tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85467187300438975002024-02-27T15:20:03.993-08:00Backyard FarmingMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04169799115572882024noreply@blogger.comBlogger981125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-18663306552639493182016-09-30T12:19:00.002-07:002016-09-30T12:37:25.498-07:00A different game of squash<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Q: What do you do when summer squash morphs from tenderly edible and cute to a rock-hard, warty weapon? (Oftentimes before you or your *harvest crew ever spy it in the garden!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">A: You unleash your own weapons of mass destruction (aka: your boys) to break the squash into compost-able smithereens.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Really, Mom, you WANT us to hit the squash? This is awesome!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Tell the boys they need to rake the spoils so you can measure who has the biggest pile. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Mom for the victory!</span></div>
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*(Wait, that's fewer squash for the <strike>boys</strike> harvest crew to eat. Ooh, they're sneaky.)</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-8396335810189322252016-08-12T12:36:00.003-07:002016-08-12T12:39:12.804-07:00Durable garden trellises and tomato cages from concrete reinforcing mesh<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2kFlvIsIIuKuK-YZkq1knuMR30s-tOZgxVsrasiV3q4QfUKPoNfmMjSXad0h958s5QoThyliKedJTfYqCPweXFWPhewEhpToF3_1vvIerqvRfHcbi5ZSS_deAFmjtIT70DKWraxv_F31/s1600/DSC_0369.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw2kFlvIsIIuKuK-YZkq1knuMR30s-tOZgxVsrasiV3q4QfUKPoNfmMjSXad0h958s5QoThyliKedJTfYqCPweXFWPhewEhpToF3_1vvIerqvRfHcbi5ZSS_deAFmjtIT70DKWraxv_F31/s640/DSC_0369.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" title="Pole beans climb garden trellis made from metal concrete reinforcing mesh." width="334" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAHdlZsLeKn6Zx5YqgcM3-3BEhowf221LMfdng6usfn2wnaIgOqb3yxBvJskteQsXaBhlW8PiH-KN-umlzIDAxeJTU4DG-jo14z_BceyNtramst1YaF75ZwJ3X_TJjdIw7rP7_zMDLna4/s1600/DSC_0048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #888888; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNAHdlZsLeKn6Zx5YqgcM3-3BEhowf221LMfdng6usfn2wnaIgOqb3yxBvJskteQsXaBhlW8PiH-KN-umlzIDAxeJTU4DG-jo14z_BceyNtramst1YaF75ZwJ3X_TJjdIw7rP7_zMDLna4/s640/DSC_0048.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" title="Cucumbers climb trellis made of concrete reinforcing mesh in a community garden. The trellis is easy to remove at season's end." width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11px; text-align: center;">Cucumbers climb a trellis in a community garden. The trellis is easy to remove at season's end.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxy_Tr-mpHNxBiQ0KN19kf68Ls4NqRP7QVlbgsx7JIAiFxh4Y0r_bTNy-SrJpQtkfoFtAsVwaxDqF5xHaF2DlzRugFTfh6pJwb2fu5ryWYYPsX9vXF7qf4IpgR-hsBlJ6xMjEhBScDnWpO/s1600/DSC_0367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #888888; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxy_Tr-mpHNxBiQ0KN19kf68Ls4NqRP7QVlbgsx7JIAiFxh4Y0r_bTNy-SrJpQtkfoFtAsVwaxDqF5xHaF2DlzRugFTfh6pJwb2fu5ryWYYPsX9vXF7qf4IpgR-hsBlJ6xMjEhBScDnWpO/s320/DSC_0367.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" width="211" /></a></div>
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Concrete reinforcing mesh outranks typical metal tomato cages in size, strength and ease of both harvest and storage between seasons. The metal grids are widely available at hardware stores and home and garden centers. The mesh comes in rolls of 100 feet or in panels typically 4x8 feet. The panels cost around $8. Yes, that may be pricier than a single tomato cage, but these cages are big enough to place two or three tomato plants inside -- and they'll last for years. The openings are 6 inches across, allowing for easy harvest.</div>
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A main advantage of the panels vs. rolls is not having to cut the mesh. To make a tomato cage bring the short ends together and use cable ties to join into a tube. This forms free-standing cages, or you may stake into the ground with rebar poles for extra security. (But they're not going anywhere!) At season's end cut the cable ties and stack panels flat against a wall or fence. </div>
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To make a trellis use three long rebar poles per panel: two at either short end and one in the middle. Hammer the poles into the ground 12 inches or so deep. Attach the panel with cables ties. If you want the trellis to be elevated off the ground, use a wide wooden stake next to the rebar poles to form a shelf for the panel bottom before attaching with cable ties. </div>
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Trellises from concrete reinforcing mesh are easy to set up and easy to take down, but have the strength of more permanent installations -- making them ideal for shared gardens or crop rotations in your home plot.</div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtTGepYSxUeBsEohs5vYhS094rh0jFVjYSMoupKQemb_1pi6196txE9-KP2AgQsKekKQNRwN0oDeb0jUxOmJLWvb6EfEQD_FJXFFpk4eT99XGK41su5sS3kP8jIfa1oLa5BXQrJXFclVS/s1600/DSC_0368.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #888888; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtTGepYSxUeBsEohs5vYhS094rh0jFVjYSMoupKQemb_1pi6196txE9-KP2AgQsKekKQNRwN0oDeb0jUxOmJLWvb6EfEQD_FJXFFpk4eT99XGK41su5sS3kP8jIfa1oLa5BXQrJXFclVS/s320/DSC_0368.jpg" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 0px; background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;" title="Pole beans climb trellis made of concrete reinforcing mesh." width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11px;">Poles beans climb trellis made of concrete reinforcing mesh.</td></tr>
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-33711313066983794942016-07-12T12:13:00.000-07:002016-07-12T12:13:23.012-07:00The Not So Secret Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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In my <a data-mce-href="https://ourgoodstory.wordpress.com/2016/07/09/the-opposite-of-minimalism/" href="https://ourgoodstory.wordpress.com/2016/07/09/the-opposite-of-minimalism/">post</a>
on our travel blog about the huge 178,000 square foot Biltmore Mansion that we visited in Asheville, North Carolina, I mentioned that it
was built upon an 8,000 acre estate. The grounds of the estate were
designed by Frederick Law Olmstead who also designed Central Park.<br />
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The
grounds are amazing and if I lived in the area I might buy a membership
to the Biltmore Mansion to visit the gardens during different parts of
the year as there are plants that grow and bloom throughout the year
giving a different experience each time.<br />
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There
are several different gardens that you can walk through on the estate
with paths that meander through. I was impressed by the variety and the
beauty of the grounds.<br />
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My favorite part was the huge greenhouse that houses several different types of plants.<br />
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There were a bunch of different orchids....<br />
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and cacti......<br />
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and a bunch of tropical plants.<br />
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I actually liked the Biltmore Gardens
even more than I liked the house even though I think the house is more famous. If you get a chance, visit the Biltmore Gardens in Asheville. They were amazing.Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04169799115572882024noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-13043640204901216622016-07-01T10:40:00.001-07:002016-07-01T10:40:48.800-07:00Weeding gadgetsTasks that can be done by hand are fine and dandy, but ones that justify the purchase of tools? Even better! <div>
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Leave it to my dad to have not one, but three, gadgets designed for weeding with minimal knee- or back-bending effort. </div>
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This black <span style="text-align: center;">one (without a brand name) has spikes at the end of the pole. Position it over the center of a weed and press down on the bottom platform with your foot. This action fans out the spikes slightly. When you pull the tool out of the ground the spikes close in around the weed root and extract it. The final move is to push on the knob and pop the weed from the tool. Set up a bucket for target practice and you're on your way to enticing the kiddos into the weeding <strike>chore</strike> game. This tool concept ranges $20-30 and is available under different makers at most big box stores or online. My dad loves this tool for weeding without damaging existing plantings. He says it is best suited for smaller weeds.</span></div>
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Next are two red ones are made by Garden Weasel in their Weedpopper line. First is the Step and Twist, which has two blades beneath a stepping platform. Like the black tool you place it on the center of a weed and press down with your foot. The difference is you twist the pole. It has two handlebars (a T joint) on top for easy twisting (not shown in my photos). It also has a plunger for popping weeds out. My dad chooses this one for weeds bigger than the black tool can handle -- but it also leaves a deeper hole. It costs around $25.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-rnLH5VmThtiqKIKPdLuI-Oh70p0IrvcN8M4Uz1XEEwnh5fSePpTXYNu4DRYqQd0tb7iQrt5xbhq2Gvz0yL9l04CLkZedbGMdu8GUIAIsmIYP54ZTEZGHpZexfNocONomU9DRIyFuc9L/s1600/DSC_1052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj-rnLH5VmThtiqKIKPdLuI-Oh70p0IrvcN8M4Uz1XEEwnh5fSePpTXYNu4DRYqQd0tb7iQrt5xbhq2Gvz0yL9l04CLkZedbGMdu8GUIAIsmIYP54ZTEZGHpZexfNocONomU9DRIyFuc9L/s320/DSC_1052.JPG" width="320" /></a>The second by Garden Weasel is the Weedpopper Pro. It has spikes at the end of a hinged metal box. Insert tool just off center of the weed and press on the box with your foot to thrust the spikes upward. It works rather like a mini, foot-activated pitchfork. It can work on all sizes of weeds, Dad says, but bigger weeds may need attack on multiple sides. My dad also likes this one for clearing grass in flower and garden beds. It is the most expensive of the bunch at $45 online. Whereas the other two tools shown here grasp the weeds allowing you to collect them without bending to the ground, this gadget leaves them in the dirt. But the kids have young backs, right?<br />
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What are your favorite gardening gadgets? My dad's birthday is coming up and I need ideas!Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-71506642034776052102016-06-30T07:38:00.000-07:002016-06-30T08:27:05.816-07:00Butterfly Garden Resources<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqH0Cit_n0zecEhD6v5kLVnlvANPEABfU0MaMEzQ5HrNKM7Xc_-FraL5ilX2iEICpf9rMocZBBH0_wkisqJJ1gECoTLz2gBJ3VI8071ZKwZsvi42XZk546x85GSR49L6spyHjjJ3G91WFB/s1600/butterfly+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqH0Cit_n0zecEhD6v5kLVnlvANPEABfU0MaMEzQ5HrNKM7Xc_-FraL5ilX2iEICpf9rMocZBBH0_wkisqJJ1gECoTLz2gBJ3VI8071ZKwZsvi42XZk546x85GSR49L6spyHjjJ3G91WFB/s400/butterfly+4.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I'm going to let you all in on a little secret. They don't grow
butterflies at a a butterfly garden.They grow plants that attract
butterflies. We went to a Butterfly Garden in Greensville, South
Carolina at the Roper Mountain Science Center and we saw a lot of plants
that attract butterflies, but we didn't see a lot of butterflies.<br />
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The
garden was set up really well by the Greater Greenville Master
Gardeners Association. Each plant had a sign that told what it was, as
well as what butterfly the plant will attract. It was very educational
and I definitely want to set up a butterfly garden once I live in a home
again.<br />
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Our favorite plant was the passion flower. I have never seen it
before and it seemed like something from a science fiction movie.<br />
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In addition to a couple of butterflies, we did find some eggs and caterpillars which was still fun for Madelyn.<br />
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If you are interested in creating your own butterfly garden, this<a href="http://www.thebutterflysite.com/butterfly-gardening-by-area.shtml" target="_blank"> website</a> gives you a map that you can click on to find the types butterflies that populate your state. <br />
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This<a href="http://www.thebutterflysite.com/create-butterfly-garden.shtml" target="_blank"> page</a> has a list of butterflies and the plants that they are attracted to.<br />
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If you have more information or websites about your own butterfly gardens please share them in the comments below.<br />
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~Michael~</div>
Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04169799115572882024noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-46339655207584951872016-06-17T14:15:00.001-07:002016-06-17T14:16:36.814-07:00Farmers Market in Charleston<br />
