Real Food & Scandalous Gardening Secrets

Mystery in the Garden

2012-01-24T10:21:00.000-08:00

Last summer I noticed that the edible landscape on one side of my yard was plagued with harlequin bugs and cucumber beetles, while the other side had very few pests. Over a number of weeks I tried to determine the reason this was happening. I was hoping that I could encourage whatever it was that was discouraging my pests.

First I examined what was growing on each side of the yard. I had a number of similar plants in both locations. The few differences didn’t seem to account for the disparity. Next I looked for predators. The side with the larger pest population actually had more spiders and lizards. That wasn’t really what I expected to find. Although it makes sense – the predators were living where the hunting was good. Then one morning the answer to the mystery came to me, completely by surprise.

I was standing on the front porch leaning against the rail, absent mindedly looking over the garden and making a mental list of things that needed done. Feeling kind of lazy, I wasn’t moving much, just enjoying the early morning air. That’s when a flock of birds swooped into my neighbors pine trees just for a moment. Next they dived down into the blackberry hedge that runs along the edge of the yard. From there they darted into the parsnips and Queen Anne’s lace that had gone to seed at the far edge of the garden, right in front of the blackberries. At least a dozen little birds began feasting on the seed heads that just moments ago I had been thinking of chopping down.

Every so often one of those little birds darted into my kale and cucumbers, quickly snapping up bugs and then darting back to the dense stalks and seed heads. The mystery was solved. The neighbor’s pine trees, the blackberry hedge, and the ripe seed heads all served to attract the birds into the garden. Birds need to feel safe from predators; the blackberries and pine trees provided cover. The abundant seeds located close to the hedge offered a ready source of food. Once they felt safe and were engaged in their feast, the movement of the dastardly insects was more than they could ignore. They quickly snapped them up. This accidental arrangement of trees, hedge, and food source - provided the birds with exactly what they needed. They were taking care of my pest problems, on one side of the yard. With some planning and patience we can all get the darting darlings to dine on our pests and leave us a little fertilizer in the bargain.

First let’s take a look at providing the cover birds need to feel welcome and safe in our gardens. Pine trees or other evergreens provide year round habitat. Tall varieties near the north east of the garden will help provide the safe retreat and staging area that birds favor, without overly shading your plants. You can situate new gardens to take advantage of existing trees in your or your neighbor’s yards. Or, if you are patient and have the room, trees can be planted that will provide this benefit.

When choosing pine trees you might want to keep a few additional uses in mind. Some pines offer edible seeds when they mature. Many have decorative cones that can be used for holiday wreathes and centerpieces. A few have long needles that can be used for weaving pine-needle baskets. Below are some choice varieties that provide edible seeds, attractive cones, and that have long needles when mature:

California Grey Pine (Pinus sabiniana) is native in our area and is the source of our pine nut beads. It has long grey-green needles and very heavy cones. You won’t want those cones falling on your buildings or vehicles so give some thought to where you plant it. Hardy to zone 6; it will thrive in our valleys and lower mountain elevations.

Chir Pine (Pinus roxburghii) is native to the foothills of the Himalayas. It has bright green 9-12 inch needles; light brown medium sized cones, and is hardy to zone eight.

Italian Stone Pine (Pinus pinea) provides the traditional pine nuts of European cuisine. The long needles are borne on upward reaching branches and the cones are brown, medium sized and very attractive. It is hardy to zone seven. (I have a young Italian Stone Pine in my yard in Hoopa, where it has lived happily for several years.)

Korean White Pine (Pinus koraiensis) has 2 – 4 inch needles, small brown cones, and is hardy to zone four.

Limber Pine (Pinus flexilis) is a native of western North American. It has long yellow-green cones, 3 inch long needles, and is hardy to zone four.

That’s it for the pine trees that produce edible nuts and are adaptable to our region. The next step in attracting the darling little bug snappers is to provide an understory or hedge of shrubs, vines, or bushes. If you have a conveniently located black berry patch or an existing hedge that’s great. I don’t recommend planting black berries. We have plenty of wild ones and there are lots of other choices; a couple that you might like are listed below:

Serviceberries (Amelancheir sp.) make nice hedges, shrubs or even small trees. They are hardy at all elevations in our area and they have lots to offer the gardener. In early spring they are covered with a profusion of white or pink flowers. The flowers are followed by abundant edible berries that range in color from blue, through purple, to almost red. Then in fall the leaves put on a show of their own, turning various shades of crimson. There are a number of varieties of serviceberry available. They offer a range of tart to sweet berries and different ripening dates. They also are available in a range of sizes from small to large shrubs, all the way up to a medium sized tree. Be sure to read the plant descriptions in your catalog or on the plant label so you get exactly the right plant for your needs.

If berries are not to your liking, you might want to explore the filbert and hazelnut offerings. These nuts all belong to the Corylus genus and will happily grow in our area. Corylus have what are known as imperfect flowers. That means they have two separate types of flowering structures. The female flowers are the ones that form the nuts, while the tassels or catkins bear the pollen. Corylus sport rather small flowers, but they appear in late winter when any new color or texture in the garden is a sight for sore eyes. They are also available in a range of sizes from small shrubs to large trees. Some varieties offer spring color in the form of yellow or red new growth. A very few varieties hang onto the new foliage colors for a good part of the summer, offering a respite from gardens that are overly green.

The last thing necessary to attract birds is a source of seeds near the shelter of the shrubs, hedges, and trees. Bird feeders installed on poles are a good option. You can keep stocked year around. You can also sow seed bearing plants that will provide your garden with color and texture through the seasons. Besides the parsnip and Queen Anne’s lace I have observed the birds feasting on the seeds of kale, onions, and mulleins in my yard. These plants are all easy to grow, and once you get them started and allow them to run to seed they will come back year after.

Check your local nursery or favorite catalog for plants and seeds. If you don’t find what you are looking for, Forest Farm carries all the trees and shrubs mentioned above. They also have a number of ornamental onions listed in their perennial section under “Allium.” There are a few mulleins listed in the same section under “Verbascum.” Plants are reasonably priced, and available on their web site: http://www.forestfarm.com They have an extensive catalog (its $5.00). Call (541) 846-7269 for more information.

Previously Published in the Hoopa People News

January in the Garden

2012-01-04T19:40:00.000-08:00

January is traditionally the time of day dreaming and planning for gardeners young and old. Garden catalogs begin trickling in, tantalizing us with rediscovered heirlooms, as well as new and improved flowers and foods. Slowly we work through each catalog revising the list of everything we want, until we can be satisfied with what we really need, what we really have time and space for. But many a cold, rainy day is cheered with all the possibilities.

If you aren’t already inundated with gardening catalogs check out: http://www.mailordergardening.com/ You will find listings for more garden catalogs than you ever imagined. They are arranged by plant categories, such as trees, herbs and vegetables, bulbs, etc. When you click on the catalog name you are sent to a page that gives a description of the company as well as a link to their web site. Or you can simply jot down the phone numbers of the ones you think you would like and call to request a catalog. Parents and teachers will also want to check out their “Kids Garden” section. They have color pages, a game, and information on a small grant. If you don’t have Internet service, stop by our local library. Most libraries (including ours) now have public access computers available, and someone is usually available to give you a hand.

Planning for Peppers

Peppers do an outstanding job during our hot summers. However, our sometimes cool spring weather can get them off to a dismal start. They tend to be very slow growing when young; the cooler it is, the slower they grow. A little planning ahead will help you grow the best pepper crop ever. Peppers of all kinds can be started inside (in late January or early February) if you can provide a warm location and bright light. Peppers germinate best with soil temperatures between 75 and 80 degrees. You can get a good guestimate of indoor soil temperature by laying a room thermometer down on the surface where you will place your seeded six packs. It may take some experimenting to find the right location. You need the seeded six packs to stay warm at night, but not get over heated during the day when they are under lights. Many people resort to special heating mats made for starting seeds; others skip the seed starting step and purchase young plants ready to harden off and slip into the ground. If you want to grow your own peppers from seed, it is a good idea to find your spot or shop for a heating mat now. Most nurseries and garden catalogs keep them in stock, especially this time of year. Shop around; prices for exactly the same set up can vary greatly.

If you crave a rainbow of peppers in more variety than we usually find close to home, several catalogs come to mind. If you are interested in growing organic heirloom peppers, here are two great choices. Seeds of Change offers two pepper seedling collections—one of sweet peppers, the other of chile peppers, plus lots of choices in seeds. (888) 762-7333 / www.SeedsOfChange.com The Seed Savers Exchange offers seedlings of eight different heirlooms, two of which are hot, one mild, and the rest sweet. You can mix and match or order a sampler pack. And they have even more varieties as seed. (563) 382-5900 / www.SeedSavers.org If the latest hybrids are what you want; Burpee has in a dazzling variety, many available as seedlings or seeds. (800) 487-5530 / www.Burpee.com You can order on line from any of these companies, or call and request a catalog.

Once you get your seeds growing or your plants delivered, you will want to keep them in containers until all threat of frost has past. They will enjoy spending warm days outside, at first in the shade. Each day they should be exposed to more and more sun, until they are ready to stick their feet in the soil and thrive. Don’t forget to bring them in at night if it might get down to freezing. Save your peppers a sunny spot in the garden and they will reward you with a bountiful harvest.

Fresh Produce From the Garden

Winter’s crisp cold nights have an uncanny effect on many root vegetables, turning them sweeter than if they were grown in the summer. If you planted parsnips last spring; carrots, rutabagas, or turnips this fall—you can look forward to a special treat. Get out your shovel next time we get a break from the rain and use it to carefully loosen the soil around these delectable roots. Dig only as many as you will need for a few days; they will stay sweeter and fresher in the ground than they will in the fridge. You can use them in most any dish that comes to mind, such as home-made soups, casseroles, stir fries, or grated into salads. For a real treat try roasting up a batch of mixed veggies. Roasting brings out the flavors of fresh dug winter roots like nothing else. Whether you throw them in next to a pot roast or a nice fat hen; or if you just roast them up on their own.

