Now is the time to plant peas!

Note: This post was originally published last year, but it bears repeating!

When it comes to fresh-from-the-garden vegetables that cause you swear off grocery store knock-offs, peas are at the top of the list. Fresh from the pod, peas are exquisite! They are easy to grow, easy to pick and if you have never eaten a fresh pea still in the pod, you are in for a great treat. Now is the time to plant peas.

Peas don't require much in the way of fussiness. Good, well drained soil and a good sturdy trellis or fence to climb on are the components of good pea-keeping. Well rotted compost will ensure loads of thick pods but don't fertilize much more than that or you will get more vines and less pods.

Here is a bed that begged to be a pea bed; long, straight and thin. I opened up the soil with a U-bar so no tilling was necessary and set a good straight trench in the middle of the bed. I plant my peas in single rows on each side of the proposed space for the fence. I have tried the double rows in the past with less than desirable results each time so I stick with the tried and true single row.

I filled the trench with compost and planted the peas 4" apart with my two rows a mere 8 inches apart. Once the peas were spaced in the row I covered with the loosened dirt and began the work of putting up the trellis.

Peas can and will climb so be sure to set up a fence or trellis. In the past I have tried fence posts with string - don't try it - it doesn't work. I have tried utilizing coral panels from the co-op and they were great for shorter beds. They come in 16 foot lengths and they are inexpensive and last forever. For a longer bed though I felt that I had to use actual fencing. We strung it tight with two t-posts which is very important for picking time. You don't want the weight of the peas to pull the trellis over.

Once that hard work was over we transplanted spinach on one side and planted lettuce seeds on the other. As long as you keep the peas twining up the trellis you can keep weeds out of the bed by planting another crop on each side. Remember that mother nature will try to cover the soil if you don't. Also the lettuce and spinach will shade the soil and I will need much less water to maintain the growth of peas. As we get closer to picking I will post several recipes for fresh peas!

For your own garden we still have few different varieties of pea seeds for sale in the store. You will even find some varieties that thrive in pots for those who want the delicious taste of fresh peas but lack the space. So, there's a pea for everyone.

Have Fun!

A smoothie for your garden

Compost, as you are doubtless aware, is both excellent for your garden and a responsible thing to do with kitchen scraps and other biodegradable garbage. If you have the time and space to compost the traditional way, you should do that by all means. However, sometimes your garden needs a boost and your compost pile is far from ready, and sometimes (as is the case in my neighborhood) traditional compost piles are illegal. I know, it's insane.

A friend told me that during a busy season in her life she used to grind up her compost in the blender and pour it directly on her garden. I figured it could not hurt to try. I will admit to a moment's hesitation at putting garbage in my Vitamix, but I overcame my reluctance for the sake of vegetable production.

Compost in the blender.

My kids thought we were having a smoothie for lunch. I said, "Not directly."

I brought the blender full of compost smoothie out to the garden and fed it to the dirt and worms for lunch. Hopefully we'll see good results in a few weeks!

Some notes on blender composting:

• It's best to blend every day or two so the stuff doesn't get moldy.
• Use a trowel to dig the compost smoothie into the dirt so you don't attract bugs or bees.
  
• You may not want to blend paper and some other things that are normally compostable. I stick with coffee grounds, tea leaves, fruit and vegetable peels and trimmings, and washed eggshells.
• Add plenty of water to the blender so you don't burn out your motor.
• And, last but certainly not least:
  

Wash the blender well when you're finished!

It's not too late!

It's not too late to start your garden or plant a few containers on your porch or patio. The farm store is offering seeds of a variety of heirloom vegetables and plants for purchase this year. Heirloom plants are hardier and often more flavorful than their conventional cousins and we think you'll be glad you tried them!

For more information about specific seed varieties and availability, please visit the store or contact us.

Time to Plant Beets

Most people will tell you they hate beets but that's only because they have only tasted the horrid red imposters sliced and jammed into tin cans. For shame!!! Beets are one of my favorite vegetables and dressed in Celtic Sea Salt and Kerry Gold butter, you just can't beet it!

I planted my beets in one long row along the edge of my peas. I planted three varieties, Chioggia (my personal favorite) stiped in red and white rings it is a sure kid pleaser, Detroit Red and Burpee's Golden.

