Some new things

Okay not much going on with the garden, however, I am doing other things. This summer my garden did not stand much of a chance. (I had many family illnesses.) Now everyone is better, so now I can get back after it. I am going to get my shotgun tomorrow, it needed a little over hall. (It also is all better) I will also be spending some time with an old friend at the range so I am looking forward to a great day.
I hope that I keep it together, I will post how the day went.

Till next time, Happy shooting...

Garden Composting

So by now we all know that adding compost to your garden is a good thing to do, but, how do we go about getting compost? One reason we might garden is to save some money. If that is the case than we don't want to go out and spend all kinds of money on compost.
You can make your own compost. Composting doesn't have to be your collage science project that became so complicated that even the professors don't even fully understand what is going on.
Composting is nature reclaiming that that belongs in the soil. In reality we don't have to do any thing for composting to take place. Our roll in composting is and should be minimal.
My way of thinking, here is my part of the composting process.
I find the location. I can build the bin, dig a hole or buy a snazzy new composer. I get to add the goodies, and keep out what I don't want in my compost. I get to water and turn it. Now that is all that I do, I can do more, or less as I want. Once I start putting waste in a pile the microbes start the break down process that is needed to make compost. Now I can leave it or I can help make it a pleasant place to be around.. (and if I lived in town my neighbors will appreciate that.)
Here is the basic to “easy” composting.
Size, stay with compost bins 3 x 3 x 3 up to 6 x 3 x 3 remember you will need to turn your pile. My bins are 4ft long by 2 feet wide by 2 feet deep. I chose that size because for me it is a manageable size.
Your bin / pile needs to be large enough to generate heat. Heat is a part of the composting process.
Now with some of my compost I will feed to my worms and I will let them take over from this point. The compost that I don't feed to my worms will need more work. I will water, turn and give it time to compost. When I start a bin I will first add straw, or grass to keep the material I want to compost off the bottom and let air in. Once I add the first layer of material to the bin I will add about ½ to 1 inch of soil to cover the material that is to be composted. The soil will serve a dual purpose, 1 it will cover the material and help keep fly's down and rodents out of the bin. 2. There are microbes in even the worst soils that will “kick start” the composting process. Now all I do is let the little fungi and microbes do there work for a few months and we will have nice rich compost.
There are a lot of great web sites and books on composting, I have cut my trash to the curb down by about 80 to 85% of what it was before I started composting, also I figure that I have payed for everything I compost once why pay for compost when I can make my own.

Till next time

Happy Composting

New can be good.

I got this recipe from a friend of mine.
When I first saw it my mouth started watering, however, it sounded like it would take for ever to cool and my family likes to eat NOW not when dinner is ready. So I did put it off for a bit than I just decided to go for it and it didn't take all that long to get it to the table.
Apricot Chicken with Almond Raisin Rice Pilaf.
( okay) I left out the raisins but that is just me.
1 ½ T. olive oil
2 lbs. Boneless, skinless chicken breasts in ½ – pieces.
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cinnamon
2 pinches cardamom
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp ginger
½ tsp salt
1 large onion
1 large clove garlic, minced
2/3 c dried apricots, cut in quarters
1 c apricot preserves
2 (61/4 oz) cans rice pilaf mix (I used the box)
4 c reduced sodium chicken broth
2/3 c raisins
1 c slivered almonds
Mix paprika, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, ginger and salt in a bowl; add cubed chicken, tossing to coat. In very large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add chicken and onion; saute 7 to 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked. Add garlic, apricots and apricot preserves the last 2 minutes of cooking add stir. Keep warm. In the meantime, prepare pilaf according to pacage directions, substituting chicken broth for water and adding raisins. Serve chicken over rice and sprinkle with almonds. Makes 8 servings.
(By: Shirley Penkoff Amazing Grace Fellowship cookbook)

This is a great dish, the next time I make it I think I will add less apricot preserves. It was a little two sweet for me. I think I will just add about ½ cup maybe 2/3rds cup.

Give this a try hope you like it as much as I did.


