Tuesdays with a Twist #39 Do YOU wanna GROW?

Good Morning and Happy New Year's Eve!

I'm talking growing a garden and growing your blog!

1. We're looking for additional co-hosts for Tuesdays with a Twist

 and Real Food Fridays.

Email me @  mari_backtonature@yahoo.com for details.

2. Tomorrow @ 5pm Central I announce another awesome giveaway!

Yes, These are PURPLE Jalapenos!

I'm currently mid-series!  I've been sharing my 2014 Planting Guide.

Stay tuned for more GROWING Info!

<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/ad9dc0c5-5f80-4ed7-a18c-c6e9fb42d156_zpsde41d9bb.jpg"/></a>

Welcome to another No Rules Party!

We're your hosts 

Joyce @ It's Your Life! 

and me...Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen
And your Co-Hosts
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
And please Welcome Jenn @  Endlessly Inspired

Features!
Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured! 
My Features this Week are:

Baked Hashbrowns from Cats on the Homestead

Mexican Hot Chocolate from The (mis)Adventures of a Farm Girl

Low Waste Gifts Baskets from Taylor-Made Ranch

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features.   And now for the party!

Before you go...Please Read!
Our Goal is to raise GMO Free awareness through social and educational programs throughout the country. We would like to build GMO-Free Gardens in schools and for Food Banks to provide nutrients for those in need.We currently work with several local schools to share growing information as well as donations of non-gmo seeds to teachers, students and school staff.

Another Trip to the Yellow Green Farmer's Market

If you follow me @ Mary's Kitchen then you know I'm all about REAL Food and local foods.  I even co-host a linky called REAL Food Friday which showcases "Real Food" recipes which means NO processed ingredients, non-gmo, locally grown, locally and humanely raised.

One more reason to LOVE your local Farmer's Markets!
 If you live in cool or cold climates than you may not have access to something as amazing as the Yellow Green Market which is open YEAR-ROUND. With over 300 "under-roof" booths, this 100,000 square foot facility is THE place to be on Saturday and Sunday in South Florida.

The Yellow Green Farmer's Market is IMHO the Mecca of "slow foods" and small businesses.

One of my favorite booths is Rawpertion.  They offer RAW energy bites made with cacao, nuts, seeds and maybe a bit of coconut or agave.  My favorite so far is the Vegan Coconut Pie!!!

The next stop on my journey takes me to the cheese guy.  Locally made, no added chemicals and
Oh-So-Fresh cheeses.  This weekend I decided to buy 2 mozzarella containers.  One large ball and one with small balls for appetizers.  I also had a taste of the Burrata...YUM!

Fresh Produce?  Absolutely!
There are so many to choose from that sometimes a buy a little bit from each!

There are so many shops to choose from.  There are fresh honey booths, raw honey booths, Non-GMO foodies, a caricature artist and even specialty clothing booths.  Whatever you do, don't leave with out sampling (and buying) from Dr. Pickle.

While I was walking around the huge facility I received a text from a friend in Ft. Lauderdale.  She wanted to know if the Organic Shea Butter booth was still open.  YES!  My friend makes natural and organic health and beauty products so she hopped into her car and made it to the market just in time to buy her goodies.

Since I had plans to meet my husband I didn't stop for a bite to eat in one of the many food vendors.  There's something for everyone to eat at the market.  The organic outdoor restaurant (Chillbar), several Argentinian booths, the Non-GMO guy on the west side is my favorite...And there are 2 NEW places out on the back patio that I'll be stopping by new week.  One is a appetizer bar and another, authentic Mexican food (I hear they make the tortillas fresh with your order).

Before I left I had to stop by Pepe's for a little chat.  He is so knowledgeable about plants and soil conditions.

 
Whether you live in South Florida or you're just visiting, make your way over to the Yellow Green Farmer's Market.  They're open Saturday and Sunday from 8am-4pm.  If you have a small business or you'd like to start one, the YGFM is a great place to set-up shop!

No Catalog? No Problem!

