2013 Regular Season Gardening Annual Review

The funny thing about year-round growing, which we're attempting, is that the gardening season doesn't ever really end. I'm still watering plants in the hoop house and covering and uncovering cabbages and broccoli's to earn a harvest during the holidays. But I'll address our fall plantings in a different post. Today's is about the regular season, the April to October produce.

Garden Overview

We have five types of gardens: about 150 row feet of 30-inch wide outdoor beds (one raised with wooden sides, the rest raised by land shaping), two 20-foot hugelkultur piles (which I'll review in a separate post), three large beds (one of which is Lil's) totaling about 1000 square feet, three 20-foot 18-inch rows in the hoop house, and 30 trees of various edible types including pear, plum, apple, peach, cherry, and nut. All together that is...a lot of growing space. You can do the math if you want.

I was certain that this year was going to be a total failure because I expected excessive deer pressure and was uncertain about the quality of the soil and water drainage. As it turned out, my pessimism was unwarranted and the garden yielded hundreds of meals of produce.

We had a general plan for the beds but when the time came to plant, we defaulted to our standard 'plant what's available', which means all the strong seedlings I grew plus leftover seedlings from Swainway Urban Farm plus whatever else looked interesting. We intentionally interspersed varieties in different locations to maximize production if one bed or another failed for some reason.

What Worked

We planted seeds for peas, kale, mustard, lettuce, cilantro, beets, radishes and swiss chard in the hoophouse in late March. The greens all gave us many cuttings until late May when days became too hot and greens bolted. We enjoyed solid harvests of beets and radishes through June.

My sister, mother and I planted 20 feet of organic seed potatoes and 20 feet of sprouted organic grocery store potatoes in a slightly shady location. They thrived and we began harvesting them in mid-June. All varieties (the seed and the grocery store) produced at least ten big potatoes from each plant. They provided all our potato needs from June through September, feeding friends and family many times.

I scattered tomato, pepper, and eggplant seedlings all over the garden. While this became a staking nightmare, wherever I kept the plants off the ground, they produced very well.

We tucked sweet potato slips in under some tomatoes and rhubarb. They gave us one huge tuber and a couple little ones per plant, which isn't bad for an afterthought of an under crop.

Carrots thrived in many locations. As they're Lil's favorite vegetable and have almost no pests, carrots became one of my favorite crops this year.

My little kitchen herb garden of perennials is well established now at the end of the season. They are tucked into a sunny South-facing spot alongside the garage, so hopefully many of them will last through the winter.

We were able to harvest about 3 bushels of apples from our ancient apple tree in the back. I love free food and can't wait until the rest of the orchard matures.

Flowers, flowers, flowers. This was the year that I embraced the beauty of flowers, for which I mostly thank Lil. She grew a dozen varieties in her garden and I tucked blooms into corners of rows too. We made a big patch of sunflowers and zinnias too.

Straw mulching rows and walk paths worked beautifully to keep down weeds. More on this another time.

What Didn't Work

We planted onion sets at the outside of a bed containing beets. They didn't form big bulbs in that space of neglect, leading me to think we need to dedicate an entire bed to them next year.

Cabbages and collards were a wash. We did harvest about ten heads of cabbage but it was very buggy because I couldn't stay on top of the cabbage moth caterpillars. I wish there were a way to grow cabbage in the chicken run because the hens LOVE cabbage moths caterpillars...but they also love cabbage greens.

The broccoli and cauliflower I grew from seed never thrived and produced big heads. Plus, they were yet another breeding ground for cabbage moths. One idea for next year is to grow these under a light row cover so the cabbage moths can't lay eggs on them. Or maybe attract some predators?

Though the hoop house produced beautiful early greens and peas, the heat in there stopped growing before the time that outdoor greens are sweet. But because I didn't plant any outside, I didn't have greens in late spring when I wanted them. Next year, I'm planting them outside three weeks after the hoop house.

Alex tilled and I hand-hoed a big bed in the front of the yard to plant grains and squashes. The idea was to plant seeds and forget about them, which we did. Unfortunately, the tilling and hoeing only stirred up weed seeds and the plot was overrun with weeds that hid the squash bugs too. The squashes were a near total loss and the sweet corn never was super sweet. We ended up harvesting those dry for corn meal. We did harvest fifty volunteer butternut-ish squash from another bed.