Till next time

Happy Cooking

Conditioning the Soil

I have decided to just condition the soil in the garden this year. Okay I've been in Denver a lot this year caring for my mom and didn't get much in and what I did get in has since wilted almost to dirt. We have had a strange summer so far just last week it was like 65 degrees for a high and yesterday it was 106 degrees and today it looks like it will be 105 degrees. So with all that going on I decided that this year I will clean up the garden real good and condition the soil for next year. I have added and tilled in some good compost. Let what ever grows grow, for about a week and then mow. I will be using the tiller to till under any mulch from the mowing. Two wears ago I took a soil sample down to my Extension office, and the test came back saying that my soil had high salt content. What that means to me is that I shouldn't add manure. To be more specific not to add well composted and LEACHED manure compost. So for the most part I have been just adding organic compost with no or little manure. I have composted my own trash and plant waste last year and that is also getting added. I will write a blog about composting and composting with worms at a later date. I would recommend that everyone have a soil sample taken. It is easy and will tell you a lot about your garden and what you need or don't need to add you your garden. Contact your local Master Gardeners Office for details on how you can get your soil sample. It should only cost between $25.00 - $35.00 that is cheep for the information you get.


Till Next Time


Hoping you have Happy Soil

There Back

There back, the rodents, that is. Just like the movie Poltergeist, they just wont stay away.
The reason I believe is that there is a new home going in right behind our house, and the construction is pushing the rodents our way. Here is the dilemma, I have done everything I wrote about in my blog RODENTS IN MY GARDEN on October 15, 2008. So what to do if that fails? I have installed an electric fence around the garden, it is a two wire fence one wire is 2 inches off the ground and the other is about 4 inches off the ground. That seemed to keep them out, however, now my electric fence charger seems to be broken so I will replace it with a new one and see how that goes. Now for the little
prairie dogs. I have used the dog, disturbed there burrows, nothing. I was doing some research on how to remove prairie dogs, and this came up. "Using a transistor radio, play rock and roll music. The prairie dogs don't like the pitch of most rock and roll music and will leave." so I will be trying that SOON. I will post findings as I get them. As if that wasn't enough they are sloping there yard so that the rain run off will be heading right toward my house. I'm thinking that if I but in a small ditch at the end of my property. Hope that works. I will be getting flood insurance also that now is a must have..

Till next time

Happy Gardening

Getting cough up

 

Ya it has been some time since my last post, a lot has been going on. I will try to post more often.

I have spent a lot of time up in Denver helping my mom after her back surgery so the garden has been neglected so far this year. I think to day I have gained some ground on getting it up and growing this year. I did got bell peppers in, however, out of the 24 that got planted only eight are still standing after our last hail storm. I also planted 12 tomatoes and lost all of them. Now for the good news, I have more tomatoes and jalapeno peppers that can go out in the next week or so. Most of the herbs that I have planted are doing good and I have more going out side as well.

I have been teaching how to make hypertufa troughs for the Pueblo County Master Gardeners, I will be teaching a more advanced class some time this summer.

I have decided to put in more raised beds for the garden in hopes that the plants will do better here in the High Plains.

The plants that I have in raised beds are doing good and have been for years, so is it time to go all raised beds? May be..

I will be putting in a good part of the garden in to herbs this year so we'll see how it all turns out, also I am using up all my old seeds this year so I may not get the best harvest this year but I want to use up all the old seeds and next year I will be buying new seeds.

Till next time

Happy Gardening

 

Spring 2010

Spring is here, we might get one more spring snow but for the most part the cold days and nights are over for now.
I harvested some asparagus yesterday, about 3 lbs. Made some wonderful soup with it. It is looking like this year will be good for my asparagus. I have three rows they are 1, 2, and 3 years old so I should get just enough for us.
The elephant garlic has nice leaves on them now, and I have some table garlic that I must have missed last year coming up, so we should get some garlic. The onions have started to show along with some of the raspberry. I have decided to only plant ½ the garden in vegetables this year and the rest in herbs and flowers. I planted some field flowers in a area about 20 x 20 I hope that they come up it should be really nice.
I have planted carrots, beats, Swiss chard, and kale. I hope today I can get the beans, peas, and cabbage in the ground. (I know I am running late on that but that is my life right now)
I had a class on trough making, I think it went well. It looked like everyone learned something and had a good time.
Now I have some troughs that I will have to plant up. I will but flowers and herbs in my troughs. I think that troughs just mix up the garden enough to make it fun. If you haven't made a trough yet you may want to give it a try. Troughs are a fun way to garden.



