Eden Indoors- Winter is Coming

I chose to name my business Eden's Rise, not so much as a name but as an objective. The literal Rise or Return of the Garden of Eden. As the weather cools and as vegetable ripening slows to a crawl, the season for market gardening draws to a close. I've been wondering about ways of continuing my mission ("Sell diverse products which remind customers of the importance of biodiversity and increase their environmental awareness.") throughout the winter.

During the season I was surprised at the popularity of plants. In the spring I sold quite a few perennials for the garden, then increasingly through the summer and early fall I've found Cacti, Aloe Vera and other miscellaneous houseplants that I've brought have sold reasonably well.



Which brings me to how Eden's Rise will continue to spread it's message this winter; I have signed up to attend two winter markets! Since making this decision, I've been visiting garden centers trying to find parent stock from which to propagate my plants. After all, one  mother Aloe Vera plant generated at least $70 in sales during the 3 months I have been bringing her offspring to market. I just needed more parents!

In addition to selling succulents and vines, I am waiting to receive seeds for several popular kitchen herbs, such as basil, cilantro, rosemary, and thyme, to grow for sale at the winter markets. Just because it is winter doesn't mean we shouldn't have fresh green stuff in our food!

I aim for zero waste in my life (imperfectly, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't try), and as Eden's Rise is clearly an extension of me, I also aim for zero waste in my business. All the pots used in production are enjoying a second life. They have all been donated to me from people in my village who kindly answered the call when I put a sign in the post office and by my front door asking for plant pots. With the second winter market being in mid-December, I worry it could be very cold so I have emailed the members of my garden club to save their empty bread bags for me and several have responded promising to do so. Reusing, reducing, this is how I want to do business.

Now please enjoy these photos of my plants. I hope they calm you in the rainy, windy days to come. If you see anything you like, send me a message and we can arrange a visit. Small pots are $5 each, large pots are $10, medium pots are $8.

Mini Cactus $5/each

Small succulents $5/each

Large Palm $10

Purple Heart $10 (without pot)

Wandering Jew/ Inch Plant $10

As Usual, There Were Mistakes From Which to Learn

Every time I look at how things are going, the mistakes I have made jump out far more brightly than the successes. 

As the weather begins to cool, plans for the next growing season are already cementing in my mind. First is to maximize the amount of land available in my village lot. This season, I worked with 25 foot beds that cross my property. The reason was mainly that short beds were easier to add one at a time and it was visually appealing. However it has been clear to me since very early on that fewer long beds would be able to produce far more than many short beds. The reason? Fewer beds = fewer paths. Fewer paths = more growing space. Obvious, I know, but these are the things you overlook when you go from a kitchen garden to a market garden.

Second, I have a whole new garden in my backyard! The 30'x30' space beyond the shed was completely overrun by incredibly invasive Japanese Knotweed. While I planned to have the space cleared of this weed by July, the plant proved so aggressive that we are still pulling it out to this day. However, each new generation is weaker than the last and I am prepared to plant this area of the garden next spring. This increases the growing space hugely!

Luna, enjoying a romp in the perennials that make up the wildlife garden.

Third, when I only have 7 long beds, setting up the entire area with drip tape will be much easier and more cost effective. Being able to irrigate without hopping between rows with a sprinkler all day to water the whole garden will mean I can water more often in dry spells. With more water I can get certain crops to maturity earlier, and increase production from other crops. Water results in more food with less space. Perfect!


Fourth, I purchased another 'greenhouse'. Really, it's a carport that I'm going to buy greenhouse plastic to cover, but what's the difference between friends? My 20'x13' greenhouse produced beautiful tomatoes and cucumbers. With a second one, I can dedicate one to just producing tomatoes, and in the second grow peppers, aubergine, and cucumbers. While reading a book about greenhouse production it also dawned on me how stupid I had been with my greenhouse rows. Instead of 4 single rows, I should have grown 3 double rows! More food, less space. I am thrilled that I have the chance to make these mistakes while I still have the safety of an off-farm income!

