Saturday, June 21, 2008

Where's He Been?

Where I left off is not where I was last except in here.

...And, if you understand that then I hope you are sport enough to explain it to me!

All kidding aside, I have to get back on track here with this blogging and stuff so I can keep up with what I did! It's like using a Franklin Planner, only opposite. One should use them to plan future events and stuff and not write down what one did for the last month!

When I posted my June 1st blog, I said that I was headed back to the garden to do some more planting and that I would be right back. That didn't happen that way at all, did it?

I ended up getting on a roll with about a thousand or more plants; putting them into the ground. I didn't get back inside until almost dark and by that time I desperately needed to clean my typing fingers before I started here.

I had purchased some AlabamaGrown plants the week before and needed to get them into the garden. Normally I wouldn't buy more than I could plant in a weekend, but I wanted to grab them up before they got gone! It was the end of the spring season and I didn't want to miss out just because I was late getting started on planting.

I bought nine flats of petunias, one flat of vinca, two flats of columbine, one flat of helichrysum licorice, 3 flats of sun coleus, two flats of tomato plants, one of assorted peppers, 2 flats of mini-petunias, one of calibrachoa, two of trailing torenia, one flat of balloon flower, two flats of Dreamland zennias,two of gaillardia, one of coreopsis, one of sedum, one of ornamental sweet potato vine, one of Ichiban egg plant and two flats of ice plant. Oh. I forgot the merigolds and geraniums!

So, you see? I have been BUSY! What have you done?

It has been an ongoing project getting all of those plants into the ground. In addition, I have been negotiating with some other radio stations about carrying the HGT radio show. Also, on June 7th, the Home Grown Tomatoes team went to beautiful Fort Payne, Alabama to do a live remote for the town's annual celebration in conjunction with the band Alabama. Fan Appreciation Days is a regular celebration that is attended by folks from all over the USA. The band is there to show their appreciation for helping them become one of the most decorated country music bands in history.

This year, the City of Fort Payne dedicated four larger than life bronze statues of the four band members and presented the honors across where they will be from now on, in the City park.

Click on image to view more pics of the event

Our own Commissioner of Agriculture, Ron Sparks, native of Fort Payne, was the emcee. He joined the Home Grown Tomatoes radio broadcast after the ceremony. It's always good to have him on the show

I'll have more to tell about that event later. I do, however, want to make it known that the City of Fort Payne, Alabama really rolled out the red carpet for the Home Grown Tomatoes team and for that, I thank them. Especially, the special events executive, Mayor and councilmen. Thank you for the wonderful hospitality! I have now gone away knowing that I could live there! Thank You.

Did I say, "Thank you?"

On the June 14th show our friends, the Doctors Across the Street joined the show again. Dr. Grant Gentry gave us some more ideas about what we can plant to attract butterflies. He suggested planting host plants along with the nectar plants so the butterflies will lay their eggs and pupate there. Dr. Malia Fincher had just returned from Tanzania and told us about some of her adventures. Saying that gardening in Tanzania is much the same as gardening in Alabama. She talked about her studies of the bush-people and, sadly I might add, the life expectancy is only about 45 years.

On today's show, my good friend Davy Wright of AlabamaGrown™ plants visited the Tomato Tower and brought with him a bag of goodies from his personal garden. Ghost Buster and Black Magic eggplant, yellow crookneck squash, silver queen corn, Spanish onions and tomatoes were among the treats! Guess what I'm cooking tomorrow?

Well, that's all for today. I'll have more to write soon real soon! Thanks for reading! -Kenn

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