Real Food & Scandalous Gardening Secrets

California White Willow—Free if you dig your own

2009-05-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

I have California White Willow taking over part of my garden space. This is the willow used as an aspirin substitute, as the “brush” in Brush Dance, and it can also be used in basket weaving and bent wood projects. It is also used in restoration projects for bank and gully stabilization. Last but not least, it makes a good nutrient barrier between animal pens and water ways—and if you have goats or sheep, it makes good browse.

Anyone who wants to show up with a shovel and a bucket of river sand, compost, manure, or organic garden soil (to fill the whole you make) is welcome to come get a start. If you want me to ship you some starts—bare root—I will charge $10.00 to cover labor and shipping. (Fall or earlier in the spring would be better, but if you want to take your chances now I will send some out.) If you want me to pot some up for you, and care for them until you can come pick them up—or until they are recovered and growing--I’ll charge you $5.00 per 1 gallon pot.

Please contact me to make sure I still have starts available. I am on facebook (I use my full name: Harvest McCampbell—I have a pic of the white willow on facebook), e-mail probably works best: harvest95546@yahoo.com - harvest95546 @ yahoo.com (take out spaces), or by phone (530) 625-1164 (keep trying—before 8:00 or after 7:00 is best—otherwise I am probably on-line or in the garden). If, by some odd chance the willow starts are all taken, they will probably come back, so you can then check with me a few months later.

I always have all kinds of seeds and cuttings to share, and unusual things growing in my yard. If you are a gardener that is (or going to be) in the Hoopa area let me know and will make a time you can come by.

Thanks,

Harvest

Up with GMO and Down with Local???

2008-12-29T11:12:00.000-08:00

I woke up this morning with a couple of articles from the current issue of Organic Gardening Magazine on my mind. Even though I had tried to talk myself out of the futile effort of writing a letter to the editor (they never run my letters), I felt compelled. Perhaps by sharing my response with you, Dear Reader, the effort will be less futile, and together we can encourage intelligent thought, if not dialog, on the issues at hand.

The article I found most disturbing was called Organic + GMO? Here’s my response:
Organic + GMO? NO!

When I first read about genetic engineering to produce virus resistant crops, papayas in Hawaii were being discussed. My initial reaction was that it was a good thing. However, the more I thought about it, the more fool hardy that “good thing” seemed. If we utilized small farms to grow plots of intercropped and genetically diverse foods (and plants that attract beneficial creatures) the pests, diseases, and viruses would never get the upper hand. Genetic engineering, even when it is done for the “right reasons,” contributes to large mono-crop plantations, orchards, and mega fields. These in turn are easy prey to viruses, diseases, and pests. Once these problems adapt to a single plant, they have adapted to the entire genetically identical planting. At a time the planet is facing massive climate change, desertification, and crop failures—the prudent thing would be to encourage genetic diversity, regional and cultural varieties, and experimentation with underutilized food plants. Valuing the products of genetic engineering takes our personal food security out of our own hands and places it in mega-corporations back pockets. The result of this trend is increasing hunger around the world. Corporations may have a slick sales pitch, but we still have the power and intelligence to resist.

The second article, called Menus Matter More Than Miles, is a very misleading attempt to take our attention off of where our food comes from and direct us towards eating less commercial produced meat and dairy products. The reality is that we need to do both. I posted my response to this article on my little Harvest’s Thoughts page:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/harvests_thoughts/

If you would like to add your two cents to either of these topics, please feel free to use the comment or reply feature!

For more on all these issues, please request that your local library add Food Security & Sustainability for the Times Ahead to their circulating collection. You will be glad you did.
http://www.BioDiversePress.com

Just in case you wonder what else I think about, you can check out my recent post on Native Literature here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ncanativeeventsandnews/message/11998

And here are some winter photos from around my place:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=66996&l=c71b8&id=588082483

"Plan B" verses Grass Roots Action

2008-12-21T12:34:00.000-08:00

I am currently reading Plan B 3.0, Mobilizing to Save Civilization, by Lester R. Brown. He does a very good job of outlining the threats facing all of us today. If you are not up to speed on the fact that the planet is running out of irrigation water, threatening food production, you have got to read this book. He also covers the fact that we (meaning the whole planet) are already at peak agriculture production; however, our population is still booming. World food reserves are nearly drained, and thousands of more folks are going hungry every year. Meanwhile, continued plowing and deforestation are depleting the top soil, which we need to grow food, and the worlds deserts are growing. It is not a pretty picture, and he lines it all out in detail and with references and documentation. This is stuff we all need to know. It will be affecting us much sooner than you hope.

The problem I have with the Plan B—is that it seems to offer very few suggestions about what you and I can do. The one I have run across, so far, is about eating less animal protein, and while good advice, it is somewhat simplistic. He contends that the grain used to feed animals would feed far more people than the meat which results from animals eating the grain. This is well based in fact, for grain fed animals. And many of us should eat less animal protein—if for no other reason than our personal health. However, not all meat animals are fed grain. Pastured, grass fed, and free range animals are healthier for us. They often convert resources which would not otherwise produce food into something we can eat. Well managed grazers actually improve water and nutrient cycles and top soil; which is not mentioned in Plan B. For more information on beneficial uses of livestock see the work of Alan Savory (Holistic Management) and Joel Salatin (You Can Farm).

Plan B is rich with pricey solutions (we are talking billions of dollars) that the author, Lester R. Brown, seems to think that our governments are going to fund. I am not holding my breath. Something about our history, and about history in general, leads me to have little faith in any of our governments doing anything that makes sense. This is why I wrote Food Security & Sustainability for the Times Ahead. This little book will show you exactly what you need to do to ensure food security for yourself and your family—in a way that will expand that security to your community, your region, and the world. It is all about choices, a simple healthy diet, and getting involved with gardening and the local food movement. The plan outlined in Food Security & Sustainability will help you take small steps, one at a time. The end result, if enough of us start now, is that we will save ourselves and our planet.

Lester Brown can spend his time lobbing governments for billions of dollars. If he can get the money spent, soon enough and in an effective way, it will be a miracle. I am not going to hold my breath for that to happen. I am going to do what I can, right here and now. I hope you will join me. I believe we can save the planet through the choices we each make every day.

Harvest McCampbell

http://www.HarvestMcCampbell.com

What You Can Do About Food & Fuel Prices

2008-05-18T11:59:00.000-07:00

We have the power, in our own hands, to slow or stop the rise of fuel and food prices. The solution is easier than you might imagine, eloquent in its simplicity, and you can put it into action without making a time or monetary investment. To understand how this can work, first we will explore the connection between the price of food and the price of fuel.

Most of the food available at grocery stores, supermarkets, and discount chains is produced by large factory farms. Whether we are talking about huge acreages in corn, wheat, or lettuce, poultry and hog houses, or feed lots, all of these enterprises use huge amounts of fuel to produce the food we eat.

Taking a look at field and row crops, first, the land is plowed with large fuel hungry equipment, similar equipment is used for planting, controlling weeds, applying fertilizers and chemicals, and it may also be used to harvest the crop. The produce or grain is then processed, often by more fuel hungry machinery, stored in (energy consuming) climate controlled buildings, transported by fuel guzzling trucks or trains, all before it is packaged and transported to your local market. Animal products including meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy make similar journeys. However, these animals are generally fed lots of grain and may live in climate controlled buildings for their entire lives. The grain and climate control adds to the fuel, food, and energy demands these products make on our supplies, pushing prices upwards.

Ethanol, made primarily from corn (here in the United States) further ties the cost of food to the cost of fuel. Some farmers are choosing to grow crops destined to become fuel rather than food, because they can expect a higher return. We in turn, pay more for food, because less is produced. That is the old rule of supply and demand.

So far, I admit, I have not interjected anything new into this conversation. But here is another little tid-bit to ponder. Most of the electricity produced in the United States comes from burning fossil fuels. This ties demand for electricity to the cost of fuel and food. It is much harder for utility companies to raise prices than it is for gas stations and grocery stores, but when they begin the next round of rate hearings, we are bound not to like the outcome of our constant demands.

Many of us first heard of supply and demand when we were in grade school. I know I did. But I always thought this supply and demand was caused by those masses of people out there. You know the ones; they live in cities far, far away. Those people way over there, that we have never met, will never meet, and who really don’t care about the prices we have to pay. I bet you pretty much think the same thing about the rule of supply and demand. That it has nothing what-so-ever to do with you.

I woke up the other morning with the realization that it wasn’t those other people out there that created the supply and demand; it was me; you and me. It is actually all of us together. We definitely create the demands. Every time we flip a switch, every time we start an engine. We are the ones creating the demands on fuel and electricity; that ultimately raise not only their prices, but also the prices of our food. After you chew on that idea for a while, it is time to start thinking about what you can do.

Start by unplugging all those electric appliances that have a little light on them that shows they are plugged in. Those little lights represent tiny constant demands on electricity and fossil fuel. They may not be using much, but they are using some. They are driving up your bill, and everyone else’s too. The demands they create on fossil fuel drives up the cost of food. It is going to take you a few seconds to plug the appliance in when you need to use it, but it is worth it in the long run.

Next, think twice before you turn on that light. This takes a little practice, if like me, you are in the habit of flipping the switch every time you enter a room. I have been thinking of putting tape on all my switches, so I actually have to think about turning on the light. However, I have been getting better about not just automatically flipping the switch; and I have also gotten better at turning it off when I find it really doesn’t make a difference in how well I can complete a given task.

We have all heard about alternatives to driving our cars; really, for most of our lives. It’s time to get serious about this. Walk, bike, car pool, take the bus, or telecommute. (This is going to take a little more of an investment on your part, but it is for a noble cause.) I read about a US Secret Service agent who used to roller blade to work. Be creative and make it fun. You might also be able to find a job closer to home; or a home closer to work. For many folks that isn’t practical. But, if you keep in mind that food prices, not just for you—but for everyone, are tied to the demands we make on fuel, it might help you feel creative and motivated. Especially since there are folks on the planet being priced out of a place at the dinner table.

Once you have mastered some of these demand reducing measures, you might want to pass the word to friends and neighbors. You may find some folks willing to brainstorm about other things we can do to reduce the demands on power, energy, and fuel. Now let’s take a look at the supply side of food.

Folks, when food prices rise, growing a garden is wise. It contributes to the supply side of food, leaving more food in the system for those who, for whatever reason, cannot grow any for themselves. It will definitely save you money, and if enough of us do it, it might even slow the rising costs for everyone.

If you have never grown a garden, I promise it is both easier and more rewarding than you think. For the last few years I have had about fifty square feet under cultivation, and not only do I eat out of the garden every day all year long, last summer I was sharing produce with eight different households. I have been doing lots of research on climate change and food security, which tends to make me worry about food. (You can find some of the articles I have been reading about the on-going food crises here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/harvests_thoughts/messages and related articles on earth and climate change here: http://360.yahoo.com/harvest95546 Click on view blog.) But then I go out in the garden, and I am confronted by more food than I can possibly eat.

So, here is the plan—simple, eloquent, and easy to execute. Reduce demand on fuel and electricity; increase supply of food by gardening. Don’t worry, almost every one of us can do this.

If you don’t have room for a garden, you can find or start a community garden near you with help from this web site: http://www.communitygarden.org/

Or, if you aren’t ready to garden on your own, you may be able to find a small farm where you can do a work exchange, check out: http://www.wwoof.org/howworks.asp They list volunteer opportunities all around the world.

If you have no time at all, or are not physically able, you can still get involved with production through Community Supported Agriculture. Members of CSAs buy shares in local a local operation and in exchange they receive an equal divided share of the production. For more information and links to find a CSA in your area see: http://www.umassvegetable.org/food_farming_systems/csa/resources.html

For those who can garden, some suggestions on crops to grow that can be saved for winter (when prices are expected to continue to rise) see my article, When Food Prices Rise, Planting a Garden is Wise: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ncanativeeventsandnews/message/10750

If you need more tips on how to get started here are some of my blog posts you may find helpful.

Simple Garden Routine Useful for Bad Backs, No Time, Short Budgets:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/simple-garden-routine-useful-for-bad.html

Companion Planting:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/10/companion-planting.html

Inter-Cropping:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/04/inter-cropping.html

Here is some specific information on growing some of the foods mentioned in the article.

Pumpkins:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/05/jack-o-lanterns-pumpkin-pie.html

Fava Beans: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/11/fabulous-favas.html
That’s it for now . . . Just remember, to keep your foot off the gas pedal and grow some food.

Syndication Coming Right Up

2007-07-07T12:23:00.000-07:00

My Darling Readers,

I first started this blog as therapy after the accident in January 05 that left me with a traumatic brain injury. Very soon after starting the blog, much to my surprise, I found I was once again writing publication quality prose. I contacted my local newspaper (which I had written for in the past) and they were interested in running the article on “Cilantro.” You all first saw that article here. In a very short time those occasional articles lead to a weekly gardening column, “Digging the Dirt,” which I continued to post to the blog for a while.

As one thing tends to lead to another, I began a second column for our other local newspaper. This one is called “The Book Worm,” and it features classy books with a positive out-look on life. Once that column got going my blog was neglected. I am just way too busy to post her very often. But I want to thank all of you for reading and encouraging me!

Today, I am beginning another new phase in my writing. I am ready to begin syndicating my columns. If any of you living on zones 7-9 would like to see my gardening columns appear in your local newspaper, please let me know. If you send me the name of your local newspaper and the town and state where it is located, I can search for their web page and see if they are interested. harvest95546@yahoo.com Your recommendation just might help convince the publisher to give it a try.

Complete details about the columns are available on my web site. http://www.HarvestMcCampbell.com Check out the “Digging the Dirt” page for an offer for newspapers to run the column at no cost for a limited time . . .

Meanwhile, it is definitely summer! I have plums coming on and hope to make jam and plum butter very soon. Today I am going to roast garden fresh summer squash, garlic, parsnips, and greens in a new utensil I picked up recently. It looks like a wok with holes in it, made just for cooking on a grill. My raspberries and black berries have been keeping us in smiles. I hope your gardens are happy places too!

Frosty Flowers

2006-12-10T14:55:00.000-08:00

Hellebores are some of the toughest winter flowers. They are related to the hardy buttercups that decorate meadows with gold in spring. However, these beauties will produce winter flowers even with a few inches of snow on the ground. Hellebores niger, the Christmas rose, begins blooming in mid to late fall. Once established it will produce flushes of bloom straight through winter until spring. There are varieties with flowers ranging from white, pale yellow, to pink and deep rose. Flowers range from 1-1/2 to 3 inches across. They have a nodding bell like habit that is best displayed by growing in an elevated container. Plants grow about 12 inches tall and spread up to two feet when mature.

Another variety, the Lenten Rose (Hellebores orientalis) begins blooming in mid winter and continues through early spring. These plants are a little taller, from 18 inches up to two feet. They are available in all the same colors as the Christmas rose. They are just as care free and will produce cold season flowers just when you need a reminder of spring.

