Sunday, February 27, 2011

Compost slow cooker

It has been a long time since I've gone over to the veggie patch. However this morning was sunny, and I could use some fresh air. Along with my intrepid wife, we headed on over.

There are two bins, one that we filled last year and stopped in August and the other that we started in August that we'll add to all this coming growing season.



















The older pile is on the left. I was not responsible for the mess on the right. We'll get that sorted out in a few weeks. For now let's take a look at the older pile. It looks pretty good.



















The piles face south and with warmer (relatively) weather coming I want to crank up the heat to increase decomposition and the destruction of any undesirables that might be in the pile.

An easy way to manage that it to cover the pile with some heavy black plastic. In two shakes of a lamb's tail we got that done.



















Now, as the sun shines it'll warm the pile. We'll need to uncover it now and then to water it, or maybe turn, but in about 8 weeks, we should be ready to move it to the beds.

Speaking of the beds, I cut through the barn (saying hello the the chickens!) to go take a look.

They are still covered in snow. Yep, no getting in there any time soon, but as soon at the soil can be worked I'm planning on a rock removal project. The soil is terribly fertile, but loaded with rocks. It's OK for some crops but not so good for root vegetables. I'd like to improve that. Oh, here are the snow covered beds.



















As you can see it's not sunny, in fact they are calling for rain, so the sunny morning had given way to a dreary overcast cold and damp afternoon. 

As I stood there, cheeks flushed from the cold, I could hear the  song of a male Northern Cardinal. I couldn't see him at first, but moving slowly I walked in the direction of his call. Neither my eyes nor the camera is good enough to see him in clear focus, but there he was, a bright  red smudge in the drab brown trees. He knows spring is coming.



















Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!


The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

I spoke too soon - Microgreens making a comeback

Last post the microgreens were looking rather dire. I started using the cover to trap some heat  and moisture during the night and the greens have come back strong. Perhaps I'll get something out of it yet!

You can see some of the tiny secondary leaves starting. That is what I've been waiting for! At some point I hope to top some sauteed fish with them.
























Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Microgreens 24 days and about to start over

The microgreens don't look so good, I'm about to scrap the first batch and start again. They are laying over, and have a faint fishtank smell, and yet no secondary leaves.























Unless they can make a miraculous turnaround they end up as compost.

Anyone have any suggestions as to what might be the ailment? I'm going with uneven moisture (am and pm) but heat is turned down to 60 overnight and during the day while we are not here.

Ideas?

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Lilies for low maintenance color and beauty


When I was in the initial stages of planning the perennial garden in 2002, one goal was to have the garden as low maintenance as possible. A choice I made  to that end is to have lilies of various colors and sizes throughout the beds.

Lilies are easy to grow, are steadfast performers year after year, and come in many colors and sizes. While there are many kinds of lilies, one of the more common distinctions for the home gardener is Oriental vs Asiatic. How to tell them apart?

Asiatics face upwards or outwards.

Oriental blooms face down. But so do Trumpet Lilies, of which I have several spectacular specimens.

Asiatics have many leaves and Orientals have fewer.

Asiatics bloom earlier as well, June and July while the Oriental bloom later, July into August.

 For the most part I have Asiatic lilies.













































I have a few trumpet lilies. They can grow very large. This plant is easily 6' tall!





























While these plants can be expensive, I have found a good way to get them on the cheap. Pick them up late in the year from the nurseries or garden centers after they have already bloomed. Most people don't want to purchase a plain stick that has no blossoms. However, if you are willing to wait until next year, you can often get them at less than half  the original cost. A few time I have purchased lilies that had already been pruned down to about 6 inches. a stick in a pot. But put them in the garden in late summer, early autumn and enjoy the blooms the next warm season.
Make a space in the garden for lilies!


Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter -  www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Food prices at record levels? Plant a garden!

Today Reuters ran a story about food prices being at record levels and the likelihood that they will remain this way for months to come. With that in mind I strongly encourage you to do something about it.

Plant vegetables.

Any little bit will help. Growing your own food is an important step towards reducing the impact of market prices on your pocketbook. It is good for you in more ways than just controlling what you eat, there is physical exercise, increased well being just from being outdoors, and the emotional lift when you eat what you grew. For those with children it is also an excellent teaching tool. Putting seed to soil, and reaping the harvest is, in my opinion, part of personal responsibility.

I feel we owe it to ourselves to become more self reliant, to reconnect with the earth, and to in some small way throw off the shackles of eating food we have no connection with. Over the last year I've had a change of heart about most of these issues. If you follow this blog, you've been able to watch the installation of a food plot, followed the progress of the summer growth, and shared in wonderful produce harvests. Over at my food blog, I've cooked it up fresh, as well as put some up for later use. My family and I are enjoying the fruits of that hard yet enjoyable toil through these cold winter months. 

Years ago families grew food because they had to, and some people still do for the same reason. But I am aware from following other blogs, and some interesting pages on Facebook, that more and more folks are growing food not because they need to, but rather because they want to. They feel, as I do, that it is the right thing to do, for health, for monetary savings, for a small sense of control in this increasingly uncertain time.

You don't need a large yard to get started, excellent results can be had using 5 gallon buckets as planters. A sunny balcony, a flat roof top, even a driveway can be utilized for personal food production.

You can do it! I will keep sharing my journey, the successes and lessons learned, techniques and tips. Many of you will share yours too. I look forward to it.


Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
http://www.facebook.com/TheGastronomicGardener

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Blizzard 2011

Gardeners depend on nature to keep their projects going. Always present, sometimes gentle, sometimes fearsome.

Last night and this morning was an awesome display. almost 10' on snow, sustained 35+mph wind with gusts reaching 60 mph. It still has not stopped.

At 4:45am I looked out the window. The neighbors Escalade is nearly buried!






















The force of the wind pushed snow inside the screen porch.





















In a few short months we'll be dining al fresco, a cool beverage and hot BBQ. But for now.... we wait here is a series of pictures showing what we got.






















It hurts my back just looking at it!






That's a driveway under there. I estimate it is about 3.5' of snow.



All done digging out. Three hours of work, and very fortunate for me, a neighbor has a a big truck and a plow, he was having fun!  He plowed from the house to the street. Saved me several hours work!




Did I say that is a 4' fence?






Spring is coming right? Yes it is!




















Nature reminded us of the power we have to enjoy and endure, without discussion! 

Until next time, Keep Digging & Eat Well!

The Gastronomic Gardener
Garden blog http://amidwestgarden.blogspot.com/
Cooking blog http://ihopeyouarehungry.blogspot.com/
Twitter - www.twitter.com/DavidPOffutt
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