The first year we moved out here David mowed over a turtle and really scuffed up the shell - this animal became very fond of cat food - she'd live in my front flower bed and when we saw her, she was generally after the cat food on the driveway. Within a few more years another turtle appeared in the yard and had a bit of shell missing over his left shoulder.
Scuff had yellow eyes, Notch has red. I have not seen Scuff in a couple of years - I am not sure if she wondered off to mate -and she was healing so she may have lost the rest of her scuffing but Notch was in the yard near the pond this morning. Here I am watering and I see this turtle scuttling along with that missing shell. I scooped him up, cooing over him being around still, well away from the tomato patch that I have never seen this turtle get near. He didn't close the shell, didn't hide his head - just kept looking at me like I was the nut that I am. I literally pet his head - no fear. Scuff was never that friendly - she was shy and usually stuck her head out only to eat the cat food and then when we were not watching, she'd dive for a hole in the flowerbed.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Keeping Seeds Safe
Four days ago, David said the freezer is messed up - it did not get closed properly and we needed to thaw it out. I put it off a day - dumb! What's even dumber is that after all these years - I still had seeds in cardboard boxes - shoe boxes no less. I did stick most seeds into baggies too.
I know most people will advise you to keep the seeds in a cool dry spot. But when you read about the seed storage facilities around the world, they are deep into the earth, and frozen. I started freezing my seeds 16 years ago - and some of my seeds are still viable and 16 years old.
So I pulled boxes that were covered in layers of frozen frosty fluff. One box was literally froze at the very top - I dug into it tearing the cardboard and digging into it to pull every package of seed out - the only one that was absolutely ruined was the rutabegas, rutabeggas - heck, I can't even spell it. David had to have those old turnip like things. These seeds were wet, had germinated and needless to say, after the package dried out, so had the seedlings.
For three days I have been sorting, bought some very inexpensive plastic containers at a dollar store and it has taken 13 of them to hold all the seed - the last two containers are - well . . . not exactly anything in particular so I need to separate them a bit more. One almost took my breath - I dumped a small box of habanero peppers that had been dried and the capsican in those is scarey. I can guarantee cleared sinus and dead brain cells with that container.
So as a warning - use better containers than cardboard boxes for seeds in the freezer - the results could have been a lot worse.
I know most people will advise you to keep the seeds in a cool dry spot. But when you read about the seed storage facilities around the world, they are deep into the earth, and frozen. I started freezing my seeds 16 years ago - and some of my seeds are still viable and 16 years old.
So I pulled boxes that were covered in layers of frozen frosty fluff. One box was literally froze at the very top - I dug into it tearing the cardboard and digging into it to pull every package of seed out - the only one that was absolutely ruined was the rutabegas, rutabeggas - heck, I can't even spell it. David had to have those old turnip like things. These seeds were wet, had germinated and needless to say, after the package dried out, so had the seedlings.
For three days I have been sorting, bought some very inexpensive plastic containers at a dollar store and it has taken 13 of them to hold all the seed - the last two containers are - well . . . not exactly anything in particular so I need to separate them a bit more. One almost took my breath - I dumped a small box of habanero peppers that had been dried and the capsican in those is scarey. I can guarantee cleared sinus and dead brain cells with that container.
So as a warning - use better containers than cardboard boxes for seeds in the freezer - the results could have been a lot worse.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The battle continues.
Once a movement gets started it can be like a Snowball rolling down a hill. I would have attended just to get some of the honey-coated pork ribs and honey glazed donuts.
Chickens the new thing in Baltimore.
I ran across this story from Baltimore about urban Chickens. My Mother would not understand giving a Chicken a name. Where I grew up she made it clear to me at a early age that the animals on the farm are not pets. I hope the City of Baltimore shows some common sense in re-writing the zoning laws. You can not outlaw peoples food.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
WalMart wants my Produce
Got an email from a WalMart produce manager wanting my produce - I said I was too small, liked selling to the public and didn't like their ethics and I don't shop there anymore and to please remove me from a potential vendor list. My email was forwarded to a higher manager - who thinks I have bad information - it is very hard to be nice - I don't like WalMart - if they had ethics, there would be a store in North Tulsa - a grocery store.
I have a list of complaints now accumulated to send back to this manager telling her it isn't a beef with her that I have but one with their top management team. Anyone know if they have ever hired a hit man - lol? I may be in trouble after I mail this list. I even told her that I believe that all employees should believe in their companies ethics but don't ya have to live under a rock to not know that WalMart doesn't have any?
Then on the other hand - why should I burst her bubble - maybe I won't send this email. I'll let it sit for now.
I have a list of complaints now accumulated to send back to this manager telling her it isn't a beef with her that I have but one with their top management team. Anyone know if they have ever hired a hit man - lol? I may be in trouble after I mail this list. I even told her that I believe that all employees should believe in their companies ethics but don't ya have to live under a rock to not know that WalMart doesn't have any?
