Supply Chain Upheaval

Prior to Thanksgiving, I was listening to some ladies talking about the absence of necessities for cooking the Thanksgiving meal.  They were opting for alternative brands or skipping certain dishes altogether.  What a shame!  There is also talk of shortages of fertilizer in the spring, pushing prices higher and supply lower for many staples we rely on.  Very troubling.  

We have lots of seeds saved, but I figured in anticipation of breakdowns in our supply chain, I had better inventory our saved seed and make an order from my favorite seed supplier: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.  They can be found online at www.rareseeds.com.  I ordered and walked out to the mailbox today and lo and behold, my seed order had arrived!

I opened the package and everything I had ordered had arrived!  The package contained:

Verde Tomatillo: We make roasted salsa with this.  First time order!

Blue Lake Bush Beans: To replace the beans that the rabbit devoured!

Lima Beans: I love some lima beans cooked with some smoked sausage.

Cauliflower: Both PURPLE and white.

Okra: Burgundy, Clemson Spineless and Jing Orange (a new variety for us)

Stowell Evergreen Corn: We'll hope for a better harvest next year.

French Breakfast Radish: Fast growing and delicious in salads or a dip we make.

Blackeyed Peas and Contender Green Beans: Favorites of ours we order again and again.

Brunswick Cabbage and Mustard Greens: Well make sauer kraut with the cabbage and eat mustard over cornbread with the pot liquor poured over!

Russian Red Kale: To replace the last of the seed we had saved.

Butternut Squash: Is there anything better than a creamy butternut squash soup?

Roma II Beans and Purple Hull Peas: Romas are a flat, Italian bean we love and purple hulls are a high protein survival crop hardy in heat and draught.

Black Turtle Beans and Sugar Snap Peas: Black beans for refried beans and sugar snap peas are our year in - year out favorites for snacking.

There are a few benefits for ordering from Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Company:

1. Shipping is free!

2. Seeds are open-pollenated, so they can be saved year after year - unlike hybrids,

3. The Baker Creek Seed Catalog is beautiful,

4. When you order, they always throw in a FREE packet of seeds.  I like this as it enables you to try a new variety that you wouldn't have otherwise ordered.  It has introduced our family to some new things.

The free seed that came with this order was Uzbek Golden Carrot.  It comes from Uzbekistan and is called the "muscle" carrot as it is blunt and powers through tough soil, yet has a very sweet taste.  It is favored in Russia and China.  There is a video about it that can be viewed HERE.  We will try planting them and see how we like 'em.