The “Feast of St. Valentine” is celebrated by various Christian denominations worldwide.

In the United States today, more than 190 million Valentine’s Day cards are sent and that doesn’t count those exchanged by school children. Valentines Day has a rich and diverse history you can read about on wikipedia.

Remember the poem, “Roses are Red and Violets are Blue?” Where did they come from, these red roses and blue violets?

According to The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes (Oxford University Press, 1951), the first version of this children’s poem appears in Joseph Ritson’s Gammer Gurton’s Garland, or the Nursery Parnassus (London, 1784):

The rose is red, the violet’s blue
The honey’s sweet, and so are you
Thou are my love and I am thine
I drew thee to my Valentine
The lot was cast and then I drew
And Fortune said it shou’d be you.

Orders for February 20

Meanwhile, Hattie’s Garden will continue to bring you good whole food this winter with our delivery/pickup service on Saturday, February 20. You may order online through noon on Wednesday, February 17.

We have great hydroponic lettuces and produce from Future Harvest, some nice produce from Chesapeake Organic and red onions from Deep Grass Nursery. We hope you will also partake of the many other wholesome local offerings, including prepared foods, jellies and jams, made with only the best ingredients, as well as local eggs, artisan cheeses, locally grown free-range meats and nice fresh mushrooms.

Here is the schedule for our service for the next three weeks:

• Saturday, February 20 – Pickup / Delivery Service — (deadline to order: Wednesday, Feb 17).
• February 27, No Service.
• Saturday, March 5 – Pickup / Delivery Service — (deadline to order: Wednesday, March 2).

We will update March for you as we learn what may be available.

Plant CSA

If you are thinking of purchasing plants from Hattie’s Garden this year, you may be interested in our Plant CSA. Full information is on our website and any credits you buy will come at a 10% discount on plants.

Yours, in love, but feeling the need for spring,