing peppers over the past 20 years. We harvest lots in August, then cover them up during the first frost in September and get many more to mid-October. We'll have some to sell starting May 24th. Beautiful plants, started from Organic seed, grown with our own special organic soil mix.

Tomato varieties

Starting a couple years ago we transitioned to all-organic tomato seeds for our starts, and have tried lots of new varieties.
Carmello
              Started from Organic Seeds
      The All time Favorite at WeeBee Farms
EXCELLENT, sweet flavor! Has produced huge amounts every year at WeeBee Farms under all kinds of conditions. Medium to large tomatoes that are fabulous in salads and also our favorite for salsa-making.  An older French market tomato. Disease-resistant, and resistant to blossom-end rot. Open Pollinated Organic Seeds.
75 days,  Indeterminate

 Latah
    Started from Organic Seed
Favorite Early Tomato at WeeBee Farms
Developed at Latah County at the University of Idaho . Very early bright red tomato that average about 2 inches across. The flavor is very good and better than many of the super early varieties, although it doesn't produce heavily. Indeterminate, regular leaf foliage. Light, airy foliage, small plant.
50 Days to maturity. Good for Containers

See all our tomatoes by clicking "Read More" below

First Market on Saturday, April 5th

Come say hi and check out our cool-weather plants. We'll have onions, leeks, chives, lettuces and a few different types of kale. Also a few salad bowls...

Tips for growing cold weather greens and Salad Bowls

Tips for growing cold weather greens and Salad Bowls

Our "salad bowl" planters are ready to put on your deck or porch. Here are some quick tips.
Buy one before Mid-May, as they love cold weather and won't be bothered by frost, but do not do well in heat. Harvest about half of each plant when the plant is around 6" high or so. Lettuce will be fairly long-lasting if you keep using it. Harvest often, by pinching off outer, bigger leaves.
Here are a few veggies that may be in your bowl:

• Mustard (Osaka purple, mizuna or komatsuna, ruby streaks): short-lived, eat leaves while small.
• Kale and chard: eat leaves while small, do not let it get big or it will take over the whole bowl.
• Spinach or Arugula: short-lived, eat small young leaves.
• Chives: a long-lived perennial. Harvest by clipping or pinching. Replant outdoors when bowl is done.
• Garlic Greens (sometimes marked by a stick if they haven't come up yet) Pinch off leaves and use in salads or with rice, eggs, stirfries, soup, etc. Bulbs will be tiny and not fully formed- not worth waiting for.
• Italian Red Bunching Onions - eat green part, or wait and use little bulbs like scallions

Keep the bowl well-watered in a place where it gets at least a half day of sun. It will probably be finished growing in June. Bowls can be re-used for years or returned to us.

The early garlics (Tzan, Shantung, Uzbek Turban) are getting huge! Seems like they grew a couple of inches last week...

 Now it's time to do some weeding and then put on the drip lines

Persian Star garlic is still small.

A garlic admirer

Getting ready for the first Boulder Farmer's Market Coming Up On April 5th

Things are growing- but a bit slowly because of the cold nights....

onions growing

onions with their little seeds still attached

March in the greenhouse

lettuce and kale

onion seedlings

tiny lettuces

"Freckles" lettuce seedlings

Things are growing like crazy in the greenhouse. Lettuces, kale and onions will be ready for the first market April 5th. Maybe a couple of salad bowls, too.

Exposed garlic

On Feb. 25th

The middle row of my main garlic field had a lot of garlic that heaved out of the ground this winter. This photo was taken on Feb 25th, before I pushed them back into the soil. The heaving was caused by extreme cold (-16 degrees) and wetter than usual soil (from September flooding). On top of that we had our usual high winds after the snow melted. The largest cloves were affected the most.
Most of the cloves had roots that were still semi-attached to the soil. These ones should be fine since the garlic cloves will actually pull themselves back into the soil. Others had no roots, or the roots were totally exposed. Most of these garlics will still grow, but I expect the bulbs to be smaller.
The heaved up garlic is about 10% of the crop, so hopefully the other 90% of the harvest will still be bountiful!
My smaller field has early garlic with about 3-4" of growth that looks beautiful.

Same row March 21st

What a difference a month makes!
Look at the updated photo taken on March 21st! Almost all the garlic is back to normal.

Early Garlic on January 25th.

Between snowstorms, and right on time!