The Road Home

The Road Home
There is no place like home.

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Playing in the Dirt

Don't you just love dirt? Well, most people probably don't have the same affinity for dirt that I do, but most gardeners love dirt. To me, a new patch of dirt holds so many possibilities. Of course the grass and weeds will take advantage of any new ground around, but with a little work and encouragement, a tiny little seed will turn into something amazing to behold....and eat.


After the potatoes, beets, onions, sunflowers and corn were harvested it was time to till up some of the garden again for the fall crops. I have tilled the garden with the tractor exactly one time before, and since Frank's back surgery was recent, he could not do this for me like he usually does. He did stay with me for moral support and advice, like, "Watch the bucket (on the front of the tractor) and make sure you don't take out a chunk of the house or storage shed." This was very good advice. I am still very slow and awkward using the tractor between the house, fences, vegetable trellises and storage buildings. For some reason backing up and turning the wheels in the right direction just does not follow the same pattern I have in my mind for driving a car. I had to laugh at myself several times as I got the tractor all whopper jawed and not aligned at all with where I wanted to be. Frank could only just stand there and shake his head.


But the job is done, and now I have some beautiful dirt to play in. We got the tilling done just in time to plant six hills of Cushaw winter squash
before evening fell. Then along came two days of a nice, slow, soaking rain. After that, I had the terrible poison ivy outbreak. I finally went to the doctor and he said it was not my psoriasis, which I thought it was. By then it had covered over a third of my stomach, the tops of my thighs, the inside of both arms and a few spots on my neck. I was truly miserable. I am finally healing up, but I haven't been back out in the garden except to pick a few things. Today, we are getting another round of rain, which is great. When the earth has had some time to dry a little, it will be time to play in the dirt some more and plant the rest of my fall seedlings and a few more seeds.












The cantaloupe will share this small area between the two storage buildings with the neighboring Cushaw. I have broadcast some zinnia and radish seeds around in hopes of deterring some of the squash bugs that reside not too
far away. I also spread some wood ashes around the base of each plant to deter squash vine boring worms. While I was at it, I shared some of the wood ashes with the green beans to try to help their blossoms to set fruit.


I'm going to plant the cabbage over in this small area by the dying yellow squash. We were still able to pick a few squash until recently, but the plants and a lot of squash bugs have now gone to the chickens. 

 








I will plant the Brussels sprouts and carrots in the front of the herb bed so they can have lots of time to grow. That way I can till the regular garden at the end of the season without working around these two crops.

The area that held the corn will become sugar beets, both Mangels and Bucklunch. It will be interesting to see how these two crops do. If we can get a decent harvest our goal is to see if we can make some sugar. That will be a real learning experience. We will feed the beet silage to the goats and chickens if this experiment works out.

Then, next to the new beet patch we will plant another row of potatoes. We probably have enough potatoes to get us through the winter, but I would like to have some fall potatoes to store for next year's seed potatoes. Just like saving seeds from some of the other crops, I would like to grow our own seed potatoes. What if I couldn't get anymore from the store in the spring and we had eaten them all? Potatoes are a very nutritious, energy rich food that we would like to be able to produce on our own if the need ever arises.

Next will be our first crop of turnips....ever. We have heard lots of folks talk about raising turnips, both for themselves and livestock. It' time we tried our hand at it.


With the continuing discord throughout the world, we are all feeling a growing tension and a sense of dread. What might be around the next corner is an unknown at this point. The need for vigilance and determined self-reliance is more important now than ever. Do you have what you need, both in knowledge and supplies? Get with it before it is too late. Keep your family close, and to borrow a phrase from Ol' Remus, avoid crowds.

Until next time - Fern

14 comments:

  1. I've not tried driving the tractor yet, so I am quite impressed that you've done it twice now. My turnips broke ground today!

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    1. Driving the tractor is relatively easy......if you're a coordinated kind of person.....which I am not. But it is fun learning how to use it. You'll like it once you try.

      Good for you with your turnip crop. I hope to get my seeds in the ground this week.

