I was bad....
Didn't take any photos...there was about a 35MPH wind blowing and it was COLD....There was 12 of us, we all had on winter jackets and hats...I had my hood up.....It wasn't a pretty site...Plus my purse was in the van that 6 of us had driven up in.
I think they plant all the vegetable plants that don't sell at the greenhouse/nursery...They had about every kind and color of peppers you could imagine, as well as many varieties of tomatoes.....I walked around the tomatoes and found one that hadn't split...now being as I didn't have my notepad can't recall the name...there was also a large paste type tomato that looked real interesting...it had a pointed little tip on the end. They had probably over 100-150 eggplant plants out there...as well as all the melons...etc....Unfortunately there aren't many local Farmers Markets, but they get to the ones they can and people go up there to buy and pick your own.
All the vegetables are planted in rows of plastic that he installs with a machine he copied and built that buries the edges of the plastic roll. Their soil was pretty sandy and he doesn't have irrigation.
As well as the Glads he grows hundred of Dalhias...hundred of varieties and when he'd ramble off the names of all the flowershe'd check the tags and was right every time. They had many boxes of cut Glads that she went off to mail when we left, they were going to California, South Dakota and Nebraska to florests...so they have a good outlet for their cut flowers as well as local markets. They also sell the Glad corms and Dahlia bulbs. When we left he was going out to cut about 1000 Glads that were showing color....the field wasn't very showy as they cut them pretty young and keep them in a cold room they fixed up in their old dairy barn. They plant and dig all those Glads and Dahliasby hand, keep them labeled and separated for sale.
Since Diazanon has come off the market they are struggling to find a product to protect the Glads from root maggots. I have problems with root maggots in my onions and this year in the garlic too. I tried Lorsban [I think that was the name of it]...but I didn't use much as it kind of made me nervous using it, so I did get some root maggot damage again this year. I will try it again next year and use more like they recommended.
They do well at their greenhouse as they are way up north and cater to the local people as well they advertise well. He wins every flower show they go to with his arrangements, very talented. I had been there a few years ago when they still had dairy cows....they are use to being under pressure and working hard...so they are doing pretty good for being so remote.
The greenhouse was about cleaned out, they don't heat or keep anything over winter....throw everything out and start fresh. In the nursery they had many potted perennial flowers, shrubs and fruit trees left over, but think they winter those over without any problem. I did score some new house plants...a chartreuse Boston Fern, a Staghorn Fern and a Iron Cross Begonia...was really surprised to see them way up there...so you just never know about these places....life is full of surprises.
I felt tired when we left there...that was just too much work for 2 people and only one part time employee....Hope it didn't freeze up there...Frost was predicted up North and in low lying areas...Thhis is just too early to think about frost...
