hey! Hey! HEY! What's Up Dunn County!!
This IS the year to start a garden! - There's Always the Farmer's Market😃 - Oh, the Cool Places to Go to Help Spruce Up Your Yard and Garden🪴
After the many years of THINKING of starting a garden you finally have a strong impression to actually start a garden! Yep, this IS the year to start a garden! Why? you ask. Well, if you have been paying attention to what is going on in our nation so far this year when it comes to supply chain issues along with unusual number of major fires in food processing facilities that would warrant a big red flag to becoming more self-sufficient in the food department. It's quite alarming when you hear or read about Gem State Processing potato plant in Heyburn, Idaho caught fire when an airplane struck it on April 13th AND the headquarters of Azure Standard which is a distributor of organic food in Dufur, Oregon was destroyed by a fire on April 19th along with Shearer's Foods, a salty snack company located in Hermiston, Oregon which was impacted by an explosion and fire at it's plant on February 22nd. And believe me, there are plenty more disturbing incidents of food processing facilities being destroyed by fire. I even went right to the source at www.foodprocessing.com which is the food processing magazine of the food industry under blogs-thescoop-we-didn't-start-the-fire for those who do not believe me when it comes to those recent unusual fires. Honestly, I am not trying to frighten you into starting a garden by any means. Just laying out the facts to my Dunn County neighbors. That's what neighbors do. Help each other out before the storm hits.
O.K., forget about the fires and think about all the GMO produce that has been hitting the grocery stores for quite sometime which lacks vitamins and nutrients due to soil nutrient depletion by high amounts of pesticides being applied to many crops across the country. Personally, I much rather have fresh, wholesome produce from my own garden knowing it's non-GMO and pesticide free, ready to harvest from my own backyard straight to the kitchen to either cook right away or can, freeze and/or dehydrate to stock up the pantry and freezer for those tough times ahead. It is also a treat to be able to pull something out of the pantry or freezer from the garden to have on a snowy winter day. It's so delightful.😊
Now I have your “Start the garden” meter to a total commitment level. And your saying, what's next? If you never had a garden before, no worries. There is plenty of books out there about gardening for beginners at your local library. Here is a few books out there to get you started. “The Vegetable Gardener's Bible” by Edward C. Smith. This book focuses on high yield W O R D systems for all North American gardening regions which includes Wide rows, Organic methods, Raised beds and Deep soil. Than there's “A Beginner's Guide-Backyard Gardening Vegetables” by Elle John. And if you want to get into organic gardening check out “Rodale's Basic Organic Gardening: A Beginner's Guide To Starting A Healthy Garden” by Deborah L. Martin. There is also a gardening book for those living in the city, meaning you do not need a bunch of land to start a garden😊 For a start there is a book called, “ Container Gardening Complete” by Jessica Walliser that gives you great project ideas for growing vegetables and flowers in small spaces. And how about “Vertical Vegetable Gardening” by Chris McLaughlin in which the book will help you discover the benefits of growing your vegetables and fruit UP instead of out. And for those that just want to know everything underneath the sun about gardening there is a book out there called, “Ultimate Gardening Book” by Joy Louis. This is actually four gardening books in one. It explains about square foot gardening, container gardening, urban homesteading, and vertical gardening. And if your not into reading, there is plenty of YouTube videos on gardening and homesteading. My husband loves “Living Traditions Homestead” about a couple who are passionate about homesteading. By the way, there are tons of homesteading YouTube channels to choose from.
I also need to add that there's a Dunn County Master Gardeners meeting held monthly on the 3rd Tuesday during January through June and August through November. There usually is speaker presentations which are open to the public and starts at 6:30 pm at Dunn County Community Services Building, 3001 US Hwy 12, East Room 101, Menomonie, WI. For more information you can go to Dunn Master Gardener or email to Dunn County Master Gardeners Association . There is also the Menomonie Community Gardens on 2500 9th Street E in Menomonie which unfortunately, has no available plots for the 2022 season. But if you go to Menomonie Community Gardens you can get on the waiting list for the 2023 season.
Hey! I think I took all the excuses out the window to help you get started on your incredible garden, right?!? O.K., maybe not for those who do not like playing in the dirt, or simply will not touch or pull a weed, or it happens that every plant you touch shrivels up and dies, meaning you just do not have the green thumb.😕 Well, there is hope for those that are in that category of “Not A Green Thumb Type”. There is always the Farmer's Market! I too love going to the Farmer's Market. Especially while I am waiting for my produce in my raised bed garden to mature for picking. It's also a great place to meet our Dunn County neighbors for a friendly chat. And I must say, the variety at the Farmer's Market is impressive. Many types of lettuces, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, squashes, green beans and peas, eggplants, mushrooms along with a variety of fruits which are mainly berries to choose from. It's also fun to check out vendors that provide homemade jams and salsa, assortment of baked goods and meats. You will also find beautiful bouquets of flowers to take home to add beauty to your kitchen and/or dining room table. Oh yeah, and don't forget about grabbing a bite to eat from local food trucks or booths. The Farmer's Market fun begins on May 21st at 8 am til 1 pm Saturday and on Wednesdays 10 am til 6 pm located under the pavilion at Wilson Park right behind the Menomonie City Hall.
