Going to let you guys in on a little secret.
I'm trusting you to keep this just between us.
We're friends, right?
The name of my farm is CrossRoad Farm.
The little slogan I do my best to tag on everything...
"Sometimes you reach a point...then have to choose a direction."
It has been with me my whole life.
At first glance, you may think my property is located at a crossroads. Not hardly. Or, located in Crossroads, Texas? Not even close. When I originally came up with this name, I lived at the end of a long, winding road, on a cul-de-sac. At present, my property is located on a regular street. I'm not at the end. I'm not in the middle. Just the second house down on the left. It has never been about location. It has always been about a state of mind.
Where am I?
Who am I?
What's happening in my life?
Where do I want to go?
How do I want to get there?
Who do I want to take along for the ride?
Who am I kicking out of the truck?
It has always been about food to some extent. I've had a passion for organic gardening since the beginning. After planting the first seed, and enduring the challenges of nature, organic or natural gardening has been important to me. My first challenge came when ants took up residence in my garden. I did what most do. I went to the store to get some ant killer. Ants can be mean, and I wanted them gone. The problem came when I started reading the labels.
Ha! My label reading affliction started long ago!
I couldn't find anything that I wanted near my food, or the food I wanted to feed my children. I was also going through a lot of bad stuff in my life. Bad relationships. Bad self-image. Bad decision making.
The name just grew out of the dysfunction.
I wanted to start my own organic farm all the way back in the late 90's. I was a member of the Texas Organic Grower's Association. I subscribed to a ton of publications, like Acres, USA. I even went to an organic gardening convention in Austin Texas. It was a dream. Then, life happened. Jobs changed. Relationships changed. A plague of grasshoppers moved in. I had to make decisions for my family. My dream was moved to the back burner, and life moved front and center. I'm not complaining. I just had to do what I had to do.
Fast-forward to the beginning of this blog. Completely different life. Completely different relationships. Completely different goals. Completely different location. Same dream. Trying not to disrupt everyone's life in my household, I started small. I had fun. Crazy things happened. Then, a drought and a second plague of grasshoppers that tried to rival the first I'd seen. When out of the chaos, a new love happened. My bees! I really do love my bees. It was unsuspecting. It was challenging. It's very rewarding. Even though it's crazy hard at times, I love it. I also love honey, and I feel very good about the crop I produce.
Yet, I'm still standing at that same CrossRoad!
A lot of things have changed in my life. Life does that. The only constant is change. Whether you refuse to see it, and the world is changing around you. Or, you grab on to it, and see where it takes you. There is, and always will be CHANGE. There is change ahead. I can feel it. I can smell it. I can even taste it a little. I don't know what it is, and because I am controlling by nature, it frustrates me a little. I like to have a plan. I like to have a direction. I don't like standing in the middle of a CrossRoad waiting to figure it out, but I am. I'm just hanging out in the middle of the road. Looking from one direction to the next. Turning in a circle. Trying to decide which path is the right one.
The facts are, I don't have enough information at this point to choose.
I've been here for a while. Trying to define myself. Trying to consolidate who I am. Trying to wrap it all up in a pretty package. I think this partly explains why I have been neglecting this blog. I know I've been busy, but really, I've just been undecided. I've been trying to define this space. Trying to understand who I am and what I want to put out there about myself. I don't have those answers, and I finally understand why.
I don't fit inside a pretty little package!
I can not be wrapped up in paper with a pretty bow on top. It doesn't work. You can't shove me inside a gift bag with tissue paper either. I'm that annoying present that can't be wrapped in a manner to make a presentable gift. There is not a box I fit in, and even if you find a box large enough, it will be one larger than the paper is wide. You're going to have to use two sheets to cover all the sides. There's not enough ribbon to cover all the seams and hide the truth.
Not going to happen!
Today, of all days, this is finally okay with me. I can't define, or redefine, this blog. This blog is about me. I'm a retired stay-at-home mom. I'm an empty-nester. I'm a wife. I'm a Christian. I'm a sinner. I'm a gardener. I'm a beekeeper. I'm a do-it-your-selfer. I'm a horse owner. I'm a dog lover. I'm a cat lover. I'm the egg lady. I'm the bee lady. I'm a city girl. I'm a country girl. I'm a rebel.
I'm all over the place!
If you come here to learn about bees? Keep coming. You'll learn a thing or two. If you really want to learn about bees? Contact me. I teach beekeeping. If you want to learn about gardening? You're going to have to dig in the archives. We've had terrible weather and it has not been successful for a long time. If you want to talk about raising kids? I know a thing or two. Shoot! I'll do my best to answer. If you want to read crazy stories that give you a little insight into who I am? Check back daily. You never know what you'll find. I don't fit into a category, and today, I'm no longer going to try.
Oddly, I'm breathing a little easier.
Now I feel better.
Showing posts with label Garden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Garden. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
Burr!
I think it is safe to say that most of us are cold today! I know, some of you are cursing that dang ground hog, but I can't really do it.
It is cold.
I am cold.
I could go for some warm but...it's fine.
Does that make any sense?
I think part of my problem is the fact that the seed catalogs have been pouring in since December. I usually find this super exciting. I grab the mail and then immediately sit down with a pencil and start going over every single page. This year is a little different for me. For one, I have not turned back a single cover. I have a nice stack of catalogs collecting on my desk, but the pages have not seen the light of day. Then, the other day, I received a catalog with a Last Chance! notice on the cover. They are removing me from their mailing list because it has been so long since I placed an order. Rude!
This sort of makes me sad.
You see, I want to open them. I want to mark up the pages. I want to make a list. I want to place orders. I want to start seeds. I want to grow varieties that you will not find anywhere else! I want to get my hands dirty. I want to make my back hurt. I want to grow more things than I can possibly eat.
But, I can't.
I mean...I could.
But...I can't!
If I were to do that, I would want to put together my greenhouse that is in a disassembled heap on the other side of my horse trailer. Then, I would want to start building some new compost bins. Then, I would want to build some raised beds.
Let's be real here people!
I am barely keeping the things I already have alive. My horses are doing their best to die. My dog's rehabilitation will span the next six months to a year. I have new bees on order. Plus, I have a couple of queens due to arrive this spring. I have new boxes to build, seal, and paint! I have a bazillion frames to assemble. I have 4 pieces of furniture that I want to refurbish. I have an entire house that needs a face lift. I am in serious need of some landscaping. I have chickens that require daily attention.
I have a lot to do!
I haven't successfully grown anything over the last couple of years. With the drought and the plague of grasshoppers - I quit. The fact that we have had a pretty cold winter is promising to me. Really cold winters mean that a few more bugs have managed to die off. This is good. I just can't do it. It doesn't help that the Man in Charge keeps telling me that my days here are numbered. He has been telling me that since 2005, but what the hay? It has meant that a lot of what I do is not permanent. Temporary things are just what they sound like - temporary. You do temporary for nine years and eventually it starts to wear on you.
It is the limbo.
I don't like it.
I don't do limbo well.
So. Instead of browsing seed catalogs, I am going to take another course. I am going to work on my house. I am going to work on my flower beds. I am going to grow my bees. I am going to keep my horses alive. I am going to rehab my dog. I am going to keep letting my chickens run my life. I am going to dress up some old furniture. I am going to do all these things so that if I have to go - I am ready. If at the end of those things, I am still here? I am going to start doing things a little more permanently.
Don't be too sad for me.
I am already conning myself into sneaking a few edibles into the flower beds.
This is just the sucky part of being a grown up! I have to tell myself N-O!
It is cold.
I am cold.
I could go for some warm but...it's fine.
Does that make any sense?
I think part of my problem is the fact that the seed catalogs have been pouring in since December. I usually find this super exciting. I grab the mail and then immediately sit down with a pencil and start going over every single page. This year is a little different for me. For one, I have not turned back a single cover. I have a nice stack of catalogs collecting on my desk, but the pages have not seen the light of day. Then, the other day, I received a catalog with a Last Chance! notice on the cover. They are removing me from their mailing list because it has been so long since I placed an order. Rude!
This sort of makes me sad.
You see, I want to open them. I want to mark up the pages. I want to make a list. I want to place orders. I want to start seeds. I want to grow varieties that you will not find anywhere else! I want to get my hands dirty. I want to make my back hurt. I want to grow more things than I can possibly eat.
But, I can't.
I mean...I could.
But...I can't!
If I were to do that, I would want to put together my greenhouse that is in a disassembled heap on the other side of my horse trailer. Then, I would want to start building some new compost bins. Then, I would want to build some raised beds.
Let's be real here people!
I am barely keeping the things I already have alive. My horses are doing their best to die. My dog's rehabilitation will span the next six months to a year. I have new bees on order. Plus, I have a couple of queens due to arrive this spring. I have new boxes to build, seal, and paint! I have a bazillion frames to assemble. I have 4 pieces of furniture that I want to refurbish. I have an entire house that needs a face lift. I am in serious need of some landscaping. I have chickens that require daily attention.
