Buckets, skirts, flip-flops and a second planting

More buckets?

Lots of stuff going on in the gradual garden today. First of all, I drilled and filled up the last of my kitty litter buckets with the last of my soil today. That necessitated a run to get the buckets in the picture. They were 4 blocks away and free! Can't beat that. I'll be using them for next year's gradual garden expansion. I'll drill drain holes in them tomorrow to save myself time in the spring. Might even get some dirt. I have a little leftover in some starter pots but I doubt it will be enough.

The buckets I drilled and filled today are already in use. Kind of crazy, but both my first planting and my second planting of starter plants went extraordinarily well. So, batch two of peppers, tomatoes and watermelon needed a home and fast! The roots were filling the small pots they were in.

Pretty sure that we're going to be drowning in several kinds of produce this year. That is, if all goes well. We all know how it is with gardens. It's touch and go sometimes. But so far, things are looking pretty good. Can't believe there were no casualties in either planting!

Oh, I almost forgot about the skirts and flip-flops. I've been wearing a lot of them in this stifling heat. So, I discovered another great benefit of bucket gardens. You can bucket garden in whatever you want. Skirts, dresses, granny's nightgown, slippers and flip-flops all work pretty well in bucket gardens. Which is great because it's just too hot for pants and shoes and me in shorts is not a pretty sight these days.

Don't worry. I love myself. I love my life and I love my garden! Just being honest. Have a great afternoon all. I'm off to rest and recuperate from a crazy morning in the garden. Feet up, flip flops hitting floor. Glass of tea by my side. All hail the bucket garden! Friend of the chronically ill, time saver, work saver, etc. etc.

Now if I could just have a bucket house....

Farmer's market shopping tips - It's not all organically grown

The gradual garden isn't big enough to produce everything we need yet. So, in the summer, we supplement at local farmer's markets. Now, you would think buying produce from a farmers market would at least guarantee you local, organic produce. Think again. Farmers markets sell more than just locally grown food. Not all the food at farmers markets is organic, either. You have to pick and choose, just like you do in the supermarket.

The rules for vendors at Metro Denver Farmers Markets, for instance, say nothing at all about being required to sell locally grown organic produce.

When shopping at farmers markets, never assume you are buying local, organically grown produce. It's best to ask each vendor where they get their produce. You may even find vendors at farmers markets selling produce they purchased in bulk from your local supermarket. There's nothing preventing them from doing so. This holds true whether you're in Denver or any other city in the US.

Be careful how you word your inquiries to vendors. First of all, you don't want to offend them. A simple, direct question is best. Is your produce organic? Is your produce grown locally? It's not rude to ask unless you make a big deal out of it or make them feel bad if the answer is no.

If the answer is no, just move on. There's no need for explanations or suggestions. There are plenty of vendors selling locally grown and organic produce at farmer's markets. So, if one vendor doesn't, chances are it will only take you one or two tries to find one that does.

Shopping at a farmers market does increase the likelihood that you will find a variety of organic and local produce. However, there is no guarantee that you will. In the end, whether you're shopping in a grocery store, farmers market or even at a roadside stand, be sure to stay informed about the origin of the foods you're buying.