Here is a technique that doesn’t require using parchment or any other fancy supplies. You can use a metal cookie sheet or a baking pan--whatever you happen to have on hand (and is safe for use under the broiler). Scrub up your veggies and cut them into pieces about two inches long by t an inch wide and a half inch thick. Brush your pan and the veggies with a thin coat of olive oil. (If you don’t have olive oil, use whatever vegetable oil you have on hand.) You can sprinkle them with a little salt and pepper or other seasoning if you like. Place your veggies in a single layer on your pan, and set your oven rack so the surface of the veggies will be about five inches from the heat. Turn the oven on to broil, and keep a close eye on the veggies. After about five minutes, as they begin to brown, you want to move them around on the pan so they don’t stick. Continue checking them every three to five minutes. As they develop a nice warm color, pull the pan from the oven, brush them with olive oil and flip them over. They will not all be ready to flip, nor will they all be ready to remove from the oven at the same time. But every time you turn or remove some, the rest can be shifted just a bit to keep them from sticking. If you don’t devour these delectable morsels as soon as they cool, you can serve them as a side dish; arrange them on lettuce or other greens, toss them with pasta, tuck them into a sandwich, or offer them as a finger food with a little dip.

However you serve them, the results are elegant. And it is so easy to prepare. It is best to stay in the kitchen for this job. You can use the time to toss a salad or set the table, you don’t want to let your poor roots get scorched.

Originally published by the Hoopa People Newspaper
Copyright 2007, Harvest McCampbell
https://www.facebook.com/harvest.mccampbell

December in the Garden

2011-12-02T19:48:00.000-08:00

Published in the Hoopa People News, Copyright Harvest McCampbell, 2007

December in the Garden

Our old friend Jack Frost has knocked down all but the hardiest of our summer edibles, while clean-up chores call us outside on sunny days. The December garden is full of sweet surprises. Young tender acorn squash hide under wilted leaves. Succulent carrots and onions that eluded us in summer’s raucous abundance reveal themselves as other plants fade. The greatest delight may be cool season greens, self sown where they may, offering leaves both spicy and succulent to brighten up winter plates. While some folks retire from gardening over the rainy season, many vegetables thrive right now. The garden grows at a much slower pace during our cool misty weather, but it also takes much less work. Here’s some information to get you growing!

It’s Time to Plant

From Seed: Many root vegetables do just fine with a December sowing. Raised beds or large containers are a good idea. They allow for drainage and can be a deterrent for gophers. If gophers aren’t a problem, you can choose the sunniest and best drained spot you can spare. Very minimal soil preparation is all that is required. (Care should be taken not to overwork soil in the rainy season—too much mucking around can cause compaction.) Pulling back mulch, removing any weeds or spent plants, and raking the surface to form a rough surface is all that is necessary. Carrots, turnips, scallions, and radishes of all kinds can be broadcast on to the prepared beds or containers. You can cover them with a sprinkling of finished compost if you like, or just let the next rain water the seeds into their bed.

From Starts: Look for scallions, lettuce, corn salad, colorful kales and ornamental cabbage. Lettuce starts are often available in fancy colors and leaf shapes. They can dress up your flower beds as well as your salads. Kale, and ornamental cabbage, as well as the diminutive corn salad will be equally happy in the vegetable garden or the flower bed. If you have a hankering for winter flowers look for hellebores, snapdragons, calendula, and violas of all kinds. Those with flower buds will bloom the soonest.

Other Chores

Mulch: Coarse textured mulch can be a boon to garden beds for several reasons. Bare unprotected soil is subject to erosion and compaction during our rainy winters. A course layer of mulch helps hold the soil in place, while reducing the force of the rain drops. Additionally, it makes a great winter worm habitat. Worms are the work horses of the garden. They recycle organic matter, improve soil texture and tilth, they foster nitrogen fixing bacteria, and their digestive systems reduce the presence of harmful micro-organisms. Worms breathe air and can drown in water soaked soil. A nice coarse mulch that has plenty of air spaces is just what worms need to survive our rainy seasons.

Garden Clean Up: Instead of hauling away all of last summer’s garden debris, think coarse mulch! If you are patient a good pair of garden clippers can be used to reduce stems, vines, large leaves, and twigs into pieces from two to four inches in size. Pile the material up to four inches deep on any unused beds or around perennials. (If any of your plants were diseased or harbored pests, their remains would be better off in the compost pile than on your garden beds.) You should keep mulch a few inches away from the trunks of trees and shrubs, as well as the stems of perennials to reduce the possibility of fungus attacking your living plants. Other than that, all the material from last summer’s garden will work hard to protect and improve the soil for next year’s bountiful harvests.

Gardening News

“Orchids, a Practical Guide to Care and Cultivation,” has arrived--hot off the press, just in time for the winter gift giving season. If you are looking for a great gift for the gardener who has everything, this might just be the ticket. Not only is it practical, the flower photos are amazing. Nearly every type of cultivated orchid is included, as well as some that are simply wild. Each entry contains the scientific name, origins, temperature range, light and feeding needs, as well as their flowering season. (By making careful choices you could have orchids in bloom all year.) You will also find a large number of full color photos, showing a selection of cultivated varieties for each genus discussed. Did I happen to mention that the flower photos are amazing? Even if you never plan to grow an orchid you will enjoy browsing through this book. If you have always wanted to grow orchids, whether just a few in a bright room--or lots in a modern green house, the practical aspects of this book will get you on your way. “Orchids, a Practical Guide to Care and Cultivation,” Michael Tibbs, Ball Publishing, ISBN 978-1-883052-59-1

Gifts for Gardeners

Amaryllis bulbs make a great gift, especially for those who can’t get out in the garden during the winter months. These large bulbs are easy to care for and produce plants up to 20 inches tall with blooms up to four inches across in about seven weeks from planting. These large flowers are impressive, and they are available in a number of colors and forms. (If Aunty likes the one you get her this year, next year you can get her one in a different color!) Check them out at: http://www.amaryllis.com/ They can be ordered on-line; however, you will likely find them available out on the coast. Many nurseries offer already potted Amaryllis bulbs this time of year. Just remember to keep these beauties inside until all danger of frost has past. The foliage will begin to fade in late summer, when you should stop watering them and let them rest for at least six weeks. Store them in a cool dry place, where they won’t be subjected to frost or rodents. You can begin watering them again anytime after October and have blooms in time for next year’s holidays!

Garden ornaments, statuary, elegant bird feeders, as well as practical supplies and tools can be found at the Gardener’s Supply Company. They not only carry classy items you won’t find anywhere else, a portion of every purchase goes to support their grants and awards programs. The focus of these programs is to provide funds and awards to non-profit organizations which encourage communities to develop sustainable, ecologically sound gardening practices. Check out their web site to shop on-line www.gardeners.com. You will find more information on gardening grants and awards on their “Community Page.” You can also request a catalog or more information by calling 1-888-833-1412.

September in the Garden

2011-09-01T14:56:00.000-07:00

September is a busy time for gardeners. Squash and tomatoes are giving us their all, fall fruit is beginning to ripen, and the last of the berries and peaches beguile us with their transitory but intoxicating flavors. While we are busy cooking and preserving all the bounty, it is also time to plant fall and winter vegetables and plan for the holiday season. Just in the nick of time, here are some tips to help keep it all going smoothly.

First we have a recipe source for late summer’s bounty. Then we will take a look at planting heirloom potatoes for holiday dinners and fall flower bulbs to brighten up late winter and early spring. While we think ahead to the holiday season, we might want to think about the creatures that share our world. The Wildlife Gardener’s Guide is reviewed below. It would make a great gift for anyone who enjoys gardening and wildlife. You can even buy yourself a copy and consider it a gift to the birds and bees that visit your yard. September is a very busy time for gardeners, but it is also a rich, tasty, abundant time. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Diabetes Safe Veggie Recipes:

Those lucky people who have been eating out of their gardens all summer just might be looking for some new recipes. The web site address below features a tasty summer squash side dish. If you click on the link, found below the recipe, you will find many more scrumptious, healthful, and easy dishes—all using vegetables you may already grow. With seasonal produce in mind, you’ll find four recipes that use zucchini and summer squash, including “Colorful vegetable casserole” and “Roasted vegetable and barley salad.” Two recipes use corn in unique ways. There are three recipes for peppers, two for green beans; and one each for cucumbers, tomatoes, tomatillos, and collard greens. While these recipes are designed for diabetics, everyone is likely to enjoy them. You can check the recipes out, (or print them—to give away with your excess produce) at this web site: http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/recipes/Vegetables/Side_dish_summer_squash

If you don’t have Internet access at home, call or visit your local library and sign up to use the public computers.

Russian Banana Fingerling Heirloom Potato Report

The first year I grew these tasty little potatoes, I planted them in a five gallon container. I only had a few starts and I didn’t want the gophers to get them. I started off with about four inches of potting soil, mixed half and half with good garden loam, in the bottom of the container. As the plants grew I added more soil mix. After about three months, I harvested three pounds of the cute little spuds. This year I grew some in the ground, and they also produced three pounds. However, many of the potatoes were clustered along the top of the soil, and they turned bright green. Green potatoes are bitter and they are slightly toxic. If you want to try growing these fun spuds, grow them in a container or keep them well mulched.

Russian Banana Fingerlings range in size from a small child’s finger up to a regular potato, with most of them being on the smaller side. They also tend to have a bit of a curve to them—similar to a bannana, hence their name “Banana Fingerling.” These tasty little spuds are from Russia, and they do best in spring and fall when the weather is cool. They cook up much more solid than russets and dryer than red potatoes, with a pleasant distinctive flavor of their own. While they won’t make good mashed potatoes, they are great for frying or for potato salad, as they hold up a little better than other types. They also do nicely in soups and casseroles, or better yet, scrub them up, rub them with a little olive oil, and throw them on the grill.

When visiting well stocked produce counters look for Russian Banana Fingerlings that have well developed eyes. Plant a few in a pot in a warm spot where you won’t forget them. Move the pot on to the porch this fall, if freezing weather threatens. By mid December, especially if we get a hard frost, the tops of the plants will begin to die back. That’s your clue to dig up your spuds, and fix them up for dinner. Be sure to save a few tubers to plant next spring.