I have a lot to do!
I haven't successfully grown anything over the last couple of years. With the drought and the plague of grasshoppers - I quit. The fact that we have had a pretty cold winter is promising to me. Really cold winters mean that a few more bugs have managed to die off. This is good. I just can't do it. It doesn't help that the Man in Charge keeps telling me that my days here are numbered. He has been telling me that since 2005, but what the hay? It has meant that a lot of what I do is not permanent. Temporary things are just what they sound like - temporary. You do temporary for nine years and eventually it starts to wear on you.
It is the limbo.
I don't like it.
I don't do limbo well.
So. Instead of browsing seed catalogs, I am going to take another course. I am going to work on my house. I am going to work on my flower beds. I am going to grow my bees. I am going to keep my horses alive. I am going to rehab my dog. I am going to keep letting my chickens run my life. I am going to dress up some old furniture. I am going to do all these things so that if I have to go - I am ready. If at the end of those things, I am still here? I am going to start doing things a little more permanently.
Don't be too sad for me.
I am already conning myself into sneaking a few edibles into the flower beds.
This is just the sucky part of being a grown up! I have to tell myself N-O!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Follow Up
Sorry, I left you hanging again. You will totally understand when I am able to finally get this thing caught up, and I will. A couple of posts back, I had a question. It was regarding a plant that I had planted in my flower bed. I didn't know what it was, or what I was supposed to do with it. I recently read a comment by Miss Abigail, and yes, you are correct! It is Mexican Petunia. From what I have read about it, it is virtually impossible to kill, and if you live in a wet climate, not that we do, it can become quite invasive. The state of Florida has it on their invasive list. Well, living in the great state of Texas, unless you have it in an area that is regularly watered, not so much a problem.
This particular plant came from a friend of mine. She passed away a couple of years ago, and when her family sold her property, they called me to see if I wanted a few of the things that were left behind. Upon my visit, I noticed some of the plants that she had in her yard, and asked if anyone minded if I dug some of them up. If I remember correctly, it was July or August when this took place, and I was sure some of these things would not survive. Still, in memory of my friend, I wanted to give it a shot. This Mexican Petunia and a Knock-Out Rose Bush made it through.
The Mexican Petunia was very small when I dug it up, and when I replanted it, it promptly died back. I knew it was a perennial because that is all she planted, so I wasn't overly concerned. To my surprise, the next year it came back bigger and better. Still not knowing what it was, I was shocked when it survived the drought last year. It was in an area that was watered, but not crazy amounts. Well, this year when it came back, it went crazy! It was huge this spring.
One afternoon, the Man in Charge came in from outside.
"What are you doing with that Big-Ass Weed in the flower bed?"
Not a regular weeder, I asked,
"What Big-Ass weed?"
At this point he described the location. I was standing at the stove, cooking, and my Full-Timer was sitting at the bar. I couldn't turn and look at him, but I quickly informed him that the plant was not a Big-Ass weed, and he should leave it alone. This prompted all sorts of questions. What was it? What am I doing with it? So on, and so on. From reading this post, you know that I did not have those answers then. My level of frustration was going up due to the fact that my husband does not do yard work...at all! I do the mowing, weed-eating, etc. I am not complaining. It is the way I prefer it because I enjoy those things, but my initial reaction to his questions was, "Why do you care?"
I explained to him that it came from my friend's house after her passing, and it meant something to me. He kept on with his list of questions and complaints due to the size of the thing. He also kept calling it a Big-Ass weed! Now, my Full-Timer was still at the bar watching this exchange. She could tell that he was irritating me by the fact that my shoulders were tensing up. She could also tell by my tone of voice that he better knock it off. Being the good kid that she is, she just grabbed her cup of tea and sat back to watch what happened.
About the tenth time he called my plant a Big-Ass weed, I turned around, and said,
"You're a Big-Ass weed! That is mine! It doesn't concern you. I will deal with it when I have time, and until then leave it alone!"
To say that he had a look of shock on his face would be an understatement. Simultaneously, my Full-Timer was spewing tea every where because she couldn't stop laughing. He got the point. Being the smart man that he is, he started laughing and threatening to chase me outside.
Crisis averted.
I was seriously about to have a throw-down on him if he said one more thing. To this day, we have referred to it as the Big-Ass weed, but in a more loving manner. And, no one, has ever tried to touch it. Now that I know what it is, I have been digging it up and dividing it. I gave some to another friend, and she has planted it. I am in the process of moving it to a more appropriate location now.
I wrote a post about my friend after she passed. If you are new to the blog, you can click HERE to read it.
This particular plant came from a friend of mine. She passed away a couple of years ago, and when her family sold her property, they called me to see if I wanted a few of the things that were left behind. Upon my visit, I noticed some of the plants that she had in her yard, and asked if anyone minded if I dug some of them up. If I remember correctly, it was July or August when this took place, and I was sure some of these things would not survive. Still, in memory of my friend, I wanted to give it a shot. This Mexican Petunia and a Knock-Out Rose Bush made it through.
The Mexican Petunia was very small when I dug it up, and when I replanted it, it promptly died back. I knew it was a perennial because that is all she planted, so I wasn't overly concerned. To my surprise, the next year it came back bigger and better. Still not knowing what it was, I was shocked when it survived the drought last year. It was in an area that was watered, but not crazy amounts. Well, this year when it came back, it went crazy! It was huge this spring.
One afternoon, the Man in Charge came in from outside.
"What are you doing with that Big-Ass Weed in the flower bed?"
Not a regular weeder, I asked,
"What Big-Ass weed?"
At this point he described the location. I was standing at the stove, cooking, and my Full-Timer was sitting at the bar. I couldn't turn and look at him, but I quickly informed him that the plant was not a Big-Ass weed, and he should leave it alone. This prompted all sorts of questions. What was it? What am I doing with it? So on, and so on. From reading this post, you know that I did not have those answers then. My level of frustration was going up due to the fact that my husband does not do yard work...at all! I do the mowing, weed-eating, etc. I am not complaining. It is the way I prefer it because I enjoy those things, but my initial reaction to his questions was, "Why do you care?"
I explained to him that it came from my friend's house after her passing, and it meant something to me. He kept on with his list of questions and complaints due to the size of the thing. He also kept calling it a Big-Ass weed! Now, my Full-Timer was still at the bar watching this exchange. She could tell that he was irritating me by the fact that my shoulders were tensing up. She could also tell by my tone of voice that he better knock it off. Being the good kid that she is, she just grabbed her cup of tea and sat back to watch what happened.
About the tenth time he called my plant a Big-Ass weed, I turned around, and said,
"You're a Big-Ass weed! That is mine! It doesn't concern you. I will deal with it when I have time, and until then leave it alone!"
To say that he had a look of shock on his face would be an understatement. Simultaneously, my Full-Timer was spewing tea every where because she couldn't stop laughing. He got the point. Being the smart man that he is, he started laughing and threatening to chase me outside.
Crisis averted.
I was seriously about to have a throw-down on him if he said one more thing. To this day, we have referred to it as the Big-Ass weed, but in a more loving manner. And, no one, has ever tried to touch it. Now that I know what it is, I have been digging it up and dividing it. I gave some to another friend, and she has planted it. I am in the process of moving it to a more appropriate location now.
I wrote a post about my friend after she passed. If you are new to the blog, you can click HERE to read it.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
Question?
Anyone know what this is?
If you know what it is, do you know what to do with it?
There is a story behind it. The Man in Charge and I almost had a throw down over this thing. I will tell it soon, but it is late and I am off to bed. Just had a cup of our Sweet Dreams Tea, and I need some rest. I have a very busy next few days.
If you know what it is, do you know what to do with it?
There is a story behind it. The Man in Charge and I almost had a throw down over this thing. I will tell it soon, but it is late and I am off to bed. Just had a cup of our Sweet Dreams Tea, and I need some rest. I have a very busy next few days.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
Your local Farmer's Market
I have been wanting to write this post for a while, but things have been a little crazy around here. When I do manage to sit down with the computer, I fall asleep. It is just the way it goes. Not to mention, it has been hot outside. I must be getting older because the heat just zaps me lately. I am trying to make a conscious effort to drink more water and stay hydrated, but the cold hard facts are that my iced coffee helps me get more things done. It is quite a dilemma.
I hate to do this to you, but it is time for me to get on my soap box for a minute or twenty. I just try to provide information here. What you do with it is your business, but having been on both sides of the Farmer's Market I may have a little insight. Not to mention that I have a healthy addiction to reading as much as I can about food safety.
I highly recommend you visit a website called Food Safety News.
You can click on the link HERE!
