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Fly Over Country Scribe

Swan’s Song

10/28/2023

As the fall colors begin to fade, our local trumpeter swans remain to squeeze every possible day out of our ice-free season. Docks now begin their long dry land vigil, waiting for the next open water season. Diving rafts pulled out onto last summer’s grass, look out onto misty water, now rapidly cooling as cold air presses any remaining warmth from our lakes. The only blooms now are plastic pin-wheels in wilted flower pots.

Oh! Oh!

8/18/2023

The prairie blazing star is beginning to show color, the cup plants are blooming, and the vegetable garden is maturing. Finally, a big rain has blessed our parched summer. Yes, the season is changing. Many signs now as the days shorten and our mum crop in the greenhouse is beginning to bud.

Getting the Lead Out

7/10/2023

Now is the time of summer to see some of the native plants that send up unique and beautiful flower spikes. The dazzling Lead Plant is now in full bloom. There is also the graceful beauty of Culver’s Root, the rugged Hoary Vervain, and beautiful displays of Wild Lupine.

We now have a very good stock of most native plants in our greenhouses. It’s time to get the lead out and plant those pollinators.

June 16th, 2023

6/16/2023

We are now re-filling our greenhouse benches with lots of native plants for summer and fall plantings. We were happy to have a 4-H group of young gardening enthusiasts come to see how we propagate and grow in the greenhouses here at Glacial Ridge Growers. They each took home a plant to grow for the summer and got to see the fall mums in their formative stage as the 4-H’ers anticipate their fall mum sale fund-raiser.

A Compressed Season

6/1/2023

May has been very busy at the Greenhouses here at Glacial ridge Growers. With April not being very conducive to gardening, we have had plant sales compressed into a shorter time. It has also been a spring of compressed bloom-times for some of our native plants. Prairie Smoke, re-twigged dogwoods, wild lupines, and baptisia are all currently blooming. Enjoy them while you can.
As I continue to pursue my vegetable gardening, I am spending less time on my knees as I grow more of my veggies in raised beds. I have compressed more of my production into less but more intensive space.

Into the Great Wide Open

4/17/2023

Recent warmer weather has allowed us to open up greenhouses and bring spring air into the greenhouses. This week we will begin shipping plants to some of our customers. Soon spring will surely be upon in full measure. Time for our plants to begin their journey “into the great wide open.”

Bright and White

3/29/2023

As flamboyant colors begin to rage brightly in the greenhouse, winter’s whiteness still rages outside. As greenhouses fill, we know the snow eventually must recede. We feel we live the green dream each day as we are greeted by longer days and ever-quickening plant growth. Sharing our greenhouse production with 4-H garden enthusiasts also gives us hope for new young plant-lovers.

March 10th, 2023

3/10/2023

The agricultural class from the high school in Alexandria, Minnesota, along with their teacher Linnay Schweisthal visited our greenhouse on Thursday. Jeremiah Stark, one of the owners of Glacial Ridge Growers, led the class on a tour of the plant production facility.

Propagation, seeding, transplanting, and general requirements for a heathy crop were the topics of the tour. Growing with sound, sustainable, earth-friendly techniques was also part of the discussion.

The high school class will soon be receiving small plants from Glacial Ridge, which they will transplant and grow in the greenhouse at their high school. What a great opportunity to share our love of plants with a new generation of growers!

Twas the Month Before Spring (Continued)

3/3/2023

And then in the greenhouse I heard some sounds,
Magical voices sang in tiny, sweet rounds.
Green seedlings were reaching for heavenly light.
We could hear them all grow as they stretched into sight.

Tiny perennials and natives reached up toward the sky,
Dicots unfolding, like birds set to fly,
Geraniums and impatiens hung up where it’s warm,
Spikes and greenery, one big showy swarm.

Oh, how they shimmered in bold shades of green,
Vigorous plants just want to be seen.
Their roots are emerging and filling their pots
Filling their space, each in its own spot.

The predatory insects are protecting the crop,
Eating the bad guys right down from the top.
The grow-lights are extending the days into night.
Until mid-March when longer days are in sight.

The plants are so happy, now freed from their seeds,
They’ll go on to fulfill many gardeners’ needs.
The plants gave off sounds so soothing and low,
They gave comfort to us as we gazed at the snow.

Then, I had visions of blossoms and vines
A world of color appeared in my mind.
The visions up lifted our wintry malaise,
Made our tasks go much faster and perked up our days.

Then the plants sprang up as fast as a thistle,
Filled up the greenhouses as slick as a whistle.
I heard them exclaim in a colorful ring,
“Happy planting to all and to all a good spring.”

February 24th, 2023

2/24/2023

Twas the month before spring and all through the place
Many people were stirring as if in a race.
Hanging baskets were hung on the driplines with care
In hopes spring would find them blooming up there.

Young plants were nestled, all snug in their trays
With visions of flowers to fill greenhouse bays.
Muriel in her Birkenstocks, and Barb in her cap
Knew that winter was over and so was their nap.

When out by the greenhouse there arose such a clatter,
Jeremiah sprung up to see what was the matter.
I flew to the door like a young frisky pup
To look out of the door to see what was up.

The sunlight reflected on the new-fallen snow
With a wintry look in the sun’s bright glow.
When what to my wondering eyes should appear
A delivery truck pulling up in low gear.

With a driver who looked quite grubby and smug
I knew it must be a delivery of plugs.
So slowly he opened the back of his truck,
He pawed through the boxes and found ours, by luck.

He dragged out the box with the UP facing down,
Then rolled it inside like an insolent clown.
We signed his receipt and he went on his way
As he scowled and he cursed the wintry day.

As snow that swirls in a cold blizzard wind,
He turned the truck ‘round, fast as wheels can spin.
Up past the mailbox the old truck flew
With a load of squashed boxes and the young driver too.

(TO BE CONTINUED)