Gardens Archives - Page 2 of 2 - A Country Girl's Heart -Beats that Matter

November 5, 2018July 22, 2020

Garlic: Year 3

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This fall marks the third year I have planted garlic. The first year(fall of 2016) I planted about 6 cloves of 3 different varieties for a total of 18. When I harvested in 2017 I kept what I raised to either plant or use. Year #2 (2017) I planted around 18-20 cloves (each) of the same 3 varieties. I only sold a few of the 2018 crop choosing instead to save most of the bulbs harvested to plant and use personally for human consumption and for putting in the chickens water. If you are unfamiliar with planting garlic, one planted clove grows into a bulb of garlic. Each bulb has 4 to 9 cloves depending on the variety.

Using what I have:

The entire homestead project has been largely using what I have available. Although some money has been invested along the way, most money has been invested into the chicken project. I have looked and continue to look for heritage vegetables that are sustainable and do not require seeds to be repurchased every year. One of my biggest struggles has been ground to plant in. Yes I have 11 acres at my disposal, and it grow grass abundantly. The grass has a fantastic root system that makes gardening a challenge for me. At this time I have not found a local person to turn the sod for me(with a plow). I will need to invest in a tiller of sorts, sooner than later as I grow the garden project. I do not want to fight weeds and grass roots with only my energy (which seems lacking) and a shovel. Even in the large flower bed, it is the grass that has taken over. I had a help a couple years in a row and still the grass returned. The benefit was that at least the ground had been worked in the flower bed and was easier to dig in compared to the lawn. This was where I planted my first garlic, a small section of what was previously a flower bed. My Dad helped me prep the ground the first year. We went over the ground with spades, removing as many of the roots as we could. It was a project that took approximately one afternoon. 18 cloves of garlic planted!

Area where garlic was planted in 2016 and harvested in 2017. The space was probably less than 3 ft. by 3 ft.

Year 2: I spent more time prepping the ground, but had not started early enough as cold weather was upon me. Hardneck Garlic needs to be in the ground before the ground freezes. While I did work to remove more of the roots, I knew I left some. It was either leave some roots and not plant the garlic in time or I would miss getting it planted altogether. I tripled the amount planted and was able to spare a few to select customers in the summer of 2018. I share the planting process and more about the first and second Garlic seasons in a previous blog post titled: Garlic

Year 3: This year I added a forth variety called Spanish Rojo or Spanish Red. The other three varieties remain the same as the past two years: German, Music, and Montana. As I have said, this marks the 3rd fall I am planting garlic. I intend to again increase numbers planted to about between 10 and 140 cloves. Of course I need more room to plant the higher numbers. After consideration I decided to once again use the flower bed expanding the area, and add another spot on the farm as well.

Garlic beginning to grow in the early months of 2018

This spring, in a section next to the garlic, I worked removing grass, roots and a few weeds. Here I planted four tomato plants. I did need to weed a little from time to time, but as the tomato plants grew they provided enough ground cover to keep the unwanted growth at bay. These produced many little tomatoes both grape and super sweet varieties. I took some to the farmers markets and shared with friends. I also enjoyed many delicious tomato sandwiches, even though they were the small tomatoes.

In the last couple weeks as I began to prepare the ground to plant garlic I have certainly seen a reduction of roots, weeds and grass thanks to the ground cover provided by the tomato plants.

Instead, I found myself picking up an extreme amount of tiny tomatoes to avoid the seed springing to life new tomatoes plants next year. I am sure I did not get every single one. Should they appear in the 2019 growing season I have a plan. I intend to feed the young plants to the chickens who I learned enjoy eating the tomato plant leaves. A bonus use of unwanted plants in my opinion.

Beginning to prepare the soil in the fall of 2018.

The picture below shows last years space and the additional space in the flower bed. This picture was taken before transplanting some of the Day Lillys.

I had a chicken pen that was approximately 5 ft x 5 ft where the sod finally appeared to be almost non exsistent this fall. I moved the panels to a new location giving the chickens new ground and the homestead an additional place to plant. With the sod almost completely gone I began turning the dirt over. Trilled with how soft the soil, I did find some roots under the surface.

