Don't forget in our area these are year long developers,and always at hand, slow to start,good producer,easy to maintain.

One of my own Onion Chives in bloom

Persimmon Season

This wonderful food is all around us this time of year and you might miss an awkward tasty treat.

1. This fruit is so sweet, one bite and your mouth waters. 
2. You will find them at most Farmers Markets
3. Theirs lots of good recipes from, breads,date bars with icing, preserves and i'm sure the list goes on.   

So next time your out and about give one a try, i'm sure you'll agree.

This weekends Top Three!!!

This weekend Dec. 9th-11th are top three sellers where Spinach #1, Thyme #2,
and #3 was Salad Blends. We hope you enjoy this next weekend as we get closer to Christmas. We also had some request for Arugula ,(not mixed with blends) and Red Roaster Peppers and Basil. We will bring these items next weekend. Any request or additional items, please send us an email @ carolsgardens@gmail.com.

This is a clip Linda found today, wanted to share. New Rave item latest new thing, I'm sure there was someone's grandmother or great grandmother who made this before. Let's dig in too the recipe book and try this. I'll post this to my blog as well. Enjoy....

Baked Kale Chips

allrecipes.com

These are a low calorie nutritious snack. Like potato chips, you cannot stop at just eating one. They are great for parties and a good conversation topic.

Holiday Season Weather,Drier/ wetter

  Boy did the Santa Anna pickup last night. I knew all was well as i guesstimate on are weather pattern setting in , don't be fooled by a little dry spell and not plan those hoops and cold frames to protect all that hard work until now. 
  And how about those Tomato's,  one more feeding some flower and bloom to get a big finish for the outdoor variety. We have Patio Tomatoes  in the green house . Yea been up in the wind since 4:30am this morning picking up plants, watering by hand what the system missed, the usual going's on with the season. Enjoy your prize, and remember 15 minutes in the garden a day.

Getting Stronger Every Day.

Feeling Good,

    Isn't that what it's all about. Feeling Good! Weather it is a cold, strained or pulled muscle. We still deserve to fell good.

   Thanks to your continued support we grow and feel good about or decisions as a company. 

    I'm feeling stronger every day as my condition improves daily at plant speed. 

 Just as we feel good, we get to do more good. For those around us and abroad.And the circle grows. We are so blessed.

Just Getting it Right !!!!!!!

Hello! Im the Plant Biology major that purchased the mints from you at the Corona farmers market this weekend. I just wanted to complement you on your plants as I do not know of a single grower in the area that can produce root growth as fine and even as what I saw.
I'm really looking forward to the growing season with you guys in the picture.

This Motivates any Grower and says that we at Carol Gardens get it done .

Fantastic Weather and timing !!!

Fantastic weather for the next 5 days. Get that garden in shape , fertilize , weeds gone , light cultivation, apply neem oil to plants , add a few cold weather plants such as Broccoli,Cauliflower,Cabbage,Salad Blends & Root Vegetables for January Harvest. P.S. 15 minutes a day in the Garden. tommy

Current Farmer Market Updates as of 11-1-11

Thur. *No Markets at this time

Fri. 10 - 2 Victoria Gardens - Rancho Cucamonga
( Main Street in front of - William Sonoma.

Sat. 8 - 1 Corona Certified Farmers Market 488 N. Main St. Corona,Ca. 91 fwy @ Main St.

**Formerly Upland Farmers Market

Sun. 8 - 1 Riverside Farmers Market @ Tyler Mall ( In Front of Barnes & Noble.

Thank You for your continued support , tommy

Fridays Rain Delay

We were at Victoria Gardens and were meet with the bad news the market for today 11-4-11 has been canceled for safety due to high winds expected.Sorry for this Last minute market Update.

Lemongrass & Chamomile with Stevia leaf .

Brewed to perfection not 7 min. gas stove and sauce pan.
Easy.Let stand awhile and get relaxed.Serve hot or cold.

October and still planting .

Lets be truthful we all know its a cooling . However there's one more plucking to enjoy prior till late January's frost. And we also have had great receptions to our Broccoli , Cauliflower and Cabbage starts. Yes its cool seasons soon and were in the heart of plant harvest and  production. We have a few of the late season Purple Cherokee tomato's left as well. Enjoy shaking out that old gardening coat and maybe washing  it this season.tommy

Passing Grades.

We have passed State Certification. Again!!!! congratulations to all.   tommy

Stevia Update from MSN

"We need to be off of sugar, but we need good alternatives, and stevia is the safest sweetener there is, period," says Gates, who coauthored The Stevia Cookbook: Cooking with Nature's Calorie-Free Sweetener (Avery Trade, 2004). All types of stevia are extracted from the leaves of the stevia plant, but some forms taste better than others, says Gates. People tend to overuse powders, in which the sweetness is really concentrated, so if you've tried powders in the past and didn't like them, try liquid forms, explains Gates, who helped develop a liquid stevia sweetener product. Stevia contains zero calories, but its one downfall is that it doesn't work well for baking. Expect to see more stevia on store shelves, as Coke and Pepsi got the green light to use Truvia (a sweetener made in part from stevia) starting later this year.

