Update

Well folks, it's been a LONG time since I did a post. Teaching a grades two through five class and rushing home to do chores, cook from scratch as much as possible, and stay up on things like making soap leaves little time for the blog. I could keep up better if we had Internet access at home, but we don't. I only have it on my cell phone, which doesn't work as well as I'd hoped for blogging. Anyhow, I wanted to let you know what's been going on.

The biggest news on the homestead is about the goats. I currently have a herd of eight. There are four boys and four girls. :-) My boys are all wethers, and three of them need new homes desperately. Perle is due to kid in March, Sassy, her daughter is due in April, and then we have a long wait. Twilight and Miracle have had a hard time "settling" this time. I took them both to be bred only to have them come into heat again after we were back home. It doesn't take long for this routine to get old. Now they are at the home of their chosen bucks to stay for a month. Fingers are crossed that they will come home thoroughly impregnated with multiple kids! :-) I don't think it's a problem with the girls fertility, but with their owner's observation skills. When I do chores in the dark both morning and night, it's really hard to discern when they are in heat, even when I'm trying my best to pay attention to such things. If everything works out Miracle and Twilight will both kid in June. I am not thrilled about them kidding so late in the year, but it sure beats a year with no kids. :-)

Like all homesteaders, my thoughts have turned toward the garden. I am so anxious to get started with it! I have learned that having the garden in the location of last year's chicken pen is the BEST way to do it! The things I planted at that location grew wonderfully, had virtually no pests, and the location was almost weed free. The few weeds that did appear were very easy to pull from the loose, rich soil. With that in mind, my garden spot is going to be about one third the size I've had in years past. I am going for excellence over quantity. I think if I have a smaller plot that mostly consists of the area the chickens have occupied I will have an excellent garden spot that will produce more per square foot than the huge garden that is an all out war with Bermuda grass and other weeds. My thoughts are about what I really want to grow, because with the smaller plot comes cuts in the availability of space to grow veggies. I will definitely not have as many of any one variety of plant, but I will also have to limit the number of varieties of plants I grow.

My chickens are doing better than ever. Dare I say I've got this chicken thing down? My flock size has held steady for several months, despite the hawks I frequently see and the owl who roosts in our barn. They are healthy and attractive. Laying is almost at a standstill. The only eggs I've gotten have been from the banties for the past six weeks or so. I am not unhappy with that, though, because I want my chickens to lay according to their biological signals as much as possible, and our winter has been mild enough that I haven't needed to use a heat lamp on them, so their bodies are getting a much needed break from production. I hope to see them start laying in a month or so. I also want to add more birds to the flock this spring. I really want Golden Laced Wyandottes, but I don't know if that will be an option. I love the consistency of the banties for laying, but I would like to have eggs to sell, and for that I think most people are going to want eggs from standard sized chickens. I also want to increase my flock size so that they can prepare more ground for planting next year. :-P

Spring is just around the corner, and I'm ready for it!!!

Plenty

He who tills his land will have plenty of food, But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty. ~Proverbs 28:19


This is my great grandmother. She passed away when I was very young, but I do remember her. When we would go to visit her, she was nearly always either working in the garden or her flowers. What a blessing it is to have a heritage of love for the land and for the plants God blessed us with!

Crazy Veggies

Can you believe that my okra is blooming in November? I just had to share.

A whole summer's work!

This year I planted Black Aztec corn. It is an heirloom variety that is certified non GMO. You can eat it in the milk stage like corn on the cob, can it, or freeze it. You can also let it dry and grind it for cornmeal. I planted five rows of about 20 stalks per row. This is my entire harvest. It's been a learning year, to say the least! First of all, I planted WAY too late. I didn't plant my corn until the first week of June. On top of that, the weather has been unusually cool, rainy, and therefore cloudy. Nobody's crops did particularly well, and everyone I have talked to mentions how late their plants were in being ready to harvest. To make things even worse, the chickens discovered the delightful contents of those ears, and ate more than their fair share. I am going to save all this for seed, and next year I'll be planting much earlier, and I will also fertilize a WHOLE lot more! (Not to mention the fence that will appear around the perimeter of the garden!)