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We get the opportunity to go to a lot of Farmers Markets as we cross the country in our fifth while. We were lucky enough to be in Charleston when they were having a
Farmers Market at Marion Square. The subtropical climate must provide
great opportunities for growing because the variety and beauty of the
produce in the various stalls was amazing.<br />
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There were tomatoes everywhere.<br />
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I thought that the white and green asparagus was probably the most beautiful thing at the market.<br />
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I wanted to buy all the herbs that I could see but it's hard to have a lot of herbs while living in a fifth wheel.<br />
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I know we weren't in Georgia but we were close so I wasn't surprised to see peaches as far as the eye could see.<br />
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It makes me so happy to go to Farmers Markets and see so many people
that grow such beautiful produce, and seeing so many people that
appreciate it. Farmers markets are one of my favorite places to be.<br />
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Follow our cross country adventure on our blog <a href="http://www.livingagoodstory.com/">www.livingagoodstory.com</a><br />
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~Michael~ </div>
Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04169799115572882024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-39074572739819928802016-05-27T10:33:00.003-07:002016-05-27T10:40:02.533-07:00Repotting seedlings -- plus a genius "duh!" trick to pack soil in flats<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM0AhqBIRTFRw-m3b3rrnxzOwSxAXTAOoznNaq2lg-PjGJDVxE0y8mjjSwulxsQgDnsAF6JcBeft5H-fcLK9WWgLKShTi5aD8E7cuAY0AVZhLSpAbCRrIsccpzwg9UjEaYVbkP2xBRk6o/s1600/DSC_0841+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEM0AhqBIRTFRw-m3b3rrnxzOwSxAXTAOoznNaq2lg-PjGJDVxE0y8mjjSwulxsQgDnsAF6JcBeft5H-fcLK9WWgLKShTi5aD8E7cuAY0AVZhLSpAbCRrIsccpzwg9UjEaYVbkP2xBRk6o/s640/DSC_0841+2.jpg" title="How to repot seedlings" width="422" /></a></div>
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When we gardeners start seeds in pots and trays the goal is always to graduate those wee sprouts to the great outdoors. Sometimes the journey requires a bit of middle ground, when seedlings are too big for their first vessel, but the time is not yet right (whether due to temperature, delayed ground preparation, storms or other facts) to transplant to their final home.<br />
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Follow these tips to successfully repot seedlings:</div>
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• Wait until a seedling has a set of "true leaves." You'll notice that the pair of leaves which first emerges from a seed often has different characteristics in shape from the leaves that follow. For example, the first leaves from a tomato seed are slender ovals without any of the scalloped edges of later leaves. The second pair of leaves will be the true leaves. By the time a seedling produces these it is sturdy enough and has a root structure that can withstand repotting.</div>
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• Handle a seedling by the leaves, not the stem. If a leaf breaks off during transplant the seedling can grow another. If the stem breaks ... bye, bye.</div>
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• Moisten soil thoroughly in the original container and in second pot before you transplant.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DIAdJ8twYJZI0xjUgyA5pLs3scEF0F_MmlBDn9NsbVIKHN3U6HbOzJnJ61c6D7yayDt3InMUKJQs_noEErCd0px2zR4btp0-Vq1-vpULZFxXV9WUdmvPy32uLHCwNqje8yFo7M5DDiGy/s1600/DSC_0844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DIAdJ8twYJZI0xjUgyA5pLs3scEF0F_MmlBDn9NsbVIKHN3U6HbOzJnJ61c6D7yayDt3InMUKJQs_noEErCd0px2zR4btp0-Vq1-vpULZFxXV9WUdmvPy32uLHCwNqje8yFo7M5DDiGy/s320/DSC_0844.JPG" title="Closely spaced alyssum sprouts are easy to separate into individual pots." width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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• Turn first pot over in your hand to gently remove the soil plug. With a pencil or other slender tool probe around the seedling to separate it and its roots from the other plants. If there are many seedlings in one cell, as with this chunk of alyssum, start from the outer edges.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQmMSVXZXbw9WK80r8OFm0q6fh9cLYigEwSyaBGLd94V6ca2roXsuPWGO-zo4rRDxdvMA9DfueqqMb0mezR5WVNm-K4Z5UNHcaECIvVce87HFfTvP0_HTzjj5jiRZd-MJlogSpX9F93dk/s1600/DSC_0842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQmMSVXZXbw9WK80r8OFm0q6fh9cLYigEwSyaBGLd94V6ca2roXsuPWGO-zo4rRDxdvMA9DfueqqMb0mezR5WVNm-K4Z5UNHcaECIvVce87HFfTvP0_HTzjj5jiRZd-MJlogSpX9F93dk/s320/DSC_0842.JPG" title="Use a pencil as a dibble to make holes for transplanting seedlings." width="320" /></a>• Prepare a hole in second container to accept the seedling. (Pencil works well here, too.)<br />
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• Still holding the seedling by a leaf, deposit it into the hole and with pencil carefully bring dirt next to the stem.<br />
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• Keep transplants in steady conditions for the next couple of days -- keep soil consistently moist and don't subject them to extreme temperature or light changes.<br />
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I purposely sowed the tiny pepper-grain alyssum seeds close together knowing I would separate them into individual cells after sprouting. Other times you get extra sprouts unexpectedly when you thought you planted just one seed. Now, just because you have two (or more) seeds growing in a space doesn't mean you have to keep them all! It may be more appropriate to use another desk tool -- scissors -- and cut one seedling at the ground so the other can thrive.<br />
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Here's a look at two tomato sets I treated differently:<br />
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1. I could have done my pencil method to easily separate these first tomato seedlings a couple of weeks ago with no concern about roots, but I didn't get around to it. (The story of my life!) Because of decent stem spacing I decided to see if I could slowly, gently pry the root balls apart. This worked. I placed each in a new pot and backfilled soil around the roots.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpSm-wo8hKzfHANlJzkRAJTK8L20lbq7bmnK4jHrK7zaaqhgqRWO0KJbDRnV2FsQ8v7zSIpKam9B3cAhUQ4dn_2662OpXk-k7bcJk1VctNQ7xAaBJ31rh6-UFhgt__4aknOta_FqZI81eK/s1600/DSC_0858.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpSm-wo8hKzfHANlJzkRAJTK8L20lbq7bmnK4jHrK7zaaqhgqRWO0KJbDRnV2FsQ8v7zSIpKam9B3cAhUQ4dn_2662OpXk-k7bcJk1VctNQ7xAaBJ31rh6-UFhgt__4aknOta_FqZI81eK/s320/DSC_0858.jpg" title="Two tomato starts in the same cell. Can they be separated?" width="211" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix16guCb4ZH5a9H2fewKdWcjM6kmPR-vXhueuEBCZNUTzzCYY4tnNRwTg68sqNjXEhywGjcT-KTayPl9Aq7HtiQdzTK6EDQm1YbXYUC-JY4XxnJb5ZP887EpFWydYRFKvaUPIigogpznhE/s1600/DSC_0861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix16guCb4ZH5a9H2fewKdWcjM6kmPR-vXhueuEBCZNUTzzCYY4tnNRwTg68sqNjXEhywGjcT-KTayPl9Aq7HtiQdzTK6EDQm1YbXYUC-JY4XxnJb5ZP887EpFWydYRFKvaUPIigogpznhE/s320/DSC_0861.JPG" title="Two tomato seedlings in the same pot may be separated carefully." width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8MpEnWOmS_ckp3II4BdYMmAvNFBNCI9j_QhieirlRGFwGDnl4AA5vUfkovFaPy2G2Q5eOwIcRaCWxfjrI9SBTZYClUvsSTHKdmtSSFnvoBDlC9jtSUHmw5tjOHX3alwXxThCiwKGx7x2/s1600/DSC_0859.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi8MpEnWOmS_ckp3II4BdYMmAvNFBNCI9j_QhieirlRGFwGDnl4AA5vUfkovFaPy2G2Q5eOwIcRaCWxfjrI9SBTZYClUvsSTHKdmtSSFnvoBDlC9jtSUHmw5tjOHX3alwXxThCiwKGx7x2/s320/DSC_0859.jpg" title="When tomato seedlings are close together, the better choice may be to cut unwanted ones with scissors, instead of separating root balls." width="211" /></a>2. This is the second set. Two tomatoes are ahead in age, with a third smaller sprout right next to them. Seedlings so close in space like these will also have roots inextricably bound. In such cases it's better to use scissors to nip all but the most robust start. Cut your losses instead of risking damage to all. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_CsSixVJh4Vpz1anGkULWpD7lhQ6mYUdWlV_FR4sbdNzvpoUEe4GONkNLdmeCF1cLIKIkDJAblbhNMvh96j-8MGkJp4zcftpbhA7h-bmmanoLkhLZuXbPcCV9sDfBaH9a7GblDs0oH81/s1600/DSC_0852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_CsSixVJh4Vpz1anGkULWpD7lhQ6mYUdWlV_FR4sbdNzvpoUEe4GONkNLdmeCF1cLIKIkDJAblbhNMvh96j-8MGkJp4zcftpbhA7h-bmmanoLkhLZuXbPcCV9sDfBaH9a7GblDs0oH81/s320/DSC_0852.JPG" title="Easily press down dirt in seed-starting flats with another container." width="320" /></a></div>
Finally, here's my "duh!" moment. Do you know how many years I've filled seed pony packs and then patted down the dirt with a spoon or ice cream scoop (for reals!) or trowel or fingers, always making a huge mess? Well, that's a silly question; even I don't know how many years. But from now I will simply press down on another seed container when filling my trays. "Duh" indeed.<br />
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-5456792996127993372016-05-20T12:21:00.001-07:002016-05-20T12:23:21.120-07:00A roundup of savory rhubarb recipes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Have you outgrown your childhood nickname? (Come on, Litto Witto, Sassy Pants, Silly Billy and Snuffy -- let's unite!)<br />
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Well, rhubarb needs to cast aside its nickname, too. Sure, "pie plant" aptly defines the plant to unimaginative gardeners and cooks, but rhubarb can be so much more. Instead of always designating rhubarb to dessert fare, where a healthy dose of sugar tempers its tartness, unleash rhubarb's pucker alongside meats, pasta and other savory dishes.<br />
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I cooked these three recipes for my family -- and we love them! Click on each name or photo to get the full recipe at the source.<br />
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Rhubarb chive flatbread.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/rhubarb-chive-flatbread/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjytilcmpACoD7l8y6SstAxmrKIx3e_VXcXwo56IKpv1sZA3OCb_caZq4iPFDOzlPiye9njaljEMt84Ire5ZQeeQsGySb3tnruwU-hzjiMQ4SSGW0XbJfovkWVtat8orSUIqzZ12ORUlHV6/s1600/RU223361.jpg.rendition.largest.ss.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
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Whole stalks of rhubarb are arranged on an easy-to-make yeast bread. The rhubarb delivers a creamy, tangy jolt when you eat the bread, with a texture almost like the filling in a danish. This is prettiest with the reddest stalks of rhubarb. I chopped purple chive flowers along with the green chives to go into the dough. I thought I'd be extra fancy and place whole chives and flowers with the stalks of rhubarb. These flowers burned to a crisp (certainly hastened by the oil oil I drizzled on top), although the chopped blossoms incorporated into the dough were just fine.<br />
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<a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/linguini-with-garlic-pepper-and-rhubarb/" target="_blank">Linguine with rhubarb, garlic, black and pepper</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/linguini-with-garlic-pepper-and-rhubarb/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCUzscKJo6BODhAmw5iDOp2EFaUzjHtJf826NWwB408GpyugUEomR4uwAdTrUrWtxQMTizRNRj4RV267DMj8xCmhIq5Faf6HhXhIDb2r1YAKYT3csxprpYh5YlSVXClFGvcVY5kS61Ywp/s1600/RU223364.jpg.rendition.largest.ss.jpg" /></a></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.bhg.com/recipe/linguini-with-garlic-pepper-and-rhubarb/" target="_blank">Photo from bhg.com</a></td></tr>
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Delicious! This dish also has parsley and parmesan cheese. I chopped the rhubarb extra fine to make this an easier sell to my family, but I won't bother with such disguising next time. Plus, I think the bigger pieces will retain extra crunch. My husband wondered if there was chicken in there. Nope, all vegetarian. To refine the cooking instructions, I recommend sprinkling the parmesan in gradually. I should have known better than to add it to the pasta all at once; it formed a blob all at once. Imagine that.<br />
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<a href="http://chickensintheroad.com/farm-bell-recipes/crockpot-pulled-pork-w-rhubarb-sauce/" target="_blank">Slow cooker pulled pork with rhubarb sauce</a><br />
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Throw a pork roast into a slow cooker with a mixture of rhubarb, spices, honey and worcestershire sauce on top, and walk away. The rhubarb breaks down almost completely. Shred meet and rhubarb together and serve on rolls for sandwiches. This won't have the vibrant color that a pulled pork sandwich made with commercial barbecue sauce will, but it is still nightly tasty. To the leftovers I adjusted the seasoning with chili powder and cumin and used in a Cafe Rio-type salad with greens, black beans and rice.<br />
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How have you used rhubarb beyond pies?<br />