Beets grow well near bush beans but don't like pole beans - go figure! They do very well near lettuce and most members of the cabbage family. I like to plant my beets very close together and then throughout the season I will thin, first for the tops in salads and then for baby beets. By then I have made enough room for the full grown beets. I will plant beets all summer since they can take a good frost and still come out fine. As long as you can get into the soil you can harvest beets so be sure to have plenty of seed on hand.

Remember we have Seed Savers Exchange seeds in the store and will keep a good supply of all the seeds you need for planting and replanting.

Planting Peas

When it comes to fresh-from-the-garden vegetables that cause you swear off grocery store knock-offs, peas are at the top of the list. Fresh from the pod, peas are exquisite! They are easy to grow, easy to pick and if you have never eaten a fresh pea still in the pod, you are in for a great treat. Now is the time to plant peas.

Peas don't require much in the way of fussiness. Good, well drained soil and a good sturdy trellis or fence to climb on are the components of good pea-keeping. Well rotted compost will ensure loads of thick pods but don't fertilize much more than that or you will get more vines and less pods.

Here is a bed that begged to be a pea bed; long, straight and thin. I opened up the soil with a U-bar so no tilling was necessary and set a good straight trench in the middle of the bed. I plant my peas in single rows on each side of the proposed space for the fence. I have tried the double rows in the past with less than desirable results each time so I stick with the tried and true single row.

I filled the trench with compost and planted the peas 4" apart with my two rows a mere 8 inches apart. Once the peas were spaced in the row I covered with the loosened dirt and began the work of putting up the trellis.

Peas can and will climb so be sure to set up a fence or trellis. In the past I have tried fence posts with string - don't try it - it doesn't work. I have tried utilizing coral panels from the co-op and they were great for shorter beds. They come in 16 foot lengths and they are inexpensive and last forever. For a longer bed though I felt that I had to use actual fencing. We strung it tight with two t-posts which is very important for picking time. You don't want the weight of the peas to pull the trellis over.

Once that hard work was over we transplanted spinach on one side and planted lettuce seeds on the other. As long as you keep the peas twining up the trellis you can keep weeds out of the bed by planting another crop on each side. Remember that mother nature will try to cover the soil if you don't. Also the lettuce and spinach will shade the soil and I will need much less water to maintain the growth of peas. As we get closer to picking I will post several recipes for fresh peas!

For your own garden we still have few different varieties of pea seeds for sale in the store. You will even find some varieties that thrive in pots for those who want the delicious taste of fresh peas but lack the space. So, there's a pea for everyone.

Have Fun!

March Chores - Pruning

Before the month of March is over I plan to get all of my pruning finished. February is usually just too darn cold to get out with my pruners and my handy dandy folding saw so I have made a deal with myself that I can feel good about: March is pruning month. Once we see the longer warmer days of April the trees and shrubs have started to send out new shoots and the sap begins to flow making it harder to heal the cuts.

Before you head out to your unsuspecting trees and shrubs armed with saws and pruners you need to know what you are pruning and when it flowers to understand how it responds to pruning. The reason we go to all the trouble of pruning is to keep our trees and shrubs healthy by removing dead and diseased limbs, opening the plant for better circulation or just plain old shaping to keep it looking great.

Hardwood trees and shrubs without flowers: if you prune these trees and shrubs while they are dormant it is easier to see the main structure and it makes it easier to see how the tree wants to be pruned. Usually, the best time to prune in this case is during the late fall through early spring since leaving wounds here can cause severe problems with insects that are actually attracted to the scent put out by these trees and shrubs.

Trees and shrubs that flower in early spring (redbud, dogwood, etc.) should be pruned immediately after flowering (flower buds arise the year before they flush, and will form on the new growth). I learned the hard way that lilacs need to be pruned right after they flower to give the plant time to rest otherwise they put all of their energy into the seeds and you will have no flowers the following year.

Here are some examples of trees and shrubs to prune in late spring/summer, after they bloom:

• Azalea
• Bridal Wreath Spirea
• Forsythia
• Hydrangea
• Magnolia
• Mockorange
• Rhododendron
• Weigela
  

Trees and shrubs that flower in the summer or fall always should be pruned during the dormant season (flower buds will form on new twigs during the next growing season, and the flowers will flush normally).


