Home and Garden Friday - Things on the To-Do List

Last week I was fortunate enough to go on another Extension sponsored outing. This time it was to Second Wind Farm in Stony Point, North Carolina. The owner, Edna, walked us through how she started her farm and what it takes to grow, process and sell herbal products at markets and online. If a person is doing it correctly (and legally) there are a ton of processes a seller needs to qualify and go through. Which makes me feel there are an awful lot of people selling at Farmer's Markets and craft fairs who are not following the rules.

Anyway...

She and her husband are working on creating an 'eco-tourism' destination. There are plans for a wedding/event outdoor venue, a mead barn and other additions.

But what was really great was learning about the varieties of lavender which I should be able to grow here in hot and humid North Carolina successfully and turmeric flowers!

I have already found out, growing your own ginger does not bring flowers. Bummer. Culinary ginger rarely produces flowers. Mainly because our growing season isn't long enough. However, her turmeric was flowering! Almost every plant had a bloom on it. 

So...I have moved the turmeric I have in a pot into the greenhouse in hopes I can get it to survive a bit longer and maybe grow bigger and produce a flower. We will see.

In other 'news', a couple of used mushroom blocks have been broken up and placed in my raised beds and covered with a layer of hardwood mulch. Hopefully, it will spread and I might get a few mushrooms, but at the very least it will add nutrients to the soil and the mulch will protect plants from the coming winter weather. 

And part of today's to-do list is to remove the pavers from the back of the car. I will have enough pavers to make a set of steps down the side slope next week!