SWEET SALVAGE GREEN ACRES

January 21, 2016

Windmill at Tre Soli

Favorite purchase from Sweet Salvage 2015

As those of you who've been with us for a time you know we've been antiquing since our mothers dragged us with them as children.  Dark dusty allergy inducing places.  We just didn't look forward to it.  But not any more.  Thanks in part to light bright fun places like Sweet Salvage.
http://sweetsalvage.net/event-calendar/ check them out.
Their objects, staged in vignettes, are beautiful, funky, nostalgic, unique, others not as much but will add to your large collection of whatnot.  The staff though is what makes this 4 days a month warehouse sale so different from the others.  They are friendly, fun and always ready to assist your wants and needs.   And of course what goes better with growing food and flowers that eating food and flowers.  They have garden pieces and dining pieces.  And!  They have food!  The best chocolate chip cookies ever!!! So if you see us there this month say "Hi!"  Don't be disappointed if we seem in a hurry; we have an agenda since we spotted something we've been yearning for for years.  Check this video out; it's s hoot:
http://sweetsalvage.net/2016/01/07/green-acres-returns-vip-contest/

Winter in Our Classroom

Hasn't this been a great start to a new year?!  We've had over 2'' of rain at Tre Soli!  All of it gentle and soaking into the soil.  Also this year we've had plenty of chill hours for our low chill fruits!  Yippee we are expecting beautiful delicious fruit come Spring.

Spring Peaches & Apricots

It is so sad to have the Autumn rose season over.  This may have been the best year ever for our large blousey blooms.  Some of the blooms were large enough to hide our cupped hands.  Those of you who bought ours or grow some yourself know just what we mean.  

Roses Big and Blousey

Roses also last longer in the vase during the winter.  We love to compete with ourselves to see how long we can keep them after cutting.  This year we had some that made it to three weeks!  We suspect that the secret is to put the roses to bed outside at night when no one is around to appreciate them. They love the cool moist air of our desert nights and they only traveled a short distance from our farm to your vase which also adds to their longevity.

Deep Crimson in Deep Winter

We are committed to taking more photos such as the ones we're providing today.  We want you to see what we are growing, offering for sale and what you too can grow!  Unfortunately the photos impede our sending emails so we'll be posting most of photos here on our blog

Larkspur & Roses

Right now we have juicy tangerines, oranges, and grapefruit.  For those of you who are not lucky enough to have these in your yard, neighborhood or family let us share with you our fruit grown without any pesticides or herbicides.  

Front Door Honor Market will be open tomorrow: 

Tuesday, January 19 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Exclusively citrus : 

Oranges 3/$1, Tangerines 4/$1, Grapefruit 2/$1

Picking these Sweet & Juicy Fruits for You Tomorrow

We also have mints, lemon grass and rosemary available.  

Let us know and we'll pick just for you.

Outside the Rose Ranglers are busy pruning roses and fruit trees as well as planting some new of each.  Inside we're planning seasonal classes and hands on workshops.    Most classes will be limited to 8 participants and two hour length with refreshments at some.  So many topics it is hard to narrow it down.  You can help us determine which classes to offer by taking a moment to reply to azgardenfresh@gmail.com with what you'd like to learn in our outdoor classroom pictured below.  

Winter to Spring

 Spring

Summer

 Autumn

A basic list of class proposals is provided below.  Feel free to send us your suggestions!  

Rose pruning

Rose selection

Rose planting

Fruit tree pruning

Fruit tree selection

Preserving your fruit

Composting

Grape vine crafting

Farmers Market Shopping

Pick your own fruit

  "      "       "    rose

Olives from pick to press to preserve

Wild flower gardens

Pollinator gardens

Pest control in the garden

Pollinator in our Gardens

Predator in our Gardens

Some of you have asked to "have the place to yourself"  and bring just your group.  We've done that and would love the opportunity to welcome you and your group for a private class or party.  Drop us a note at azgardenfresh@gmail.com so we can work on your proposal.

Garden Club Annual Luncheon & Class in our Gardens

See You in the Gardens and at the Market?!