<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-43823561647982057542016-05-11T11:59:00.000-07:002017-03-24T09:21:38.536-07:00Another bouquet of seed reads<span style="font-size: large;">One of my favorite things to do is read books with the children in my life. Here is another round-up of gardening-themed books to inspire you and your listeners. Click <a href="http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2009/04/seed-reads.html">here</a> or <a href="http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2011/04/another-season-of-seed-reads.html">here</a> to read two other posts on this blog about more garden book favorites.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Zora's Zucchini </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">By Katherine Pryor, illustrated by Anna Raff</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Elementary ages. Three days into summer vacation Zora is bored, well, out of her gourd. While riding her bike she spots free zucchini starts at the hardware store. (Adults will be amused by the original sale sign crossed out to plead FREE!) Zora comes home with 12 zucchini starts and plants them all. This oversupply sets up the rest of the plot as Zora must figure out how to not let the food go to waste. The book's end notes posit that "about one-third of the world's food is wasted, which means that all the water, work and time it took to grow that food is also wasted." The story is a great springboard for discussion on what to do with extra food.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Tiny Seed</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">By Eric Carle</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Preschool and up. Carle's signature collages depict a journey through seasons as an autumn wind propels seeds across oceans, mountain tops and deserts. Children will enjoy identifying the tiny seed on each page. Naturally, the tiny seed outshines its travel companions and grows into something amazing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyz9Jd-WJghR2xJ_2fA3hyphenhyphenDblqtnOK_fvzIxoArpq6cFIYqXrYkvJm-sf8GvAaMSLvtA0pBkJJY-PSDwdAhQ1h0sZJ2u8piBtYjH9XH7a8k-ifEtW6_9EN5u-oim2c-8zB8NF2SvOwbv0/s1600/DSC_0832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdyz9Jd-WJghR2xJ_2fA3hyphenhyphenDblqtnOK_fvzIxoArpq6cFIYqXrYkvJm-sf8GvAaMSLvtA0pBkJJY-PSDwdAhQ1h0sZJ2u8piBtYjH9XH7a8k-ifEtW6_9EN5u-oim2c-8zB8NF2SvOwbv0/s200/DSC_0832.JPG" width="161" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Watermelon Seed</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">By Greg Pizzoli</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Preschool and up. This light-hearted story isn't really about gardening but invites a discussion about what a seed needs to sprout. Children who know that seeds need soil and sunlight will laugh at Crocodile's plight when he fears a swallowed watermelon seed will grow inside of him. (His dread of becoming a fruit salad is delightfully illustrated.) Use this tale to reassure children just learning about seeds that no, they won't become human seed pots.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">My Garden</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4Go7299TNN7ggF_QJF6K1Z9Cp9P6sEm4-VgJSRwkTbD1julsVIgEjEO24QBX_zr7R7EyufJpD2TwlqHPhvjtvLNJY1UpEwWr-uKmpz7wO5tZZryrPFGdsKRqmlYdekIKDX33BkjUxijQ/s1600/DSC_0841.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio4Go7299TNN7ggF_QJF6K1Z9Cp9P6sEm4-VgJSRwkTbD1julsVIgEjEO24QBX_zr7R7EyufJpD2TwlqHPhvjtvLNJY1UpEwWr-uKmpz7wO5tZZryrPFGdsKRqmlYdekIKDX33BkjUxijQ/s200/DSC_0841.JPG" width="198" /></a></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">By Kevin Henkes</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Preschool and up. A girl thinks her mother's garden is nice but too much work. If she had her way flowers would always bloom and change colors and patterns to her liking. She wouldn't have to shoo bunnies from the lettuce because the bunnies would be chocolate and she would eat them. This book is a great launching pad for a creative writing or art project of what listeners would want to grow in their own gardens.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">If You Plant a Seed</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-p55rgVpGM02_nRBR7_aClFXCG_Rquhyphenhyphen2vRilcolZyO_dyCuAqMUnRBhzcgVZ90qQpmlUoE1dEmARo1CMQLr9ZVBUMT1UIIzkhmOgY4L8sWbkWmuty0f7ogye530ST8m6z5BWhaxa0uE/s1600/DSC_0844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3-p55rgVpGM02_nRBR7_aClFXCG_Rquhyphenhyphen2vRilcolZyO_dyCuAqMUnRBhzcgVZ90qQpmlUoE1dEmARo1CMQLr9ZVBUMT1UIIzkhmOgY4L8sWbkWmuty0f7ogye530ST8m6z5BWhaxa0uE/s200/DSC_0844.JPG" width="200" /></a></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">By Kadir Nelson</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Preschool and up. Beautiful illustrations, with few words on each vast spread, relate the story of a rabbit and mouse who balk at sharing the fruits of their labors. The book covers gardening basics with the parallel to planting seeds of selfishness vs. seeds of kindness. Get this one just for the actual-size, intense stare-down of visiting birds.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">A Gardener's Alphabet</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">By Mary Azarian</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5mk0wGGC5VSMuOgOTMmZzQ9f9alj4wHvmutBBXxH5XCxkSvn32dgb4A0JuHeaRCBGYPiYGZgpWlPHTD7SKUOVxNbmAeeUHqzD8bJXM18zRQDVetHdxHpEkSe5PbiLeI_ubchH6gP2e38/s1600/DSC_0836.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC5mk0wGGC5VSMuOgOTMmZzQ9f9alj4wHvmutBBXxH5XCxkSvn32dgb4A0JuHeaRCBGYPiYGZgpWlPHTD7SKUOVxNbmAeeUHqzD8bJXM18zRQDVetHdxHpEkSe5PbiLeI_ubchH6gP2e38/s200/DSC_0836.JPG" width="173" /></a></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Preschool and up. Bold wood cut illustrations and sparse one-word or phrase entries take the viewer from A to Z. The meat, for grown-ups, is in the artist's introduction. She considers gardening the most difficult of the arts, with its demands of design and color skills, knowledge of plants and climate; and all at the mercy of fickle weather. Sometimes it's better to give up and go on a trip! Yet, "The garden provides such an intriguing challenge and is such a source of wonder and joy that to not garden is unthinkable."</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">The Curious Garden</span></b><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLy-PjaOJA-7NsY1YW6bEUm7a0puvockJryvrXMoU4wwDvTlIuUOagySJiOswU-0WmNoY9ZmjBehQnvVdgrkaB4cZvARuicfRWKS61pbiVOXZq7ckH8iepoebq1car9TEqsOPN4ePtlGhP/s1600/DSC_0839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLy-PjaOJA-7NsY1YW6bEUm7a0puvockJryvrXMoU4wwDvTlIuUOagySJiOswU-0WmNoY9ZmjBehQnvVdgrkaB4cZvARuicfRWKS61pbiVOXZq7ckH8iepoebq1car9TEqsOPN4ePtlGhP/s200/DSC_0839.JPG" width="156" /></a></span></b></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">By Peter Brown</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">and</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: x-large;">Tokyo Digs a Garden</span></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">By Jon-Erik Lappano, illustrated by Kellen Hatanaka</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtAdb5KSg7yIwteX3gT0zpwFfSRP8PD8ejYirYdu9FDH76tkJo97y_AgoXDukuz5av0fcPAF0knNLaDxZzJ-nlo16h9Byssmqkzv2I-eiJRnwYrkdSug05y4xU0McoethyphenhyphenznMx-dwX8ht/s1600/DSC_0837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCtAdb5KSg7yIwteX3gT0zpwFfSRP8PD8ejYirYdu9FDH76tkJo97y_AgoXDukuz5av0fcPAF0knNLaDxZzJ-nlo16h9Byssmqkzv2I-eiJRnwYrkdSug05y4xU0McoethyphenhyphenznMx-dwX8ht/s200/DSC_0837.JPG" width="156" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">Elementary ages. These two books follow the same theme of living in industrial scenes practically devoid of nature. In both a boy is an agent of change but with different reactions in their towns. Read together, these books frame a thoughtful comparison how our attitudes toward nature ultimately influence its survival. We may get what we deserve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">In <u>The Curious Garden, </u>a boy explores abandoned elevated train tracks and is surprised to see a few lonely, bedraggled flowers -- the only plants in the area. They need a gardener. The boy makes mistakes at first, but he nurses the patch to health. The restless garden yearns to explore and spreads through the city. The townspeople likewise come to life with renewed interest and appreciation for cultivating nature.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Second, Tokyo lives with his grandpa in a small house surrounded by tall buildings. Grandpa tells stories of how things used to be: deer in meadows, salmon leaping from streams. It's all gone. The city had to eat something after all, the grandfather shrugs. Tokyo receives three seeds from a strange woman; she promises him they will grow into whatever he wishes. It takes some searching to find a piece of ground, but sure enough -- when Tokyo plants them the seeds sprout and change the landscape overnight. The return of wildlife inconveniences people so much that they question, What are we going to do? Says Tokyo, "I think that we will just have to get used to it."</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">What are some of your favorite books?</span>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-63809941570560392172016-05-09T12:33:00.001-07:002016-05-09T12:37:10.297-07:00Herb hairstyles and how to groom them<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfDqrxrBd6F0DCH4Hf-I4llsThYsJNK5DEBE0DnUtq9EruG3cELiBuaQsHwVdPESoOz4E9hEUb8fintWJuAUia562prn2_5PLbKaqsKg97mikA36b-Sx_kufCQtwIB6Tvp1yl5XVWRfa-/s1600/DSC_0972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="420" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfDqrxrBd6F0DCH4Hf-I4llsThYsJNK5DEBE0DnUtq9EruG3cELiBuaQsHwVdPESoOz4E9hEUb8fintWJuAUia562prn2_5PLbKaqsKg97mikA36b-Sx_kufCQtwIB6Tvp1yl5XVWRfa-/s640/DSC_0972.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sage</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Herbs are among the most easy-going plants around, but left to their own devices they can become a mirrored, botanical gallery of your worst-ever hair days. (You have them, right? I'm not the only one?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I must excuse the annuals from these style crimes. Because basil, cilantro and dill last only one season in most climates, they don't develop the same crazy growing patterns that can befall perennial woody herbs like sage, thyme, lavender and rosemary.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Behold:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXOUcRVfi3geM7RJLeqYauOfhQtG7P85HLfhR2A3dqEPl4sDJD7OoJtN_HLX_DSXX8mnQBUCGF6I8tgWKiQcIoJ4PKPRFatolt6-qqRXVo8Ih-LKRFVNMzxpe5mmkwF_YhybcLLZN6YmM/s1600/DSC_0813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDXOUcRVfi3geM7RJLeqYauOfhQtG7P85HLfhR2A3dqEPl4sDJD7OoJtN_HLX_DSXX8mnQBUCGF6I8tgWKiQcIoJ4PKPRFatolt6-qqRXVo8Ih-LKRFVNMzxpe5mmkwF_YhybcLLZN6YmM/s400/DSC_0813.jpg" width="263" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thyme in need of pruning.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>The thyme comb-over.</b> Strands of least season's stems compete for attention with this year's new green growth, making the plant look straggly, sparse and well, silly. No, this isn't fooling anyone. The solution: cut the plant back by at least half this spring to allow the plant to grow into a bushier shape. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJM_vczgrhB_qfiRv5CdRxlkXBK05RZqDUnUiuWpYVvPRKBM5qD6bfplgMkrsSLxp44Ziw4bF4dEjjA5h0CvQTg-RbDam6bOHFUCrq2dvZ5mIKod90x5PQs2tNh7Em7Ckn9YbQ42dxOh2/s1600/DSC_0812.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJM_vczgrhB_qfiRv5CdRxlkXBK05RZqDUnUiuWpYVvPRKBM5qD6bfplgMkrsSLxp44Ziw4bF4dEjjA5h0CvQTg-RbDam6bOHFUCrq2dvZ5mIKod90x5PQs2tNh7Em7Ckn9YbQ42dxOh2/s400/DSC_0812.JPG" title="Thyme can become if not cut back by half at least once a year." width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The unwieldy no-style sage, with nary a trim in a decade. </span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">We're not talking Crystal Gayle's luxurious below-the-waist locks. This is more like never getting a cut AND never brushing. Perma-bedhead. If you never prune a woody herb it will still produce green shoots at the end of last year's growth, sure, but its stem structure will also get larger. Eventually you will have a plant that is more wood than herb. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBYlgskyQzKnGuD8PsFQ5LuivMqDwvrud3J5-8nMVr9o8M_bnZ6eyKCUEld6O1KwlJpkUlhdwQtI5f6KLpSoq-OQUSzefojdSHHiA18BZ_O7reOSO1zLlTMD0eZ7PVj91Bcg0Uvq7z2qR/s1600/DSC_0946.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSBYlgskyQzKnGuD8PsFQ5LuivMqDwvrud3J5-8nMVr9o8M_bnZ6eyKCUEld6O1KwlJpkUlhdwQtI5f6KLpSoq-OQUSzefojdSHHiA18BZ_O7reOSO1zLlTMD0eZ7PVj91Bcg0Uvq7z2qR/s400/DSC_0946.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This woody mess is a sage plant after I started hacking away at stems. I brought it home from the nursery in a 2-inch pot probably 10 years ago. I always cut away spent blossoms, but I should have pruned far lower. Yes, it had new growth this spring at the very edges, but I was surprised how much bare wood it sported. It has clearly outgrown its space in a rock border by my garden box. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Solution: Time to go in favor of starting with smaller plants again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">This picture shows the length of bare wood before green begins.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7oBR_gYB-d1rYPcdeKiDNhT89Q87qHUhDAMvOMHXNEFgV71nZRfWLf6UlT1pogSMce5r-c_cIhumQINhMdOH41oKqsShqzFal-0G6zM4AxNzg0vnbYWZENSv-jukQAVAOyIE6NZp8f3j/s1600/DSC_0947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU7oBR_gYB-d1rYPcdeKiDNhT89Q87qHUhDAMvOMHXNEFgV71nZRfWLf6UlT1pogSMce5r-c_cIhumQINhMdOH41oKqsShqzFal-0G6zM4AxNzg0vnbYWZENSv-jukQAVAOyIE6NZp8f3j/s320/DSC_0947.jpg" width="211" /></span></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5AfXHeqImYg-NQOqamRkKVh4ybGlswKG-_f5681PKd-JJYJ55zpgSp5f3z57_-o7bg69kv3dgA1geuYou-1-vyGFdSyagKtVemRB88t1F-lOcAmTZk3RTc4yLzCHloEu-pO7v5y5iRf6/s1600/DSC_0949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5AfXHeqImYg-NQOqamRkKVh4ybGlswKG-_f5681PKd-JJYJ55zpgSp5f3z57_-o7bg69kv3dgA1geuYou-1-vyGFdSyagKtVemRB88t1F-lOcAmTZk3RTc4yLzCHloEu-pO7v5y5iRf6/s320/DSC_0949.