Conclusions

We're left with the following ideas:

• plant more potatoes and sweet potatoes
• put the tomatoes and peppers in rows so they can be staked with florida weave style
• plant more carrots, especially under the tomatoes
• pay attention to where the onions go
• figure out a way to conquer the cabbage moths
• follow up hoop house plantings with outdoor plantings of spring greens and veggies
• keep up with straw mulching
• take more pictures - it was a struggle to find these!

How did your garden grow this year?

PS. This is the first post in November, a month in which I'll attempt to write every day. Prepare your RSS readers and throw me topic ideas if you have any!

Pumpkin Moonshines {Wordless Wednesday}

Tonight we carved jack o lanterns, also called Pumpkin Moonshines according to a sweet picture book of the same name. Our kitty Moonshine was not impressed.

Happy Halloween!

When Zombies Attack - Practical Disaster Preparations

In one week, ghouls, witches, and zombies will roam the streets. Are you ready? Do you have food for several days and a way too cook? Are you able to collect and/or sanitize water? What will you do if one of those zombies injures you or someone you love?

I can hear you saying that the zombies aren't real. They're just kids dressed up for Halloween. The only preparation needed is a stockpile of candy.

You are right. We don't believe zombies are real either. But we do talk about "when zombies attack." It's our joke code scenario for disaster preparations.

Disasters - wind storms, blizzards, flooding, black outs - are scary and unlike a zombie outbreak, they're real. In our twelve years of being homeowners, we've encountered a hurricane (when we lived in Virginia), two blizzards, and a derecho that wiped out power and access to resources.

Those who are ready for anything are also usually hoarding years' worth of processed food and water that will rarely be consumed - we don't fall in that camp. Rather, we aim for general preparations that will help us survive a big storm but can still be used in our daily lives. Many of our preparations come from our regular habits of cooking from scratch, canning year-round and enjoying camping and backpacking.

Minimalist Preparations

So what does one need to be prepared for when zombies attack, or when there's a long-term power outage or weather problem? We focus on the basic needs first:

Shelter - Our home is a two story concrete block monolith that even the home inspector said "could probably withstand a tornado on the second floor". Beyond that, we have two small, weather tight, tents and sub-zero sleeping bags for everyone which could allow us to sleep outside if necessary.

Food - We grow some of our own food and save seeds to replant without resupply. We practice foraging and keep chickens which could provide several meals if needed. We can fruits and vegetables, keep roots and fruit in the cellar, have at least ten pounds of bulk grain on hand at any given time, and practice charcuterie. Alex hunts. We might not eat perfectly balanced meals, but I'm certain we could feed ourselves for at least a week with what's in the house and we have the skills to create food from what's around us for many more meals.

Water - We keep three different ways to sanitize water: a backpacking pump water filter, iodine tablets, and bleach. We used to rely on rain barrels as a temporary source of water that could be sanitized but we haven't installed any since the move. We know we need to remedy that ASAP.

Heat - Our woodstove and wood piles are a potential source of warmth and cooking if gas or electric service are interrupted. In addition we have several varieties of backpacking stoves, grills, and a propane burner with a reasonable supply of their various fuels.

Clothing - We invest in waterproof breathable rain jackets, wool socks, and walking shoes so that each member of the family can be outside for extended periods of time in all types of weather if necessary.

When Zombies Attack

We aim to be self-sufficient for more complicated disasters too. Here's how:

Medicine - We keep a well-stocked first aid kit including burn, splint, cut, pain, and infection supplies. The first aid kit includes matches and alcohol wipes for sanitation. Alex and I have both taken CPR and First Aid courses. We practice using herbal remedies, including foraged ones, when appropriate.

Communication - Alex went through a ham radio kick a few years ago. Though I still think ham radio is a relic of a bygone era, we do keep the radios if cell communications.

Back-up Systems - After the wind storm of 2012, we vowed to not suffer through another summer power outage without fans and a way to run the chest freezer of meat. We invested in a propane generator that can power essential electric appliances. A more ideal system would involve battery backups and/or solar power but we need to save more before we invest in those.

Flight - We don't know how to fly, but we are prepared with cash and current passports to leave the country if we ever should need to. This isn't just a good practice in the case of disaster but allows us the chance to travel at will for pleasure.