I love this site. On the home page you can subscribe and they will send you emails daily with what is going on regarding our food in this country. You would not believe the number of food recalls that happen daily and you never see it on the evening news. Like the dog food recall that happened recently. Have a dog? I have three and when this was happening, two of them were throwing up a lot. My brand of dog food was on the list, but the bag that I had was manufactured in a separate facility. Whatever was going on, my dogs did not like it. I changed their food and problem solved.
Did you know that people can get salmonella from a pet that has it or from handling contaminated dogfood?
Back to the Farmer's Market thing. I think the market is great. I have fond memories of going with my Mom when I was little. I encourage people to go and meet the people that are growing your food, buy local and in-season. The problem is that the market has changed. They are becoming more and more popular these days, but the number of actual farmers is not increasing. It seems there are more produce companies and less farmers. What is the difference? A produce company is buying produce wholesale and reselling it. A farmer is growing it.
In our area a lot of guys are running down to the farmers market in Dallas and buying from the wholesale produce companies. They haul a week's worth of produce back and then set up a couple of times a week and resell it. I see no problem with this, if you are honest about what you are doing. Most aren't. I can't say I see no problem, the fact is that from a food safety stand point it could be a problem. You may be better off going to your local grocery store. The produce is the same and they are at least keeping it in refrigeration instead of hauling it all over town. The issue starts when they set up at market, don't sell, pack it up, and then set it up for another day. All that moving around opens up risks.
My advice is to educate yourself and ask questions. Get a good understanding of what is grown in your area. If someone is selling lemons and pineapples...probably didn't grow that themselves. If you see blueberries in this area...probably not growing those here. Also, ask questions. A lot of questions.
Where is their farm?
Are they growing everything themselves?
What food safety measures are they taking?
If it is important to you, are they growing things naturally or organically?
A farmer that is on the up and up will be happy to answer your questions. One that gets irritated with you, will do so for good reason. If someone is buying wholesale from other farms and they list farm names, Google them. If a farm is big enough to sell wholesale, they will probably have a website. Also, get to market early occasionally. Watch vendors as they set up.
What are they hauling their produce in?
If they are produce boxes like you see the produce guy at the store unpacking...guess what?
If they are unpacking bins, are they clean?
This can be a big point of contamination. The cantaloupe that killed thirty something people last year, came from a packing house that was using rusted, dirty equipment.
If you see a bag of onions like the ones at Sam's...you get the picture?
If you are buying meats or eggs at market, what are they feeding their animals?
Are they using antibiotics?
Growth hormones?
You may be supporting the local economy by buying these things, but you can get the same thing at the grocery store, and probably pay less for it.
Do they have package dates on their items?
How do you or they know how old it is if they don't?
Our health department inspects a lot of food vendors at our market, but once they make a run through for the day, they are gone. This is when it can get interesting. Sampling produce at a booth is a great option for buyers, but it also requires a permit.
Are they using clean utensils?
Are they washing their hands?
Are they keeping cut produce protected from flies?
Did I mention the washing their hands part?
Do they even have anything to wash their hands with at their booth?
Let's be clear, hand washing involves clean water, soap, and a clean way to dry them.
Most markets have a market organizer, and they may have a booth set up with information. Ask them questions.
What are they doing to insure food safety?
Do they have policies to protect consumers?
Are they inspecting farms?
Are they committed to the farmer or do they allow the produce companies to sell also?
Are they informed of the local health department regulations and do they take action after inspectors leave if they have a vendor violating those regulations?
Or, do they turn the other way?
This is not meant to scare you away from market.
Go!
Be smart!
Keep your eyes open and ask questions.
I am going to leave you with a few links to check out if you like.
Farmers Markets Thrive While Concerns Grow
Food Safety at the Fruit Stand
Farm to Table
Farmers Cultivate Food Safety
Frequent Food Safety Violations at Farmers Markets
I hate to do this to you, but it is time for me to get on my soap box for a minute or twenty. I just try to provide information here. What you do with it is your business, but having been on both sides of the Farmer's Market I may have a little insight. Not to mention that I have a healthy addiction to reading as much as I can about food safety.
I highly recommend you visit a website called Food Safety News.
You can click on the link HERE!
I love this site. On the home page you can subscribe and they will send you emails daily with what is going on regarding our food in this country. You would not believe the number of food recalls that happen daily and you never see it on the evening news. Like the dog food recall that happened recently. Have a dog? I have three and when this was happening, two of them were throwing up a lot. My brand of dog food was on the list, but the bag that I had was manufactured in a separate facility. Whatever was going on, my dogs did not like it. I changed their food and problem solved.
Did you know that people can get salmonella from a pet that has it or from handling contaminated dogfood?
Back to the Farmer's Market thing. I think the market is great. I have fond memories of going with my Mom when I was little. I encourage people to go and meet the people that are growing your food, buy local and in-season. The problem is that the market has changed. They are becoming more and more popular these days, but the number of actual farmers is not increasing. It seems there are more produce companies and less farmers. What is the difference? A produce company is buying produce wholesale and reselling it. A farmer is growing it.
In our area a lot of guys are running down to the farmers market in Dallas and buying from the wholesale produce companies. They haul a week's worth of produce back and then set up a couple of times a week and resell it. I see no problem with this, if you are honest about what you are doing. Most aren't. I can't say I see no problem, the fact is that from a food safety stand point it could be a problem. You may be better off going to your local grocery store. The produce is the same and they are at least keeping it in refrigeration instead of hauling it all over town. The issue starts when they set up at market, don't sell, pack it up, and then set it up for another day. All that moving around opens up risks.
My advice is to educate yourself and ask questions. Get a good understanding of what is grown in your area. If someone is selling lemons and pineapples...probably didn't grow that themselves. If you see blueberries in this area...probably not growing those here. Also, ask questions. A lot of questions.
Where is their farm?
Are they growing everything themselves?
What food safety measures are they taking?
If it is important to you, are they growing things naturally or organically?
A farmer that is on the up and up will be happy to answer your questions. One that gets irritated with you, will do so for good reason. If someone is buying wholesale from other farms and they list farm names, Google them. If a farm is big enough to sell wholesale, they will probably have a website. Also, get to market early occasionally. Watch vendors as they set up.
What are they hauling their produce in?
If they are produce boxes like you see the produce guy at the store unpacking...guess what?
If they are unpacking bins, are they clean?
This can be a big point of contamination. The cantaloupe that killed thirty something people last year, came from a packing house that was using rusted, dirty equipment.
If you see a bag of onions like the ones at Sam's...you get the picture?
If you are buying meats or eggs at market, what are they feeding their animals?
Are they using antibiotics?
Growth hormones?
You may be supporting the local economy by buying these things, but you can get the same thing at the grocery store, and probably pay less for it.
Do they have package dates on their items?
How do you or they know how old it is if they don't?
Our health department inspects a lot of food vendors at our market, but once they make a run through for the day, they are gone. This is when it can get interesting. Sampling produce at a booth is a great option for buyers, but it also requires a permit.
Are they using clean utensils?
Are they washing their hands?
Are they keeping cut produce protected from flies?
Did I mention the washing their hands part?
Do they even have anything to wash their hands with at their booth?
Let's be clear, hand washing involves clean water, soap, and a clean way to dry them.
Most markets have a market organizer, and they may have a booth set up with information. Ask them questions.
What are they doing to insure food safety?
Do they have policies to protect consumers?
Are they inspecting farms?
Are they committed to the farmer or do they allow the produce companies to sell also?
Are they informed of the local health department regulations and do they take action after inspectors leave if they have a vendor violating those regulations?
Or, do they turn the other way?
This is not meant to scare you away from market.
Go!
Be smart!
Keep your eyes open and ask questions.
I am going to leave you with a few links to check out if you like.
Farmers Markets Thrive While Concerns Grow
Food Safety at the Fruit Stand
Farm to Table
Farmers Cultivate Food Safety
Frequent Food Safety Violations at Farmers Markets
Friday, June 22, 2012
Man's Best Friend
Can we learn things from Man's Best Friend? I think we can. Unconditional love. Forgiveness. Loyalty. Blah, blah, blah. If you own a dog, you know what I am talking about. Not to mention that they listen to whatever you have to say, and they don't interupt or talk back. They totally agree with every word.
Where else can you find a friend like that?
They can be a total life saver. In many ways, not just the literal meaning. Sometimes they give us purpose. Maybe we are depressed and don't want to get out of bed that day. Doesn't matter. They will bug you until you have no choice. They will also keep you on a schedule if you don't watch them. They like to walk at the same time, eat at the same time, potty at the same time. I even know a dog that knows when the mail runs at the local post office. At 9:30 every morning, she expects her first outing of the day. She also has a regular stop in the afternoon at a friend's house for a slice of turkey.
He even heats it up for her.
She may be small, but she is mighty.
They also have the memory of an elephant, and you have to be very clever to fool them. The above little girl came to my house one day. I tried to feed her turkey.
Not having it.
She eats turkey pastrami when she comes to my house. I have also been known to scramble her an egg.