No matter, the work proved considerably easier compared to digging up sod. If I did not share previously, I currently have not a plow or cultivator. My ‘tools’ consist of myself, a shovel, wheelbarrow and other non-motorized gardening implements. I also have almost no money invested in the garlic venture, only the initial garlic cloves. The chickens did a wonderful job and by next year they will have removed more sod for me to increase the garden. In 2017 I set the chicken pens up specifically where I want a garden. It has felt like a long process, but I was hesitate to leave the chickens out for any length of time. Now that I have housed select pens outside I am seeing much faster progress in sod removal.

The pen in its new location and the dirt turned in the old location.

For the 2019 growing season I will plant garlic in the 5ft. x 5 ft. space the chickens cleared for the homestead.

About half of the garlic is planted in this picture.

As I have in years past after the garlic is planted I cover with hay chaff. (Using what I have) and later in the season as wood chips become available from the wood shed I added wood chips all to help reduce the unwanted plant growth among the garlic plants.

Garlic Scapes and Pesto

I want to add that this past growing season(2018) I made use of the garlic scapes when I removed them from the plants in June. I made pesto from the scapes. All who enjoy the taste of garlic gave the pesto positive reviews.

Here is the ingredient list I used:

garlic scapes chopped
parmesan cheese
coconut oil
salt and pepper to taste

The scapes, removed usually in June, allow the energy of the plant to grow bigger bulbs. Below is a picture of the flower that develops into seeds if the scapes are not removed.

I am looking forward to next years harvest garlic harvest. I think the harvest is the most exciting part for me. The Spanish Rojo smelled good and I am certain I will enjoy eating it next year. I feel pretty happy when planting the cloves too.

Preparing the ground is a bit of a drag for me and the hardest work of the whole process. As I write this I have about half of this years garlic planted. My progress this past week came to halt as probably close to 2 inches of rain has fallen. I am waiting for the ground to dry out. When I see the forecast includes lows in the 20’s for 3 nights in a row, I plant the garlic despite unwanted roots and moisture.

Please share your experiences with fresh garlic in the comments below.

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September 26, 2018January 1, 2019

Farmer Markets – Nappanee Farm and Flea Market

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In July, I began attending a second weekly farm market and what follows tells a bit of my experience.

As I have shared in my previous post about the Bremen Farmer’s Market, one of the fun rewards of attending included making new friends. Julie attended the Bremen Market bringing beautiful fresh cut flowers and displayed them in a unique way. Setting up next to her one Wednesday evening I believe the first words out of my mouth were, “I love your cart. It is so cute!” I adored her the way she presented her flowers. I learned it was an old, repurposed fire hose cart with wooden boxes added to sell from.

We chatted throughout the evening and she gave me information about a market in a near by town where she also sold flowers. I had not sold all my eggs that week and was of course gaining more by the day. The hens were busy laying at that point in the summer. I decided to give the Nappanee Farm and Flea Market a try.

At this point I still had no canopy and the sun was hot a few of those summer mornings. I recall the good feeling of adding a second market to my week. It was a few weeks later I found myself blessed with a canopy. I enjoyed the cover from the hot sun.

I met a few people that were visiting from other states. Texas and California are two places that immediately come to mind. These conversations interest me as I learn about what others are doing around the country. Hearing their food and other lifestyle goals provide insight to what people value. Taking few minutes for true human connection seems to be a rarity in today’s social media society. This is what makes farmer’s markets enjoyable to me.

Take a look around the market on July 28, 2018

Ashley and her family joined us in Nappanee a few times with their local raised grass-fed pork. For the months of July and August various vendors attended.
This past summer I have learned much plan to share more about that in a future post. Hoping to gain repeat egg customers I believed in my commitment of showing up consistently. As it turned out on several days I was unable to attend. I was gone on vacation in August and as September rolled around I found many of the hens were going into molt leaving me with less eggs. I regrettably had little to take to the Nappanee Market as most of what I had to sell, I sold at the Bremen Farmer’s Market on Wednesday’s. This will need to be resolved for markets next year as I look at what other items I plan to raise for my own consumption and to take to markets.

