tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9255029873895009882024-03-25T17:01:37.464-07:00Taylor's Tiny FarmTaylor's Tiny Farm writes about gardening, food preservation, and a variety of homesteading topics including seed saving, self-sufficiency, and more.Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-60719626999335013462024-03-25T17:00:00.000-07:002024-03-25T17:01:04.562-07:00Grow Station Education<p>This little grow station has gotten me through many Utah winters, but in the past year it started underperforming. The seeds would germinate but then fail to get more than an inch or two tall. </p><p>First, I thought it was inconsistent watering, so I made myself a watering schedule and stuck to it for a change. But the problem persisted. </p><p>Then, I thought it was a soil issue, so I applied some of our homemade compost. But the problem persisted. </p><p>Finally, a friend generously gave us some new light tubes. Within a week the plants made more growth than they had in the past month and finally began to thrive. </p><p>What I learned? </p><p>I need to keep better track of how old my lights are. I've changed them out before but I have not been tracking how frequently they have been changed or how it has affected plant growth. Not too big of a deal on this small scale, but that would be valuable info if I ever expand in the future. </p><p>Thank you, John, for getting this little grow station growing again :) </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwhBrCpk6ViOFbl4nXlU8sUjlRoKK1QOvzAnE0udEZV1AP1iAJuL3IdwPD6HrOeF0Oj76q8eJ-pZan_peX5_DwXnlMsh1t-__qoBiec5FIifhk5vBvPsJiIK9Rv1IIo64wOUgL2F8z4eqIJtm9Tz06mBOizmBpQKpMXKiZjVEg4cwznBYPkoo1DRtT3n5/s4032/20240325_131452.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwhBrCpk6ViOFbl4nXlU8sUjlRoKK1QOvzAnE0udEZV1AP1iAJuL3IdwPD6HrOeF0Oj76q8eJ-pZan_peX5_DwXnlMsh1t-__qoBiec5FIifhk5vBvPsJiIK9Rv1IIo64wOUgL2F8z4eqIJtm9Tz06mBOizmBpQKpMXKiZjVEg4cwznBYPkoo1DRtT3n5/s320/20240325_131452.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-29586541598148772782024-02-29T13:35:00.000-08:002024-02-29T13:35:38.589-08:00Garden Bed Re-Do<p> One of my garden projects this spring is to re-do this bed. It's been choked out by grass, so I'm removing all the perennials and storing them in the greenhouse until I can replant them. </p><p>The bed will get a mulch path around it as a buffer zone for the grass invasions of the future. The bed itself I'm going to dismantle, till out the current grass, then rebuild the stone wall. I'll lay down cardboard to smother out any grass that I miss and apply a think layer of mulch to keep the soil happy. Then I'll replant my perennials by pulling back the mulch and cutting holes in the cardboard just big enough for the perennials. </p><p>I'm a little bummed that Past-Me didn't get to this project in the fall, because now I'll miss all the spring bulbs blooming. But at least I'm getting to it now, and bulbing flowers are forgiving. If all goes well, next spring will be gorgeous and I'll have far less weeding to worry about. </p><p>If you're local and have any plain cardboard to get rid of, feel free to toss it over our fence. I always have uses for it in the garden, the bigger, the better :)</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1eHUHGIaPNZ5de8DqDu4z9le7TNFXq1Z1H66oagkZEz_rSX_GkgMPrsbERqGs0Qtfzexf8uc91NOspujxpgBTNg0GXY3cmT3GXg_pLbcf2WXCU8e0Ob_dlZKIRhNcnopOzQqsamEDmrrhPxcXcFjM8R20zRK2_Yy-sGfAqbDKt73Y2l7oaiCiwqH-CZz/s4032/20240229_102428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEio1eHUHGIaPNZ5de8DqDu4z9le7TNFXq1Z1H66oagkZEz_rSX_GkgMPrsbERqGs0Qtfzexf8uc91NOspujxpgBTNg0GXY3cmT3GXg_pLbcf2WXCU8e0Ob_dlZKIRhNcnopOzQqsamEDmrrhPxcXcFjM8R20zRK2_Yy-sGfAqbDKt73Y2l7oaiCiwqH-CZz/s320/20240229_102428.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtxJxBeLch8GIuqFk-O8o7ffKThIRMXVpxkfLHFs9-VWZpzqaWw-m9Qy2k99ty4CRL_M42jQnOtoqdRDo0y7sU91vE1YYtYNtHHiBjbcJAhHZQHY1_vmI-6tBxnjZ80MdYvQ_H6WfD2JB67I04uQmdTied3Gr9vDeuL8lV-EZrdb6C1KGVjEkmBm3f2px/s4032/20240229_110303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOtxJxBeLch8GIuqFk-O8o7ffKThIRMXVpxkfLHFs9-VWZpzqaWw-m9Qy2k99ty4CRL_M42jQnOtoqdRDo0y7sU91vE1YYtYNtHHiBjbcJAhHZQHY1_vmI-6tBxnjZ80MdYvQ_H6WfD2JB67I04uQmdTied3Gr9vDeuL8lV-EZrdb6C1KGVjEkmBm3f2px/s320/20240229_110303.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSBMyHhPqAoa0aB6gE0cFREIRrcjShi1YPoppF1zvxaLaVSxAnObOxMOmSZvpq3d8ZmPozhdqeis8x9hVyR1rmJUd3Q6tufqgQ4ZCPB1GhBTdoyk97hCv8MdSu_2j0zPz2vGW2G92485hcYjZaI8w0YcQ_oGUg7GV2hjmyZrfvXMsD9Ghi-L2SoodMWXc/s4032/20240229_113906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHSBMyHhPqAoa0aB6gE0cFREIRrcjShi1YPoppF1zvxaLaVSxAnObOxMOmSZvpq3d8ZmPozhdqeis8x9hVyR1rmJUd3Q6tufqgQ4ZCPB1GhBTdoyk97hCv8MdSu_2j0zPz2vGW2G92485hcYjZaI8w0YcQ_oGUg7GV2hjmyZrfvXMsD9Ghi-L2SoodMWXc/s320/20240229_113906.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><p></p>Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-27931842295701663932023-12-21T14:01:00.000-08:002024-02-29T14:06:35.984-08:00Happy Winter Solstice <p> Last night, I was outside feeding the cat when she and I both heard crunching leaves. Looking out in the yard, I couldn't see any creatures wandering around but we kept hearing them.</p><p>Catty went off into the dark to investigate so I followed her. After holding still in the darkness for a bit, I was able to see the leaves on the ground were moving, seemingly on their own as the was no wind.</p><p>My anxiety must be doing great right now because instead of being terrified of ghosts or something, I was curious. I bent down and turned on my phone's flashlight to investigate one of the moving leaves -- and discovered a ginormous earthworm pulling the leaf into its burrow!</p><p>It was such a fun discovery that I ran inside to tell D and T, and soon we were all waiting quietly outside to witness more earthworms at work. After watching them for a while, T and I grabbed a big bag of saved leaves and tossed them onto one of the garden beds to feed the worms more. Then we danced in the moonlight, but on the patio so we didn't squish anybody ;)</p><p>Happy Solstice y'all <3</p><p><br /></p>Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-53109823409983770492023-09-11T13:38:00.000-07:002023-09-11T13:38:25.025-07:00Seed Bombs<p> T and I needed some fresh air, so today we made Seed Bombs! We "harvested" local clay (meaning: dug a hole in the backyard), and I previously gathered seeds from some wild milkweed that is growing near our house. Add a little water to the clay, make balls, insert seeds, and viola! Seed bombs!</p><p>Making seed bombs is great sensory play and can foster discussions about native flowers, endangered species, conservation, and more. </p><p>We also worked in some scientific method principles by starting a long-term experiment -- what will germinate better: a seed bomb or scattered seed. We found a few sites around our yard and sowed the same number both types near each other, marking which is which. In the spring, we'll see which did better or if they did the same :)</p><p>We hope you'll try this yourself and let us know how it goes. Feel free to reach out if you are worried about finding local, non-invasive seeds and identify appropriate places to sow them <3</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIguVytxwqBFvZCJkTKDAgSNapYph6D9umNQhc9mRqHBVGw8y3FDM4Uo9uhSfKL8-kEjxWq0hP6xV_xtRroqzgk-h4Vpx7hlkdFaQf0tZrOUxLPAEzuT1aP8mkcctw8PdwRXeAKmOaB1cIpc-h8IMCQKeBT7fh6Cuc9TeUQRwkKoUBPIOSJVH9ONZbsbVr/s4032/20230911_132815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIguVytxwqBFvZCJkTKDAgSNapYph6D9umNQhc9mRqHBVGw8y3FDM4Uo9uhSfKL8-kEjxWq0hP6xV_xtRroqzgk-h4Vpx7hlkdFaQf0tZrOUxLPAEzuT1aP8mkcctw8PdwRXeAKmOaB1cIpc-h8IMCQKeBT7fh6Cuc9TeUQRwkKoUBPIOSJVH9ONZbsbVr/s320/20230911_132815.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-47025275332166774252023-04-18T10:41:00.000-07:002023-04-18T10:41:02.428-07:00Early Season Gardening <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZtUsRtWz5UGO7QdQFL16dnmvo1cdvuIG7bmwQMq362iBlWbyHntBdgyDgPxputDsBDTjJExvh27oPGm-uUf18aY9AHYewKrtXAgPhlIGK4voHy-2R3pHLKCikqWeSa5TNhy0Ye3LPlU6qj4KIp9Z-mGmjyFmW9u5T-h2NK48TXb9YzXFgOJiibKiNA/s4032/20230418_111245.