Hi CSA readers! Eli here!

With spring in full swing, we are doing a lot of greenhouse work at the farm these days! Just a couple of weeks ago I was assigned to be greenhouse assistant for the springtime, so I have gotten to spend a lot of time getting to know all of the baby plants that we’ll be growing on the farm this season, and those we’re selling for you to grow at home! Working in the greenhouse with Eva has been an absolute joy. It is a truly amazing experience to begin with a tiny seed and know that each little dried-up seed will grow to produce the abundance of beautiful fruits, veggies, and flowers that we’ll be providing for you all throughout the summer and fall! Looking out over the tables filled with tiny-stemmed, tiny-leaved flowers, lettuces, beets, chards, tomatoes, onions and more always brings a smile to my face. Whether these plants will be transplanted into our fields for harvest, or taken home to your garden, each one has a beautiful life ahead of it and so much to give!

Another fun part of working in the greenhouse that I wanted to share with you all today is getting to know all the varieties we grow! Each plant variety is named by the breeder and some of them have very… creative names. For the first time this year we’ll be growing some heirloom tomatoes, and let me tell ya, there is nothing traditional about those variety names! Later in the summer when you stop by the Red Dog Farmstand you may walk out with some boozy orange- and red-streaked “GinFiz” or deep red “Genuwine” heirloom toms. Maybe if you’re lucky you’ll even grab a green-and-red “Captain Lucky.” Looking for something smaller and sweeter? Our “SuperSweet 100” cherry tomatoes are… well, it’s pretty self-explanatory. Our “Red Meat” watermelon radishes may be misleading, but they are vegan, I promise! Need lettuce? People travel from all over the solar system for a taste of our “Starfighter” green leaf lettuce! While you’re on earth be sure to try some of our “Galaxy” acorn squash too — that deep dark outer shell will no doubt remind you of your journey through space. And you may as well add some “Superstar” green cabbage and “Astro” arugula to that basket while we’re on the subject. As you can see, our produce is out of this world! I leave you with my favorite–for all our kale fans out there, our red Russian will have you saying “Kale Yeah!”

I hope you found that brief variety rundown entertaining! I sure enjoyed writing it. And don’t forget to pick yourself up some plant starts for your home garden! I’ll be seeding and caring for them with love, and I’m so excited for them to get a nice home in your garden!

~Eli