Friday marks the official first day of summer, and as I am sitting here under my blanket typing this, I am thinking "Are you sure?"  Seems fitting that the hubby just finished registering the kids in Minor Hockey for next season.  I do hope everyone in the areas effected by the flooding are staying safe!

Farm Update:  Garden is looking good!  The cool weather is slowing it down a bit, but everything is coming and looking good!  GPA Bert hilled the potatoes already - he counted 300 hills.  Check out the pictures I took on Wednesday below.

Greenhouse Update:  Pea Patch will be at Aggie Days Friday and Saturday this weekend (21-22 June).  Come out and check out the Trade Fair and Parade.  We are bringing plants and hanging baskets for purchase and will have our tent set up!  We have been busy getting things ready all week.  The greenhouse will be CLOSED on Friday as we haven't figured out how to be two places at the same time.  

We are continuing to post plants for sale using Facebook and there has been a very positive response overall.  Look for us on both the Strathmore Bidding Site and Strathmore and Area Garden Site for some great deals on plants!

I promised you some exciting news last post.  And I have it ready - but there has yet to be a public announcement - so more to come on this....but......  

Melody is now the Chair of Communities in Bloom Strathmore.  A public announcement will be made shortly, and I will be addressing Town Council the third week in July.  This year Strathmore is not competing in the judging this season - so it will give me a little time to acclimate myself.

I am a little nervous about this new position - but have a lot of great ideas brewing (great for the committee and town - not so great for sleeping).  I am going this afternoon to meet with the Past President and get all of the past information and will be calling a meeting with the existing committee soon to discuss a direction for the association.  

Well, I had better get my butt out to the greenhouse - lots of work to do today!

Until next time,

Mellie

Unfortunately this is probably only the beginning. We are watching where we source our seed for both the farm and the greenhouse - it isn't worth it. 😳

Mutant Butterflies

Toronto Becomes First City To Mandate Green Roofs | Crisp Green.

While I agree that green roofs are a great thing - why did it take "mandating" it to become something that should be done??

How long before Calgary/Edmonton/Vancouver joins suit?

Michigan Woman Faces 93 Days in Jail for Planting a Vegetable Garden : TreeHugger.

Exploding watermelons put spotlight on Chinese farming practices | Environment | The Guardian.

"Many farmers grow their own food separately from the chemically-raised crops they sell. "I feel there is nothing safe I can eat now because people are in too much of a hurry to make money," said Huang Zhanliang, a farmer in Hebei."

Ummm Yikes?  This is so beyond scary, the farmers themselves don't eat what they grow - but it seems to be good enough, when they don't get caught, to add all the extra chemicals to make the crop mature a little faster.  All for a buck.  I've always been a believer in supporting the local economy, eating locally and eating as organically as possible, even if it costs slightly more in the pocket book - and when stories like this are more and more prevalent, it only makes my decision that much easier.