Behind our Kelso Poppies

Our “Kelso Poppies” are showing their pretty faces in the garden right now—and what a beautiful sight they are to behold! People regularly ask about them as they are unusual, so here’s the backstory… The Kelsos were the landowners on our homestead 75 years ago. When we arrived and a fragile pink poppy with a purplish center emerged, we salvaged it! From one lone poppy, we now have hundreds throughout the garden. As a special treat to our CSA shareholders, this week each basket will contain a packet of Kelso Poppy seeds so they can grow their own and keep this rare breed of poppy alive and well for generations to come—a nice parting gift as we transition to the Summer CSA beginning next week! In addition to the poppy, we also saved and repopulated the original pear tree on the property and irises that eventually appeared. I continue to feel blessed to have learned gardening skills from my grandmother and be a part of the giving and taking from the earth in such a wholesome, nurturing way.