Order Fall Bulbs Now

While it is hard to think about spring when we are so busy with summer’s last gasp, it is time to get out the catalogs and make your bulb selections for next year’s blooms. Flowers are never considered frivolous in the bio-diverse garden. They may only delight our eyes, but many beneficial creatures rely on the pollen and nectar they produce.

Make sure you put some early bloomers on your list. When weather warms up unexpectedly in late winter and early spring, our pollinators and other beneficial insects are lured out of their winter sleep. If they don’t find a nectar and pollen meal they may not survive to be happy garden workers next summer.

Snow Crocuses are usually the first to bloom, followed quickly by species and Dutch Crocuses. Each small bulb produces several flowers, generally one at a time. While each flower only last a day or two, it is quickly followed by a second flower and then a third. They are available in a wide range of colors, and also in mixed lots. They vary in hight from three to six inches tall, and some will bloom year after year. They can be planted along the edges of walk ways, and under deciduous trees, shrubs, and vines. They will bloom before the larger plants leaf out, and then once those plants do unfurl their leaves, they will hide the drying foliage of the resting bulbs. Gophers can develop a taste for crocus, despite what the catalogs may say. If gophers are a problem, you might want to plant your bulbs in containers or prepare shallow hardware cloth cages to bury in the ground and protect your bulbs.

Grape hyacinths begin blooming as the Crocuses fade, and they continue blooming for several weeks. They favor the same spots as the Crocus. There is some good news, as far as I know, no gopher has ever developed a taste for grape hyacinth. Mine keep coming back and they are even fuller and nicer each year. Grape hyacinths are often listed as Muscari, or sometimes as Hyacinths, in the catalogs. If you are looking for flowers that will come back year after year and that attract and nourish pollinators and beneficial insects, make sure the botanical name begins with Muscari, or is identified by “M.” There are varieties that bloom in every shade of blue, from nearly black to nearly white, as well as violet, yellow, and pure white. They range in height from four to twelve inches tall, depending on the variety. Many are fragrant and as an added bonus they thrive under walnut trees, where many plants perish.

If you don’t find the bulbs you crave locally or in your favorite catalogs, McClure & Zimmerman offers a large selection of Crocus and Muscari bulbs. They have reasonable prices, you can shop on line at http://www.mzbulb.com, or you can request a catalog by calling 1-800-883-6998.

Learn to Attract Wildlife!

Brooklyn Botanic Garden brings us this brand new “All-Region Guide” for attracting wildlife to the garden. You will find special sections on our friends—the beneficial insects and pollinators; as well as song birds, hummingbirds, and butterflies. Ideas abound for special gardens or entire landscapes dedicated to wildlife. For those who don’t really like to get out and dig in the dirt, there are easy projects that utilize great looking plants grown in containers. Regional plant lists make the instructions usable, no matter where you live. An emphasis is placed on using native plants, common flowers, and edible herbs. There are also great tips on understanding the creatures life cycles, so we don’t inadvertently do things that contribute to their demise. This book could turn into a fun family activity and it could fuel many science projects. The Wildlife Gardener’s Guide, by Janet Marinelli, published by Brooklyn Botanic Garden, 2008, ISBN 1-889538-37-2; available by request from bookstores and on-line book retailers.

Published in the Two Rivers Tribune 9.08 Copyright Harvest McCampbell

August in the Garden

2011-08-11T08:02:00.000-07:00

Note, this was written in 2008 in Hoopa CA, while we were experiencing a large forest fire. The effect was cooler temperatures. If your temps are cool enough your tomatoes aren't ripening, you will find useful tips. You will also find recipes for summer squash and starting the fall garden, as well as a quick review on a great little herb book.

Digging the Dirt / August in the Garden

Published in the Two Rivers Tribune 8.08
Copyright 2008, Harvest McCampbell

Gardening in smoke leaves much to be desired. Some plants, however, seem to be making good use of all the carbon in the air. My tomato plants are nearly as tall as I am. On the down side, the smoke has been keeping things too cool for them to ripen up properly. Green tomatoes are not as yummy as their fully ripe counter parts, but they do make good eating. I have been searching for green tomato recipes, just in case. Here are a couple of fun books from the Humboldt County Library that will help you use up any green tomatoes you may have on hand at season’s end.

Preserving Summer’s Bounty, by Rodale Press, has recipes for Green Tomato Chutney and Green Tomato Pickles, as well as lots of recipes for those other summer favorites—squash and Zucchini. In fact, no matter what your garden is producing, you will find recipes and information on preserving it for winter use. The Joy of Pickling, by Linda Ziedrich adds curried and limed green tomato pickles to the possibilities, as well as pickled green cherry tomatoes. Ziedrich has recipes for just about anything you grow, including Jerusalem artichokes and turnips! You can request these books from your favorite library or bookstore. They will definitely get your kitchen creativity stirring.

More Produce in the Kitchen

Squash seems to produce bumper crops no matter what the weather, and this year is no different. Folks will soon be ducking and running when they see their gardening friends hoisting bulging bags. Whether you are growing your own or trying to use the squash that has been foisted on you, here a few ideas from my kitchen. The first uses fresh squash in a sandwich with tuna, and the second makes a refreshing salad.

Summer Tuna Sandwiches or Wraps: Combine grated summer squash, a bit of diced onion and pickle, with a can of tuna, and a tad of mayo. Mix well and then spread on bread or a tortilla, add fresh lettuce or other greens, and serve it up. The pickles I have been using are made with zucchini and summer squash wedges substituted for the cucumbers. I use the dill pickle recipe from the book, Joy of Cooking, (the library has this one too). This sandwich gets rave reviews.

Sunny Summer Salad: Dice up a mix of fresh tender zucchini and summer squash, in different colors if possible. Add a few tender young snap beans and the youngest leaves from kale, mustard, beets, or turnips. Diced peppers, cucumbers, or tomatoes can also be added. For a quick, fresh dressing combine olive oil with a dash of vinegar, and some fresh diced basil, parsley, rosemary, or other garden fresh herbs, shake well and taste. You can add more vinegar or herbs or even some salt and pepper. Pour a little over your fresh veggies and toss to coat. Give it a taste and add more of your dressing if needed. Refrigerate to chill, and then serve on a bed of lettuce. (Add some shredded chicken or browned sausage or tofu and call it dinner.) This easy salad taste even better the second day!

Fall Gardens Start Now

You can have fresh carrots, parsnips, and peas for Thanksgiving if you start soon! You can also grow many greens, root crops, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. Your favorite lettuce, radishes, or beets do great when the weather is cool. Just about the time your summer garden will give out, the fall crops will kick in, keeping you in fresh produce—if you plan it right, not just through the fall, but straight through until spring is here again.

If you have room to put in some new garden beds, you can start fall crops right in the ground this month. Cover seeds with a fine sprinkling of sifted compost or store bought soil conditioner, and keep an eye on your beds. Some people like to lay a board over their rows, to help keep the soil moist. If you give this a try, you will need to lift the board morning and night, to check for germination. As soon as you see seedlings bursting from their seed coats, it is time to remove the board. Seedlings must be kept evenly moist for at least the first week, so check them every morning and evening.

Those already using every inch of space available can start most of their fall garden in six packs. Move the plants to larger containers as necessary, and then tuck them into the garden as soon as a spot is cleared. (Be sure to dig in some compost and top dress with mulch.) The only fall crops this won’t work well for are those we grow for their roots. Carrots, beets, turnips, parsnips, radishes, and rutabagas, to name some of the more popular root crops, do much better when planted where they are to grow. Starting them in shallow containers and then transplanting tends to ruin their comely figures. They are happy growing in half barrels or large containers, and they are safe from gophers if you take that route.

It is time to get out your seed box, seed catalogs, or visit seed counters and see what yummy veggies this fall will bring. If you want to try something new, Wild Garden Seed offers a number of tasty and colorful additions for the fall garden. I am going to try their broccoli, which is named Purple Peacock. This pretty loose headed broccoli has purple stems and leaf veins. All parts are tender and edible, including leaves and stalks. It was rated very highly by Organic Gardening Magazine, for taste, appearance, and winter hardiness.

They also carry Bulls Blood beets, with their electric purplish red leaves. I have some of these started already, but I am going to tuck some seeds into the pots by my front walk, they are that eye catching. I can hardly wait until they get big enough to eat!

Kale is another tasty and nutritious fall crop. Wild Garden Seed offers a number of different types. They also have 53 different types of lettuce, and three different seasonal salad mixes. You can shop on-line: http://www.wildgardenseeds.com or call them to request a catalog: (541) 929-4068

Ancient Herbs

The J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angles has published a slim but elegant volume for all those passionate about ancient Greece, Rome, and the wonderful world of herbs. Ancient Herbs is a work of art, lavishly illustrated with historic botanical drawings from the late 1700 and early 1800’s. The text provides copious hints on the changing place of herbs throughout human history, as foods, medicines, and flavorings. While you won’t find exact instructions for growing or using herbs, you will find plenty to stir your curiosity and whet your appetite to learn more. This would make a great gift for herb lovers, cooks, and gardeners. The cover is lovely enough to make the book a welcome addition to the kitchen bookshelf and displays of botanical or herbal related art. Ancient Herbs, by Marina Heilmeyer, Published by The J. Paul Getty Museum, 2007, no ISBN

Digging the Dirt / July in the Garden

2011-07-13T08:23:00.000-07:00

Published in the Hoopa People Paper 2008, Copyright Harvest McCampbell

(The following information on flooding is from 2008, but the issues are not much different today . . .)

Millions of acres of agricultural land have been inundated during recent Midwest flooding, and it may not be over yet. Very little of this land will produce food crops this year, and much of it will never be the same. Flood waters, as devastating as they have been, are actually the least of most farmers’ worries. Those flood waters carry a burden of sewage; slurry from large hog farm manure lagoons; agricultural chemicals including pesticides, herbicides, and chemical fertilizers; numerous chemicals from homes, hardware stores, and other outlets; and petroleum products from service stations and oil recycling locations. As the flood waters recede, farmland, wells, and homes are left with a layer of toxic sludge.

This devastation will affect food prices and availability in the short run--through this winter and on into the summer months of 2009. It may affect food quality for many years to come. Fortunately, here in the Klamath-Trinity region, we have been blessed with mild weather. It is not too late to get out in the yard and create your own little Garden of Eden!

