THE SEASONS OF THE GARDEN

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It's the dead of winter, and in many parts of the country the cold wind mutters threats of snow. The frost is deep in the soil, and the green of the garden is only a memory. Inside, the rootcellar's starting to look mighty bare, and the jars of put-by tomatoes are dwindling fast. Grab a kitten for comfort, curl up in front of the fire with your garden plan and the new seed catalogs . . . and dream of spring's fresh promise.

All-Americans

Two of the All-America Selections for 1980 are of particular interest to vegetable gardeners. A wonderful vivid yellow zucchini, named Gold Rush, sets loads of squash on compact plants (they take up a mere four square feet!). The unusual plant's habit of growth is upright and open, so air can easily penetrate to the base and prevent overly wet soil and rotting fruit. Furthermore, just think how attractive bright yellow Gold Rush would look when steamed up with a crisp batch of dark green Scallopini squash ... a Patty Panlzucchini cross that was an All -America winner in 1977!

Another 1980 prizewinner, the bronze medal Holiday Time pepper, is both ornamental and edible! The compact plants (a full-grown specimen can be put in a quart jar) will even bloom and set fruit indoors . . . and you don't need to worry about insect-or hand-pollination. The fruits poke up through the foliage like tiny dunce caps, and they color as they mature from yellow to orange to scarlet. When it's time for some spicy food, you'll find that the little peppers can make a pungent contribution to your meal.

And here's a little more All-American news: The (organic, naturally) garden at MOTHER's Eco-Village has been designated a display garden by the All-America Selections folks. This means we'll be exhibiting AAS winners fromthe past, present, and immediate future . . . and that people who attend next year's seminar series on MOTHER's beautiful mountain property will have still another sight to look forward to! More about our organic display garden the only one we know of!-in future issues.

Keepin' It Sweet

Folks used to joke that the only way to really appreciate the flavor of sweet corn was to have a pot of boiling water next to you in the field as you cut the succulent ears . . . because the time it took to walk from the corn patch to the kitchen was considered long enough for this delicate vegetable's rich supply of sugar to start changing to starch.

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