Molly Goatwax

Happy Holiday

Well a pepper has shown itself in time to be counted for Memorial Day. That's pretty early. This is a photo of the ambitious Golden Cayenne plant.

Sprouts

The perspective makes this appear vast.

More hatchlings started

Last night I planted a few dozen Fatalli pepper seeds in cells. Now there are two trays on the shelf over the radiator. Ghosts and Fataliis take the longest to sprout so they go first. In a few days it will be time to start the Habeneros.

Peppers by Post

Thursday I slid some peppers into a packet and took them across the street to the post office to send to England. I told the lady who has been weighing them for years that they were fresh hot peppers. And she was incredulous. "And they get there alright?" I told her they always have. Notwithstanding my incredible bad luck with Homaland Security seizing and smashing the crayons I sent to myself, the USPS has always carried some strange cargo. I was taking delivery of a package off a truck once and I spied a large box marked "Live Bees". I asked the carrier and he let me lean in to hear it buzz. That was of course, a long time ago. I think you have to ship bees UPS now.

A Walk in the Park

The last time I went to the Arboretum, the door to the fish farm was open. This is Laura. She invited me in to talk and let me watch her feed the Tilapia. Laura eats them and the Shishito peppers, basil, squash and tomatoes she and other graduate students grow in this Quonset Hut. Yum. We should all grow something to eat. I wonder if my front yard is shady enough for shiitake logs?

Farm Report

Today I posted a packet of fresh picked peppers to the UK. (Hey Keef) I always feel as though I am risking arrest when they drop through the slot, even though I write "hot peppers" on the custom form. And I have been doing this for years. One of the packets I sent last year had me tearing up in line at the post office through all its wrapping. Good luck little peppers! Good luck Keith!

Back on the job

Homer is sufficiently recovered and has taken up his post guarding the Bhut Jolokias and Scorpions.

Soak

About ten pounds of chicken parts are reposing in a jerk paste/beer slurry for the smoker. Tomorrow's Fathers' Day menu will also include coconut rice with pigeon peas. I'm thinking about grilling a lot of veg, too, on a smaller Weber. Or, Maybe. It's the first grill of the season. A few fruits are evident in the pots but none are ready. This year the crop will yield a variety of what I hope will be large, mildly spicy peppers good for the grill or roasting; Nu-Mex Joe Parker, Chile Verde, Cubanalles and for the first time I am trying Jelepeno. I have a fruiting plant for Ancho pepper again but my past experience has been it's very thirsty with low yeild. It's early days yet for the farm and with eighty plants we will have too many peppers no matter what!

Potting Mix

Now that I have Styrofoam I am going to need a bigger grater!

Ready tray

I know it looks like baking but, in anticipation of seeing my friend Janet today, I prepared the the cells for seeds from her favorite peppers. Bring on the mighty Nu-Mex!