Then on the other hand - why should I burst her bubble - maybe I won't send this email. I'll let it sit for now.
Monday, June 22, 2009
100.3 and melting
I was outside until 4 pm today - mostly in the shade. I decided I wanted gourds despite the lateness of the season. We dumped out some huge pots of dirt full of worms. David tilled at 6 of the 8 legs of this big huge tent thing we are using for a trellis.
Added the pictures - worth a thousand words. Last year we had pots - as you can see in the picture at each leg - all was going well until we had that late hail storm the first week in May. Beat the plants terribly and they did grow but never fully recovered and pots just - well I heard this on TV I think - a plant in a pot is like a man in a hotel room. It just isn't home. 
So I am late to get gourds planted and instead of pots, I had David till me about a 3 foot square hole at each leg and will use those large fake clay pots on this end for small gourds - and I tossed some potting mix that was full of worms and then a small shovel full of bunny manure and hand mixed until smooth and creamy - lol. David watched me kneel at each pile and shaking his head and said most people would either be grossed out or put on gloves - I like to feel the soil - and bunny poo is just little dry pellets - no stinkum.
This picture is a gourd I painted from a gourd we grew back in 2007 and it is about 15-16 inches in diameter so I really do want gourds big enough to paint on.
And I humped up the soil then flattened the top into mesa's, punched in the 3 fingers to make seed holes and into each inserted a single seed in hopes of getting one good healthy plant per mound - 3 won't hurt. But how to keep the dogs out. I ran to Lowes and found the plastic fencing wire - you can cut this stuff with scissors and asked for stakes - should have asked for ground staples - which they had and am going to cover all six mounds that are currently mulched with newspaper and fresh straw with tops of mesa's basically exposed with about 3' X 4' of this plastic wire to keep all the muttlies out of the 6 new spots - not much fun digging in secured piles - I hope.
But going back out at 6 pm proved too hot, too much sun exposure now that the sun is going down below the treelines and hot-diggity - gonna wait until tomorrow to finish the job. My thermometer says it is over 100 degrees F - too hot even for me now.
Now it is 8 pm - better go water again - plants in pots at this temperature means - another watering or they won't make it thru the evening hours.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Self Imposed Burn Ban
We piled grass, old canes and weeds in 5 piles around the blackberries - huge piles - we burned 2 of them and then I worried that we were cooking plants from the heat but we needed them gone so we laid a tarp down. This is a good method to move mass messes - garden messes. Instead of using a wheelbarrow use a cheap, plastic tarp. I learned this from a friend who installs plants in some of the finer neighborhoods in Tulsa - she has a few places where there's a ton of azaleas that are trimmed each year and it is a lot easier to toss the cuttings on the tarp - so if you find a part of your yard is well overgrown, try this.
The downside - this was enough plant material to literally fill the bed of a dump truck - not a pickup truck but a regular 3 axle dump truck. It took 7 loads - and is piled at the back of the garden where we put our chipping/shreddings. Eventually, it will be ground up and used as mulch.
We took a break this weekend from all the work and was watching an old western on THIS channel 6.3 - a handsome captain was assigned to an old general that didn't mind sacrificing his less well-trained calvarymen if it allowed him an advantage in fighting the Indians (remember, this was an old movie). The young captain had become a thorn in the general's side because he had seen him in action years earlier so the general intended to sacrifice him and his unit in a war with the Souix. I looked over at my husband and I told him, "Remember when we used to think the Calvary was the heros. Now, I am rooting for the Native Americans." He laughed - my, how times have changed both of us.
Anyone got any good suggestions on keeping digging dogs out of certain parts of the yard - I try to keep wet spots elsewhere but they sure like digging in the shade garden - where can I buy a huge can of cayenne pepper - like in lbs?
The downside - this was enough plant material to literally fill the bed of a dump truck - not a pickup truck but a regular 3 axle dump truck. It took 7 loads - and is piled at the back of the garden where we put our chipping/shreddings. Eventually, it will be ground up and used as mulch.
We took a break this weekend from all the work and was watching an old western on THIS channel 6.3 - a handsome captain was assigned to an old general that didn't mind sacrificing his less well-trained calvarymen if it allowed him an advantage in fighting the Indians (remember, this was an old movie). The young captain had become a thorn in the general's side because he had seen him in action years earlier so the general intended to sacrifice him and his unit in a war with the Souix. I looked over at my husband and I told him, "Remember when we used to think the Calvary was the heros. Now, I am rooting for the Native Americans." He laughed - my, how times have changed both of us.
Anyone got any good suggestions on keeping digging dogs out of certain parts of the yard - I try to keep wet spots elsewhere but they sure like digging in the shade garden - where can I buy a huge can of cayenne pepper - like in lbs?
