Abundance Abounding

As garden operations continue to move forward and develop at Silver Oak, I must say, things in the kitchen taste mighty good.  :)

 

The canteloupe you see?  A surprise harvest, brought about by the evidence of a critter helping himself to a snack.  When I plucked the injured melon up and cracked it open, I discovered the sweetest, most delectable flesh I've tasted in a long, long time.  The grocery store ain't got nothin' on these heirloom babies!  :)

The harvest of that one told me others might also be ready.  In all, four were harvested, with others soon to follow I'm certain.

The yellow neck squash are tender, but the zucchini is exceptionally flavorful.  Stir fry, of all varieties are abounding, so as to not take away from the fresh goodness through over cooking these delicious vegetables.

Have I mentioned today?  I. am. happy.  :)

Feeling Pea-vish -or- I Need To Go To Bed

The sun has been long gone; this week of daylight savings time has been chock full every. moment.  Thus, I pine for my bed and an extra hour or so of sleep.

But no rest for the weary.

The highlight of my day?  Finally discovering the snap peas are blooming.

This set of 24 plants are open pollinated, planted on January 1.

I kid you not.

I couldn't help myself, the weather was so beautiful that day.  I decided to experiment by about 14 days.

Thing is, this was a new variety to me, an heirloom, that was to follow the previous year's bumper crop of a hybrid variety.  That crop was what sold me on the snap pea, so fresh and delectable that very few actually made it to the dinner table.

As time continued to tick toward "days to harvest" the vines, though very, very strong, were not as tall as projected.  The blossoms?  Missing.

I began to inquire.  Message boards heard my plea ~ would I miss out on this crop?  What was wrong?  Why was it taking so long??

The reply?

"Be patient."

Ah.  That which must be employed.

Patience.

I decided I had nothing to lose.

I left my vines to their own devices . . .

for ONE 24 hour period.

You know the old saying, right?  A watched pot never boils?

'Til(l) The Cows Come Home . . .

The GilGuy and I spent the better part of the afternoon/evening in the garden, tilling, tilling, tilling . . . and creating even more of those wonderful raised beds.

Finally, that which has been in my mind's eye is coming together.  But not without a fair share of blisters and aching muscles.

Soon, a plant.  Then, my heart will rest, while the seedlings do their work.

Circling Back To The Ranch

I know.  I know.

It's been FORever.

You've missed me.  I understand.

Yet, the hiatus has been good for me, which translates into:  it's been good for you.  You know - in an 'absence makes the heart grow fonder' kinda way.

Ok, who am I kidding?

AWOL.  No excuses.  :)

The important thing is . . . I'm back.

It was a culmination of events, ending in my standing in my driveway, back sidled up to the big oil-drum furnace-stove the GilGuy had built, complete with chiminea, that was roaring with a heat sure to singe my bangs if I were to lean over the door . . . if I had bangs.

I considered how much we've done/not done at Silver Oak Farm.

I considered how boring the things we've done must be to outsiders looking in.

And then, I realized that I had failed in my mission to allow my readership to live vicariously through me, regardless the [non]adventure, regardless of if *I* thought a matter was redundant, or boring, or . . . I should allow Choosers to determine whether or not they find a story thus.

Then, this post was born.

Because I had photos.

Of my new chickens.

Er, make that almost-pullets.

And my lettuce.

You see, today I counseled a would-be blogger not to pre-critique her post material.  "Let your work be for you ~ others will take note and follow, or not; it's not about them.  It's about your journal."

So, I'm back.  Again.  Since 2006 I've graced the 'net with my thoughts.  Many a rest stop along the way.

Today, there's chicks to nurture, and lettuce to eat, and blogs to write, and furnaces to stand by.

Let the blogging begin.

The Olla's and I

In a twisty-turn-y series of events, Silver Oak Farm now has a garden plot in the works! I'm GRADUATING from a Square Foot Garden (wherein I've learned MUCH!) to a regular garden area!!  WOOT!


I've already planted several varieties of heritage beans for a fall crop, which are poking their heads through the ground now:

These are set in four natural raised bed areas.  


I also determined I wanted to try my hand at an age-old watering technique:  the use of Olla's.  Of course, I searched high and low in my area, and couldn't find Olla number one, anywhere.  So, the GilGuy kicked in, and suggested I have some ceramic pots made and fired, but not glazed.  


So I did!  Here they are!  The four, new, faux-ollas for the purpose of watering in the garden! 

