There is no act more hopeful than buying seeds. I am a seed junkie, and cannot help myself. So when the ads for “end-of-season sale seeds” started coming into my inbox, I spent a lot of time reading the descriptions and dreaming of next year.
Our greenhouse is in the final stages. It has been three years of work in gaps in the prairie/landscaping season for Steve and his partner. This fall only the “curtains” needed to be installed to make it fully enclosed. And in the past week Steve has dug a trench and laid the conduit for the electrician to come in and wire it. Once we have electricity, the pump guy will come out and install the water, hopefully in a way that we can use a wand to water plants in the spring. I’d like to get a large (or multiple) raised bed out there before the ground freezes, but that might have to wait until spring. Steve’s plan for the winter is building tables and a small “patio” where we will enjoy sunny winter days in relative comfort in our big glass house. We’ll also be rebranding his business and working on a new website for Prairiescapes. As soon as we are able, we’ll start seeds for prairie grasses and native flower plugs.
I will start my seeds, including good varieties of peppers, cucumbers, and tomatoes, that I can grow in the greenhouse. To that end, I bought “Arbison F1 OG,” hybrid indeterminate organic tomatoes recommended for greenhouse growing, and “Unistars F1 TRTD,” a high-bearing greenhouse cucumber (pricey even on sale). I also hope to grow trays and trays of greens in the greenhouse. (I bought some “pelleted” romaine seeds to see if I could grow large heads instead of my usual mixed “leaves.”) The greenhouse will be unheated, but actually will have a stove if needed. And we’re going to move the lid of the cold frame in there for a greenhouse-within-a-greenhouse system that will give greens an extra layer of protection on borderline freezing nights.
The goal in next years, for me, is to be able to grow plugs/seedlings for a local CSA and grow a number of crops for sale at our local market and maybe at the winter farmer’s market (it is not easy to get into our farmer’s market with conventional crops, but I’m not sure anyone offers early greens.) But this year is to figure out how the greenhouse works and get practices in place. I would hate, for example, to start all the broccoli plants (even if I could) for the local CSA and have them wiped out either by a freeze or aphids.
At home, I am not eating very well– my appetite and taste are both off. But I am embracing “leek season.” So far that means a pan-roasted chicken with leek sauce (mmm, leek sauce) that was somewhat rich (I never cook with bacon! And I did pour off half the grease from the bacon and chicken before putting in the oven). Leeks show up in a lot of 
gratins with cream and cheese. I like them in a potato-leek soup with a little bit of curry powder for flavor. But for now I have worked through the “prep,” cutting the ends off two buckets of leeks and washing them for storage in the fridge. Leeks have the longest season– I plant the tiny seeds back in February and don’t harvest until after the first frost. Between they require thinning, weeding, and hilling (thanks, Kate!) to develop the thick, white stalks. They provide a rather small harvest once they’re cleaned and trimmed (a lot of leeks go into one pot of soup), but they feel like the most luxurious crop. Thus welcoming the “rich” treatment!
pre-roasted cauliflower
I’ve also been working on the two large cauliflower left in my kitchen (that soup never happened). I recommend roast cauliflower with parmesan, particularly this recipe. I wasn’t too sure about the onions and garlic, but I have to say the onions particularly stole the show. They become so beautifully carmelized in this dish, they really add depth. The cauliflower is also delicious, particularly with the hint of garlic/onion/parm flavor that doesn’t overwhelm them. I’ve made it twice!