"Teas from Carol's Cuttings"

Its Official, " Teas from Carol's Cuttings " will start making there way to market soon! We are so excited to be able to share what so many enjoy.

Berry, Berry good!

Fresh From The Farm is Best.

This is just Fantastic if you get to the market early enough,

• 1/4 cup honey
• 6 lemon thyme sprigs
• 4 cups mixed berries (raspberries, blackberries, strawberries)
• Fresh thyme sprigs, for garnish

1. Place honey in small saucepan; bring to a simmer. Add thyme sprigs; cover and steep for 10 minutes. Strain honey, discarding thyme.

2. Pour warm Lemon Thyme Honey over berries in individual bowls.  Serve immediately. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.

Oregano has the highest antioxidant potency of any herb.

Here are just a few ways to enjoy Oregano.
• In a spinach and cheese frittata
• Sprinkled on roasted cauliflower
• Tossed in a Tuscan bean salad with heirloom tomatoes
• Baked into muffins or biscuits with chopped olives and mozzarella cheese
• Added to a butternut squash and lentil soup
• Sprinkled on a Greek-style pizza with feta cheese
• On a grilled chicken, eggplant and vine-ripened tomato sandwich
• In a white bean dip with fresh veggies on the side for dipping
• Baked into a whole-grain tomato focaccia with pecorino cheese
• Added with lemon and melted butter when basting grille vegetables, chicken or fish

New Arrivals,Basil and Salad Blends Mesclon Mix..

    That's right its time for there debut for the market this weekend salad blends and new fresh basil plantings. Looking toward Cut and Come again Salads.

These were pretty popular last season so we are continuing this season with last years price of $3.50 per 4.25in. pot and $2.00 for our 3in. pot.

    Hope to see you at the Market soon..

Coming Soon!!!!!!

Our e-book coming soon. Follow us and respond with interest and information you would like and we will follow suit. Leave suggestions on our contact page,Carol Gardens

Extra! Water Ahead of the Heat

   Evening is a fantastic time to deep soak those veggies. It will be even better returning from the garden with those few loose sprigs of herbs and mint to fetch that taste your friends will endure while with a quizzing face  try to tell what you added? Tell me i'm lying! Right... And yes this past week was hot my a/c quit twice. We hope to see you next week. Carol Gardens..
   On a P.S. Note our Fans have asked for recipes for themselves on how to spice up and flavor there  favorite dish, Coming Soon !  Make sure your email and Herb/Dish in question is included.

Tis the Thyme ?

      Just something i Found. It is simplest to consider thymes in two groups: creeping varieties and bushy varieties from Creeping thymes tend to be primarily ornamental. Their leaves are edible, but their shoots are so short that they’re difficult to use. Their scents often dissipate during cooking, leaving no significant taste. They have a prostrate habit and form thick mats of wiry stems covered in tiny green leaves. Quick drainage, full sun and good air circulation are the keys to success with creeping thymes. They are suitable for groundcover in hot, dry areas.

Daughters and the Internet

My Daughter Sarah watched her dad wire and wire and rewire his three year old linksys G router until his wireer was done. She told me that she loved me because I was so persistant that i felt , One more Time and i can do this..... She walked in today with a new Netgear router had wireless in 10 minutes, Done...
Love your Daughters for evvvvvsssss!!!!!!!!!!!!!tommy

Customer Loyalty and Appreciation

 What a Hit the Victoria Gardens Certified Farmers Market on Friday's has been, Thanks to the Fantastic Customers who's continued support and the great leadership from the folks at Harvest Heritage Farmers Market,  has made to all of us local farmers. We here at Carol Gardens thank each and all of you. We have been so successful that we are seeing clients from other local markets and that tells you something good is going on. I personally would like to thank The Victoria Gardens Mall Organization for hosting and promoting it with style and flare.. The support staff in the early A.M. Thanks!

Neem Oil, insect and garden pest Help.

MATERIAL NAME: Neem (azadirachtin, neem oil, neem oil soap)
MATERIAL TYPE: Botanical
U.S. EPA TOXICITY CATEGORY: III, “Caution” (Neemix carries a
“Warning” signal word)
USDA-NOP: considered a non-synthetic botanical pesticide; its use is
regulated. Preventive, cultural, mechanical and physical methods must be
first choice for pest control, and conditions for use of a biological material
must be documented in the organic system plan (NOP 2000).
MATERIAL DESCRIPTION: Neem products are derived from the
neem tree, Azadiracta indica. The neem tree is native to southern Asia and
can grow in most arid sub-tropical and tropical areas of the world (Copping
2001). Called Sarva Roga Nirvani, a “cure of all ailments” in Sanskrit, neem
has been used for centuries for medical, cosmetic and pesticidal purposes.
Although Indian scientists were researching the use of neem as early as the
1920s, there was little global attention until a German entomologist noticed
in 1959 that neem trees in the Sudan resisted an attack of migratory locusts.
Since that time, there has been considerable research and commercialization of neem products (Ruckin 1992).  
Neem pesticide products are usually made by crushing neem tree seeds,
then using water or a solvent such as alcohol to extract the pesticidal constituents. Other products are made from cold-pressed neem seed oil or from
further processed neem oil. Neem products produced with different extraction techniques may result in different biologically active chemicals (or
amounts of chemicals) being present in a product. Thus, the efficacy of different products may vary. Neem cake is the residual seed meal remaining
after extraction of oil from seeds. This is often sold as a fertilizer product.

