We Made the Front Page!

On the Washington County Observer dated Thursday, March 24, 2011.  I'm super proud of everyone coming out here and making this happen!

Pictures!

Think of it as a construction site.

Yes, I know. It's messy. This is the stage that the garden is in. Just imagine what it will look like in only a few weeks with our combined efforts! I look out at our garden and, in my mind's eye, I see friendly crops interspersed for optimal companion planting and to attract beneficial insects. I see the tilth in the soil, and I see the first harvests of salad mixes, full of vitality and high in nutrition, going home in bags with you, and our fast-growing varieties of cabbages and broccoli getting well established in their beds, the beet greens growing among them. The summer seedlings ready to transplant from the cold frame in the back yard to the beds in the front.

But, yes, we have digging to do. It will be good exercise, and once it's done, we have excellent soil for our vegetables to thrive in. Sail into the wind, as they say. The only way to get through it is to do it.

Update about our fertilizer: thought I'd share with you what is going into our vegetables. We're using ingredients that, together, make a safe and balanced complete organic fertilizer.

On-site babysitting for the wee gardeners, lettuce seedlings up, pre-sprouted beets and cabbage in!

Okay! That about sums it up. Oh, and today we bought another 55-gallon barrel for collecting rain water (this makes two).

The hail last night wrecked some of the lettuces (well, the hail, plus a vagary or two). So we'll put some more in the ground. They're already working on pre-germinating in a jar.

Some of our first pre-germinated beets and cabbages are in the dirt, too, and I'll be adding some broccoli seedlings to those two beds, and dill (these are all great companion plants) when it's just a little warmer. We made some great progress digging beds this (long, 4-day) weekend, and Tom will probably be setting up the rain barrels tomorrow. Meanwhile, Sarah is researching everything we need to know about irrigation so that, eventually, we don't have to worry about watering and we can use the barrels for growing potatoes.

About babysitting! Well, turns out that a sweet woman who lives in a retirement community is not permitted to have a garden, but LOVES gardening and canning tomatoes. She wants fresh, healthy food to eat, and in exchange for it is willing to babysit our little ones for us while we work! Apparently she has a few fellow sweet-old-lady like-mindeds. They can basically sit and read stories, keep the kids happy drawing and blowing bubbles and so on. Awesome news, yes, fellow parents??? Three cheers for all-ages gardening!!!

Final note, Tom and I watched the movie Dirt! the other night and were truly inspired. This is definitely YRCG movie night film material. We're looking forward to hosting a movie night to feature Dirt! when the busy season has settled down.

Just more good stuff

Today I prepped more beds with manure and fertilizers, torched more Bermuda grass, and sowed more pre-germinated lettuce and spinach seeds. We should be seeing seedlings within half a week, I think. Austin and Tom repaired the damage I'd done earlier, moving stakes and twine around while torching (whoops...I didn't think it would get that confusing...or tangled...), and they finished marking everything in the front area. Austin also did some excellent detail work on the mulched, fabricked paths that were down but not finished. While the ground is wet from this weekend's rains, we won't be able to dig the growing beds, but we will be able to lay down the weed control fabric and the mulch on the walking paths, which is, in itself, fantastic progress. With every walking path we cover, the garden looks better and better - more and more like a garden. I'm thrilled!! And, after the ground finally dries out - it'll take just the right amount of dry weather (maybe six days or more) - we'll be able to start digging the beds and sowing longer-rooting crops (everything but the lettuces). This will actually be a lot more fun than it sounds. I've always enjoyed the digging part. And it automatically gives the plants a huge boost. Their roots can find the nutrients and water that they need, and they just grow and grow. The improved flavor of the plants is another benefit. The difference is amazing.

Our strategy is to prep a bed, sow, and move on; prep another bed, sow, and move on, rather than to finish the entire front and side yards and *then* put seeds into the ground. The only reasonable way to start a garden!

Tom and I already have the wire fencing, and we'll be getting the wooden posts within a week or two. Just in time, we hope, to protect our lettuce seedlings from hungry rabbits.

Final note: with our fast-growing lettuce seeds in the ground, we can expect our first harvest in about 30 days.

Lettuce Seeds, Growing Beds and Walking Paths, Oh, My!

Spring garden update: Steve and I separately hauled in as much mulch as the garden could possibly need for the next week or so. Yesterday, for her shift, Danna and her excellent crew of kids began establishing the walking paths, laying down weed control fabric and mulch on top of that. Austin is coming this evening for his shift, and will continue the process, and within a few shifts we'll have our permanent beds and walking paths in place and can pull up the marker stakes and twine.