      Fern

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  2. You go girl! I loved my Massey Ferguson 255 with FEL! I used it all its life on the farm from when my father and I bought it brand new in 1984 to when I sold it [sadly] to make and end to one stage of my life. Before that though Ralph was the "learner" with the Front End loader and I the teacher....I can feel for Frank Shaking his head...I suspect he sighed too! Ralph did much better when I went to work and he was left alone to get the hang of it...clearing snow from the driveway with the 7' 3 point hitch blade and the Bucket on the loader. Take your time and go slow it is just one more thing on a learning curve.

    We love "dirt" too! Now get your self healed up and God bless you.

    By the way people here in Virginia are nervous too. Today at the Farmers market for the first time we saw other people buying things buy the bushel.

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    1. Driving the tractor is fun, I just need more time to practice without trying to get things done before a rain comes pouring down. It is great to learn another something new. But, once Frank gets released from the doctor, he will be back at it, and I will be back playing in the dirt he prepares for me.

      Thank you for sharing the information about the farmer's market purchases. It is interesting to notice the subtle changes taking place in so many different facets of life. Not only interesting, but important.

      Fern

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  3. My jaw literally fell open when I read Fiona's comment about seeing people, for the first time, at her farmer's market buying by the bushel! Even if it's just a sudden interest in home canning --- why the sudden interest? Makes me think hard about food security.

    I always love reading about your garden, Fern and Frank. You're such an inspiration to me to not get lazy as my own season begins its wind-down. Good job on the tractor, Fern, by the way! Yee-haw!

    Here, spinach is a good fall crop, but the timing has to be perfect --- if the weather is still too warm the seed won't germinate. But if you wait too long the garden will freeze up before you get the first leaf. If we get good winter snow cover though, the spinach will be waiting for you next spring, so all is not lost.

    Take care, both of you. Love the garden posts.

    Just me

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    1. I think we should all think very hard about food security, Just Me. There are so many things happening around the globe, that a little 'food insurance' can go a long way towards increasing our sense of stability.

      It's easy to let everything wind down and die off in the garden this time of year, when it is so hot and the plants aren't near as pretty. Growing and preserving food is a lot of work and sometimes I would rather just lay around and read a book. But....I can't eat a book, so I guess I'd better keep at it.

      Thank you for your kind words and sharing your thoughts.

      Fern

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  4. Oh, and one more thing --- I planted something new this year, too. Pole beans. I've always planted bush beans and decided this year to experiment.

    From now on I will always be planting pole beans! I love them. They're a little later than bush beans, but way more prolific, and way easier to harvest. They take up less space, too, because they're on a trellis. Ergo - more beans for less work!

    (I think you might have had some posts last summer about your pole beans --- that was my inspiration!)

    Just Me

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    1. I have thought it was strange that our pole beans are just now starting to produce, but we have had a lot more rain than usual. We had our first meal with green beans just yesterday. After I grew my first patch of pole beans, I will never go back to bush beans for all of the reasons you listed. Yes, I posted about them last summer. I'm glad you got some use out of it.

      Fern

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  5. Fern, your description of learning to drive the tractor reminded me of learning to drive a trailer. Good for you. My motto was always "breath, breath, breath and take it slow". I had a question about seed potato. I have some potatoes that have seen the light, so to speak. I know these should not be eaten but I wondered if I could use them for seed potatoes. Do you or any of your readers know? Thanks so much for your posts. SJ in Vancouver BC Canada

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    1. I know that potatoes that have been in the sunlight and developed the green tinge under the skin are not supposed to be eaten. But, then, I have also been told that you can cut off the skin and all of the green part and still eat them. I don't think there is any problem with using them for seed potatoes. I hope some other folks will share what they know as well. Thank you for the question.

      Fern

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  6. Your green skinned potatoes....I just peel the green skin off a bit deeper than normal peeling. When I stored them the green skin got soft earlier than regular skin so they did not store well.

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  7. A wonderful garden!
    I love canning, gardening , not so much.
    Our garden was not much of a success this year, but we have been able to find some amazing deals on veggies and are canning. Canning is something I love to do!

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    1. Sandra, I love to play in the dirt and grow things, but I don't always get everything preserved like I should. It's great you can find some good food to put away for your family. Thanks for sharing.

      Fern

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