Consider growing your Hellebores in portable containers. They need shade in summer and winter cold, but they can stand being brought in the house for short periods of time. While the exact timing of their blooms can be a bit fickle, if you’re lucky, you might have blooms to showcase over the winter or spring holidays.

Once the weather warms up these plants tend to go dormant for a few weeks to a month. If you wish to plant them out in the garden, or move them to a larger container, this is the time. A spot with good drainage, summer shade, and lots of organic matter will make them happy. Once they send up new leaves they should be disturbed as little as possible. The buds for next winter’s flower show are hiding, dormant for now, in their attractive green foliage.

Hellebores are bothered by few pests. Even deer, slugs, and gophers are said to leave them alone. The plants are slightly toxic and were once used medicinally in Europe and Asia. While poisoning is rarely reported, they should not be planted where young children, pets, or livestock may be tempted to sample their foliage. If plants can be kept evenly moist and shaded over our hot summers, they should live up to ten years or more. Hellebores will occasionally self sow, and if happy the clumps will eventually become crowded and need divided. Whether you are looking for a unique hostess gift, something to dazzle winter time guests, or something special for a shady corner, Hellebores has a lot to offer.

There are a number of other easy plants that can provide winter time cheer, although few of them are as carefree as Hellebores. When visiting your garden center or nursery keep your eyes open for the following plants in six packs or four inch containers. For a winter show, you need to select plants with flower buds well formed or nearly ready to open.

There are several types of African Daisies that will bloom in winter. An open spot with good drainage or a container or raised bed will make them happy. Make sure the plants you purchase have nice fat flower buds. Most African Daisies are low growing, slow spreading plants. But there are many varieties, so be sure to read the plant labels so you know what you are getting.

Calendula was named for the calendar. It can produce flowers all through the year. Individual plants are short lived, but once you have them established they are reliable self sowers. For best luck with winter flowers, purchase budded plants from the nursery. These bright yellow, orange, and gold flowers like a sunny open spot.

Stocks are an old fashioned flower that can be coaxed into blooming during cool weather. Plant them near a south or west facing wall or fence or better yet, in a container placed on a sunny porch. These flowers only grow a foot or so high and tend to be rather spindly. However they make up for their lack of substance with a heady and delightful perfume.

Snap Dragons are often associated with summer, but if you find plants for sale with fat flower buds, you are in for a treat. New cultivars are available in a number of colors and flower forms including those that resemble azaleas, some with ruffled and double flowers, as well as the traditional snapping dragons. These flowers will tolerate some shade and soggy soil. However they make happier bushier plants when grown in a sunny well drained spot.

We covered Sweet Alyssum in a previous article, but it is worth mentioning again. It is a low growing perennial available in a number of colors. It can be planted at any time, and it will provide several flushes of blooms through out the year. They do best in an area with full sun and good drainage.

Winter time flowers are not really frivolous. They provide nectar and pollen to the good bugs that pollinate our food crops and that help us control pests. So while you beautify your yard, you can feel good about your contribution to the garden’s environment.

Hellebores plants can be ordered from Wayside Gardens: (800) 213-0379
http://www.waysidegardens.com Seeds for Hellebores and all the other plants mentioned are available from Thompson and Morgan: (800) 274-7333 http://www.thompson-morgan.com

That’s all for now, but stay tuned, next time we will be growing the very delectable winter herb, Sweet Cecily. Meanwhile, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, Nov 7, 2006. Posted here with permission. http://www.hoopa-nsn.gov/enterprises/newspaper.htm

Pics, not great:

http://www.helleborus.com/

Maybe a little better:

http://www.hellebore.com/species/niger/index.html

Slimy Slugs

2006-12-05T15:54:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time a long, long time ago, when my son was just a little boy - he wandered into the house with some slugs crawling around on his hand. I reacted like mothers everywhere are likely to react. With alarm and a loud shrill voice: “Get those ugly slugs out of the house.”

My son responded with the sweet innocence of childhood, “But Mom,” he exclaimed, “their beautiful. All slugs are beautiful.” His expression was of pained exasperation. “See?” He said, as he held them up for me to take a better look. I bent down, with a deep breath, biting my lip, to look at the slimy creatures. He pointed out their finer qualities, “See,” he said, “They have cute stripes down there back, just like chipmunks.”

“I guess,” was about the best reply I could muster, “But they don’t belong in the house. Please take them back outside. And then you need to wash up and come in for lunch.”

Slugs! I suppose they once were an integral part of creation. Food for amphibians and other important members of native food chains. But most of the slugs that hound our gardens originally came from Europe. No one actually brought any slugs over here on purpose. (Unlike snails, but that is a different story.) Slug eggs hiding in containers of soil involved in international horticultural trade were the culprits. It was all done accidentally. Now we have those little gray slugs, the “all slugs are beautiful” striped guys, and those giant reddish ones. We can hardly even imagine what it was like to garden without them. (I really want to garden without them!)

While I don’t really agree with the idea that all slugs are beautiful, I have learned to accept the fact that they are not all bad. I like toads, frogs, and salamanders. They think slugs (at least the smaller ones) are pretty yummy. And then there is the Leopard Slug. This guy is us gardeners’ hero. He is a carnivorous creature: his favorite prey is other slugs. Hurrah! Here is a web site where you can get a good look at this awesome guy: http://www.whatsthatbug.com/molluscs.html (Scroll down on the page, the second pictured leopard slug looks like the ones found in our local gardens.)

A few slugs in the garden, even the herbivore kind, can actually be beneficial. They help clean up decomposing plant matter and participate in the soil nutrient cycle. If they only nibble a little on the edges of your garden plants, your plants will respond by making more anti-oxidants – and that is good for you. But slugs in the garden often get out of hand. Their reproductive habits are odd and efficient. (The dang creatures are hermaphrodites, each party to the pro-creative act slither off to lay hundreds of eggs.) And modern gardeners may be caring for their yards and gardens in ways that discourage slug predators.

Amphibians are some of the most efficient slug predators around. They will happily devour young slugs by the dozens, nearly every day of the year. To insure our friends the toads, frogs, and salamanders make permanent homes in our gardens we must first attend to some of their basic needs. Just like us, they need shelter and water, in addition to their slimy dinners. Broad leaved evergreen shrubs, pruned to begin branching within 3 – 4 inches of the ground make great amphibian habitat. Check out friends, neighbors, and relatives yards. You are sure to find some interesting plants that you can try to start from cuttings or seeds. Or if you want to try something a little different check, with your local nursery. We will explore more information on amphibians in the garden in a future article. But in the mean time, there are other creatures that will be happy to eat slugs, if you know how to keep them happy in your garden.

Soldier and Ground Beetles, are voracious predators when it comes to young slugs and slug eggs. The larval stages live in the soil and might be mistaken for other types of grubs. These creatures thrive where there is plenty of organic matter and a nice mulch of coarse sticks and twigs. As adults they also need a good supply of pollen to fuel their hunt. They are partial to pollen from some common garden weeds and wildflowers including milkweed, wild lettuce, golden rod, amaranth, and evening primrose. They also like Hydrangeas, which is nice, because they do thrive in our area and varieties can be selected to provide a long bloom time.

For these beneficial insects to thrive and help control your slugs, you will want to have a variety of blooming flowers and weeds through out the growing season. Check out your local nursery in different seasons, and carefully read plant descriptions in your favorite garden catalogs. Choose a mix of spring, summer, and fall blooming varieties, particularly from the plants listed above. Then after they have bloomed and set seed, you can spread the seed around where you would like to see more of them grow. The old stalks can be cut into 2 – 4 inch sections and used as mulch, to shelter the young beneficials.

Meanwhile, you say, what about the four inch slugs sliming around my garden right now? My best suggestion is to hand pick them, first thing in the morning or last thing at night. You can use a recycled plastic bag as a glove, and stash them in another recycled bag. If you know anyone with ducks or geese they might welcome these icky guys. Some folks drop them into salt water, but then you have to dispose of that. And salt is not good for our soil. I tend to seal them up in the bag and toss them in the trash, lamenting that all that good nitrogen is being removed from my soil nutrient cycle.

Two types of slug killing products on the market are billed as safe and organic. One type is the iron phosphate slug bait. While this product is safer than the more toxic traditional slug baits, it will still harm other creatures that eat it (contrary to advertising and press releases). And the slugs that survive the treatment become immune – and continue to reproduce. The other type of product is a “beneficial” nematode. These microscopic creatures parasitize ground dwelling creatures and eventually cause their demise. However, there is growing suspicion that they can parasitize people. Science has yet to prove or disprove this, but a growing number of people suspect these nematodes to be at least part of the cause of Morgellon’s Disease. This disabling, disfiguring, and painful condition is on the rise and found mostly in elderly people, chronic drug addicts, and those with impaired immune systems. If you are considering using a pesticide product, even a natural ‘safe’ product, please read the label thoroughly before you decide. Personally, I will stick with handpicking and annoying the neighbors by letting the weeds go to seed.

Ornamental varieties of most of the plants listed above can be found at many nurseries. If you’re local nursery doesn’t have the varieties you want, check out Forest Farm: http://www.forestfarm.com (541) 846-7269. They carry over 70 different kinds of Hydrangeas, 3 types of milkweed (Asclepias), and five types of evening primrose (Oenothera). Thompson and Morgan offers 7 types of ornamental Amaranthus seeds as well as 1 type of milkweed (Asclepias), and 4 types of evening primrose (Oenothera). http://www.thompsonandmorgan.com (800) 274-7333.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned, next week we will be getting ready to grow Lenten Rose and other winter bloomers. Mean while, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, Oct 21, 2006. Posted here with permission. http://www.hoopa-nsn.gov/enterprises/newspaper.htm

(And here is a pic of the icky guy himself:
http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz/research/biodiversity/invertebratesprog/invertid/bug_details.asp?Bu_ID=189)

The Living Clock

2006-12-01T17:30:00.000-08:00

Book Review

The Living Clock, The Orchestrator of Biological Rhythms, by John D. Palmer, published by Oxford University 2002.

Gardeners and nature enthusiasts will find lots of interesting and entertaining reading in the initial chapters. The author is a scientist who knows how to write and has a sense of humor. I especially enjoyed chapter 1, which discussed rhythms found in several pretty amazing single celled creatures. This discussion is picked back up again in chapter 5. Chapter 8 will fascinate gardeners with very interesting findings about plant movement. Day and night length triggers for plant growth and flowering is also discussed. You may actually be surprised about what has been found.

There are chapters devoted to human concerns, such as jet lag. Medications and lab tests that work better at different times of day are also discussed, as well as basic human rhythms. Some of the research results explored are not commonly reported and were definitely new information to me.

Palmer goes on, in a few more chapters, to talk about rhythms in animals and in shore dwellers. It is all quite fascinating and his sense of humor is refreshing. But the honeymoon is over at the end of chapter 8.

Chapter 9 made me think of young bullies I knew as a child. You know the ones I am talking about. Those deranged children that torture small animals for their own pleasure and to intimidate and traumatize those around them. “Hey, let’s shove a firecracker down this snake’s throat and then light the fuse, so we can see what will happen.” When children torture animals it is a red flag. Many serial murders, kidnapers, and abusers started out as children who tortured animals.

I guess the better adjusted animal tormenters grow up to be scientists. Palmer in the same articulate and humorous manner, goes on to describe the all grown up and degreed version of “Hey, let’s shove a firecracker down this snakes throat and then light the fuse, so we can see what will happen.” Except it plays out more like, “Hey, lets cut through some brain tissue of this living creature and see what happens.” I was rather horrified at his description of some animals he kept alive in the lab for what was probably a few months, and after they had been mutilated and left in a condition that would make it very difficult to survive the oceans tide and surf, he released them to those very conditions. And he joked about it. Don’t read chapter 9 before bed. Better yet, don’t read chapter 9 at all. And don’t buy this book. This guy doesn’t deserve royalties, and you certainly don’t need it lying around where young children can find it. (I checked it out at the library – if you want to read it you can too.)

Lately I have been feeling pretty ambivalent about my Native Heritage. In fact I could be quoted as saying “I don’t want to be Indian anymore.” (My friends just laughed at me, but I am not sure I was joking.) But this book put a different focus on my thoughts. I was raised with the idea of the Great Mystery. The idea that some things are just not meant to be understood. Creation is sacred, all around us are our relatives, and all living things deserve respect. I was taught as a very young child to learn from nature by observation, that deep patient observation brought wisdom and connection. I am a work in progress. (Yes, even at 50.) But as I move towards belonging to an inter-racial community of thought, I am pretty dang sure I will carry these basic teachings with me.

Science has become the new main stream religion in many ways. Science tends to get what it wants, above and beyond what any other values may dictate. But what is science really? Maybe you ought to read chapter 9 after all. Just in case you haven’t realized how ugly science can be.

Now I need to go purge my soul by getting my hands in the soil.

Other Book Reviews:

The Literary Garden
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/02/literary-garden-book-review.html

We Didn’t Have Much, But We Sure Had Plenty
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/02/we-didnt-have-much-book-review.html

Gardens in the Dunes
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/rainy-day-read-for-gardeners.html

Book Mentions:

The Principles of Gardening
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/busy-in-garden-and-interesting-book.html

The Emergence of Agriculture
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/08/harvests-dragon-vetch.html
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/seedy-perspective.html

Save Your Own Seed
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/saving-seed.html
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/06/seed-secrets.html

Fabulous Favas

2006-11-30T16:43:00.000-08:00

These Mediterranean natives are one of the most ancient old world beans. Dating back to the Bronze Age, archeologists found their remains in the ruins of the storied city of Troy. Now, over 6,000 years later they are still enjoyed in the Mediterranean and all over the world.

Cuisines of the world feature the versatility of these fabulous beans. In the Azores they like to shell the green beans, and then split and fry them. Burmese folks like the fresh shelled beans in salads. You often find parched dried favas in Chinese snack mixes. The Dutch and Danish use the dried boiled beans in soups. Egyptians like to drain the boiled beans and serve them with olive oil, garlic, and lemon – yum! And the French use the immature beans, pods and all, much like green beans are served in North America. You don’t have to go far to find ethnic recipes for fava beans. A simple search on the Internet with the country of your choice, a slash, the words “fava beans,” another slash, and the word “recipes,” ought to turn up plenty. (IE: Germany / fava beans / recipe) You can even find recipes for the edible leaves! ("Fava Leaves" / recipes) But you might not have to go as far as the Internet. If you have a collection of ethnic, gourmet, or garden related recipe books, you probably already have lots tips just waiting to try.

Fava beans are tasty and nutritious. The young pods are a good source of fiber, folate, phosphorus, and potassium. They also contain essential fatty acids, beta-carotene, protein, and vitamin C. For you dieters out there, they are also low in calories! The mature shelled beans are considered a good source of choline (necessary for proper brain function), as well as protein, fiber, and carbohydrates. They also contain substances called protease inhibitors, which are said to help block the absorption of carcinogens from the intestinal track. Either way you go young green pods or dry beans – favas are low in fat and contain no cholesterol.