 I prepped a 4x4 parcel in the new garden plot, and determined the best placement of Faux-Olla #1:

Then, I dug a hole as it's home:

Filled it with water, which had sat out 24 hours, to leach any chemicals (currently there is no water to the property, have to haul it in, to be fixed in the next few weeks.)

Then I augmented each seed hole, planted, covered seed, then covered the olla with a temporary cap. A saucer now sits in it's place.


And now . . . I wait! 


Here are the Baby Trobocino squash plants, poking their tiny heads above the ground.  Aren't they interesting?  :D

I'm excited to see how these work, long term.  If they work well, I'll have to discover a new way to get my hands on some (inexpensive) olla's, as the ceramic ones were a tad pricey to do in a large plot.


Stay tuned!  :D

Square-Footin' 2010

Sharon at Flippin' Crazy asked me about my Square Foot Garden the other day.  I'd gotten a late start on this years' planting, so the sprouts were just peeking their heads through the soil when the query came.  Just as last year, the plants seem to have 'gigantic' in their genes!  In a few short days they've taken tall as an action verb.  :)

Here's a peek at this summer's wares:

Cucumbers, Radishes, Carrots, Green Peppers, Sweet Corn, Tomatoes . . .

The first Tomato Blossom, Saturday, May 22!  :)  This morning, there was a second.  :D

Ah . . . corn, sweet corn!

Plenty of beans . . .and in the second, smaller box, I've also Cantaloupe.  I had to germinate summer-hardy plants, so I'll be doing a fall sowing of things that I missed, like:  Lettuce, green onions, etc.

Last year, my mix in the larger, closest to the viewer box was off, so not all my plants produced.  I supplemented it, and it is going gang-busters!  :D  Happy, happy!

I can't wait for the first crop!

SFG Update

It's the beginning of football season for many a high school across the country. On Friday, we attended the very first football game for a brand new high school in our area. During, Gil and I remarked to one another about how different an evening in Nebraska at a ball game would be, verses the still-hot-and-humid Mississippi climate. All that talk took us to discussing the harvest season in my beloved homeland ~ and I began reflecting on this years' Square Foot Garden extravaganza.

You'll recall that the garden was incredibly lush and healthy at summer's dawn . . . practically simultaneously, a drought kicked in and Israel and I left for Michigan. Leaving the lush promise of harvest behind, I thought I'd miss most of it's delicious goodness.

I did ~ but not for the reason I expected: consumption. The only consuming going on was the sun's ravaging hunger. Gil and Aubrey managed a tomato here and there, and several cucumbers, but most of the fruit of our labor was dazed by the dazzling sun.

That's why this particular sight is so amazing, and welcome in my eyes:

These are from the second harvest of the year. The struggling tomatoes revived after Israel and I returned, and we are still getting new blooms. While the plant stalk appears as though it has nothing more to give, the reality is that the fruit is plentiful, albeit on the small side, but beautiful.

I left the cabbage in the ground, even after I saw that it had bolted while we were away. I thought perhaps it might decide to produce, like the tomatoes were. Alas, these plants have been in-ground since late April, with nary a head upon them. Gil and Keller have munched many leaves from it, though.

The cucumbers produced the best crop of any item. I cleared the sun-wizened vines, only to discover several volunteer plants growing freely. I decided to leave them to their own devices. Two plants died shortly after, this plant, outside the SFG box, has managed to remain green, but has not grown in size, nor produced any blossoms for fruit. I didn't expect it, as the breed was hybrid, but I thought I'd try.

The green beans didn't make the heat wave, but it took several weeks before I decided to cultivate and replant. This new crop of stripling plants are yellow wax beans, intent on making production before the first frost. They should be yummy!

The new set of peas I've laid down look promising.

I'm in a quandary over several squares of beets that have not sprouted. Curious as to why, I'm going to have to do a little SFG research. Potatoes are ready to harvest, and a second crop of carrots should be yummy.

All in all, I'm glad for the experience, knowing I'll learn from it . . . but golly-gee-whillikers ~ I really want some major harvest! :) Perhaps our winter crops will do well.

It's My Camera's Fault

We were still in Michigan, when Gil began describing to me the status of my garden. He had been munching on cucumbers still, and the tomatoes had ripened. A watermelon opened up to display juicy red sweet flesh, and a few carrots were eaten as a tasty snack.

He also described the intense heat, and the damage it was inflicting on the garden as a whole. However, he continued . . . it was remarkable! The potatoes were thriving! So much so that one particular potatoe plant had shot up to the height of a man! How strange, he commented, but, shrugging his shoulders, he was glad that something would remain that I could enjoy upon our return.