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZtUsRtWz5UGO7QdQFL16dnmvo1cdvuIG7bmwQMq362iBlWbyHntBdgyDgPxputDsBDTjJExvh27oPGm-uUf18aY9AHYewKrtXAgPhlIGK4voHy-2R3pHLKCikqWeSa5TNhy0Ye3LPlU6qj4KIp9Z-mGmjyFmW9u5T-h2NK48TXb9YzXFgOJiibKiNA/s320/20230418_111245.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>I finished transplanting the last kale just before the big rain hit <3 perfect timing! </div><div><br /></div><div>I water a lot of my garden using "deep pots" - terracotta pots with their drainage holes plugged up, buried right alongside my transplants. The saucer or an old plate keeps the mosquitos out and the water in by preventing evaporation. With these, I just top off the pot once a week during the summer. During early season, it does help to overfill the pot so the soil around it is a little moist -- that makes is easier for the plant roots to seek out the pot. </div><div><br /></div><div>As you are getting ready to garden this year, be wary of working in your soil too early -- if you have clay soil like mine, it will be much too wet and cold. I am able to work in this bed because I have had it covered in plastic with quick hoops for a month or so. Even still, the soil was almost too wet and it is only warm enough for hardened off, frost hardy plants like this kale. </div><div><br /></div><div>Now that they are transplanted, I have the bed covered up again to protect them from the rough wind and rain. I will take it off on a week or two, depending on the forecasts. </div><div><br /></div><div>When you transplant in cold weather, the plants will have a harder time taking in nitrogen, even if the soil has plenty, because of the cold. Using a liquid nitrogen source, like a fish emulsion, will help the transplants get established.</div><p></p>Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-1450098678457779572022-12-26T11:16:00.000-08:002022-12-26T11:16:30.522-08:002022 Garden Review<p> This year I know a lot of folks had trouble with their squash plants. Between the extreme drought and squash bugs, entire squash crops failed across the state. </p><p>I had trouble with my squash as well, but with my new watering system (deep pots) I was able to minimize water use without water stressing my plants. Since they weren't stressed, they also did not get decimated by squash bugs. I had thriving, healthy plants all season long.</p><p>But I still did not get many squash fruits - why?</p><p>My best guess is the temperatures negatively affected the pollination process. We had some fairly cold temperatures late into spring and then the temperatures shot up to the 90's+ and stayed there, often barely getting into the 80's at night</p><p>Squash plants have a narrow pollination window; the female flowers open and are receptive to pollen for just a couple hours in the morning. Temperatures above 90 start to kill off a lot of the pollin. If the temperatures are already that high when the flowers open, there is going to be really poor fertilization. </p><p>I noticed this poor fertilization with all my plants that rely on pollination, but the squash had it the worst, followed by the corn. </p><p>I believe that the garden had adequate water sonce everything continued to grow well-- the flowers just never set fruit. That is, up until things finally started cooling off in the fall -- then everything set fruit at once and it was a race to beat the first frost. </p><p>I wanted to share since this may be something others were not able to observe if squash bugs killed off the plants before the cooling fall temperatures arrived. There are certainly options to help cool off your garden area but those options are resource intensive, and one of my garden goals is to produce more food with LESS work not more. </p><p>So, I think the solution for me is to continue to save seed from my successful plants so that my garden has regionally adapted seeds. I think also I will be letting go of trying to preserve heirlooms and instead work on creating my own varieties. </p><p>After reading a bit about Joseph Lofthouse's work with Landrace varieties in Carol Deppe's book "Breed Your Own Vegetables Varieties" (her other books are fantastic as well), and following his work on social media I am inspired to try that path to see where it takes me :)</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4GVaMr3pQT1tcs9BIyTa55PmS3sT_57EXcag4Wr_r1eEKVTIGP6gzi78SZ7Vs3GgHQ9zjoAZQdbp0Pq6hnm5Sq-IhGZ9BZ9HQQcSgcSVTrw_X47VhqjiYBz5ibJDDVA754M_OsUpXw-lH1gPfJi-HE6gaG5UlzJUI0sq1wmWKVcA1UQg4IQd3_MLGw/s2048/image1651535727200.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC4GVaMr3pQT1tcs9BIyTa55PmS3sT_57EXcag4Wr_r1eEKVTIGP6gzi78SZ7Vs3GgHQ9zjoAZQdbp0Pq6hnm5Sq-IhGZ9BZ9HQQcSgcSVTrw_X47VhqjiYBz5ibJDDVA754M_OsUpXw-lH1gPfJi-HE6gaG5UlzJUI0sq1wmWKVcA1UQg4IQd3_MLGw/s320/image1651535727200.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-66521047759382840402022-04-10T08:57:00.001-07:002022-04-10T08:57:28.267-07:00Seed Starting Tip: Pre-soak Seeds<p> Seeds need the right amount of moisture and heat to properly germinate, and typically they need more moisture and heat to germinate than they do to grow. </p><p>Poor germination is a common problem with starting seeds whether in seed flats indoors or direct seeding into the ground. When you presoak your seeds, you can reduce the time it takes for them to germinate making it less likely they will rot in wet soil if temperatures are less than ideal. It also uses less water overall as a well pre-soaked seed can still germinate and grow well in drier soil. </p><p><b>Which seeds should you pre-soak?</b></p><p>Any seed will benefit from pre-soaking, but generally bigger seeds are worth the extra effort of pre-soaking to me. Seeds like peas, beans, squash, watermelon, and corn. </p><p><b>How long do you pre-soak them? </b></p><p>I usually pre-soak my seeds 1-4 hours. It depends on the size of the seeds (bigger seeds = longer soaking), how dry they are, and my patience. Some folks do it much longer, but too long and the seeds will send out their tap root which is easily damaged. I don't like having to be super careful while planting so I don't wait that long. Experiment to find what works best for you. Even a short soak while you are preparing your seedbed can give your seeds a worthwhile boost. </p><p><b>How do you know they are ready?</b></p><p>As the seeds imbibe the water, they will fill back out and look plump. They will also become softer, so be gentle with them. If they send out a root, I feel that is too much time soaking but you can still plant them then as long as you are careful not to damage the taproot. </p><p><b>What else should I know?</b></p><p>Start with cool/room temperature water, then after 15-30 minutes add warmer water. Stir or swish occasionally to keep the seeds oxygenated. Warmer water will speed up the process, but always start with cool/room temp and gradually increase the temperature-- and never use hot water. </p><p>If you do more than one type of seed at a time, put them in separate containers and label the containers. You can be preparing the planting medium/soil while the seeds soak. </p><p>If you try pre-soaking your seeds this year, let me know how it goes! </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQu6djZTao8j_fZW7mfE0KsBuzCa0aDqLimEY-xWRxqu97PKmaF91k9A44Odrdh6j1ZQFGO5MXl0UKGWnBmazy2PbIPVvxVepzbug6fmUGw22E2KifNPZ8GZVe2xZmuLnZ6dOvNhZpPigqY7RpoLoAR2dz32eZ-lnpV3_6YUw5_3kaA3XYe43iee0hg/s4032/20220409_154930.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQu6djZTao8j_fZW7mfE0KsBuzCa0aDqLimEY-xWRxqu97PKmaF91k9A44Odrdh6j1ZQFGO5MXl0UKGWnBmazy2PbIPVvxVepzbug6fmUGw22E2KifNPZ8GZVe2xZmuLnZ6dOvNhZpPigqY7RpoLoAR2dz32eZ-lnpV3_6YUw5_3kaA3XYe43iee0hg/s320/20220409_154930.