Rhubarb
One of the first plants to emerge in the garden, rhubarb is a cool season, perennial plant that is very winter hardy and grows well in the Methow Valley. It is a beautiful plant with thick red stalks and large, dark green leaves. Historically, rhubarb has been used for thousands of years by the Chinese as a medicinal herb and digestive aid. The edible part of the plant is the stalk, the leaves are poisonous, and should not be consumed. There are many ways to cook rhubarb from slicing it to put in crisps, pies and muffins to making rhubarb sauce and jams. Here at Local we have been enjoying transforming the ruby red stalks into a liquid concentrate to add to lemonade or to summer cocktails. Simply slice the stalks into medium small pieces and put into a pot with a little bit of water at the bottom (just enough to prevent scorching). Cook the stalks until they are soft and juicy, about 40 min. Put a colander over a bowl to catch liquid, transfer rhubarb and juice into colander. Do not press, simply let sit overnight till all the liquid has strained into bowl. Sugar the concentrate to taste, enjoy! In need of a rhubarb plant? Local still has some beautiful rhubarb starts to add to your garden.
Greens
Delicate but hardy, lettuce, spinach, kale, arugula, mizuna and tat soi are just some of the delicious greens that are able to withstand the spring weather. There is nothing better than to walk out to your garden to pick fresh salad for your meal. Greens will produce for you all summer long and into the fall and require minimal effort. Here's the trick to keep the leafy greens coming: every two weeks reseed your greens. Plant new seeds every two weeks for endless, abundant supply of greens to last you till the fall. Local will have seeds available throughout the summer to supply your garden needs.
Eggs
It is our personal belief here at Local that no backyard garden is complete without at least a few feathered friends. Chickens and ducks compliment the garden by not only providing you with fresh, delicious and nutritious eggs but also manure, and pest control. Chicks are available in the spring from the feed store and will start producing eggs for you in about 9 months, and manure for you right away. Here at Local we add the straw that has been in the chicken coop and peppered with chicken droppings into our garden enriching the nutrient level of our soil. As well our favorite garden past time is to watch chickens sprinting about catching grasshoppers and other garden pests. If you need to commune with a couple feathered friends please come visit the chickens that live in Local's garden.