If you grow citrus or are thinking of planting a citrus tree this is your once a year chance to get scientifically based information from real experts on the what, when, how and what's next of growing citrus fruit.  There will be tables with dozens of samples to see, smell and taste!  Just in time because it's about time to fertilize existing trees and plant new ones.  There will also be lots of fresh picked citrus and fresh squeezed juice for purchase.  Weather is expected to be chilly at the start but 738 for a day time high so dress in layers.  See you there?

You Are Invited!
Master Gardener Citrus Clinic

Master Gardener Citrus Clinic

Saturday, January 23, 2016
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Greenfield Citrus Nursery
2558 E. Lehi Rd.
Mesa, AZ

Gate opens at 8:30 a.m.

Buy Tickets Now

In person at:
Greenfield Nursery
2558 E. Lehi Rd.
Mesa, AZ

University of Arizona Cooperative Extension
4341 E. Broadway Rd.
Phoenix, AZ 85040

At the Gate on January 23rd.

Online

With RegOnline, our encrypted
payment gateway. 
Credit card fees apply.
Online ticket sales available through Thursday, January 21st.

Reflections On Lives Well Lived

It's that time of the year again.  Beautiful blue skies, crisp cold air, and yes Virginia even rain.  

Rejoice!  

Tre Soli made it through another summer.

The Glory of Autumn

It brings exquisite color along with it's relief from the heat and refreshment of gentle rains.  But it is also a time of memories of the past year.  Of the fruits of what we planted, tended, and harvested.  And it is the time to sew the hopes of the next season.  The chill and the rain allow us the luxury to indulge in fireplaces that glow in the same colors of our fruit trees while cuddled up with seed catalogues after rose catalogues.  And this is THE best time for the roses in the desert.  The cooler temperatures allow the roses to grow larger and larger and Larger.  The cooler temperatures also allow the oils to be retained until they are cut and brought indoors to the slightly warmer air.  That's when they release their glorious fragrance.  Autumn is our favorite time to ooo and laahh laahh over these ruffled, silken, sweet fragranced girls.

Not all of Autumn is colorful.  Some of it is just quiet, peaceful.  As fruit trees around change color the herb and veggie beds are resting while being reinvigorated for the Spring plantings.  So many urban farmers are providing clean food for our community that this year we are considering planting more flower seeds than vegetables.

The gazebo in the shelter of the fruit tree allele experiences the changes of Autumn.   The Northern trees are already bare and sleeping.  While the Southern Trees are still undergoing their color changes as they nod off to their brief respite before Spring.  Soon this old teak table that has served as door in an earlier life will bask in the sun before it again is the site of celebrations, classes, meals, teas, refreshment, planning and creating.  We can't wait to invite you and hope that you'll be joining us!

And of course reflections include the traditional assessing what to be grateful for as well as what goals to aspire to in the coming year.  No doubt this has been a difficult year with too many losses of dear ones.  Yet it has also been a wonderful year of new relationships for which we are thankful.  The most thrilling being that of adding a new family member in the form of a bouncing baby boy!

We all have choices to make as to how we will celebrate this life we've been given, found and forged.  

For us, we choose to celebrate the Autumns as well as the Springs.

Here's to the Best Year Ever for Yours, Mine and Ours!

DAVID AUSTIN INSPIRATION?!

Here is a photo of one of our walls of Don Juan roses, with white Bolero tree roses behind the wall.

Nice.  BUT link below to take a look at the photo of Constance Spry roses  taken by Jeff Wincek.  Then tell us what you think….Would you ?  Could you?

http://www.davidaustin.com/englishgardenhome/advanced.asp?PageId=2284


Makes me want to swoon!  Really took my breathe away!  I've never seen such a bloom.
The color!  The abundance!  The fragrance?!  How did they do it?!  Is this a once in a life time bloom... or annual.  Guess we'll have to go to Pixar Studios to see it and speak with the gardeners who managed to create this wall of David Austin roses.  But wait!   This is outside of Pixar Studios in California.   Is it Computer Assisted Design?!  No.  It's for real….I think.

Could you?

Would you?

Don't know if I could but I sure would want to!