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-29219630323844532972022-04-04T10:10:00.002-07:002022-04-04T12:31:49.948-07:00Spring Cleaning? Planting?<p> Hey Ogden area friends!</p><p>If you are doing some spring cleaning and planting, consider donating any if the items below to Taylor's Tiny Farm instead of throwing them away.</p><p>- planting containers</p><p>- unfinished terra cotta </p><p>- bagged leaves</p><p>- 5 gallon buckets</p><p>- brown corrugated cardboard</p><p>- dinner plates</p><p><br /></p><p>Email me at susandebruin84@gmail.com and I'll come pick them up!</p><p>Thanks,</p><p>Susan </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgd8keA2H_jzjixjIaAcWDJDgSsO7lrj1DZecx90vTmmjMcvUhHdpIQz0z0HEQNqvAI-JZQGL2rSX8q2OPalKs21Pm2Qp6RWPFPYGrtILV4VDYE2K1Ezrt3EPkUrSn-mm2nw-Nya3y_z5n0S489bjXBr2V0wKpF2z3X_aet0EbxYKWTY60w3Y3CJl47Q/s4032/20220404_102236.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgd8keA2H_jzjixjIaAcWDJDgSsO7lrj1DZecx90vTmmjMcvUhHdpIQz0z0HEQNqvAI-JZQGL2rSX8q2OPalKs21Pm2Qp6RWPFPYGrtILV4VDYE2K1Ezrt3EPkUrSn-mm2nw-Nya3y_z5n0S489bjXBr2V0wKpF2z3X_aet0EbxYKWTY60w3Y3CJl47Q/s320/20220404_102236.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-51637167800532530152022-03-29T08:51:00.001-07:002022-03-29T08:51:14.386-07:00Welcome Spring 2022!<p> Welcome Spring, 2022!</p><p>Hello friends! It’s been a while since I’ve made any updates here. I have to confess, things got a bit overwhelming for me health-wise during Pandemic Life. I was diagnosed with Polyglandular Autoimmune Syndrome (specifically Schmitt’s Syndrome). I’m in the early stages of the disease and we can be hopeful that it won’t get worse but it’s also a rare disease we don’t know enough about anyway… sooooo…. who knows? My doctors sure don’t. </p><p>My health was/is further complicated by the fact that I had my 6th or 7th concussion. We’re really not sure anymore. But long story short, my health scene has been a shit show. Sorry for the cursing, Mom. </p><p>Thankfully, we seem to have found some therapies to keep my body stable and improve my overall wellbeing, even if I will never be back to my “old self.” So now, I’m back to enjoying my garden! Which is what I actually want this blog to be about. I have big plans for this year and I hope to build up some community around some of these plans. </p><p>Here’s what I’m hoping to get started!</p><p>1. Community Spotlights (see the newly made page about this – and let me know if you see typos because I put it up pretty fast)</p><p>2. Seed Library – launching 2023; I’m looking for seed donations, partner farmers, and patrons who want free seeds in exchange for participating</p><p>3. Community Litter Clean Ups </p><p>4. Gardening & seed saving workshops, with a focus on minimal water use and locally adapted food crops</p><p>Are you interested in any of that? </p><p>I can keep you updated on specific things if you sign up for my new, improved email subscription. The old one did not appear to be working so I made a new one through MailChimp. Sign up and I’ll send updates whenever there is something relevant to say. </p><p>That’s all for now. I think. </p><p>What are your plans for spring?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ANp6RzG7StiTcLKPz2uoAav5jXu4PNmJUOcvG75IjJxLl5lLbxPwcwb0gqWK6nuc6KG1ouxhMeNvP3ni2j2GnYQFCXWpp6w7PBO4drk-3MI7yijCzMp8PlWJ5kS_uEuARb-NAtUCRr-poi0PbJn7UlCiUZ1eTt8Z0hJBqZIrB_7QpfReSPymFXZfIw/s4032/20220326_181008.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6ANp6RzG7StiTcLKPz2uoAav5jXu4PNmJUOcvG75IjJxLl5lLbxPwcwb0gqWK6nuc6KG1ouxhMeNvP3ni2j2GnYQFCXWpp6w7PBO4drk-3MI7yijCzMp8PlWJ5kS_uEuARb-NAtUCRr-poi0PbJn7UlCiUZ1eTt8Z0hJBqZIrB_7QpfReSPymFXZfIw/s320/20220326_181008.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><div><br /></div>Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-14630927579036251592021-06-18T09:59:00.001-07:002021-06-18T09:59:27.509-07:00Garlic Harvest <p> This year's garlic harvest. Since we've been in Utah, I've always pulled my garlic in mid June - about a month earlier than everyone else. At first I did this because I didn't know any better. I never grew garlic before living in Utah, and so I pulled it because the books all said to pull it when the leaves start drying out and turning brown at the tips. The bulbs have always been well formed and had good shelf life, so I figured I was good. </p>
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Now I know that leaving them in the ground longer would let the flavor and any unique colors really develop. But I still pull my garlic in mid June. <br />
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Why? Because I don't personally like an over powering garlic flavor, and what I've been doing works really well for me. I have one less month of growing garlic and one more month to grow something else or in case of this year's drought, one less month of watering something. <br />
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Each year I replant the biggest cloves from the biggest bulbs, so I'm selecting for garlic than can grow well the way I want it to grow. And the flavor? Still tastes like garlic to me. <br />
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My message here is not to pull your garlic a month early; it's to do what works for you. It's your garden. It's your food. <!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_210618_105848_308.sdoc--><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaIVa0XeSSwVsUp8zW4BVfAJ0-fL36cmJlMwkP0S4a9nhB-tmISRNbGaHQEwKe6inoc4K9yo6WFgWWPbFpFrevhWuQO3SPsKbC8pTYruZl6W_dTgO1YTRiaXMzyMXv-WZJ0poqZpGC2lG/s2048/20210617_093609.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmaIVa0XeSSwVsUp8zW4BVfAJ0-fL36cmJlMwkP0S4a9nhB-tmISRNbGaHQEwKe6inoc4K9yo6WFgWWPbFpFrevhWuQO3SPsKbC8pTYruZl6W_dTgO1YTRiaXMzyMXv-WZJ0poqZpGC2lG/s320/20210617_093609.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-73576072755009563792021-06-10T11:45:00.001-07:002021-06-10T11:45:37.637-07:00Gardening in a drought, part 2<p> Part Two: New This Year</p>
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1. I am not watering the lawn. It can die. If it does, I will replace it with appropriate landscaping when I have time. Of course, if fireworks are still permitted this year for the summer holidays (?!$^×>!?) I will be frantically watering everything close to the house so nothing catches fire (assuming there is any water left at that point). Thank goodness we have a brick house with a rubber roof. <br />
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2. I have been presoaking seeds before planting. Seeds need more water and warmth to germinate than the young plant typically needs to grow. With enough time soaking in a container of water, many seeds will sprout even in dry soil. I plan on continuing this in the future.<br />
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3. I am increasing the spacing between plants this year. This one was hard for me since the whole goal of my garden is to grow as much of our own food as possible, but I do think the community is going to fail to conserve enough water now to avoid getting our secondary water turned off early (the 1st week of August is the current prediction). Should that happen, I would rather give my best food crops the best chance to survive than have all of them die before a harvest. Greater spacing means more resources per plant. <br />
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4. This year we are setting up greywater recycling under our kitchen sink. If it works well, we'll keep that going for the future and I'll post pictures and a more detailed description. <br />
<br />5. Finally, I hope to do more community based things such as write our city council and county commissioners about policy changes, but sharing what I'm doing here seemed like a lot more fun for right now ;) <br />