Till next time

Happy gardening

More Troughs

I have written and put up videos on you tube (http://www.youtube.com/user/HighPlainsGardening ) and it seems that people can't get enough of them. (I think that is just great)
The troughs are made out of hypertufa, that is a mixture of Portland cement, peat moss, sand, and perlite. (That is the most common ingredients) They are lighter than stone or concrete. It is durable and once it is weathered and cured will hold up to the weather just fine. To make a trough you just add one part of each Portland cement, peat moss and perlite add just enough water tell the mixture is like cottage cheese but will hold together when pressed. Let stand for 10 or 15 minutes, this step is very important. After your set time check to see if the mixture is still holding together. If it is to dry add a little water, if to wet add some peat moss. For a mold you can use two boxes one smaller than the other. But the larger box in a trash bag with the opening on the out side of the box but mixture about 1 to 2 inches thick in the bottom and tamp down. Take the other box put in a trash bag with the opening on the inside of the box but smaller box in side toe larger box fill with play sand now make sure the smaller box is the same distance away from all the sides. Fill the sides with mixture tamp down. Let set for seven days to dry and cure. Remove sand, open bag remove box, remove bag. Now carefully tip your trough and box up side down and remove. If it wont come out you can tare the box to get the pot out. You can set the pot out side for a few weeks than put plants in your mew trough. For more information go to my you tube channel for videos of how I have made my troughs.
I hope you give this a try.
I give classes through the Pueblo County Master Gardeners program once or twice a year. Taking a class on hypertufa is fun and ease than doing it on your own. Classes run form $20.00 to $75.00 per person depending on where you take the class. Some classes are filled up a year ahead of time.


Till next time
Happy Trough Making / Planting

Bees are in Big trouble.

We need to do whatever we can to help out the bee hive population. I will post the latest news release on CCD (colony collapse disorder) at the end of this blog.
Just some of the ways we can help is to stop using pesticides. I believe that pesticides are a major factor in the reduction of the honey bees.
Another way I am going to help and do what I can is I am going to plant more plants that attract more bees. If they come to my place for there pollen they are less likely to go someplace where pesticides are used.
The “experts” claim “many causes, including parasites, viruses, bacteria, poor nutrition and pesticides.” I wonder if it is the same batch of experts that got us in this mess. Without the honey bees we as a human race are in for starvation. Bees pollinate about 1/3 of the food we eat. The question is how much of the plants that need pollination that the livestock eat? (that we also depend on for food ) Now lets not just include domesticated animals but wild ones as well.
We each need to do our part to help out the bees if we can. If you have any ideas please leave your comment below. Thank you.



Here is the link;
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100324/ap_on_sc/us_food_and_farm_disappearing_bees
or click on title this link is for Yahoo news so I dont know how long this will be up.


Till next time
Happy Planting

First planting of 2010

 

Okay I planted the three bags of last years onion sets that I had leftover, I don't know how many of them will come up but they are in the ground now. I planted a total of 180 hopping that 40 will come up we'll see. I am going to plant another 180 or so of this years sets just so I have some onions for next year. I have my bag of Yukon Gold potatoes, I hope that the weather holds out over the weekend so I can get them in the ground.

I need to get some seeds started in doors as well. So it looks like I have some work ahead of me for the next few days. How I love this time of year.

I will be sending out a bag of my worm castings to a friend of mine tomorrow, he is putting together an in door garden. Good luck my friend and have fun.

 

Until Next Time

Happy Planting

Closer to spring every day

I worked out in the garden yesterday, it is amazing how much damage voles and prairie dogs can do in such a short amount of time. That's not to mention the rabbits and some of the birds we have.