Click on the picture to connect and order your own local raised heritage breed pork

I feel thankful for a place to sell eggs for human consumption and happy to provide local food as an option for purchase. I have enjoyed meeting new people at Nappanee’s Farm and Flea Market just like I did at the Bremen Farmer’s Market. As the season closes and I look forward to next year’s plans, I see that I need to add additional items if I am to grow my income.

This coming Saturday is the official last market of the 2018 season in Nappanee.

Nappanee Farm and Flea Market

Where: the north east parking lot at Coppes Commons in Nappanee, Indiana

When: Saturdays 9am to 1pm

Who: For all who find value in locally sourced food, enjoy items from the past, and crafts of today, pretty flowers, and potted plants. You will find something for your table and perhaps other places in the house as well. These events are free and open to the public. Take the family out for fresh air, and face to face interactions while shopping for local produce and eggs. Check out all Coppes Commons has to offer inside while you are there.

What: A place to connect with vendors who provide fresh vegetables, crafts, eggs, antiques and flea market items, seedling trees fresh cut flowers, home sewn clothes, and locally raised grass fed pork.

What are your favorite items to shop for at a Farmer’s Market? Leave a comment below to share or send an email.

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September 19, 2018February 9, 2022

Farmer’s Market ~ Bremen, Indiana

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As I mentioned in a previous post (Local Farmer Markets), earlier this year I needed to find an additional outlet for eggs that I was not selling as hatching eggs or hatching myself. As I looked at options, I decided to try a local farmer market located in Bremen, Indiana.

Opening night of the 2018 season stands out as the favorite of the entire summer. Having 11 doz. eggs to part with I set a sale price in order to move them. I did indeed part with all 11 dozen. Happy as I was with that fact, the best part was the enjoyment that occurred on my part. A guest musician played old country and gospel favorites, music filled the air, but not in an overbearing manner. I learned at 6 pm each evening a church tower in town rang out familiar tunes. Again, music filled the air, at this point I breathed a sigh of contentment for a cool breeze flowed on the night air and all felt peaceful and right in my world. Here I am getting ahead of myself in the telling of the evening.

I was not as early as I had hoped to be and felt a rush of anxious thoughts coming on as I droved as rapidly as the speed limit allowed. The afternoon had sped by rapidly as I hunted out items make this first farmer market a success. What did I have to use as table and chair? What about signs? What could I sell besides eggs? How to price for sales? All to soon the time indicated I needed to leave and make the best of the first night. I had wanted to wait until the next week to attend. I had been encouraged to attend that week so I decided to do my best and go with what I had.

I chased away nervous thoughts of self-doubt. I was going to at least be present and consistent. An important part of starting business and getting one’s name out to the public, I continued to hear from those more experienced than myself in start up operations.

Finding Gayle, the coordinator, I chased away self-defeating thoughts. She was warm and generous finding me a bit of assistance in unpacking my car and setting up. As I sat down in a chair I had won several years back barrel racing Roses Casino, I resolved to enjoy my evening despite no canopy or cover, a small table and simple signs. I say simple as they were made of index cards printed on with markers pinned to a small bulletin board I had in the house. I did not have much more than that for my first event. I used the backs of previously printed Eagle Equine business cards to share this website and reach new readers.

For me, the evening was almost perfect. I enjoyed meeting new people of my nearby town and hoped to see familiar faces throughout the summer. I felt pleased meeting many of the vendors. Some would not stay the entire summer, others would become friends. That first night I started thinking of ways I could improve my sales, other produce I might have available through out the summer, and items that would be nice and some necessary to add to my simple display. This first event began my learning process.

Click on the photo above to order soap or contact Sue via a FB group.

As the summer went on I sold black raspberries, garlic, garlic scapes, fresh cut flowers, small tomatoes of 2 different varieties, early summer squash, seedling trees and perhaps I will yet sell sweet potatoes depending on the harvest yield. I wrote down produce I was ask for and multiple ideas I had as they came to me throughout the summer. I started giving thought to what preparations I wanted to make for next year.

I added new items. Some purchased out of my earnings and others contributed by the support of my spouse. A canopy was the most expensive investment, perhaps the most appreciated when the rain fell or the sun beat down with added almost unbearable humidity. I retired the small wooden table for a card table that served different a purpose in my house. It was easier to transport and larger. I have given thoughts to a display involving both in the future as I add more items. Attractive Longaberger baskets I had on hand, a small chalk board, a small wooden box, chalk signs and a toy easel with white board on one side and chalk on the other all became new tools for displaying various items.