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If you have any creative water saving tips, I would love to hear them! <!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_210610_124428_432.sdoc-->Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-47811694430987607252021-06-10T11:43:00.001-07:002021-06-10T11:43:56.479-07:00Gardening in a drought, part 1<p> I wanted to share some of the ways I am conserving water while still maintaining a large (at least, large for a backyard) subsistence garden during our severe drought. Because of the length of this "post" I'm splitting it up into two parts. The first part will include everything I was already doing in prior years to minimize water waste, and the second part will include the new steps I'm taking this year. </p>
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Most of these practices are geared toward long term resiliency and not meant to be just temporary fixes. With that, I've been working to make sure we can easily continue or implement these practices even when we're not mid-drought. I'll try to post greater details for the more involved practices like greywater recycling at some point, but this at least provides the big picture. <br />
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If you are trying to conserve water but still grow food, I hope some of my experiences help give you ideas for your own situation.<br />
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Part One: Old Habits<br />
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1. I only water the garden twice per week and I don't do it between 10am to 6pm. These are still the guidelines for people's lawns right now, so I feel okay allocating that water for my food. In prior years, I would add a 3rd watering in July due to the heat, but this year I'm going to abstain.<br />
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2. I don't usually start watering with secondary water until June except to water in transplants and start seeds. Instead, I rely on snow/rainwater and greywater until then. This practice helps the plants develop deeper roots so they can manage on less water overall. <br />
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I am currently watering by hand with open hoses rather than sprinklers, but hope to rig up a creative contraption with PVC pipes that a like-minded fellow shared details of in a homesteading forum. I'll share how that goes; hopefully it works :) In the past I've used sprinklers, and I may still utilize that if things get dusty.<br />
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3. Plants that can't survive on this watering schedule are allowed to die with few exceptions. Those exceptions are the few extremely rare varieties I am growing for others. So far though, those exceptions have done fine, and haven't actually needed extra attention. <br />
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I will also spot water new perennial food plants if they look like they are going to die because they are all fairly young and a long term investment. Many of them were planted early this year, were damaged in our massive hail storm, and are still vulnerable; once they are extablished, they should be fairly hardy. If not, I will learn something valuable and try a different perennial in their place.<br />
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4. I save seeds from plants that do well with minimal watering and our crazy weather. Every year my plants grow more adapted to this specific climate. I think it's best to select food crops that are appropriate for your local climate and then select seeds from your best crops to continually improve their adaptations. If you are not a seed saver, it is fun to learn and/or you can find seeds grown locally by small seed companies or at seed swaps.<br />
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5. We typically try to conserve water in other aspects of our lives. We follow the motto "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." We take short showers, and then only if we actually need one. This year we probably won't do a kiddie pool, although I may change my mind in the heat of summer with a hot and grumpy tiny human. If we do set it up, we'll use the water from it in the garden as we have done in the past. There is value in cooling off in a small tub of water instead of staying inside and blasting the AC. <br />
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6. In the garden I use mulch to help retain moisture and keep the soil happy. As the mulch breaks down, it also helps improve the soil quality. <br />
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7. I rely heavily on homemade compost to amend the garden soil. This improves the soil's ability to absorb and retain water for the plants. <br />
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Keep reading Part Two: New This Year to see what extra steps we're taking this year, some of which may be permanent changes for us.<!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_210610_124022_725.sdoc-->Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-25011165372200439642020-07-08T13:43:00.003-07:002020-07-08T13:43:41.387-07:00Carrots!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We have heavy clay soil at Taylor's Tiny Farm. Our first carrots here were skinny little stubs, about the size of my pinky.<br />
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Now after a couple years of soil building with compost and adaption from my carrots through seed saving, the carrots are getting bigger and better. I can't wait to see how they do next year :)Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-83890545964402454532020-07-07T12:45:00.002-07:002020-07-07T12:50:31.641-07:00Seed Saving: Peas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
If you are interested in seed saving, peas are a great crop to start with! Here are some guidelines for how to do it. Start with the long version, and if you get overwhelmed jump to the short version at the end ;)<!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_200707_134420_848.sdoc--></div>
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<b>Long version</b>:<br />
Peas usually self-pollinate, which means they don't readily cross with other varieties. Excellent for a beginner seed saver! Most folks usually only grow one variety at a time, but if you grow two or if your nearest neighbor is growing peas, just make sure the different varieties are at least 10 feet apart, preferably 20.<br />
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To maintain genetic diversity within your seed selection, make sure to save from at least 5 but preferably 10 different plants. If you don't have enough space to do that, don't fret - save what you can and supplement with either occasional seed purchases or swap seeds with friends. <br />
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One of the fun parts of seed saving is selecting what seed you want to save, or rather what characteristics of a plant you want to try to keep. Typically this means you select the best performing plants to save from, but that can mean anything from the tastiest to the heaviest producing. To start with, do not select from plants or fruits that have obvious diseases, blemishes, or pest problems. <br />
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When it comes to sugar snap peas, I have been selecting for 2 traits. I save seed from the plants that produce peas first. Of those plants, I only save seed from pods that have more than 5 peas per pod. Over time, this should give me earlier and larger crops of peas. But you can pick whatever characteristics you want or even choose randomly-- as long as the plants are healthy, you will do fine :)<br />
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Mark the plants you want to save seed from and don't eat from those plants (except perhaps a taste test of one pod to make sure they are sweet and worth saving). I use a piece of flagging tape or a strip of an old bandana. <br />