Your Best Defense Against Zombies

The very best defense against zombies, which is also what they would be after if they were real, is BRAINS. All the 'stuff' in the world will not save you if you don't know how to use it. We use the tools we have on hand for disasters in everyday homesteading tasks. We cook by intuition. We start fires, butcher animals, and know where to find wild food.

You can train your brains too. Start by camping outside a few nights without electricity or challenge yourself to make meals with just what you have on hand.  Map out potential resources and how you will access them in the case of a power outage or blocked roadways. Practice a new skill or learn a new wild edible each month.

How do you prepare? I don't want to lose any of you to zombies!

It's Squash Season - Grab a Grapefruit Spoon! {One Great Tool}

Today I'm introducing a new series, One Great Tool. In each post, I'll highlight one hand tool that is indispensable to our daily cooking and gardening activities. We hope that by sharing our favorites with you, we can encourage more efficient and fun homesteading.

The first step to cooking any winter squash or making a jack-o-lantern is to remove the seeds and stringy flesh from the inside. Pulling them out by hand is one way, but it always reminds me of the 'cold bowl of spaghetti masquerading as pig guts' trick. It feels icky and rarely removes all of the seed material.

Instead, we go right for a grapefruit spoon. The row of metal teeth is meant to perfectly separate sour grapefruit segments from thin, bitter membrane. More frequently in our house, the teeth scrape the insides of harvest orange winter squash.

With a few simple scrapes using the spoon, all the gooey bits of the squash separate from the flesh which can then be roasted whole, roasted in chunks for soup or boiled. We save the seeds for roasting or replanting.

We reach our hands, clutching a grapefruit spoon, into the middle of jack-o-lantern pumpkins too. The spoons cleanly remove the bits of membrane that might otherwise catch on fire when you light the candle. I've even used it to remove the seedy middle from halved zucchini and summer squash.

We don't eat grapefruit very often because it isn't grown in Ohio and some people experience a negative interaction with a medicine Alex takes. But we do use our grapefruit spoons for squash frequently, especially in the fall.

Ginger Raw Honey Syrup {Recipe}

It's baby ginger season again!

Swainway Urban Farm is harvesting several dozen pounds of Hawaiian baby ginger each week. Unlike the grocery store stuff, fresh young ginger doesn't need to be peeled and has a pleasant crisp texture when raw. The flavor is complex and well-rounded with an alluring floral aroma.

I enjoy chopped pieces raw in stir fry or soup. A savored slice settles the stomach while making me feel alert*. Sadly, fresh ginger doesn't last long (though you can freeze it) and some members of my family don't like it raw.

So what else can I do to enjoy the delicate aroma and mild flavor? How about syrup?

I started by making a very strong tea of simmered roughly chopped pieces (including the stems and roots). To sweeten, I added raw local honey, a healthy, immune-boosting sugar*, after the tea cooled.

The resulting ginger raw honey syrup is the best thing I've made in months. It is sweet, flowery, and soothing. I 'prescribed' a shot in tea to Alex when he was complaining of an upset stomach*. Combined with soda water, the syrup makes top-notch ginger ale. And I can attest it pairs well with rum and whiskey.

I estimate this syrup will last in the fridge for at least a month. I'll report back on experiments with canning and fermenting some to further extend the shelf life through the winter cold and flu season.

In the meantime, find some baby ginger at the Clintonville Farmers' Market and make this healthful* and tasty syrup for yourself.

Ginger Raw Honey Syrup

Makes: 3-4 cups Time: 45 minutes

2 cups scrubbed fresh baby ginger, chopped 4 cups water 3/4-1 1/2 cups raw local honey, to taste

1. Gently simmer ginger and water in a heavy bottomed pan for 30 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature. 2. Pour ginger tea through a strainer to discard ginger pieces. 3. Add honey and stir vigorously. 4. Store in the refrigerator. Use as a base for ginger ale, cocktail mixer, addition to hot tea, or sip as a health tonic*.

*Health-related statements have not been approved by the Food & Drug Administration, who is shutdown and can't approve anything right now. Cultures around the world have eaten ginger and honey in various forms to treat a multitude of symptoms so I defer to their wisdom and my personal experience.