Here are some examples of trees and shrubs to prune in the dormant periods between winter and early spring:

• Bradford Pear
• Butterfly Bush
• Crape Myrtle
• Flowering Dogwood
• Flowering Plum
• Honeysuckle
• Hydrangea
• Redbud
• Spirea
• Wisteria

Prune dead branches any time of the year. This ensures safety year round. I take out a bucket with chlorine and water to dip my pruners between cuts on anything that looks diseased. I don’t want o spread anything nasty. In order to keep disease to a minimum in the tree or shrub I take out any branches that are crossed or toughing. Just cut these back to a bud that is facing outward. Once that is done I can look at the tree objectively and see what else it needs. I never take out more than 1/3 of a plant at a time so as not to put undue stress on it.

So, take a look at what you have in the yard and start to make a pruning guide for the yard. Document the type of plant and how it should be treated. Mark the dates on a planting calendar so that you can start to make your own garden guide. It really helps to keep it all in one notebook.

Keeping a Gardening Journal

I have kept a gardening journal for about 19 years and I believe it is an indispensable tool for the home gardener as much as for the market gardener. I started keeping a journal for my garden the first year I set my foot on a spade in my tiny flower garden on Shelby street in East Nashville. I grew pink primrose, iris, lavender and hostas. I started from seed pink caterberry bells and bells of Ireland. My roses included Charles De Mills, Sarah Van Fleet and plenty of Fairy roses. Once I started to add fruit, in the form of Alpine strawberries I added square foot maps of the garden to remember what was planted where especially when it came to planting over the hundreds of bulbs planted in the fall. When we moved to the farm and began homesteading, gardening became more of a necessity and less of a hobby and my journal never left my gardening bag as I jotted varieties, location, problems, notes and yields. Some suggestions for the kinds of information you may want to include are:

• planting dates for seeds and plants
• transplanting dates
• source and cost for plants and seeds
• any guarantees and location of bills (if needed)
• weather particulars such as rainfall, frost dates and results
• plant characteristics, date of germination, date they emerge in spring, appearance of blooms
• date of harvest (for vegetables) or cut flowers taken
• date and type of fertilizer or other chemicals applied, and to which plants
• observations
• schematics for garden rotation
• great color combinations for both veggies and flowers
  

My journals have been everything from 3 ring binders to beautiful, preprinted garden journals. They don't have to be expensive, just lovely. Try to find something that makes you feel good, something beautiful to keep track of all the beauty that happens by your hand. Be inspired.

Do you keep a garden journal?

Organic Gardening: What would you like to know?

Photo by Ian Britton at FreeFoto

What have you always wanted to know about gardening?

What scares you about organic gardening?

What aspects of building and maintaining a garden confuse you or keep you from getting started?

Have you always wanted to try growing a particular type of crop but weren't sure how to get started?

Please give us your gardening questions in the comments and we'll try to answer them in future posts. Thanks!

How To Grow More Vegetables Than You Ever Thought Possible

How to Grow More Vegetables and Fruits (and Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine is the one absolutely positively indispensable gardening book in my library. It is ripped, filthy, filled with notes and jottings and in desperate need of replacing but that's because this is not the type of book you sit in your overstuffed chair reading whilst sipping a cup of Lady Grey tea (although I have done that quite a bit), this is the kind of book that you take out into the garden with you while you plant. This book is hands-on, filled with charts and fill-in-the-blank sections to determine how many plants you need and when you will plant them in our area. If you plan on gardening - at all - you need this book.

John Jeavons does such a masterful job of guiding us through the process of really, truly gardening. He explains soil prep, watering techniques, intensive planting, harvesting, rotating crops and much more.

There are two things in this book that separate it from all other gardening books. The first is the complete list of page upon page of fruits, vegetables, grains, trees and cover crops with information on each entry as to planting requirements (depth, and spacing), possible harvest amounts, and any other notes. The second noteworthy section contains garden plans for everything from a mini garden to a full Feed a Family of Four garden that teaches you how to succession plant for continuous harvest. All you need is the first and last frost date for your area and a pen to fill in the blanks and you will end up with a complete gardening plan for your own garden. What more you ask, except so for someone else to do the double digging for you - and don't look at me I done enough for a lifetime!

How to Grow More Vegetables and Fruits (and Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains, and Other Crops) Than You Ever Thought Possible on Less Land Than You Can Imagine is now available in the Farm Shop.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Growing Seedlings Indoors

For the adventurous and the thrifty minded among us growing your plants from seed is the way to go those plants that require a longer growing period or are harder to raise outdoors from seed. In the Nashville area those plants include, but are not limited to, tomatoes, peppers, onions, leeks, celery, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and some herbs and flowers. The information on the back of the seed packet will always include very basic information on growing that plant. This week I will start tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cabbage, and thyme, lavender.