Finally I am delighted that the orchard will finally have access to water! In the spring, I will bite the bullet and get financing to drill a well and purchase some major irrigation equipment so that my investment of fruit trees and asparagus may finally produce a crop. There is still a large section of field at the bottom of the slope where I plan to have a large plantation of haskaps (after buying the initial 30 plants, I am propagating new plants from cuttings until I can fill the field). This is where I will expand the annual vegetable production next year. Long season crops that do not require picking several times per week will be planted here. Winter squash, garlic, melons, brussel sprouts etc. 

That's the plan! With my financial goal reached for 2018, my goal for 2019 is to double that amount. Maybe by 2020, I will be able to pay myself for the labour I put in! Wouldn't that be novel?

Happy planning!

Starting a Market Garden Shopping List

Propagation equipment

• Seeding cells
• Seeding trays
• Growing medium/potting soil mix
• Heating mats (ideally)
• Light (ideally)
• Seeds
• Labels
• Permanent marker
• Notebook for keeping notes and consulting crop plan

Fertility equipment (my soil is very coarse sand)

• Compost
• Horse Manure (lowest quality manure, but available for free)
• Soil
• Peat moss
• Pelletized chicken manure or blood meal (ideally)
• Truck (rent or borrow)

Season Extension equipment

• Floating rowcovers
• low tunnel/unheated greenhouse
• Transplants

Irrigation equipment

• 150 feet of hose
• Sprinkler
• Timer for watering 
• Drip irrigation for greenhouse crops

Harvest equipment

• Pulp berry baskets of varying sizes
• Stackable perforated harvest bins for picking and delivery to market
• Unperforated bins for washing root vegetables
• Elastic bands for Asparagus and other bunching vegetables
• Harvest cart
• Hose nozzle for cleaning
• Cold room (ideally)

Market supplies

• Signs
• Labels
• Tent shelter
• Folding table
• Table cloths
• Cashbox
• Cash & change

As I hinted to a few posts ago, I am starting my own market gardening business. My orchard will begin producing small quantities of fruit this year and I will grow annual vegetables. I have started selling houseplants in a local store already and preparing for a busy season as a market gardener. This is all made possible by maintaining a part time job 20 hours per week. Income from the first year can be disappointing as mistakes are made but these are how we learn.

The above is my shopping list for what I need to start my business. This list continues to grow as I remember other indispensable items (feel free to comment anything I have forgotten). I have already purchased many of these items, and am still looking/shopping around for others. Those with "ideally" in brackets are items which I might not get around to purchasing this year.

Risk is inevitable in business. Nothing comes for free, and making a living self-employed requires investment. The returns will hopefully exceed what you can expect as an employee but putting in a few years of hard work is as inevitable as spending some money.

Drinking to a Healthy Community

Buy local.

We all know we should do it, and there are some pretty obvious ways we know how. Choose the local strawberries, shop at your farmer's market, buy soaps and Christmas gifts from local small businesses. 

Even though in principle I know I ought to buy local, there are some areas of my consumption where I had never connected the dots. Possibly because it had never occurred to me that there was a local alternative to the brand names with which I was familiar. 

I'm talking about spirits and cocktails.

My first priority in moving into my very own apartment was to have a fully stocked bar. Yes, nothing screams privilege like having your own bar and I was a good little consumer for wanting one. Luckily my mother made me the first offering toward my home bar; a bottle of gin distilled only an hour's drive away. This opened my eyes to the fact that I previously had thought nothing of buying gin imported from England, despite always choosing wine based on geographical proximity (anything but Merlot and Chardonnay, obviously).

To my delight there are several other flavourful Canadian gins(one is certified organic)! It doesn't end there, in the winter I am fond of Baileys in my coffee. Would you believe there were two Canadian cream liquors available in my local boozery? Not only that but I found Canadian coffee liquors, vodka, and whisky. Everything I wanted for my bar had a local equivalent. Though the brand name was different, the flavour and price were basically identical. 

Eden's Rise is about making our world more habitable, for ourselves and those who share this earth with us. What better way to be an activist than by choosing to consume products that have travelled a shorter distance?

Cheers to you!