Take that turkey guy.
I had to bribe her with salami the other day before she would even look at the turkey. I have discovered another trait we may want to consider picking up from our four legged friends.
My Full-timer loves strawberries. I totally agree with her on this topic. We tried last year to grow them in pots. It was miserable. I wrote about it somewhere back there in the archives, but the single miserable moment that stands out was chasing them around the back yard in a wind storm. We were not successful in that endeavor.
This year I expanded and relocated the Herb garden. In the empty location, I planted two varieties of strawberries. What does this have to do with our furry friends? Dogs take the most direct route, where ever it is they go. No extra steps. No diversions. No detours. The shortest line between A and B, that's the line they travel. When you stop and think about it, it is admirable. Sort of wish that I had lived some of my days with this mentality. No indecision, just forward motion.
All fine and dandy, unless you are talking about my strawberries. I made some changes in that bed when the herbs moved out, and every day, on more than one occasion, there was a dog standing on my berry plants. Before really analyzing the behaviour, I yelled and screamed and threw a fit. Being a slow learner at times, I finally realized that their behaviour is as natural to them as their skin. I was the one that was going to have to make changes. I try to be very adult at times. Admitting when I am wrong. Acknowledging great habits when I see them.
My answer.
I planted a shrub at one end of the bed and a rose bush at the other.
Nice looking shrub, huh?
Not the point of the story, but this was a beautiful shrub when I planted it. Then the grasshoppers ate it. I left it in place because it is serving its purpose where the dogs are concerned. I will replace it in the fall. Maybe the little demons will be gone by then.
The rose bush is fairing nicely though.
Once the dogs were diverted. The battle began for the strawberries. Sort of a snooze you loose situation. The fight was short lived between the Full-timer and myself. The grasshoppers like stawberries also. They are leaving the plants alone, so maybe this won't be a total loss.
Moral of the story - takes some cues from your furry friends.
No dilly-dallying.
Get to the point.
Directly.
Also, if you have pets, pick your battles. Be the smarter of the two or four. I can't change they way they think, only the direction they take.
Where else can you find a friend like that?
They can be a total life saver. In many ways, not just the literal meaning. Sometimes they give us purpose. Maybe we are depressed and don't want to get out of bed that day. Doesn't matter. They will bug you until you have no choice. They will also keep you on a schedule if you don't watch them. They like to walk at the same time, eat at the same time, potty at the same time. I even know a dog that knows when the mail runs at the local post office. At 9:30 every morning, she expects her first outing of the day. She also has a regular stop in the afternoon at a friend's house for a slice of turkey.
He even heats it up for her.
She may be small, but she is mighty.
They also have the memory of an elephant, and you have to be very clever to fool them. The above little girl came to my house one day. I tried to feed her turkey.
Not having it.
She eats turkey pastrami when she comes to my house. I have also been known to scramble her an egg.
Take that turkey guy.
I had to bribe her with salami the other day before she would even look at the turkey. I have discovered another trait we may want to consider picking up from our four legged friends.
My Full-timer loves strawberries. I totally agree with her on this topic. We tried last year to grow them in pots. It was miserable. I wrote about it somewhere back there in the archives, but the single miserable moment that stands out was chasing them around the back yard in a wind storm. We were not successful in that endeavor.
This year I expanded and relocated the Herb garden. In the empty location, I planted two varieties of strawberries. What does this have to do with our furry friends? Dogs take the most direct route, where ever it is they go. No extra steps. No diversions. No detours. The shortest line between A and B, that's the line they travel. When you stop and think about it, it is admirable. Sort of wish that I had lived some of my days with this mentality. No indecision, just forward motion.
All fine and dandy, unless you are talking about my strawberries. I made some changes in that bed when the herbs moved out, and every day, on more than one occasion, there was a dog standing on my berry plants. Before really analyzing the behaviour, I yelled and screamed and threw a fit. Being a slow learner at times, I finally realized that their behaviour is as natural to them as their skin. I was the one that was going to have to make changes. I try to be very adult at times. Admitting when I am wrong. Acknowledging great habits when I see them.
My answer.
I planted a shrub at one end of the bed and a rose bush at the other.
Nice looking shrub, huh?
Not the point of the story, but this was a beautiful shrub when I planted it. Then the grasshoppers ate it. I left it in place because it is serving its purpose where the dogs are concerned. I will replace it in the fall. Maybe the little demons will be gone by then.
The rose bush is fairing nicely though.
Once the dogs were diverted. The battle began for the strawberries. Sort of a snooze you loose situation. The fight was short lived between the Full-timer and myself. The grasshoppers like stawberries also. They are leaving the plants alone, so maybe this won't be a total loss.
Moral of the story - takes some cues from your furry friends.
No dilly-dallying.
Get to the point.
Directly.
Also, if you have pets, pick your battles. Be the smarter of the two or four. I can't change they way they think, only the direction they take.
Monday, June 11, 2012
Garden Photos
I managed to get a few shots of the garden on my way out the other morning, but still haven't rounded the girls up for their photo shoot. I prefer early morning or evening light, and it just hasn't happened yet. I have been a little under the weather these past few days, and that hasn't helped anything either.
Here we go.
This is not a great shot, but I wanted to show you that I am trying something a little different for those indeterminate tomatoes that can get crazy and out of hand in a small cage. Normally you would construct this with bamboo, but bamboo is expensive. I found galvanized tubing at the local home improvement store for cheap, and it comes in ten foot lengths. I will keep you posted on how this works, but so far so good. I have the plants pruned up to grow tall not out, and they are attached to the twine. If it continues on this course I will work on a more aesthetically pleasing variation, and something a little more for the long haul. It would be nice if it was something that could be easily disassembled for winter storage.
This is one of the varieties growing on my new contraption. It is a Green Zebra. Once ripened the lighter areas will turn yellow, and look like stripes. I have only had one ripen so far. No pictures to share. I ate it right there. It was pretty good. A little acidic, but definitely different.
I also have two varieties of small, grape-size tomatoes. Pruning them to grow up, encourages them to grow in clusters like this. I haven't harvested large quantities of these either. So far just eating them as I see them.
I did also plant several determinate varieties, mostly Roma, and they are really shocking me. This plant is small, but look what it's growing?
There are also several varieties of cucumbers. Note the grasshopper damage on this first picture. They are really annoying, but they must not like them all because the others look okay.
There are also several varieties of peppers, including the cayenne below, notice all the blooms about to open, and this thing is tiny.
There are several Bell Peppers, including a purple variety, plus jalapenos. This is pretty much it for the veggies so far. Nothing that we could live on, but it will help spice things up a bit. I am planning for fall now.
I have more photos coming of the herb garden, and of course the girls.
Here we go.
This is not a great shot, but I wanted to show you that I am trying something a little different for those indeterminate tomatoes that can get crazy and out of hand in a small cage. Normally you would construct this with bamboo, but bamboo is expensive. I found galvanized tubing at the local home improvement store for cheap, and it comes in ten foot lengths. I will keep you posted on how this works, but so far so good. I have the plants pruned up to grow tall not out, and they are attached to the twine. If it continues on this course I will work on a more aesthetically pleasing variation, and something a little more for the long haul. It would be nice if it was something that could be easily disassembled for winter storage.
This is one of the varieties growing on my new contraption. It is a Green Zebra. Once ripened the lighter areas will turn yellow, and look like stripes. I have only had one ripen so far. No pictures to share. I ate it right there. It was pretty good. A little acidic, but definitely different.
I also have two varieties of small, grape-size tomatoes. Pruning them to grow up, encourages them to grow in clusters like this. I haven't harvested large quantities of these either. So far just eating them as I see them.
I did also plant several determinate varieties, mostly Roma, and they are really shocking me. This plant is small, but look what it's growing?
There are also several varieties of cucumbers. Note the grasshopper damage on this first picture. They are really annoying, but they must not like them all because the others look okay.
There are also several varieties of peppers, including the cayenne below, notice all the blooms about to open, and this thing is tiny.
I have more photos coming of the herb garden, and of course the girls.
Thursday, April 19, 2012
The little things
Life is crazy. It is non-stop at times, and it can be brutal. I have been running at top speed, and most of the time I feel like I am spinning my wheels. Flying by the seat of my pants. Skidding around every corner, and slamming on the breaks only on special occasions. If my life isn't completely out of control, it is right on the edge. Most of the time I like it this way, then there are days when I want to curl up in a ball and cry like a baby. That actually is a half truth. I do want to curl up in a ball at times, but only to hide. Very rarely do I cry. That actually is another half truth. I do cry, but not over things like this.
Now that I have shared personal issues, including my tendency to be a liar, my point is that I have been trying to make myself stop and enjoy the little things. Little things like...