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Size of the rootball from a 10-year-old dug up sage plant.</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">The oregano mullet, with last year's faded extensions.</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6794qntkZHQzVx4SsW-mSI_F2p0FU8-4lVFV8VrMqGk2s-_dKoX-Lz3JTgLM0RoP97wIFNyCYE3Ff6EmvcdF9HJWHcKTVV2IgnGmY6oeaYMfgT1MWPl-Fy8dVfUjTrUVLCdhGBics9UCW/s1600/DSC_0810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6794qntkZHQzVx4SsW-mSI_F2p0FU8-4lVFV8VrMqGk2s-_dKoX-Lz3JTgLM0RoP97wIFNyCYE3Ff6EmvcdF9HJWHcKTVV2IgnGmY6oeaYMfgT1MWPl-Fy8dVfUjTrUVLCdhGBics9UCW/s320/DSC_0810.jpg" width="211" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Oregano, also a perennial herb, differs from thyme and sage in that it doesn't form woody stems that continue to get larger each season. Oregano can grow tall but it flops over and hugs the soil; it almost looks like a ground cover this way. Its new leaves start low to the ground beneath last year's stems. Solution: Cut out those stems.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4qpHFJVWSSDJp1mQA4SCykDDjM-KF1v4OTBBVdASm-WWTuEiUkpiJVR7opAE1WbECL69bqzhWxnh-IoWtsU2FhFGSeOJvP8GzgUZrJ_HuvkHjM69lFN2hilcTkocrxj6WaMOjQsVQHSZ/s1600/DSC_0811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV4qpHFJVWSSDJp1mQA4SCykDDjM-KF1v4OTBBVdASm-WWTuEiUkpiJVR7opAE1WbECL69bqzhWxnh-IoWtsU2FhFGSeOJvP8GzgUZrJ_HuvkHjM69lFN2hilcTkocrxj6WaMOjQsVQHSZ/s320/DSC_0811.JPG" title="Cut away last year's stems from oregano." width="320" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">Oregano spreads, but not nearly as invasively as mint. Mint is that bear of a guy at the beach: hair with no boundaries! If you grow mint, do so in a container. If you want mint in the ground, plant it container and all.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">The best way to style herbs is to harvest them all season. Pinch off flower heads from annuals like basil to encourage round, bushy growth. Cut back perennial woody herbs by half at least once a year: in fall, spring or both. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My last herb style shows how these plants truly can grow anywhere: <b>the parsley tuft</b> in the ear, I mean, crack in the sidewalk. It's staying!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdyx835dHcSpIZOUsk8A6Dmrt3GQI7Xot-dxOCd0P-HkvPchNfzAah5KcsEYepP1ZI24lP3QUfa9KZ-9UU91ba8VxWWfaeFQlhJeuZewEm9hCL24z8whMcbzf25TT4ZHvkO3tDYf_xhdr/s1600/DSC_0818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvdyx835dHcSpIZOUsk8A6Dmrt3GQI7Xot-dxOCd0P-HkvPchNfzAah5KcsEYepP1ZI24lP3QUfa9KZ-9UU91ba8VxWWfaeFQlhJeuZewEm9hCL24z8whMcbzf25TT4ZHvkO3tDYf_xhdr/s320/DSC_0818.JPG" title="Parsley grows in a sidewalk crack." width="320" /></a></div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-77869681682816341622016-05-05T09:50:00.001-07:002016-05-05T09:51:37.439-07:00Rhubarb leaves as weed barrier and mulch<span style="font-size: large;">The large size of rhubarb leaves makes them easy to place between garden rows or around the base of plants as a weed barrier and mulch.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-z6uZ9Fh7kCsVe9ak6XpWF-T0ub245AXOwkAKsh7Td30xdSEPiEjGva8YQmqMgsmLQiVK0JakLuZphxdrQY38vow9UglzP3Jd6wermZtDY2SSgeaBqG4qlTIhKejHEVFkYoH1vWQ0B-4/s1600/DSC_0807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw-z6uZ9Fh7kCsVe9ak6XpWF-T0ub245AXOwkAKsh7Td30xdSEPiEjGva8YQmqMgsmLQiVK0JakLuZphxdrQY38vow9UglzP3Jd6wermZtDY2SSgeaBqG4qlTIhKejHEVFkYoH1vWQ0B-4/s400/DSC_0807.jpg" title="Rhubarb leaves as mulch and weed barrier at the base of a raspberry plant." width="263" /></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">That's what I discovered when I looked at rhubarb with new eyes after a destructive storm forced my harvest of more stalks than I would typically use at once. What to do with it all? And could the leaves be useful somewhere, other than just in the compost bin? We had a fierce windstorm in my neighborhood this week that brought trees crashing down <i>through</i> roofs and sent debris all over tarnation. My home was spared (this time!) but the wind shredded many plants and outright obliterated the wood chips around our garden boxes. That layer of mulch is gone!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I always love when one garden issue -- in this case, the oversupply of rhubarb -- becomes the solution to other garden problems: replacing mulch and blocking weeds. I overlapped the leaves on the ground between garden boxes. I also put them around the base of strawberry and raspberry plants. The <a href="http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2015/07/quail-detail.html">quails</a> are back in my yard with their telltale pits in the soil. Rhubarb leaves are now the rugs those birds can't dig under. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Increase the effectiveness as a weed barrier by layering the rhubarb leaves and adding new ones as you harvest more stalks. The leaves break down quickly. On the left is a a freshly cut leaf. The one on the right was cut two days before.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3leIymBHRXvs1LrXzGzrdtqTc1ToFl2d1M5mxRGHfZMlNKwRZRv832SX6BGzLs2cA4HjJ36S_Hq0TGEbFowl0kJ3qc3VIHjwFrZ3UxEN4qxqSddgnE-EOX2n20375EcgJkNAdGBLk5BK/s1600/DSC_0805.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3leIymBHRXvs1LrXzGzrdtqTc1ToFl2d1M5mxRGHfZMlNKwRZRv832SX6BGzLs2cA4HjJ36S_Hq0TGEbFowl0kJ3qc3VIHjwFrZ3UxEN4qxqSddgnE-EOX2n20375EcgJkNAdGBLk5BK/s400/DSC_0805.JPG" title="Rhubarb leaves can be used as a mulch." width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">When I harvest a rhubarb stalk I hold it in one hand and swing a knife at the leaf base with the other hand like I'm wielding a sword. (Can't imagine where I got that idea!) Easier and way more fun than using a cutting board. </span></div>
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-24422399461275441002016-05-02T09:30:00.003-07:002016-05-02T09:30:42.138-07:00Homestead Heritage<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsT9GszX0C6rjaIujo4qu-9ZbokQlSrb7GeNdqatYO1R1IgbPVeje2kvjRVKu-zS0CQDA9Rjv8DHGjT0ydQwNUGlGgl1EAwVnLQfKbuPYF43jC7ZEkeenykz8P4eHu7zX4TNVqRfyk9mvR/s1600/hh+cow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsT9GszX0C6rjaIujo4qu-9ZbokQlSrb7GeNdqatYO1R1IgbPVeje2kvjRVKu-zS0CQDA9Rjv8DHGjT0ydQwNUGlGgl1EAwVnLQfKbuPYF43jC7ZEkeenykz8P4eHu7zX4TNVqRfyk9mvR/s640/hh+cow.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I know a lot of you already follow our one year cross country trip on our travel blog www.livingagoodstory.com but we recently visited a place that I thought the readers of backyard farming would be interested in. It is called Homestead Heritage and it is located near Waco, Texas. According to their <a data-mce-href="http://www.homesteadheritage.com/" href="http://www.homesteadheritage.com/">website</a> they are "<em>an
agrarian- and craft-based intentional Christian community. Its
literature stresses simplicity, sustainability, self-sufficiency,
cooperation, service and quality craftsmanship. It also strives to live
in peaceful coexistence with the land, other people and other faiths." </em><br />
<em> </em><br />
They
grow all kinds of crops on the property and raise livestock. There is
an amazing aquaponic greenhouse with a great system. There are fish in
tanks that provide fertilized water for the plants. They grow the fish
food within the system. There was even a papaya tree in the greenhouse.<br />
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In addition to the greenhouse, they grow many different grains and vegetables on the property and then
grind the grains in there gristmill that runs one water power.<br />
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While we visited we were able to watch them make pottery, and there was a blacksmith shop that makes amazing tools, and iron works.<br />
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We had some pie at the cafe and it as some of the best we have ever had.
You can shop at the barn to buy all of the handmade products that they
make.<br />
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We
loved visiting the homestead and felt so relaxed while we were there.
Everyone was so nice and it was fun to watch them make all of their
handmade products. We spent 45 minutes alone in the pottery shop
watching the artisans make bowls. If you are near Waco, Homestead Heritage
is a must-see for all you backyard farmers.<br />
<br data-mce-bogus="1" />
<div style="text-align: center;">
~Michael~</div>
Mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04169799115572882024noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-781911366270243972016-04-22T12:01:00.000-07:002016-04-22T12:05:15.095-07:00Purple rain on Earth Day<span style="font-size: large;">Happy Earth Day! Today the wind and a blossoming crabapple tree delivered a beautiful shower of petals that pooled in purple puddles on the lawn and garden. (OK, maybe the color purple is a stretch ... raspberry* maybe?)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIUZLoHCxQBwf-siZh5u2hTvX24jBt1Hs8bB_uYO0vspG6bSftIMIMEd6vamQBabPmrW4e6nMDDNO0nPXUlPtHUcA2JywjMI9cTqAZhA34_5aKX4bxW_-mb_kHxsLKeii10yCdOBFwzmK/s1600/DSC_0667.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqIUZLoHCxQBwf-siZh5u2hTvX24jBt1Hs8bB_uYO0vspG6bSftIMIMEd6vamQBabPmrW4e6nMDDNO0nPXUlPtHUcA2JywjMI9cTqAZhA34_5aKX4bxW_-mb_kHxsLKeii10yCdOBFwzmK/s400/DSC_0667.jpg" width="263" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiqhl6Vr2WjSXSJO2QAOOn-WrgHaOTQIN9q_Q_HTmueNqJMyhGGG1FC3hK4thPagDh3p2iO-T62c94PxDHKuWv3K99NJWXUUmLSYtlo9mIS_-tF8hFlzz_sFC4xOgb7zxrrTX4jQp0CFF/s1600/DSC_0681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiqhl6Vr2WjSXSJO2QAOOn-WrgHaOTQIN9q_Q_HTmueNqJMyhGGG1FC3hK4thPagDh3p2iO-T62c94PxDHKuWv3K99NJWXUUmLSYtlo9mIS_-tF8hFlzz_sFC4xOgb7zxrrTX4jQp0CFF/s400/DSC_0681.jpg" width="263" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">No matter, I hope you find something in your backyard farm worth celebrating today. Further, I hope that in honor of the day you will commit to any change -- big or small -- to better care for this planet we all share.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My Earth Day pursuit this year is to minimize water waste in the kitchen. I collect the water that normally goes down the drain when we rinse dish cloths or pour off cooking water by keeping a plastic dish pan in the bottom of the sink. This gets emptied into a gallon pitcher that I keep on the counter by the sink, then taken outside to water plants. Sometimes I even have the watering can right on the counter for this purpose. For the dishwasher, we scrape dishes into the garbage can instead of rinsing and spraying them off in the sink and having to run the disposal more frequently. The dishwasher works better when I turn on the sink to get the water hot first, so I collect this water so it also doesn't go to waste.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is a little thing, in fact it feels like just a drop in the bucket of water conservation when I see neighborhood sprinklers water the sidewalks, but it's something I can do. How about you?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><i>*Thanks, Prince, for the soundtrack of my youth.</i></span>Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-116050144558072622016-04-13T12:34:00.002-07:002016-04-20T07:12:56.599-07:00Off-site gardening: Factors to consider before starting roots away from home<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Joining a community garden or using extra space in a friend's yard is a great way to grow crops when you don't have room at your own home. You may also know a business or school willing to loan you an area for the summer. Another option is to do as reader Dave Bentz did and </span><a href="http://One man's story of gardening an abandoned lot"><span style="font-size: large;">purchase vacant lots in his city to convert to gardens. </span></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I have done three different gardens away from home: a community garden plot offered to university students; part of my husband's grandma's yard, which we shared with his brother; and, most recently, a section next to our friend's cow pasture in our town. My kids called this the "cow garden". We lived in an apartment for the first two gardens, but raised a home garden at the same time we had space near the cow pasture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">No matter what kind of off-site garden you pursue, maximize the experience by considering these factors:</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1. <b>Time.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">This is the single most important factor. Be realistic with how much time you can devote. Include travel time. We dedicated Mondays to take our children to the cow garden and work together. Without a scheduled commitment it is far too easy to say, "Eh, we'll just get to the garden later." Such was the case with our first off-site garden, the university one. Although I was super excited for the plot, the garden fell by the wayside behind our busy jobs and school, fatigue from my first pregnancy and the fact we had only one car. The garden was too far for me to walk when my husband used the vehicle on his job. Excuses, excuses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2. <b>Location. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtb9fOZD3ddsVuwqrOdh_ne-Q9AC9ZV61pRXXo7lu0Doim-AysasDDOrzzqcV8tuIZeaPeDB76tU4AXVHDRhttwEce9IxB4amDYrZHhimEkW115KGiGMyU-vCHDD1c9F3YHI87LYaUT3N/s1600/DSC_8896.