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Sunday, December 31, 2017

TDN Newsletter 12-31-17

New Year's Eve, 2017
Dear Gardening Friends...


Jake Trigo
2007 - 2017


It's with heavy hearts and yet happy memories that we share the news of the passing of our beloved Jake. This sweet, shy boy was, of course, one of the original Two Dogs. We adopted him and his cell-mate, Lalo, together from the South L.A. Shelter in March of 2007. His photo had come up on their website, and immediately I wanted to get ahold of him and brush his fur, which was matted and dirty. We were still mourning the loss of our first dog, a beautiful long haired (or "rough coated") Border Collie named Paco, and although, he had a short (or "flat") coat, there was something about Jake that grabbed our hearts in the same way that Paco had.

He was 9 months old when he came to the Shelter as a "stray", which meant he couldn't be adopted for 5 days, in case his "owner" came looking for him. I knew he was ours!
His c
ell mate was a very skinny, fearful Pitt mix with big, pleading eyes who was on "death row". The two seemed bonded, even though they had not been together for very long. We went to visit them at least once a day for the full 5 days, and on the morning they could be freed, we were there when the Shelter opened.

Both boys were a bit of a mess, emotionally, as Rescues often are. Prior to their adoption, Alex and I had not only lost Paco, but had been forced to greatly downsize our original business, La Paloma Design, when the economy began to crash; having had that business for more than 18 years, and having dearly loved it, it was like another death for us. Then, a month after we brought Jake & Lalo home, my own Dad passed on.

The compounded heartache ignited a great need in me to get my hands in the soil... "horticultural therapy", as they say. But all my plans for an in-ground garden were thwarted by the wild destruction our new boys were wreaking on the back yard. It was the
simple question from a friend, "Don't you know about the EarthBoxes?", that brought about the Nursery. At his suggestion, I ordered 3 EarthBoxes online, put them up out of the boys' reach, and from the moment I planted them, I felt possessed with growing food and getting other people started, too. I had this instinct that knowing how to grow at least some of our own food was a vitally important Life Skill.


Things developed very quickly - not just Seedlings, but Organic Certification, the inclusion of Soils, Composts and Berry Bushes and Fruit Trees, the seven years of Farmers Markets - it all manifested as though meant to be, whether we were game or not!!


Anyway, throughout it all, Jake and Lalo were there...guarding, greeting, babysitting and being Nursery Ambassadors, in general. Then, of course, our third Rescue, Charlie, came along 3 years ago and added to the fun.
But it
was our Jake (aka Jake the Cake) who really started it all...without him, there would have been no Lalo, and certainly, no Two Dog Nursery.


As I said, he was shy, but he was also very intelligent and dignified, as Border Collies tend to be... and, privately, he was also very funny and loved to steal Papa's socks or all the towels from Lalo's bed and run wildly around the house with them!! He didn't like his picture taken and was reserved with his affections, but you knew it meant something when he would snuggle close on the sofa. We miss him very much, and so does Lalo, but we feel his quiet presence here and send him all our love. Rest in Peace sweet boy, and thank you for everything.



It's that time again!!

Today we sowed the first round of 900 Peppers and Eggplants for the coming Spring season...a combined total of 31 varieties.

Next week, we will sow the first 1,000 Heirloom Tomato seeds; we're offering 45 varieties this year! The Heirloom Tomato website page will be fully updated and live on
New Year's morning, by 6:00am.
Pre-Ordering will begin at that time also!

The rest of the 2018 Spring/Summer page will be updated
by the end of January.

Oh, and Save The Date:
Our annual Spring Kick-Off Sale and Food Drive will be held the weekend of March 10th and 11th. More details will be available in our February Newsletter!


~DON'T FORGET~

The 2018 Heirloom Tomato Line-Up
will be live online by
6:00am New Year's morning!!


Check out the full list here!

You may
Pre-Order your Tomato plants tomorrow
and pick them up at our

Season Kick-Off Sale, March 10th & 11th

***********************

Of course, we'll be selling tomatoes for months, but we know some of you like to get a real early jump on it!!


A Final Reminder....
If you miss it, you'll have to wait another year!!

The Asparagus will need a good-sized dedicated bed, but Rhubarb will grow nicely in a large Smart Pot or wine barrel. Both are Perennial Vegetables, and as such, they will produce for ages!!



Our First Event of the New Year!!
~~~
Please come to our January Open House

Saturday, January 13th
from 10am until 4pm
at the Two Dog Home Nursery

Click here for more Details!

Friends, there are 3 months of great growing left before we plant our Spring gardens, so don't miss out on Peas, Lettuces, Spinach, Arugula, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Edible Flowers, Herbs,
and so much more!

Plus...BLUEBERRIES! They are budding out like mad,
and will be producing amazing fruit by April,
so get yours in now!

That's it for now, Friends...
We hope to see you here on the 13th, and we want to wish you all a very Happy, Healthy and Joyous New Year, with Gardening high on your priority list!
We all know the importance of a little "horticultural therapy", right?


Thank you all for your continued support; we really do appreciate you!!

With love,
Jo Anne, Alex, and the Boys

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