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You can harvest your pea seeds once they have fully ripened and dried out on the vine. The pods tend to rattle a bit when they are fully dry. If poor weather is moving in before they are fully dry (such as a week of rain or a frost), you can pull the whole plant, with the roots intact if possible, and hang them upside down to finish drying. I hang ours under our covered patio or in the basement with a fan on them depending on the weather.<br />
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Once the pods are fully dry, they should easily snap open and release the seeds. Keep the seeds and compost the pods & plants. The seeds themselves will still need another few weeks of air drying. I store them in a paper bag and hang them in front of a fan. Whenever I think if it, I shake them to redistribute the seeds for even drying. You will know they are dry enough when they are as hard as pebbles.<br />
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Now they are ready to be stored until planting time. Pea seeds can remain viable for 3-4 years if you store them in a cool, dark, and dry place. We live in an arid plateau so under the stairs in our basement works great for us (off the concrete floor though). Store them in an air tight container if you can, but make sure they are fully dry first. You can also freeze them, which will kill any potential pests living in the pea seeds. I haven't tried that yet but will this year as I noticed a fair amount of insect damage on my plants. I know - I said not to save pest damaged seed. I don't always do what I say. <br />
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Short version:</b> <br />
Was that too much? Sorry! Just leave the peas on a couple plants until they are dried hard. Save those peas somewhere cool inside your house and plant them next year. Easy peasy. <br />
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Good luck! <!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_200707_134444_146.sdoc-->Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-52478454981446721972020-06-24T03:30:00.000-07:002020-06-24T03:30:03.692-07:00Taylor's Pumpkin Cookies<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Taylor's pumpkin cookies are actually muffins. They started out as my Mama's pumpkin cookie recipe, but transitioned to muffins as I adapted them to use garden pumpkin puree*, be gluten free**, and bake at altitude***. <br />
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We still call them cookies so Taylor will eat them ;)<br />
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INGREDIENTS<br />
3 Cups chickpea flour <br />
1 Cup sugar<br />
1 teaspoon salt<br />
1 teaspoon baking soda<br />
1 Tablespoon cinnamon <br />
1 teaspoon cloves<br />
1 teaspoon nutmeg<br />
1 teaspoon ginger<br />
2 Cups pumpkin puree<br />
1/2 Cup olive oil<br />
3 eggs<br />
Optional mixin's****<br />
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INSTRUCTIONS <br />
Whisk together the dry ingredients by hand. Whisking helps break up any chunkiness in the flour and distributes all the components well. Stir in the wet ingredients until well combined. Add any optional mixin's last.<br />
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Preheat oven to 325 and prep muffin pans. This recipe makes about 20 regular muffins if you don't add any mixin's. If you add the optional mixin's, it can make up to 36. You can use paper cup liners, but we just use butter and rice flour to line muffin pan cups. Pour a level 1/4 cup scoop into each muffin cup.<br />
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Bake for about 24 minutes. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes before popping the muffins out to cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy plain or with whipped cream icing on top :)<br />
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* Pumpkin Puree *<br />
This recipe assumes you are using homemade pumpkin puree, which is more watery than storebought puree. If using storebought puree, you will need to add water. I would guess 1/2 cup to 1 cup. This will also vary based on altitude. <br />
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** Gluten Free **<br />
Many squash bread recipes will call for baking powder to increase the bread's fluffiness. Baking powder is a likely source of gluten cross contamination depending on the manufacturer, so we avoid it. <br />
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*** High Altitude ***<br />
I'm sure someone has solid guidelines for adjusting for altitude, but I just used trial and error. I live around 4,500 ft above sea level. If you are closer to sea level, you will need to decrease the cooking time a minute or two, and increase the temperature to 350 F. If you live closer to really high altitude... eeek. <br />
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**** Optional Mix In's ****<br />
Mama's original recipe also has optional "mix in's" which are delicious and worth a mention - up to a cup each of raisins, sunflower seeds, and/or walnuts. However, sunflower seeds and walnuts are another potential source of gluten from cross contamination- so we only add them if they came from our own garden. Taylor also hates raisins in the "cookies" so we usually make one pan plain for him, then add the extra stuff to the leftover batter for the second pan. <br />
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Enjoy! <br />
I hope you enjoy this recipe. I fiddle with it every time I bake, but I think this is a good starting point. This year I'm growing my own chickpeas in the garden to experiment with making my own flour. I'll let you know how it goes! <br />
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Best,<br />
Susan<!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_200617_132051_396.sdoc-->Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-6831297765820488512020-06-17T12:20:00.000-07:002020-06-17T12:20:09.825-07:00Garlic HarvestI just harvested half of our garlic and wanted to share some photos. This is my first year growing softnecks, which I received thanks to generous local gardener Gregg Batt, one of the founders of the <a href="https://m.facebook.com/OgdenSeedExchange/" target="_blank">Ogden Seed Exchange</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQszWriS_FuxVlyFqXvN9n171mGZlfwDgRELCj9DnrLVlv4KBlfxZpHCJfncW5xzx7wWyUU6xTsCRWx3zVNoTMjthGP85z9XeyCyv3iAx1fdmtv4EdgXih6c5Qs-GOCbRGn6fRV1CdBC1/s1600/20200613_150447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimQszWriS_FuxVlyFqXvN9n171mGZlfwDgRELCj9DnrLVlv4KBlfxZpHCJfncW5xzx7wWyUU6xTsCRWx3zVNoTMjthGP85z9XeyCyv3iAx1fdmtv4EdgXih6c5Qs-GOCbRGn6fRV1CdBC1/s320/20200613_150447.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cnxv284bpNJqQL8FhUTIWXCW78korC21J1fmSXsbzcMJywJqMbBBRLaTMlacQbZsQrMFlrIdlil2Te4FlMMFcqkyveFabIk-xcOatknTJYdOQSoLnz4rCs60f-0tUw5_QbhveXa5uzaZ/s1600/20200613_154645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_cnxv284bpNJqQL8FhUTIWXCW78korC21J1fmSXsbzcMJywJqMbBBRLaTMlacQbZsQrMFlrIdlil2Te4FlMMFcqkyveFabIk-xcOatknTJYdOQSoLnz4rCs60f-0tUw5_QbhveXa5uzaZ/s320/20200613_154645.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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I'll post again or comment with all the garlic names; I have them written down in my logs but can't remember them off the top of my head. I harvested a bit earlier than I should have, but still managed a lovely yield. I hope to have enough for our cooking needs for the year, for replanting, and for sharing. This is a gift that keeps on giving :)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKz2yWyPKVoRvIDl5AUWg0Egq2GBM31_Igc8A9IK4bqLyg0yuWEZN8s19665VkmBSFYOJ4qP3FiU6_tyOt-OsO48_mi9OmF8XdWxckLXvd3RLIpYNH7_auCPhio886ZpTXLkG3f9eeKcq2/s1600/20200617_083920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKz2yWyPKVoRvIDl5AUWg0Egq2GBM31_Igc8A9IK4bqLyg0yuWEZN8s19665VkmBSFYOJ4qP3FiU6_tyOt-OsO48_mi9OmF8XdWxckLXvd3RLIpYNH7_auCPhio886ZpTXLkG3f9eeKcq2/s320/20200617_083920.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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My Romanian Red Hardneck is still in the ground. I also have a small red Hardneck from Greg that I grew in pots. Due to their location in full sun on the south wall of the house, they were ready 2 weeks ago! Microclimates are fun.<br />