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNtb9fOZD3ddsVuwqrOdh_ne-Q9AC9ZV61pRXXo7lu0Doim-AysasDDOrzzqcV8tuIZeaPeDB76tU4AXVHDRhttwEce9IxB4amDYrZHhimEkW115KGiGMyU-vCHDD1c9F3YHI87LYaUT3N/s400/DSC_8896.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Go close! If that's not feasible, find a spot that you pass during your regular commutes and routines so you can keep an eye on the garden beyond your scheduled days to work there. Use the same criteria as you would siting a home garden: Does it get adequate light? Fences, trees or other structures that cast shade should be north of a garden area. Afternoon sun (from the west) is harsher than morning light.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3. <b>Space.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">There is a space/time relationship just like there is a location/time connection. The bigger the space, the more time it will require to set up and maintain. If you are using a space larger than your home garden you may need to expand your thinking, too. For example, our first summer at the cow garden we planted veggies as close together as we do at home in their grow boxes. If we had known how ferocious the weeds would become, we would have allowed space between plants for a rototiller. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">4. <b>Water</b>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Does the plot have access to water? This is a must in dry climates. Will you pay for water? Is it a sprinkler system, hoses or both? If it is sprinklers, do you have a contact person readily available if something goes wrong with the pipes? (Another reason to check your garden regularly.) One of the biggest contrasts between my home garden and the off-site cow garden (raised simultaneously) was in the watering method. At home I use soaker hoses, drip lines or water plants by hand with a watering can. I seldom get weeds because the ground between plants is not watered. The cow garden's shooting sprinklers, however, watered EVERYTHING. The weeds went wild. The cow garden automatic sprinklers were high on stakes. This overhead water delivery, and the frequency of it, caused more powdery mildew and fungus problems in foliage than I ever had at home. Squash and tomato plants did not fare well, and the tomato skins frequently split.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">5. <b>Soil. </b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegk9Lni4WJhQbRceFvJ_Jv_t8PzS36Bmpy7lG6qYRqjOqXYn2kpL-n2Wtb77dAG9DkKBKpysAcRaiJW2qV-lG2LWN5-5Y8F0yx6pf5hreXDrp2Ev3RvPlAyNErfHdqgKaHdqufLy5eIrZ/s1600/DSC_8897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgegk9Lni4WJhQbRceFvJ_Jv_t8PzS36Bmpy7lG6qYRqjOqXYn2kpL-n2Wtb77dAG9DkKBKpysAcRaiJW2qV-lG2LWN5-5Y8F0yx6pf5hreXDrp2Ev3RvPlAyNErfHdqgKaHdqufLy5eIrZ/s400/DSC_8897.jpg" width="265" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Will it need extensive improvements? If the area has not been used for recent plantings, find out what was there in the past -- old leaky cars could suggest chemical leaching. It may be worth your while to do a soil test first. At the cow garden, in spring our friend cleaned his barn and spread the manure into the plots. Since the cows had been feasting on weeds, those seeds simply got relocated. The weeds were bionic. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">6. <b>Sharing.</b> </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you share the space with someone else discuss the division of duties at the beginning of the season. Maybe you work together to till the soil in the whole area and join forces again in fall to clean up. How will you set up traffic areas so that no one's plantings are trampled? Be courteous when planting your crops, remembering that tall ones, like corn, can cast shade or block sprinklers. Pumpkins, squashes and other vine crops will amble well past their boundaries. (There's a reason my kids called it the cow garden!)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fb1zS5Zp0RYyepuhVc0pfbiEWLQjeB9aujJg3aiQkkbLI5_qzWKFv3jy9Ddb_KAp258f1HBbUvNL1PJ8NiAg016URsbkRu83eHUnOu-xvI9Mz5lwReri8ZeoRgc8w9N9BLdr3ExF9lpj/s1600/DSC_8919.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1fb1zS5Zp0RYyepuhVc0pfbiEWLQjeB9aujJg3aiQkkbLI5_qzWKFv3jy9Ddb_KAp258f1HBbUvNL1PJ8NiAg016URsbkRu83eHUnOu-xvI9Mz5lwReri8ZeoRgc8w9N9BLdr3ExF9lpj/s320/DSC_8919.jpg" width="212" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_tpMO1vbEENmysU1Y7BjA0faulaY1cq9rvOoORnQJFdV4rwTRkmn40DmImAsNAcD6e24V-rHX376xvY5iDawhEX2E9IBSkTKlZpDCV52O4KhLfZM9x0FJOcRCbUCkqHdYOQuTcIkl5Pd/s1600/DSC_8910.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_tpMO1vbEENmysU1Y7BjA0faulaY1cq9rvOoORnQJFdV4rwTRkmn40DmImAsNAcD6e24V-rHX376xvY5iDawhEX2E9IBSkTKlZpDCV52O4KhLfZM9x0FJOcRCbUCkqHdYOQuTcIkl5Pd/s320/DSC_8910.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Yum, banana squash. Moo.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">7. <b>Equipment.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are tools, hoses and other implements on the property or will you need to bring your own each time you come to your garden? Consider keeping gloves, a spade and a harvest bucket in your trunk so you are ready for impromptu visits.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">8. <b>Commitment for the season.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Are you relatively certain the property where you garden won't change hands before the growing season ends? I appreciate that our cow garden friends didn't open up their property for gardening last spring, on the off chance they would need to sell. They didn't want someone to go to all that work without the harvest.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijI59ONaJOQqv546l838RbXQl3zC2dgoEq2kEXiXnzNakqoY8Vv7jWKUeGh0d9qd-2UeiG4S_3g5IbeyGJQPNMmN_VJh6x1tvGFtNo712NZPRQ7TgqbAUh5aE0ljMMCJEll5957MPANuqn/s1600/hDSC_2628.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijI59ONaJOQqv546l838RbXQl3zC2dgoEq2kEXiXnzNakqoY8Vv7jWKUeGh0d9qd-2UeiG4S_3g5IbeyGJQPNMmN_VJh6x1tvGFtNo712NZPRQ7TgqbAUh5aE0ljMMCJEll5957MPANuqn/s400/hDSC_2628.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">So there you have it. Off-site gardens can supplement your own backyard farm or give opportunities to people who have no space otherwise. I fear my disdain for the cow garden weeds and watering issues came through loud and clear in this post! Still, I am grateful for these new gardening lessons, and to have extra space to produce a harvest like the one above, all picked on a beautiful September morning.</span><br />
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<span style="color: red; font-size: large;">Check out <a href="http://www.notsomodern.com/?s=homestead+blog+hop">this site</a> for a weekly roundup of ideas from fellow homesteaders.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsa5TfizgTViSdFjoKLGSFX3r5S8ojpRIay6oEUYQDe1B3JJQiEuZX9kZ911dFj2LbvNrQzq9yegHkFqfgc-ROVxbInZKH4VeKKSlG5tIy8SN2Vb_LYcb1NRDJ6aqHgG_Xx3VRuz0GV5w/s1600/Homestead-Blog-Hop-340x160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="93" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnsa5TfizgTViSdFjoKLGSFX3r5S8ojpRIay6oEUYQDe1B3JJQiEuZX9kZ911dFj2LbvNrQzq9yegHkFqfgc-ROVxbInZKH4VeKKSlG5tIy8SN2Vb_LYcb1NRDJ6aqHgG_Xx3VRuz0GV5w/s200/Homestead-Blog-Hop-340x160.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-25529145686325095332016-04-11T10:46:00.000-07:002016-04-13T07:57:20.068-07:00Surprising yucky discovery in stored seeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFEPk2Bb5bsmkFdoDtgtou5B-woE4dNOwg1ZpRVRTF4-xXMbUuyheUf2r41E9VxEfycsGKWQ0kFo7K5vk1jqRXdCOApVmEvwKmWVUKc_DElGR3Z6HrushSY1jiIz9kKYU_geIysEXgoC3/s1600/DSC_0960.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="419" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnFEPk2Bb5bsmkFdoDtgtou5B-woE4dNOwg1ZpRVRTF4-xXMbUuyheUf2r41E9VxEfycsGKWQ0kFo7K5vk1jqRXdCOApVmEvwKmWVUKc_DElGR3Z6HrushSY1jiIz9kKYU_geIysEXgoC3/s640/DSC_0960.JPG" title="Seeds with holes indicate damage from the cowpea weevil, which plagues beans, peas and other legumes." width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheV7kx2BHsT7R63Eb5MpJGoFPV-fyTH9GBkBgcalzQyiFyU0IJf9EL-8d6DPxYeyCik3YF-Lsvo2lEbVDs-cwuoe0J1RXRHH3UvvLIwqN_09YmfzbXiESX2QlSMonlPE4Lk6tTe0BQL75z/s1600/DSC_0622.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheV7kx2BHsT7R63Eb5MpJGoFPV-fyTH9GBkBgcalzQyiFyU0IJf9EL-8d6DPxYeyCik3YF-Lsvo2lEbVDs-cwuoe0J1RXRHH3UvvLIwqN_09YmfzbXiESX2QlSMonlPE4Lk6tTe0BQL75z/s320/DSC_0622.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Last summer I purposely let some pea pods mature to brown on the vines so I could <a href="http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2015/07/repeat-performance.html">harvest the seeds</a> to plant this spring. This weekend I pulled the seeds out to put them in the garden. I was surprised that so many of them had holes. What in the world? I smashed one with a knife to see if I could figure out what caused this. I don't know what I expected -- mold, fungus, maybe? -- but I was utterly surprised to find that a bug was inside. Apparently it was playing dead, because I got another surprise a few minutes later when it slowly started moving. </span> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxFUseHVQLJufR_XEKf6-IHRd3tA4igo1J56H7Zn2TEkT49U1EiWgNy1J6h4mYniDewylsARRySqjZpV6jsefhlf7aKo0rrq0RhW8hGQzq29JvaVGIlccmbAYSoF_GkXIJGlipvCNJhoS/s1600/DSC_0967.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNxFUseHVQLJufR_XEKf6-IHRd3tA4igo1J56H7Zn2TEkT49U1EiWgNy1J6h4mYniDewylsARRySqjZpV6jsefhlf7aKo0rrq0RhW8hGQzq29JvaVGIlccmbAYSoF_GkXIJGlipvCNJhoS/s400/DSC_0967.JPG" title="Damaged pea seed cut in half reveals a cowpea weevil that developed inside the legume." width="318" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">I learned these are cowpea weevils. Adults lay eggs in developing legume pods or stored seeds. The larvae and pupae grow inside the seed and emerge as grown weevils. These can produce a new generation of adults in three to six weeks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Don't be complacent if you find a hole in only one seed. One hole signals that an adult has emerged. You likely have an infestation with the insect in other stages inside the other seeds. Best to throw all of them out. And not to the compost heap, I might add, where they still can flourish.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">If you recently purchased seeds and discover holes in them, I recommend taking them back to the store and asking for a replacement or refund.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My seeds were in a plastic sandwich bag which wasn't entirely sealed ... my mistake. I further erred by leaving them in a kitchen drawer (I forgot!) instead of in a cooler place. Weevils love the warmth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">I will try to save pea seeds again this year, with this added step: FREEZING. Make sure the peas are completely dry before storage; to test this, pound a few with a hammer on the driveway. They should make a brittle cracking sound and not have any gummy interiors. If frozen before completely dry the extra moisture can expand in the seed and make it crack. Freeze in a moisture/air tight container. If the mature peas were exposed to insects while on the vine, the life cycle will be in the egg stage. Freezing will kill the eggs before larvae make a dent.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-hlGM0iIL7kmIkdf7mekYP_LY4LDrP0g_o2z2ZwFha0H4H955EGSYMbNNZgKcZlGqmShogswOOIS4XtzO_F2QQCIRG7XffRdmxKHIDNWdceizeLwTzjDK4xiCgJ6pU9R4acHe4W8JctR/s1600/DSC_1123.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ-hlGM0iIL7kmIkdf7mekYP_LY4LDrP0g_o2z2ZwFha0H4H955EGSYMbNNZgKcZlGqmShogswOOIS4XtzO_F2QQCIRG7XffRdmxKHIDNWdceizeLwTzjDK4xiCgJ6pU9R4acHe4W8JctR/s320/DSC_1123.JPG" title="Cowpea weevil emerges from stored pea seed." width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As cozy as a pea in a pod? No thanks.</td></tr>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-82187696583128335772016-04-06T13:51:00.000-07:002016-04-07T07:38:29.808-07:00Gardens as healers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYIOIpk3bsRtp2WbJNlwYDx3morLO8AUZaGMohzEIMTj9T8ydsyuPLx9k48U7nGFLF17jzd1tBP0WpKe8P5Bd8zvYWaQWI7KGC4I0lWyWowp45ykCW4UDNHSewmy_dIAz6_qDJyXP1ARU/s1600/DSC_2270.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpYIOIpk3bsRtp2WbJNlwYDx3morLO8AUZaGMohzEIMTj9T8ydsyuPLx9k48U7nGFLF17jzd1tBP0WpKe8P5Bd8zvYWaQWI7KGC4I0lWyWowp45ykCW4UDNHSewmy_dIAz6_qDJyXP1ARU/s640/DSC_2270.jpg" width="422" /></a><br />
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This is a tale of two trees. Framed in the blossoming peach branches in my yard is the view of a pine tree across the street. Both trees, as it happens, were planted the very same spring day. Both trees, and I desperately wish this reason hadn't happened, are memorials to young men lost. The peach tree is in honor of my brother; the pine in honor of my neighbors' son. They died a month apart that awful winter of 2009. Both were 29. </div>
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Having a piece of my garden dedicated to my brother has been very healing for me. I don't remember planning this when we purchased the peach tree, but its fruit ripens around Ben's September birthday. </div>
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Ben was in a coma for about a week that July. It was dire. That he emerged and we had him again for a spell, even if it was just until February, is a miracle. The thing about a coma is that time and ability get skewered for everyone involved, not just the patient. I was too consumed with worry and hospital visits to address much else, least of all my wilted garden.</div>