This dill that I really need to grow because I desperately want to make pickles. Or,
This peppermint that would be a wonderful addition to my Mint Green Tea. Or,
This bright colored purslane that is hanging on my front porch. Can I just say that this plant is easy, and it is facing the west and it loves it? This little guy is so easy, that when hanging this basket, I broke off a piece of this plant, stuck it in another pot, and with water, it is now growing nicely. I love easy plants.
If you are going to talk about the little things, you have to stop for the roses, right? This plant came from the 'City Girl's' yard. It is doing well here. You may not have noticed, but in a previous post about planting blueberries, I included a picture of this rose bush. See if you can find it in the link here. I will give you a hint. It is in one of the final shots on that post, and it looks very twiggy.
Twiggy?
Is that a word?
While this rose bush went from a few sticks, to a beautiful bush full of blooms. The blueberry plants...not so much.
This is where the happy, fa la la, smelling the roses ends. This is reality. This is life. Here you have very dead blueberry bushes, a lot of weeds, a nasty fire ant pile that you can't see, and some of the best Bermuda grass that I have growing.
Just sharing things as they are, and adding more to the list than I am marking off.
Now that I have shared personal issues, including my tendency to be a liar, my point is that I have been trying to make myself stop and enjoy the little things. Little things like...
This dill that I really need to grow because I desperately want to make pickles. Or,
This peppermint that would be a wonderful addition to my Mint Green Tea. Or,
This bright colored purslane that is hanging on my front porch. Can I just say that this plant is easy, and it is facing the west and it loves it? This little guy is so easy, that when hanging this basket, I broke off a piece of this plant, stuck it in another pot, and with water, it is now growing nicely. I love easy plants.
If you are going to talk about the little things, you have to stop for the roses, right? This plant came from the 'City Girl's' yard. It is doing well here. You may not have noticed, but in a previous post about planting blueberries, I included a picture of this rose bush. See if you can find it in the link here. I will give you a hint. It is in one of the final shots on that post, and it looks very twiggy.
Twiggy?
Is that a word?
While this rose bush went from a few sticks, to a beautiful bush full of blooms. The blueberry plants...not so much.
This is where the happy, fa la la, smelling the roses ends. This is reality. This is life. Here you have very dead blueberry bushes, a lot of weeds, a nasty fire ant pile that you can't see, and some of the best Bermuda grass that I have growing.
Just sharing things as they are, and adding more to the list than I am marking off.
Friday, November 11, 2011
Why?
There are days when my vocabulary becomes very limited. I am proud to say that it doesn't usually revolve around a curse word. Although, I would be telling a story if I told you that never happened.
Lately the word of the day has been...
Why?
I went to the hen house to do a few chores and collect some eggs, and I was shocked to find an egg the size of a marble.
Why?
I have seen eggs this small before, but usually when the temperature drops below freezing. In my mind, one of the girls just says, "I don't think so.", and I can understand that. On this particular day, we were not having adverse weather, and I saw no reason for it. The funnier thing was that I collected eggs and headed inside to find my Full-Timer in the kitchen. I asked her if she wanted to see something funny, and of course she did. I then proceeded to dig through the egg basket and try to find the little thing. Once I had it, or at least I thought I did, I pulled it out to show her. At this moment I bobbled it, proceeded to juggle it around about six or seven times, and then it fell on the bar and cracked. She looked at me, and said, "Well, that was funny!"
Why?
I also headed out to do some manual labor the other day. I have beds to clear, compost to turn, and various other chores. Due to the nature of the work, I felt I should grab some gloves. I head to my mudroom, where I keep a basket on the dryer just for such things. I dig through this basket, and find various different items, pulling out gloves as I find them. There was one problem though.
All I could find were left hand gloves.
Why?
You should also know that when this originally happened, I found three left hand gloves. No Right gloves. By the time I took this picture, I only had two.
Why?
Between the time I took this picture, and the time I am writing this, I have found the missing glove, plus an additional one. Yes, that is correct, four left hand gloves.
Why?
I am right handed, and it is frustrating to try to do some things with gloves on. Apparently, I remove my right glove to accomplish these tasks, and I don't know what happens after that. I have always been convinced that a sock monster lives in the washing machine and eats random socks at will. Thus explaining the number of single socks lingering around in my sock drawer. Possibly, he has a distant relative that prefers a diet of gloves? I am currently looking for a left handed pal with the same problem. I figure between the two of us, we could make some sense of this strange phenomenon. Please send emails if you are interested.
The other afternoon, I headed out to the throw the horses some hay for lunch, and noticed something odd. All of my chickens were laying just outside their barn.
Why?
It was a gorgeous day, and they should have been out foraging and enjoying themselves. I went inside the chicken barn, and checked on the babies, made sure they had water, and topped off their grain. I happened to notice that one hen was missing, and this was fairly easy to notice because she is the only Silver Laced Wyandotte that I have.
Why?
I decided to go look for her, and when I walked around the corner, I saw a hawk. He saw me at the same time, and he flew off. Once I saw the blood on his chest feathers, I knew what I was going to find. We have had hens for three years now, and we have always had hawks in the area. We have never had a problem until now.
Why?
After burying my bird, I now knew why the others were hanging out around the barn. I put them inside and shut the door and took a head count. I was missing another bird. I walked the entire creek line three times, and couldn't find her, nor did I see any evidence of her being eaten by the hawk. I finally just decided that maybe he had carried her off to dine on her.
Why?
To my surprise, the next morning, my missing chicken was waiting very impatiently at the door. I couldn't believe she was there. My guess is that whatever she saw her friend go through was pretty bad. Bad enough that she hid, and hid well. Once I opened the door, she ran in and immediately hopped on a nest and laid an egg.
Poor thing.
I am in the process of hunting a hawk. I hate to do it, but once they start feasting on chicken dinners, they won't stop. My guess is that the drought has made his usual prey of field mice and rabbits scarce. The bad news is that the girls have been staying inside. They are not happy about this arrangement, and they are eating me out of house and home. Not to mention, we are getting fewer eggs. I think this is their version of a strike. Hopefully we will get this problem under control soon so everyone can go back to the usual.
Ever have days like these?
What is your word of the day?
Lately the word of the day has been...
Why?
I went to the hen house to do a few chores and collect some eggs, and I was shocked to find an egg the size of a marble.
Why?
I have seen eggs this small before, but usually when the temperature drops below freezing. In my mind, one of the girls just says, "I don't think so.", and I can understand that. On this particular day, we were not having adverse weather, and I saw no reason for it. The funnier thing was that I collected eggs and headed inside to find my Full-Timer in the kitchen. I asked her if she wanted to see something funny, and of course she did. I then proceeded to dig through the egg basket and try to find the little thing. Once I had it, or at least I thought I did, I pulled it out to show her. At this moment I bobbled it, proceeded to juggle it around about six or seven times, and then it fell on the bar and cracked. She looked at me, and said, "Well, that was funny!"
Why?
I also headed out to do some manual labor the other day. I have beds to clear, compost to turn, and various other chores. Due to the nature of the work, I felt I should grab some gloves. I head to my mudroom, where I keep a basket on the dryer just for such things. I dig through this basket, and find various different items, pulling out gloves as I find them. There was one problem though.
All I could find were left hand gloves.
Why?
You should also know that when this originally happened, I found three left hand gloves. No Right gloves. By the time I took this picture, I only had two.
Why?
Between the time I took this picture, and the time I am writing this, I have found the missing glove, plus an additional one. Yes, that is correct, four left hand gloves.
Why?
I am right handed, and it is frustrating to try to do some things with gloves on. Apparently, I remove my right glove to accomplish these tasks, and I don't know what happens after that. I have always been convinced that a sock monster lives in the washing machine and eats random socks at will. Thus explaining the number of single socks lingering around in my sock drawer. Possibly, he has a distant relative that prefers a diet of gloves? I am currently looking for a left handed pal with the same problem. I figure between the two of us, we could make some sense of this strange phenomenon. Please send emails if you are interested.
The other afternoon, I headed out to the throw the horses some hay for lunch, and noticed something odd. All of my chickens were laying just outside their barn.
Why?
It was a gorgeous day, and they should have been out foraging and enjoying themselves. I went inside the chicken barn, and checked on the babies, made sure they had water, and topped off their grain. I happened to notice that one hen was missing, and this was fairly easy to notice because she is the only Silver Laced Wyandotte that I have.
Why?
I decided to go look for her, and when I walked around the corner, I saw a hawk. He saw me at the same time, and he flew off. Once I saw the blood on his chest feathers, I knew what I was going to find. We have had hens for three years now, and we have always had hawks in the area. We have never had a problem until now.
Why?
After burying my bird, I now knew why the others were hanging out around the barn. I put them inside and shut the door and took a head count. I was missing another bird. I walked the entire creek line three times, and couldn't find her, nor did I see any evidence of her being eaten by the hawk. I finally just decided that maybe he had carried her off to dine on her.
Why?