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I will be moving my strawberries to the main old garlic bed once they are done producing for the year. It has been well ammended and after a season of garlic, it is fairly pest free. I've sown some white clover as a cover crop in the meantime. It will be my first time cover cropping with clover, so it's a bit of an experiment. <br />
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The bed where the strawberries currently are is too shaded and difficult to work in - it is too wide and built on top of a retaining wall. I want to re-do it and try some shade loving perennials there. <br />
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That's all for now! Hope you all are well and staying safe. <!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_200617_131454_499.sdoc-->Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-45564228133661621592020-01-20T13:06:00.000-08:002020-01-20T13:06:05.842-08:00Woodworking SkillsOne of my goals for the new year is to develop a number of hard skills, including woodworking. I have been wanting get a treadle feeder (<a href="https://www.woodworkingcorner.com/feeder.php" target="_blank">example</a>) for the chickens I will someday have (hopefully, maybe), but they are rather expensive.<br />
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My solution? Build one!<br />
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The problem is, I don't have the skills to do that. Yet. Hence, the New Year Goal of developing woodworking skills.<br />
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I learn best by doing, so when my old plastic worm bin broke in half I decided to take advantage of a learning opportunity by building a new one from scrap wood.<br />
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Here are some pictures from the project.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeAWPVLCsW81pGjmJqSDIv1pzarbsPPm9O-qdWgMA4xORxQtPvRzk0HjoFNUO2dynqO6smQSA6GDAltvbs9jUor3PAvCHTriyrekTK8R0TIe0T7Mokq6_yvSnmPyVNDV09I6aY8-PC_sq/s1600/20200107_150656%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAeAWPVLCsW81pGjmJqSDIv1pzarbsPPm9O-qdWgMA4xORxQtPvRzk0HjoFNUO2dynqO6smQSA6GDAltvbs9jUor3PAvCHTriyrekTK8R0TIe0T7Mokq6_yvSnmPyVNDV09I6aY8-PC_sq/s320/20200107_150656%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cutting the pieces with a snow saw...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsCtNFcb4X-tTc642wHvC_62sHVWxmrdwpf2P9rkZOB0H1U5nAa7NvxytQX73cBC9TkVjCMMmBRJtvs2dhyNlKvkHcrFLyPgn1YlPnVxf-4fh3-lu1xy254QGff5G-1gFImCXyV2gma3J/s1600/20200109_143207%255B1%255D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNsCtNFcb4X-tTc642wHvC_62sHVWxmrdwpf2P9rkZOB0H1U5nAa7NvxytQX73cBC9TkVjCMMmBRJtvs2dhyNlKvkHcrFLyPgn1YlPnVxf-4fh3-lu1xy254QGff5G-1gFImCXyV2gma3J/s320/20200109_143207%255B1%255D.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The building begins!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCEe13dU8OopD7EJDdazs4rY28E6mHiGNBagMynhQ9o3MIoNcYTAs-2AdqLPrvzj70TKbZrzfnQ0j6_G47Q9QycQrJFwiwGZtG_4qcEmKGP_qPSl1s6ADnchgOWy9FrwpWfKSAkLFCplE/s1600/20200112_141713.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwCEe13dU8OopD7EJDdazs4rY28E6mHiGNBagMynhQ9o3MIoNcYTAs-2AdqLPrvzj70TKbZrzfnQ0j6_G47Q9QycQrJFwiwGZtG_4qcEmKGP_qPSl1s6ADnchgOWy9FrwpWfKSAkLFCplE/s320/20200112_141713.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stacked sections with wire flooring</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpkN55BOU00X6lXjwsgt6vlbnrHujvukRIwKTC25GbWwbxxUgK-qNzPnK9GW0zD0qNGTKg1MAtdwy6y87nPD4scpnBK3G5xwMvOM4uHPaLiUzN45LWVjaf6mz7ta0gfk5f_LreSxO5Ncd/s1600/20200112_171343.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWpkN55BOU00X6lXjwsgt6vlbnrHujvukRIwKTC25GbWwbxxUgK-qNzPnK9GW0zD0qNGTKg1MAtdwy6y87nPD4scpnBK3G5xwMvOM4uHPaLiUzN45LWVjaf6mz7ta0gfk5f_LreSxO5Ncd/s320/20200112_171343.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adding bedding, food, and worms</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsnLPq11aE6qDvijGxDrXrzU6ACpFF3TkU456XyscvuRv1obSxR4S1TqFyMbNzG1L6zQnTc_3o1lApYZM1ZYSVLV864wxSg5GTjivOixXPG-52Xe-auM4X3sJkm4NpSLZrcZyUsyMx6OB/s1600/20200112_145637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXsnLPq11aE6qDvijGxDrXrzU6ACpFF3TkU456XyscvuRv1obSxR4S1TqFyMbNzG1L6zQnTc_3o1lApYZM1ZYSVLV864wxSg5GTjivOixXPG-52Xe-auM4X3sJkm4NpSLZrcZyUsyMx6OB/s320/20200112_145637.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finished bin next to plastic worm bin</td></tr>
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The addition of chickens to the homestead is still on hold. I thought they were already legal in my area because so many of my neighbors have chickens, but apparently they are not. I am currently trying to rally support to get our ordinances changed to allow small backyard flocks. </div>
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If you are in the area or just want to show some support, join our group on FB, thanks!</div>
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South Ogden Chicken Fans</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1821070001351434/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/1821070001351434/</a></div>
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<br />Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-2879230463805599222019-11-03T11:55:00.000-08:002019-11-03T11:56:21.853-08:00Growing for Sow True Seed<br />
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This is just a quick update of something special that
happened at Taylor’s Tiny Farm this past year – we started growing for <a href="https://sowtrueseed.com/" target="_blank">Sow True Seed</a>, an open-pollinated seed company based in Asheville, North Carolina. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I came to learn about Sow True while working for the <a href="https://www.ncobs.org/" target="_blank">North Carolina Outward Bound School</a>. I accompanied our lovely chef to Sow True to buy plant
starts for the kitchen garden at the school. My interest in seed saving grew as
I flipped through their catalog, which was rich with advice for growing and
saving seed as well as yummy descriptions of different garden foods. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Zoom ahead to winter of last year. I was perusing Sow True’s
website for new seeds and came across their grower application, which I
promptly completed and submitted. I was ecstatic to be selected to help grow
out one of their recently acquired seed varieties, the Six Nation Iroquois Bush
Bean. <o:p></o:p></div>
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It was a fun bean to grow, although I was a bit stressed to
growing for someone besides myself. Thankfully, beans are easy and it went well
enough that I will be growing for Sow True again next year. Also, I got paid.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Do you know what that means?<o:p></o:p></div>
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We are officially a farm. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For real though, not just because I named the blog that. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-66381628784267378722019-05-12T03:30:00.000-07:002019-05-12T03:30:04.927-07:00Meema's Tomatoes<br />
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Mother’s Day marks the start of our warm weather planting
season. It is “officially” safe to set out our frost tender annuals – like tomatoes.