The Calorie Connection

We normally depend on our garden produce to be low in calories; however, with all the Midwest agricultural flooding, we ought to think about increasing the calories grown in our gardens. Most of the calories in our diets come directly or indirectly from the Midwest: high fructose corn syrup, flour, bread, tortillas, pasta, cookies and crackers, as well as pork. Much of the feed used in poultry operations for both chickens and eggs, and the feed used to fatten beef, is also grown in the Midwest. Prices on all these foods, feeds, and related products have already been rising; they are now headed even higher.

Most of us could stand to lose a little weight; so perhaps the news isn’t all bad. Calories, however, are our bodies’ only source of energy. It might not be a bad idea to grow your own, especially if you are on a budget. July is a good time to think about planting some carbohydrate and calorie rich root crops. Beets, turnips, rutabagas, carrots, and parsnips all do well when planted in the summer or early fall. Plant them now, in a shady spot, for delectable roots this fall through early winter. (Add a little nitrogen rich soil amendment before planting; perhaps some composted manure or bat guano. Increasing the nitrogen will help prevent your summer crop from bolting.) Plant another batch in late summer or early fall, in full sun, for fresh produce this winter straight through to early spring.

Root crops do best when seeded into the spots where they will grow. Transplanting can cause damage to their developing roots. They can be grown in deep containers or raised beds if gophers are a problem. Be sure to keep the seeds and seedlings evenly moist until the young plants are established. Then check them every day, and only water as needed. A few young leaves can occasionally be pinched from each plant to add to salads. After the first month or so, the largest roots can be pulled for salads or side dishes to make room for the others to grow. You might want to try a number of different varieties. When you find some you really like, and that do well for you, you can plant a row or bed every few weeks for a continuous crop.

The Power of One Turnip Seed

One turnip seed, planted in rich soil, in a five gallon container, can grow to feed a family; if it is carefully nurtured. First, that little seed will send out tiny leaves. Those leaves will eventually grow large and plentiful enough that you won’t mind pinching a few to add to salads and soups. As summer fades into the cool part of the year, the plant will produce many leaves. Each leaf only lives a month or so. By watching them carefully and experimenting, you gradually learn when they are best for adding to salads (young and tender) and how long you can wait to use them as cooked greens. Your turnip plant will continue to produce leaves straight through winter and on into earliest parts of spring.

Once the days begin to grow longer, you will notice your turnip plant begin reaching upwards. Tender and delicious buds will form, which can be snipped with a few tender leaves, and added to salads, stir fries, and soups. The more buds you snip, the more the plant will produce, so go ahead and snip as often as you like. When you tire of the buds, the plant will begin producing flowers, which are also edible. The flowers can be used to garnish bowls of soup or salad.

The flowers will be followed by tender turnip “beans.” The young edible seed pods are tasty, cooked or raw. They can even be pickled if you are feeling industrious. But be sure to let some of the seed pods mature. Because the seeds that will follow have even more promise, even more to give.

Mature seed pods are the color of straw, and the pop when squeezed, revealing a number of amber to nearly black, small, round seeds. Collect the stems with mature pods into a brown shopping bag and allow them to dry completely, away from irrigation and other moisture. Once dry, use your hands to crunch up the stems and pop the pods. Slowly remove each stem, popping any intact pods as you do. Then shake the bag to encourage the seeds to settle at the bottom. You will have a mix of chaff from the seed pods and seeds in the bag. Reach into the bag with both hands, grab a handful of the chaff, and toss it back and forth to further encourage the seeds to fall. (The chaff and the stems make great additions to the compost pile or your garden’s layers of mulch.)

When you get to the bottom of the bag you should have more turnip seeds than you really want to grow. Plant out a row or two, and save the rest of the seeds. You can pinch the young greens as you did with your single turnip, and you can also begin pulling tender young turnips in six to eight weeks. Turnips are excellent raw, roasted, mashed, fried, steamed, or boiled. Extra seeds can be shared with friends and family. They can also be grown and used just like alfalfa sprouts; and the dry seeds can be ground or used whole as a tangy mustard seed substitute.

Turnips have been utilized as survival foods and as staples in many parts of the world when grain crops, trade, or transportation have been problematic. For fun, for variety, and for food security, consider planting a row of turnips in your garden this month. Don’t forget to save a seed to plant in a five gallon container, so you can demonstrate the power of one turnip seed.

Cooking from the Garden--for Diabetics

If you are having trouble finding creative recipes for your garden produce that you can confidently serve diabetic loved ones, I have a solution for you! 501 Delicious Diabetic Recipes is your complete source; step-by step instructions, nutritional information, the number of servings per recipe, and the exchanges per serving are all included. The exchanges used in the book are the ones developed in collaboration by the American Diabetes and the American Dietetic Associations. Ask the folks you are cooking for how many of each of the exchanges they can have for each meal, and you are on your way to planning a fabulous menu. Many recipes contain vegetables, but gardeners will find the sections on “Starch Side Dishes” and “Vegetable & Fruit Side Dishes” particularly useful. You will find a great selection of recipes that will enhance all “gardening cooks” home-made meals. Roasted Green Beans, Orange-Glazed Beets, Szechuan Broccoli, Curried Cauliflower, and Dilled Spinach with Feta are just a few I plan on trying. 501 Delicious Diabetic Recipes, Oxmoor House, 2004, ISBN 0-8487-3052-6. Available by request on-line, from bookstores, or your local library.

Say Goodbye to Wormy Apples

2011-06-17T07:58:00.000-07:00

Wouldn’t it be nice to go out to grandma’s apple tree and bite into a nice crisp juicy apple and not have to worry about worms? Just think of the work it would save when making apple sauce, cider, or pie. Say goodbye to wormy apples. It is a bit of work; it takes planning and careful timing. However, we can achieve worm free apples--without using pesticides, if we know when to begin.

The nasty worms that inhabit and foul our apples all have a similar life cycle. The stage that bothers us the most, when they chew through our fruit, is their larval stage, the first stage after hatching from eggs. These eggs are laid right after our trees blossom in the spring. The larva that will soon be looking for a spot to spend the winter and turn into flies and moths come autumn. After the apples fall to the ground, depending on exactly which species of pest we are talking about, they spin cocoons or turn into pupas to wait out the winter months. Once spring is upon us, they burst from their hibernation and take to the air, ready to mate and lay eggs on our fading apple blooms.

The first step to ensuring worm free apples next year, is to get those wormy apples off the ground right now. If necessary, trees can be pruned, just enough so that you can get under them to clean up all the plant litter. Pruning back all branches that touch the ground is a good job for when the tree is completely dormant. Besides easing the job of cleaning up under the tree, it reduces the path ways that pests and disease follow to infect your fruit.

Once you can get under the tree to work, the leaf, fruit, and twig litter should be completely raked up. It can be fed to poultry or other animals, burned, or buried under at least three feet of dirt. Simply composting infested apples and other tree litter allows the worms to complete their lifecycle and attack your fruit for another season.

Cleaning up under your apple trees before our rains set in has other benefits. It also helps prevent the tree from developing dry rot and fungus infections. These disease organisms often get their start in the duff and litter beneath trees. Once our weather begins to dry out in the spring, you will want to add a layer of compost or manure and some mulch beneath the trees drip line. This will help with water conservation, it reduces competition from weeds, and it supports the health of our all important soil organisms. Be sure to keep the organic matter at least a few inches away from the trunk to prevent disease organisms from gaining access to the bark and wood. The organic matter will provide nutrition for your trees as it breaks down. Just don’t forget to rake it up and move whatever is left next fall.

If you still have apples on your trees right now, you may want to take another step, after cleaning up the litter. Consider placing tarps under the trees, at least until all the apples fall. Some apple fruit pests burrow into the soil soon after the infected apples hit the ground. If you can block them from burrowing you will be ahead of the game next spring. (Remove the tarp after all the leaves and fruit fall, so the soil and roots can breathe.) Other apple worms climb up onto the trees trunk and hide in the bark. We can take care of these pests with Neem. Neem is natural oil from a tropical tree that is used by many organic gardeners for pest control. It is harmful to many insects, including those that are our friends, so it should be used carefully and in moderation. Certified organic farmers should contact their certifying organization to see if Neem is allowed. If not the organizations can make recommendations on other oils to use. Many horticultural oils, even those allowed by organic standards, can cause a build-up of heavy metals and other toxins in our soils and plants. Neem seems to be the safest, but it is not always allowed.

Neem oil is available from many nurseries, garden catalogs, organic farm suppliers, and natural food stores. Read the label carefully and ask any knowledgeable staff person for help if the label isn’t clear. The packaging should give directions, including dilution rates. (If you have more than one tree, or if your tree is very large, you may need something more than just a spray bottle to do the job.) Once you are ready to go, a dry still day when the bees are not busy is ideal. Consider spraying up to three times. First, after all your fruit is picked and before the rain has started; a second time in December or January, after the tree is fully dormant; and lastly, after the petals have all fallen from the tree and the bees are busy elsewhere. Thoroughly spray the bark and branches, and lightly spray the ground under the tree. Neem will not burn your plants leaves in spring, so go ahead and spray the young leaves too. Neem not only controls insect infestation it also reduces fungal infections, which is a great benefit in very wet winters. If you happen to live far away from anyone else who has apple worms treating your trees one year might be enough. However, the adult insects can fly in from several miles around, so most of us will need to spray every few years at least.

If your apple trees are too big, too over grown, and too productive to undertake all this work, ask yourself if you really need trees that big. There are many very good varieties of dwarf apples available. If you are not overly attached to your old trees, you ought to consider replanting. You can keep the old trees for a few years, until the new ones get established. If you time it right, you can take out the old trees before the new ones bloom, so they just don’t hand their pest problems over to their replacements. However, the main advantage to planting new dwarfs is that their smaller size makes them easier to care for. They are just as susceptible to infestation as their larger relatives. If you do take out old trees, don’t let the apple wood go to waste. Let it age a few years and put it to good work on your BBQ or in your smokehouse. Apple wood gives food a nice, sweet, smoky flavor.

A great source of information on pruning and natural pest control can be found in the book Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally by Robert Kourik. It is available by request from many libraries and used book stores.