One of the best parts of being a vendor has been making new friends and seeing familiar friendly faces of returning customers. I have gained new friends and acquaintances as I learned to know different vendors who have also attended through out the summer. I am grateful to the many people in the community who visit and purchase from various vendors. There are some who seem to find a way to show up every week and shop the market.

There are only two more weeks left for the Bremen’s Market in 2018: tonight and next week. The last week promises to be special too. Bremen carries the nickname “Mint City” due to a history of producing mint. The theme for the last market of 2018 will be mint.

Bremen Farmers Market

Where: Located on the corner of Jackson and Main Street downtown Bremen, Indiana near the historic water tower.

When: Every Wednesday from 4 PM to 7 PM May through September

Who: Anyone who finds value in home grown food, locally crafted wares, delicious baked goods, potted flowers and plants. These events are free and open to the public. Take the family out for an evening of fresh air, delicious eats, treats and while shopping for local produce and eggs.

What: Vendors have varied throughout the summer. Leather crafts, home knitted mittens and hats, honey, maple syrup, produce, eggs, baked goods, fresh cut flowers, plants, mums, tree seedlings, homemade soaps, local raised grass fed pork, breads, fruit, and herbal tinctures make up most of what has been offered at the Bremen Farmer’s Market. Tonight, a new vendor, Poppin off Popcorn will be attending with specialty popcorn flavors.

Stay connected online with the Bremen Farmer’s Market on FB: Click on Bremen Farmer’s Market

History

Bremen’s Farmers Market started in 2015 to provide a place for local producers to present their wares to the general public.

Have you ever attended a Farmers Market? Leave a comment with your experience.

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September 11, 2018September 11, 2018

Granary Road

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This past summer I enjoyed the privilege of visiting an upscale farmers market in Alberta, Canada. I continue the series of blog posts on Farmers Markets to share my experience at a market with a different twist. Please, (if you have not already) check out my first post in this series titled Local Farmers Markets. Look for future posts sharing my experience as a vendor at farmers market in northern Indiana.

Our party visiting Granary Road consisted of 9 children (age 2 -13) and 4 adults. It might seem a bit crazy to plan a day trip to an upscale market with many kids in tow. This venue is special as a child finds themselves catered to with a section all for their own special experience.

I was excited to check out what this market offered, being that we were visiting Canada. All visits to farmer markets up until this point had been local markets in the United States. The younger group looked forward to playing in the ‘large’ playground, if you will. There is a charge to ‘play’ outside at the many activity areas, priced lower for kids and a few dollars more for adults. I choose to spend my time checking out the indoor market and hanging out with my Mom.

Two outdoor patio areas in the back provide many table with chairs and wonderful fresh air. The day we attended, Alberta experienced the haze of smoke from the British Columbia fires. The air was not so fresh. The picture above shows the back of the indoor market. A young lady graced the atmosphere with lovey violin music.

After checking out the gift shop while the others purchased tickets, I found my Mom a place to sit. Now, I began my exploration of the market. A deep breathe slowly expelled, I felt as if I was on an adventure as grand as if checking out a new hiking trail, trying new foods and reading about the early settlers of the exact ground we were on.

Poster sized displays framed in what appeared to be old barn wood hung on the walls. They provided an education on topics from bees to gardening and a bit of the history of the man who originally homesteaded the property. A few of these I have posted pictures of through out this blog post.

My attention became captivated first by the story of a man who owned Thoroughbreds in Canada. He turned out to be the homesteader of the property Granary Road sits on. An overview of his life can be read in the following photos. I found I felt a new connection with this place as I too enjoy horses. Thoroughbreds being one of the breeds that have greatly impacted my life in their own way.

Vendors offered clothing, food, wine, specialty meats in the form of jerky and sausage, coffee, smoothies, and a new sports cream.

Check out Brenda’s web site by clicking on this picture.

Oh, speaking of the sports cream. I received a complementary massage with Muscle Check. I could still feel the benefits the next morning. I had spent the afternoon prior relaxing in a hammock under popular trees. The hammock material and position I was in left me with a sore upper back for the current delving into Granary Road. I felt blessed and full of gratitude for the massage. My painful upper back disappeared and creating greater enjoyment in the rest of my day.