I dug out the rototiller and went after it. After 4 hours of guiding that thing around I have only tilled up ½ of last years garden. I normally don't like to till this early in the year, but I have a lot of compost and organic mater to work in this year. I am also finding out that the clay soil I have is harder to work with than I thought. So on we go. I also don't think I will be planting dent corn any time soon, the root system on the corn I planted last year is dug in and will take some time to get out.

So my plan for this year will be to change the rows from north to south, to east to west, this will do two things I hope will help out. The first is that the rows will be shorter and easier for me to work. The second is when I irrigate I will have gravity working with me, and I hope that the ground will level out some.

I have decided to put in buckwheat and some other cover crop on ½ of the garden. (I'm still thinking what I would like with buckwheat.) The ground needs more nitrogen and the organic mater won't hurt anything.

I now have my seed order in to Baker Creek, and after my order I may have to extend my garden a few 100 feet.

Till Next Time

Happy Planting

Not Spring Yet

 

One more day and February will be over. It should be snowing but it was a wonderful day out side. We are suppose to get snow tomorrow night and in to Monday (the 1^st of March.) so it looks like planting will have to hold off. Welcome to Colorado. I have been thinking of putting up a hoop house this year, I will be posting it on my blog if I do. I would like to plant kale and some other cold crops.

I have a question for this blog. How would you react if your neighbor started raising chickens?

Would it even bother you?

The reason I ask is the Home Owners Association will not let any one raise chickens where we live. We are zoned agriculture and all lots in our area are 1 acre or more. Please leave your thoughts in the comment area. Thank you

Till Next Time

Happy Planting

Up-Side down planter

The up side down planters have made a big splash in the last few years. They are a fun and easy way to grow plants. However, there is some things that you need to take in to consideration, the soil will dry out quicker than from a pot and or from the garden. Also if you live in a high wind area they are easy to get knocked over, so you will need to find a place where they are protected from high winds. Your larger tomatoes like Beef Stake and Better Boy's have a tendency to break off the vine. The smaller tomatoes like the cherry do great, even cucumbers and some squash do very good. The plants are also less likely to get diseases then their counter parts growing in the ground or in pots. One theory for this is that the plant doesn't touch the ground or gets splash from watering so less contact less chances of contracting any thing.

Now with that said, you don't need to go out and spend $10.00 to $40.00 for one on the market, you can make your own I have made them from 5 gallon buckets, 1 gallon buckets, to even a juice bottle. (See my You Tube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/HighPlainsGardening ) I up loaded a video making one.

All you need to do is to cut a hole in the center of the bottom of your container, about 2 to 3 inches round. Use a coffee filter (or two double them up) cut it to the center of the filter(s) Do Not cut in half. This will hold the soil in when you are filling your container. Pick your plant place stem through the filter place in the hole you cut in your container fill with potting soil. Keep well watered, place in a safe sunny spot, you should have fresh vegetables in a month or so. Give this a try if you have limited space to grow plants.

Till Next time

Happy Planting

Got the video up on YouTube

Okay I finally got the video up on YouTube it only took me all day but there you go. The title is Transplanting seedlings.  

http://www.youtube.com/user/HighPlainsGardening

I hope that you enjoy the video. Please leave a comment.

Thank you

Till Next time

Happy Planting

 

Transplanting seedlings

It's time for me to transplant the seedlings that I planted almost two weeks ago. I have found out that the plants take better if you transplant them once they get to about 2 to 3 inches. (Now they have grown to about 4 inches.) I know, I planted these seeds early. I did that so I could get some videos up so you can see how I have been doing this for years. I will be making a video of me transplanting the seedlings, I should have the video up on Youtube today.
I reuse pots from the year or three or four years ago. First I wash them and than I will do a bleach water rinse followed by a fresh water wash. The bleach water mix is one table spoon bleach to one gallon of water. I do that to kill any diseases that might carry over from last year.
It's that time of year again to be thinking of you garden and what you will be planting in it I hope that this will get you started.
My Youtube address is:http://www.youtube.com/user/HighPlainsGardening or click on the title to get to my Youtube site.
Thank you
Till next time