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My father-in-law made the hour-plus trip to our house one day during Ben's coma. I don't remember why. He is a doctor and very proud to share his medical expertise; he knew more than any of us how hopeless the situation was and could have easily -- and maybe even justifiably -- inserted himself to tell us so. Instead, he looked around for tools and headed to the garden. I sat, defeated, at the edge of the patio, only occasionally lifting my head from my hands to watch him water my thirsty patch. The way he held the rake, tines up, to make the hose a mobile shower head was ingenious. He and I exchanged no words in the backyard -- our relationship was tenuous anyway, and it would have been hard to speak. Yet I've never forgotten the way he tended to me when he tended my garden.</div>
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When my neighbors' son died that March their friend set to work in their front yard. I watched from my kitchen window as this woman tackled weeding, cleared space for a flowerbed and planted bright, cheerful pansies. That spot is where the pine tree now grows. I joined her one afternoon while my baby napped. Regarding her motivation to comfort, she told me she didn't know what to say, but she did know what she could <i>do. </i>During her labor over several days in the front yard, she was an ambassador for the family, helping to greet and give updates to other concerned neighbors, many of whom came by while the family was at the mortuary. Her kindness continues to inspire me.</div>
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Sadly, the woman's son died this autumn. I sent condolences and helped with the funeral, but I want to do more to show her I care. The only way I know how is to get my hands dirty in her yard. Spring comes on its own, no matter what we do, but when we work to remove the effects of winter we get to bask in the sunshine longer and feel its warmth more surely. </div>
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In the case of the peach and the pine, I see these two trees every day and smile to know their tragic backstories are tempered by the acts of loving gardeners.</div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-32705689651155985902016-04-04T11:52:00.000-07:002016-04-04T16:40:59.213-07:00Getting a jump on next summer's grasshoppers<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCjYlboPrLiNN63EE8vRi0ZIWxKWuO5VoHzwKw6IMeobJi-d5lAghSUFFBUvMHFiDi-nsGt3-IC7fE7gxMawOmgzRoaOOTAdA1wxfQRae8J3IvFYwC7o1nZ4nXMwVaps1jRW8RppV06G3/s1600/DSC_0074.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="352" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdCjYlboPrLiNN63EE8vRi0ZIWxKWuO5VoHzwKw6IMeobJi-d5lAghSUFFBUvMHFiDi-nsGt3-IC7fE7gxMawOmgzRoaOOTAdA1wxfQRae8J3IvFYwC7o1nZ4nXMwVaps1jRW8RppV06G3/s640/DSC_0074.JPG" title="Grasshoppers chew pole bean leaves in home vegetable garden." width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwtFsSBNMIxwyon2IrkLfopYSSysEzhxIkqU57t_sggA64RO_1ApL-WOPMYklc3aKXro_XuLyPcCJBR40ZsUM8yxG9oPNT6fmUd2VIJ-XZQyDlquVeSgp_U7dSeVKanxDjexu75b4foJt/s1600/05536F06_Web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOwtFsSBNMIxwyon2IrkLfopYSSysEzhxIkqU57t_sggA64RO_1ApL-WOPMYklc3aKXro_XuLyPcCJBR40ZsUM8yxG9oPNT6fmUd2VIJ-XZQyDlquVeSgp_U7dSeVKanxDjexu75b4foJt/s400/05536F06_Web.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cluster of grasshopper eggs. Photo courtesy of <a href="http://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/insects/grasshopper-control-in-gardens-small-acreages-5-536/">CSU Extension</a>, by permission.<br />
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"Don't count your eggs before they hatch" is sound advice for opportunity seekers. When it comes to pest control in your backyard farm, minimize opportunistic grasshoppers by destroying eggs before they hatch.<br />
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Keep an eye out for egg clusters as you dig in your garden this spring. The eggs look like grains of brown rice stuck together.<br />
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If you find such a stash, take the time to put it in an airtight container that you later discard. If you leave them be, these eggs can hatch into the garden's most ravaging enemies. According to <a href="http://www.planetnatural.com/pest-problem-solver/lawn-pests/grasshopper-control/">Planet Natural</a>, a study showed that six adults per square yard on a 10-acre pasture ate as much as a cow.<br />
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Because of grasshoppers' mobility, they are extremely hard to control. Strong pesticide sprays will harm bees and other beneficial insects. Natural baits are available, such as those containing <i>Nosema Locustae</i>. Grasshoppers get a spore from ingesting the substance (most types are powder), which causes them to eat less and eventually die. To be effective the bait must be applied to known hatching areas when the grasshoppers are nymphs.<br />
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Destroying the eggs you find is a no-cost companion approach to any baits you may try.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXUcElicUmYT6xr04aIqiMj_rQbag8Pc0NNSWYV-31GgzzG0wh3ZozuzRKu3JYHaoE5l9zV3fpogyZsdP2bk_VMIgL7danz7aCeMSGNFGATiAn11nYxhjPXwhWlGxY9DdkNmXTAPTyWyb/s1600/DSC_0093.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgXUcElicUmYT6xr04aIqiMj_rQbag8Pc0NNSWYV-31GgzzG0wh3ZozuzRKu3JYHaoE5l9zV3fpogyZsdP2bk_VMIgL7danz7aCeMSGNFGATiAn11nYxhjPXwhWlGxY9DdkNmXTAPTyWyb/s400/DSC_0093.JPG" width="263" /></a>Female grasshoppers lay the eggs about an inch underground in late summer/early fall. The eggs survive the winter, hatch in mid to late spring and look for tender foliage. Remove any unwanted plants and cultivate around the ones you keep to turn the soil and expose egg clusters.</div>
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Grasshoppers like lettuce, carrots, corn, onions and beans -- leaves and all. Oh, the beans! I can definitely attest to that. They frequent tomato plants, too, where during harvest time I find myself close enough to deliver finger flicks to the head. (Oddly satisfying.) Grasshoppers generally don't like squash and peas as much, although in large population cycles where demand exceeds supply, they may eat anything. </div>
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Ducks, guinea fowl and chickens can take a bite out of a grasshopper infestation. Other grasshopper control methods include row covers (although the insects can chew through some fabrics) and trap crops. Plant zinnias around your garden border to attract and divert grasshoppers from pouncing on veggies. Such a grasshopper hangout is a more contained space to use baits.</div>
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Handpick and destroy as many grasshoppers as you can. Follow-up egg removal efforts this spring by capturing late-summer mating grasshoppers in the act, thwarting a new generation. These ... um, preoccupied specimens are easier to catch! Yes, I had a picture, and no, I couldn't bring myself to post it. As Jimmy Fallon would say, "Ew." </div>
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-81949913975954195162016-03-24T10:15:00.000-07:002016-03-24T10:40:06.569-07:00Rejuvenating the strawberry patch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ67JLQkookgdX06bU5GlLReyMVpLWr5yI9E1dW1ntAFlcH0ezghJnk2j9RNfZJQYoxRtm5eoPr47mTwp9jhqXy6b8Bm83Faf7DesuMiRDKj4R3ieSnPNQKkS4diNdufWEx72St6Hw-aL_/s1600/DSC_0732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ67JLQkookgdX06bU5GlLReyMVpLWr5yI9E1dW1ntAFlcH0ezghJnk2j9RNfZJQYoxRtm5eoPr47mTwp9jhqXy6b8Bm83Faf7DesuMiRDKj4R3ieSnPNQKkS4diNdufWEx72St6Hw-aL_/s640/DSC_0732.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I have neglected the strip of strawberry plants along a retaining wall in my front yard long enough. I got the plants from a neighbor several years ago when he thinned his patch. His garden produces impressive quantities of beautiful berries. I gave what plants I didn't have room for to another neighbor. Her patch flourishes, too -- enough that her children sell the berries door-to-door. And yes, I buy them! (To fill my lack.) It's a cruelly ironic circle-of-life kind of thing.<br />
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What's the deal with my strawberry patch?</div>
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Behold:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziKhrmsFQke_BdMshrUzPId0WBwRAmpFJdY2Zeb7bP7k01vAjvUgjRf_Ls-T_tkCPck-IhqPQqxhMFNumXt6r4CV0zLwqld6KG1iFgbXZ8qS0-yfLhCtoSF-OEC71Em3uYfra3NoFVQ9S/s1600/DSC_0740.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiziKhrmsFQke_BdMshrUzPId0WBwRAmpFJdY2Zeb7bP7k01vAjvUgjRf_Ls-T_tkCPck-IhqPQqxhMFNumXt6r4CV0zLwqld6KG1iFgbXZ8qS0-yfLhCtoSF-OEC71Em3uYfra3NoFVQ9S/s400/DSC_0740.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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Do you even see the patch?</div>
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The plants are crowded and competing for space with grass, herbs and flowers that jumped their boundaries. The strawberries have become more of a ground cover than a strategic crop. A ground cover can be just fine, if that's what you want, but strawberries treated this way will not be very productive. Besides, who plants strawberries if not for the fruit?</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqNvhriwpx-Fi-V1IFwGwXvdyJsDz2Q6jSnxuF6xdAHObN6p-58EYBUCfmbPdTtpyoeY3nNPp2cnVu9Pt67OHLk2gpHvCAPYCMRNg1o1NIUtGsg4pR-V9wL5060EvXgLNhCp9cQYC-HT6/s1600/DSC_0739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWqNvhriwpx-Fi-V1IFwGwXvdyJsDz2Q6jSnxuF6xdAHObN6p-58EYBUCfmbPdTtpyoeY3nNPp2cnVu9Pt67OHLk2gpHvCAPYCMRNg1o1NIUtGsg4pR-V9wL5060EvXgLNhCp9cQYC-HT6/s320/DSC_0739.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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My project, then, was to start fresh. The strawberries are to the left of the retaining stones. I dug up all of them in this main path. I kept a few between the stones.</div>
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I carefully set the plants into flats, watered them and moved them out of the bright sunshine and heat while I continued working. (Ha! We had a snowstorm since. Ah, you gotta love spring.) </div>
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Then I spread composted manure and mixed that into the soil. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS81Q7GKc7DVvIguQAnKPPUq_5ylOqcUbVxb2z6XMvfG84YvM2zx2EVzNj452UpHaV2cPE4TZB_MybcxCsQeqC4AIJRx_2t_0XVna6pZ36I7UUbpcRRNh8JWHVm7JQ7W2m2r6aU9uAvfIW/s1600/DSC_0747.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS81Q7GKc7DVvIguQAnKPPUq_5ylOqcUbVxb2z6XMvfG84YvM2zx2EVzNj452UpHaV2cPE4TZB_MybcxCsQeqC4AIJRx_2t_0XVna6pZ36I7UUbpcRRNh8JWHVm7JQ7W2m2r6aU9uAvfIW/s400/DSC_0747.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>
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My berries are the type that produce one crop in spring. The everbearing kind makes an early summer crop and another, often smaller, one in the fall.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdSAusYAXSPS4zJJybwvntRWNXiBMSwLIDF0F_cADUCUgT_Sqfum9fcuY-BIDB3crZW9FJpth16ffruhMMZyLZGQ0MT5I6iKhX83-1PKwFGZYCfsxj7N0K8P-Yhwhk2d3nNRTQnwpc4ku/s1600/DSC_0753.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLdSAusYAXSPS4zJJybwvntRWNXiBMSwLIDF0F_cADUCUgT_Sqfum9fcuY-BIDB3crZW9FJpth16ffruhMMZyLZGQ0MT5I6iKhX83-1PKwFGZYCfsxj7N0K8P-Yhwhk2d3nNRTQnwpc4ku/s640/DSC_0753.JPG" width="422" /></a>These are guidelines for each type. When planting strawberries, keep the crown level with the surface. The crown is where the cluster of roots meet in one point. In this strawberry plant picture the sidewalk line represents the soil level. If roots are loose, (as they are here), spread them out as you plant. Dig a hole two inches deeper than the roots, make a mound in it and place the spread out roots on top. Cover the roots with dirt, taking care to keep the crown level with the surface. Too low it can rot, too high, the roots can dry out.<br />
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I clipped off any dead leaves and blossoms before transplanting. As the season goes on I will remove other blossoms. Yes, this will drive me crazy! It is so hard to delay a strawberry harvest. Yet this practice allows plants to pour energy into roots rather than fruit production. This will help the plants get stronger this season and produce even more berries next year. Argh! (Good thing I have my neighbor saleskids!)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzK59nipupZ5FmG4Dt4ER1f0dnaKf_HZVe9s-UoXYUd3vk-XwCy_j23MiAWN7nobEraKjqCN8wvzCCXr46VfYV1tNRqJF5sGy7J2f65SMYtF62ZJlZEjWGrODlAA5O35vycHoqfETxcx9/s1600/DSC_0755.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlzK59nipupZ5FmG4Dt4ER1f0dnaKf_HZVe9s-UoXYUd3vk-XwCy_j23MiAWN7nobEraKjqCN8wvzCCXr46VfYV1tNRqJF5sGy7J2f65SMYtF62ZJlZEjWGrODlAA5O35vycHoqfETxcx9/s400/DSC_0755.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I planted the strawberries about 15 inches apart, using the stones as a spacing guide. The ones in the triangles between the stones are the plants I left. These will be the plants I harvest this year. All my transplants align with the left side of the stones. Later in the season, when these plants make runners I will limit them to one per plant. I will guide the runners to the right side of the stones. This system will help me track the age of the plants. Typically plants thrive about three years.<br />
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Water regularly the first few weeks to keep ground evenly moist. Cultivate around the plants about once a week. Keep forming strawberries off the ground by putting straw around the plants (hey, I get it!) or making simple posts out of pieces of clothes hangers (like a shepherd's hook plant stake) to lift the berries. They are safer from snails that way. Avoid feeding the birds by installing garden netting or covering plants with cheesecloth you can find at the grocery store. </div>