Sources: If you are unable to find dwarf apple trees in the varieties you would like check out Burgess at http://www.eBurgess.com or call (309) 662-7761 to request a free catalog. Last but not least, if you can’t find Neem oil locally or through your favorite catalog, Territorial seed company has it listed in their winter 2007 catalog along with some spray equipment, garden tools including a pruner for branches up to ¾ inch, and a sharpener for your pruning equipment. http://www.TerritorialSeed.com (800) 626-0866.

Digging the Dirt / June in the Garden

2011-06-04T11:50:00.000-07:00

This month may not be quite typical, if La Nina continues to play fickle games with our weather. However, we can be thankful that we aren’t having the record breaking tornadoes being experienced in the Midwest. The end result, for us, may be that our tomatoes won’t ripen up as fast as usual; but if that’s the case, we can keep our eyes peeled for green tomato recipes!

Last Chance for Summer Starts:

Better hurry, if you haven’t got your summer garden in. While it is too late for seeds of many summer favorites, you can still tuck in plants of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, summer squash and melons. Pumpkins and winter squash can be planted from starts or even seeds if you do it this week. The longer you wait to get your starts in, the larger the plants you ought to seek out. This week, any healthy well established plants ought to work out fine. By the middle of the month or later, look for plants in four inch pots. A little extra TLC may be called for, unless you have been working on your soil. Dig in some compost or water with the dilute organic fertilizer of your choice. Keep your plants well mulched and a careful eye on soil moisture, until they get established. These dreary sometimes drizzly days can be deceiving. There is a lot less moisture in the soil than you might think. However, you don’t want to over-water, especially while it is cool and cloudy. That can encourage root rot and blight. Check the soil for moisture and water accordingly, and you will be sure to pick the best tasting produce you can imagine, should the sun take pity on us and burn off these clouds.

Seeds to plant this month:

While it is too late to plant many summer veggies from seed, bush bean seeds can go in right now. There are varieties that make tender snap and string beans, while others are most commonly grown for dry beans. When shopping your favorite seed rack or catalog, be sure to check out all the marvelous colors for snap, string, and shell beans. What we once called “green beans” can be grown in every shade of yellow, purple, and, of course, green. Shell beans are even more varied-- black turtle beans, red Cherokee wax, yellow Indian Woman, and the variegated Jacobs Cattle and Anasazi--among a host of choices. If you aren’t happy with the local choices or those in your favorite catalog, you can shop for bush beans on-line see: www.seedsofchange.com & www.bountifulgardens.org.

Don’t Forget to Pick Your Produce!

Early spring planted greens, peas, and roots are in their prime right now. Take a basket out in the garden and pick yourself the fixings for a nice green salad or a simple stir fry. Radishes should be picked soon after they plump up, when they are tender, sweet, and crisp. If they are left in the ground too long, they may get hot and woody. If you have a radish bumper crop, besides salads, they can be added to soups and stir fries; cooking mellows their flavors. Radish greens, if they are not too prickly, also make good eating. The young tender leaves can be added to salad. The more mature, but not yet tough leaves, can be added to soups and my favorite – an old fashioned mess of greens.

Pick peas frequently to ensure the plants keep producing. Shell peas should be picked as soon as the pods are plump. Sugar peas are best picked just as soon as the peas barely start to develop; snap peas are best a little in between. Once any of your peas produce mature seed, it will quit making pods, having accomplished its life mission. However, if you plants are happy and kept picked, they will continue producing until the weather finally decides to warm.

If you are growing lettuce, be aware that it tends to bet bitter when it starts to bolt. When you notice your plants getting taller instead of fuller, it is time to cut it back near the ground, and remove the leaves; unless you want to experiment with saving seed. If the leaves taste a bit on the bitter side, here is an easy fix. Put them in a large bowl, and slowly fill with cold water. Place the bowl in the fridge and let sit for a few hours. You may need to pour out the water and replace it a few times before your lettuce loses its bitterness. But this really works, so give it a try.

Fresh Produce in the Kitchen

Fresh barely braised vegetables make a tasty side dish. Start by collecting a basket of veggies from your garden. Here are some suggestions of things you could include, but your recipe will be based on what you have available. Try to choose veggies in a variety of colors, especially if you are cooking for guests. Check for roots to pull--carrots, parsnips, beets, turnips, or rutebegas, for instance. Next check your peas and fava beans. Whole young pods or green shelled peas or favas work equally well. Next, if you have any early peppers or squash, grab a couple. (I have just started picking squash, but my peppers are a long way off.) Or perhaps you have broccoli or cauliflower ready to eat. Last but not least, pick some greens, if you have them. Beet tops or tender radish leaves will work great, and leaves from cabbage or broccoli are tasty too.

Carefully wash your leaves, pods, broccoli, or cauliflower, and scrub up your roots. While warming a bit of olive oil on medium, begin slicing your veggies into bite sized pieces. Keep the pieces a little on the large size, for the most visual pizzaz. Keep an eye on your olive oil, and as soon as it is warm, gently add the veggies, a few at a time. Your roots may take the longest to cook, so start with them, then the pods, peas, or favas. Next add the broccoli and cauliflower, followed by peppers and squash, and last add the chopped greens. Allow each addition a minute or two of cooking time, before adding the next ingredient. Stir between each addition, and after you add the greens, add ½ cup of water or broth and turn heat to low. Your veggies will only need another five minutes, max. You can stir them every minute or so, to check for wilting and tenderness. As soon as the greens are wilted, it’s ready to serve.

To make this simple dish a full meal, you can add tofu, boneless chicken, or savory sausage and cook thoroughly, before you start adding your veggies. Serve with pasta, rice, or a whole grain pilaf, a bit of bread or salad, and garden fresh strawberries for desert. Yumm!

Small Buildings, Small Gardens - Creating Gardens around Structures:

If you are thinking of updating or expanding your landscaping, do yourself a favor and check out this book. I learned more about landscape philosophy and design from Small Buildings, Small Gardens than I did from college horticulture classes and the UC Davis Master Gardener’s Program. The ideas presented here are easy to understand, make sense, and are applicable to all we do in our yards and gardens, whether or not we have small buildings. If you are thinking of adding any small buildings, arbors, trellises, or other garden structures--you will find tons of tips on placement and design. These tips could make the difference between ho-hum and spectacular. Author, Gordon Hayward, trains your eye--through easy to understand text and the inclusion of pictures that are worth a thousand words. The very best designs are not the result of spending more money; but rather the result of developing a careful level of observation. Small Buildings, Small Gardens - Creating Gardens around Structures, by Gordon Hayward, published by Gibbs Smith, 2007, ISBN 978-1-58685-705-9

Digging the Dirt / May in the Garden

2011-05-09T08:02:00.000-07:00

When Food Prices Rise, Planting a Garden is Wise

Sticker shock increasingly hounds our food shopping decisions. Unfortunately, this trend is set to continue, at least through next winter, as both fuel and food prices continue to rise. Several factors are at play, forcing staple supplies to dwindle while demand increases. First, looking at the supply side, climate change and other forces have brought agricultural woes to nearly every continent. Australia, Africa, Asia, and Europe have all had major crop failures affecting grains and other staples; more crop failures are predicted for this year--including right here in the US. Meanwhile, less land has been devoted to growing food; because of urbanization, industrialization, and demand for agricultural crops to produce ethanol and bio-diesel.

Demand for bio-fuels ties food prices to fuel prices, and fuel is still going up. (Meanwhile, most of our food is planted, tended, harvested, stored, and transported using large amounts of fuel, further tying the costs of food to petroleum.) Other factors contributing to demand include our growing planetary population and the increasing middle class in China and India-- who now consume more grain and more grain fed animal products than ever before. In the world-wide economy, there are many demands on the available food. Prices are expected to continue going up until the supply meets or exceeds the demand. (For more information and documentation see: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/harvests_thoughts/)

It’s Time to Get Growing!

Whether you want to help keep your families food budget in bounds, or are thinking of growing a market garden to make a little cash, there has never been a better time to get growing. While tomatoes, peppers, and summer squash are part of the pleasures of summer, with food prices on the rise, I would like to encourage everyone to plant some crops that can be saved for winter. Here are some ideas.

Jerusalem Artichokes are at the top of the list for productivity. Plant them now, and dig their delicious tubers beginning this fall. Each plant produces between five and fifteen pounds of food! (They can be very expensive in catalogs; however, they are available at reasonable prices locally.)

Pumpkins and Winter Squash store well, are easy to grow, nutritious, and yummy. Seeds and starts are widely available at nurseries and generally reasonably priced.

Potatoes thrive in cool moist weather. Anytime you find yourself in possession of sprouting potatoes you can plant them in the home garden. Mulch them well for the best crops. I have been teaming up potatoes with squash. If we don’t have a hot summer, at least the potatoes should produce; and if the sun decides to warm things up, the squash will help shade the potatoes.

Painted Mountain Flour Corn (not the related Painted Mountain Sweet Corn) was bred to withstand both drought and cool soils. Flour corn is easy to grow, dry, and can then be stored to use with beans in soup. You can also grind it for grits and corn meal.

Consider growing some small grains for nutrition and food security, here are some suggestions for both hot weather and cool wet weather. (The La Nina weather pattern is predicted to continue; keeping our weather cool and moist. I don’t really trust the predictions. I say be prepared for anything.)

Amaranth generally produces well whether the weather is hot or cool. Choose large grained varieties.

Buckwheat likes cool damp weather. Purchase it from bulk bins at health food store or larger grocery stores. Be sure you get raw buckwheat and not roasted buckwheat grouts.

Millet, pair Japanese millet which can stand waterlogged soils with Proso millet which can take the heat and is easy to thresh.

Quinoa can take cool damp weather, choose a large seeded variety.

Last but not least, add some legumes. Legumes (beans and peas) fix nitrogen and improve the soil, and they form a complete protein when paired with grains. Most beans can be eaten green as a vegetable or let mature to dry for soup beans. Here are a few of suggestions for soup beans that will improve your family’s food security:

Anasazi beans can take the drought, and can be purchased from bins at the health food store.

Runner Beans like cool moist weather and are commonly available in many catalogs.