You will need a plastic flat or recycled plastic jugs (with holes in the bottom to allow water to drain) to hold your potting medium and a spot with plenty of light. Don't use any potting mixture with added fertilizers as they do more harm than good.

It is always best to start with just a couple of new plants each year to that you can learn about their likes and dislikes. So maybe start with tomatoes this year which are fairly easy to grow inside and you won't have to settle for the same old, same old plants available at your local big box store.

Just plant in moistened plant medium and keep moist, not too dry or too wet and keep in a well lighted place. In about 5-10 days you will see the seedling emerge from the soil. For more information on starting tomatoes from seed go to Garden Web where you can find some great pictures to help you.

I will plant these seeds between the 13th and 22nd of February, when the moon is right to get them off on the right foot.

If this seems a little to much for some of you, worry not!! Windy Acres Farm Shop will have plenty of started plants available at the correct planting times.

Getting Ready for Planting

One of the most frustrating things that kept me out of the garden when I first got the gardening bug was missing the planting dates of my favorite foods. It always seemed that I would buy pea seeds and then find that the pea planting time had passed me and no one told me.In thinking about all the new gardeners this year who have contacted me I have decided to post a schedule, with reminders, for planting in the Nashville, TN area. For those outside this area I will be posting a review of my favorite gardening book later this week that includes a fill-in-the-blank schedule.

The last date we can expect a frost in our planting area is April 5 and the first frost will hit us somewhere around the 29th of October. This is the window that we need to use in conjunction with our knowledge of the plants we want grow to determine what we will direct seed and what will be transplanted into the garden as plants.

So here in the Nashville area we need to be thinking about getting seeds into pots for those plants that will not be direct seeded into the garden, those that require a longer growing period to set fruit. In my garden those veggies include tomatoes, peppers, onions, broccoli, cabbage, melons, pumpkins and celery.

So get yourself a note book and list all of the plants you want to grow in your garden and the next blog will list dates for planting in our area. Have fun.

Where to find heirloom seed potatoes

One year, many moons ago, I found some Russian Fingerlings, Yellow Rose and Blue Fin potatoes at Smith and Hawken (when they were a great store with great tools and no Scott "Organic" fertilizers - please, don't get me started!!) Well, the harvest was really spectacular and the difference in the flavors were out of this world. The range of flavors and uses for heirloom potatoes go far beyond the usual types you find in the grocery store.

Last year Rhayna, Brittany, Nicole and I harvested 700 pounds of potatoes that we are still eating daily. Eating your own organic potatoes is wonderful and a serious money saver, but one of the things I tend to leave too late every year is the purchase of my seed potatoes. If you don't have a local source, you must order seed potatoes from the internet (using potatoes you get from a store won't work very well because they are treated to prevent eyes from developing - ask Catherine how she knows!).

This year I am making it my gardening goal to have plenty of different varieties of heirloom potatoes available at the farm store for my customers because I know first hand that the best laid plans of mice and men...and women... get set aside if you need to order on the Internet. So, my gift to my customers will be to make these potatoes, prized for outstanding taste, available without the hassle.

If you want to order your own seed potatoes please visit the Seed Savers Exchange for more information about this pioneering organization and to peruse the many amazing heirloom varieties of potatoes available.

Please stop by the store or leave a comment if you have any further questions about getting started with potatoes in your garden or what types of heirloom potatoes to try. We'd love to help! Happy gardening!

How to plant and harvest heirloom potatoes

Many people think of growing potatoes as a laborious undertaking but I have a simple, easy way to grow potatoes. I have planted my potatoes this way for about 10 years so I know it works, and works well whether you are planting five pounds or 50 pounds ( or 150 pounds as we did last year) and you can start getting ready right now.

First, I use the lasagna gardening method and lay down several inches of cardboard and newspaper on the sunniest part of the yard usually where I have fought weeds last year since this is great for weed suppression. Then I open a few bags of peat moss and spread it in an even layer over the newspaper. For the next lasagna layer I bring in bags of leaves or bales of straw and pile that on the peat moss. Now, just leave the garden undisturbed until the temperatures outside are around 55-60 degrees and won't be dropping much below that. The potatoes can handle a light frost but nothing too heavy.