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-90359618838704861152016-03-23T09:26:00.002-07:002016-03-23T09:26:41.246-07:00I'll take that as a sign!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYQmeZxRX_1WpX50b8UtmwwrUf_K2KQ8B1Uv2VKTc0b35DzGnXSaSxnQl51lYHPIb1xpDnbOhfUHXEuZGb4w51Dco4O3GNGoWybEhljcSgavqiI9aX-KDkTeP0GBiDT1Rl4bM2W0g6uHP/s1600/DSC_0187.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYQmeZxRX_1WpX50b8UtmwwrUf_K2KQ8B1Uv2VKTc0b35DzGnXSaSxnQl51lYHPIb1xpDnbOhfUHXEuZGb4w51Dco4O3GNGoWybEhljcSgavqiI9aX-KDkTeP0GBiDT1Rl4bM2W0g6uHP/s640/DSC_0187.JPG" width="422" /></a></div>
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Look what I unearthed in my garden during spring clean-up: an ace of <i><b><span style="font-size: large;">spades</span></b></i>! Do you dig it? (groan)<br />
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'Tis the season we uncover balls, Matchbox cars, blown away homework, pencils, garden tools, sometimes dishes and even shoes in our backyard jungle, things set aside in warmth and forgotten in winter. The weirdest things we have found were large, cut bones -- leftover, I hope, from meat previous homeowners fed pets. But you never know.<br />
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How about you? What's the strangest thing you've found digging in your backyard farm?Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-54333048844525062012016-03-22T08:00:00.000-07:002016-03-22T09:15:04.381-07:00The World is Our BackyardWe appreciate everyone who visits this blog and participates as we learn together about backyard farming. As you have noticed, Marisa and I have left the main duties of writing for Backyard Farming to our good friend Jennifer. While we love gardening and growing our own food, life has called us on a different adventure for a while. We are now traveling the country and living in a fifth wheel as a family. As you might expect this makes it hard for us to have a backyard garden or chickens. We are sad and miss it, but we will return to gardening when this adventure is over. <br />
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Here are a few of the things we are experiencing on the road. <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Farmers Markets</b></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmECYZ8f3__R8-A1tPmDya_zi-t6elkgtLKid8Cc4HqkiZuRMQnDwx2AprH0L7yBV7OFN9hJNd5mo25riQaj0uksRCaN9hoH9nIxinwDy7dIhuDhLyGmcGJIiBl_YV9ka5q60pJ4hrDCJ/s1600/farmers-market2.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAmECYZ8f3__R8-A1tPmDya_zi-t6elkgtLKid8Cc4HqkiZuRMQnDwx2AprH0L7yBV7OFN9hJNd5mo25riQaj0uksRCaN9hoH9nIxinwDy7dIhuDhLyGmcGJIiBl_YV9ka5q60pJ4hrDCJ/s640/farmers-market2.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OeYRI1Oa83a9TW4UHJvX5OpzRqFuk_j9OqIkjI8hIRnFIgY1rDa2rqeMjo4tDf8NgwohAup8xQbEi0d3ZypCTaHv9FLPHSv2YtbzjHL2a7av1eig0p_xPk6Wb4nsuMfI9f7pFxmNSYPe/s1600/farmers-market.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3OeYRI1Oa83a9TW4UHJvX5OpzRqFuk_j9OqIkjI8hIRnFIgY1rDa2rqeMjo4tDf8NgwohAup8xQbEi0d3ZypCTaHv9FLPHSv2YtbzjHL2a7av1eig0p_xPk6Wb4nsuMfI9f7pFxmNSYPe/s640/farmers-market.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>National Parks and Forests</b></span><br />
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<b><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Giant Produce </span></b><br />
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Instagram: michael_livingagoodstoryMikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04169799115572882024noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-71565969831445391082016-03-18T11:11:00.000-07:002016-03-18T19:44:21.705-07:00Our favorite online seed-starting calculators and tools<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Successful backyard farmers know that plants have different cold temperature hardiness and heat tolerances, and that the "plant the veggie patch in one day" approach of so many home gardeners doesn't yield as large and robust a harvest as staggering sowings throughout the growing season.</div>
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The back side of seed packets is full of information, yes, but there's an easier way! Thanks to online interactive tools, mapping out when to start seeds indoors and when to transfer seedlings outside has never been so fun. These calculators use decades of horticultural study and weather data to personalize your planting calendar. Here are some of our favorite online tools.</div>
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The first order of business is to establish the last frost date in your area. Undoubtedly the best resource is a sage gardening neighbor who knows all about the microclimates and quirks of your hood. Lacking a neighbor almanac, the website <a href="http://davesgarden.com/guides/freeze-frost-dates/index.php?q=&submit=Go">Dave's Garden (click here)</a> will provide frost information when you enter your ZIP code. </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.johnnnyseeds.com/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1QxwIrOfohc3WAUdY1iI4CpMkRwz6XZNHHhNBZaCVM5MmF0R864_IHwTcR9IOIOJtls2AduIbARnuTiayvP5NXMem24vh9NmtUMeaZsUA3OypG6qtshw4wFqUlMgcsXLfUYmeOgQvGgnE/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-18+at+11.35.05+AM.png" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://johnnyseeds.com/">Logo and materials from johnnyseeds.com used with permission.</a></td></tr>
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Armed with your last frost date, you can now access the fantastic calculators at Johnny's Seeds. This is a screen shot that shows the results for my last frost date of May 15. The table lists crop name, a range of when to start indoors, and when I can plant outside. On the full webpage you will see a note attached to the asterisks (*): Usually direct-sown, but may be started indoors. The table continues far beyond the crops in this view, with flower listings as well.</div>
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Click web address by image to go to the site and generate your own table:</div>
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<img border="0" height="66" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEUeyhsJNWhmqgkF3itwGfg5eBqcZCIwk8nUNyMSHmMP45WyYcjiB2O6FS2MltljnKWqfmyQhEqv0r0utu6XP80L9SX3p0ORSmtlSdH7eXgzOAX6NS2fmWZ3LCb2Lv8kYKUGRXkQEehk27/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-03-15+at+9.23.57+AM.png" width="640" /><a href="http://www.johnnyseeds.com/e-pdgseedstart.aspx?source=W_InteractiveTools_122014">http://www.johnnyseeds.com/e-pdgseedstart.aspx?source=W_InteractiveTools_122014</a></div>
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Johnny's also as a feature to determine how many seeds or plants you need to fill your space. You enter crop and row length. Click <a href="http://www.johnnyseeds.com/seedcalculator.aspx#">here for seed-spacing calculator.</a><br />
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If you want to hone your garden planning process even further, check out Johnny's tools for succession planting and target harvest date. Both are available <a href="http://www.johnnyseeds.com/t-online-tools-calculators.aspx">here</a>. The latter would be especially helpful, say, if you desire to finish canning tomatoes before a scheduled trip. (Definition of travel: the thing I hear other people get to do!) These calculators open as Excel spread sheets.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQhSbtuHenXM2c7s_f3KFHINFZJZOeiN_BqswitfOmCR0AHrqApkStSzat85EdXBUuQvUiCkbPXHnZ0TN_y-Sa6qBvANc9mxUB0FoTeLOWFb-k_fTQB9owyrWxZUtztnyruW1v7NoDc2C/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-03-15+at+9.24.53+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoQhSbtuHenXM2c7s_f3KFHINFZJZOeiN_BqswitfOmCR0AHrqApkStSzat85EdXBUuQvUiCkbPXHnZ0TN_y-Sa6qBvANc9mxUB0FoTeLOWFb-k_fTQB9owyrWxZUtztnyruW1v7NoDc2C/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-03-15+at+9.24.53+AM.png" width="640" /></a><br />
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What are your favorite seed-planning strategies?<br />
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I wish all of you happy planting, indoors and out. Isn't spring glorious? Here's a parting shot of the first bloom from my <a href="http://backyardfarming.blogspot.com/2016/03/growing-bulbs-indoors.html">soil-less indoor tulip project</a>. See, they will grow!<br />
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-77392634880636493332016-03-15T12:26:00.000-07:002016-03-15T12:27:03.924-07:00Super easy newspaper pots for starting seeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZS2sU7wJDJueQB0wcrEJARUN45D6hcWCowALyAy7EBklJdnERxorrLYm_Yz7FBKUgUHQuiqtxWsqMSUpTZ7hpcqp8rMBHY4m6TZ1zul7n-6G-0rP-FdNSMpamCuV5XK39UaRPbpb4j5z/s1600/fig5newspaper.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZS2sU7wJDJueQB0wcrEJARUN45D6hcWCowALyAy7EBklJdnERxorrLYm_Yz7FBKUgUHQuiqtxWsqMSUpTZ7hpcqp8rMBHY4m6TZ1zul7n-6G-0rP-FdNSMpamCuV5XK39UaRPbpb4j5z/s640/fig5newspaper.jpg" title="How to make newspaper pots for starting seeds" width="444" /></a></div>
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A super simple way to make pots for starting seeds is with a single strip of newspaper. I've seen all sorts of complex cutting, folding and taping instructions and even advertisements pitching a wooden tool to form the pots. Phooey! All you need is paper, scissors, a jar and your fingers.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SvV77rpJgfJlNkHmj2jQKZLjcz-YzO-VeLuh3TDQfiQXVvxWVB8-M-m9lUqbZGBEhBLMcpnjVK3QplbpjMIo-ZEpSb4_DnM3WxhVysnwhyZ5vy-DvJpI8WrAhmnWu2fnzKyCLxvM8PG2/s1600/fig6strip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9SvV77rpJgfJlNkHmj2jQKZLjcz-YzO-VeLuh3TDQfiQXVvxWVB8-M-m9lUqbZGBEhBLMcpnjVK3QplbpjMIo-ZEpSb4_DnM3WxhVysnwhyZ5vy-DvJpI8WrAhmnWu2fnzKyCLxvM8PG2/s400/fig6strip.jpg" width="277" /></a><br />
Choose a jar that is the same diameter as your desired pot size. My jar held bouillon cubes. It is bigger than a standard spice rack jar, and smaller than a pint jar.<br />
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I cut a standard newspaper sheet (one side of the vertical fold) into three pieces lengthwise. Place the jar on the strip of paper so about two inches of width extends beyond the jar's opening. Start at one short end of the strip and wrap the paper around the jar as you roll it.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfYGXJiQdjED7Rf2D6OR5dbUoQUmZcgpAee-vCfCuURl0XZgkq73s0wG7pPP2h_4E4z1XW-ISSsu1DTW3oOjL3uvdmHwkN90-Ju2hPgOv8VwmUWk-3ew7RMcBM2jVddmp5jvTwO83jwEY/s1600/fig7edge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUfYGXJiQdjED7Rf2D6OR5dbUoQUmZcgpAee-vCfCuURl0XZgkq73s0wG7pPP2h_4E4z1XW-ISSsu1DTW3oOjL3uvdmHwkN90-Ju2hPgOv8VwmUWk-3ew7RMcBM2jVddmp5jvTwO83jwEY/s320/fig7edge.jpg" width="222" /></a><br />
Push the two-inch edges of the paper back into the jar all around. Take the pot off the jar, and using your fingertips scrunch the newspaper down from the inside to form the bottom. You're done!<br />
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For a single strip of newspaper they are surprisingly strong. They do dry out quickly, however, so be sure to keep them in a watertight tray. Packing them tightly will help them keep their shape as well as promote even moisture. I also recommend moistening your seed-starting medium before putting it in the pots.<br />
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You can plant the entire pot into your garden. I like to pull off the bottom to free roots as I transplant. Be sure to bury completely when planting, as paper still sticking out on top can draw away moisture.<br />
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<br style="color: #666666; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-64909451908423724022016-03-14T08:44:00.000-07:002016-03-14T13:07:42.785-07:00Why buying a home with room to garden is so important<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8546718730043897500" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8546718730043897500" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><br />
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By Ryan Martin<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Buying a home is an exciting process, with the opportunity to
explore a variety of different environments in a quest to find that perfect
space to call your own. When looking for your new home, it’s important to make
sure that you’ve got plenty of room for gardening.<a href="http://modernize.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> </span></a><a href="http://modernize.com/"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Modernize</span></a> knows you’ll be glad that you put
gardening on the front burner during the home purchase process—here’s why:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Save Some Money</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">One of the best reasons to buy a home with room to garden is
that you’ll save lots of money on food throughout the year. Even if you grow
your own herbs, tomatoes, and greens, you’ll likely save a noticeable amount on
your grocery bills. But with room to garden at your own home, you can go a step
further and raise some chickens for fresh eggs on a regular basis.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The chickens will pay their rent by providing free fertilizer
and keeping intrusive bugs to a minimum both in your garden and around your
home. You’ll likely find that chickens are a joy to hang around and will help
keep your stress levels in check, as vegetable farming does. In the end, the