Fava Beans are easy to grow and all parts are edible including the leaves, flowers, green beans, and dry beans. Available in many catalogs and also in bulk bins.

You can also do your own research on other varieties. In fact, the more diverse the seed bank we can create in our gardens, the more secure our food supply will be. Try to choose two varieties of each crop you want to grow; one adapted to drought, and one adapted to cool or damp climates. That way, no matter what the weather does, you are prepared.

If you can get your seed started by the first of June, at the very latest, and if the weather co-operates, you should be able to harvest a bountiful crop this fall. All the seed varieties mentioned above can be ordered from “Bountiful Gardens,” if you can’t find them locally. Their catalog and web site is very informative. You can order seeds or request a catalog on-line: http://www.BountifulGardens.org or by phone: (707) 459-1925.

What, Me Garden?

The Klamath Trinity (zone 8 in the river valleys) area is truly the Garden of Eden, and yes, even you can grow a garden! Right now local gardens are bursting with greens—giant red Japanese mustard, collards, kale, arugula, lettuce, and garlic chives. Spring signals the beginning of the seed setting season. Many greens are blooming with edible flowers. The early garlic and chives have fat buds, and the top setting onions provide some comedic relief with their crazy curly not quite flowering tops. Potato plants are surging upwards and seedling squash are getting their start. Winter parsnips are ready to be dug, while last spring’s parsnips are shooting juicy edible bolts upward to burst into bloom. Peppers and tomatoes are waiting their turn to sink their roots into deep earthworm rich soil. Meanwhile, the beneficial insects and pollinators make a happy buzz among the flowers; promising pest control this season and an ample supply of seeds for next year’s garden. If you are not sure where to start, search on line or ask for advice at your local nursery.

Not Only Can You Garden – You Can Farm!

Every economic down turn or crises offers opportunities; the next big winners are projected to be small, local, organic farms and market gardens. If you ever thought of trying your hand at farming, now would be a great time to explore the idea further. “You Can Farm, The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Start and Succeed in a Farming Enterprise,” offers great advice. Author, Joel Salatin, shares the ten most profitable ventures for start-ups, as well as how to grow and diversify. He encourages everyone, even those who do not own land, to not only farm, but to make good money at it. His best advice is to gain experience before investing or borrowing. He encourages all would be farmers to volunteer with local producers to learn the ropes. Hopefully, our local farmers will be increasing production (sustainably of course) and will need all the help they can get. If you’re interested, consider starting as a volunteer--perhaps in trade for produce; but you have also got to read this book. You Can Farm, by Joel Salatin, published by Polyface, Inc., ISBN 0-9638109-2-8. Available by request from book stores, libraries, and on-line.

Get Comfy with Comfrey

2011-05-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

Published in the Hoopa People Paper 6.07
Copyright Harvest McCampbell

Whether you are interested in herbs or a seeking a hardy perennial flowering plant that can star in your borders and flower beds there is a comfrey for you. These ornamental and historical plants are useful for natural skin care, as an ingredient for mulch and compost, and they look great in the garden. Their graceful flowers also attract hummingbirds. That’s a whole lot of benefit from one plant that can be easily grown in full sun or part shade.

Comfrey has been grown in herb gardens since at least 400 BC. This ancient herb was used for its healing properties in early Europe and Asia. In fact, comfrey is still well known for its soothing effect on the skin. If you purchase natural skin care products check out their labels. Sometimes extracts are identified as allantoin, one of the main constituents found in comfrey, particularly the roots. Allantoin, which is also found in mother’s milk, promotes healing by stimulating cell growth and division.

The soothing and healing properties of comfrey can easily be used at home. Comfrey water can be made by pounding three or four fresh comfrey leaves and stems with a mortar and pestle. No mortar and pestle available at your house? Chop up the leaves and stems and whiz them in the blender or food processor with just enough water to keep everything moving. Place your pulverized comfrey in a large pitcher or gallon jar and fill the rest of the way with water. Cover your brew and leave it out on the counter over night, then strain it carefully through a fine sieve or a few layers of cheese cloth. Comfrey has fine hairs that some people find irritating – so don’t skip the careful straining. The comfrey pulp can be added to your compost heap or tucked under the mulch in your garden. It is especially beneficial for seedlings and transplants.

Your comfrey water should be kept in the refrigerator (after a few days use any leftovers to water your plants). Pour some into a spray bottle and use it as moisturizing and cooling spritz for skin and hair. It will give your skin an invigorating glow. You can add a cup or two to your bath water for an all over salon skin treatment. If you have aches and pains try soaking a cloth in the comfrey water and applying the cloth to the painful area. As the cloth picks up your body heat you can rinse it and dip it into a bowl of the cool comfrey water and reapply. This also makes an easy at home facial for when you come home from work hot and exhausted.

Before applying any comfrey preparations to large amounts of skin, be sure to patch test to check for sensitivity or allergy. This is a good idea with any new products or preparations you might want to use. If you are going to get hives, which is unlikely, it is much better to get them in a tiny patch than all over. (Speaking of getting hives all over, someday I will have to tell you what I did to myself with some nettle tea – but that is a different story.)

In addition to using comfrey externally, ancient people also considered it a pot herb and used it much like spinach or kale. The roots were dug and scrubbed and used to thicken stews and soups. Today comfrey is no longer recommended as a food. Science has discovered it contains constituents that, in large quantities, can harm the liver. Many herbalists still stand by comfrey. You may find it listed as an ingredient in various herbal preparations. I would recommend doing some diligent research before ingesting comfrey or feeding it to your animals. Even if you have no intention of utilizing comfrey, it still makes a hardy ornamental plant for the landscape.

Fine Gardening Magazine recently featured a lovely variegated comfrey in their April 2007 edition. The article, “Variegated Plants Create Drama,” had a full page color photo where ‘Axminster Gold Comfrey’ was the star. This selection from the more common dark green Russian comfrey sports broad irregular bands of gold along each twelve inch leaf’s border. Clumps grow to two feet tall by two to three feet wide and will produce small showy blue bell type flowers in late spring and early summer. These plants thrive in partial shade or full morning sun with afternoon shade. A closely related plant, ‘Goldsmith Comfrey,’ is much easier to find. Goldsmith is nearly identical to Axminster, except the clumps only grow to about a foot tall and wide and the flowers are a creamy yellow.

Also with creamy yellow flowers, Creeping Comfrey will slowly spread to form a care free ground cover. It grows from eight to eighteen inches high. It is especially appealing when planted just under the edge of taller shrubs and perennials. I grew this plant for many years near Sacramento in a spot between two buildings. It had shade most of the day, but when the sun hit, it was harsh. Rare plant collectors may find varieties of creeping comfrey with variegated leaves or red flowers. These types are not as hardy as the commonly available creeping comfrey.

Red Flowered Comfrey forms clumps to two feet tall. It is often sought out by herb gardeners as a novelty plant. It is more tolerant of full shade than some of the other varieties. Hummingbirds are particularly fond of this one when it is in bloom. I have grown Red Flowered Comfrey in several different locations over the years and find that it is not nearly as hardy or long lived as Russian Comfrey.

My favorite comfrey plant has to be the old standard known as Russian Comfrey. I have two plants in my garden here in Hoopa, where they have been thriving for many years. I started these plants from divisions of the ones I previously grew in the Sacramento area. The original plants are still thriving in that garden, over eleven years since I moved. I know the gardener there very well, and I can guarantee they are not getting watered with any regularity. Russian comfrey is the type preferred for use in skin care. It forms clumps up to three feet tall and four feet across and has lovely blue bell type flowers in late spring and summer. While it needs regular watering through its first summer, it is fairly drought tolerant once established.

Pest very rarely bother comfrey, including gophers, so it is safe to plant it directly in the ground. The main consideration in planting comfrey, especially Russian comfrey – is that it is very hard to kill. The good news is; it won’t spread around your garden, as long as you don’t disturb its roots. Don’t plant it near where you till or plough, unless you want lots of comfrey. Clumps go dormant over winter, which is the best time to divide them, if you want to start more plants to share with your friends.

Plants are often available at local nurseries, health food stores, and through mail order and on-line catalogs. If you don’t find comfrey where you shop for plants, Richter’s Herb Catalog carries most of the comfrey varieties mentioned above. You can find them at http://www.Richters.com You can also call to request a very complete and informative free catalog: 905-640-6677.

Climate Change Affecting Crops Around the World

2011-04-18T10:37:00.000-07:00

Below you will find a list of links to articles on climate change and weather related crop damage. I have just included articles from this year, on damage that happened this year. I have not included any articles on feared or as yet unassessed damage. Since most food enters the world market, and since those who are not able to produce their own local food will need to purchase food from the world market, all crop losses affect each and every one of us. Even, for instance, if you don’t eat anything with citrus or cotton oil ingredients, those who do will need to eat other foods, and that will likely affect the availability and price of all foods. We are all connected, we are all related . . .

Time to get your gardens on! Gardens and gardeners are much more able to adjust for weather and climate change than are large scale farmers. Right now I am starting genetically diverse warm and cool season crops, because we really don’t know what the weather will do . . .

The Florida citrus freeze, 1/11:

http://www.daiseyinsurance.com/images/crops.jpg

Cotton crops destroyed by flooding in Austrailia, 1/11:

http://www.moneynews.com/Markets/CottonSurgesbyExchangeLimitasAustraliaFloodsDamageCrops/2011/01/11/id/382534 (While we don’t think of cotton as a food crop, the oil and the seeds are used in processed foods for people, and livestock feed.)

Freezing weather destroys crops in India, 1/11:

http://english.ntdtv.com/ntdtv_en/ns_asia/2011-01-12/532768299662.html

Freezing weather damages crops in Texas, 2/11:

http://www.oaoa.com/articles/livestock-60396-cold-temperatures.html

Freezing weather effects winter crops in Mexico, 2/11:

http://www.truthistreason.net/mexicos-big-freeze-80-100-of-crops-damaged-expect-shortages-and-higher-prices and http://geology.com/news/2011/winter-crop-damage-in-mexico.shtml

Hail, unseasonable rain damage crops in India, 2/11:

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-02-17/jaipur/28554560_1_hailstorm-unseasonal-rain-crops

Sugar beets and oats damaged by frost in Great Brittan, 2/11:

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2011/02/01/125304/Crop-Watch-Dealing-with-frost-damage.htm

Cyclones and rain destroy sugar crops in Australia and India, 2/11:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-02-02/sugar-rises-to-30-year-high-on-speculation-storm-to-damage-australian-crop.html

Tasmania suffers massive crop damage from floods and torrential rain 3/11:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/03/24/3172882.htm

Soy beans damaged by untimely rain in Brazil 3/11:

http://discussions.agweb.com/showthread.php?12004-Crop-damage-in-S.A.