Fast forward to that day. I surveyed the garden quickly, taking note of the loss of many green bean plants; the newly planted crop of lettuce and second batch of carrots. The spinach? Forget it. The second crop of sweet corn was barely knee high, and appeared as though it would falter at any moment. No hope, the garden seemed to be saying to me.

It was a shock, after the gargantuan growth and flourish it had displayed just before we left. Yet, who could deny the impact of almost six weeks of extreme temperatures (even for Mississippi!) and the accompanying drought?

Rains had come, but too little, too late it seemed.

About a week after arriving home we received a major thunderstorn. The following morning, I took the DellDog on his morning potty break, choosing to walk by the garden.

What greeted me stunned me: lettuce leaves were peeking through the ground! The green beans? Once burned to a crisp? Renewing their efforts to produce leaves! The sweet corn had added stature, and behold! Carrot tops looked out into the square foot garden box I'd assigned them.

Amazing! I thrilled in the reprieve, and went inside, my heart happy.

Over the course of the next few days, I carefully doted on the little garden, attempting a comeback. Each day, the potatoes reached out to me with their greenery, beconing me to lovingly gaze upon their progress, too. The tall spindly plant seemed to be the boss, but the others didn't seem to mind that he'd taken charge of the ranks . . .

Wait a minute!

That tall dude. Let me take a closer look . . .

Well I'll be!

Mr. Tall and Spindly was TRESPASSING on my potatoe patch!

As tall as I, and lush . . . this plant was a WEED!

I took matters into my own hands, wrapped my fingers around his more than 1 inch circumfrenced stalk, and yanked him out of the ground.

There! Take that! I thought, as I dusted off my hands in the early morning sun.

No more take over of the potatoe patch on my watch!

This morning, the potatoes are happy, singing still to me as I walk by. Mr. T & S has lost his vigor - lying prostrate in the nearby patch of woods that I tossed him into.

He'll have to propogate on someone else's watch.

My only regret is that I didn't snap photos, before, during and after. Ah well . . . let's just say, it's my camera's fault! LOL

Square Foot Gardening On Steroids

It probably comes as no surprise to anyone here at ChoiceCentral that I, a full-fledged Chooser, would have a strong tendency to bend the rules. Or, in some cases ask, "What rules?"

The trait carries into almost every category of my life, much to the chagrin of my less-than-excited-about-risk-taking friends and counterparts. Often I find that the 'ride-on-the-wild-side' avenue I take nets wonderful adventures and rewards, some tangible, some not-so-tangible . . . and in the event of an obstacle or hindrance, I somehow manage to find a solution by the seat of my pants.

Take for instance my Square Foot Garden. With great gusto I jumped into this project. I'd studied The All New Square Foot Garden book from cover to cover, read and re-read, and - just for good measure - checked the book out of the library just one more time before I actually got down to the business thereof.

Here I am, several months later, and well into the thick of the project.

I've been learning by trial and error.

I've been munching on some delicious vittles.

But I've got to tell ya, Choosers ~ my garden is on steroids.

Managing the cucumber plant alone is a task worthy of hiring help! That baby has done nothing short of attempt to overtake the entire grid!

I'm amazed at the robust health and size of the plants that have sprouted from the depths of the amazing Mel's Mix soil.

One mental note I've made to myself, however:

When Mel says "easy on the seeds within a grid" he means "easy on the seeds within a grid!" As I move forward, planting new items in the grid squares as other plants go out, I'll be following the rules a tad bit closer.

Just a few seeds per square is all I'll need.

:)

Radishes In My Garden

My Lifetime Friend Karen and I once embarked on a whirlwind journey, the likes of which neither of us had ever been on before.

I had just moved to the Gulf Coast and never been in a hurricane; Karen didn't like to fly. She flew anyway, on a trip to see me at the close of a summer. As logistics would have it, it was necessary that I travel to Nebraska to pick up my two oldest girls, staying with Grandma. This trip had to be accomplished mere hours after Karen arrived.

A storm was brewing in the Gulf, and it was determined that we shouldn't waste any time getting on the road, lest hurricane damage and/or the storm itself were to impede our progress. We determined to set out immediately.

Just before we loaded into the car, I called her around to the side of the house, where I'd planted a tiny, wee garden, in the suburbs. In it were just a few plants, so small it was, but it was a treasure trove of anticipation for me.

"See my radishes?" I exclaimed, pointing at the leafy bunch.

"Pull one up and see how big they are!" Karen prodded, to my disbelieving thought that any fruit could or would possibly be ready for harvest.

