Market Farming

[Allan Balliett <igg AT igg.com>]

Friends -

As I've mentioned earlier, I'm following in someone else's shoes this 
season. This has brought up a couple of questions about things I 
havent had to deal with, things I haven't had to deal with before.

I have a bunch of over-wintered leeks. Some of them are starting to 
flower. Are they ruined as food leeks if they flower? Or will they 
continue to 'fatten' after flowering? What should I do?

I have a lot of culinary sage, something I've never been blessed with 
before. It's starting to bloom. Are the blue flower spikes worthwhile 
as cut flowers? Should I have cut back the sage before it flowered? 
Should I cut it back now that it has flowered?

Similar question about oregano and thyme: do I have to keep them cut 
low to get the most out of them, or can I let them get gangely?

Now a more perenial question:

I had a couple of shareholder volunteers working with me the other 
day. One of them said 'I'd rather work naked than get any of that 
dirt on the knees of my jeans." Well, it's fine with me if 
shareholders want to work naked, but I'm not going to do it. I am 
wondering, though, if anyone on this group has found a reliable way 
of removing soil stains from the knees of jeans. Such information 
sure would be welcome in this household!

thanks

-Allan
in Virginia