Frost damage to crops in India fuels farmer suicides, 3/11

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_declare-crop-damage-due-to-frost-as-national-calamity-bjp_1514087

Rain and wind damaged wheat crops in Pakistan 4/11:

http://nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/Islamabad/18-Apr-2011/Rains-damage-wheat-gram-crops

Hail, wind, & rain damage crops in India, 4/11:

http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2011/04/16/hailstorms-damage-crops-across-states-in-india/

Hail damages crops in Fresno County CA, 4/11:

http://www.fresnobee.com/2011/04/08/2343218/snow-blankets-mountains-valley.html

Hail damages crops in Minnesota, 4/11:

http://minneotamascot.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2130:crop-damage-plentiful

Digging the Dirt / April in the Garden

2011-03-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

Digging the Dirt / April in the Garden

Gardeners and farmers have tried to predict the weather since ancient times. Seers were once sought out in their high mountain retreats, while other folks developed systems for reading nature’s signs--both here on earth and up in the heavens. Eventually, we established the science of meteorology; however, with global warming and climate change, we might be better off with an old fashioned seer.

We are all hoping up for a nice warm growing season; yet, it might be wise to add a row or bed of adaptable cool weather crops to our summer plantings (think in terms of leaves and roots). They might not provide much produce if the weather turns broiling hot; but our beloved tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers may fail us if the sun takes too long to chase off all these clouds. In case you need some ideas for alternative crops, here is a great book—hot off the press:

Buried Treasures, Tasty Tubers of the World

This great title from Brooklyn Botanic Garden will spark your interest in all sorts of edible roots for the garden. Over 30 different root crops are covered, and not a single one of them is related to a parsnip, carrot, turnip, or radish. Some of these crops need warmer climates than ours, but nearly half of them are listed as adaptable to our area, and some thrive in wet boggy conditions. Buried Treasures features full color photos of the plants and their resulting root crops. Complete growing information is provided. Tips on available cultivars, nutritional value, and preparation are also included. This small book is well designed, affordable, and would make a great gift for gardeners who want to grow it all. Available from most on line book sellers and by request from bookstores everywhere; Buried Treasures, Tasty Tubers of the World, Beth Hanson – editor, published by Brooklyn Botanic Garden, ISBN 978-1-889538-34-1

Plant now: Jerusalem Artichokes for Heat or Rain

Jerusalem artichokes actually have nothing to do with Jerusalem or artichokes. They are related to sunflowers, native to North America, and have been used for food by people native to the North East Woodlands and the tall grass plains since ancient times. Jerusalem artichokes are considered carbon-fixers, as they extract large amounts of carbon from the atmosphere, which they use to grow their sturdy stalks and produce an abundant crop. They also scavenge nitrogen and are considered beneficial around compost and manure piles, and stock and animal pens. The excess nitrogen that may be found in these areas can leach into our ground water and our rivers and streams, where it is a pollutant that contributes to unhealthy algae bloom. Jerusalem artichokes absorb the nitrogen and turn it into organic matter. This is a great crop that is good for you and good for the environment also.

These tasty and productive tubers do fabulous here in the Klamath Trinity region. They like full sun but will still produce in partial shade. Watch out, Jerusalem artichokes grow from six to fifteen feet tall, and they have a tendency to sprawl. A sunny spot along a fence or a building makes a good choice, just be prepared to cut any stalks that lean the wrong way. Be sure to plant plenty, as our local gophers will want their fair share. However, they are so prolific that even when the gophers have free run you should have plenty eat and to give away. They can also be planted in raised beds with hardware cloth bottoms or in oak half barrels that have drainage holes. That way you don’t have to plant enough to share with those dastardly little diggers.

Jerusalem artichokes are propagated from their tubers, which can be planted right now. Check with your local nursery or your favorite health food store--many will have tubers or starts available. (If you have trouble finding them, drop me an e-mail harvest95546@yahoo.com. Use “JA” as the subject line. I will make sure you find some starts.) The tubers should be planted about three times as deep as they are thick, orientating them in the ground so the most pronounced eyes or buds are pointed up. (If you plant them too shallow they will be more prone to sprawling.) The plants will grow faster, taller, and be more productive in good garden loam, however, you can still expect a sizable crop if you grow them in heavy clay or sandy soil. They benefit from a little summer time irrigation if the weather is dry and the leaves start looking droopy, but they can withstand a fair amount of drought, and they should also survive and produce during cool wet summers. Leave the plants in place until late October or early November. If our fall frost arrives late, the tops will be decorated with tons of bright yellow to orange daisy like flowers. The flowers are great for arrangements, if you can reach them, and they attract butterflies and other beneficial insects.

Once the plants are done flowering or the tops have been killed by frost, you can begin to dig your tubers. Expect each plant to produce five to fifteen pounds! They keep best in the ground, so only dig as many as you want for a few days at a time. (Be sure to leave a few behind, for next year’s crop.) These tubers can range in size from a few ounces up to two pounds each. They are odd shaped and knobby and can be a little difficult to wash. However, they don’t need peeled, and they only have fifty calories per full cup. Jerusalem artichokes taste best raw. They are crisp, sweet, and crunchy. (Think water chestnuts or jicama.) I like to eat them just like an apple. They can also be diced or grated into salads. Cooked, they make great mashed potatoes, and they can be added to soups, stir fries, stews, and casseroles. After cooking they have a mild but distinctive flavor and their texture is similar to cooked parsnips or turnips.

I will offer one small word of caution. The starch in Jerusalem artichokes is in the form of inulin, which is considered very beneficial for diabetics. However, some folks find that eating Jerusalem artichokes feels like a belly full of beans; especially the first time they give them a try. So start with a snack. Later, if you like, you can think about working up to a whole meal. You will find a gourmet recipe in Buried Treasures, Tasty Tubers of the World, and lots more by searching on the Internet.

__________

“No ray of sunlight is ever lost, but the green it wakes into existence needs time to sprout, and it is not always granted to the sower to live to see the harvest. All work that is worth anything is done in faith.” Albert Schweitzer, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, 1952

_________

Here's another tip--if you haven't already begun starting seeds for warm season crops like tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and squash--now is the time. They need a nice warm spot with bright light to get a head start. If your ground is ready to be worked, you can plant cool season crops like lettuce, cabbage, and broccoli right out side. Use the search function at the top left of this page to get more information on what you want to grow--and if you don't find all the information you need--please feel free to leave a comment . . . .

Controlling Tomato Horn Worms Organically

2011-03-14T12:31:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked about organic solutions to tomato hornworm infestations. They can be controlled through hand picking, thinking like an ecosystem, using crop rotation and soil solarization, as well as growing super productive tomatoes that can tolerate some predation.

Hand picking is often all you need to do. Go out after dark or before dawn with a flash light. Horn worms, slugs, and many other pests do most of their feeding in the dark. You can carry an empty plastic container of some kind, like what peanut butter or yogurt comes in. It will need to be big enough to contain all your “finds.” Then simply pick the creatures off the plants, drop them in the container and put the lid on. If you have chickens, ducks, or guineas--offer them your finds. You will soon learn which sorts of pests they will be happy to devour and which they detest. (By the way, guineas and runner ducks are supposed to get along very well with gardens—you could simply let them into the garden when pests get out of hand, and they will devour the bugs and slugs. Chickens are a little more problematic, leave them in the garden a minute too long, and they will eat your plants down to the roots. ) If you don’t have hungry birds, the container can be left in a sunny place for a few hours, or the contents can be dropped into a bucket of water. These pests are high in nitrogen so consider adding them to the materials used in the compost hole method: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=124895&id=588082483

When you think like an ecosystem, you know that every source of protein and be eaten by something. This is as true for tomato horn worms as it is for any other pests. Toads, wasps, and skunks are your friends--they will search out tomato hornworms and devour them. Skunks might seem a little hard to live with, but if you talk softly and avoid sudden movements when they are around, they grow accustomed to your presence and generally make good neighbors. Loud noises and sudden movement, on the other hand, can trigger their well known defenses.

As crazy as it may sound, wasps also like to be talked to softly, and they dislike sudden movements. When a wasp flies up near you, hold still and let it “scan” you. It will fly back and forth and up and down very close to you, and memorize what you look and smell like. It might even land on your hand or shirt briefly and walk around. If you are calm and quiet, there are usually no negative consequences. They learn who lives near them and can tell friend from foe. I once had a wasp nest over my door, and my son and I, as well as our friends, came and went without any problem. But one day a neighbor came to the door and started yelling and the wasps all flew down and chased her away. Having wasps for friends’ pays very nice dividends. Wasps’ most favorite food is caterpillars. They will seek tomato hornworms, chew them into pieces, and carry any pieces they don’t immediately devour back to their nests for their young. I find wasps to be very lovable neighbors for a number of reasons.

Toads are great in the garden also. They eat caterpillars, slugs, and many other garden pests. Like all wildlife, they prefer slow movements and soft voices. However, unlike skunks who will most likely make their home in a wild place, and wasps who can make their homes just about any place, toads may need you to design some habitat just for them. For more information on developing toad habitat see my article: “Hedging for Amphibians.” http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2010/11/hedging-for-amphibians.html

Crop rotation can help control tomato hornworms. Plant your tomatoes as far as you can from the spot where the tomato hornworms bothered them last. The hornworm pupa over winter in the soil. When spring arrives the moths emerge and lay their eggs on your young plants to start the cycle all over again. If you have enough room to let some of the garden be fallow for a few months, do a little research on soil solarization: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soil_solarization If you set up your solarization in the fall, or before it gets warm in the late winter or early spring, it should rid your ground of the horn worms you have now. However, the adults can still fly in and lay eggs. Some people find that planting garlic and basil can help detour the moths. But this only works if the local population is not too high. The moths’ biological imperative is to find an appropriate home for the next generation. If there is lots of competition for those homes they will hunt for good spots all the harder.