MY FAVORITE SWEETS & SWEET SALVAGE

Like many of you, we've been "junkin'" since first moving into a Craftsman duplex in college.  Mothers went antiquing, they could afford it.  We college students dug around at the Good Will and Salvation Army stores and the rare "junk" store.  We have fond memories and any number of treasures, like a toaster from the 40's,  but the current favorite, Sweetest Salvage, is this working wind mill.  

This dear treasure came from the March Sweet Salvage tour.  That, when this wind mill was set up and untethered, it actually starting spinning in the wind, elicited squeals of delight!  In the first photo you can almost see it whirling.

A small reminder of roots in the midwest, growing up in the city but making many treks to the country.  Now if we could just dig a well, hook up a pump…

In the meantime we're dreaming of next month's tour of Sweet Salvage.  http://sweetsalvage.net 
If you love to have items with a past, with a history be sure to set aside time May 21-24 to root around for your own treasures.

They are open the third weekend of each month:  Thursday 10-9 and Friday, Saturday, Sunday 10-6

And the bonus is that they have some of the best food trucks around.  If that wasn't enough then you must succumb to the fresh baked goods by Karen Biscotti - as good as baked goods get.  Her biscotti, lemon bars chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal raisin cookies are scattered throughout Sweet Salvage and are simply the best.   Ok it is true I have been known to make a meal out of one of her cookies, or maybe two.  Shh!  Don't tell. http://www.karenbiscotti.com/Biscotti.html

AMERICAN GROWN FIELD TO VASE DINNER TOUR: THE FLOWER FIELDS in CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA, APRIL 2015

April in Paris.


Well how about April in Cali?!

Picture this...dinner in a field of ranunculus... at sunset… overlooking the Pacific Ocean ?!  And it was at least every bit as magical as you can imagine.   These photos just don't portray the beauty and scope let alone that lovely sea salt air!  This was actually "only" 5 acres of this farm with another 15 acres at another site.

The evening was a group effort by the California Cut Flower Association, Slow Flowers and others to raise awareness of American Grown flower farmers and connect them with the florists who love buying these farmer's flowers.  We were among a select group to be invited for an evening at flower farmer Michael A. Mellano's ranunculus farm, The Flower Fields.


Floral designer Bess Wyrick of Celadon and  Celery, NYC and Los Angeles was responsible for the simply elegant table decor.  Bess, like us, was smitten with this bouquet of Austin roses wrapped in a Cardoon leaf.  She has a bit of Chaquita Banana in her and decided it made a fine fascinator and took a selfie!

She selected slender cylinders of single colored ranunculus and arranged them down the center of the one long table.  One end began with the deepest darkest orange/brown ranunculus and moved through the rainbow to the whites at the opposite end.  For photos of the tables, food, chef, florists, farmers please take a look at their album on Flicker  https://www.flickr.com/photos/californiagrownflowers/sets/72157652027358305

Did we not say that this was a dinner?  Why yes!   And it was as delicious as the flowers were beautiful.  Chef Marissa Gerlach of the Vista Valley Country Club was responsible for assembling, preparing and serving the locally sourced appetizers and three course meal with wines.  Golden and purple Beets were pickled and were in canning jars on the tables.  We loved the look and for the first time loved pickle beets!

 As the sun set and darkness slipped over us some of the cylinders glistened with tiny lights in their bases.  Hmm.  An idea for your next dinning event? 

Like we said you really should go look at the photos.  For ideas for your table, your menu, your garden, and lighting in your garden go to Flicker to see their 2 albums of the evening.  Over 500 photos of food, flowers, fun!

We can't wait to go back to Carlsbad to the Flowers Fields and enjoy that unbeatable moist air of the Pacific Ocean on Southern West Coast that our American farmers find so hospitable to their efforts.

Our thanks to Mayesh, our local flower wholesaler, who graciously invited us to this amazing opportunity to meet authors and artists we'd only read about.

ART IN THE GARDEN AT BERRIDGE NURSERY, APRIL 11, 2015

From the moment it opened we were too busy to take a break or take a photo.  Jill to the rescue.  She brought us water when she brought her "home grown" eggs to sell with our roses.  Now she has sent us photos that she took at the event.  If you really want to see beautiful photos that she has taken of her gardens then go to 

http://www.sweetlifegarden.com  The photos of her beautiful urban farm show what an artist she is in the dirt as well as on the page.