I seen a green house located separately from the main building. I was looking to learn any bit of info that I might be able to use in my future gardening ventures. Initially, I found myself disappointed, observing an area where a business had or would be, but not currently operating and the back part of the large green house served as a maintenance building for Granary Road.

A kind gentleman stopped me as I completed my exploration and ask me if he could help me. I learned Granary Road was owned by his son. He offered to send me info to increase my gardening knowledge. I learned where the original homestead building used to stand on the side of a hill near by. The spot overlooked the valley where Granary Road is nestled. I say nestled for as I mentioned Alberta was experiencing a large amount of smoke from British Columbia that day producing approximately 1 mile visibility. I might have felt a tiny bit of disappointment that the current owner of the beautiful property and facility had no blood connection to the original homesteader. My romantic side always likes to see land stay in a family. He did share a few of the intended additions to the property: A terraced garden to create a beautiful venue for weddings, and other events, and acreage devoted to producing local grains and vegetables.

While various vendors provide delicious menus from which to savor special flavors, our group opted to pack in a lunch. A wonderful option for those like us operating on a smaller budget. We enjoyed the outdoor air while we ate. I especially found pleasure in listening and watching my 9 nieces and nephews interactions. These two cousins found the flowers. Innocent little girls, acting out their attraction to beauty, found pretty flowers to pick and carry. Oh the simple, sweet, delight of children untainted by expectations! I felt a bit of remorse informing them they needed to stop picking flowers in order for others to enjoy them in the future. I admit I gathered a bit myself, in picture form: 2 cousins with their collections sharing a connection with each other and beauty. I will share only one of the many I have stored for future recollection.

One added experience to our day was fording a creek. Yes that is correct. I did not get a picture, so it is with words I will attempt to share the process. The road we were on at one point drove down to a river bed and crossed a small river whose current low level allowed for safe crossing. Instead of building a bridge over the river, a cement pad had been laid in the river bed providing a solid surface for crossing. Of course when the river depths increased the river ford would have been unsafe to cross. I felt a bit like a modern day pioneer, fording a river bed to and from a farmers market. My soul was delighted!

While I have given a look through my eyes, if you find yourself in Alberta, Canada be sure to make Granary Road a stop in your travels. The delights abound for those looking to broaden personal experience, both the young and the young at heart!

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March 8, 2018March 8, 2018

Planting Seeds Indoors

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I found a neat planting calendar on The Old Farmers Almanac, www.Almanac.com to enter ones location and view the suggested times lines for planting various garden vegetables. Here I discovered that tomatoes, onions, lettuce and peppers need to be started the first to the middle of March (if starting indoors). Actually, onions could be started as early as the first of February, but here we are, the first part of March already. The first of March it will be when I start my onions.

Indoors or Outdoors?

Why start seeds indoors? I would like to give my garden vegetables a head start for the growing season. Our season here in northern Indiana is long enough to produce vegetables with out starting them indoors. Plants started indoors will be available for harvest sooner then seeds started outdoors. If I choose to start seeds both inside and out, I will have a longer time for harvesting and eating fresh from the garden. I like this line of thinking!

The Dirt

Take a walk with me out to the manure pile and previous manure pile location.

I am about ready to start a new pile, but want to use some of the dirt generated from the old pile before I do. The process of composting both animal and plant waste products produces wonderful rich soil from which to grow vegetables.

I am going to bring soil inside in a 5 gallon bucket to use for starting my seeds. Now one can purchase potting soil and do the same thing. I am all about using what I have available and for me compost is free. If you do not personally have the option of composting, sometimes a farm will allow you to get compost from their manure pile. A word of caution here, if wanting to keep everything organic, it would be important to know if drugs and/or antibiotics where used on the animals who produced the manure. I know I use a limited amount and so my compost is as close to organic as I can get it. I am ok with that for the time being.

Planting Seeds

Now is the time to place some of the soil into small containers. I have saved some of the pictured egg cartons to act as a green house for starting seeds. They trap the moisture, but once a seed is sprouted the lid needs to be opened. I have found they do best if transferred into a bigger container soon after sprouting.

