To hit my goal of producing more food this year, I need a much better understanding of our soil fertility. In most years I have added compost to the beds, rotated crops, particularly tomatoes and potatoes, and have never added fertilizers or pesticides. I generally find earthworms as I am digging so I think it …
I’ve never been the biggest sprouts fan. It’s not that I dislike them. Rather I’m mostly indifferent. Garnishes aren't really my thing. I'm more of a fill-me-up kind of gal. But I've recently learned the error of my ways. They are so easy. And remarkably fast to grow. And nutritious for humans. For example, alfalfa …
Wow. Well fingers crossed, hopefully the third time is the charm for getting our new cold frame up and producing. I have now protected it as well as Fort Knox. I don’t even think that each burglary was committed by the same thief. Before I delve into the robberies though, I want to start with …
Popcorn. What what. I want to be clear here. Until this year, I have only had remarkably dismal results growing any kind of corn on my little homestead. My experience has been akin to repeatedly slamming my head against a brick wall. Over and over again, I've planted seeds, watered and nurtured them and then …
Continue reading My Most Favorite Crop of the Year – Popcorn!
This year I am trying to grow food in the winter months. This seems like a critical step in converting my garden into a homestead. I’ve always had winter blooming plants like witch hazel, camellia, stinking hellebore and early bulbs like crocus. But winter food growing is not something I’ve really tried much. Other than …
Continue reading How I Was Able to Capture the Chicken’s Turbocharged Compost
Every once in a while, things go great and you get a wonderful harvest. But maybe a little too great. And all at once. That’s what just happened to me. I’d like to say I planned it that way. Maybe even planted determinate tomatoes that are expected to all ripen at the same time. Alas, …
Continue reading A Few of My Favorite Ideas for a Big Tomato Harvest
At first it was just an odd three inch hole in our front lawn. We filled it up with rocks and wondered what would make such a hole. We have had critters get into our metal chicken feed bins if the lids weren’t secured. And we’ve spied raccoons, opossum and foxes in our garden over …
When we initially planted our four apple trees we had dreams of apple cobblers, apple pies and apples in our lunches, We planted four trees, two Gala and two Fuji, along the sides of the main stairs in our garden. After four years of nurturing and coddling I slowly came to the realization that we …
Continue reading Protecting Fruit Trees from Birds and Squirrels
My continuing passion to not just grow food but actually harvest it in my urban and tree-ful environment often poses all sorts of challenges. Early on I would spend so many hours planning, planting and raising my food crops only to lose all of it to squirrels or birds. All of it. Not some, or …
Continue reading How to protect your tomato harvest from marauding squirrels and birds
Each day I head outside I am trying to grow food for our family consumption. I am not growing it for the squirrels and birds (wild or kept). Over the years, I have tried a variety of techniques to keep some amount for our harvest. My attempts have been as varied as erecting scarecrows, to …
Continue reading How to protect your berries from marauding squirrels and birds
Upping My Farm Girl 