Around the beginning of March I take out my seed potatoes and put them out in the sunny place to start to sprout. After a week or two when I see several "eyes" sprouting I cut the potatoes into several 2" square pieces. Be sure they have one or two good "eyes". Leave the cut potatoes out in the sun for a couple of days to develop a good callous to discourage rot.

Here you have a couple of options. If you have a good organic fertilizer or kelp just spread some around for extra nutrients for the potato's root system. Obviously don't use chemical fertilizers (poisons in - poisons out) or fresh manure which can cause scab and ruin your harvest. Place the cut potatoes cut side down with the eyes pointing up, on the straw, compost or just on the ground (although that is not as good of a "bed") approximately 15" apart in rows 2.5-3 ft apart. Next, cover the potatoes with mulch, composted leaves or straw until they are covered about 2-3 ft deep. Water well.

As the potatoes grow stems upward and roots downward the potatoes form on the stem. As the vines grow continue to cover the potatoes with mulch material leaving only 2-3 sets of leaves showing. The more stem is covered, the more potatoes you will be able to harvest since there is more of a growing space. Keep the entire pile well watered.

Here is a good picture of a pile of potatoes that are well mulched.

Open flowers on the vine let you know that immature "baby" potatoes are ready for harvest. Once the vines start to turn yellow and die the potatoes are ready to harvest. Just move the mulch aside and harvest. The potatoes are clean and your your back remains unscathed.

As the season goes on I will take pictures of my planting to give a clearer picture of the process. So start dreaming of red, white and blue potato salad or just fun and fluffy blue mashed potatoes and get out the newspaper!

Heirloom Varieties of Potatoes

Imagine running out to the garden and digging up some Rose Fin Apple potatoes or German Butterballs or some Purple Vikings with their deep purple skin and their creamy white insides. Or think about your picnic potato salad on the 4th of July with red, white and blue potatoes. Come on, even a Canadian would be envious of your patriotic culinary and gardening expertise!

Did you know that years ago housewives planted certain potatoes for different uses? Some are best for storage, some for baking and mashing. Some give up the ghost (and the starch) if you try to bake them like an Idaho-style while others lend their hearty flavor to stews and hold their shape all the way to the bowl. This is the kind of information that we are missing today and deep down, we know it and it worries us. Now is the time to change that. Start planning now for an exciting potato harvest in 2010! This week we will show you how to plant potatoes (it's much easier than you thing) and talk about where to get potatoes for seed.

Have you planted potatoes before? What did you think of the experience?

Photo courtesy of www.SeedSavers.com

The Fragrance of God

People recommend books to me on a daily basis as I am known as some what of a book buff. And as an avid collector of books I check into almost all recommendation, never wanting to let one good book escape my library. Every once in awhile though, someone doesn't just recommend a book, they insist that I buy it and that I can't live without it. Such is the book by Vigen Guroian , The Fragrance of God. This book is unlike any other gardening book I have read. It is the kind of book that I will re read every year as I find myself out of the garden due to inclement weather and on the verge of spring. Beautiful, inspiring and heart stirring, The Fragrance of God reminds us, or shows us for the first time, why we really garden.

What is it that causes us to toil and sweat over weeds we know will just return, probably stronger than ever? Why plan and dig and plant and weed when we can just load into an air conditioned car, drive to the air conditioned supermarket and buy perfectly clean versions of what comes out of the ground? Vigen knows. This is his personal journey through the seasons of his life, moving and staying, losing and finding, all relating to the garden. In The Fragrance of God Vigen takes us with him on a journey through the year’s

changing seasons as he reflects on the great biblical themes of the sublimity of God’s creation, on seeing the senses as “paths” to experiencing God and “the garden as a place of birth, death and renewal."

This is not a how-to gardening book but a look throughout the ages into why we garden and how gardening relates to our spiritual state. Vigen summons the words of Christian mystics from as far back as the first century who warned us of our tendencies to leave behind the senses and remind us that there was a time when beauty was the trademark of Christianity, when all of the senses were employed in the the worship of God and a true understanding of His Creation.

I remember reading of a discourse between Plato and some of his followers regarding the question of what happens when we forget true beauty. I was immediately reminded of that conversation when I passed a garden in a front yard that was planted entirely with plastic flowers. The haunting words of Plato came rushing back and continues to echo each time I witness such an abuse of the senses. What happens when we forget the beautiful scent of a rose - Glad Air Wicks. What happens when we forget the taste of strawberries from the garden still warm from the sun? We are assaulted with "strawberry" jello. Pockets that taste like - you name it - are the inheritance of our children if we are not careful to wade through the products that lie to our senses. Every once in a while we need an awakening and this book will certainly fill the bill.