After watering to make the soil moist, seeds may be planted shallowly. In this example I am planting onion seeds. I used my finger to hollow out a small spot in the soil to drop the onion seed into. After placing the tiny seed, I gently covered the seed with soil.

Now aside from keeping the soil moist and warm enough for the seeds to sprout, there is not much to do, but wait for the tiny little green sprouts of a new plant to poke its way up through the soil. These are due to sprout in 10 to 15 days so I added it to my schedule to check them on March 15(10 days) and March 20(15 days). Check back on A Country Girl’s Heart ~ Beats that Matter FB page for updates those days on the onion seeds progress.

This project has cost me nothing aside from the cost of the seed and a bit of rather easy work. I am always looking for ways to repurpose items like manure piles and egg cartons. What items to do have around your house that would allow you to start seeds with little to no cost to you?

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February 16, 2018November 6, 2019

Book Review: Eat and Think Yourself Smart

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I realize it has been some time since this book has launched. I felt a huge affirmation as I read Eat and Think Yourself Smart in 2016. I sensed strongly that my desire to raise as much of my own food as possible, teaching others as I learned, sharing my ideas and experiences was a an inspired path. It has taken some time to manifest and truly is still in its beginning stages.

About the Book

Dr Caroline Leaf takes on the Modern American Diet(MAD) advocating the importance of real local food for all. She speaks to the food choices we have and the impact that “cheap” food has on our health. When one considers the rising cost of health, it is not such a bargain after all. A large section of Eat and Think Yourself Smart takes a look at how the brain functions. Dr Leaf’s Geodesic Information Processing Theory formed the basis for her 30 (+)years of research with clients and research. She includes a 21 day diet plan complete with recipes. This book ends with a note section(73 pages) from which one may continue to research the subject of the impact our food choices have.

My Thoughts

Most intriguing to me is the study of the brain, our thought processes and how we can change our brain structure by changing our thought patterns. This concept has been studied extensively and unfortunately not taught in our public school system. In this book Dr Leaf shares how we may use the concept to learn a new outlook on choosing food and eating. I am still applying what I learned for it is not a concept that changes over night. This is not about a quick fix, but rather an invitation to shift our perspectives and begin making healthier food choices.

In Conclusion

Eat and Think Yourself Smart became one of my inspirations to move forward with a homesteading lifestyle and share the journey to inform others of ways that they might produce their own food. It is a journey for me as I work to change my own thoughts toward food and put new habits in place when making food choices.

Read your own copy of Eat and Think Yourself Smart. Click on the picture to order your copy.

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February 16, 2018February 17, 2018

Choosing Garden Vegetables

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When it comes to eating, we all like different foods. What goes into a garden is much like planning menu for a week or month. Choosing what we plant and how it develops may actually influence our food menus in coming months, based on what choices we have available.

We have many options when it comes to producing our own food, no matter if we live in town or city, suburbs, or way out in the country . There are wonderful options for apartments, a city lot, 1, 5, 10, 20 acres or a large farm. Almost everyone has options when it comes to producing at least some of their own food if given the correct information. Sometimes, a bit of creative ingenuity will be required.

A financial investment up front is needed(there are ways to reduce the costs), in some cases more than others. The end result lowers the grocery bill and may improve ones health reducing medical costs in the future. Check out Dr Caroline Leaf’s book Eat and Think Yourself Smart for data links and informational ideas on how our diet effects our health. I read this book a couple years ago and will be posting a review link in the future. Click here.

Here are a few guidelines I consider as I decide which seeds I am planting this year

What and where is my available planting space

I have not worked up the ground here for a garden with the exception of where the garlic is planted. I have plans for some ways to prepare the ground for a garden space, but until I do, I am going to use mostly container gardens. I have been offered to share garden space by two of my neighbors. I like my neighborhood!! I am not sure yet, how much extra space that will give me. Renting or sharing garden space is definitely an option for those living in an area with little or no ground of their own. In my case, I simply have not prepped the ground for lack of tools to make it easy and lack of energy to get it done the hard way.

