Central Michigan Seed Swap 2023, February 25th from 11am-4pm

[flowerbug]

Well, before booking a room, I looked at the long-term forecast. Sadly, it doesn't look stable enough for me to count on driving there. Too bad, I had really looked forward to seeing many of you again... and spending more time in conversation than as a "table guard". Still not a done deal, but even if the forecast changes favorably, it is unlikely I could find lodging at short notice.

if we had a bigger house and it were just me i'd say you and some others could "crash" here if needed (but not the literal version as we don't need crashing of that kind going on... with the deer populations we have running around any dawn, dusk and evening driving is hazardous). you have such a long trip from there i was surprised you made it the time you did attend a few years ago and i'm glad you did since that was how we met in person. will be sorry to miss you.

 

[Branching Out]

Funny you should mention garlic...

So far this year, 6 months after harvest, only one variety (Georgian Fire) shows any sign of sprouting.

It appears I've finally found a good way to store fresh garlic over the winter.

Zeedman and Flowerbug, I was thinking of you both when I inspected my garlic in storage this afternoon, seven months after harvest. Several varieties were still looking good, a few were toast, and many were somewhere in between. I decided to peel and dry any that appeared to be on the downward slide, and once the wrappers were off I could see that most were beginning to form sprouts. It took an hour to peel the cloves and about an hour to slice them thinly for dehydrating. Just for fun I weighed the sliced garlic and it was one pound.

When you think of the time and effort that goes into planting, tending, harvesting, curing, peeling, and drying garlic it really is worth it's weight in gold.

 

[Zeedman]

When you think of the time and effort that goes into planting, tending, harvesting, curing, peeling, and drying garlic it really is worth it's weight in gold.

Especially if you lightly crush some of the fried garlic chips & put them in a pepper mill. If you love fresh-ground black pepper & never tasted fresh-ground garlic, it is well worth trying.

 

[flowerbug]

looks like the weather will be ok Friday and Saturday if the forecast holds.

all the snow, sleet, etc is going to be Wednesday and Thursday and for our area not much accumulation is in the forecast.

maybe some mess here or there but nothing too major.

 

[Zeedman]

Major snow storm warning here though, looks like 8-15" (we will probably get about 12"). I'll be busy digging myself & my mother out My daughter as well, unless her surgery Friday gets canceled. Granted that whatever does not kill me makes me stronger, and I can use the exercise; but pretty sure I'll be feeling the burn Saturday.

 

[flowerbug]

the weather wasn't too bad, the overnight snow was a few inches of light fluffy stuff but the plows were out so the roads were in ok condition to travel this morning.

i accomplished my mission of getting beans into the hands of people wanting to grow them.

probably 60% of what i was able to sell/give away were Purple Dove beans. i had some other seeds donated to me so i did not sell those but gave them away.

@Zeedman it was great that the person who took most of that box of beans off my hands a few years ago made a point of saying hello again today and we were able to talk beans and then to make it even more fun i found out she lives just a few miles from here.

@Bluejay77 surprised me as i didn't expect to see him.

i was very tired after a full day (i woke up way too early) and didn't have any more gas in my tank by the time 4pm came around, so i drove back here, had a bite to eat and then crawled into bed for a few hour nap.