Special Iris

I bought my iris four years ago. The first two years they didn't bloom at all. Last year they attempted to bloom in the fall without sending up the stalk the flower is on. The blooms were down in the leaves where they couldn't open up very well. It was weird! This year, though, they must like our new home as much as I do, because they are blooming beautifully! I wish I had bothered to keep track of the names of them. This one is so dark purple it's almost black:
I call this one purple splash, for lack of a real name:

And these are the ones that were already here when we moved in. They were such a pleasant surprise! I fully expected them to be that plain, light purple that all iris seem to revert to over time. They are so pretty! Once they quit blooming I will clean out the bed and separate them.

What's in a garden?

Edmondson Cute, 4" cream to light green mini cucumbers that are so sweet and tender, good for slicing or pickles. Vigorous vines set heavy yields, this family heirloom has been grown by the Clarice family since 1913.
De Bourbonne Tiny pickling cucumbers are ready in about 50 days. This old French heirloom is used to make the 2" long Cornichon pickles that are so tasty. Still popular in France for this purpose. High yielding vines will be popular with all those who preserve food.
Echinacea Purpurea
Stevia
Feverfew
Red Wonder Wild Strawberry This variety was selected to produce large, elongated red fruits that are sweet and aromatic. Perfect for growing in flower gardens and containers as the plants, flowers and berries are ornamental. So delicious, the fruit won't last long! 75 seeds.
Purple Kiwi (Actinidia melandra)A self-fertile variety that produces sweet, tart-flavored fruit with a unique purple-colored flesh! The vining plants are fast growers and hardy to 20 degrees, and produce 1 1/2" long fruit that will amaze your neighbors. 20 seeds. Zucchini - Black Beauty 50 days. The classic dark-green summer squash that has made modern zucchini of this type popular. Introduced in the U.S. markets in the 1920's and seed companies started listing it in the 1930's. Delicious fried or baked, best picked young.
Crookneck - Early Golden Summer 50 days. An old favorite heirloom, this is one of the oldest types of squash dating back to pre-Columbus times and has been popular ever since. Easy to grow and good tasting.
Kiwano (African Horned Cucumber)Very unusual fruit with spiny "horns." The green-yellow skin turns a bright deep orange when ready to harvest and the pulp resembles lime-green Jell-O. The fruit has a sour-sweet, banana-lime-tropical fruit taste and is good juiced. This fruit is appearing regularly in US markets. Native to Africa, it is hardy and easy to grow; can be grown just about anywhere you can grow melons. Beautiful vine and fruit! Tiny seed. (25 seeds)
Chinese Five Color Screaming hot little peppers turn a rainbow of vibrant colors; from purple, cream, yellow, orange to red as they ripen. Need I say ornamental? The plants are great for containers inside. Just pick a few any time to liven up your salsa.
Muscade A delicious North African carrot that produces blocky, 7" orange roots that have exceptional flavor and a crisp, crunchy texture. They hold up well at market, and are late bolting. Rare and almost impossible to find!
Black Seeded Ice Cream 90 days A sweet-flavored, pink-fleshed watermelon that has a pale greenish cream-colored rind. It is an old variety that was popular in the 19th century. 1881 D.M. Ferry said, "Medium size, scarlet flesh, and very sweet; a good variety for main crop." In 1927 Henry Field's catalog stated, "Round shaped melons with thin, ivory colored skin. Pink-meated and of fine quality. It will keep late into the winter. Very prolific; matures very early."Sugar Ann An early, edible-pod pea ideal for small gardens. Its short, bushy vines do not need support, and it produces about 10 days earlier than other snap peas. Delicious pods are a joy sauteed, fresh or steamed. An AAS winner from 1984.
Purple Podded Pole This delicious heirloom was discovered in the Ozark mountains by Henry Fields in the 193'’s, and is still requested by many oldtimers of this region. The pods are bright purple, stringless, and tender. Plants grow to 6’ and produce heavy yields.
Green Zebra75 days-One of my favorite tomatoes. Beautiful chartreuse with deep lime-green stripes, very attractive. Flesh is bright green and very rich tasting, sweet with a sharp bite to it, (just too good to describe!). A favorite tomato of many high class chefs, specialty markets and home gardeners. Yield is excellent. The most striking tomato in our catalog, a real beauty. Around 3 ounces each.
Soldier Bush A favorite of the Mennonite grower Elvin Martin, who brought this bean to our attention. It produces lots of large kidney type beans, even in the far North. The name comes from the red markings that resemble a soldier. A staple bean for many in historic New England, and now a popular heritage soup bean.
Doux D'Espagne or Spanish Mammoth This variety was introduced before 1860. In the 1880’s, this pepper was shipped to the large markets in Paris from warmer areas like Algeria and Valencia. In the 19th century the 6"-7" long fruit were among the largest offered, and popular with cooks. It produces long, cone-shaped peppers that are perfect for frying and salads. They are sweet and flavorful, but hardly ever offered in America. A good-producing pepper that is reported to be disease resistant.
Slo-Bolt Cilantro (Coriandrum sativum) This is a slow-bolting version of Cilantro/Coriander that produces flavorful leaves over a longer period.
Lumpy Red 80 days. Austin Isaacs collected this red variety in the early 1990s from an elderly woman in Corbin, Kentucky, who said this dates to the early 1900s and was grown in Clay City, Kentucky by her grandmother. Named for its fruit which are rather "lumpy" in appearance, being ribbed and ruffled. These are popular for their strong, old-fashioned flavor and large size, making them a great tomato for any homestead. Rare.
German Red Strawberry85 days. Big, flavorful 1-lb fruit are shaped like a giant, red strawberry. These beautiful tomatoes are loaded with a rich, sweet flavor. With only a small amount of seeds and juice, they are great for canning and sandwiches. This superior tasting tomato is a family heirloom from Germany.