Life - And End Of Life - Is Messy

Devie is dying. We all are, of course, but our thirteen-year-old dog is very near to the end of life. She's lost eight pounds in the last six months and she sleeps most of the time. Her kidneys aren't processing food well anymore and she exhibits cognitive dysfunction. All of this adds up to one thing: she makes messes all the time.

Dev finds new food-like items to tear into, like the box of bulk spices she never disturbed before. She no longer signals to go outside, so we clean up puddles inside nearly every day. We started crating her when we're gone and sometimes she messes in there. If doggy nursing homes existed, Devie would be a resident.

Meanwhile, the federal government is shut down. Alex, a federal government worker who was just furloughed this summer, will be paid for an uncomfortably vague 'twenty to sixty days'. Other friends are already furloughed.

If adulthood has taught me anything, it's that people are at least as messy as old dogs. We stick to insignificant points instead of compromising. We are greedy for what should be shared. We make mistakes, like the local school district that left my friend's kids stranded on a bus for three hours. We complicate life into a huge ugly tangle.

In both cases, my aged dog and messed up human systems, I want to hide my head in a hoop house and opt out. I feel powerless in the face of all this mess, yet it surrounds me.

So I will dig my cares away this afternoon. I'll dirty my hands in nature's mess while planting garlic. Chaos in nature, the only kind of nature, is beautiful to me.

I will stare at the birds and warm in the sun and remember there are much more important things in life than a bunch of people arguing in Washington. Important things need my care: growing nourishing food, protecting the wonder of nature, and providing comfort to the aged.

How do you react to overwhelming mess?

Picking Apples From A Tall Tree & Cider Pressing Announcement

We're in the midst of bedding down the garden for winter. Stakes are laying all over the place and Lil has comandeered these 8 foot bamboo poles for playing pole vault, riding them like a witch's broomstick, and fighting imaginary monsters. It's a cheap toy, yet another version of the 'box and a stick', always favorite playthings.

On Sunday, Alex and I were surveying the yard and noticed that some apples on our mature, very tall apple tree were ripe. The ones that fell to the ground on their own were getting eaten by deer or dogs or raccoons, all of whom are less worthy of organic apples than us. We were pondering whether to rent or buy a pole-mounted apple picker when Lil ran towards the garage. She returned with a bamboo pole and started whacking at the apples. The ripe ones fell to the ground where we could pick them up.

Brilliant, my new eight-year-old!

Alex grabbed a pole too and I found a Trug. Twenty minutes of fun hitting and collecting later and we had a bushel of apples. Obviously many bruised when they hit the ground but for making cider, that doesn't matter.

We would love to let you hit an apple with a bamboo pole and see cider pressing in action. We're holding a Cider Pressing Open House at 1224 E Cooke Rd Columbus OH 43224 on Saturday October 26 from 2-5 pm. See you there!

Seasonal Snaps {Autumn Equinox 2013}

  This big oak may look like nothing much has changed since the Winter Solstice, Spring Equinox, and Summer Solstice snaps, but it did have an exciting moment. During a thunderstorm in July, lightning arched off the ground and struck her trunk, sizzling a family of squirrels and leaving a scar across the bark.

Joseph of Swainway Urban Farm grew six rows of vegetables in the tree's shadow which unfortunately were flooded during the same storm. Their growth remained stunted through the summer and yielded primarily produce for our two families.

Sorghum is the last remnant of a failed squash and grain garden in the front. Squash bugs and weeds decimated the squash plant; we're making do with an alternate harvest of corn.  

Plantings close to the house include Lil's flower garden, the apothecary with plants like the Toothache plant, and several fig trees. The blueberries that flank the walk suffered from lack of water in the spring but hopefully will make it through to next year.

The orchard trees are looking a little bigger than before. Comfrey and brambles are filling out in between the rows. Alex and Lil are sizing up the existing apple tree in this picture.  

Finally, the view where most of the action is - you can see tall sunflowers and rows of vegetables (albeit gone-by plants) that were just barely planted in the summer.  

Inside the hoop house, we're hanging on to a couple tomato plants that are still yielding ripe fruit for fresh eating. Ever-bearing strawberries are remarkably still producing fruit, a couple a day. The rest is planted with fall root and leafy green vegetables.

We will write a wrap-up of the season's successes and failures in the garden and the hoop house soon.

How is your garden looking this first day of fall?