To my surprise, the next morning, my missing chicken was waiting very impatiently at the door. I couldn't believe she was there. My guess is that whatever she saw her friend go through was pretty bad. Bad enough that she hid, and hid well. Once I opened the door, she ran in and immediately hopped on a nest and laid an egg.
Poor thing.
I am in the process of hunting a hawk. I hate to do it, but once they start feasting on chicken dinners, they won't stop. My guess is that the drought has made his usual prey of field mice and rabbits scarce. The bad news is that the girls have been staying inside. They are not happy about this arrangement, and they are eating me out of house and home. Not to mention, we are getting fewer eggs. I think this is their version of a strike. Hopefully we will get this problem under control soon so everyone can go back to the usual.
Ever have days like these?
What is your word of the day?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
On the Farm
Here are a few more updates on the farm happenings.
Remember I told you about my favorite brother? You can read about him here if you missed it. For quite a while, every time I talked to my brother I was planting beans. I can not tell you how many beans that I planted, but there were a lot of beans. To the point that my brother was like,
"What the heck is going on with you? Every time we talk, all I here about is beans?"
I am not sure if it was rabbits in the beginning or what, but there were minimal beans that came up. Then when I finally started seeing plants, they weren't growing very fast. Once they did start growing, the grasshoppers came.
I really do not like grasshoppers.
We are being over run by them now. There are so many different species that it is amazing. I should spend more time taking pictures of them, but I have been spending a lot of time trying to keep them at bay. It is a daily battle with grasshoppers and squash bugs.
Some days they are winning, some days I am winning.
Anyway, there will be no beans this spring. I gave up and I have decided that I am not watering beans to feed grasshoppers. They can have what is left, and I will get the area ready for whatever may be next. I tried for a lot longer than I should have, but what can I say, I can be a little stubborn.
![]()
Not a lot of beans happening there. There were several different varieties, but I guess the grasshoppers like a little variety in their diet also.
The tomato plants are loaded. It is so hot, so early, I am not sure how it will go. The shade cloth is the only thing that will help them.
![]()
These look a little thirsty...
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The Pear and Roma are really doing well, and there are also cherry, along with some other heirloom varieties.
![]()
The squash and cucumber plants have been doing pretty well also.
Golden Scallopini...
![]()
It doesn't look golden here, but they turn a vibrant yellow and are absolutely gorgeous. I love to watch them grow. These are a point of interest at Market.
Spaghetti Squash...
![]()
We had two spaghetti squash ripen and they were also a hit at Market. So much so, that they were sold before we even had our booth set up.
Raven Zucchini...
![]()
These seeds were a few years old, and I only had three left in the packet. For some reason, one seed didn't sprout. The other two have had a constant supply of zucchini. I love these because they are so dark and rich in color. The few that I have taken to Market have sold quickly.
We have a few varieties of cucumber. We have a Sumter, which is a pickling cucumber. We have Straight Eight, which is your typical cucumber. We also have a Lemon cucumber, which has been a pain for me to grow. I have tried and never succeeded. This is my third go at it, and I said this would be the last one. I do not have pictures of the Lemon Cucumbers, but I can tell you that I harvested one.
It was delicious!
It was cute!
It has me hooked!
There really is no lemon flavor to speak of, but it has a very tender, yellow skin and it has a very mild cucumber taste. It would be perfect in a salad and it would be very pretty. The heat is taking its toll on these as well, so I am considering a little shade for them. I noticed that they are growing better on the east side of their trellis, as opposed to the west side that is baking in the afternoon.
I guess this is why we never bake cucumbers, right?
Sumter Cucumber...
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These guys are so cute.
We are working on a recipe for Refrigerator Pickles. Nothing to brag about yet, but we will keep trying. Let me know if you have a good one or any tips.
Butternut Squash...
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I am worried about these guys. There are so many of them and I probably over crowded them.
It is another bad habit that I have.
Acorn Squash...
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This is the first time that I have tried to grow Acorn squash. I have two that are ready now, and the plants are loaded. The plants themselves are actually huge.
Mental note...these need more room.
Now that I have shared some success and some failure, I may as well let you in on the fact that the Strawberry plants are toast. Unlike most of my endeavors, these plants were over-watered.
I know...hard to believe, right?
They were planted in pots that did not drain and it was ugly. Definitely some root rot and it all went down hill from there. I am not giving up on this idea because the Full-timer does love the strawberries, but I have to create a berry patch. It is the only way I will be successful.
I did make a rash decision a couple of weeks ago.
I know, shocking!
I decided to start selling at the Denton Community Market. I had been kicking the idea around for a while, and had even gone down and checked it out one Saturday. It was more than a little nerve racking the first weekend, but we did it, and it was a huge success. We met a lot of very interesting people, and hopefully we made a few new friends. The items that I mentioned above were a success at Market, along with eggs, honey and the potato crop that we had harvested. I really appreciate every one's support in making our debut a success, and I look forward to the rest of the season.
I hope the fall season brings an even bigger bounty...in harvests and in friends.
Remember I told you about my favorite brother? You can read about him here if you missed it. For quite a while, every time I talked to my brother I was planting beans. I can not tell you how many beans that I planted, but there were a lot of beans. To the point that my brother was like,
"What the heck is going on with you? Every time we talk, all I here about is beans?"
I am not sure if it was rabbits in the beginning or what, but there were minimal beans that came up. Then when I finally started seeing plants, they weren't growing very fast. Once they did start growing, the grasshoppers came.
I really do not like grasshoppers.
We are being over run by them now. There are so many different species that it is amazing. I should spend more time taking pictures of them, but I have been spending a lot of time trying to keep them at bay. It is a daily battle with grasshoppers and squash bugs.
Some days they are winning, some days I am winning.
Anyway, there will be no beans this spring. I gave up and I have decided that I am not watering beans to feed grasshoppers. They can have what is left, and I will get the area ready for whatever may be next. I tried for a lot longer than I should have, but what can I say, I can be a little stubborn.
Not a lot of beans happening there. There were several different varieties, but I guess the grasshoppers like a little variety in their diet also.
The tomato plants are loaded. It is so hot, so early, I am not sure how it will go. The shade cloth is the only thing that will help them.
These look a little thirsty...
The Pear and Roma are really doing well, and there are also cherry, along with some other heirloom varieties.
The squash and cucumber plants have been doing pretty well also.
Golden Scallopini...
It doesn't look golden here, but they turn a vibrant yellow and are absolutely gorgeous. I love to watch them grow. These are a point of interest at Market.
Spaghetti Squash...
We had two spaghetti squash ripen and they were also a hit at Market. So much so, that they were sold before we even had our booth set up.
Raven Zucchini...
These seeds were a few years old, and I only had three left in the packet. For some reason, one seed didn't sprout. The other two have had a constant supply of zucchini. I love these because they are so dark and rich in color. The few that I have taken to Market have sold quickly.
We have a few varieties of cucumber. We have a Sumter, which is a pickling cucumber. We have Straight Eight, which is your typical cucumber. We also have a Lemon cucumber, which has been a pain for me to grow. I have tried and never succeeded. This is my third go at it, and I said this would be the last one. I do not have pictures of the Lemon Cucumbers, but I can tell you that I harvested one.
It was delicious!
It was cute!
It has me hooked!
There really is no lemon flavor to speak of, but it has a very tender, yellow skin and it has a very mild cucumber taste. It would be perfect in a salad and it would be very pretty. The heat is taking its toll on these as well, so I am considering a little shade for them. I noticed that they are growing better on the east side of their trellis, as opposed to the west side that is baking in the afternoon.
I guess this is why we never bake cucumbers, right?
Sumter Cucumber...
These guys are so cute.
We are working on a recipe for Refrigerator Pickles. Nothing to brag about yet, but we will keep trying. Let me know if you have a good one or any tips.
Butternut Squash...
I am worried about these guys. There are so many of them and I probably over crowded them.
It is another bad habit that I have.
Acorn Squash...
This is the first time that I have tried to grow Acorn squash. I have two that are ready now, and the plants are loaded. The plants themselves are actually huge.
Mental note...these need more room.
Now that I have shared some success and some failure, I may as well let you in on the fact that the Strawberry plants are toast. Unlike most of my endeavors, these plants were over-watered.
I know...hard to believe, right?
They were planted in pots that did not drain and it was ugly. Definitely some root rot and it all went down hill from there. I am not giving up on this idea because the Full-timer does love the strawberries, but I have to create a berry patch. It is the only way I will be successful.
I did make a rash decision a couple of weeks ago.
I know, shocking!
I decided to start selling at the Denton Community Market. I had been kicking the idea around for a while, and had even gone down and checked it out one Saturday. It was more than a little nerve racking the first weekend, but we did it, and it was a huge success. We met a lot of very interesting people, and hopefully we made a few new friends. The items that I mentioned above were a success at Market, along with eggs, honey and the potato crop that we had harvested. I really appreciate every one's support in making our debut a success, and I look forward to the rest of the season.