Black Aztec Sweet Corn Sometimes called 'Black Mexican''. It is believed to have originated in upper New York, possibly grown by the Iroquois nation. It was first offered in seed catalogs as 'Black Mexican' in 1864. The 6'-tall stalks produce large ears that are used as sweet corn in the milk stage, with the kernel being sweet, tender and very tasty! When mature, this corn turns deep blue-black and makes a very delicious cornbread. This hardy corn grows well in many weather conditions.

Fife Creek Cowhorn An heirloom that has been in the Fife family since around 1900 and believed to have came to them from a Creek Indian woman who stayed with them for one year in Jackson, Mississippi. Large, long pods stay tender longer than most; huge plants are very productive.

Thai Round Green Petch ParisaA 2"-3" round light-green eggplant, with cream stripes. Tasty in stir-fries, and sold extensively throughout Thailand. We've found this variety to be hardy and productive here in Missouri. Very rare in the U.S.; we are the only source this year.
They sent me these free. We are not big eggplant eaters, but hey, if it's free, I'll try it! Got any good eggplant recipes? :)
Canton Bok The typical Nai-Pe-Tsai type pak choy. Semi-upright plant produces thick white stems and deep green leaves. Good for warm areas as it is heat-tolerant.

What's Up, Buttercup?

Daffodils are my favorite flowers in the whole wide world. These are my very first ones in our new home. If I could have a fresh bouquet of them on my night stand and kitchen table every day I would be one happy girl. I am so thrilled that I finally have a home of my own to plant with tons of buttercups. I plan to have masses and masses of beautiful buttercups all over my yard!

The Berries are Sprouting!

I bought strawberry seeds at http://www.rareseeds.com along with all my other garden stuff. I learned AFTER planting them about an inch deep that you are only supposed to plant a seed about four times it's height in depth, so I should have just sprinkled them over the top and patted them in. Almost three weeks after planting, they broke through the soil this morning. I figured they had rotted because they were planted too deeply, but I guess not! YIPEEE!!! I'm gonna have strawberries! Of course, in the meantime, I read in the square foot gardening book that you aren't supposed to grow them from seed because it takes three years for them to produce fruit. I don't particularly mind that, I just wish I'd known in advance. :) Oh well. I'm gonna have a berry patch!

