We have been growing wheat for three or four years in our community sharecropping plots. Wheat is not hard to grow and not all that hard to harvest although there are some pitfalls. The hard part is removing the teeny wheat berries from the inedible straw and glumes that surround them, which is called threshing. …
Tag: gardening
{recipes} Zucchini Four Ways
Zucchini season is upon us – I’ve been harvesting them daily in my garden. Why I always plant so many when I know that the harvest is predictably plentiful is beyond me. You’ve heard the jokes about the people who sneak around their friend’s houses, leaving zucchinis on their doorsteps when no one is looking? That may…
{garden tour} Because You Can’t Eat Your Lawn
When we bought our house in the summer of 2009 we quickly realized there was no simple spot for our garden. Our larger backyard was simply too shady and the front yard was engulfed by a tree and a 20-30 year old hydrangea bush. That front spot got plenty of sun though, so we knew…
{scaling up the northeast grain system} The Harvest
If it weren’t for my friend Howard, my wheat would still be in the field. When I got home from vacation last Saturday, I found a message that the wheat was ready. Howard had toured my plot, and found the grain passed the crack test. When the wheat is ready, the seed should feel hard,…
{gardening} Cover Crops 101
As the community share cropping season gets going, we are planting and scheming and trying to improve the gardens compared to last year. We already worked out our crop rotations during the winter, so now we are concentrating on weeding, feeding and cover cropping. Cover crops are incredibly important for soil improvement, fertility and stabilization…
{gardening} The Busy Person’s Guide to Starting a Perfectly Fine Garden
I love to garden. Maybe you do too. I love to do lots and lots of things. So many things, in fact, that I am too busy to allocate as much time to my garden as I would like. If only I had an extra 2 hours a day… that would make things so much…
{avant gardening} Hügelkultur
I spent three years of my childhood in Germany when my father was stationed there in the army. I have very distinct memories of the allotment gardens people cultivated at the edge of town in little individual rented plots of land, each with its own immaculate garden hut for sitting and enjoying the summer days…
{gardening} Making the Most of One Acre
How Does Your Garden Grow? Sizing up our land and making the most of 1 acre. My husband is a cultivator; it’s in his veins. By the time most people begin their Spring cleaning he is out tilling the ground and planning the upcoming year’s garden. When were looking to build a home all he…
{planning your garden} Guide to Starting Seeds
There are many ways to garden. Some people buy plants from a nursery, your local farmer or garden center, which is a great option for many. I have done this in the past, primarily with annuals flowers (like pansies and petunias), tomatoes and peppers.* Last year, I decided to try my hand at starting…
{planning your garden} Crop Rotation
Even though the ground is covered with snow and ice and the sun barely shines, January is the time to plan your garden. There are four essential tenets of good organic gardening; have a readily available water source, keep on top of the weeds, feed the soil and rotate your crops. Crop rotation is probably…
{the new year} A New Garden
{Our main garden in quiet rest} After the big fall harvest my garden, my husband, and I am ready for a break. We begin to put most all things outdoors to rest, batten down the hatches, and embrace winter. Our minds take a respite during the month of November and December from gardening but once…
{the new year} clean, fresh and growing
Although it was a good year, 2011 went by in a bit of a blur for me. This year, I am hoping for a more manageable pace that will support a healthier, more peaceful year for my family. I don’t usually set goals each new year, or make resolutions, but I came up with a…
{the new year} New Beginnings are Lovely
I’ve moved a lot in my life and although it can be scary and stressful it also means a fresh start. That’s how I feel at the beginning of each new year. There are always a lot of unknowns but the simple fact of it being fresh and new makes it seem like there’s a…
{gardening} My End-of-Season Garden
Remember way back in the beginning of gardening season when I showed you my garden and said it’s good to spend a few minutes in it each day? Yeah, well I’m going to be blunt and tell you that I didn’t follow my own advice this year. Last year it was so easy because I…
{community sharecropping} September is for Eggplants
September is the biggest harvest month in the community share-cropping gardens. That means that we have to do something with the perishable stuff we grew all summer. While I think zucchini make excellent compost, I want to use each and every eggplant, no matter how small. I have spent years convincing my husband that we…