2014 Planting Guide      Part 2     Planning and Seed-Starting

Find Out More Seeds of the Month  Beans and Corn   Heirloom Seeds Heirloom GREENS Heirloom Peppers TOMATOES! Specialty Heirlooms Organic Wildflowers Heirloom HERBS Ballistic Seed Balls SUPPLIES Garden Tips We'd like to hear from YOU!  What region / state   are you in and what   grows best for you? FAVORITES!   Tom Thumb Lettuce Black Hungarian Pepper Bachelor Button CILANTRO Planning your Garden  Dear Mary, It's that time of year again, when seed companies start mailing out catalogs.  Not Mary's Heirloom Seeds. In an effort to reduce consumer waste we do not offer a paper catalog. All of our seed varieties are available online. **From our seed pack envelopes to our labels and packaging material, all of our paper comes from recycled material. That's 40% to 100% recycled material and OUT of the Landfills and saving trees every day!** The great news is that heirloom seeds ship for Free to all 50 states. Orders placed Monday through Friday ship within 24 hours, except for Holidays. Orders $35 or more are upgrades to Priority Mail at no additional cost! We have more NEW Varieties to announce... All available on our SPECIALTY Heirlooms page Marketmore Cucumber PURPLE Jalapeno May Queen Lettuce BEAUTIFUL!!! If you live in several Southern States then January means Seed Starting!!! Check out our posts for California, Florida and Louisiana.

2014 Planting Guide: January Seed Starting for Southern Louisiana

I've heard from many of you that is sounds so weird to read about planting in January.  Yes, while many of you are curled up by the fire or have just put your garden to bed, many southern gardeners are planting seeds.

We'd like to hear from YOU!  

What region / state are you in and what grows best for you?

Sign up for our E-Newsletter

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2014 Planting Guide: January Seed Starting for Southern California

Welcome to another informational post in our 2014 Planting Guide series!

Most people don't think about seed-starting in January.  If you live in warmer climates such as Florida and California, January is a great time to plant seeds!

We'd like to hear from YOU!  

What region / state are you in and what grows best for you?

Sign up for our E-Newsletter

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2014 Planting Guide: January Seed Planting in South Florida

Believe it or not, South Florida Gardeners are planting seeds in January.  

LOTS of seed varieties actually!

We'd like to hear from YOU!  

What region / state are you in and what grows best for you?

Sign up for our E-Newsletter

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FREE Heirloom Seeds! Find out How

Good Morning!  

I hope you all had a wonderful day filled with Family and Peace.

I have an opportunity that was just posted on our fb page.  We are edging closer to 1,400 likes so I thought I'd give it a little push.

The first 2 people to share a "snapshot" of our fb page with exactly 1,400 likes will receive 4 FREE Packs of Heirloom Seeds from Mary's Heirloom Seeds.

SHARE our page...Invite your friends...Everything goes.  

I'd love to hit 1,400 before 2014.

Also, stay tuned for more 2014 Planting Guide posts.

Thank you!!!

Tuesdays with a Twist #38 and still GROWING

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!

THIS WEEK...I've announced a New growing series here...
the 2014 Planting Guide for Mary's Heirloom Seeds!
And yesterday I shared our latest variety, PURPLE JALAPENO

What I forgot to mention was that we have a "FIRE SALE" going on through Friday, Dec 27th.  Jalapeno and Serrano pepper seeds are on sale for only $2 per pack with no limits and FREE Shipping! 

 If you grow from seed I'd like to hear from you!

<a href="http://back2basichealth.blogspot.com/"><img border="0" src="http://i1287.photobucket.com/albums/a627/greenmary_smith/ad9dc0c5-5f80-4ed7-a18c-c6e9fb42d156_zpsde41d9bb.jpg"/></a>

Welcome to another No Rules Party!

We're your hosts 

Joyce @ It's Your Life! 

and me...Mary @ Back to the Basics and Mary's Kitchen
And your Co-Hosts
Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
And please Welcome Jenn @  Endlessly Inspired

Features!
Each co-host will be sharing her own picks for Features. This gives everyone a better chance of being featured. Be sure to check all of our blogs to see if you were featured!Since tomorrow is Christmas, I'm featuring your holiday-themed posts!  My Features this Week are:

Candy Cane Reindeer from Cats on the Homestead

Christmas Home Tour from A Debbie-Dabble Christmas

 

 10 Ways to Relax and Stay Healthy through the Holidays from Organic 4 Greenlivings

The party starts every Tuesday at 7am EST and will continue until Friday at 11:59pm.  Feel free to stop back any time and "like" your favorites.  Please visit other blogs if you have a moment. 

Share older posts as well as new ones.  No limit on links!

*Pictures should be your own* 

By linking up you give us permission to use these photos

 (with proper link backs) in our features.   And now for the party!