Fabulous favas are also considered medicinal. They contain a substance called levodopa, which the body uses to manufacture dopamine. (Dopamine is necessary for proper brain function.) Because of this boost, some people find favas to be a very energizing food. There is some evidence that they may be helpful for people with Parkinson’s disease. However, if you have problems digesting or utilizing proteins or amines, if you are taking MAOI medication, are prone to food allergies, or suffer from chronic migraines - fava beans might not be for you. For more information ask your doctor and see: http://www.purifymind.com/FavaBeans.htm

While favas may not belong on everyone’s plate, these cool season favorites are still worth growing. They provide greenery and flowers at a time of year when the garden tends to be bleak. The flowers attract beneficial insects, and the plants produce both nitrogen and carbon to improve our soils.

Fava beans grow from 2 – 6 feet tall, depending on the variety. They don’t need staked, unless you live in high wind areas, and they are bothered by few pests. Gophers may help themselves to a few plants. So be sure to get yourself some cats, plant other things the gophers like to eat, or grow your prized favas in a raised bed. In the spring fava beans sometimes become infested with aphids. But by then it is usually to late for the aphids to harm your crop. Favas set their seed very early while the weather is cool. So you can just ignore the aphids if you like. (I do.)

If you are ready to get your own fava beans started, first you will have to track down some seeds. You can ask at your local nursery, farm, or feed store. If you purchase your seed from a farm or feed store, be sure to let them know you will be growing the seed for human consumption. Another likely source of Fava beans you can grow are the bulk bins at local grocery, health, or ethnic food stores. However, if you are patient, have a little more money to spend, and really want to know what you are getting – consider ordering seeds from Territorial Seed Company, or another seed catalog.

Territorial Seed offers 3 types of Fava Beans - Aquadulce, Sweet Lorane, and Broad Windsor. Aquadulce plants reach about 3 feet tall, and produce small clusters of cool gothic flowers in white and black. They performed well in my Hoopa garden last winter. Each plant produced at least a dozen long fat pods with 6 – 8 large beans each. Sweet Loranes only grow to about 3 feet high and are a small seeded type Fava. Their beans are a pretty glossy reddish brown. Broad Windsors (sometimes sold as Windsors) grow 4 – 5 feet tall, produce clusters of white flowers with rose or mauve colored veins, followed by fat pods filled with light colored seeds.

To get the most out of your Fava bean crop you might want to try using a rhizobia bacteria inoculant. This bacteria forms a symbiotic relationship with the Fava bean root system and increases nitrogen fixing. These bacteria are very efficient at absorbing nitrogen from the air and soil and they change it to a form that is more bio-available. Inoculated plants grow better and produce larger crops. At the end of the season when their remains become compost or mulch, they provide a nitrogen boost to your soils. While the inoculant doesn’t come free, it does pay dividends if you protect your soils nutrient cycle with mulch, worms, and cover crops.

Unless you are planting a whole field you will never use all the inoculant in the package in one season. (However, the inoculant will also boost productivity of your other beans and peas.) Keep your inoculant in a sealed container in the fridge. Make sure you mark the container so no one thinks it is food. I have a special compartment in the fridge set aside for gardening supplies and cold treated seeds. That way no one gets confused about what is food and what isn’t.

Fava beans can be planted anytime starting right now - through early spring. Keep in mind, that they like it best when the weather is cool. These guys are easy to grow. I like to presoak the beans for a few days. I usually soak 10 beans at a time, in about 1/3 cup of water to which I have added a couple of pinches of inoculant. After the beans begin to swell, I plant them out where they will grow, about ½ inch deep and 8 inches apart. Any of the soaking liquid that was not absorbed by the beans gets poured in the planting holes. Then I start over again with ten more seeds. If you’re in a hurry to plant lots you can simply moisten the seeds, stir in some inoculant (if you like), and broadcast over your prepared beds. No rototilling is required, simply mow or rake last years garden debris out of the way, use a digging fork to loosen the soil, and toss your seeds over the beds. It is really that simple, and now that the rains have started – you won’t even have to irrigate!

If you would like to order seeds or inoculant on line or by phone check out Territorial Seed Company: http://www.teritorialseed.com (800) 626-0866 For recipes and photos see: http://www.mariquita.com/recipes/fava%20beans.html

That’s all for this week, but stay tuned, next week we will be finding ways to cope with the dread of north west gardens – those slimy slugs. Meanwhile, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

For more cool season crops see:

Broccoli:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/bodacious-broccoli.html

Carrots:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/10/colorful-carrots.html

Fennel:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/florence-fennel-real-food.html

Greens:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/11/fall-greens.html

Kale:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/02/kindly-kale.html

Kohlrabi:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/knobby-kohlrabi.html

Parsnips:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/04/plentiful-parsnips.html

Red Japanese Mustard:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/03/giant-red-japanese-mustard.html

Rutabagas:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/10/rutabagas.html

Winter Cover Crops

2006-11-21T21:01:00.000-08:00

Cover crops offer many benefits to soils and gardens. They protect soil from the compacting and dissolving force of the rain. They provide shelter for worms who might otherwise drown in our rain soaked soils. They supply home grown organic matter, which builds humus, improves soil tilth and texture, feeds worms and micro-organisms, and supports the soil nutrient cycle.

Cover crops also protect soil fertility levels by utilizing nutrients that could be leached into sub soils and aquifers and find their way, as pollutants, into our water ways. Soil nutrients bound in living plant material is not subject to leaching. In addition, by carefully selecting the cover crops, you can improve your soils carbon and nitrogen content.

Carbon is essential to the life of soil micro-organisms and the soil nutrient cycle. It is especially useful if you have noticed that plants in your garden tend to have weak stems and trail, sprawl, or lean when they should be upright. (Weak stems can be a sign of carbon impoverished soils.) Carbon is produced in abundance by the following easy to grow cover crops: agricultural mustard, flax, fodder radish, tyfon, winter oats, rice, rye, as well as winter triticale and wheat. As soon as your summer crops are through producing, you can cut them off at ground level and rake them into a compost pile (or turn them under) and broadcast your rows or beds with the carbon crops of your choice. (Cover crops should be sown thickly. You want the plants to inter-grow to protect the soil.) The carbon that these plants provide is extracted from the air, so you can congratulate yourself on doing something small to help with the greenhouse effect and global warming! Many of these plants will also produce edible greens or seeds, in addition to improving your soil.

Agricultural mustard, fodder radish, and tyfon can all be eaten in soups or sautéed with garlic and onions for an old fashioned dish known simply as “a mess of greens.” They are good sources of beta-carotene, folic acid, and calcium. (You can improve your own health while you improve the health of your soil!) Once these cover crops go to seed, if you let them grow that long, the seed can be threshed and used to grow spicy sprouts that will enliven your spring and summer salads. These same seeds can be used to flavor pickles, cracked to make a spicy seasoning for savory breads, and ground and mixed with vinegar to make dark flavorful mustards.

Flax, oats, rice, rye, triticale, and wheat seeds are also edible. They can be used whole, in mixed grain dishes, sprouted for salads or sandwiches, or ground and used in baked goods. If you want to try eating your grain, be sure to choose those that “resists lodging” if available, and definitely avoid those prone to lodging. (Lodging is a term used to refer to the plants dropping the grain.) Also look for varieties that are hull-less or easily threshed. Don’t expect to get a lot of grain from your garden, but it is a fun experiment to try which children, and it helps everyone understand how their food is produced. Dried grain seed heads are also fabulous for crafts. They don’t need to be hull-less or easily threshed for use in flower arrangements, wreathes, and so forth, so you can choose decorative colors or long awned grains if you like.

The other option in cover crops is to focus on nitrogen fixing plants. A variety of legumes are available that pull nitrogen right out of the air. If plants in this year’s garden grew slow, seemed smaller than normal, or if the green colors seemed faded out, nitrogen fixers might be just what you need to perk your soil back up. A number of types of clover, and vetch are available for cover crops. Low growing white and red clovers can be broadcast under summer crops now, or you can wait until the beds are cleared or turned and then broadcast the seeds. The Sweet Clovers are a nice option for cleared beds, as they also produce a lot of carbon and organic matter, and will reward you with sweet smelling flowers in late winter and early spring. As they are slow growing, it is a good idea to mix them with agricultural mustard or other clovers to best protect your soil from early rains.

If you want to grow a mix of carbon and nitrogen for your garden, add some Austrian field peas to your carbon crops when you sow the seed. Austrian field peas happily inter-grow with other plants. They produce small cheerful sweet pea type flowers and their seeds can be used in soups. Another choice, bell beans, are miniature fava beans that do well in winter. These beans do not need staking or trellising. They produce both nitrogen and carbon. And like other beans, the immature pods, as well as the mature beans are edible. To best protect your soil bell beans should be inter-grown with red or white clover.

Cover crops are pretty easy, you just choose your seeds, minimally prepare your ground, and broadcast the seed fairly thickly. You can cover the seed with a sifting of compost, leaf mould, or a purchased soil amendment. If this is not practical, and you have turned your summer crops under, you can rake the seed in. For a third option , you can simply cut or mow your summer rows, and wait for the next rain. Seed broadcast while it is raining are fairly safe from marauding birds. The action of the falling water settles the seed into crevices in the soils surface, and the moisture helps it germinate quickly. Then you just let nature take its course. (Cover crops can be cut or mown during the winter to keep their height down, if you choose. But it is not necessary.) Next spring you will have to decide if you are going to let your cover crops mature for their seed, or if you will cut or turn them under as soon as you are ready to plant your spring garden. That mostly depends on how much space you have. Either way, your winter cover crop will provide you with ample material for composting and mulching. Your soil and the creatures that live in it will thank you.

Check with your local farm supply or feed store for recommendations on the varieties best suited to your area. If you would like more information visit Bountiful Gardens On-Line: http://www.bountifulgardens.org or call (707) 59-6410 to request a catalog. They have seed for all the varieties mentioned in this article, and many other choices.

That’s all for now, but stay tuned, next time we will be getting ready to grow some of the yummy giant fava beans. Until them, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, Oct 17, 2006. Posted here with permission. http://www.hoopa-nsn.gov/enterprises/newspaper.htm

Fall Greens

2006-11-04T21:26:00.000-08:00

Many edibles practically care for them selves during fall and winter. cilantro, kale all love the weather ahead. Cool moist temperatures, and lots of rain bring us sweet delicate greens for our fall and winter soups and salads. Now is the time to get these delectables growing, if you can just find the space.

Many fall and winter greens are lovely to look at, especially as fall grows old and winter comes to visit with its cold, grey, and stormy days. Lettuce can look quite perky when the rest of the garden is bedraggled by rain. It is available in all shades of green from very pale to very deep. There are varieties with speckles, and splashes of purple or red, and other varieties that boast deep red or purple leaves. All these colors of lettuce come in a variety of leaf forms from the large simple leaves of romaine to frilly butter crunch and lacy oak leaves. No room in the garden? A few pots or containers growing lettuce will look attractive on a patio or porch!

If you have a large pot (or an empty spot in the garden or flower bed) Red Giant Mustard would make a dramatic back drop for the smaller and more delicate lettuce plants. Or if you like the red and purple lettuce types, Giant Southern Curled Mustard (also called Green Wave) with its pale green leaves would make a fitting back ground for your fall container garden. Swiss chard is another interesting plant that will eventually grow quite tall, and the newer hybrids come in a multitude of stem and leaf vein colors.

There are also many lovely types of kale, in a variety of colors and leaf shapes. While they start out small and delicate - many grow up to make large interesting plants. Look for Red Russian Kale, Red Bore, or Dinosaur Kale. The young leaves of all these plants make good additions to salads, the older leaves are great for soup, and the plants make a dramatic statement in a pot or out in the garden.

Cilantro and fennel both love cool wet weather and they will thrive in the garden or in containers on a bright porch or patio. They add flavor to winter salads and soups, as well as a delightful fragrance to the air. Their lacy leaves also add textual interest to the garden or groups of container plants.

There are several steps to creating an attractive fall container garden, not the least of which is collecting your containers. Folks with ample budgets can find many new decorative containers at nurseries and garden centers, as well as original pieces from galleries and antique stores. The rest of us can be content with second hand and dollar store finds or recycled items from around the house.

Empty coffee, juice, and other large cans (at least 3 inches in diameter), make great containers for growing greens. You can also cut the tops off of empty plastic containers (such as milk and juice jugs, soda and water bottles, soap and bleach containers) and use them as containers. Make sure to thoroughly wash any residues from containers that contained household supplies. You can use a hammer and nail or a can opener to make drainage holes on the bottom of cans, or a sharp knife or awl for plastic containers. (Be careful!) Next add a few rocks to improve drainage and keep your container from getting top heavy as your plants grow. Save your largest containers for giant mustards, Swiss chard, kale, or cabbage. Cabbage doesn’t get as tall as the rest, but it needs lots of room for its roots. (And it is available in a number of attractive colors and forms.)

Next you will need to supply your snazzy new containers with some potting soil. Your local nursery can make recommendations for you, or you can make your own. If you don’t have finished compost or access to leaf mould, a simple fall potting blend can be made, starting with dry leaves. You want crisp leaves that crumble into small bits when scrunched or rubbed between your hands. Old corn or squash leaves and leaves that have fallen from your trees are all possibilities. If they aren’t crisp enough yet, spread them out on a tarp or old sheet and leave them in a sunny spot. Turn or stir them once a day until they crackle and crumble when you crush them. (If rain threatens you can move them into the shed or garage until we get a sunny day.) Two parts crumbled leaves, two parts sand, and one part garden soil is a good starting recipe. If you mix up at least a gallon’s worth, you can add a handful each of used coffee grounds (for nitrogen) and wood or paper ashes (for minerals) and you are ready to get growing.

If seeds are not your thing, check out the plant starts available at nurseries and hardware stores. Many types of lettuce, kale, cabbage, and other fall greens are available right now. Simply plant them in your containers, keep them moist (but not soggy) and cool until the young plants start to grow. Once you see some new growth forming, gradually move them to the sunniest spot on your porch or patio and watch them thrive.

Fall greens are not hard to start from seed, and it is not too late for those of us that don’t get a heavy blanket of snow. You can plant a few seeds directly into the potting soil, according to the directions on the packets. Seeds and young seedlings will need to be kept evenly moist until they are established, and then you can enjoy their colors and fragrance, both on the patio and in the kitchen through the blustery months ahead.

Seeds are available at many hardware, health food, and grocery stores. If you don’t find what you are hoping for, check out Teritorial Seed: http://www.teritorialseed.com (800) 626-0866. They have a nice selection of lettuce, spinach, chard, mustard, and cabbage varieties, and they have fennel, cilantro (listed under coriander), as well as a mixed packet of colorful kales that I would love to try.