I hope the fall season brings an even bigger bounty...in harvests and in friends.
Updates Cont.
I haven't forgotten about you. This is an insane week, and so far my way of handling it has been denial. I am pretending like I have all the time in the world, like it will really be cooler outside later, and like I will somehow acquire Super Human powers that will enable me to jump mighty tasks in a single bound. It really is not the correct way to go about things, but it is the path that I have chosen, and that's my story and I am sticking to it.
I made a list two days ago, I have only crossed two things off of this list.
Crazy.
I am already fed up with the heat today and I have decided to drink some coffee and catch up with you a little. You know, because it will be cooler outside later and I can get back out there and do those chores sometime around Noon, in the Cool of the Day. The coffee part may be throwing some of you, but hot or cold, I have to have it. It is part of the fuel that keeps me going. I have been known to take a hot, steaming cup of coffee, and dump it over a tall glass of ice. This cools it off considerably and then allows you to slam it down in record time. I save this technique for times when I really need a jolt to make me move.
Back to the updates:
This will only make sense to three of you, but...
"Michigan, we have a problem."
I had a couple of visitors out to the farm this spring and when they got here, things were still pretty small. I had a section of Tomato plants planted, and these little plants were only about a foot tall. They were being abused daily by the wind. I can not tell you the times that they were laid over in one direction or another. I had never bothered staking or caging them because I really didn't believe they would make it.
Well, guess what?
I could not get cages on them when I tried. I was able to do two, but I was breaking them in the process. In this shot you can see that I switched to staking them, and it has worked out okay. I will tell you that I shot these several weeks ago, and they are truly out of control now. I now have a solid hedge that is as tall as these stakes, and I do not know where we will go from here. I am in the process of trying to untangle them from the last storms that we had, and then I am going to attempt to use some shade cloth to extend their growing season. I say attempt because the winds are still brutal. My shade cloth may end up in Oklahoma. So, for all of those living north of me, if you see it going by, could you grab it and give me a call?
![]()
![]()
We had another lesson this spring. Learning things for me is not always an enjoyable experience, but I have to say I enjoyed this one. This spring we planted potatoes. I have never grown them before. I never wanted to grow them. I always thought that you could buy them for less than the ground involved and the work involved. The latter may be true, but I have changed my mind, and I will grow them again.
We planted small varieties. I felt like the soil we have would be better suited for the smaller varieties, and it did pretty well. I did make the same mistake that I made with the blueberry plant - Simple Lessons. I could have watered them more, but I was afraid to. We got our spring rains late, and for some reason I had it in my head that it would be more likely that I would over-water, and they would rot in the ground.
I have a serious problem with this concept.
Could someone take it upon themselves to remind me that we live in a drought-prone State?
We started out a little small,
![]()
But we finished much better than I expected.
French Fingerling - They taste really good. They have a yellow, creamy flesh, but they were not outstanding producers. We missed our minimum yield by about 15lbs. I am undecided on this variety. I could probably give them a better chance with the knowledge that I have acquired, but I don't know if I can make up that much ground.
![]()
Colorado Rose and All Blue - These both did really well. They were a mix of Red, White, & Blue. The White was supposed to be the Yellow Finn, but I didn't see any white. I know I planted them, but I do not know what happened to them. I did not harvest them. The reds did really well, and the blue were fun to harvest. I thought they taste pretty good, but the Man in Charge and my Full-timer were not convinced. We did make Blue Potato Chips during the Maverick's Championship Series, and they won that night. Not saying that we had anything to do with it, but it didn't hurt. We missed our minimums on these varieties by 10lbs or so. I will give these guys another try.
![]()
![]()
Russian Banana Fingerling - I planted these thinking that the Russians know a thing or two about potatoes. I was right about that. They grew like crazy, and our harvest would have been heavier if I had watered more. We ended up with a lot of under-sized spuds, but the facts are - they were there. We missed our minimum on these by about 15lbs, but I will plant these again also.
![]()
The Aggie's at Texas A&M tell me that I can give spuds another go in the fall. We will see if we can make that happen.
There is so much more to share, but I better get back outside. I can feel it getting cooler already.
I made a list two days ago, I have only crossed two things off of this list.
Crazy.
I am already fed up with the heat today and I have decided to drink some coffee and catch up with you a little. You know, because it will be cooler outside later and I can get back out there and do those chores sometime around Noon, in the Cool of the Day. The coffee part may be throwing some of you, but hot or cold, I have to have it. It is part of the fuel that keeps me going. I have been known to take a hot, steaming cup of coffee, and dump it over a tall glass of ice. This cools it off considerably and then allows you to slam it down in record time. I save this technique for times when I really need a jolt to make me move.
Back to the updates:
This will only make sense to three of you, but...
"Michigan, we have a problem."
I had a couple of visitors out to the farm this spring and when they got here, things were still pretty small. I had a section of Tomato plants planted, and these little plants were only about a foot tall. They were being abused daily by the wind. I can not tell you the times that they were laid over in one direction or another. I had never bothered staking or caging them because I really didn't believe they would make it.
Well, guess what?
I could not get cages on them when I tried. I was able to do two, but I was breaking them in the process. In this shot you can see that I switched to staking them, and it has worked out okay. I will tell you that I shot these several weeks ago, and they are truly out of control now. I now have a solid hedge that is as tall as these stakes, and I do not know where we will go from here. I am in the process of trying to untangle them from the last storms that we had, and then I am going to attempt to use some shade cloth to extend their growing season. I say attempt because the winds are still brutal. My shade cloth may end up in Oklahoma. So, for all of those living north of me, if you see it going by, could you grab it and give me a call?
We had another lesson this spring. Learning things for me is not always an enjoyable experience, but I have to say I enjoyed this one. This spring we planted potatoes. I have never grown them before. I never wanted to grow them. I always thought that you could buy them for less than the ground involved and the work involved. The latter may be true, but I have changed my mind, and I will grow them again.
We planted small varieties. I felt like the soil we have would be better suited for the smaller varieties, and it did pretty well. I did make the same mistake that I made with the blueberry plant - Simple Lessons. I could have watered them more, but I was afraid to. We got our spring rains late, and for some reason I had it in my head that it would be more likely that I would over-water, and they would rot in the ground.
I have a serious problem with this concept.
Could someone take it upon themselves to remind me that we live in a drought-prone State?
We started out a little small,
But we finished much better than I expected.
French Fingerling - They taste really good. They have a yellow, creamy flesh, but they were not outstanding producers. We missed our minimum yield by about 15lbs. I am undecided on this variety. I could probably give them a better chance with the knowledge that I have acquired, but I don't know if I can make up that much ground.
Colorado Rose and All Blue - These both did really well. They were a mix of Red, White, & Blue. The White was supposed to be the Yellow Finn, but I didn't see any white. I know I planted them, but I do not know what happened to them. I did not harvest them. The reds did really well, and the blue were fun to harvest. I thought they taste pretty good, but the Man in Charge and my Full-timer were not convinced. We did make Blue Potato Chips during the Maverick's Championship Series, and they won that night. Not saying that we had anything to do with it, but it didn't hurt. We missed our minimums on these varieties by 10lbs or so. I will give these guys another try.
Russian Banana Fingerling - I planted these thinking that the Russians know a thing or two about potatoes. I was right about that. They grew like crazy, and our harvest would have been heavier if I had watered more. We ended up with a lot of under-sized spuds, but the facts are - they were there. We missed our minimum on these by about 15lbs, but I will plant these again also.
The Aggie's at Texas A&M tell me that I can give spuds another go in the fall. We will see if we can make that happen.
There is so much more to share, but I better get back outside. I can feel it getting cooler already.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
I'm back
Sorry.
I tried to tell you that long lists overwhelm me. I just spent the last two hours curled up in the fetal position, crying my eyes out because I am only one person, and there is no way that I can get everything done that I need to get done this week.
Not really.
I did spend the last two hours watching the movie True Grit. Like that is really on my list of things to do. Like I really have the time to waste two hours, reclining in my chair, snuggling with a dog that really needs a bath, watching True Grit. The dog really needs a bath. She smells like Frito's Corn chips.
Why is that?
The movie was good...as far as movies go these days. It wasn't totally crazy or hard to believe, but it was not the original. I like John Wayne. I love the Good vs. Evil movies from back in the day. I love that the Good always prevailed in the end. I have the J. B. Brooks creed hanging on my living room wall.
I won't be harmed.
I won't be insulted.
I won't be laid a hand upon.
I don't do any of these things,
and I expect the same from others.
I will tell you that the Man in Charge says that the book True Grit was better. I have not had time to read the book. I have books on my nightstand like:
The Backyard Farmer
Let it Rot
Sell what you Sow
Texas Organic Gardening
I have the book True Grit, and I even picked it up to read one night, but the battery in my book light was very weak, making the light very dim, and there went that idea. That was a few weeks ago. Now my curiosity is peaked, and I will have to give it another try.