Meanwhile, I pre-germinated (chitted) the lettuce and spinach seeds on Tuesday, and they began showing their tiny roots yesterday morning. So I made my cornstarch stew, let it cool, and very gently mixed the seeds and stew together in a plastic freezer bag. Out in the garden, I mounded up an eroded bed of compost. Then I added composted, high-quality horse manure and fertilizer (a mixture of soft rock phosphate, kelp, seed meal, ag lime, worm castings, and a thing or two else that I'm probably forgetting). I cut a very small hole in a bottom corner of the bag and started squeezing out seeds. It was, ultimately, a much more enjoyable way to sow very small seeds, and was much gentler on those proto-roots. The seedlings should be showing up in a couple of days, and the lettuce varieties will probably be randomly distributed.

Over the next week we'll continue to lay down weed control fabric and mulch the walking paths, and to sow more lettuce and spinach seeds. Tomorrow before it rains will be the best time to dig a bed or two, as the soil will probably have had a chance to dry enough, and if so, I'll do that, incorporating compost and the fertilizer mix. This way we can prepare to (or even actually) sow our first bed or two, probably of beet and broccoli (they make good companions).

It's an exciting time!

Liev

Seeds Have Arrived! (Part 1)

We received another shipment from Bountiful Gardens today - a nice big pack of seeds.  In addition to our order from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, we have a nice library of seeds growing.  They're good for both spring and summer harvesting.

Without further ado and in no particular order - the seeds so far.

• Piricicaba Broccoli
• Red Drumhead Cabbage
• Egyptian Spinach Greens
• Cracoviensis, Stem Lettuce
• Bronze Arrow Lettuce
• Marvel of 4 Seasons, Butterhead Lettuce
• Merlot Lettuce
• Winter Destiny Lettice, Romaine
• Monstruex de Virolay Spinach
• French-Sparky Marigold
• Buckwheat
• Bull's Blood Beet
• Early Wonder Beet
• Chantenay Red Core Carrot
• Shin Kuroda 5" Carrot
• Rosa Bianca Eggplant
• Red Wonder Wild Strawberry
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Harris Model Parsip
• Melrose Pepper
• Quadrato D' Asti Giallo Pepper
• Black Futsu Squash
• Musquee De Provence
• Emerald Evergreen Tomato
• Genovese Basil
• Rutgers Tomato
• Tappys Heritage Tomato
• White Queen Tomato
• Yellow Icicle Tomato
• Golden Midget Watermelon
• Demi Long Root Parsley

Whew!  More to come...

How to root cellar

I like links like this because they inspire. This is what we can do with the food we're growing.

http://oldfashionedliving.com/rootcellar.html

Here's an excerpt, below. Look at that! You can store carrots for 4-6 months. Tomatoes? 1-2 months. Makes me wonder if Tom and I should scrap our refrigerator.

APPROXIMATE STORAGE TIMES:

Cabbage.......3-4 months

Brussels Sprouts.....3-5 weeks

Jerusalem Artichokes..1-2 months

Carrots........4-6 months

Chinese Cabbage...1-2 months

Eggplant........1-2 weeks

Parsnips........1-2 months

Rutabagas......2-4 months

Squash........4-6months

Radishes........2-3 months

Tomatoes.......1-2 months

Cauliflower......2-4 weeks

Broccoli.........1-2 weeks

Beets........4-5 months

Pumpkins......5-6 months

Potatoes.........4-6 months

Turnips.......4-6 months

We're on Google Groups!

Hi folks!  We joined Google Groups so we can have a discussion and announcement list.  It's open to the public so please join!

Homepage: http://groups.google.com/group/yrcg
Group Email: yrcg@googlegroups.com

Updated Plant List

Plants highlighted in green are plants whose seeds we currently have. Yellow highlighting means it's a variety I plan to order.

Crop/variety choices for the YRCG -

BEANS (BUSH)

(Also need to order inoculant if getting bush beans.)

Dragon tongue wax 60 days juicy and sweet even when large. Heavy producer.


BEANS (POLE)

Rattlesnake 70 days best of all for flavor and 100-degree heat didn’t stop them from producing lots of beans.

Romano 70 days creamy flavor stringless high-yielding unfazed by heat, drought, cold nights, and most pests.

Razorback Cowpeas - great for snap peas, shell peas and drying.

BEETS

Bull’s Blood tops 35 days; roots 58 days a staple in salad mixes. Easy even with chilly evenings and poor soil.

Early Wonder Tall Tops 45 days. Ultra-easy to grow, early, great flavor, and lots of greens for cooking – a favorite in home gardens for years.


BROCCOLI

Di Cicco 48-85 days Compact 2-3’ light-green plants. Harvesting the central 3’4” central head stimulates production of numerous smaller side shoots. Quality and long harvest period make it the best broccoli for home gardens. Freezes well. 110 seeds $2.00

Piricicaba 56 days halfway between standard grocery store broccoli and a raab, large plants produce lots of small green heads. Stalks, leaves, also sweet and tender. Good frost tolerance. hot-weather performance. Produces at 90 degrees. 110 seeds $2.00


Buckwheat (to repel insects from squashes)

Fayetteville Community Seed Swap - TOMORROW!