This book is half gardening guide, half spiritual guide. Read it at your own risk. It will change the way you see, smell, taste, touch and hear.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Seed Savers Exchange Seed at Windy Acres Farm Shop

I have had organic gardens in 5 different locations over a 17 year haul and other than keeping the garden organic, doing my part to keep heirloom varieties of seed available has been my biggest gardening goal. My first step, way back then, was to find a company that had heirloom seeds available. Thankfully my search led me a company committed to saving seed that has been passed down from generation to generation.

Seed Savers Exchange is a non-profit, member supported organization that saves and shares the heirloom seeds of our garden heritage, forming a living legacy that can be passed down through generations. SSE members have distributed an estimated 1 million samples of rare garden seeds since their founding nearly 35 years ago. Those seeds now are widely used by seed companies, small farmers supplying local and regional markets, chefs and home gardeners and cooks, alike.

Seed Savers Exchange was founded in 1975 by Diane Ott Whealy and Kent Whealy to honor this tradition of preserving and sharing. Their collection started when Diane's terminally-ill grandfather gave them the seeds of two garden plants, Grandpa Ott's Morning Glory and German Pink Tomato, that his parents brought from Bavaria when they immigrated to St. Lucas, Iowa in the 1870s.

Today Seed Savers Exchange is the largest non-governmental seed bank in the United States. They permanently maintain more than 25,000 endangered vegetable varieties, most having been brought to North America by members' ancestors who immigrated from Europe, the Middle East, Asia and other parts of the world.

Growing heirloom seeds took organic gardening to a whole new level for me. Finding varieties like the Cherokee Purple tomato and the French Charantais melon took me on a journey that lasted 17 years and I feel like I have only just begun to traverse this vast land of saving my own seeds.

Windy Acres Farm Shop is very proud to be the first location in Tennessee to make SSE seeds available. We will carry 56 varieties of seeds but will be happy to take requests for seed varieties. We will also carry started plants, all grown organically, of several varieties of tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, onions, leeks and herbs. We will carry flower seeds as well as herbs and vegetables. If you would like us to start certain varieties for you please let us know before February 15th.

Coming Soon: We plan to place a large order of fruit trees and berry plants for anyone interested.

Begin an Organic Garden with a Simple Step

Seasoned gardeners often remark that the secret to a good organic garden is to constantly add to the soil and try new things, year after year. As a novice gardener, I was encouraged by that fact. For too long I was daunted by my perception that one had to get up a great garden right off the bat, and that all sorts of advanced knowledge was required to pick a spot, till and prepare the dirt, plant things in the proper groupings at the proper times and in the proper rotation, after which one must be prepared to invest incredible amounts of time tending and coddling each tiny seedling.  This didn't seem like simple living, it seemed like stress!

Certainly the ideal situation would be to create a garden just like I described, but many of us don't have that kind of time. Far better, I submit, is the willingness to just get started. You can learn as you go. Every year you can add to your soil, try something new, and learn from your mistakes. A garden can be a process, which greatly simplifies the whole undertaking.

Many great books have been written on the subject of starting a garden (Square Foot Gardening
and Fresh Food from Small Spaces come to mind) and I recommend you read them as you get a chance and take the time to digest the information contained therein. Meanwhile, however, you can just get started.

Have a balcony or patio? Why not start a tomato plant or toss some bean seeds in a pot of dirt? Maybe you could start a small compost pile in an out of the way spot in your yard, or use scrap lumber to build a small raised garden bed. If you have an established flower bed, why not add a few seeds in between your plants and grow some lettuce, spinach, or kale in there too? As this is a particularly busy season in my life, I've simplified my garden to consist of mostly beans, and mostly planted in among other things. I even have some beans climbing a makeshift trellis made from an old broken baby gate!

In future posts, we hope to cover organic gardening topics that will be helpful to people new to growing things as well as to those who have been at this for years. Meanwhile, we encourage you to take a small and simple first step and see how growing food can be a rewarding part of simple living!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.

Bee Hives in the Organic Garden

A great desire of mine has been to have bee hives in the garden to help with pollination. Bee-keeping is a great component of sustainable farming and organic gardening because the pollination keeps plants hardy and helps seeds be more productive for the next year's planting.  As a side bonus, raw honey has incredible health benefits and is delicious!