Special Orders / Special Needs

   We all want one or have a special plant that we use in our own secret recipe
that separates yours from one another favorite dish. Mine just happens to be Thai Basil.  Yes Thai basil, on my eggs makes me happy and for a good reason,
there great flavor and spicy zing give them a special edge over anyone else's.
  So if this happens to fit your need , send me a email and I'll see if we grow it or can get it for you . Tommy

Cool Weather,nice

What a transplant this has been. Late on my new post as we are setting up the yard and Riverside internet fine tuning are hot spot.We have not been 100 % during our relocation downtown, however we maintain at plant speed. tommy. Again we are at the root of the prize.Enjoy this beach weather with out the drive.

New Soil.

Carol Gardens

We are excited to have a new yard to expand are Grow. Moving a grow is like repotting a plant, there is loss at first , reintroduction to new environment , new hours of light and intensity, plant positioning , root growth , and then new Blooms. So it is for you our dedicated patrons and future clients , We Grow. tommy

YouTube ? Tommy!!!!!!!!!

Carol Gardens has a YouTube channel. Yes its new and we are kinda well rolling with it.;) ya know what i mean. Check it out, The Magic Herb Garden. well like i said we are rolling. ; ). tommy

Fantastic Fans

       Today we gave away 9 Herb plants to New Facebook Fans of Carol   Gardens.
       We look forward to many more freebies to our loyal and continued fanbase. Thanks so much. tommy
      

Free Herb/Veggie with a string......

Join, and follow us on Facebook, and recieve a free Herb, this Sunday at Riverside's Certified Farmers Market, Tyler Galleria Mall, Riverside , Ca. 
In front of  Barnes & Nobles bookstore 8:30 - 12:30 ''rain or shine'' ooh that felt good saying that. tommy


ps. thanks bunches and i will do my best.

Like Us On Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Carol-Gardens/205747022783632 We appreciate all of Your support and love are treasured Guest. tommy

Weather is perfect.

     Can i say thanks for the extra week of cool temps for the salad community. Perfect time to spray Neem Oil 1 teaspoon to a Gallon in your spray bottle ,and pull up those leafs and give them a wetting ,bottoms then tops. your plants will love you. Its cloudy and temps are perfect.
    Don't forget mornings are best prior to sunrise by at least and hour before direct sun light. If your spary will not stick try a couple of drops of dish soap to your solution and shake well.
    And today i was told of another thyme that bit the dust or as i was told had a grave dry out and suffered a major set back. Get those plants in the larger Pots or in the Soil asap. We know your busy, just 15 minutes a day to the garden . Lets not make this our second Job. tommy

Four Markets Selected!

This will be our New Market locations for the Summer and Fall  2011.


New Friday Location  @
Victoria Gardens , Rancho Cucamonga


Thur. 2 - 7    Rancho Cucamonga Farmers Market   ( Rochester & Foothill-      
                      In front of Four Seasons Inn. ; )
Fri.    8 - 1    Rancho Cucamonga Victoria Gardens ( Main Street in front of -
                      William Sonoma. ; )
Sat.    8 - 1    Upland Farmers Market
Sun.   8 - 1    Riverside Farmers Market  @ Tyler Mall ( Front of Barnes & Noble. ; )


Thank You for your continued support , tommy

Just cut the Cilantro

Just cut Cilantro this morning and my hands smell wonderful. It smells like my favorite Taco Station, well at least one of my favorites. So as a reminder use it or loose it.  This weeks hot item was lemon basil , running second was Thai Basil. This week at the market will be Peppers....

Temper, Temper, Tempers

So.... how hot will it get and for how long....no more salads and lettuce because of a little heat? Tell me it isn't so Mable! You have to want to do this for love or we'll see you in line at the check out. So get your attitude right and know there's still plenty of yard with the right temperature for the temperamental little guys... oh and get a fresh glass of your favorite Tea,don't forget the Mint.

Get those container plants in the Ground.

To often we make a purchase of plants and soil amendments , get them home and they set. Well by the time next Saturday roles around are stuff looks, well not as fresh as when we purchased them. So make every effort before your  cash is laid out, do your plants a favor. Prepare ahead of time. You know that spot where you pudder around in the yard, hang out away from the world, Thats were i would plant.