Berridge had this beautiful cart that I saw as the perfect "container" from which to display the roses.

We were located down the sidewalk from the entrance.  As the day warmed up the roses released their oils to cool themselves down.  Lucky folks entering the event would catch whiffs of rose perfume as they entered and would just have to seek and find to meet the "girls".

We met so many lovely people that day and had many interesting garden chats.  Some of our customers have called us for garden consults or are are now enjoying shopping at our Front Door Honor Market.

Taking hundreds of roses to a market is hard physical work but after three years of not being in the markets we wanted the challenge.  Thank you Berridge Family for inviting us to your 17th annual Art in the Garden event.  It was a challenge we're glad we took on.

P.S. YES! WE STILL HAVE A FEW OF OUR FRAGRANT ROSES LEFT FOR MOTHER'S DAY BUT...

LESS IS MORE

WE BELIEVE PEACE,  LOVE AND JOY SHOULD BE SPREAD ALL DAY EVERY DAY

TO EVERYONE.

CAN YOU TELL WE CAME OF AGE IN THE LATE 1960'S?

MOTHER'S DAY STARTED AS A PEACE MOVEMENT BY MOTHERS

IN THE LATE 1860'S

TO US IT IS NOT A HALLMARK OR FTD HOLIDAY

(though we do cry at Hallmark movies and commercials)

WE THINK WE CAN'T TREAT EACH OTHER WELL ENOUGH, OFTEN ENOUGH SO GO AHEAD CELEBRATE HER EVERY DAY BUT 

ADD A LITTLE EXTRA ON MAY 10

SHE'S NOT PERFECT AND YOU MAY NOT BE EITHER 

BUT 

SHE PROBABLY HELPED YOU FIND YOUR WAY 

AND 

WILL ALWAYS WANT TO BE THERE FOR YOU

SO LET HER KNOW WITH

A WARM HUG

A WARM CUP

A K.I.S.S. NOTE

(Keep It Short & Sweet)

"Dear Mom,

xoxo

Love, Me"  

SOME THOUGHTFUL DEEDS

TWO LISTENING EARS

THAT IS WHAT TELLS ANYONE THAT 

YOU CARE

YOU PAID ATTENTION

YOU KNOW THEM

AND

IF YOU THINK THE PERSON YOU WANT TO CELEBRATE ON MOTHERS DAY WOULD ENJOY FRAGRANT ROSES CUT JUST FOR HER THEN YOU KNOW 

WHERE TO GET THEM

~

THE GARDENS AT TRE SOLI 

~

WE WILL HELP YOU BY DOING A CUSTOM ORDER 

YOU TELL US ABOUT HER AND WHAT YOU HAVE IN MIND

WE'LL CUT AND CHILL THEM FOR YOU TO PRESENT

AND MAY WE ADD THAT PEACHES, WHICH ALREADY SMELL DELICIOUS,

 HAVE EVEN MORE INTENSE FRAGRANCE 

 WHEN PRESENTED WITH ROSES

                                                                            +        

=

Mmmm!  "You're So Sweet!"

SO 

PANCAKES TOPPED WITH PEACHES FOR BREAKFAST?

MACERATED PEACHES ON LEMON SORBET FOR BRUNCH DESERT?

HOT PEACH COBLER WITH VANILLA BEAN ICE CREAM AFTER DINNER

OR A SIMPLE FRAGRANT PEACH BY THE BEDSIDE? 

WHAT WILL YOU DO  FOR HER?

RIPE & READY

What we did this morning…

We picked this for you

…and that….

And these...

And those

 And these!

So Come and Get 'em... our juicy sweet first peaches of the season.

Front Door Honor Market will be open today from 9-6  

It's a beautiful morning so get out and enjoy the cool weather and get ready for perfect grilling.

See past post for lists and photos of all of the rest that we have ready to harvest for you.  

Call ahead to give us your custom order if you want more that the zucchini and peaches.