Greetings!
It has been awhile since I added anything to the Homestead blog.
Though I’m dealing with COVID guidelines through the state of Vermont, business is growing this winter season through local deliveries, on-line sales, and the Saturday winter market at the VFW Hall on Exchange Street in Middlebury 9-2pm, till end of April. Adding the Oyster mushrooms grown indoors in the mushroom closet has brought in new customers. The sundried tomato pesto (tree nut free) has run out and will return later in summer when fresh tomatoes can be dried. There is enough greenhouse basil and cold frame parsley to make more though limited Basil-Parsley pesto. I will be plenty more Mexican pumpkins (pepitas) this spring because my stored seeds are getting low.
May will bring the beginning of summer season, mid summer will be the most sites, and the end of October will end this part of the farmer’s market. With everything continuing, it will be likely that Saturday will always be a work day for me (St. Albans summer, Middlebury-winter). I’m confirming my market sites but it appears that Northfield -Tuesday mid May- late June & late Sept-early October; Williston -Tuesday late June -mid Sept, South Hero -Wednesday late May-mid Sept; Middlebury- early June-early Oct; Jericho -Thursday late May -early October, & St. Albans -mid May -late October, will be the summer season. Yep 102 farmer market days!
New items will be evening primrose oil, oil of yarrow, limited mushrooms both grown & foraged, maybe some Italian figs as they grow constantly between green house and summer planting. I’ve not had enough growth in St. John’s Wort, but there is a possibility of that ingredient. Finally the dreams of getting rabbits off the ground, literally for whole sale, meat, fur, is coming along more slowly and probably will be added as a late summer item. Because of the diverse price for them (city areas more expensive ), I will be keeping sales within Chittenden county because as country folks will tell you, rabbit, even the beautiful grey rex I’m raising, is common. I can’t argue when someone was raised on them regularly versus another person who only had gourmet French dishes in the finest restaurants. This why the market varies throughout Vermont, from $6.50lb to $18lb! Same with the pelts.
I’m hoping on adding weekly updates to this blog. Feel free to pass our website on to friends. family, interested parties and see what you can do with urban permaculture in the city of Burlington on a small piece of land.
