What's New at Growing Concern
"A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in." --Greek proverb
Services Offered
Garden Center Products
* container and field grown Farm Stand Products
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NEW Farm Stand - Garden Center opening May 2, 2009 Summer Hours: 7AM - 7PM To meet customer demand for a retail facility we are nearing completion of a Farm Stand to be housed in our reconstructed barn. Pictured below, the reconstructed barn has 1200 square feet of retail floor area and a lean-to greenhouse for early propagation of annuals and bedding plants. In addition to our own nursery stock and landscaping materials we are offering products from other farms and value-added producers in the region. Garden Center Products We handle annuals – from bread and butter varieties to dramatic exotics. We are growers of Proven Winner products (annuals and shrubs) in container or field grown varieties. You can purchase cash and carry containers or full grown field specimens for an instant landscape. For the do-it-yourself gardener we offer soil amendments from Coast of Maine, a Washington County producer. We are a retail outlet for Johnny’s Seeds another fine, nationally recognized Maine company. Farm Stand Products The Reconstructed Barn The interior and exterior is constructed of all wood products purchased from local vendors. The display benches are also wood and made in Lewiston, Maine. All the windows are energy efficient as are the lighting fixtures and bulbs.
Past News from the Farm: 2007 The days are getting longer and the promise of a new season has every living thing feeling energetic and with new purpose. The bulbs are blooming, gardens awaking and before we know it is time to start our spring cleanup. I have learned from years of springs that what you do now with all this new found direction can mean the difference between a hectic race for fall or an enjoyable outdoor activity. Avoid setting up new beds and garden expansions until the spring chores are done. News from the Greenhouse: The most obsessed gardeners and professionals have heated and made use of their greenhouses all winter. However most of us used and needs. Greenhouse cleanup between crops can serve to prevent carry-over of pest problems to the next crop and eliminate the life-stages of insects or diseases which are difficult to control using pesticides. Consider the following suggestions: Half our time is spent trying to find something to do News From the Kitchen
Another great spring vegetable is the Garden or English Pea. I think that this has to be the perfect garden crop. It comes early, builds soil organic matter, fixes nitrogen and can be eaten right in the garden. If they do make it to the kitchen there are so many ways to use them that you will never be bored. So compost those green peas you buy in the food-mart, plant some peas and visit Pea Recipes - LoveToKnow Recipes
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News from the Farm: As relatives and friends know it has been a busy 8 years. We still have the farm in Prince Edward Island and acres of shrubs. The big news is that we have a purchase and sale agreement on a 6 acre mini farm in Calais Maine . I was offered a project in Calais last summer and one job lead to another and I haven't had the time to go back to the PEI Farm. Calais has been a great experience. It is an outdoor paradise with hiking, fresh and salt water activities, wildlife and wonderful people, all bordering on Zone 6 (that's the paradise part). This year we have broken ground and started growing a few perennials and shrubs. We have a good selection of Hydrangeas, Spirea, Daylilies, and Astilbe. We will continue to plant this fall to get ready for next year. News from the Greenhouse: The big news from the greenhouse is the plan to start construction of our greenhouses this fall. We had plans to put up a traditional hoop house until the spike in fuel prices. As a result I started looking at the smaller houses of the 1920's and 1930's built of wood and glass. After a lot of research and working with BTU formulas, and ventilation CFM formulas we have designed our own greenhouse design. They will be sized to our operation and needs. We combine the organic materials of the past with today's hi-tech materials to create a greenhouse with the classic looks of yesteryear and the energy efficiency needed for tomorrow. Once we complete the design and installation of the first 3 greenhouses, we hope to offer a complete greenhouse package for our customers. They will be equipped with benches, heating system, ventilation and evaporative cooling systems. If you are interested in ongoing developments send us an email and type News from the greenhouse in the subject line. News From the Kitchen With the coming the harvest season it can be difficult to find new ways to use all the bounty. In this section we will offer ways to preserve and use the harvest. We also invite you to send in your favorite recipes. One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well. - Virginia Woolf
Cabbage Casserole 1 lb ground beef Brown beef in a skillet. Drain grease, add onions and continue to cook for 5 min. or till onions are wilted. Transfer to a stew pot and add cabbage and water. Cover and cook for 5 min or until the cabbage wilts. Add tomatoes, red wine vinegar, caraway seed and garlic and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 30 min. Serve over rice. Nothing will benefit human health and increase the chances for survival of life on Earth as much as the evolution to a vegetarian diet. - Albert Einstein
Ginger Squash Soup 2 lbs of winter squash or pumpkin Preheat oven to 425. Cut Squash in half lengthwise, seed it, and place cut side down in a shallow baking dish. Add water to a depth of 2 inches. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the squash is tender. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. When cool remove the pulp from the skin. In a very large pot cook the onion, garlic, and spices in the olive oil and butter over medium heat for 15 minutes, stir frequently. Add the ginger, reserve squash and chicken stock. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and cool to room temp. Puree in batches, Strain through a fine wire strainer and return to a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Add the crème fraiche and serve hot |