What are my favorite foods

Peas, green beans, lettuce, both sweet and red potatoes, spinach, heritage and cherry tomatoes, different varieties of onions and lettuce, bell peppers of any color, squash

What vegetables do I desire to store for the next winter

Peas, green beans, sweet and red potatoes, onions, tomatoes (for ketchup and tomato Juice)

What tools will I be using I currently have

Tools I will be using include:

Cracked/broken buckets, shovel, small spade, cultivator, various sizes of plastic containers I have been washing and saving for seed starting,

What do I need to purchase and corresponding cost

I have a wish list of products I would like to try, but they are likely going to wait until next year. Items I would like to purchase are:

a warming mat for seed starting $15 – $90
a grow lamp/light(s) $ 20 – $170(+)
a small green house, possibly partly underground to utilize the earth’s heat $80 – $10,000(+)
self propelled gas tiller (Depending on model) $450 – $1,000(+)

We will be discussing the how and when to start a vegetable garden in future blog posts.

What vegetables do you desire to grow this year?

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November 10, 2017July 22, 2020

Garlic

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Home grown garlic hanging in the basement stairway gives me a warm, satisfied feeling of accomplishment. For me the process lacked the perfection I would have liked. I did not keep the area weeded as well I think I should have. At the end of the growing season I have raised garlic and it is hanging to use. That for this year is going to be what counts.

In todays post, I am going to share what process I followed. I intend to improve on it next year and learn more. I am going to look into different varieties. This was last years plot of garlic after planting.

Plant in October or November or before the ground freezes. Dig a shallow trench to place the garlic cloves in.

One clove will develop into a bulb of garlic.

I cover the ground with hay chaff after planting. This helps slow weeds and give a winter ground cover. The garlic will send up shoots late winter/early spring. The cold does not hurt the garlic.

I like to add another layer or two of chaff in springtime and again in early summer to help reduce the weeds. This will decompose and add to the soil fertility. It also helps retain moisture.

Sometime in July a bulb appeared on the top of the stem. Ideally, the stem is removed before the stem curves over at the top. I was late this year.

There are seeds in the bulb that have a distinct garlic smell. Another year I am going to save the seeds and see what happens when I plant them. I want to satisfy my curiosity to see if I can.

No harm done though and as soon as the bottom four leaves have turned brown it is time to harvest the garlic. Hanging the plants allows the oil to run down into the bulbs. They are grouped by variety, Music, Montana and German.

I picked the largest, nicest looking bulbs to plant from for next years crop.

Prepping the ground before planting took the most time. Using garlic from this years crop I more than doubled the amount of bulbs I planted. One growing cycle completed. Lets see what the next one brings!

I want to give a huge thank you to Carma Kelly of Kelly Creek Gardens for guiding me through the first year of growing garlic. She promptly answered my questions when they arose. If you are local to Centreville, MI be sure to look her up for garlic, flowers and other green house finds. Not local? Check out her website for more garlic info.

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October 26, 2017October 27, 2017

Using what I Had

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2014 found me feeling frustrated and defeated with my present circumstances….

I knew I was not going back to previous jobs(for a long term solution) working as an equine trainer and manager. My current health would not allow it. Recovering from a tough onset of Mono while dealing with other chronic illness left me floundering. I found some encouragement in 2015 as I participated in the 2015 TCA Thoroughbred Makeover with Navajo Bo. As 2016 rolled around I was giving serious thought and prayer to what was next. I strongly desired to raise my own food. I had a few ideas rolling around in my head. Chickens for eggs and meat, my own milk, butter and cheese via a cow, a garden, canning, a green house, perhaps a spring house, and a hydroponic system were some of my farming/homesteading ideas. Somewhere in all that I should be able to find a way to earn an income was my thought.

Using what I had….

I looked around at what buildings were currently standing on the almost 12 acres. One was a large chicken barn. The design did not leave room for creating stalls for horses or cattle. It was however double walled and even had some insulation were it looked like a previous owner had started to make a shop out of it.

Chickens became the first project to pursue. With 3 heritage breeds, they are all a developing work in progress. I like many qualities of Scottish Highland Cattle for milk, butter, cheese and meat. I do not have them yet and have strongly considered the American Milking Devon. Truth is, until I actually own them, there is that possibility I will change my mind.