Gardening=Rocket Science? I think not!

This is an excerpt from a recent letter to a friend, but I felt it was something I wanted to save and maybe even help someone else by their reading.

I want to encourage you that gardening doesn't have to be complicated. The Lord provided us with seeds and soil so that we could cultivate the land and produce food. He meant for ALL humans to do this, not just those of us who make things more complicated that they have to be. You can make gardening as simple or as complicated as you want to. My parents always had a garden. It was a place in the yard about 50' by 100' that Daddy tilled up and planted all our veggies and melons in. It was just plain row gardening. He used triple 15 fertilizer on EVERYTHING. He used Sevin Dust for pests. That's pretty much it. He knew nothing about tomatoes loving carrots, nor about staggering your planting. We usually planted the entire garden in one day. At most it took us two days. It wasn't organic, but I do believe it was still better than what's available at the grocery store because we harvested things when they were ripe, not two weeks early, and we washed everything thoroughly. We canned it all. We didn't spend money at the grocery store on produce unless it was something that didn't grow in our climate.

The way I learned to garden as a child was very simple as far as the brain power that went into it. It was back breaking work, though. Lots and lots of hoeing and all the stuff came in at the same time, and you worked harvesting and processing/canning until you thought your back was going to break in two.

The "new" methods like square foot gardening and all the others that are out there are designed to make things easier/better. Putting down newspapers provides a weed barrier, and the worms consume it and it improves the soil, plus it helps with water conservation. On and on it goes. There are ways to make it better and easier, and you should definitely research and learn as much as you can, but know that the best thing you can do is just get in there and do it. Getting seeds in the ground, providing them with ample water, and keeping the weeds out is really all that is required. All the other stuff is just improvement.

Happy gardening!

Bed of Garlic

Today we placed our first raised bed for the garden. Wayne built the frame for me. I put down two layers of cardboard, and then we put in a mixture of soil, compost, and cow manure. I planted 108 cloves of garlic using the square foot gardening method. I plan to use all raised beds (except, maybe, for corn and potatoes)for the garden, and use the square foot method along with lasagna gardening. Our dear friends' house burned several months ago, and their windows were replaced by the insurance company. They blessed us with their old windows, and we are going to build the beds to the dimensions of the windows so that I can do cold-frames and hot-beds to get earlier produce from the garden. The same friends gave us the white plastic boards used to build the beds. They are "scrap" material where the husband works. I am thrilled with them!

Garlic is supposed to be planted in the fall, and harvested the following summer. I was unaware of this, and so I am hoping for a crop this year. If it doesn't "make" I will simply leave it in the ground and allow it to grow another season before I harvest. Not only will I use the garlic for the obvious, food, but I will also use it medicinally. I have not set foot in a doctor's office for almost four years. GOOT is the primary reason I have been able to achieve this. GOOT is Garlic and Olive Oil Ointment Treatment. It is made from three tablespoons each of garlic, olive oil, and coconut oil. These are warmed gently, blended together, and any large chunks strained out. Simply apply it to the skin, and it will be absorbed into the bloodstream and work systemically to fight all types of infection. Of course, applying GOOT to the affected area is most effective, but you can also apply it to the soles of the feet and put on socks to fight infections where you cannot apply the GOOT. It's good stuff!!!

Sorry this isn't done, but since I referred to it in my Kelly the Kitchen Kop reply, I figured I had better get it back up here. I will post more tomorrow.

For more information about lasagna gardening, check out these sites, which have proven to be extremely helpful to me:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1999-04-01/Lasagna-Gardening.aspx
http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm

And check out these sites about square foot gardening, which have also been helpful to me:
This is the inventor of the method. He takes it to the extreme, i.e. everything has to be perfect or it's not Sq. Ft. Gardening, but it's still a great place to start: http://www.squarefootgardening.com/
Here's a very good explanation as well: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Square_foot_gardening
http://timssquarefootgarden.com/calendar.htm