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I thought I had a bug infestation (or mini octopus tentacles, or dried mushrooms) in one of my new seed packets when I opened it…

This seed:	Turns into this flower:

It is crazy how different seeds and any of natures creations are, and how living things adapt their form to meet the needs of the environment. I’m interested as to what purpose the shape of this seed serves to this plant. If I find out something interesting, I’ll let you know.

This is the Calendula flower. I have this edible and medicinal flower growing now, ready about the end of April.

From WebMD:

Calendula is a plant. The flower is used to make medicine.

Calendula flower is used to prevent muscle spasms, start menstrual periods, and reduce fever. It is also used for treating sore throat and mouth, menstrual cramps, cancer, and stomach and duodenal ulcers.

Calendula is applied to the skin to reduce pain and swelling (inflammation) and to treat poorly healing wounds and leg ulcers. It is also applied to the skin (used topically) for nosebleeds, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, inflammation of the rectum (proctitis), and inflammation of the lining of the eyelid (conjunctivitis).

Don’t confuse calendula with ornamental marigolds of the Tagets genus, which are commonly grown in vegetable gardens.

How does it work?

It is thought that the chemicals in calendula help new tissue grow in wounds and decrease swelling in the mouth and throat.

In honor of the day, 17 March 2017, get 17% off any of garden-starter greens order over $10. Use coupon code 17Mar17. Coupon is only good today!

Well, I finally got the Facebook page up and running.  (https://www.facebook.com/SproutFarmsLLC/) @SproutFarmsLLC

I still don’t fully understand how it works, but it seems like a decent enough spot to post my pictures.  I doubt I’ll do any of the e-commerce there, but at least it is there, and I can update and communicate with people without them (you) having to create a new process to follow my site.

I enjoy growing my greens and vegetables, but I really enjoy eating meats and seafood. Mind you, I don’t have any problems eating my greens, but is doesn’t hurt to have awesome chefs bringing the two together.

I was recently introduced to Lisa Pucci Delgado, a personal chef here in NE Ohio. (Thanks Jean!) When I first read her introductory email and her accomplishments at O’dark-early in the morning, I thought it was another spam junkmail. Once I woke all the way up, I realized she was for real. Anyhow, last week she and her husband came to visit the farm and pick up a few leafy greens and micro greens for one of her menus. Lisa sent me a few pictures of the meal she created. The first is Caviar and Sea Scallop with Spicy Mix Microgreens, then a Wagyu Foie Gras over Toscano Kale, and last is a Spicy Cumin Buffalo Hangar Steak with bits of Daikon Radish Microgreens.

This is what I read in her email… It was exciting to see such an accomplished chef ‘randomly’ emailing me (a small start-up farm) about using my products in her menus.

• Food Network
• 2016 Top 10 Female Cleveland Chefs
• Food and Beverage Magazines Featured Chef
• Cover of CBC Cleveland Magazine
• Private Chef Hire 2016 RNC
• Winner Cleveland’s Hotlist
• Winner 2015/16 Thumbtack Top Pro

Go to Lisa’s website (www.whatsfordinnerlpd.com) by clicking the icon below. If you book her for one of her private meals, don’t forget to invite me!

Lisa, it was great meeting you and your husband last week, I look forward to working with you and growing more produce for your awesome culinary creations!

Well, I can’t think of a much better looking way to introduce Sprout! Farms’ produce to the world – or at least to the people dining off of the special menus this week.    Chris prepared this salad with my organic pea shoots, mozzarella, balsamic vinegar, sesame and shaved carrot – pretty darn good.  Ashtabula Harbor’s Restaurant Week on Bridge Street runs 24 Feb – 5 Mar.

My goal is to get 1,000 new plant orders ready for your gardens by May 1st. From now until May 1st, for every 100 garden starter (“Ready-To-Grow”) plants ordered, I will discount each plant on your order by 2%. That means that if I get 1,000 new plant orders by May 1st, everyone will get 20% off each plant. Since payments aren’t processed until delivery, everyone will be getting the full value of the discount, no matter if you order in February or if you wait and order in April. (Although, remember that to get your ‘dream garden’ items, you must have your order placed by 5 March. If you are ordering in April, you’re available selection may be limited to what I already have growing.)

I am offering this discount only to those who place an order through the website – but every sale, no matter when or where it was placed will count toward the 1,000 plant goal.

Keep track of the progress bar on the right of the page to see what your discount will be. (The thermometer is manually updated, so it may take some time to reflect your order; I’ll try to do it at least daily.)

Let’s get growing!

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