Chicken Project

Thirteen Swedish Flower Hen chicks were my first purchase in May of 2016.

I have since added Swedish Flower Hens from 3 additional farms to create diversity in the breeding stock. In the fall of 2016 two more breeds caught my eye, Silver Gray Dorking and Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner. Both are rather rare and hard to find I discovered but by mid November 2016 I had chicks from each breed.

Fruits and Vegatables

I planted garlic for the first time in the fall of 2016. I also grew Sweet Potatos in buckets during 2016. I transplanted wild Black Raspberries to create a row of black raspberries. I started some grapes plants from vine cuttings and will be producing concord grapes in the future. Did you know that in 1849 Ephraim Wales Bull planted 22,000 seeds before deciding on the what we now call the concord grape? Amazing! Has me wondering what variety I could develop.

The spring of 2017 found me foaling out mares for an Arab training barn.

The additional work left no time for me to plant and garden in 2017. The exception being a harvest of garlic in August.

I am always on the look out for ways to accomplish my goals with what I have, be it material possessions or personal skills, and building on that to achieve other dreams I have.

One way I helped to finance my chicken project and this website was through Swagbucks. In 2017 I earned over $225.00. While not a huge amount, it all adds up.

What ways have you accomplished goals and seen dreams come true using what you had available?

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October 13, 2017October 23, 2017

Growing Sweet Potatoes in a Bucket

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My Mom, seen my sprouting sweet potatoes on the counter and exclaimed, “You know you can grow sweet potatoes from these”? She had given them to me, purchased locally to her house. I had not eaten them all. Intrigued, I ask her for more details. This is how I began growing my own sweet potatoes.

She clued me in to the procedure. Showing me how to twist off the sprout at its base, she said, “If you stick them in water they will grow roots like crazy and make sure you keep adding water”. Excited to see this process for myself I set up two glass jars. I since learned there is also another way to start sweet potatoes. One can place a cut section of a the potato in water and it will grow both roots and a vines. This too would be planted in soil to grow sweet potatoes.

I set them near a window to allow them access to sunshine. Over a period of several weeks I did indeed have a sweet potato plant ready to place in soil.

I started some in smaller pots of dirt before moving to a permanent growing pot. Unless the weather has not warmed enough to safely leave the plants outside, I would recommend planting directly into the container or ground where you will be growing the Sweet Potatoes.

I learned through a FB group that sweet potatoes could be grown in buckets. One of my goals, as I began exploring how I was going to live a homestead lifestyle, was to use what I have. Remembering I had saved cracked water buckets, I happily located them. Some had cracked from water freezing in them and others had not survived the pawing of a horse. They were going to be perfect for allowing the soil to drain.

For soil, I went to what was left of a horse manure pile from several years past. Bits and pieces of decomposing shavings left among the decomposed manure created a small amount of aeration. How cool! What was once horse manure was now a nutrient rich soil available for me to grow food in. Ah Ha! The horses do have a part in this homestead. They are producing potting soil.

Once planted, regular watering(if there is not adequate rainfall) and keeping the weeds picked out are the only needed work til harvest. These plants grow a rather large leaf base so after they are big enough the weeds are less of a concern.

My first year growing sweet potatoes I did not know what to expect at harvest. When the weather was forecast to be below freezing in a few nights I knew the growing season was coming to an end for the potted plants. The beauty of raising potatoes in pots is dumping them to harvest the potatoes. No digging!

I remember looking at the top of the bucket, seeing some potatos and hoping they were big enough.

I also recall turning the bucket over. Much to my delight I found my worry had disappeared for all I could see through the crack across the bottom of the bucket was one large sweet potato!

I was impressed with the size of the sweet potatoes.

One of the best parts of this process was that I had produced food with out spending any money. While not everyone can initially start for free, there are ways to start with only a small investment. Anyone can raise sweet potatoes even if living in an urban environment. Every year save some potatoes for sprouting for the next year. This is one way to produce food, with the health benefits of eating local food, for minimal to no cost.

I cook them wrapped in tin foil, baked in the oven until soft(about an hour) and topped with salt and real butter…um, YUM! Of course there are many recipes for sweet potatoes, but this option meets the requirements for my current health challenges. What are your favorite sweet potato recipes?

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