If you are searching for seeds on a budget, don’t forget to check with friends, relatives, and neighbors who garden. Many people save their own seed, and others are unable to use all they purchase. Gardeners are usually happy to share when they have more than they need. And you might just make their day by asking. Most gardeners love to show off their gardens and share their tips to success.

That’s all for now, but stay tuned, next time we will be taking a look at winter cover crops to conserve and improve our soil. Until then, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, Nov. 10, 2006. Posted here with permission. http://www.hoopa-nsn.gov/enterprises/newspaper.htm

Companion Planting

2006-10-27T17:25:00.000-07:00

Not all that long ago, companion planting was looked on as a sort of a fringe ‘science,’ more related to moon worshipers than to serious gardeners. When I first heard about the practice I was in my early 20’s and it greatly appealed to me. The basic premise of companion planting is that some plants actually like to be near each other, while at the same time, there are plants that actually despair in each other’s company. The idea of plants having a soul, of liking and disliking each other, even at the species level appealed to my young sense of idealism.

Companion planting arose out of ancient and on going observations that clearly pointed to some plants doing better (or worse) when growing in the presence of certain other plants. Perhaps it is anthropomorphism to describe these affinities as likes and dislikes, but we humans tend to describe almost everything from our own perspectives. So here ya go: In this view carrots are said to like onions and peas. While potatoes are said to dislike sunflowers and walnuts. Perhaps you have noticed that some of your plants like or dislike being too close to your favorite shrubs or trees. There are actually some explanations that serious gardeners can understand.

While some of the more mysterious effects plants have on each other occur on a molecular level down in the root zone, a lot of it starts in the leaves. Plants absorb carbon dioxide through their leaves, and depending on the species, to a greater or lesser extent they can also absorb nitrogen, sulfur, and other compounds right out of the air. These compounds are used to for the plants life processes, to form vitamins, phytochemicals, essential oils, anti-oxidants, etc. Any absorbed compounds in excess of what the plant needs are sent through the plants vascular system down into the roots. Here is where the real magic begins to happen.

Plant roots secrete a very subtle, moist, jell like substance, a few millimeters into the surrounding soil. Through this substance they exert a profound effect on soil chemistry. This jell is rich in plant produced compounds, and one of its chief roles is to nourish soil micro-organisms that fuel the soil nutrient cycle. It is in this zone that the cation and ion exchanges between the roots, soil organisms, and mineral and humus particles are unfolding. The plants exchange excess carbon, oxygen, and other compounds they have absorbed through the air, or that they have stored in their tissues - for soil and humus bound nutrients that are necessary for their lives. They are also capable of secreting their own home made chemicals that effect the plants growing around them. And they definitely do this, some of them all the time, and some only if the need arises.

Lets imagine a place, like Hoopa, where day time temperatures and night time temperatures can be as much as 50 degrees different, and are often as much as 30 degrees different. This temperature difference is pretty hard on many plants. Plants vascular functions are tied to something called the evapo-transpiration rate. This is fueled by air temperature, and our large temperature differences cause an extra stress on plants. This can create a situation where plants may need more soil borne essential nutrients than is commonly expected.

Now, lets continue to imagine these plants are growing in a place, like Hoopa, where the rain fall is often over 30 inches a year. Perhaps they are growing out there in our yards right now, after a very wet year of nearly 60 inches of rain. As we discussed in a previous article, when rain fall is up, soil nutrient levels can be down. (The cure is organic matter – but it is not a quick fix.) What on earth is a poor plant to do. He can’t move to a different neighborhood, so he endeavors to change the neighborhood.

Some plants have adapted to survive rigorous conditions by either improving conditions for the entire plant community or by attacking the rest of the plant community. They do this, in part, by the chemicals they exude from their roots. These chemicals can improve the bio-availability of soil minerals, or they can inhibit germination of seed, inhibit growth of neighboring plants, or in extreme cases, they can be down right toxic to the plants growing near them. (These selfish plants want to keep all the soil nutrients for themselves.) While science can explain the generalities, it can’t explain what is going on out there in your garden. Because it is all too complex and variable.

What chemicals a plant will produce and exude and how adaptable the surrounding plants are is dependant on a myriad of things that change from time to time and place to place, even inside a single garden. So what’s a gardener to do? First and foremost, trust your own observations. If you have plants that get along just fine, while a book or magazine article claims they don’t, ignore the article. What they are saying may be true in a different soil or climate – but if it works in your garden, who cares.

If on the other hand your petunias (for instance) won’t grow for nothing, but your neighbor’s petunias thrive, look around to see if you might have shrubs or plants that could be inhibiting growth. Look for something growing near your petunias that isn’t found in your neighbors yards. And then adapt. Try planting your petunias far away from your sunflowers, corn, or walnut trees, for instance. Or grow them in raised beds or containers. If all else fails, just claim you are a moon worshiper and don’t have the petunia mojo and grow four o’clocks instead.

Some plants are so good at making growth inhibiting chemicals that they not only exude them from their roots, the exude them from their leaves, they permeate the very tissue of their stalks and branches, and upon decomposition of those leaves the chemicals permeate the soil. However, for every plant that specializes in poisoning other plants, there are a dozen that specialize in thriving anyway. By your own observations and experimentation you will discover which plants make the best companions for the specimens in your own garden, and that is knowledge you can pass down.

In the mean time, when you hear long time local gardeners talking about plants that like or don’t like each other, pay attention. That is the companion planting advice that is most likely to hold true in your gardens. You can smile in reply and say “Yes, it is all because of some magical stuff that happens way down in the dirt.”

For more information ask your book store or librarian to recommend some titles or see: Soul of the Soil, by Grace Gershuny (Chelsea Green Publishing), and Designing and Maintaining Your Edible Landscape Naturally by Robert Kourik (Metamorphic Press).

Stay tuned, next time we will be getting ready to plant our fall greens. Meanwhile, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, Sept. 26, 2006. Posted here with permission. http://www.hoopa-nsn.gov/enterprises/newspaper.htm

Rutabagas

2006-10-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

Rutabagas, which are also called Garden Swedes, are one of my very favorite vegetables. Fresh from the earth they are sweet, crisp, and flavorful - right up there with gophers will love them as much as you do.

Rutabagas benefit from loose soil that has been dug and crumbled to at least 6 inches deep. Adding compost, leaf mould, coffee grounds, or other fine worms, and your future crop. Once the beds or containers are prepared, seed should be broadcast or planted in shallow furrows. Cover the seed lightly with compost, planting mix, or sand, and keep the beds evenly moist until the young plants are established and the rains begin. Seedlings should begin emerging in a week to ten days. They can be thinned to stand about 2 inches apart. Once your plants are about 6 – 8 inches tall you can thin them to stand 4 – 6 inches apart. The thinnings, roots, tops, and all can be added to salads, soups, or casseroles. Along about the middle to end of December you should be able to pull some decent sized roots. And you are in for a treat.

While the rutabagas from the grocery store are pretty dang good, they are nothing compared to your own fresh produce. These guys can be steamed, mashed, baked, or even fried. I like them the very best cut into quarters and stashed in the pan with a pot roast, or a chicken or turkey. Slow roasting brings out the sweetness to its best advantage and enhances the flavor of the roots, the broth, and the main course. The leaves can be steamed or sautéed in some olive oil with a bit of garlic and served as a side dish.

Cream of rutabaga soup makes a great winter comfort food. Simply scrub up your roots, (reserving the tops), cut the roots into chunks, place in a sauce pan with just enough water to cover, and simmer till tender. Then drain the water from the roots, and save it in a bowl or other container. Use a paring knife to remove any roots or tough places on the skin, and then place the roots in the food processor and whiz. Add some of the reserved cooking water as necessary to correct the consistency. Return your puree to the pot, and slowly reheat. Add some of the chopped greens if desired and salt and pepper to taste. You can also add a bit of olive oil or butter, and if you like you can splash in a bit of milk, cream, or a grating of your favorite cheese. If at any point the soup seems too thick you can dilute it by stirring in some more of your reserved cooking water, or milk if you would rather. Serve with garlic toast, deviled eggs, and hot spicy apple cider and you have a complete, easy and inexpensive mea l- all in harmonious golden hues.

Speaking of gold, one cup of rutabaga, before adding other ingredients, has only 50 calories! It is also high in phosphorous, potassium, vitamin C, A, and folate. It is low in fats and protein, and a fairly good source of fiber. By serving it as a side dish, with a source of protein and B vitamins such as beans, eggs, or meat, and a source of calcium such as dark leafy greens (which grow right on the top of your roots), or milk, yogurt, or cheese – you have a nutritionally complete meal. Nutritionally complete, and depending on your choices, very healthy and low in fat! That ought to give any dieter a golden glow.

Teachers might find some gold of another kind in the study of rutabagas. Any exploration of American history will probably include a unit on Thomas Jefferson, and that can include a celebration of our favorite root. Thomas Jefferson had an avid interest in gardening and the place of agriculture in world affairs. He strongly believed in crop diversification. And he was personally an advocate of our lovely rutabaga. He saved rutabaga seeds himself and shared them, which was documented by his own hand in a letter to a friend. For more information see: http://www.history.org/history/CWLand/resrch3.cfm
And: http://www.jeffersoninstitute.org/initiative/jefferson.shtml

If you are ready to get your own rutabagas growing, check out the seed displays at your local stores or any garden catalogs you have on hand. Rutabagas are often listed along with the turnips – to which they are closely related. If they don’t carry these good as gold roots contact Territorial Seed Company to request a catalog: http://www.territorialseed.com (800) 626-0866

Stay tuned, next time we will be exploring Companion Planting, part art, part science -with lots of room for experimenting. Meanwhile, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, Sept. 26, 2006. Posted here with permission. http://www.hoopa-nsn.gov/enterprises/newspaper.htm

Here are some links to Rutabaga pics:
http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch4.html
http://www.umassvegetable.org/soil_crop_pest_mgt/crops/rutabaga.html

Here’s More Fall and Winter Veggies, and the Poem is on down below –

Broccoli:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/bodacious-broccoli.html

Carrots:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/10/colorful-carrots.html

Fennel:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/florence-fennel-real-food.html

Red Japanese Mustard:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/03/giant-red-japanese-mustard.html

Kale:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/02/kindly-kale.html

Kohlrabi:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/knobby-kohlrabi.html

Parsnips:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/04/plentiful-parsnips.html

Here’s the poem:

Veggie Love

turnip the heat
my darling
rutabaga baby

daikon has
nothing on you
salsify and burdock
come to mind
yams are a treat
but not so sweet
as your rootset deeply in
thyme

turnip the
heat
my darling
rutabaga baby

Copyright 5-18-05 Harvest McCampbell

You can find more of my writing at http://www.HarvestMcCampbell.com
& http://groups.yahoo.com/group/harvests_thoughts/messages

That's all . . .

Cute Caterpillars

2006-10-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

Wooly Bear caterpillars with their broad bands of bristly black and brown hair are a familiar fall sight in much of the US. Children everywhere greet them with delight, and many teachers look upon them for lessons in lifecycles and metamorphoses. The very things that make them amenable to lessons in the classroom, can make them a gardener’s nightmare.

Wooly Bears are very adaptable to weather and seasonal changes. Depending on temperature and food availability they can produce 2 – 5 generations a year. Unlike many other caterpillars and garden pests, they can feed on a wide variety of vegetation. You may not see them most of the year, because they tend to hide. They feed and spin their cocoons at ground level, and the adults are short lived moths that fly at night. But when autumn is nearly upon us those wooly bears get restless, and wander about. The generation of wooly bears that we find in the autumn normally sleep through the winter in any cozy dry spot they can find. They wake in the spring, feed for a few weeks if they need to, and then spin their cocoons.

If you find a few of these fuzzy guys wandering around your yard, you might ask your child’s classroom teachers if they would like to raise them in class. Perhaps your kids might want to keep them as pets or as a science project. Hand raised wooly bears should have a container with loose sand or soil on the bottom and some pieces of bark to crawl on and hide under. They will be happy to eat clover, dandelion, and plantain leaves (and really, just about any leave you offer them). Prop the leaves up in their container so they are not laying flat. When the wooly bears quit eating, give them a layer of dry leaves to hid under and place their container in a cool dry, shady spot where you won’t forget them. Mist the leaves slightly once a week or so, to keep the wooly bears them from dehydrating. Check on them once in a while and if they are moving around offer them a clover, plantain, or dandelion leaf or two. If they eat it and stay active feed them more. If they don’t eat, put more dry leaves in their container and find a quieter, colder spot for them to rest. An unheated garage or shed is ideal, but the coolest quietest corner of the classroom or the driest spot in the play yard, may do in a pinch. In spring the wooly bears may wake up very hungry. Once they are nice and fat they will spin cocoons and within a few weeks the moths will emerge. They do not feed as adults, and only live long enough to mate and lay hundreds of eggs. If you have raised at least one male and one female they may start a new generation in captivity so the children can appreciate the whole cycle of their life.

I know the gardeners out there (and most of you reading this are gardeners) are saying, “Two to five generations a year, eat a wide variety of vegetation, lay hundreds of eggs, and she is suggesting we let a single one live?” Well, there are so many hungry creatures out there waiting to devour wooly bear moths, eggs, and immature caterpillars that it is a wonder any make it all the way to fall. And even those bristly fuzzy caterpillars are sought out by skunks, who roll them around on the ground until the bristles all fall off, and then they have lunch. (And you thought skunks were all bad?)

Now, I will be the first to admit that any wooly bears I find, when there are no handy kids to give them to, I promptly squish. I didn’t always do that, but after they mowed down my forget-me-nots, and then moved on to my artichokes, they are goners. I also depend on an army of hard working beneficial creatures to keep wooly bears, and other caterpillar populations in check. Those large yellow and black garden spiders that weave the perfect Halloween webs catch their fair share of moths. Lady bugs and lace wings, both adults and larva will happily eat insect eggs and young of many kinds. Wasps love caterpillars. And while a wasp is no match for a full grown wooly bear, they eat their fair share of the young hatchlings. And there are more hungry creatures in natures garden.

Huge Jerusalem crickets, those scary looking guys that are often called potato bugs or skeleton bugs are also fond of ground living caterpillars like wooly bears and cut worms. And then there are those giant science fiction California Glow worms, they look like giant millipedes and have glow in the dark spots and pulsating stripes. These natives are voracious predators of all ground dwelling pests, including our cute caterpillars and our slimy slugs. Raised beds, that provide good drainage, filled with a soil mix high in organic matter, and topped off with a coarse non-compacting mulch - are the best ways to insure these hungry creatures will make a home in your garden. And there are even more ravenous creatures waiting to serve your gardening needs.

