Wow!  Is it Sunday already?

What a whirl wind of a week!  Thanks to so many of you for coming throughout this past week while Vanessa had flowers and plants available at her location.

We were especially pleased to assist Rosie Gibbons and the Effingham U of I Extension Office with their plant sale and push for “planting a row for the hungry.”  For those of you who weren’t aware, the Effingham U of I Extension Office is partnering with Catholic Charties Food Pantry and challenging Effingham area gardeners to literally plant a row (or more than one!) of garden goodies to share with Catholic Charities Food Pantry this summer.

As I am sure you are aware, Catholic Charities is experiencing a tremendous surge in families needing food and other basic necessities.  This is a great opportunity to help Effingham area families eat fresh produce with the other staple foods that Catholic Charities faithfully provides.

So while you are working in your garden this spring, take a minute and plant another tomato, cabbage or broccoli.  Families in the Effingham area (and nonprofits) will thank you!

We enjoyed seeing everyone at the Mattoon Herb Festival.  It was such a glorious day to be outside, soaking up the sun and talking plants.  However, the wind was wild!

So tonight at the farm… we are watering, watering, watering.  When plants have had that much wind (and sun), it can take a bit for them to recoup.

With this in mind,  just a few tips about watering or soaking really.  First, hanging baskets or any container plants should have a good soak at least once a week during the summer or even spring when the weather is as hot and windy as we have had recently, and if a plant looks weary, please feel free to soak it more than once a week.  Some plants really need the extra moisture.

It’s easy to do.  Find a water tight container bigger than your basket or container and add water.  You can also add fertilizer at this point (this helps ferns especially).  Then simply put the basket or container in the water and let the plant “soak” up the water from the roots.  It will make a remarkable difference in the appearance and health of your plant.

But be careful when lifting the plant out of your larger container.  It will be very heavy!

The first two days of the annual Spring Sale were a wonderful success!  The sun shone, and we so enjoyed listening to everyone describe their gardens,  new flower beds and latest experiences with typical and exotic vegetables.  It is good to know that we aren’t alone in our seemingly fanatic garden interest!

As an update, Vanessa does intend to host the sale two more evenings this week at her location.  Plants will be available for purchase tonight, (Monday) April 20 and Thursday, April 23 from 4 to 7 pm.

Driving Directions

1 & 1/2 miles north of Illinois Route 23/33 on Illinois Route 32

Then Saturday, April 24 His Glories Farm will be at the Annual Mattoon Herb Festival in Mattoon, IL from 8 to 4 pm.

Driving Directions

900 Block of Broadway & Charleston Streets, Mattoon, IL 61938

If you haven’t attended the Mattoon Herb Festival before, consider driving over.  More than 10 vendors bring a variety of garden fun to this event including the Mattoon Area Master Gardeners, garden art work and more!

Again, it was great to visit with each of you!  Keep planning those gardens while we wait for the soil to dry!

P.S.  Happy Birthday and God’s blessing to G.  She’s turning the big 10 tomorrow!!

We hope that everyone had a blessed Easter.   We are eagerly awaiting the sunshine promised for the rest of this week as it should help the ground begin to dry.   In the meantime, mark your calendars as this Friday, April 17 from 4 to 7 pm begins the Spring Plant Sales for His Glories Farm.

The sale which will run from April 17 until Friday, April 24 will be held at Vanessa’s.  Hours will be 4 to 7 pm except for Saturday when we will be open from 8 to noon.

Driving Directions to Vanessa’s

1 & 1/2 miles north of Illinois Route 23/33 on Illinois Route 32

If a different shopping time would help or if you have questions, please email Vanessa at vanessa@hisgloriesfarm.com or phone Vanessa at (217) 343-3371

We look forward to seeing you!

Have you ever wished you could wander through a local farmers market immediately after work to bring home the best ingredients and then spend a lively evening fixing an amazing salad of intriguing greens instead of the iceberg lettuce that you grabbed while on your lunch hour?

If the answer is “Yes!”  then the His Glories Farm Email Produce Route is for you.  It is a simple solution to the time starved, health conscious consumer.

Each Sunday evening from May through September interested email subscribers receive an listing from Vanessa detailing the produce available for Friday delivery.  For example, in May His Glories Farm offers spinach, kale, pac choi, radishes, red, green, oakleaf lettuces, etc.

Subscribers then reply to Vanessa by 7am Thursday morning listing the items they’d like delivered – to their home or business – and on Friday morning Vanessa delivers.  It is that simple.

Incredible!  Can you imagine?  Fresh, local produce delivered at the peak of quality conveniently to the home or office.  Feeding yourself and your family right while saving time, money, and the hassle of a harried grocery run during lunch hour.

P.S.  Fresh flower bouquets are also available!

If this service is of interest to you or a friend, all you have to do is email vanessa@hisgloriesfarm.com to add yourself to the list today!

Wow!  We are glad to see the questionable weather moving on.  As you can imagine, cold, clear spring nights can be rather nerve wracking for any gardener, but keeping a greenhouse warm throughout those nine hours of darkness is a considerable challenge.

Because none of our greenhouses have a true heating system, we rely on passive measures to retain as much heat as possible.  One method we found that helps somewhat is to fill a black rubber bucket (available at Rural King ) with water and as that warms throughout the day, it will slowly release the heat throughout the night.

We also use a tarp to surround the plants as well as adding flat pieces of styrofoam to create a sort of “box” around the plants.  This helps tremendously.

The amazing part of all this is, as much as I hate the up and down swings of the thermometer, the plants need this process too.  Granted, some tender annuals need extra protection, but all garden and perennial plants are stronger after coming through a few of these nights.

So as much as I cringe to admit it, even the craziness of spring weather improves the quality of the plants we will be selling and planting in a few weeks.