Back to the updates.
We went a little crazy earlier in the year, and decided to till and seed about 5 acres of land with some grass. It was a quick decision, and it cost a little bit more than I imagined. I drug my Full-Timer into the plan, and hired a guy to do the tractor work. You can read about it on A Leap of Faith. To say that it went according to plan would be misleading. For one thing, we did not see a drop of rain for days after this event. I had rushed to squeeze this project in because we had been expecting a lot of rain. Then we had a very dry and windy spring.
We walked miles that day and it was a leap of faith. When we were done, I felt like we had given that seed to God, and it was now His to do what He wanted with. That is so easy to say...very hard to live. I am happy to report that we had our same guy out to mow last week, and this is what we were left with.
![]()
![]()
It has a way to go yet, but I thought it looked pretty good. There are some places that need to thicken up, but I feel confident that it will with a little time and more rain.
More to come.
To be cont...
I tried to tell you that long lists overwhelm me. I just spent the last two hours curled up in the fetal position, crying my eyes out because I am only one person, and there is no way that I can get everything done that I need to get done this week.
Not really.
I did spend the last two hours watching the movie True Grit. Like that is really on my list of things to do. Like I really have the time to waste two hours, reclining in my chair, snuggling with a dog that really needs a bath, watching True Grit. The dog really needs a bath. She smells like Frito's Corn chips.
Why is that?
The movie was good...as far as movies go these days. It wasn't totally crazy or hard to believe, but it was not the original. I like John Wayne. I love the Good vs. Evil movies from back in the day. I love that the Good always prevailed in the end. I have the J. B. Brooks creed hanging on my living room wall.
I won't be harmed.
I won't be insulted.
I won't be laid a hand upon.
I don't do any of these things,
and I expect the same from others.
I will tell you that the Man in Charge says that the book True Grit was better. I have not had time to read the book. I have books on my nightstand like:
The Backyard Farmer
Let it Rot
Sell what you Sow
Texas Organic Gardening
I have the book True Grit, and I even picked it up to read one night, but the battery in my book light was very weak, making the light very dim, and there went that idea. That was a few weeks ago. Now my curiosity is peaked, and I will have to give it another try.
Back to the updates.
We went a little crazy earlier in the year, and decided to till and seed about 5 acres of land with some grass. It was a quick decision, and it cost a little bit more than I imagined. I drug my Full-Timer into the plan, and hired a guy to do the tractor work. You can read about it on A Leap of Faith. To say that it went according to plan would be misleading. For one thing, we did not see a drop of rain for days after this event. I had rushed to squeeze this project in because we had been expecting a lot of rain. Then we had a very dry and windy spring.
We walked miles that day and it was a leap of faith. When we were done, I felt like we had given that seed to God, and it was now His to do what He wanted with. That is so easy to say...very hard to live. I am happy to report that we had our same guy out to mow last week, and this is what we were left with.
It has a way to go yet, but I thought it looked pretty good. There are some places that need to thicken up, but I feel confident that it will with a little time and more rain.
More to come.
To be cont...
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Simple Lessons
We should continue to learn things. Life is one never-ending lesson that we should enjoy. Even the lessons that may be hard to learn have value. If you can suffer through the bad, and then search for the good, you can then count them as lessons learned. If you are like me, someone has to hit you over the head, and then put things in the simplest of terms for you to get it.
As you may have read, I recently planted Blueberries. After surviving the task of getting them into the ground, immediately one of them began to look pitiful. It was wasting away so fast, I couldn't believe it. I immediately went to the garden center where I purchased them and started asking questions. With what I was describing, the possibilities were endless.
Too much water?
Not enough water?
A fungus?
Root rot?
The fact that it was only happening to one plant seemed even more puzzling to all involved. After a couple more days, I started noticing another one taking a dive. The first one looked completely dead to me. So, in my frustration, I jerked the it out of the ground and threw it in a pot and put it in the garage. I would take it with me on my next trip to the big city and have the nursery folks look at it. This occurred over a weekend, so the following Monday I headed back to get expert advice.
I took it in and put it on the counter, describing my situation to the nice young man that was helping me. He immediately pointed out that there were leaves growing on my plant.
What?
How could I have missed that?
Upon closer inspection, yes, there were leaves coming out under all the dead and crispy old leaves. A couple of employees immediately tackled the little thing with pruning shears, and after pruning away all of the dead, I was left with a few green stems and some new growth.
How could I have missed that?
What kind of farmer am I?
I so had it stuck in my head that the downfall of my Blueberries would be over-watering. I don't know where that came from or why I thought that, but I had watered these plants minimally and then they had received a little rain. I am still shaking my head, trying to figure out what in the world I was thinking.
To give credit where credit is due. The very nice employees at Calloway's Nursery did not have one single negative thing to say about it. They pruned the plant. Then suggested that I get it back in the ground as soon as possible, and the guy went one step farther and consoled me by saying that this would be the best one next year. Then he looked me in the eye and stated very firmly, "Leaves browning around the edges - Under Watering! Leaves turning black from the center - Over Watering!"
No one has ever stated watering so simply to me before. It has always seemed like some elusive formula and calculation that has to be made by a professional, and for the rest of us it is just a guessing game. That is so not true. So, remember...
Leaves browning around the edges - Under Watering!
Leaves turning black from the center - Over Watering!
Thank you Calloway's nursery employees! I immediately went home and replanted my blueberry plant. I then spent a significant amount of time apologizing to it for yanking it out of the ground and throwing it in the garage for several days. This little guy has a long way to go.
It is embarassing when you realize that you are an idiot.
As you may have read, I recently planted Blueberries. After surviving the task of getting them into the ground, immediately one of them began to look pitiful. It was wasting away so fast, I couldn't believe it. I immediately went to the garden center where I purchased them and started asking questions. With what I was describing, the possibilities were endless.
Too much water?
Not enough water?
A fungus?
Root rot?
The fact that it was only happening to one plant seemed even more puzzling to all involved. After a couple more days, I started noticing another one taking a dive. The first one looked completely dead to me. So, in my frustration, I jerked the it out of the ground and threw it in a pot and put it in the garage. I would take it with me on my next trip to the big city and have the nursery folks look at it. This occurred over a weekend, so the following Monday I headed back to get expert advice.
I took it in and put it on the counter, describing my situation to the nice young man that was helping me. He immediately pointed out that there were leaves growing on my plant.
What?
How could I have missed that?
Upon closer inspection, yes, there were leaves coming out under all the dead and crispy old leaves. A couple of employees immediately tackled the little thing with pruning shears, and after pruning away all of the dead, I was left with a few green stems and some new growth.
How could I have missed that?
What kind of farmer am I?
I so had it stuck in my head that the downfall of my Blueberries would be over-watering. I don't know where that came from or why I thought that, but I had watered these plants minimally and then they had received a little rain. I am still shaking my head, trying to figure out what in the world I was thinking.
To give credit where credit is due. The very nice employees at Calloway's Nursery did not have one single negative thing to say about it. They pruned the plant. Then suggested that I get it back in the ground as soon as possible, and the guy went one step farther and consoled me by saying that this would be the best one next year. Then he looked me in the eye and stated very firmly, "Leaves browning around the edges - Under Watering! Leaves turning black from the center - Over Watering!"
No one has ever stated watering so simply to me before. It has always seemed like some elusive formula and calculation that has to be made by a professional, and for the rest of us it is just a guessing game. That is so not true. So, remember...
Leaves browning around the edges - Under Watering!
Leaves turning black from the center - Over Watering!
Thank you Calloway's nursery employees! I immediately went home and replanted my blueberry plant. I then spent a significant amount of time apologizing to it for yanking it out of the ground and throwing it in the garage for several days. This little guy has a long way to go.
It is embarassing when you realize that you are an idiot.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Sprinter!
I take a few pictures here and there.
Mostly informational pictures to share with you.
Occasionally, I come across a photo that I really like or I think it is good for one reason or another.
Like this one...
This is a baby Roma tomato growing last year.
Or, this one...
This is Lola, after she received her new name.
Or, this one...
I am not sure why I like this one so much, but I do. This girl is at a dead sprint, and covering some serious ground to get to me first. This is what happens when you train your chickens to come running when you call, "Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!"
This is also what happens...
You never know what will pop up into view.
Mostly informational pictures to share with you.
Occasionally, I come across a photo that I really like or I think it is good for one reason or another.
Like this one...
This is a baby Roma tomato growing last year.
Or, this one...
This is Lola, after she received her new name.
Or, this one...
I am not sure why I like this one so much, but I do. This girl is at a dead sprint, and covering some serious ground to get to me first. This is what happens when you train your chickens to come running when you call, "Here, Kitty, Kitty, Kitty!"
This is also what happens...
You never know what will pop up into view.
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