The tiny braconid wasps, cotesia wasps, tachnid flies, and trichogama wasps all parasitize caterpillar eggs or larva, often killing their hosts quite dead. You can attract these little useful creatures for the cost of a few flower seeds and a little garden neglect. Braconid wasps like cosmos, sunflower, & marigold flowers. Cotesia wasps like mustard, carrot and sweet alyssum flowers. Tachnid flies like dill, parsley, and clover flowers. Last but not least Trichogama wasps are fond of wild carrot, dill, and golden rod. All of these little guys like aphid honey dew – them aphids are not all bad. For more information on Beneficial Insects see:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/05/beneficial-insects.html

So, here’s the basic caterpillar plan. Squish on sight, or give them to delighted children or classroom teachers. Ignore skunks and wasps to the best of your ability. Ignore small populations of aphids. Let the mustard and wild carrots grow and flower – even if the neighbors think they are weeds. Grow some of the flowers listed above and let them reseed. Welcome the tiny flying insects that are attracted and rest assured they are causing caterpillar nightmares. Keep adding organic matter to your soil and mulch with coarse plant material to attract ground dwelling predators. This is just a little bit of work and a whole lot of letting nature take its course. Some wooly bears will survive, but don’t forget, a few caterpillars (and aphids) munching a few leaves on your vegetables will stimulate the plants to make anti-oxidants and you will be the healthier for it!

Photo: http://www.whatsthatbug.com/caterpillar_2.html
Scroll down to: Isabella Tiger Moth, which is what the adult form is called.

More information on Garden pests:

Aphids
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/08/aphids-are-among-us.html

Gophers
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/03/gophers-and-gardeners.html

Stay tuned, next we will be planting the very yummy garden swedes and rutabagas. Meanwhile, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, Sept. 19, 2006. Posted here with permission.
http://www.hoopa-nsn.gov/enterprises/newspaper.htm

Colorful Carrots

2006-10-03T17:03:00.000-07:00

When we think of carrots, the color orange most commonly comes to mind. However, in the long history of human - carrot associations, this has not always been the case. Archeologists have found carrot seeds stored in ancient dwellings since Neolithic times. These ancient carrots had little resemblance to the carrots on our dinner plates today. They were very much like those wild white sweet roots that children are found of foraging from fields and meadows. While sweet, these roots are fairly tough and most often completely white. It is assumed that Neolithic people gathered the wild roots for food and that the carrot seeds were also gathered for their medicinal and flavoring possibilities.

More recently but still long ago, in fact as long ago as five thousand years, folks in the Middle East began the first known intentional cultivation of carrots. They selected or developed some larger rooted purple carrots, as well as some bi-colored carrots that somewhat resembled the purple topped turnips that abound in markets and gardens today. These carrots spread through out the Middle East and Europe by as early 1000 AD. At this time carrots were still not the delectable vegetable we know today. While sweet and nutritious when young, they were fairly tough customers, and they had a tendency to grow woody and bitter as they aged.

By the tenth century AD yellow carrots were developed in Turkey, through careful selection. These new yellow carrots reached Holland by the fourteenth century. Within a couple hundred years the Dutch had selected out orange carrots that were well on their way to resembling the carrots that we know and love. (Meanwhile all this time, in South America the Indians had their own carrots – Arracacia, of which I can find very little information. The facts are intriguing, the plants are perennial, are grown much like potatoes, and each plant can produce up to 2 kilos of edible roots per year. Now, that is a bunch of carrots! But since I can’t find a source for seeds or plants, we will have to stick with growing these European carrots, for now.)

Fashions do change, in clothes and carrots. Things once considered old fashioned and out dated return as the new rage. A close look at some of the larger seed catalogs will uncover a glimpse of carrots in many colors. The historical colors of carrots, long out of vogue are back in force. And with them are some colors the ancients may have never imagined. Atomic Red and Purple Haze are some of the newest hot carrot colors. You can even buy Rainbow packets with tender sweet carrots ranging from white, through yellow, to pale shades of the more familiar orange.

Carrots make an excellent fall and winter crop here in Northern California. If you get them started soon, you can even grow them in areas that get substantial snow. Once the snow starts falling the carrots will stop growing. But they will start again as soon as it thaws out in spring, giving you an extra early crop. The rest of us can start our carrots pretty much any time of year, as long as we can provide them with plenty of water. However, carrots grown through the winter are extra fat, juicy, and sweet.

When choosing a spot for your carrots, the very first consideration is gophers. If you have gophers in your yard or garden they are sure to eat your carrots before you do. And as the soil takes a bit of preparation for these deep rooted veggies, that is not my idea of a good deal. Carrots can be grown in containers, and that is especially fun to try if you have young children. An empty coffee or olive oil can - can be pressed into duty. Use a nail and a hammer to punch a few drainage holes in the bottom of your new designer pot. You can fill your pots with potting mix, or make your own. Start with a handful of garden soil, a handful of used coffee grounds if you have them around the house, a handful of sand if you can get it, and mix in a gallon or so of potting soil, screened compost, or leaf mould. It can be as simple as that..

If you want to grow more carrots than can be done in an assortment of containers, and gophers are problem, raised beds underlined with hardware cloth are the answer. Hardware cloth is a metal mesh material available at most hardware and garden supply centers. It is not cheap. It is available in 3’ wide rolls, and generally sells for upwards of $2.00 - $3.00 a foot by length. Make sure the hardware cloth you purchase is galvanized. The good news is that it lasts for many years.

Most raised beds are 3 feet wide by six feet long. When designing the beds make sure that the outside measurement of the frame is 3 feet, so you have plenty of space to securely tack your hardware cloth to the wood, preventing gophers access to the beds. For carrots it is a good idea to have beds at least 12 inches high, higher might be even better. I am happy with my 12” x 1” boards hammered together and screened on the bottom. They are simple, not too expensive, and they look just fine.

For growing carrots in raised beds you may want a planting mix that contains a good amount of sand - if you can get it, lots of organic matter, and a lesser amount of plain old mineral soil. A nice loose mix that will resist compaction is ideal. If you are going to make your own, screened compost or leaf mould makes a good starter, purchased sharp sand is ideal – but river sand will do, and a few shovels full of your own garden dirt makes a good addition. You can also purchase planting mix, if you like. Just ask the nursery what they would recommend.

Fill your beds loosely, water well to settle the soil, top off the beds and repeat and level as needed. You want your soil to settle to within 2 inches of the top of your raised beds. Beds or containers filled too high will loose soil to rain and watering, but those without enough soil will cramp the root development of your yummy and nutritious carrots. (If they weren’t so dang good, and good for you too, they really wouldn’t be worth the trouble. Nothing much taste sweeter than a fresh pulled carrot.)

Now you are ready for seeds. I would bet that almost all nurseries and garden sections of hardware stores stock at least a few varieties of carrot seed. You might even be able to find them at your favorite grocery store. But if you want to amaze friends and family with fat ones, skinny ones, long ones, and short ones, as well as red, white, and purple ones, you will probably have to hit the seed catalogs.

The two best catalogs I’ve found, as far as carrot selections go, are Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Thompson and Morgan. You can request a free catalog from both these companies. Johnny’s Selected Seeds is enough to make any gourmet gardener drool. They carry 17 different varieties of carrots, including all the fancy colors and shapes listed above. You can request a catalog by phone, 877-564-6697, or on the Internet: http://www.Johnnyseeds.com Thompson and Morgan offers a whopping 19 different varieties of carrots, and while some of them over lap with Johnny’s offerings, they both have some unique selections. You can contact Thompson and Morgan by phone, 800-274-7333, or on the Internet: http://www.Thompson-Morgan.com

When ordering or purchasing your seed, consider getting some scallions, shallots, or bunching onions too. Carrots inter-grown with any of these alliums are much less susceptible to carrot maggots, who can eat tunnels through these tasty roots. I have not had any problems with carrot maggots here in Hoopa, but I was occasionally bothered by them when I gardened down in the Sacramento area. Rotating your carrot plantings each year and soil solarization can help if carrot maggots get to be a problem.

If you still want to know more about carrots, check out the carrot museum: http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/ They have information on everything from carrot antifreeze to carrot quotes, great classroom and rainy day activities, and much, much
more.

Other Fall and Winter Veggies:

Broccoli:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/bodacious-broccoli.html

Fennel:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/florence-fennel-real-food.html

Giant Red Japanese Mustard:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/03/giant-red-japanese-mustard.html

Kale:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/02/kindly-kale.html

Kohlrabi:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/knobby-kohlrabi.html

Parsnips:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/04/plentiful-parsnips.html

Stay tuned, next time we will be riding herd on those hordes of hungry caterpillars that are busy decimating our cabbage and kale. Mean while, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, Sept. 12, 2006. Posted here with permission.
http://www.hoopa-nsn.gov/enterprises/newspaper.htm

Fall Flowers

2006-09-26T16:58:00.000-07:00

Summers heat has begun to subside and our days are turning mild and breezy. Once again it is a joy to be out in the garden among the flowers and bees while the sun warms work weary shoulders. Many of our favorite blooms are fading to seed. But there are still some garden stars to enjoy through the months of fall. Here are some ideas for both fussy gardeners and those who like to take it easy.

One of my farorite plants for autumn is the lovely and delicate California Fuchsia. They are also known as Zauchneria and Epilobium. But no matter what you call them, their firecracker flowers will decorate your borders from mid summer through mid-fall. They are perennials in most temperate parts of Northern CA (hardy to zone 7). You just have to plant them once and they will grace your landscape for years to come. These fabulous little flowers bloom in shades of red and orange, depending on the variety you choose. Their narrow tubular flowers are perfect for hummingbirds, who definitely love the nectar. If you plant blooming specimens now, those glitter feathered birds may visit your yard well into fall.

California Fuchsia is attractive in the garden, even when not in bloom. There are varieties that are used as ground covers and in hanging baskets. These creepers come with fuzzy or smooth, narrow, grey or green leaves. They look graceful spilling out of a container or over a ledge. I am particularly found of the grey leaved types. They add color and texture to the landscape even when they are out of bloom. There are other varieties that form what are called “sub-shrubs.” These plants grow up to 3 feet tall, depending on the variety. The taller specimens deserve a place in the middle of the border. There are varieties that range up to about 2 feet tall that look great inter-planted with roses. They can serve to hide the roses stubby ankles and knees. Just make sure you choose colors that harmonize in a way that pleases your eye. Read plant labels or catalog descriptions thoroughly, to be sure you choose plants that are right for the spot you have in mind.

Zauchnaria, as I am in the habit of calling it, can be planted anytime now through spring. If water is a problem in your area, plant in the fall after the rains have begun. (You may not get flowers this year if you have to wait.) By summer this hardy native plant will have sunk its roots deep enough to withstand most of what summer can dish out. The soil needs no special preparation and they are bothered by few pests. (The slugs don’t even bother the ones in my yard.) Good drainage is helpful if you can provide it. In the summer they prefer to be a little on the dry side, so consider the moisture needs of other near by plants when choosing Zauchnaria’s special spot. They love the sun, so give them plenty of exposure. If your plants get a little raggedy looking over the winter try to wait until the end of February before giving them a bit of a hair cut. That way you will preserve as many healthy stems as possible and you are sure to get a repeat performance of the autumn fireworks next year.

Another great fall bloomer hardy in our area is Mexican Bush Sage (Salvia leucantha). This sage eventually forms a fragrant shrub up to four feet tall and wide. The stems and stalks have a purple cast, and are covered with soft grey fuzz. The flower bracts are a deep purple, also covered with that same soft fuzz. The flowers themselves come in purple or white, depending on the variety. They also attract hummingbirds and tend to begin their show in late summer or early fall. In mild weather they may continue blooming through early winter. The leaves are narrow, long, crinkled, and a pleasant shade of green. Mexican Bush Sage is hardy to zone 8. It has few pests, it is drought tolerant, and it loves the sun. Much like California Fuchsia, it is not picky about soil, other than needing good drainage. While this plant is hardy in our area, you don’t often see it planted. So if you want something a little different look for Mexican Bush Sage.

Gaura, bee blossom, butterfly flower, or wand flower (Gaura lindheimeri) makes a great companion to either Mexican Bush Sage or California Fuchsia. It is a long lived perennial flower with slim flowering “wands” that grow from 2 – 3 feet tall. Many varieties have foliage and stems marked with maroon, making the plants colorful whether they have flowers or not. Gaura begins blooming in late summer and will continue throughout fall. Plants will live in sun or shade, but will flower best in a sunny spot. They are drought tolerant, have few pests, and the flowers range from white to pink, depending on the variety you choose. If you live in an area that gets a hard frost or snow, Gaura is likely to die back to the ground in winter. But rest assured, as soon as spring comes around the corner, your Gaura will come back to life.

If you are the “take it easy type,” are in a hurry for some fall flowers, and are on a budget, here’s a little secret you can use right now. There are two very inexpensive types of seeds you can purchase, and simply throw on the ground in-between your other plants and have flowers in about 6 weeks. This little trick will only work in areas that you water. It is fun to try this with your kids, and it might even make a nice class project. But you need to do it right away. Once it starts raining it will be to late to try this year.

This little trick starts at the feed store, or the bulk bins at the grocery or health food store. Look for the small black sunflower seeds they sell to feed pets, and also look for raw whole buckwheat. (You don’t want roasted buckwheat groats – they won’t grow.) Buy a quarter pound or so of each, and just toss them around where you would like them to grow. The sunflowers grow up to about 3 feet tall, and have flowers from 3 – 6 inches across. Some plants will have multiple flower heads blooming one at a time. And you should have your first flower buds in 4 – 6 weeks. They are really fast and fun. The buck wheat makes an attractive spreading plant with 2 – 3 inch heart shaped leaves and interesting jointed stems. They will begin blooming in about a month of being sown, when they are only 6 – 8 inches tall. They make sweet smelling crescents from an inch to 3 inches long, full of tiny white flowers. The plants will continue to grow until frost, forming a loose open network of arching stems and flowers. (Both the sunflowers and the buckwheat will need replanted next year, if you want a repeat performance.) Hurry, fall seems to be coming early this year.

If your local nursery doesn’t carry the perennials listed above here are some mail order sources: Forest Farm, http://www.forestfarm.com/ (541) 846-7269 They have several varieties of Gaura and Zauchnaria.
Mountain Valley Growers, http://www.mountainvalleygrowers.com/ (539) 339-2775 They have one variety each of Zauchnaria and Gaura as well as two types of Mexican Bush Sage.

Next time we will be getting ready to grow some of the new colorful carrots for a cool fall crop. Meanwhile, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, Sept. 5, 2006. Posted here with permission.
http://www.hoopa-nsn.gov/enterprises/newspaper.htm

Saving Seed

2006-09-21T19:24:00.000-07:00

Saving your own seed can be as easy as scooping out a melon and reserving a portion of the seeds to dry. Not only is it easy, it’s also free, and it’s a great educational tool for teaching children about life cycles, seasons, and self reliance. When you save your own seeds to grow for the following year, you get to select the plants that exhibit the traits you desire. If you like your produce bigger, earlier, smaller, more colorful, or any other criteria - the ones that suit your requirements are the ones you save seed from. This year the Red Russian Kale I am saving seeds from were resistant to aphids. Pest resistance is something plants can pass on to their off spring. And it’s not always something seed farms select when choosing seed to offer for sale.

