Growing Anew

Happy New Year Friends.

Between reading Consumed: Food for a Finite Planet, hearing about an old debate and bet about population growth and resources between an economist and biologists this morning and viewing some of these fabulously made videos on permaculture and sustainable gardening/food harvesting I'm reminded of my ever-standing goal of growing as much of my own food in my own space as possible. And this is my resolution every year. And with that the New Year has begun with this:

 Spicy Coconut Squash Soup with Kale

The highlighted veg here is the squash. This dish can be made with either sweet potatoes (which I also have) or squash. This squash is Seminole. It is a wild squash that is very resistant to pests and disease and thus productive. I grew it for the first time and will continue to do so. We have problems with squash borers and stink bugs around here and this one seemed to not attract either. It is a small, variably-shaped, heather-orange skinned squash that grows rampant. 

Curry sauce base: 2 tsp salt, 3 cloves garlic, 1 small chili, 1 Tbs fresh ginger (attempting to grow my own now), 1 tsp coriander (ground), 1/2 tsp turmeric, 1 can coconut milk (not exactly local), 2 c. water, 1 chopped onion sauteed 

After tasting the sweet squash (that I'm storing in my unheated garage) I decided to save the seeds. I just cleaned the pulp off under water and dried on a paper towel and then stored in a paper envelope.

Wild Seminole Squash Seeds

Seeds started:

12/25/13: started pepper seeds in baggies on water heater

12/26/13: started, but not yet up: spinach mix, celery, walking stick kale, forager kale

12/26/13: started and germinated: tronchuda cabbage (leafing cabbage), Russian kale, pak choi

Pak Choi

Sustainable gardening should take into consideration plants aside from those directly usable by humans. Diversity of plants and wildlife should be maintained as much as possible. With this in mind I have established a living fence on  my property. A living fence is in essence a hedgerow. This isn't a new idea to the old time farmers. It's just something we shouldn't have gotten away from. My living fence includes lots of native shrubs, wildflowers and vines. In a small attempt to help the struggling Monarch butterfly population I've begun adding more Milkweeds to my property, along with other native wildflowers I don't currently grow. Here is how I am stratifying & starting some of those seeds: 

Seed stratification

Stratification is the necessary exposure to a cold and moist period in order for many native perennial seeds to break dormancy. I've planted the seeds in pots, held in trays to hold some moisture and labeled. Nature is doing the rest of the work. 

Sustainable gardening for me includes feeding the birds. Since I moved into this property and greatly increased the diversity of plants and habitat options I have seen a significant increase in the number of species of birds I have and the number of birds in general, even while (and I hate to admit it) having outdoor cats. The only real reason I have outdoor cats is because they were abandoned pets that showed up and refuse to live in my home (tore through the screens to get out). 

House Sparrows

While House Sparrows are not native and there are a load of them in my yard and not the best example of diversity and sustainability they are here. They were introduced to this country the same year my house was built, 1851. Unless a disease wipes them out they aren't leaving. So, looking on the bright side these birds do eat seeds and insects, which are two reasons why having birds in sustainable farms and gardens is useful. 

Overwintering progress report

Most of the overwintered plants in my basement are looking as pathetic as they usually do this time of year, except for the chili peppers which are still very green and full of leaves. Maybe I've done a better job of keeping them watered this year? 

usual sad looking overwintered annuals

Habanero looking good

Mustard or Peach Habanero 

Today I will probably start another round of greens in the basement garden as I hope to have cycles of plants ready for early spring/late winter gardening. Very soon I will place my spring/summer seed order. I've already marked my catalogs. 

Gardening forces optimism on me. 

I need that. 

-Me

Happy Fall in the Garden

Just a few quick updates.

I have waited to harvest the mother load of peppers until many were red. It also means I can process the greatest number at once. I use these mainly for these 3 purposes: beans & rice, soups, breakfast taters.
I think I should plant an entire garden bed of assorted peppers next year and stake them! Most of these were weighing the plants down.

Pepper harvest:
Includes Red Marconi, Jimmy Nardello frying peppers, Friariello di Napoli, bananas, bells.

Prepping for freezing: 

Wash cycle

Chop and spread on cookie sheet for freezing.

Once frozen through store in freezer bags.

While I'm at it- saving seed.

I've decided I need to do more of this. The best reason

to start keeping seed is that I should be able to establish my own

ecotype strain of plants that do best in my garden over time.

This Pandora Striped Rose eggplant got huge, but didn't produce a lot of fruit. I grew 3 varieties of eggplant this year and the Japanese types did the best. I think I should just stick with those. I'd also like to grow more eggplant next year. 

Seedling progress. At least some of all of the seed I started in pots is up now- leeks, spinach, kale, pak choi, broccoli, parsley, cilantro and lettuce. In the raised beds the turnips and rutabaga have germinated and in the hoop house some seedlings of either or both kale and sprouting broccoli have germinated. I'm still waiting to see if any of my Cascadia Peas come up. 

Hoop house slow progress:

Still collecting brick. Planted 1 parsley, 6 bright lights chard and 3 tree collards.

