Newsletter: October 2011 Gardening Tips

October 2011 Edition

Hello Subscriber!

Welcome to the October edition of Terroir Seeds Gardening Tips. We are enjoying the bounties of our garden as shown here!

We are once again busy at work producing the 2012 Heirloom Seeds Catalog. If you have not made a purchase yet, and have not signed up for our annual Terroir Seeds print catalog, please click on the link to do so.

As you are harvesting your garden, it is also the time for us that is very busy, as our fresh seed crops are coming in from now until late Fall. We are busy writing descriptions, updating our website as things arrive and oh yes, hand packing those seeds! Please read the article below about how our seeds differs from others. We hope you share the month of October with family and friends celebrating the harvest.

Look for all the exciting new varieties we will be offering for 2012 in the next couple of months. We have some amazing and very unique seeds headed your way!

The National Heirloom Exposition
Was A Success

The first year of The National Heirloom Exposition was incredible. Between 10,000 to 15,000 people visited during the 3 days, according to estimates. We were constantly busy, either talking to people about heirloom seeds and gardening, signing people up for the 2012 Heirloom Seeds catalog, or talking with folks about their gardens, food and the desire for healthy, clean and local foods that they could trust.

The Exhibit Hall had a real “County Fair” feel to it, as there were many diverse vegetables, growers, school gardens, and displays. Mac Condill of The Great Pumpkin Patch did a Pumpkin Pyramid, and there was a giant pumpkin contest- most over 1,000 pounds! Outside was like a 3 day Farmer’s Market,  another complete hall was filled with animal exhibits and a pumpkin maze was on the entrance lawn.

There was a noticeable air of excitement and appreciation for everyone and everything that was going on. We were pleased and surprised at how many of our customers stopped by to say hi and offer encouragement- that was wonderful! A lot of people were from across the USA and several countries to see what was going on, and be a part. We left the Exposition that Friday tired and hoarse, but pleased to see how strongly people want to see and be part of a different food model, one that they can trust and participate in.

We had a Garden Basket Raffle for everyone that signed up for a catalog, and Desiree from Chatsworth, CA won! The basket is on it’s way to her, and along with books, gloves, tools and some seed, she has a free year’s membership. Thanks to everyone that signed up and stopped by to talk and get to know us!

The Tale of Two Seeds

Have you ever wondered what the difference was between heirloom and hybrid seeds, especially how they are grown and produced? Ever noticed that seeds from one company do especially well compared to another, and wonder why?

We have written a post showing how commercial hybrid seed production differs from heirlooms. We show you a commercial operation during harvest and contrast that with two of our growers, whom we visited while we were in California in September. Read The Tale of Two Seeds- Heirloom vs Hybrid Seed Production to get the complete story!

Please let us know your thoughts or questions at our email, or call us at 888-878-5247.

How’s Your Garden Producing?

As the garden produce rolls in, now is the perfect time to “read” the vegetables and plants for information on how healthy your garden soil is, and document it in your Garden Journal. Look at your veggies for overall size, weight and appearance, as well as blemishes such as cracks, pits or spots. As you harvest the produce, look at the plants to see what their health is. You will learn many things just by these simple observations, like the overall health of your garden’s soil and communities, both microbial and larger, such as earthworms.

You want to get to a point where everything looks hearty and healthy, with bright colors, firm skins and a nice heft to it. The flavors should be vibrant and full, wowing you with their complexity and length of time they leave their tastes on your tongue. In short, they should be memorable, each and every one of them. The plants should be well-developed, large and boisterous at this point of the season. The leaves are large, full with strong colors and textures. They have little insect damage or disease indicators. The soil is dark, rich and earthy in feel and scent, with a good loose texture that still has a good structure to support the soil life and plant roots. A double handful of soil will have lots of life scrambling around in it, easy to see- several different kinds of bugs from very small to medium sized, with earthworms in different stages- small to large. It should look busy in your hands.

If you are at this point- congratulations, you have done a fine job! If not- don’t sweat it, you will be surprised at how much positive change can result from a few small additions or changes to your compost and soil. Read Compost- Nourishing Your Garden Soil for a great introduction or watch The Cycle of Terroir presentation for a more in-depth overview of some of these techniques.

Save on Our 100% Pure Shea Butter

Here it is again, our once-a-year sale on Shea Butter! Save 10% off our famous 100% Pure Shea Butter through October 31.

All of our customers rave about it after they try it, and some have been buying our Shea Butter for several years now. Customers will buy several at a time to save on shipping and freeze the extra ones till needed. Skin gets very dry in the Fall and Winter, now it is the perfect time to try our 100% Shea Butter. We do this sale only once a year, in the Fall when temperatures cool off, to protect the Shea Butter in shipping. Last year we sold out and had to order more, so this year we have a shipment on it’s way!

There are very few 100% pure Shea Butters on the market, at any price. Most are quite expensive, as Shea is imported from Africa after being minimally processed there. Many Shea Butters are lesser grades, or are blended with other, less expensive ingredients such as petroleum oils. Pure Shea Butter not only moisturizes, but heals as well. It is fantastic to drop a teaspoon in a hot bath to moisturize your entire body while you soak, rub a small amount into your feet at bedtime or in the morning to soothe your feet, or use as a moisturizing after-shave that lasts all day, as well as healing and moisturizing over-worked hands. We are offering our Original 100% Shea Butter, Shea Butter with Lavender or “Happy Feet” Shea Butter in this sale.

We work with a small company that only produces Shea Butters on contract, usually for high end Day Spas, nail salons and massage therapists. He rejects almost 90% of the Shea offered to him, accepting only the highest graded quality from select areas in Africa. These Shea producing areas have the highest oil content which gives the best moisturizing and healing properties to the finished product. This is a semi solid that needs to be warmed in your hands to melt, then applied to the dry areas and worked in well. Only a tiny amount is needed. Most of our customers find that a 4oz. container will last through the cold months.

The Cycle of Terroir Presentation

The Cycle of Terroir- From the Soil, to the Seed to the Food You Eat was well received at The National Heirloom Exposition, with many people stopping by the booth afterward and the next day to talk about some of the concepts that were presented.

Many of you, our eNewsletter readers, have expressed interest in seeing the presentation online, and now it is up! The voice-over is complete, so you have the talk as it was live, not just a series of slides with no explanation. This is an overview of how the health of the soil combined with the quality and vitality of the seeds have a direct impact on the taste and nutrition of the food, which in turn directly influences your health. This presentation is about 45 minutes in length.

Please watch it, take notes and let us know if you have questions or comments!

Our customers are friends that we have not yet met, as you share our interest and passion for growing incredibly delicious foods, preserving heirloom seed traditions and biological diversity for the future through our own home gardens. Sharing this is possibly the most important work, as it helps all of us make a definite, positive impact in our lives and in those that we share.

Thanks for your time this edition, we hope you have enjoyed it. Please let us know your thoughts and suggestions, as we are always working to improve.

Stephen and Cindy Scott
Terroir Seeds | Underwood Gardens