Those who know, generally claim that it takes about 3 years of saving a certain strain of seed in a given environment for the plants to acclimate. This often seems to be true in my own garden. After the second or third year the seed I save myself tends to out perform those award winning hybrids. Of course, I am selecting by my own standards – but that is something every gardener can do.

Saving seed is very cost effective. Your one chosen seed squash, tomato, or Giant Red Mustard plant will produce more seed than you can use, possibly in your life time. Seeds don’t live forever, so it is a good idea to save fresh seed each year. The extra seed can be shared with family and friends as well as other gardeners. Some types of seed are edible such as your pumpkin and squash seed. And some, such as radish, mustard, and arugula can be used to grow tasty sprouts for winter time salads.

If you have a little Internet savvy you can trade your extra seeds with other seed saving enthusiasts. One way to find information on seed swaps is on a search of Google Blogs: http://www.blogger.com/ Try searches on “Seed Swaps,” “Seed Exchanges,” “Seed Trades,” or even “Free Seeds.” Yahoo also hosts some groups that hold swaps by mail. Try those same searches on: http://groups.yahoo.com/ (If you don’t have a computer at home, check with your local library. They often have computers available and they may even have someone to help you learn how to use them. Alternatively some libraries may stock magazines that host or advertise seed exchanges.) Last winter I arranged so many seed swaps that it may take me ten years to grow all the seeds I received – if the seeds even live that long. So I am temporarily retired from seed swapping. Instead I am giving lots of seed away.

The very easiest seed to save are from melons, pumpkins, tomatoes, and winter squash, which we normally use when fully ripe. You can save seed from the ones your grow, or even the ones you purchase. Simply separate seeds from the pulp, rinse them in a handy kitchen strainer, and lay them out on paper towels to dry. When fully dry all these seeds except watermelon should snap in half rather than bend. Watermelon seeds may not snap when dry but they should not bend. Once dry you can store them in mason jars or zip lock bags. Be sure to label each jar or bag – one squash seed pretty much looks like the next. And you will probably want to know what you are planting next spring. However, not all seeds will grow plants identical to the veggies they came from. The offspring of hybrids often show a lot of genetic diversity. And seed saved from the garden will occasionally cross pollinate. I have this really yummy green striped crook neck squash that taste a bit of cucumber. It is my very favorite squash this year, and it is definitely a cross. But that is half the fun of saving your own seed. (If you don’t want crosses you can use row covers to keep out the bees and hand pollinate. For information on hand pollination see: http://www.pollinator.com/hand_pollination.htm )

To save seed from your summer squash and cucumbers you will need to let one cucumber and one squash from each plant get huge, old, and hard. After the first frost, pick it, split it, and remove the seeds to dry. You might need an axe to open some of the huge old zucchinis. But you will get seeds enough to share with everyone you know. Once you get at the seeds let them dry and store as above.

Most of your other vegetables will need to bolt before you can save seed. You must let them grow tall and rangy. After the flowers fade, seed heads or pods will develop. These must be allowed to dry on the plant. Then the stems can be cut, the seed heads placed in a newspaper lined box, or a brown paper bag, and moved to the garage or other dry place until they are crisp to the touch. You can save the seeds in their pods if you have room. Or you can open the pods and carefully separate the chaff from the seeds. (Old skills from past bad habits may serve you well in this little task.) It is a good idea to let the seeds dry a bit longer once separated, but then they can be stored as all the seeds above.

I store my seeds in zip lock bags in a light weight lidded plastic container. (It is a Rubbermaid index card file box.) Some people buy or reuse desiccant packages with their stored seed. I think this is more important with seeds stored in glass containers, because glass can encourage condensation. However desiccant packages can be saved, dried in the sun, and reused in your seed containers. Pepperwood leaves, hot peppers, and diatomaceous earth can help protect your seed from insect damage. Diatomaceous earth is available from many larger health food stores and some garden supply companies. Make sure not to buy the DE sold for swimming pool filters as it is not as effective at pest control. You only need a pinch or so in each seed package. Just enough to lightly coat each seed.

All righty, that’s all you need to know to get started! Below you will find sources of more information should you want to become an expert seed saver:

Ask your book store or library for:
Save Your Own Seed, By Lawrence D. Hill, The Henry Doubleday Research Association.
Seed to Seed, by Suzanne Ashworth, Chelsea Green Publishing.

On the Internet:
http://theseedsite.co.uk/
http://tomclothier.hort.net/page28.html

Stay tuned – next time we will be taking a look at Zaushneria and other favorites for autumn bloom. Until then, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, August 29, 2006. Posted here with permission.

Bodacious Broccoli

2006-09-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

As long as your ground doesn’t freeze solid and you don’t have a thick blanket of snow on the ground, you can eat fresh out of your garden all year . Broccoli contributes to the diversity of foods you can grow at home during the cold months. Even if you can’t garden all year, broccoli can stretch your season. It can be started now for a fall crop, and it can be set out as soon as the ground can be worked for an early spring crop. It is perfect to plant most varieties now for fall and through the end of October for late winter. Once established, most varieties can take a pretty hard frost and sprinkling of snow. And broccoli is available in a diversity of forms.

For those fond of serving broccoli raw as an appetizer or in salads the new (and not so new) colored broccoli’s will add a little excitement to your dinner table. I can just hear it now. “Eat your broccoli, Dear.” “But Mom, its purple.” “It’s ok Dear, it’s supposed to be purple.” Broccoli is available in not just green and purple, but also white, red, and almost blue. And while the kids may not like it, and the cousins may not like it, it will certainly impress your friends. If your prefer your broccoli cooked, except for the white broccoli, it all cooks up green. However, the colored broccolis are just as easy to grow, so even if you don’t like it raw, it might be fun to experiment in the garden.

Sprouting broccoli is a favorite in many gardens. It produces a central head like most other broccoli plants. But when that head is cut the plants continue to produce smaller heads over a long time period. Some varieties will produce small heads for approximately 6 weeks, while others may produce for many months.

If you have a small family there are varieties of broccoli just for you. Some of them are standard forms that produce one head per plant. Others are the sprouting broccoli types mentioned above and will produce several small heads over a few weeks or months. Look for Broccoli Kabuki for small plants and Packman for small early heads on almost full sized plants.

The tiniest broccoli heads are found on Raab or Rapini. These small heads are cut and cooked with a few of the top leaves and are ready for harvest in 5 – 8 weeks from planting. These tasty treats have a bit of a warm mustard flavor and they are great in soups and stir fry. If you like a bit of heat they can also be munched raw in salads, with dip, or straight from the garden.

New to my garden this year is Spigariello, a form of broccoli grown for its leaves. Unlike broad leaved broccoli this one sports narrow frilly leaves that are its main attraction. Foodies everywhere know that little fancy leaves are the fashionable thing when it comes to green salads, aspics, and broth based soups. However, Spigariello also adds a nice note to macaroni and potato salad, and anywhere you need a little flare. The young tender leaves can be used raw, while the older leaves are best for cooked dishes.

When ordering seeds or purchasing broccoli plants be sure to read the entire plant description or seed package. Some types are not cold hardy and must be grown in the warmer months. Some types are not adapted to heat. Be sure you purchase the types of broccoli you want for the season they will be planted.

Broccoli is easy to grow from seed. Seeds need only be barely covered with soil and will usually germinate in a week to ten days. They do need to be kept evenly moist to start. Sometimes that is easier to accomplish in six packs full of potting soil than out in the garden. Broccoli is considered a heavy feeder, so choose the best soil you have available, and then keep it mulched at least until the weather cools down. Broccoli does not need full sun all day, but it does need to get some sun, and it won’t do well in deep shade. Young plants can be tucked in the ground in-between squash or pepper plants now, as long as you amend their planting holes with plenty of organic matter.

The young plants will benefit from the shade and camouflage from pests that the older plants provide. By the time the frost kills off the summer veggies, the broccoli will be ready to take over and thrive.

Young broccoli plants are definitely bothered by slugs and snails. It is a good idea to go out with a flash light at night or early in the morning for a few days before and after you plant your young broccoli. If you arm yourself with a zip-lock bag and a glove (or another recycled plastic bag) you can hand pick all those hungry critters and dispose of them, before they dispose of your little plants. Cabbage worms can also be a big problem. We will be talking about all the ways to organically control cabbage worms in an up-coming article. Meanwhile, try to check your plants every few days. Squish any little green worms you see and knock off any bug eggs and your plants should be just fine.

All the Broccoli varieties are members of the very nutritious Brassica family. And broccoli is very diet friendly. A full cup has only 31 calories! It is high in calcium, potassium, vitamin C, folate, vitamin K, beta-carotene, and lutein. That is a pretty great package. But that is not all. Broccoli is considered a powerful cancer preventative, as well as helpful for a number of other health problems including diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. For more information see: http://mann.broccoli.com/institute/health_articles.htm

Broccoli is lots of fun in the kitchen. It can be steamed for an easy side dish. Serve steamed broccoli as is, or chop it up and serve over a baked potato, toast, or pasta with a sprinkling of olive oil, some gravy, or grated cheese. Cooked broccoli can be whizzed up in the food processor and used as a base for hot or cold soups. The puree can be diluted, if desired, with broth or milk, and other cooked or raw veggies can be added as well as cooked pasta, rice, or whatever suits your fancy. Broccoli can also be added to casseroles, soup, salads – pretty much anything you are cooking – except maybe desert. And it looks and tastes great as part of a platter of fresh veggies to go with ranch dip. So grow lots of colors and have fun!

Sources:

Nichols Garden Nursery offers seeds of a number of kinds of broccoli, including Raab, Spigariello and some of the more standard types. You can contact them by phone or through their web site: (800)422-3985 http://www.nicholsgardennursery.com/

Richters Herbs has a deep blue-green Calabrese broccoli, as well as an old fashioned Italian sprouting broccoli. (905) 640-6677 http://www.Richters.com

Johnny’s Selected Seed offers Packman and Raab, as well as standard and sprouting broccoli. (877) 564-6697 http://www.Johnnyseeds.com

Thompson and Morgan carry the mini Kabuki Broccoli, various colored varieties, and a large number of standard and sprouting types. (800) 274-7333 http://www.thompson-morgan.com

Other Fall and Winter Veggies:

Fennel:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/florence-fennel-real-food.html

Giant Red Japanese Mustard:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/03/giant-red-japanese-mustard.html

Kale:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/02/kindly-kale.html

Kohlrabi
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/09/knobby-kohlrabi.html

Parsnips:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/04/plentiful-parsnips.html

Next time we will be exploring saving seeds, and the home seed bank. (You can arrange to trade for almost any seed you would like to try, with your own home saved seeds!) Until then, you can find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, August 22, 2006. Posted here with permission.

A Zillion Zucchini

2006-09-08T15:17:00.000-07:00

Right now gardeners everywhere are wondering what in the heck they can do with the wheelbarrow full of zucchini piled on the kitchen counter. Having completely mastered the task of getting their plants to produce, they are now overwhelmed. People cringe when gardeners are carrying brown paper bags; friends hide when they see them coming. This is a sad state of affairs. What you are eating instead of zucchini is likely adding pounds to your middle. Give them a chance. Learn some new culinary tricks for this low calorie food and your middle will thank you.

Zucchini, and other summer squash are actually very diet friendly, nutritious, and versatile in the kitchen. Summer squash, including zucchini, only has 20 calories per cup. It is low in carbohydrates and fats, so you can eat lots and not gain a pound. It is a good source of vitamin C, riboflavin, B-6, potassium, and manganese. All things the body needs. The web site The Worlds Healthiest Foods http://www.whfoods.com/index.html claims that summer squash, including zucchini, have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. They are supposed to be especially good for the prostate gland and for folks with “conditions like asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis.” With just a few tips you can probably use all the summer squash your vines and bushes will produce. And your health may be all the better because of it.

Grate that zucchini:

Back when I was a mere pup, I worked at The Chef – a natural food restaurant in Carmichael, CA. Every morning at 6 AM I could be found grating mountains of fresh zucchini, yellow squash, and carrots. These were mixed together, equal parts zucchini and yellow squash, to about ¼ part grated carrots. This mix was stored in a big clear plastic garbage bag in the walk in cooler. It was completely gone by the following morning. We used this mix in nearly every omelet, order of scrambled eggs, and sandwich we served. It was used as a garnish for every salad, entree, and bowl of soup. It was part of The Chef’s signature. And not a bad idea to use at home. You can add zing by adding other grated fresh veggies, pressed garlic, or slivered onions. You can toss the mix with your favorite fresh or dried herbs, mixed seasonings, olive oil, or salad dressing. Dress it up with a sprinkling of pine nuts; sunflower, pumpkin, or sesame seeds. Serve it up on some lettuce or kale leaves, add a few slices of tomato and / or cucumber, a scoop of tuna salad - and call it dinner!

A cup of fresh grated zucchini or other summer squash can be added to bread and cake recipes. The squash will increase the moisture level of the baked goods, allowing you to cut the oil, butter, or fat called for in the recipe by half. Match the color of your squash to the color of your recipe. Yellow squash goes perfect with yellow cake or corn bread. Peeled, any light fleshed squash is perfect in white cakes or breads. Zucchini hides nicely in chocolate cake and whole wheat bread. The texture, flavor, and health benefits of your baked goods are improved!

Grated squash makes an easy frittata for a quick dinner or a company brunch. 1&1/2 cups grated squash and other veggies can be placed in a small pie pan with an unbaked pie shell, or skip the pie shell and simply oil the pan. Optional: add ½ cup grated cheese of your choice. Beat 5 eggs adding 2 tablespoons of flour and ¼ cup milk.. Pour over veggies and bake at 350 for 30 – 45 minutes. It is done when it quits jiggling in the middle and a tooth pick inserted comes out with no under-cooked egg mix clinging to it. Serve with salsa, and salad for dinner, or sliced fruit for brunch. Dress it up with a dollop of sour cream, unsweetened yogurt, or fresh chopped herbs if desired.

Grated zucchini or summer squash can be added to ground meat. Use about ¼ grated squash to ¾ meat. Cook as you normally would. This is great for meat loaf, hamburgers, patty sausage, and meat balls. It will add moisture, flavor, and reduce calories, fat, and cholesterol.

Dice it up:

Diced squash is good in salad, soup, beans, casseroles, and stir fry. Dice it tiny and add it to salsa and chutney, or pour leftover pickle juice over it and keep refrigerated and call it relish. Dice it chunky and steam for a simple side dish. Mix it with diced potatoes and peppers and fry it up to go with breakfast or as a dinner side dish. Marinate it in olive oil and balsamic vinegar and poke a tooth pick in each piece and call it a hors d’oeuvre. Pierce it with a skewer alternately with other veggies and shrimp, chunks of albacore, or beef, grill until done - and you have shish-kabob.