Before you go...Please Read!
Our Goal is to raise GMO Free awareness through social and educational programs throughout the country. We would like to build GMO-Free Gardens in schools and for Food Banks to provide nutrients for those in need.We currently work with several local schools to share growing information as well as donations of non-gmo seeds to teachers, students and school staff.

PURPLE Jalapeno Peppers!

That's right...PURPLE!  I hadn't planned on posting today but I just couldn't contain my excitement.

Brand NEW @ Mary's Heirloom Seeds

PURPLE JALAPENO PEPPER SEEDS

75 Days.
A large Jalapeno pepper that turns deep purple before maturing to red. Full Jalapeno flavor and heat; great for salsa and other Mexican foods.

Plants both productive and ornamental.

Contains 25 heirloom seeds

At Mary's Heirloom Seeds

All of the seeds listed are open-pollinated, non-gmo and non-hybrid, non-patented,  untreated, heirloom garden seeds.
Mary has signed the Safe Seed pledge.  
Seed Orders placed Monday-Friday are shipped within 24 hours, except for holidays.

Order herb and veggie varieties together and get
an extra free seed pack!

 

If you're in South Florida, now is a GREAT time for seed-starting!

Recommended veggie varieties for January are:

Beans, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chinese Cabbage, Collards, Cucumbers, Endive, Escarole, Kale, Kohlrabi, Leek, Lettuce, Mustard, Onion Sets, Parsley, Peas, Peppers, Pumpkins, Rhubarb, Romaine, Rutabagas, Spinach, Squash, Sweet Corn, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Turnips and Watermelons

2014 Planting Guide: Top 10 Crops by Region

This is a Region-Specific growing series for Mary's Heirloom Seeds.
Check out USDA Plant Hardiness Map for more info. 

For most states, February is the time to start seeds indoors.  For colder climates such as Canada and New England, March and April are the suggested months for seed starting.  For most seed varieties, it is recommended to start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last frost.  However, 2013 was a very tricky year weather-wise.

Below is a list of the top 10 best crops to plant for each region from Mother Earth News.

Pacific Northwest
Best crops to plant:
1. Polesnap bean
2. Snow/snap pea
3. Potato
4. Garlic
5. Cherry tomato
6. Summer squash
7. Chard
8. Lettuce
9. Onion
10. Carrot

Southwest
Best crops to plant:
1. Potato
2. Garlic
3. Cherry tomato
4. Bulb onion
5. Slicing tomato
6. Carrot
7. Summer squash
8. Snow/snap pea
9. Paste tomato
10. Sweet pepper

North Central & Rockies
Best crops to plant:
1. Bulb onion
2. Cherry tomato
3. Carrot
4. Spinach
5. Snow/snap pea
6. Lettuce
7. Bush snap bean
8. Slicing tomato
9. Potato
10. Radish 

Central and Midwest
Best crops to plant:
1.   Tomatoes (slicing)
2.   Peppers (sweet)
3.   Tomatoes (cherry)
4.   Onions
5.   Snap beans (bush)
6.   Carrots
7.   Garlic
8.   Tomatoes (paste)
9.   Peas (snow or snap)
10. Lettuce 

Southern Interior
Best crops to plant:
1. Sweet pepper
2. Slicing tomato
3. Bush snap bean
4. Summer squash
5. Broccoli
6. Garlic
7. Bulb onion
8. Pole snap bean
9. Cherry tomato
10. Hot pepper

Gulf Coast
Best crops to plant:
1. Sweet pepper
2. Cherry tomato
3. Bulb onion
4. Slicing tomato
5. Garlic
6. Lettuce
7. Spinach
8. Potato
9. Cucumber
10. Summer squash

Maritime Canada and New England
Best crops to plant:
1. Carrot
2. Cherry tomato
3. Cucumber
4. Slicing tomato
5. Summer squash
6. Bulb onion
7. Bush snap bean
8. Pole snap bean
9. Lettuce
10. Garlic

Mid Atlantic
Best crops to plant:
1. Slicing tomato
 2. Sweet pepper
 3. Cherry tomato
 4. Pole snap bean
 5. Bush snap bean
 6. Garlic
 7. Potato
 8. Snow/snap pea
 9. Summer squash
 10. Bulb onion

 We'd like to hear from YOU!  

What region / state are you in and what grows best for you?

Like us on Facebook!
Sign up for our E-Newsletter

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