This year I’ll be growing out about 20 heirloom tomatoes from my partner’s
family. I call them Meema’s Tomatoes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Meema's tomatoes, in my homemade seedling nursery</td></tr>
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Meema is my partner’s maternal grandmother. As far as I’ve
been told, she brought these tomatoes with her when she fled her homeland, Ukraine,
during World War II. She made it first to France, where she gave birth to my
partner’s Aunt – who, along with her partner, is the only other relative
currently growing these tomatoes anymore. After France, the family made it to the
United States. Meema gave birth to my partner’s mother and grew her tomatoes
where they settled in New York. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I am humbled to be growing a true family heirloom. These tomatoes
are more than food – although, food is pretty damn important on its own. Meema’s
tomatoes are a part of my child’s family history and culture. When he gets
older, he’ll learn the story of his great grandmother, and even though they
have never met, their lives will be connected. His roots will grow deeper. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Are any of you still growing a family heirloom? I would love
to hear your stories! Also, if there is more I can add to the history of Meema’s
tomatoes (or if there is something I have wrong!), I would love to know :)<o:p></o:p></div>
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Happy Gardening,<br />
SusanSusan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-48107428591143110262019-05-07T14:09:00.000-07:002019-05-07T14:09:37.490-07:00Garden of Gratitude <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is has been very easy to focus on the negatives in life lately. This past winter was a rough one for me, the cold darkness seeming to stretch on forever. It was a winter filled with health issues - thyroid storms, blinding migraines, and so many exhausted yet sleepless nights. Oh. And my 5th or 6th concussion... which remains troublesome, months later.<br />
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And now, despite the spring warmth, I am still. Just. So. Tired.<br />
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That soul deep fatigue lets me know that there is another garden which needs tending in my life right now - my garden of gratitude. Like my soil based garden, it needs regular attention to flourish. And also like my soil based garden, it gives back much more than I put into it. When it thrives, I thrive. <br />
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Today, I want to share this tending with you. Today, I am grateful...<br />
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I am grateful for spring gardens and rainy days. For the ants, gnats, bees, and other bugs that used to be absent from my yard.<br />
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I am grateful for naps and the opportunity to have them. For toddler snuggles and kisses. Even the snot drippy ones ;)<br />
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I am grateful for dandelion tea and a quiet moment to sip it while reflecting on the many blessings in my life.<br />
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I am grateful for Derek's love, for all of his "try hard" efforts, and for his partnership in this amazing life I am getting to lead.<br />
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I am grateful for tender seedlings and all the hope they hold.<br />
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I am grateful. <br />
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What are you grateful for today?<br />
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<!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_190507_150743_940.sdoc-->Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-51779544514130057692019-04-26T01:00:00.001-07:002019-04-26T01:00:08.902-07:00Happy Arbor Day!<b>Arbor Day</b><br />
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<i>
To plant a tree! How small the twig,<br />
And I beside it - very big.<br />
A few years pass; and now the tree<br />
Looks down on very little me.<br />
A few years more - it is so high<br />
Its branches seem to touch the sky.<br />
I did not know that it would be<br />
So vast a thing to plant a tree.</i><br />
<br />
By Dorothy Brown Thompson <br />
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Arbor day is typically celebrated the last Friday in April, but there are a few states that celebrate on a different day based on the best planting time in that area. This year I became a member of the Arbor Day Foundation when I purchased my 3 hazelnut "trees." Hazelnuts are fun because you can cultivate them to be a tree or shrub - and we're training ours to be edible privacy shrubs.<br />
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I hope they grow fast! It's supposed to take 4-5 years for them to start producing nuts, which seems like forever right now. Are you planting any trees this year?<br />
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Happy Arbor Day,<br />
Susan<br />
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<!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_190327_133534_201.sdoc-->Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-10292671266979875692019-04-11T13:37:00.000-07:002019-05-11T12:59:48.188-07:00A Dandelion Harvest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Today, Taylor and I had a fantastic harvest - of dandelions! I have recently developed a great fondness for dandelion tea, so when I noticed the dandelions were popping up in the front yard I decided to make my neighbors and me happy by digging them out ;)</div>
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All parts of the dandelion are edible, but unless you are intentionally cultivating them they can be quite bitter. I turned our scrappy dandelion greens into a compost tea for the garden- and I kept the roots to make tea for me.<br />
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<b>
Tea for the Garden!</b><br />
Compost tea for the garden is quite simple. You take whatever weeds you have dug up and put them in a large container like a 5 gallon bucket. Then cover with water and let sit in the sun for a few days. To keep bugs and mosquitoes out, cover the bucket loosely. If it is too tight, the cover can pop off when the compost tea puts off gasses. I usually cover with flat lid and stick a rock or heavy jug on top. <br />
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After a few days, the water will have leached out nutrients from the weeds. You can scoop out the goop and add it to your compost pile, then dilute the remaining liquid (usually 1 part "tea" to three parts water) before using in the garden to fertilize. Liquid fertilizers are great in the spring when plants have a harder time taking up nutrients in the cold soil. Just don't get any on you - the smell never goes away...<br />
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<b>
Tea for Me!</b><br />
Dandelion tea is made from the roots of the dandelion. The flavor profile is somewhere between the bitterness of coffee and the mildness of black tea, but it has no caffeine.<br />
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To make your own dandelion tea, clean off the roots thoroughly with cold water and pat them dry. Then, coarsely chop them and spread out on a baking pan. It is MUCH easier to chop them when they are fresh, rather than after they have been dried or roasted<br />
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Roast the roots in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit until they are lightly browned and fully dried/hard. Its hard to say when this will be because it is different for every oven and the quantity/thickness of roots, but the smell will change from dirt to delicious. Stir them every 10 minutes or so to keep them from burning - and plan on it taking one to two hours.<br />
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Once your roots are roasted, allow them to cool before storing in an airtight container. When you ready for a cup of tea, use one rounded teaspoon of roots to one cup of boiling water and let steep, covered for 15 minutes. I enjoy mine with a splash of milk. <br />
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<b>
From Weed to Harvest</b><br />
Once I started seeing my weeds, especially dandelions, as a free fertilizer for the garden and/or tea for me, I stopped thinking of weeding as "weeding." Instead, I am harvesting a bountiful crop that I put zero work into growing. Weeds are actually quite fantastic. But my neighbors do appreciate when I "harvest" the front yard promptly.<!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_190404_140222_141.sdoc--><br />
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Cheers,<br />
SusanSusan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-28760920125384923882019-04-05T01:30:00.000-07:002019-05-11T13:00:20.169-07:00Wild Violet Pink Lemonade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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A few years ago one of my herbalist friends told me how to make pink lemonade using wild violets. This beverage is a fun chemistry experiment for kids and adults because the violets work like a litmus test. Violet infused water changes from a light blue to a vibrant pink once the acidic lemon juice is added.<br />
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Wild violets are some of our first spring flowers- they are delicate little edibles with a refreshing and unique flavor. This week, as our pyscho weather kept flip-flopping between spring and winter, I managed to get some of the purple blossoms before an unexpected snow dump, and I made the pink lemonade for my first time while watching snow melt off my garden.<br />
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The following "recipe" will make two tall glasses of lemonade. Feel free to adjust to suit your own taste preferences. <br />
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<b>
Ingredients</b> <br />
A handful of wild violet blossoms <br />
2 cups hot water<br />
2 spoonfuls of sugar<br />
6 spoonfuls of lemon juice<br />
Ice<br />
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<b>
Instructions</b> <br />
Place the blossoms in a heat safe bowl like a pyrex liquid measuring cup. Make sure there are no stems attached as they may impart a bitterness to your lemonade.<br />
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Pour very hot (but not boiling) water over the blossoms and let steep until the water turns blue. The longer you steep, the deeper the color will be. You can steep it for a little as 15 minutes or as long as a few hours. I let mine steep until the water completely cooled.<br />
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Divide the violet infused water evenly between your two drinking glasses. Add about 1 spoonful of sugar to each glass and stir to dissolve. <br />
