Tonight we had our very first homegrown Iowa Dinner! Fresh Spinach and Romaine from the garden topped with pork tenderloin. Rich slathered the tenderloin in mustard, cumin, salt, pepper, and old bay seasoning. Then grilled it really slowly. YUM!!!

First Iowa Grown Dinner!

As of today here are the updates on some of the garden beds. Below is a section of spinach. These plants were sown directly to the garden on 4-15-08. They are Organic Erste Ernte Spinach. Tonight’s dinner was taken only from our “thinning profits” The flavor is amazing! Mason loves it!
Spinach

Our two rows of tomatoes, on the left is an entire row of Heinz Tomatoes. There is a row of plants on either side of the fence. The row on the right has a few Heinz, a few Romas, and a few Big Beef Tomatoes. These plants were started indoors 3-26-08 and transplanted outside on 5-15-08.
Two Tomato Rows

The left row is the same row of various tomatoes in the picture above. The row on the right are 4 circles of Sugar Star Snap Peas and 4 circles of Oregon Sugar Pod II Snow Peas. These were direct sown on 4-15-08. Why circles you ask? I had an idea about a pea growing structure using a pvc tube with an old bike wheel on the top and bottom. String woven between the wheels would be the perfect place for them to grow.
Tomatoes and Peas

This is a shot of our Yukon Gold and Red Potatos and Lancelot Leeks row. We’ve never grown either of these so we’ll see how it goes! They were started from sets on 4-14-08.
Onions and Potatoes

A view of our Organic Butterhead (right) and Organic Crisphead (left) Lettuces. What you can’t see “yet” are the Ogranic Rodelika Carrots. They are just now starting to show their ferny little heads. These were all direct sown on 4-15-08.
Crisphead and Butterhead Lettuce

More Onions! These are Red Burgermaster. Direct Sown Sets 4-14-08 Not pictured are the row before that is full of onions. They are our Walla Wallas (fresh eating and cooking, and freezing). There are also lots of Copra Onions for storage. Also some Guardsman Bunching Onions are in the previous bed.
Onions

The bright green leafy stuff on the left of this picture is our Erste Ernte Organic Spinach.

Lettuce

This is only a portion of the gardens!! We’ll keep you updated!