Whiz it:

Use a food processor to puree your squash. One cup pureed squash can be added to pancake and waffle batter. When adding to pancake batter you can reduce the fat, butter, or oil in the recipe by half. Be careful when experimenting with reducing fat in waffle batter, because a certain amount is necessary to keep the waffles from sticking to the waffle iron. Small lightly browned pancakes ad waffles can be frozen in zip-lock bags to make your own quick microwave or toaster oven breakfasts. Pureed squash also makes a good base for the cool summer soup called gazpacho. If you think you want your soup supper smooth - use small young squash. If you don’t mind a little more fiber, you can use medium sized squash that have immature seeds inside. Just grind them up smooth with some garden greens if available. Dice up some tomatoes and peppers and fresh herbs and stir them in and chill. You can serve as is or with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt and some chopped chives or basil. The grated squash -carrot blend also makes a nice garnish! Young pealed squash puree can be used in place of a portion of the fruit in recipes for things like apple-sauce cake, smoothies, and jam. I recently made a batch of jam with 2 cups fig puree, 2 cups squash puree, 2 cups blackberries, 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon each nutmeg and cloves. I let it cook down on low in the crock-pot with the lid slightly ajar for most of an afternoon, then I added 1 package no-sugar pectin, brought it to a boil, packed in sterilized jars and water bath processed it. Tastes great!

Keep it for later:

Diced, grated, or whizzed zucchini can be frozen in zip lock bags for up to 6 months for use in cooked dishes. If you have a food dehydrator, zucchini and other summer squash can be sliced fairly thin, dipped in lemon juice if desired and dried until crisp. (Some references say to store right away – some say to leave the veggies out to “condition.” I don’t have a dehydrator - Store in an air tight container They make great low calorie chips as is, or they can be added to soup or casseroles.

Tougher more mature zucchini can be canned or pickled. To can dice the squash in bite size sections leaving the skin on. (But remove the seeds.) Pack raw into quart jars leaving ½ headroom. Boil enough water or broth to fill jars. Salt and herbs are optional but nice. Vinegar or lemon juice can also be added to taste – and it improves color retention. Pour over squash, dry jar rims, cover with new lids, install rings – but do not tighten. Process at 10 pounds for 30 minutes in a pressure canner. Vent canner and as soon as it is cool enough to be safe, promptly remove jars and tighten lids.

Best results for pickles are also obtained with about half mature squash. Wash and remove seeds but not the rind. Boil jars, rings, and pour boiling water over the lids. While jars are boiling cut squash wedges to fit the jars, leaving about ½ inch head room. Boil equal parts vinegar of your choice and water, adding 1/3 cup salt for every 6 cups liquid. Pack squash wedges in jars, adding your choice of garlic cloves, onion wedges, dill, mustard, and/ or celery seed, peppercorns, hot peppers, etc.. Pour boiling pickle solution into packed jars to within ½ inch of top. Dry rims, cover with lids, loosely install rings, process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, promptly remove jars and tighten lids.

No zucchini?

Start seeds right now for a fall crop! Last year I picked summer squash from my garden here in Hoopa until the middle of December when we finally got a hard killing frost. Zucchini can take more cold than many summer veggies – so it is not too late. And you don’t need to till a whole garden plot to grow a few plants. Tuck them into an empty spot along a fence or in your flower border. Give them a little water when you can and they are likely to take right off.

Stay tuned – next time we will be taking a look at broccoli and its close relatives.. They can be started now and again in mid October for fall and winter crops! Until then, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, August 15, 2006. Posted here with permission.

Knobby Kohlrabi

2006-09-02T13:25:00.000-07:00

Kohlrabi is tasty, nutritious, and easy to grow, but it is definitely an odd member of the vegetable kingdom. For most vegetables we eat the leaves (lettuce, spinach, and kale), the flower buds (artichokes, broccoli, cauliflower), the fruit (squash, tomatoes, eggplant), or the roots (carrots, turnips, beets). Not so with Kohlrabi. Those crisp, sweet, knobby kohlrabies only resemble roots. They are really swollen above ground stems, and that makes them fairly unique among the vegetables we eat.

This versatile vegetable is delicious grated into coleslaw or salad, cut into sticks for dipping in ranch, cubed in soups and casseroles, or simple quartered and steamed. Its taste resembles a mild, sweet, crisp cabbage. It is interesting enough to serve on its own, and subtle enough to mix with other bold or quiet vegetables. While the swollen stems –are the part most often eaten, the leaves are also tasty in soups or stir fries.

Kohlrabi is great news for dieters. Low in carbs, high in fiber, and no fat or cholesterol gives it a place in almost any diet you could possibly be on. It is also a good source of Thiamin, Folate, Magnesium and Phosphorus, and a very good source for Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium, Copper, and Manganese. And a full cup only has 36 calories! Nutritious, tasty, and safe for most diets, who wouldn’t want to grow some of this unusual vegetable for themselves?

This Northern European vegetable was hand selected back in the 1600’s from a certain strain of cabbage that had swollen stems. It is still very popular in Germany, Hungary, and Russia, but around here the response is most commonly, “What’s that?” When you get some going in your garden you simply say: “It is the best kept weight loss secret to come along in four centuries. If you help me weed I just might have a few to share with you.”

Kohlrabi is easy to grow, and will produce nice “bulbs” (or swollen stems) from seed planted either in spring or fall. For a fall crop seeds can be started in six packs right now, as long as you keep them in a cool bright window, or on a shady porch. Young seedlings need protection from the scorching heat. But once they are big enough to plant out in the garden they should do fine, as long as they can get watered regularly. You can also wait and plant Kohlrabi out doors directly in the garden once the weather cools down. It normally takes about 3 months from seed until you can start pulling plants for the table. But winter grown Kohlrabi often takes longer to mature. Once you have Golf ball sized “bulbs” you will want to start harvesting. Except for the varieties that are bred to be gigantic, those over hard ball size will need to be peeled. And once that skin starts toughening up, the peeling is not so easy.

Beauty is only skin deep, they say, and that may be true for Kohlrabi too. You can order seeds for green, white, and purple varieties, in addition to the gigantic ones already mentioned. But the color affects the skin only. All kohlrabi is light ivory-green, crisp, sweet, and delicious on the inside. However, the variety in skin color does liven up the salad and the garden.

Kohlrabi suffers from the same pests as its close relatives, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. Those being our very favorites - cabbage worms and aphids. The best part about growing kohlrabi in the winter, is that once the weather cools down and the storms set in, the pest damage comes to a screeching halt. (Except for the dang slugs. But if you catch them snacking on your plants you can easily catch them and trap them in a zip lock bag. We will have more on slugs in a future column.) Mean while you can hand pick those green cabbage worms whenever you see that they have been munching holes in your kohlrabi leaves.

Kohlrabi does not need any special care, and will thrive in most ordinary garden soil. The only real trick to fall gardening is to choose or create a space that is not too hot during the initial growing period, but that will get plenty of sun (if we get any) over the winter. A spot shaded by deciduous trees for at least part of the day is ideal. However, use of row covers and shade cloth also works well. Not only do the row covers and shade cloth cool your plantings down, they also help eliminate pests, so that is a bonus. Another consideration for fall and winter gardens is drainage. My soil resembles a wet squishy sponge during the winter. If yours does too, a raised bed is ideal. In a raised bed you can hand build your soil, provide drainage, and protection from gophers too. Not that gophers have ever bothered my kohlrabi, but they might want yours.

Whether you plant in raised beds or in the ground, don’t forget to mulch. Mulch reduces soil temperature, helps the soil retain moisture and nutrients and feeds those oh so important earthworms and soil micro-organisms. All these factors will help your kohlrabi to get established and thrive. Once the weather cools and the rains begin the mulch isn’t nearly as important. But late summer and early fall mulch will give your plants a good start. Believe me, along about December or January you might just be grateful that the best kept weight loss secret in four centuries is growing right out in your garden, especially since it taste so good.

If you can’t find seeds at your local nursery or in your favorite catalog, here’s a great spot to order on-line or by mail. Reimer Seeds, PO Box 236, Mount Holly, NC 28120-0236, Fax: 704-644-3762 , http://www.ReimerSeeds.com They carry some nice purple, green and white kohlrabi, as well as a couple of the gigantic types.

* If you missed the articles on mulch (Nurture your Soil), earthworms, aphids, or gophers visit: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com Use the search function on the page to pull up the archived articles. (If you have trouble finding any of the articles, let me know and I will find you a link.)

Next time, by special request, we will be featuring a number of ways to use all that summer squash you’ve been growing. Until then you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, August 8, 2006. Posted here with permission.

Crimson Clover

2006-08-23T15:39:00.000-07:00

Trifolium incarnatum (Fabaceae)

Crimson clover is a wonderfully versatile plant. It is grown for hay, silage, and pasture for animals; and as a winter cover crop for orchards and fallow fields. Early spring it graces road sides and pastures as a brilliant flame of a wildflower. And it adapts readily to the garden as a nitrogen fixer, a source of organic matter, and as a showy quick fill flower. Crimson clover is also much loved by bee keepers as it provides superior nectar that makes great tasting honey. And bees love it. If you grow fruit or vegetables that depend on insect pollination, successive plantings of Crimson clover will keep the little buzzing darlings visiting your yard or orchard. Crimson clover also has a nostalgic appeal. Tommy James and the Shondells made Crimson Clover famous with their 1968 song, “Crimson and Clover.”

Crimson clover is not too picky about how much sun it gets, but to be happy it does need at least 4 hours a day. It is not picky about soil either, in fact, it is often grown to improve poor soils. Crimson clover can be broadcast over fallow fields or garden beds in the fall and allowed to grow through the winter. Turning it under in spring will improve your soil for next summers garden or field crops. And if you can wait until it flowers before you turn it under, oh what a lovely show you will have.

In my yard and garden I primarily use Crimson clover as a filler flower in my borders and beds. It grows quickly, produces awesome flowers, and fixes nitrogen while it is making me smile. And nothing much could be easier. I purchase a quarter pound of seed at a time. (It’s less than a dollar at most feed stores.) And I simply broadcast the seed into empty spots in my borders and beds. Crimson Clover happily inter-grows with flowers, perennials, and vegetables. If it begins crowding it’s neighbors it is easy to pull or cut, and it makes an excellent addition to compost or mulch. (Crimson clover has a reputation for being invasive, however I have seen absolutely no sign of self sowing or spreading in my yard.) Warm weather sowings will require regular watering to get established, and will begin producing flowers in 45 to 60 days. Winter sowings won’t flower until early spring, but they require no irrigation or other fussing. Noting much could be easier. In the winter I even toss the seeds into bare spots in the lawn. Crimson clover will take some mowing, and I am rewarded with red blossoms amidst the grass, English daisies and white clover in the early spring.

There are more garden worthy clovers you can grow from seed, and some specialty ornamental clovers that you must seek out as nursery plants. First, here are the ones that you can grow from seed:

White Clover, Trifolium repens, is grown as a perennial used for orchard and garden ground cover, animal forage, winter cover, and as a nitrogen fixer and a source of organic matter. It spreads by runners and seeds. It can compete with Bermuda grass and win! Most of my side garden is inter-planted with white clover and it makes an excellent companion to my squash, tomatoes, and other plants. It improves the soil, provides good quality organic matter; acts as a living mulch - retaining moisture and keeping the soil cool in summer. During the winter the roots and leafy cover prevent the rain from compacting and eroding the soil. White clover is great for gardens, and it is edible and medicinal too. The flowers and leaves can be eaten raw or cooked. Consider adding them to soups, salads, or summer time sun-tea. There are several varieties of White Clover, ask at your local farm supply, nursery, or feed store to find which one is best suited for your needs and our site.

Red clover, Trifolium pratense, sports classic clover blooms in shades of pink and rose. These attractive perennial plants are grown for pasture, hay, as nitrogen fixing cover crops and as medicinal herbs. You can buy dried Red Clover flowers at most herb shops, they make a pleasant healthful tea. Or you can grow your own as easily as any other clovers. They need a bit of room to spread out. And they are happy in sun or part shade. There are also several varieties of Red Clover available, with a range of plant sizes and bloom colors.

Pink Clover, Trifolium rubens, is primarily an ornamental perennial. It grows from 18 to 24 inches tall and sports mauve to pink flowers similar to Crimson Clover. They look great in arrangements or in the flower bed.

Here are a couple of specialty ornamental clovers that must be sought out at the nursery:

Dark Dancer features deep purple leaflets edged in bright green. Instead of the normal three leaflets this lucky little guy often sports four, and is commonly sold as a Shamrock around St. Patrick’s Day.

Dragons Blood Clover is another little ground cover. This one has three leaflets each marked in cream, green, and red. It makes a great accent for a taller potted plant or a shady nook in the garden.

Sources:
If you can’t find the clovers your heart desires at local nurseries, feed stores, or farm supplies, you can order by mail, phone, or Internet:
Bountiful Gardens has seed for red, white, and crimson clovers. (707) 459-6410 http://BountifulGardens.org
Pink clover plants are carried by Digging Dog Nursery (707) 937-1130 http://www.diggingdog.com/ and the seeds can be ordered from: http://www.thompson-morgan.com
Dark Dancer and Dragons Blood clovers can be found at: Big Dipper Farm, (360) 886-8133 http://www.bigdipperfarm.com/

Crimson Clover Photos are available on line:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/24/24.8.html
http://www.oregonclover.org/crimsonclover.html

Stay Tuned, next time we will be getting ready to grow some Kohlrabi, a very tasty treat. Meanwhile, when I am not hiding from the heat at the creek, you can find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, August 2, 2006. Posted here with permission.

Chive Flavor, Chive Flare

2006-08-17T19:39:00.000-07:00

This old fashioned garden and kitchen standby has found new life in today’s up scale cuisines. You know the food I am talking about. When you look at the photos in elegant magazines, or when it is presented to you in fancy restaurants you are confronted with something that looks more like art then something to eat. All those tiny colorful leaves, strange shaped and hued tomatoes, spikes, weaves, bundles and ties. And the price tag is likely to give you indigestion.

Chives are much esteemed in the new cuisine. Mature chive plants provide tasty long flexible narrow leaves. When slightly wilted they make perfect edible ties for lettuce or cabbage rolls and for weaving an edible mat or basket. When kept cool and crisp, they can add spiky sculptural appeal to savory dishes that include a thick sauce or a dab of sour cream to hold them in place. (And a dab is probably all you will get. This up scale cuisine tends to be heavy on presentation and low on calories.)

If this all sounds like food from another planet, be sure to check out Bon Appetit, Gourmet, and Saveur magazines next time you are near a well stocked magazine rack. It is a rare day that you can thumb through an issue of any gourmet cooking magazine with out finding a recipe that showcases chive flare or flavor.