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Next, added your lemon juice and watch the color change! I added about 3 spoonfuls of lemon juice to each glass to get this color. You may enjoy your lemonade either sweeter or more tart - you do you.<br />
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Add ice and enjoy! Oh, and as the violet flowers themselves are edible, you can add a few to garnish or put some in your ice cube tray and cover with water before freezing. They make very pretty ice cubes :)<br />
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Cheers!<br />
Susan<br />
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Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-52556383567907489252019-03-29T03:55:00.000-07:002019-03-29T03:55:03.705-07:00Spring Garden Update As March draws to a close, I wanted to write down everything we have accomplished for our garden so far this spring. <br />
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Taylor has been an amazing helper - it is astonishing the difference one year makes in a tiny human. Last spring, at age one and a half, Taylor "helped" by planting his first radish seeds. He didn't really get any seeds in their holes and he drowned them in water immediately after. But I was more focused on him enjoying being in the garden with me, so I kept it light-hearted and fun. And it WAS fun... it just didn't result in any radishes, haha!<br />
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This spring, I was rewarded grately for my patience last year. Taylor joyfully helped me prep the one of the garden beds and planted one precious pea in each hole I made. It really was helpful as I've been getting some arthritis in my hands, and fishing out seeds one at a time (even seeds as big as peas) is challenging when I'm having a flare up. Not only was he helpful, he was happy to garden with me. It was absolutely lovely!<br />
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So, we successfully got all of our peas in around the edges of one bed, and we scattered carrots seeds throughout the middle. I also got my kale plants out into their bed and started working the soil of the other beds - mixing in all that lovely coffee compost that I hauled in.<br /><br />
Taylor helped me mix up our own potting soil for a few big outdoor containers. I'll be putting a few plants in each that I wanted just for variety. I hope the extra containers won't make my crop rotation & seed saving too complicated. Heh.<br />
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Indoors, we have all our tomatoes and pepper seeds set up with heating mats and lights. I'm trying to save a tomato seed that my partner's grandmother brought over from Ukraine during WWII. Hopefully it does well here! I really want to be able to hand it down to Taylor when he gets older.<br />
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In-between our indoor seedlings and outdoor transplants, I have a ton of lettuce in containers. We have a wicked slug problem so I want them to get a bit bigger before I put them in the ground. I usually leave them out in the day, cover them at night, and bring them inside when it gets to be in the 30's. <br />
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As of this writing, I still need to sow outside our beets, spinach, radishes, and more lettuce (you can never have too much lettuce. Also, slugs). But I'm optimistic that those will get in the ground shortly.<br />
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Oh, I almost forgot! We got our "berry patch" ready - I made a new bed for blackberries, and I divided and transplanted our strawberries. I should be getting our blackberry starts and hazelnuts in the mail during the first week or two of April. After that - we'll be building our chicken coop!<br />
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How are your gardens coming along? Any exciting additions? Are you as relieved as I am that spring is finally here?!<br />
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Happy gardening,<br />
Susan<!--/data/user/0/com.samsung.android.app.notes/files/share/clipdata_190326_164056_848.sdoc-->Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-925502987389500988.post-35421435106224707812019-03-22T03:00:00.000-07:002019-03-22T03:00:02.293-07:00Keeping Cats Out of the Garden<br />
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When we first moved into our house, we discovered that one
of our neighbors was keeping 25 outside cats and another was keeping about 10.
If you drew a line between their two houses, you would find our backyard…<o:p></o:p></div>
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Consequently, when we put in our garden, we had quite the
task trying to keep all the cats from using it as a litterbox. We did attempt
talking to the neighbors, but, as you might guess, that did not solve the cat
problem. There are a LOT of recommendations for keeping cats out of your garden
beds. This article is geared towards folks in the city or suburbs with a larger
than average garden for that environment – like me! <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Best Solution: Quick Hoops & Bird Netting</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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What has worked best for us is keeping our quick hoop frames
up, and when we no longer need the plastic covering for season extension we
replace it with bird netting until the crops cover the soil. Once there is no
more exposed soil, the cats stop seeing the garden as a giant litter box. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">PVC frames support any configuration of bird netting needed</td></tr>
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<b>Also, Coffee Grounds</b></div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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We also get used coffee grounds in bulk from a local coffee
shop. When we dump a LOT of grounds onto our beds (think 30+ gallons per 12x3
bed), it keeps the cats away… but only for a few weeks. This obviously isn’t a
feasible solution for year round or long term cat deterrence, but it helps when
we are at the edges of the planting season and don’t want to have to cover the
beds yet/anymore.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLPv0r8m3iGCMFLLW0AHvyz0jvUGNG6d-j3cDzBXMYALVrObbEc_VsqyrKFaIdkNK9Mo7MAq196MrKpyuIdUhoo1VnZ_izxomT491DRnWgO1raAW2DS687CJjIXcBno3Hvie5UL3g8WV7/s1600/20190228_112914%25280%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLLPv0r8m3iGCMFLLW0AHvyz0jvUGNG6d-j3cDzBXMYALVrObbEc_VsqyrKFaIdkNK9Mo7MAq196MrKpyuIdUhoo1VnZ_izxomT491DRnWgO1raAW2DS687CJjIXcBno3Hvie5UL3g8WV7/s320/20190228_112914%25280%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taylor "mixing in" coffee grounds on a raised bed</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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The best part of both these solutions is that we would
already be doing these things anyway – and they are cheap. We use the free used
coffee grounds as a soil amendment/fertilizer (our soil is very alkaline clay,
so it’s impossible to overdo the coffee grounds) and the quick hoops are
already in place for season extension. The bird netting also helps keep out –
ahem – birds.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Here are some other methods folks have recommended, but
didn’t work for us. They are worth mentioning in case they would work better in
your situation, or if it saves you time from trial and error. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Chicken Wire</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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You can place chicken wire on the soil of your garden bed.
Many plants can grow through the holes, but the wire will keep the cats from
digging their cat holes. While this method should work for small garden beds,
it wasn’t cost effective for the scale of our garden, and it doesn’t work at
all for root vegetables like beets or turnips. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Plastic Forks</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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For this method, you plant plastic forks in your garden
beds, tines up. It works like the chicken wire concept and makes the bed too
annoying for a cat to dig into. I didn’t even try this method as it would be
too time consuming for the size of our garden, and just too ugly. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Orange Peels, Predator Urine, and other smelly things</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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The problem with these methods are their dubious
effectiveness and the need to regularly reapply.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Mint</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Someone suggested planting a lot of mint to deter cats and
other pests. The cats I’ve seen just eat the mint. It’s related to Catnip, so
it kinda makes sense that they would love it. Maybe try planting mint or catnip
in a ‘sacrifice site’ for the cats and remember to not use any of it for
culinary purposes. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Call Animal Control</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Good luck. Our animal control supports feral cat colonies as
they supposedly keep raccoons away. I say supposedly because that is a straight
up myth. Cats do not keep raccoons away – I know because I also have traps for
raccoons. I catch a raccoon every night I set out my trap, despite being in the
middle of a 35+ cat colony. I think our neighbors setting out cat food for the
strays just attracts the raccoons even more, and endangers the cats to raccoon
attacks. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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***<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you have a feral cat problem, I hope my article helps you
find a creative solution for your situation. <o:p></o:p></div>
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If you feed outdoor cats in an urban environment, please – show them the love they
deserve. Bring them inside where they will be safe and not be considered a pest
by others. Vaccinate & neuter/spay them. Don’t endanger them by leaving
them (and their food) outside. They are at risk of being run over by a car,
being attacked by a raccoon or other creature, dying a slow and painful death due
to disease/illness, or being killed by a fed-up neighbor. Inside, their quality
of life with drastically improve, and you will have a loving companion. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Cheers,</div>
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Susan</div>
<br />Susan DeBruinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06135214311171936680noreply@blogger.com0