Garden of Paradise

10/15/2026

The Brussel Sprouts are a complete loss. This is one of the crops that got hit hardest by the pesticide drift. The plants are half the height they were last year and the stalks are mostly hollow and falling over. What Sprouts are present are very small and some are rotten through the core. Out of 600+ plants I pulled 4.5 pounds of sprouts. Should have about 75x that. Complete loss.

10/15/2026

This event is worth attending. I’ve been there the last several years.

Are you passionate about local food and connecting with your community? If so, you won’t want to miss the fourth annual Southwest Iowa Local Foods Summit on Friday, Nov. 6 in Glenwood, Iowa!

At this free, one-day, you’ll have the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, enjoy fresh, locally sourced meals, discover new resources, and maybe even learn something new!

You’ll also hear from featured presenters Jodi Reese and Denise O’Brien, two founders of the Nishnabotna Water Defenders , a group working hard to protect and preserve their local watershed through education and advocacy.

This event is completely free, so don’t forget to register by Oct. 30. We can’t wait to see you there!

Registration link in the comments.

10/14/2026

I’ll be open for on farm sales Wednesday through Sunday 11am to 7pm. 1524 150th Street Essex 51638. It’s self serve and the prices are listed.

Watermelons are gonna be gone soon so don’t miss out!!

10/13/2026

Get some locally grown Mums before the cold weather comes!

10/12/2026

I harvested a row of Pink Radishes yesterday. I typically pull the babies and underdeveloped Radishes to make way for the next row, but this late in the season I left them alone. If the weather holds they might put on a little growth and I can harvest the row again. Second reason I did that was that single row was the only row of Radishes I was able to plant in September before the rain started. I missed all the subsequent plantings due to the rain. A few days ago, once it dried out enough, I planted 3 rows. Super late in the year but with the nice weather I might get lucky and get some baby radishes. If the weather doesn’t hold it’ll be left overwinter as a cover crop. We’ll see what happens!

10/11/2026

I’m setup in the garage on the farm today until 7pm! 1524 150th St Essex 51638. It’s self serve and all the prices are listed.

Watermelon are almost gone for the season!!
Green Beans won’t be around much longer either.
I also have Garlic, Carrots, Cauliflower and Eggplant.

Stop by and grab some veggies for dinner this week!

10/10/2026

I’m setup outside at The Mill downtown Shenandoah from 10am to 2pm. I have Watermelon, Sweet Peppers, Carrots, Eggplant, Green Beans, Kale, Cherry Tomatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Garlic, dried Herbs and Spices and dried Sage Bundles. Wicked Sips Specialty Drinks is here as well as other vendors. Stop down and support local!

10/09/2026

Come see me tomorrow in Shenandoah!

10/08/2026

I started digging the Sweet Potatoes. They’re a little smaller than I typically see this time of year. Since the weather is going to be nice ish for the next week, I’m gonna wait to dig the rest. See if they’ll bulk up a little bit more. I do have some available for sale. Stop out and grab some!