Happy Planting

New or Added information

I have decided to expand my blog to cover urban farming this year. I feel that that is more in line with what I have been doing, (there just wasn't a name for it at the time) I just was doing what needed to be done. Now it has been a few years since I have had chickens, rabbits or horses but I hope that some of you might find the information that I have learned helpful or at the least entertaining. A bit of back ground of some of the animals I have raised. Chickens, rabbits, ducks, turkeys, horses, cats, dogs, and fish ( aquarium fish, not for eating) I have canned, frozen and dyed fruit and vegetables. I have grown and from produce that I have bought from farmers markets and the grocery store.
I plan on covering more art, and more cooking. (Two things I love to do and share.)

Till next time.

Happy Planting

Starting plants from seeds up date

I finally got two videos up loaded to YouTube. The address for my you tube channel is
http://www.youtube.com/user/HighPlainsGardening (see link click on title)
While you are there you may as well follow my YouTube blog also. I put videos up all the time.
Just click on the subscribe tab.
I need to transplant the tomatoes and the cucumbers, but it wouldn't hurt to transplant everything that I have planted so far. Now all I need to do is make the time.
Please ask any questions you may have or just leave a comment.
Thank you.
Till next time

Happy Planting

Seeds 2010 season

Okay, I have been getting bombarded with this years seed catalogs. So it must be that time of year were we all buy up all the neat seeds that we hope will grow in our zone.
I was going to just use only the seeds that I have left over form last year and the year before. I was doing good till I started looking at the King of all seed catalogs Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.
This catalog is so good that they call it the “Pure Seed Book” I love it.
So I have decided to do an inventory of last years seeds and I have 71 packs of seeds, now that is more than enough for my 1/10 acre garden and than some but, I looked at Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, and I know that the germination on old seeds go's down (right?) so I have justified getting more seeds, and I will be ordering seeds I don't have so all is good.
I will only be ordering 12 more packs of seeds. (Not to bad)
I have started seeds indoors last week. Mostly herbs, but I did plant some lettuce, I am ready to be eating my own green once again. I am thinking next winter I will have two flats of lettuce going all year.
It looks like I will be out side in the next few weeks getting the garden ready for planting. I will keep you informed as to how it is going.

Till next time.

Happy Planting

New Year

Okay the New is hear and I am now getting my seed catalogs in the mail. I am all ready dreaming of next years garden. With a cold front on its way in and the weatherman is calling for up to an inch of snow and temperatures staying below 25 degrees for the next few days, what a better way to make it through this cold spell than planning for next summer. If I had to say now what I will plant, its looking like a lot of herbs, some tomatoes (not as many as last year only 3 or 4 plants) some beets, carrots, lettuce, pumpkin, onion, garlic, and the must have potatoes. I am also going to have a smaller garden. I will be putting in native plants (grass land seed) in a big part of the garden. I am going for a nice place to go year round, We'll see if I can pull this off.
Now is a great time to be composting. I have three composers going right now getting compost ready for this spring.
Here is a recipe that I made last night. Believe it or not it is very good and I know I will be having it again.

My version of Chicken Hash

Chicken hash
4 cups potato
4 cups cooked chicken
½ cup Kohlrabi
½ cup onion
¼ teas spoon salt (or less)
¼ tea spoon pepper (or more)
1 tea spoon sage
2 table spoons olive oil

Add one table spoon olive oil in to skillet, turn burner on medium heat.
Cut potato in to small cubes (about ¼ in x ¼ in)
Once the oil is hot put in potato's.
Cut kohlrabi and onion in to small cubes.
Cut precooked chicken in to bite size peaces.
After potato's are soft and browned on the out side add kohlrabi, onion, salt, pepper, sage, and chicken to skillet. Cook tell chicken in warm add 2nd table spoon of olive oil if it is looking like it is drying out.
Once every thing is warmed up serve and enjoy. Adjust heat as not to burn any of the ingredients. Onion should just start to caramelize.
This dish can be served alone, on a bed of lettuce, or with eggs and toast.

Use your summer harvest with this dish.

Till next time Happy healthy cooking