Yet, I followed her instructions ~ and to my amazed eyes ~ a beautiful red globe lay in the palm of my hand. Glee overcame us as we gleaned several - to us, a sign of a fruitful trip ahead.

Radishes have long since held great meaning for us as we've weathered our individual storms of life. Every so often, one will ask the other, "How's the radishes?" A comment designed to remind the one commiserating in difficulty to look for the good fruit that might possibly be hidden beneath the rubble of the current trial.

So it is that I share my radishes today. The Square Foot Garden has gained a trellis, a new 5x5 box, and a smaller 3x3 box that I'll be planting this week, all the skilled effort of my GilGuy. The excitement and photos surrounding the new plant beds are put aside, however, in order to purposely reveal the first delicious crop from my garden.

You see, Karen's Dad has passed away. As I type, she and her family are engaged in all things grief. Funerals and arrangements and tears and hugs have been her lot in life, her storm, over the past few days.

I have no words of comfort to give that can erase the loss; no ability to span the miles and grant a shoulder to carry the burden. What I can give is hope, and a loving, poignant reminder:

Karen ~ there are radishes in the garden.

{I love you.}

{hugs}

RADISHES!

Yes! The first seeds to spring were the RADISHES! :D

I could scarcely believe my eyes as I took the DellDog out for his morning break Saturday. It had not been a week ~ it had been a mere FOUR days ~ and sprouts were present in my garden!

Can you taste the fresh crispy goodness? Yum, yum!

The earth beareth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. Mark 4:28

Bloom Where Yer Planted.

I spent yesterday afternoon diggin' in the new dirt I made.

Planted no less than 16 different crops.

Wow!

I'm excited ~ germination will be happening in a week to ten days, and those pretty little green shoots will be poking their heads out into the world.

It was planted in a good soil by many waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine. Ezekiel 17:8

Do You Want The Dirt?

Not only am I posting late today, I'm torn between two posts ~ one containing 'the dirt' on my current contemplations of great import; the second being 'the dirt' for real . . .neither, mind you, to be confused with the 'pay dirt' of which I blogged two weekends ago! lol

In an effort to be relatively quick in getting a post up, I've opted for the skinny on my new dirt source - my creation - the fruit of my labor over the weekend.

Wanna see??

Here it is! I finally found a bulk source for vermiculite, and it arrived on the back of a FedEx truck Saturday morning. Soon, I was mixing and stirring a three part soil mixture lovingly known in the Square Foot Gardening circles as "Mel's Mix."

Beginning with the compost, I truly wondered how I would end up with a - to quote Mel - "fresh smelling" soil mixture was beyond me!

However, I diligently turned and sifted all the ingredients as directed . . . and found all to be just as I had been informed: a light, nutritious, fresh smelling soil that drains well. Yay! :D

The entire mixing/earth moving/grid attachment process took just under three hours.

Gil helped with the grid, and we finished just before the evening rain came tumbling out of the sky.

I had grand plans of planting on Easter Sunday, but alas, *that* idea was pre-empted by "The Cooking Hour(s)" - two distinct windows of time wherein I aided and guided my teens through a culinary creation of their own, each working a step above their current kitchen skill level.

Ah well.

It's'allright.

Perhaps this afternoon I'll pop some seeds in the ground.

After all ~ I've got the dirt.

:D

Baby Basil

Baby Basil, so lovely, peeking through the peat moss! It's emergence, along with a shipment of vermiculite on it's way, is causing me to dream of ripe red tomatoes, warmed by the sun, and delicious cucumbers, wax-free! :D

Spring has sprung!

McGilver And The SFG

I still remember my quizzical response to my soon-to-be husband's plan to build a [fill in the blank name of those early projects]. As a veteran software engineer, the lack of calloused hands betrayed his confident stance in the arena of carpentry. How could this be, that he was so capable in manual labor?

His craft has proven itself. A treehouse, a shed, two decks . . .and the list goes on. I stand in awe of the variety of skill sets my guy employs. As I've stated before, Gil seems capable of fixing absolutely anything, MacGyver style, hence the nickname: McGilver.

I knew when I began my Square Foot Garden project that his aid would be invaluable, and that, as my knight in shining armor, he'd come running to my side, assisting me in the process.

He didn't follow the proposed frame-making outline in the book . . .but he got the job done just the same! Here is one finished frame, the start of our family's SFG 2009:

Isn't it handsome? I can already envision several frames, filled with delicious treats ~ the fruit of the earth grown to fill us.

HooooBoy! My mouth is watering already!! :D