Last but not least you can try growing some super tomato plants that can produce enough food for you and the hornworms. Start with the compost hole method mentioned above: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=124895&id=588082483 Tomatoes thrive on soil prepared in this way. Choose indeterminate heirlooms (see: http://www.tomatofest.com/tomato-questions.html for more information on what this means) and don’t pinch them back or prune them unless it is really necessary (your hornworms will take care of the pruning for you). These tomatoes can out grow a moderate horn worm infestation. You may still need to do some hand picking—and encourage predators is always a good idea, but there should be enough for everyone. (This is exactly what I did last year. Even with a moderate hornworm infestation, by the end of the summer I was pruning armloads of new growth off the tomato plants every week. There was more than enough for everyone!)

If you have any questions, tips, or comments--please feel free to share them here, on my face book photo albums, or on any of my face book threads. You will need to send me a face book friend request, before you can comment there, but I do generally add everyone who asks.

Happy gardening!

Digging the Dirt / March in the Garden

2011-02-23T13:40:00.000-08:00

This originally appeared in The Two River's Tribune as one of my monthly garden columns. Unfortunately I am not certain which year.

Digging the Dirt / March in the Garden

March is the beginning of the gardening year for many folks. It is time to beginning thinking about where you want to place your new garden or flower beds, do any last minute pruning of roses and perennials, and get ready to start seeds for all the glorious summer flowers and vegetables. One of the hardest things about these beguiling weeks of mild, pre-spring weather is that it can turn freezing cold at the snap of a finger. Fortunately, there are plants that can be planted right now and take a freeze; but first, you might want to prepare new planting beds.

New Beds with Less Work

The easiest technique for starting new beds comes to us from the proponents of no till gardening. All you have to do is mark out where your new beds will be placed, mow, cut, or pull any weeds, smooth any displaced soil, cover with any soil amendment(s) of your choice (compost, composted manure, coffee ground; or kelp, bone, or blood meal, etc.), cover the beds with newspaper or cardboard, and lastly cover with a layer of mulch. Your mulch can be shredded plant material from your garden, from the local tree service, sawdust from one of our local mills, or fluffed up straw from a local feed, garden, or hardware store. Shredded bark or bark chips also work well and can last a long time, but they will cost you a bit more to start with.

When you get ready to plant your home grown or nursery purchased seedlings, simply pull back the mulch, cut through the card board or newspaper, use a trowel to make a small planting hole, tuck in your seedling, and scrunch the mulch back over the newspaper or cardboard.

Reduce Slugs before they Reduce Your Seedlings

Before planting your seedlings, you might want to take a few slug reduction measures. Flat beer, placed in repurposed wide mouth plastic bottles, works wonders. Just pour a few of inches of beer into your bottle and use some mulch to prop them up on their sides. The slugs crawl in and they don’t crawl out. When there is no more room in the tavern, you can pull back your mulch and pour the stale beer and slugs out on the ground. Give them a decent burial under your mulch, and get the tavern open for business as soon as possible.

Magazines and slick newspaper inserts make handy slug traps. For each trap you want one or two pages of slick paper. Simply fold the sheets in quarters, make a hole in one corner, and poke a small stick through one corner to hold them in place. Place them strategically around your garden in the afternoon or evening. In the morning check, and collect any slug filled traps. You should find the slimy guys hiding on the bottom or in between the pages. You can toss the traps, slugs and all--in the wood stove, in a bucket of water, or place the traps on something solid and stomp them flat and throw them in the compost pile. Those of you who keep poultry, other birds, or who have pet reptiles and amphibians can see if your animals will enjoy a slug snack. Ducks and chickens usually love them, but not all birds do. I once gave some slugs to a neighbor’s emu and got them spit right back in my face. You should have seen the look on that birds face. Oh well, it’s the thought that counts, right?

Time to Plant Outside:

Cabbage, kale, mustards, collards, lettuce, corn salad, arugula, endive, escarole, and many other tasty and healthful “greens” can be planted right now, either from seeds or starts. Keep in mind, that all plants referred to as greens may not actually be green colored; however, the part most often consumed is the leaves. One of my new favorites has such dark leaves that they are sometimes described as black.

Tuscan Kale is also called dinosaur kale and black kale. It has long narrow crinkly leaves, grows into a large striking plant up to three or four feet tall, and can live for several years. It can be planted along the edges of the vegetable garden or in mixed perennial borders. Check your local nurseries or favorite catalogs for starts and seeds. Once you get some Tuscan Kale going, you will be glad you did. Not only are the leaves attractive and tasty, the immature flower heads are absolutely the best. Snap them off with a couple inches of the thick juicy stem and the small terminal leaves. If you take a bite from the stem end, you are going to have problems getting them into the kitchen, they are that good. Imagine some sweet, tender, and juicy broccoli and you have a pretty good idea what Tuscan kale “bolts” are all about.

Tuscan kale can be started indoors or out, right now. It can take a light frost or even a sprinkling of snow, but if your ground is frozen or covered in a deep snow, either wait for spring or get it started inside. If you live above the snow line, you might want to keep one Tuscan kale plant in a large container, so you can shelter it over the winter and hope for those delicious bolting flower heads next spring.

Start Summer Veggies Indoors:

Winter squash, watermelons, edible and ornamental gourds, as well as eggplants and tomatoes can be started indoors this month. They will need a warm bright window, or special lights and a heating mat to thrive. If starting seeds indoors is not your idea of a good time, be reassured that our local nurseries will be stocked with all kinds of vegetable plants in the next few months.

Produce in the Kitchen

Tuscan Kale is the star in my garden right now, the dark green leaves add lots of flavor to soups, stews, and one of my favorite dishes—Dirty Rice. Any greens that you happen to have growing can be used; red or green cabbage leaves, mustard, collards, and spinach are all likely to be found in the garden this time of year, and they will work just fine. First, put half a cup of black beans in a medium sized sauce pan or a rice cooker with two cups of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer the beans for about two hours, checking frequently and adding more water if necessary. Then add a cup of brown rice, a sliced carrot or two, some diced onion, and one or two large or several small diced leaves from Tuscan kale or other greens. Add two more cups of water, any seasonings you are hankering for, and let it cook for another hour, checking occasionally. If you have a rice cooker of an old fashioned pot with a double decker steamer basket, add some more veggies and/or shrimp to the basket and check frequently. Remove the veggies as they become tender. The dirty rice is ready to serve as soon as the rice is tender.

For Rose Lovers

“Complete Roses” from the Creative Homeowner series might be just the book you have been waiting for. Lavishly illustrated from the front cover through nearly every page of the text, you are sure to find the perfect rose for that certain corner of your landscape. Unlike most rose tomes, this one advocates natural and nontoxic solutions for rose problems. You will find chapters on: types and uses of roses, how to improve your soil, selecting the right rose for your needs, companion plants for roses, caring for roses, controlling pests and disease, propagating your rose plants, as well as a gallery of easy care roses. The gallery includes the history of the various groups of roses, so even if you have plenty and are expert in their care, you might learn some great stories about where they originated and who developed them. “Complete Roses” would make a great coffee table book or a great gift; available from most on-line book sellers or by request from your favorite book stores. “Complete Roses,” by Field Roebuck, published by Creative Homeowner, 2007, ISBN 978-1-58011-372-4.

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If you enjoy this article and want to see the one for April, add me on facebook, Harvest McCampbell, and give me a reminder near the end of March. Questions, comments, and tips are always welcome.

Compost Hole Method, Part 3

2011-02-15T19:19:00.000-08:00

Please see Compost Hole Method, Part 1. if you haven't already.

Step 11. Plant your seeds (or starts).

Step 11. Continued: cover the seeds with soil, but not too much. Many seeds need light to germinate.

Gently smooth the soil.

Step 12, optional: Plant sticks to mark the spot and to discourage cats and birds.

Step 13: Make plant labels. Many types of plastic containers lend them selves well to this task.

Label with the variety and the date.

Step 13. Water gently and make an effort to keep evenly moist, but not soggy.

And wait for your seeds to start growing.

Here are some tiny ruby red card seedlings, they will grow up to resemble the plants in Part 1.

To the right are baby giant red Japanese mustard seedlings. Mature plants are also pictured in Part 1.

If you have any questions, please feel free to leave them in comments, or better yet, add me as a friend on facebook. I have a number of gardening photo albums there that you may find interesting.

If you have a favorite way to process your kitchen scraps, please feel free to share!

All text and photos Copyrighted, 2011, Harvest McCampbell

Compost Hole Method, Part 2

2011-02-15T14:42:00.000-08:00

Please see Compost Hole Method, Part 1.

Step 6, on your right: Sweep your floor, or gather fall leaves or twigs, or tear up junk mail. Animal hair (as shown) or even human hair is a great addition. It tends to discourage rodents, it adds slow release nitrogen, and it helps keep the soil from compacting--which allows it to breathe and provides plenty of habitat for soil microorganisms to colonize.

Step 7: Layer dry organic matter into the top of your hole, alternating with crumbled soil. Here we see pet hair, which is a nice slow release source of nitrogen.

Step 7, continued, on the right: Fallen leaves and twigs also make good materials to layer with soil as you fill the hole. They will prevent compaction, provide pathways for roots, and food and habitat for micro-organisms. As they break down they also provide nutrients for your plants.

Step 7 continued, on the left: Layer in dry organic matter . . . here it is a torn up cellulose egg carton . . . Which will have the same effect as dry leaves. Junk mail, newspaper, cardboard, really anything dry organic matter you have handy will work.

Step 8, on the right: Top off with a layer of crumbled dirt.

Step 9, on the left: Smooth the surface.

Step 10, on the right, optional: Build a mini berm to keep the seeds from washing or blowing away. The same effect can be accomplished by leaving the the hole slightly depressed, however as the organic matter decomposes the soil level will subside leaving a nice watering basin at the base of your plants.

Continued in Part 3.

All text and photos Copyrighted, 2011, Harvest McCampbell