money you spend on farming and gardening is sure to pay off with money saved on
food, health expenses, and lifestyle costs overall.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Decrease Your Carbon
Footprint</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">By making sure that your new home has room for gardening,
you’ll reduce your household’s overall carbon footprint as time goes on by
minimizing your CO2 emissions and your need for the overall resources, such as
gas and pesticides, that go into producing the foods you would normally buy at
the store if you weren’t able to produce them at home. The closer your food is
grown to your home, the less water, soil, and other resources you contribute to
the need for—so kudos for gardening and keeping chickens on your new property!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Become an Inspirational
Role Model</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">A fun benefit of buying a home with plenty of room to garden is
that you get to become a positive role model for your family, friends, and even
neighbors throughout your community. You can teach others how easy it is to
grow tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, sunflowers, lettuce, and even
potatoes—as well as care for chickens in a way that is beneficial for everyone
involved. Sharing gardening and farming tips with neighbors is a great way to
build camaraderie as the newcomer, so enjoy the opportunity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">You’ll love the closer relationship you are sure to experience
when spending time in your home garden. You can expect less stress, increased
fitness levels, and a healthier lifestyle overall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-26815433629009055382016-03-09T12:16:00.000-08:002016-03-23T18:49:07.563-07:00Growing bulbs indoors<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkZ3RFeonCiVPA5eQuaTHMC4eKM7xqkGAOHltnH052h8zBpD0dxrrrJjBD_V7rRZixDtjlOO3mOPzcVg1DGYOsaCwRLK3nAEKtSigbF9WJdvhg0H-SkC4CTIbqQYBruq0unvqoOxtUr47/s1600/DSC_0140.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpkZ3RFeonCiVPA5eQuaTHMC4eKM7xqkGAOHltnH052h8zBpD0dxrrrJjBD_V7rRZixDtjlOO3mOPzcVg1DGYOsaCwRLK3nAEKtSigbF9WJdvhg0H-SkC4CTIbqQYBruq0unvqoOxtUr47/s640/DSC_0140.jpg" title="Raindrops on pink tulips" width="420" /></a></div>
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Tulip and other flower bulbs can easily be grown indoors. The name of this practice -- "forcing bulbs" -- seems a little heavy-handed, don't you think? Consider it more like ... gently nudging.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnJpr1SPyMTkoJt098nS9CCZC2dl_QS9QXfwHzGt91TqYufVxFfYyMukW6Q2Ku7rBA3VKlRPAQ2YTS76oT3TesaoldJ3y7dPCuw86Oz4fnyGZZczy9FKblrNW1NUfPnjDI7CncC6UWs1u/s1600/DSC_0680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHnJpr1SPyMTkoJt098nS9CCZC2dl_QS9QXfwHzGt91TqYufVxFfYyMukW6Q2Ku7rBA3VKlRPAQ2YTS76oT3TesaoldJ3y7dPCuw86Oz4fnyGZZczy9FKblrNW1NUfPnjDI7CncC6UWs1u/s640/DSC_0680.jpg" title="Force tulip bulbs indoors inside, with or without soil." width="420" /></a></div>
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The key with forcing bulbs is to create a lengthy period of cold before you want them to start growing. Spring-blooming bulbs that you keep in the ground all year (or plant in fall) go through such a phase in winter before waking up, after all. You can create the same effect by keeping bulbs in the refrigerator a few weeks before bringing them out to standard room temperature.</div>
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Or, you can do it the "oops" way. Let me explain:</div>
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Last spring I removed bulbs from a garden bed where I later planted vegetables, with the intention to put those bulbs back in the ground in the fall. I didn't get around to that task before snow and freezes came. The bulbs remained in a covered area on my patio. When I discovered them while cleaning last week, the bulbs' green shoots were just emerging. I could have put them in the ground, but because I had new uses in mind for their previous space, I decided to bring them indoors instead.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YN8mQ3C77hiFhri5B9rZ8X2cyeqjnCTZoAPYYrlbzBkedljFwvf-7ftzebuX20EbiJbqGD3CDt0ofXzZIoD1n7TkoS-JLl4Hb275gAXFLfaSyCwLJhd-v_xetYNYT02ItO71BCKaFSUe/s1600/DSC_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_YN8mQ3C77hiFhri5B9rZ8X2cyeqjnCTZoAPYYrlbzBkedljFwvf-7ftzebuX20EbiJbqGD3CDt0ofXzZIoD1n7TkoS-JLl4Hb275gAXFLfaSyCwLJhd-v_xetYNYT02ItO71BCKaFSUe/s320/DSC_0672.JPG" title="Forced tulip bulbs grown indoors" width="320" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicT5pr70ok0JxhZkRVgtYweBqbsFiTIwEY8dUd8g_9SjBaybMzO2auNQ6YzijwvzUYDNn3z0br4eUc3Ym7vOOz6O05NTJ3RmFdM4gEpdlntLqBIg78G4L_booT0WQk2Zrb6YGV2ApQw1Ui/s1600/DSC_0681.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicT5pr70ok0JxhZkRVgtYweBqbsFiTIwEY8dUd8g_9SjBaybMzO2auNQ6YzijwvzUYDNn3z0br4eUc3Ym7vOOz6O05NTJ3RmFdM4gEpdlntLqBIg78G4L_booT0WQk2Zrb6YGV2ApQw1Ui/s320/DSC_0681.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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I used vessels from my kitchen: cake pans and a pottery roasting dish. I put a layer of gravel (found in my yard) in the bottom of each dish, with just enough water to cover the rocks. I packed the bulbs as tightly as possible, first removing papery skins (these, when wet, can lead to rot). I check every few days to adjust the water level. Ideally the bulb roots go down in the rocks, but the bulbs themselves do not get soggy. Less than a week after doing this some of the bulbs have sprouted five inches. As the leaves and stems grow taller I will wrap a ribbon around the group to keep them upright.</div>
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This shows the root growth in six days:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWwxYyhhHlioAdTBte2sqbBcTyJ1d6i8Q7EFYvSe53QUbB_EmNkato0rp7f5ZtA9luciMXDQRb1-e6MlQ8Ik8ggi2KmguHFjvIdIfpdJ7PeZJSsUvD0m56pdEQMbjPnlMGXfIPgsU7in_/s1600/DSC_0673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbWwxYyhhHlioAdTBte2sqbBcTyJ1d6i8Q7EFYvSe53QUbB_EmNkato0rp7f5ZtA9luciMXDQRb1-e6MlQ8Ik8ggi2KmguHFjvIdIfpdJ7PeZJSsUvD0m56pdEQMbjPnlMGXfIPgsU7in_/s320/DSC_0673.JPG" title="Roots on tulip bulb grown indoors on a bed of gravel and water" width="320" /></a></div>
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Other seasons I have grown bulbs inside pots with soil, but the water-only method this time around intrigues my children and visitors to my home. It makes me laugh that the clear sight of green spikes notwithstanding, adults ask incredulously, "Can they really grow like that?"</div>
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Note that forced bulbs may not bloom next year, even if you plant it in the ground after enjoying the show indoors. I can live with that. I'd probably forget to plant them anyway.<br />
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Update on March 18: Here's the first bloom. You'll see I wrapped the stems and leaves with ribbon.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPfIhTQFzsSDPhoOc26arjxtNZFv9SjIHRuOtsUfZws0ThMwb8ScC36JywjalacWbQ6Z3JziIOqy-bzn7WxfGaRxI9HLAPyp5AkGNbBUtEzX91MubD_GtGVizcL_XD_6yP-wI7kA6rKLY/s1600/DSC_0738.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixPfIhTQFzsSDPhoOc26arjxtNZFv9SjIHRuOtsUfZws0ThMwb8ScC36JywjalacWbQ6Z3JziIOqy-bzn7WxfGaRxI9HLAPyp5AkGNbBUtEzX91MubD_GtGVizcL_XD_6yP-wI7kA6rKLY/s320/DSC_0738.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
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Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8546718730043897500.post-18270371257445786942016-02-29T12:56:00.000-08:002016-02-29T18:40:11.501-08:00Evaluating our food supply -- and how we feel about it<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihkaVLubp9penPsenQFiOB1qhqsxFVdLhd7EV6NNPNbptllDcNvLXoJEdvAvuPAvw01AMqddoF7yicDA-R7H6Q6gfF5rJhgG6c9nlb6M_cSDVPD6TUhH2OmCEKhWIZ_1PA70quWKmMvK1/s1600/25835095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihkaVLubp9penPsenQFiOB1qhqsxFVdLhd7EV6NNPNbptllDcNvLXoJEdvAvuPAvw01AMqddoF7yicDA-R7H6Q6gfF5rJhgG6c9nlb6M_cSDVPD6TUhH2OmCEKhWIZ_1PA70quWKmMvK1/s320/25835095.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by Randi Workman, via <a href="https://www.ksl.com/?sid=38563549&nid=148">ksl.com</a></td></tr>
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Perhaps more compelling than the question "Do we know what is in our food?" is pondering, "Do we <b><i>want </i></b>to know?"</div>
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My thoughts have thus ranged after a recent TV news story in my neighboring city of a woman reporting she found a snake head in a can of green beans. The woman was working with teenagers in their church kitchen to prepare a meal for senior citizens and noticed the snake head when they lifted beans out of a slow cooker. She threw the beans out and notified the store, which refunded her for the 30 cans she purchased. The manufacture withdrew that particular lot from the marketplace.(Click <a href="https://www.ksl.com/?sid=38563549&nid=148">here</a> to read story.)</div>
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The gross-out potential of such a story is high (as Indiana Jones would say, "Snakes. Why did it have to be snakes?"), and unsurprisingly people flooded an online comment board with plenty of "Ewws!" and "I'm never eating green beans again!" Others shared stories of their own less-than-appetizing finds inside commercially prepared products -- such as a starling in a can of spinach and a mouse baked in bread.</div>
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Er, excuse me while I regroup.</div>
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OK, are we back?</div>
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Such anecdotes can make one swear off ever buying processed food again! Eww, eww, eww! Other commenters were nonplussed and pointed out that it's unrealistic to expect a completely clean food supply. After all, these normal-Joe commenters said, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration allows certain levels of insects in the food we buy.</div>
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Sure enough, the FDA's <a href="http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/SanitationTransportation/ucm056174.htm">Defect Level Handbook </a>lists acceptable levels of what the organization deems "natural or unavoidable defects in foods that present no health hazards for humans." It's an interesting read, although please don't do so over lunch! And while I'm always on the prowl for good Scrabble words, I could have gone my entire life without learning a new one from this document: excreta. </div>
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Here's a sample for a pantry staple, peanut butter. Measurements in the right box indicate maximum acceptable level.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8rhA0aWNb60MsAv36muyIBbrgZrGv7Goj47kmoCuetyKVVyIdEjnJhsbUf2s1xH2Xjtf8j0rsaLnzLMP7LSbwiTeGCCdn6Yv9NjY2rwuvmy320ScxChyTxEturONCZ_bFsaADXHIIvKC/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-02-29+at+1.09.02+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx8rhA0aWNb60MsAv36muyIBbrgZrGv7Goj47kmoCuetyKVVyIdEjnJhsbUf2s1xH2Xjtf8j0rsaLnzLMP7LSbwiTeGCCdn6Yv9NjY2rwuvmy320ScxChyTxEturONCZ_bFsaADXHIIvKC/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-02-29+at+1.09.02+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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The FDA handbook glossary defines aesthetic as "offensive to the senses." No kidding.</div>
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All of this certainly motivates me to grow as much of my own food as I can. Yet, interestingly, I believe my experience raising food <i style="font-weight: bold;">tempers </i>my response and broadens my perspective. I know that snails slobber on tomatoes. I know that grasshoppers and birds -- and all sorts of things -- poop in the garden. I wash produce, cut out blemishes and move on. I've bottled apricots, handling each one individually, and still not seen the tiny white worm until it ended up floating in my sealed jar. (That time, as my first foray bottling, I threw the jar contents out, but now I would just pick out the worm.) I've pulled a daddy-long-legs off my dinner salad, no big deal. I know certain things are unavoidable even with food that I closely inspect and handle every step of the way. </div>
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Back to the story of the snake head, consider that those people didn't notice it right away either, when they opened the can. The woman found it later when pulling the beans out of the pot. </div>
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I don't like dwelling too much on my food and think these stories of animals in products are the memorable, icky exception to the rule. In the name of not starving I choose to give the benefit of the doubt that growers, processors and regulators are doing the best they can. In the end I appreciate these thoughts from people who chimed in on the snake-in-a-can story:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSAg7GAcov-Ho0njick3hV2Iq5G6EBtOs4pUB6LwTl7NkwKjvdmKPUNCUXIceE39uc-lgtSXSJLCNMzy0cE6BQZYlFy_D2rPVVZSRy8_8Xm7jwURLNg9WDigcd4eS4O7IPfD7bAHC8bmz/s1600/Screen+Shot+2016-02-29+at+2.15.11+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZSAg7GAcov-Ho0njick3hV2Iq5G6EBtOs4pUB6LwTl7NkwKjvdmKPUNCUXIceE39uc-lgtSXSJLCNMzy0cE6BQZYlFy_D2rPVVZSRy8_8Xm7jwURLNg9WDigcd4eS4O7IPfD7bAHC8bmz/s640/Screen+Shot+2016-02-29+at+2.15.11+PM.png" width="372" /></a></div>
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<br />Jenniferhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17525034596178639693noreply@blogger.com1