And chives are so easy to grow! While they are happiest in the ground, growing in at least part sun, they can be coaxed to make their homes in containers. They will grow in sunny windows, on porches, in full sun or part shade, and they can take some drought stress once established.

There are a number of varieties of chives available, from very fine leaved to the larger broader varieties. You can also find garlic chives in two different sizes, as well as a close chive relative called Chinese Leek Flower that I am dying to try. (It has small edible flower buds long narrow leaves.) Chives can be started any time of year, from seed or from young plants often available at nurseries. Plants started or purchased during the winter will need to be kept in a sunny window until spring. (Chives grown outside will normally go dormant in the winter, except in the very mildest of climates.)

Chives grown from seed are best started in a pot or other well drained container. The tiny seedlings resemble thin blades of grass and are easy to lose track of in the garden. Chives grow very slowly from seed. It may be a year or more before they have grown enough to withstand cutting for kitchen use. If you are impatient seek out plants at local nurseries. If you can find them in gallon sized containers, you can begin cutting your chives almost immediately.

Any ordinary garden soil will suit chives just fine. If you like the sharp tang of a spicy onion, hold back on the soil amendments, fertilizer, and be careful not to over water. For the strongest flavor chives need a lean soil and a bit of drought stress. Make sure the plants are well established before you experiment with holding back on the water. And keep a good eye on them, so they don’t actually wilt. If on the other hand you would prefer mild tasting extra large chives, grow them in rich well amended soil (add plenty of organic matter) and keep the soil evenly moist (but not wet).

Established chive plants are as ornamental as they are tasty. In early to mid spring they are festooned with cheerfully purple flowers that can be used in salads or even bouquets – if you don’t mind the scent of onions. The garlic flavored chives are not quite as ornamental, but their white flowers, which appear in mid to late summer, can be snipped and added to salad or floated on the top of hot or cold soups. Once they are done flowering you can collect the mature seed heads for dry arrangements, or to start new plants to share with your friends. Chive plants make a tidy spiky statement in the garden. It doesn’t hurt to have a few patches of chives. That way if you enjoy the flavor you can cut from those tucked into an herb bed or the vegetable garden while others are left to beautify the flower border.

In the kitchen, I must admit, I am a bit old fashioned when it comes to using chives. I like to dice them up with a sharp knife, much like the dehydrated chives you buy off the spice rack. However, fresh from the garden they are really far superior. Fresh chives are great in anything that cooks fairly quickly, such as egg dishes, white fish, canned or frozen veggies, stews, or soups. If you like the taste of onions and garlic you will also enjoy them raw - tossed into green salads, mixed up with tuna or salmon for sandwiches, as a garnish for deviled eggs, potatoe and macaroni salad, and casseroles. As far as I am concerned, chives are great in just about any savory dish. When you want a little flavor, a little flare - not much beats garden fresh chives.

If you can’t find the chives your heart most desires at your local nursery, check out:

http://www.evergreenseeds.com/ They have the Chinese Leek Flowers, as well as two other varieties of garlic of Chinese chives. They are primarily an Internet business. (I have purchased lots of seed from them with no problem.) However you can also contact them at: Evergreen Y.H. Enterprises, P.O. Box 17538, Anaheim, CA 92817

http://www.Johnnyseeds.com They have chives in three different sizes, as well as two different types of garlic chives. You can also call to request a catalog (877) 564-6697. You will be glad you did.

Stay tuned, next time we will be taking a look at Crimson Clovers’ lovely flowers - made famous by that old tune . . . Until then, you can probably find me out in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, July 25, 2006. Posted here with permission.

More herb articles:
Basil

Cilantro

Fennel

Parsley

Sweet Cecily will be covered before you know it, as well as lots of veggies, flowers and other good stuff for the garden.

Homeless Seeds

2006-08-13T11:46:00.000-07:00

I have been cleaning out one of my seed boxes and I have the following seeds free to good homes:

Columbine: Semi-double short spurred – the parent plant has pale cream colored flowers and light green leaves. The off-spring have light to dark green leaves and the only one that flowered so far is purple. These seeds are in short supply and I may not save any in the future. Act fast to be sure you get a few if you would like them. These need cold stratified or winter sown. See: http://www.wintersown.org & my article on starting seeds: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/06/seed-secrets.html
(You can use my “Space Saving Germination Trick” in the fridge for cold stratification.)
And here is my article on Columbine: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/03/lovely-columbine.html

Harvest’s Pink Star Tobacco: These seeds are from 2005, and I have ripening seed heads now. If I run out there will be more this fall. These are not easy to start. For uses and germination information see: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/06/multi-use-nicotiana.html

Sweet Cecily: I should have more of these seeds later. These are from 2005. I will be doing an article on Sweet Cecily at some point, stay tuned . . .

Harvest’s Heal All: Compact Prunella vulgaris – I just have a few of these left – and I am not sure the plants made it through last winter – so this may be it. However, I have lots of the more standard wild Prunella vulgaris if anyone wants some. (Do a search for info – I have an outline of up-coming articles through the middle of 2008 - and Heal All didn’t make the cut.)

Parsnips: These are from 2005 – I thought I was out, but I just found some more. And I should have more this fall. See: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/04/plentiful-parsnips.html

Evening Primrose: Also from 2005. I may not save any this year, but I still have plenty. If you need more info – search the web. I don’t have an article coming up on this one any time soon.

Check back often - I should have even more varieties of seed available this fall, and I will have a new gardening article up in a week or so. (And if you like fiction - you can read my novel in progress at: http://360.yahoo.com/harvest95546 Look for the Blog section near the top of the page. It definately has a strong gardening theme . . .)

Here is how it works – send me an e-mail ( harvest95546@yahoo.com ) to make sure I still have what you are looking for- and I will reply with my snail mail address. You can request up to 10 varieties. (If you want more than that – send more than one request.) For more choices search this blog for “Free Seeds.” For each variety of seed your are requesting you need to send me a small labeled zip-lock bag. Also send a self addressed mailing label and 2 stamps. (I have plenty of padded envelopes at the moment – from a donation.) Also send your e-mail address – just in case there is some problem. If you are in a position to donate stamps, small seed sized zip lock bags, or even $$$ that is cool too – but not necessary. All I ask is that you save and share seed from your garden. We can fight world hunger and beautify our world – a few seeds at a time. To learn how to save your own seed check out: http://www.theseedsite.co.uk/

I get more e-mail than comments - here is one that made my day:

You rock! I will get a letter out to you on Monday with my request. THANKS so much for doing this! I'm new to gardening (this is my second year) and I LOVE IT! We are a one income family and it has really helped to supplement our food supply. Thanks again for offering such wonderful things. I will be sharing these with my Mom and sister. I also plan on saving seeds for next year from this years crop.

THANKS
AGAIN!

Heidi

Thank you Heidi!

Aphids Are Among Us

2006-08-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

Gardeners are all familiar with these tiny creatures, even if they only grow a rose bush or two. The soft squishy things can reproduce like wild fire and if left unchecked they can wilt tender rose buds before the sun reaches high noon. And roses are not their only targets. They like all sorts of delectable garden fare. Aphids suck. Yes they do. In fact that is how they make their living.

These little creatures have a longish proboscis, kind of like a mosquito. They use this, first to pierce tender plant parts, and then like a straw, to slurp up carbohydrate rich plant juice. Aphids are like natural born diabetics. What they excrete is actually sweeter than what they slurp up. Aphids exude a thick syrup of concentrated minerals and sugar. Ants are often attracted to aphid colonies, collecting their “honey dew” and using it for food. When the honey dew is not consumed, but rather collects in abundance on plant leaves it can lead to mildew, rust, and fungus, which are definitely not good news. However, honey dew is not all bad news. Azotobacter, a free living nitrogen fixing bacteria that inhabits the soil, thrives on the stuff aphids excrete. Also, keep in mind that slight to moderate pest damage increases the nutrient value of produce. Plants under some insect stress produce more anti-oxidants and phytochemicals to protect their health, and those nutrients also help protect our health.

Aphids offer damage and danger to our plants, while at the same time they can be symbiotic and beneficial. What’s a gardener to do? Diversity, balance, and attention are key. Planting to attract beneficial insects goes along way towards encouraging the diversity necessary to keep aphids in check By encouraging a balance between predator and prey, the gardener may need do nothing more than watch the laws of nature at work in the garden.

Aphids are harried by a number of tiny wasps who lay their eggs right inside the aphids body. Then there are the hover flies whose caterpillar like larva devour tender aphids like they are the tastiest treat on the planet. Ladybugs and lace wings, as well as their larva, happily dine on the squishy sticky creatures. Except for the lace wings, all of these creatures are hard at work in my garden, and I have never ordered or purchased a single bug. (If you missed the article on Beneficial Insects please see: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/05/beneficial-insects.html You will find all the info you need to attract these hard working insects into your yard and garden.)

Even with the beneficial bugs hard at work in my garden, there are times I take matters into my own hands. Just before my Evening Primrose started to bloom, I noticed lots of aphids colonizing the buds. I studied these aphids up for a while. There were no tale-tale “mummies” that signal busy parasitic wasps. (I have a photo of the mumies, but I am having problems with blogger uploading my photos lately. If you need to see the photo, leave a comment and I will try again.) No hungry hover fly larva, no ladybugs at any stage. The remedy was quite simple. I hosed off the flower buds with a gentle steady stream. In the spots that the buggers were holding on tightly, I used my fingers to gently dislodge them, and hosed some more. Now that the Primroses are blooming, I find there are a few aphids, but they never came back in force.

Simply washing aphids from your plants is the least toxic and least disruptive way to deal with populations that are out of control. There are additional strategies that are considered organic. Insecticidal soap and Neem oil may provide longer protection as they actually kill the aphids rather than just displace them. These products are available at many garden supply outlets, through catalogs, and are often found at natural food supper-markets. Follow the directions on the labels and spray at dusk to minimize damage to beneficial insects. While you will need to thoroughly wet the infested surfaces, try to minimize the amount of your solution that drips on to your soil. Small amounts of Neem and Insecticidal soap will not harm earthworms or soil microorganisms. Just be careful not to over do.

If you happen to have food or agriculture grade diatomaceous earth laying around, it also makes quick work of aphids. Diatomaceous Earth often called DE is non toxic to fish, amphibians, and to you and your pets. It is made up of fossilized bodies of microscopic sea creatures called Diatoms. When prepared as a food preservative or as an insecticide it is ground in such a way that preserves the sharp edges of these tiny ancient creature’s shells. These sharp edges pierce the bodies of insects, both beneficial and pests, and the insects die of dehydration as their body fluids leak and evaporate.

I hate to use DE because it is death to beneficials, but I gave it a try as an experiment for the sake of this article. I sprinkled some on some squash leaves that were infested with aphids. By morning there were no more aphids in sight and after a week they haven’t returned. DE looks like dust or powder on the plant, and as long as it remains it is lethal. Small amounts can be ingested by earthworms, pets, and people without harm. (In fact, it is sometimes used internally to kill intestinal parasites. But do your own research or ask your doc or vet before trying this yourself.) Make sure not to breathe the DE dust or get it in your eyes. It is high in silica which is not good for your lungs and the sharp edges can irritate delicate eye membranes. (If you think this is scary, read the labels on any commercial pesticide, most of them are known to cause cancer, respiratory distress, and more.) DE can be found in most of the same places as Neem Oil and Insecticidal Soap.

Tobacco tea is a totally free ‘natural’ pesticide that you can grow and use on aphids. Be aware, natural does not always mean safe and non toxic. It is advised not to pick produce sprayed with tobacco for at least two weeks after the last application. I only use tobacco tea when my tiny seedlings in cell packs are under heavy attack. That way my produce and the garden ecosystem are not poisoned. For more information see:
http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/06/multi-use-nicotiana.html

While aphids may not exactly be gardeners best friends, they do have their good points. And even when they are being naughty they are generally not as harmful as people think. Tolerating some aphids in the garden while growing plants that encourage beneficial insects provides great tools for teaching children about nature, ecosystems, balance and diversity. Gardens that nurture life, nourish much more than just our bodies, they teach us lessons about life and nourish our souls.

Stay tuned, next time we will be looking at garden fresh chives which offer reliable hot weather flavor. In the meantime you can probably find me in the garden, Digging the Dirt.

Copyright 2006 Harvest McCampbell, from my column "Digging the Dirt," published in The Hoopa Valley People Newspaper, July 18, 2006. Posted here with permission.

(Also, chapter 4 of my novel in progress, Spirit House, is up at: http://360.yahoo.com/harvest95546 Look for the Blog section - near the top of the page.)

Harvest's Dragon Vetch

2006-08-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

I have been encouraging this spring wild flower to inter-grow in my beds and borders for a number of years. It’s not invasive, it’s a great nitrogen fixer, it produces a good amount of organic matter, it’s easy to pull or cut, and it is cheerful and attractive.

This year I noticed something totally new about the Dragon Vetch growing in my yard. The pods no longer pop flinging the seed far and wide as soon as they are ripe. In fact on the wreath pictured only one pod has popped, even though we have been in triple digits for the better part of a week.

In the book, “The Emergence of Agriculture,” by Bruce D. Smith, the author discusses how one of the first morphological changes plants make on the road from wild to cultivated - is losing the ability to disperse seed. I am pretty dang excited to be seeing that exact thing happening in my yard.

Since I have been collecting the seeds and then tossing them where I want to grow – I have, really without even thinking about it, been selecting for pods that don’t pop. Those non-popping pods' seeds get to grow places I want them, and the seeds from pods that pop are more likely to end up getting mowed or weeded out. So, now I have these fabulous black pods for wreathes and dry arrangements . . . (I have another pic of the whole wreathe, and for some reason Blogger won't let me up load it. If you really want to see it leave me a comment and I will up load it another day . . .)

Bruce Smith, in the afore mentioned book, states that the next morphological change found in early cultivated plants is enlarged seeds. So, I collected a bunch of the pods for seeds and I think I will hand select out the larger seeds, just to see what happens. If you would like to grow some of my Dragon Vetch for your projects add it to your list of free seeds to request from me this fall.

Search my blog for “free seeds” and stay tuned to find out what all is being offered. To order your free seeds you will need to send me two stamps, a self addressed mailing label, and small labled zip-lock bags for each type of seed you would like. There is a limit of ten varieties per request. Once you get your list together, e-mail me to make sure that the seeds are still in stock. I can’t garentee that I won’t run out before I get your request – but at least you will have a better idea. e-mail: harvest95546@yahoo.com And seeds do not do well when shipped in the heat of summer – but if you send your request in the summer I will send them out as soon as I can.

For more information on the book: “The Emergence of Agriculture,” see: http://harvestsgardeningsecrets.blogspot.com/2006/01/seedy-perspective.html

Oh, and by the way, I have started another blog for a piece of fiction I am working on. You can read the chapters as I draft them:
http://360.yahoo.com/harvest95546 (Look for the section called “Blog.”) Now that I have two main writing projects, I may only post here once a week or so . . .

Thanks,

Harvest