Finally our wonderful bee keeper Barry Richards helped that dream to come true. Late one night (the bees like to travel at night) he arrived with three hives wrapped up with lovely red bows.  I can at least pretend they were red bows.

The hives were set on metal sheeting and some wood to keep the hives tilted to ensure that water does not pool under or in the hives.  The hives are unwrapped.

The bees are doing great and keeping the plants in the garden pollinated. We hope to get pollen traps on the hives soon and will be selling the pollen in our farm shop. You can buy Barry's raw honey in the store now for $7.00 a pint and $13.00 a quart. We are looking forward to Barry teaching some classes on basic beekeeping for those interested in keeping their own bees to further their homesteading or organic gardening interests.

Organic Gardening: An Unexpected Weeding Buddy

The other morning I was going about my duties, minding my own business, when I had this intense feeling. I don't know how many of you get this overwhelming dread that your cow is not where she should be. I suppose I could liken it to a new mother who use to be a deep sleeper that could be roused by no mere fire alarm, but once that precious little bundle arrives every little cough or giggle has her up and sprinting like a gazelle. We just KNOW something is not right. That is how it is when you have a cow in your yard, every once in a while I get this feeling in my gut, and I just KNOW that Sweet Pea is getting into trouble.

Well, sure enough a glance out the window proved my intuitions are still top notch. Sweet Pea was in my garden and chowing down! I ran out to chase her out of my glorious, although weedy, paradise but as I got closer I noticed that she seemed to be eating the weeds. Surely not! Not with an appetite like that! Talk about a bull in a china shop, Sweet Pea is anything but delicate. But as I stood watching, ever ready to jump and run, she never once eat anything but the weeds. We weeded together for about 1 hour while she just munched on Johnson grass (her favorite) and other sundry weeds. Here are some pictures for the unbelievers among you. Did you ever see such a guilty look on a cow?

I love it when the benefits of homesteading overlap: here we have organic gardening and sustainable farming in a perfect symbiotic relationship!

Simple Living: Heartfelt Gifts

The simple act of giving gifts - for birthdays, weddings, baby showers, or to thank a hostess - is often far from simple. Your desire to give a gift that expresses your affection and blesses the recipient may be complicated by financial limitations, time constraints, or a genuine desire to avoid encouraging materialism and overconsumption.  Gift giving can be in line with simple living if you apply some creativity to the process.

Although everyone appreciates an extravagant gift now and then, often a simple gift that shows some forethought and care will be better received than a hastily purchased off-hand present. Slow down and consider who will get your gift: what are her likes and dislikes? What are his particular needs? Do you have any skills or resources that would bless that person in a particular way?

Simple Living: Gifts of Service

Perhaps you have more time than money. Gifts of service are wonderful indeed! Perhaps you could give a gift of babysitting to new parents, or offer to bring a dish to help a party hostess. Maybe your elderly relative would appreciate you spending an afternoon doing some maintenance work or weeding the garden. Your spouse might enjoy a "date night" at home with a specially prepared meal served by candlelight after the children go to sleep. In our busy world, time is a gift not to be taken lightly!

Homemade Gifts that Support Organic Gardening and Sustainable Farming

If you want to give a gift to a person who seems to have enough "stuff" you might consider a perishable present such as a homemade pie baked with local fruits, a jar of honey from a local bee keeper, or a bottle of vanilla made from Ugandan vanilla beans! Include a note describing where you got the materials and you might also interest your recipient to take part in the local economy and support sustainable farming!

You may have skills that lend themselves to creating handmade gifts too. Could a gentleman on your list use a scarf this winter hand-knitted with wool from local sheep? Could you embroider a baby bib with a new arrival's initials? Could you use stamps and fabric paint to embellish inexpensive storebought dishtowels or aprons? Could you make a wreath with dried flowers or fresh greens?  Your yard or local farm is a great source of materials.

Don't forget to look around your garden for gift ideas. Bouquets of cut flowers like zinnias, phlox and daisies make lovely hostess gifts, as do fresh vegetables from your organic garden. New homeowners might like a housewarming gift of plant cuttings or bulbs thinned out from your established flowerbeds. Herbs are easily grown in pots and provide a gift that keeps on giving for months!  You can encourage your family and friends to try organic gardening with your gift, and offer to help them with what you've learned about natural living.

What are some simple, heartfelt gifts you have given or recieved? We'd love to hear your ideas!