Lastly, your probably thinking where can I go in Dunn County to gather everything I need to start my garden or to spruce up my yard? There are many cool places to go in Dunn County for all your gardening needs, not to mention help out a small business owner who is also your Dunn County neighbor.
A place I have been to in past years for vegetable plants is Season's Harvest Greenhouse E5345 County Road D in Menomonie. There plant sales started on April 22nd and hopefully is still on. Their hours are 9 am to 6 pm Monday through Saturday and 9 am to to 5 pm on Sundays. They have a cool shop of decor for your yard and garden and also offers painting classes as well. They do have a Facebook page and you can also reach them at 715-231-4769 for any questions you may have.
Next up is Farmstead Greenhouse located at N6275 County Road Q in Knapp. I love getting my herb plants here for my patio herb garden. It is a charming place with plenty of variety of plants and flowers to choose from. You can check out their website at Farmstead Greenhouse . They are open Monday through Saturday 9 am to 8 pm and are closed on Sundays. And if you are in need of something in particular you can give them a call at 651-261-0662 for assistance.
My husband has been to this particular place called, Bobolink Nursery at N6548 429th Street Menomonie. If you drive past Fleet Farm you will see Bobolink's cool red barn along with their rows of trees to purchase to add that curb appeal for your yard. If you want to learn more about the many services they offer such as landscaping go to Bobolink Nursery or give them a call at 715-231-3901. Their hours are Monday through Saturday 9 am to 5 pm and Sundays 11 am to 4 pm.
Now this last place I have not been to yet called, Knapp Hills Gardens which is another nursery on County Road Q in Knapp. I have passed by the place when it was not open. It sure looks worthy though of checking out. The fire number is N7122 and is a family owned business since 2019. Besides their greenhouses filled with a wide variety of plants, it has a little country store too which you will find a great selection of pots, unique garden decor, fertilizer, garden seeds, and potting soil. They also carry several colors of bark mulch. For more information about what they have to offer go to Knapp Hills Garden or check out their Facebook page. They are open for spring sales Monday through Saturday although I could not find a time when they are open on the website. So before you head on over give them a call to find out what their hours are at 715-650-1530.
I hope I was able to spark a light of enthusiasm to you all to take the leap of faith of starting a garden successfully or to get back in the game of gardening. Whether your a beginner or a master, there is something magical when you watch little seeds sowed into the ground and with a little tender loving care of watering, weeding, and pruning turns into glorious lively plants that will bear much fruit for you and your family. It's watching Heavenly Father's incredible creations at work. Gardening can become a family affair that also teaches children good work ethics. Enjoy the process of planning, preparing the soil, planting, nurturing and harvesting your beautiful and incredible garden.
From one Dunn County neighbor to another - Happy Gardening Adventures😎
Laurie J Christianson
Bulletin Board Moment:
April 26th - ROE V. WADE - The Real Story You've Never Been Told. Join the Dunn County Chapter of Wisconsin Right to Life for a free showing of Roe v. Wade tonight which starts at 7 pm through 9 pm at UW-Stout Applied Arts Building, 415 13th Ave E in Menomonie, Room 210. To reserve a seat go to Roe v. Wade Documentary
April 28th - Dunn County Patriots meeting 6 pm Meet and Greet, 6:30 pm meeting at Kyote's Den Bar and Grill, E2339 State Road 29, Menomonie. For those who want to become more involved in their communities and/or with their local government this meeting is for YOU.
May 4th - 2000Mules which is a documentary by Dinesh D'Souza exposing America's Ballot Harvesting Cartel will be showing at the Eau Claire AMC Oakwood 12 at 7 pm. To get your tickets you need to go to 2000Mules Documentary . It will be an eye opener along with exposing the darkness into the light.
May 19th - Critical Race Theroy: What It Is and How to Fight It will be presented by Dr. Duke Pesta, Director of Freedom Project Academy and sponsored by Dunn County Patriots. Dr. Duke's presentation will be at Kyote's Den. Doors open up at 6 pm and starts at 6:30 pm. Please invite those that are in the dark about CRT being taught in our public schools throughout the country.
Do you go to the master gardener meetings regularly?