Seedlings popping up on right side. 

Harvested Oaxacan Green corn. 

Traditionally used by the Zapotec Indians of S Mexico 

for green tamales.

Harvest 11 unknown volunteer squash that came up in the compost

I had spread in the garden. Maybe I should save some seed. 

It's obviously more productive than anything I've ever tried to intentionally grow!

Chickens say- Happy Fall Ya'll!

Patchy Frost

We saw our first patchy frost this weekend on Saturday and Sunday mornings, although my thermometer near the house read around 38 when I got up. We are definitely in Fall.

Tithonia at their peak

The Tithonia, Bright Lights Cosmos, Red Salvia and Black & Blue Salvia are in their glory. It is sad to know their brilliant colors could end in one night. I have at least 2 female Ruby-throated Hummingbirds still feeding at them and the feeder. 

Still Producing: Tomatoes (although slower now), Thai, Holy, Hairy Lemon and Italian Basils, Mexican Sour Gherkins, Onions, Peppers, Winter Squash, Pumpkin, Eggplant (slowly now).

Unknown Winter Squash variety

Frost-nipped Basil meant pesto for dinner last night

My only remaining pumpkin. The chickens discovered the other one in reach. Not sure if this one will be ripe by Halloween or before a killing frost.

My favorite tomato. White Currant. 

Mixed peppers- 2.25lbs here

This just in: Lettuces. I think we will have our first salad tonight. Hazelnuts and Grapes.

I had the most grapes produced this year than ever- harvested September 30th.

Mixed lettuces almost ready for harvest.

Stagger planting lettuces. Planted some today. Some ready for harvest and more to be planted.

About 7lbs of grapes. 

Became: 6 jars of no-added sugar jelly. 

I added a little grape juice where it called for water. 

Hazelnuts! 

Bowl of Hazelnuts ready for shelling. 

Things to come:

Pak Choi, Tatsoi, Arugula, Kale, onions- green & white, shallots, lettuces, spinach, parsnips, carrots, Jen Mei Fun, Collards, Corn Salad, Chard, Tronchuda cabbage

Evidence of Autumn:

Prairie Dock

Rose Hips

Red Salvia & Peppers

Tithonia, Cosmos, Milkweed, Red Salvia

Devil's Walking Stick (Bald Cypress- background)

Aronia fruit (chokeberry)

The orchard/chicken yard and future mini-high tunnel in the back.

Again, because I want to enjoy them while they last.

I'm determined to be a 4-season gardener. I planted another bed of greens today where the unproductive squashes were in the orchard. It was hard to pull out those gorgeous and succulent plants, but there were no blooms on them. Had to make room for winter crops. I also started more pac choi and bought some collard seeds from Dintelmann's this weekend. 

Happy Autumn.

Happiness is a Stag Beetle

As a child I remember seeing Stag and Rhinoceros beetles much more frequently. I can't remember the last Rhino beetle I saw. This Stag caught my eye lumbering through my garden. She's a beauty. I hope she finds a mate and they make many more for us to enjoy.

This dear bumble was either asleep or drunk on pollen. 

Hollyhock

What's in Bloom Updates

Starting with the Natives:

American Germander in my front yard prairie

Beebalm- makes my yard smell spicy on a warm and humid day.

Grey- headed Coneflower

False Sunflower

Mountain Mint

And now for some non-natives

Speckled Balsam- reminds me of Great Aunt Mary

Black and Blue Salvia (overwinters in my basement)

Browalia- easy from seed

Dwarf Canna- at the back door (overwintered the roots)

Moody Blues Nigella- aka Love in a Mist

What's to Eat?

First broccoli- Purple Sprouting

First Plums 

First Summer Squashes

A volunteer Acorn Squash! 

Black Mission Figs

Note: if you don't get these first the ants will. Wow- melt in your mouth yumminess.

I have had some cherry tomatoes, but you won't see them pictured since I ate them in the garden.

Still Growing: Updates

It's working! No Flea Beetles. 100% Organic Eggplant. Finally.

And now for: Yay for Free Crap!

I went rock harvesting along a nearby roadcut.

And made some new edging for a bed. Just a little exercise sans the gym membership.

Very cool rocks with lots of fossils, iron and quarts. 

Other Projects: Propagation

Because I'm cheap (oh, you didn't know?) I bought an aluminum food dish at the dollar store to use as a propagator or mini-greenhouse. It maintains a high humidity needed for starting new plants from cuttings.

In my "propagator" I have ajuga (left) and Lamium (right). So far so good.

Sedum cutting update: 100% success rate so far:

Other notes:

Tomato plants have some fruits, but the plants seem delayed in growth. My guess is the lack of moisture. Likewise, my cucumbers are sitting there with 1-2 leaves on them and hating life. The apples seem more productive than ever. What drops the squirrels and chickens are munching on. Still harvesting lots of greens and sharing them with the chickens. They seem partial to the Tronchuda Leafing Cabbage. I have some garlic scapes I need to do something with. 

Garlic Scapes

That's about it from me for this week. Here's a closing full-garden photo.