FAYETTEVILLE COMMUNITY SEED SWAP

Sponsored by the Fayetteville Community Garden Coalition (FCGC), the University of Central Arkansas’ Conserving Arkansas’ Agricultural Heritage (CAAH!) Project, and the Washington County Cooperative Extension, the second annual Fayetteville Community Seed Swap will be on Sunday, February 20, 2011, from 1:00-4:00 pm at the Fayetteville Senior Activity and Wellness Center.

Anyone may attend to trade and distribute open-pollinated seeds of food crops, herbs, or ornamentals. Hybrid seeds will also be traded and distributed during the last thirty minutes of the event. If you have no seeds to swap but want to learn more, come mingle with gardeners, farmers, and seed savers. There will be an informational presentation about seed saving at the beginning of the event, followed by a seed savers exchange and seed distribution. Help us conserve the heritage of Arkansas while we share good stories, beautify our yards, and, of course, save seeds.

WHAT: Second Annual Fayetteville Community Seed Swap
WHEN: Sunday, February 20, 2010, 1:00-4:00pm
SCHEDULE: 1:00pm – 1:30pm Seed Saving Presentation
1:30pm – 3:30pm Heirloom Seed Swap
3:30pm – 4:00pm Leftover Seed Distribution
WHERE: Fayetteville Senior Activity and Wellness Center, 945 S. College
WHO: The Fayetteville Community Gardening Coalition (FCGC), the University of Central Arkansas’s (UCA) Conserving Arkansas’s Agricultural Heritage (CAAH!) Project, the Washington County Cooperative Extension Service…and of course--any interested farmers, gardeners, and community members.
WHY: Arkansas farmers and gardeners have a long legacy of using heirloom seeds. These plants are in danger of being lost. Sharing seeds encourages the production and longevity of diverse varieties for posterity, and increased sustainable living in the present.
HOW IT WORKS: Anyone can bring seeds to swap or share. If you don’t have seeds, you can donate envelopes, garden tools, or knowledge to FCGC.
COST: FREE!

For more detailed information, you may also contact Katy Deaton at 479-409-4431 kathleenhdeaton@gmail.comor Dr. Brian Campbell at 501-450 3178 brianc@uca.edu

Plant List, 2011 Spring and Summer Seasons

Okay, everyone! Here is our plant list, which clearly needs some narrowing down. We are taking requests for early/fast-growing spring crops in addition to broccoli, cabbage, lettuces and greens such as kale and collards. I'm a little shy of cauliflower, for example, but if anyone's had good experience growing this tricky crop, we can try it.

Notes From 2/15/11 Meeting

We had a great meeting at Q'Doba last night! Several gardeners came out to learn more, to discuss crops, and to coordinate our ground-breaking efforts, with time slot sign-ups and volunteering for the tasks needed to be done. I'm excited to see that we all share the same values of self-sufficiency and gardening sustainably.

We've Added Commenting

I've added the ability to comment and discuss the articles in a threaded format using the powerful social networking tool called Disqus.  You can login to comment as a guest or by using your Facebook, Twitter, Yahoo, or OpenID account.

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Thanks and we're looking forward to some great discussions!

Produce prices at the stores to rise, effective immediately

I just found this at http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/303583

This is just one more reason that it's time to kick it into gear with our community garden. Fortunately, we'll be starting with some quick-growing early-spring crops. Let's have a good turn-out this Tuesday at Q'doba! We'll see you there at 6:30 p.m.
________

Mexico loses 80-100% of crops to freeze, US prices to skyrocket

By Lynn Herrmann.

Houston - The cold weather experienced across much of the US in early February made its way deep into Mexico and early reports estimate 80-100 percent crop losses which are having an immediate impact on prices at US grocery stores with more volatility to come.

Planning and Upcoming Meeting Details

We're excited.

Today Tom, Eden, and I went to Lowes to check prices on things like fencing and tools. But the nurseries are where the discounts are at this time of the year. So Round II happens tomorrow.

Later, we sat down and put our heads together over preferred methods for tearing up the Bermuda grass. Really not such a big deal, it turns out.

I'd love to add more details about the greenhouse, mulch, and vertical gardening, but I am one tired mama. More soon at our upcoming meeting at Q'Doba on Dickson Street either this Saturday, February 12, at 10:30 A.M., or Tuesday, February 15, at 6:30 P.M. Send me your preferred time, and the most votes will decide when we will meet.

--> Cast your vote for your preferred meeting day/time on the upper-right side of this page.

At this meeting, we will need to collect fees ($50 per share for the appx. 22-week season) so we can begin purchasing supplies while nurseries still offer deep discounts during their slowest time of the year. If this is a hardship, we will accept $25 at the meeting and $25 next month.

We will also be finalizing our crop choices at this meeting. So, make sure you're there to weigh in with your favorite produce!

Looking forward,

Liev