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Keeping a lid on it.
I am so thankful that the state of Oklahoma enacted laws restricting municipalities from outlawing Beekeeping. Tulsa does put some restrictions on beekeepers but the state does not allow a outright ban. This article from the New York Times reminds me of how I felt when I decided to start keeping Bees. I would peek over the fence at my neighbors in their back yards and try to asses which ones were going to be troublemakers. Thankfully so far so good. Urban Apiculture is becoming popular even the Phantom of the Opera is getting into it.
Plans and reality
Seems that my plans and reality don't mix. I wanted to get a building electrified, add a sink, air conditioning and be selling vegetables in it this summer - rolls eyes - ain't happening.
Seems I stress over the yard too much - and when I look at other farms like the place I picked up my turkey chicks or when I visited a farm in North Tulsa, they both had knee deep weeds where one should normally mow. Mine have weeds where they should not grow - but there's a bit of wimsy and lushness to our place - lots of stuff growing.
I am basically going to be open from 7 am every morning starting Monday, June 22 - pickers time - anything later - can't afford to keep people alive in the heat. I'd love to share a look see at our farm for anyone reading this blog - this would be a good time to see exactly what the heck I do. I am no twinkling fairy godmother type - more dastardly grouchy about all the work it takes - but in one hours time I can tell you or show you more ways to do things than you might want to know. Be careful, I might let you weed.
The email list was sent last night - hoping that they all show up evenly over the next 3 weeks - berries take their time growing - then burst into production all within that 3 week period and poof they be gone.
Seems I stress over the yard too much - and when I look at other farms like the place I picked up my turkey chicks or when I visited a farm in North Tulsa, they both had knee deep weeds where one should normally mow. Mine have weeds where they should not grow - but there's a bit of wimsy and lushness to our place - lots of stuff growing.
I am basically going to be open from 7 am every morning starting Monday, June 22 - pickers time - anything later - can't afford to keep people alive in the heat. I'd love to share a look see at our farm for anyone reading this blog - this would be a good time to see exactly what the heck I do. I am no twinkling fairy godmother type - more dastardly grouchy about all the work it takes - but in one hours time I can tell you or show you more ways to do things than you might want to know. Be careful, I might let you weed.
The email list was sent last night - hoping that they all show up evenly over the next 3 weeks - berries take their time growing - then burst into production all within that 3 week period and poof they be gone.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
I am expanding my vocabulary
Some of you may be familiar with this word but I have never heard of Xeriscaping. We always called Dry Farming. I guess in Colorado you can get a degree in Xeriscaping. Neet concept.
Too Cute not to Share
This couple walked into the Mayo Clinic and finds a piano - may we all live so long - married 62 years and he's 90.
Enjoy.
http://www.fark.com/cgi/vidplayer.pl?IDLink=4365716
Enjoy.
http://www.fark.com/cgi/vidplayer.pl?IDLink=4365716
If you don't have a garden now may be the time.
International Report Predicts Decade of High Food Prices. I was at the grocery store yesterday, and I was shocked by the price of bell peppers. They were a dollar a piece. The size of the peppers were small and the color was pale green. I could not bring myself to buy one. I will be glad when my pepper plants start setting fruit.
Hey Kids make sure you use your "Crop Protection"
"With help from representatives from biotech business Monsanto" Bet this garden will not be organic.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Tacos - with Basil
I make the best tacos - and it is so simple.
I buy ground turkey and I use the 93% lean 7% fat and add olive oil as I brown it. I sprinkle it generously with Italian seasoning. I use bush's chili beans and mush them with a potato masher.
This is what I put on them today. I added home grown chopped onions, bell peppers, basil and cherry tomatoes, sharp shredded chedder cheese, a dab of sour cream and a spoonful of salsa - alas store bought but good enough. If you want to make them even better, add grapes. Serious! And make some homemade salsa using Mango's.
I only had two tortilla's but I piled the veggies on high and enjoyed the whole shebang 15 minutes ago. I ain't braggin' - it's a fact - they were good.
I buy ground turkey and I use the 93% lean 7% fat and add olive oil as I brown it. I sprinkle it generously with Italian seasoning. I use bush's chili beans and mush them with a potato masher.
This is what I put on them today. I added home grown chopped onions, bell peppers, basil and cherry tomatoes, sharp shredded chedder cheese, a dab of sour cream and a spoonful of salsa - alas store bought but good enough. If you want to make them even better, add grapes. Serious! And make some homemade salsa using Mango's.
I only had two tortilla's but I piled the veggies on high and enjoyed the whole shebang 15 minutes ago. I ain't braggin' - it's a fact - they were good.
Della's Darlings
This bee gear look is kinda - well, you can't hardly tell who's who. Della Smith is adding bees to one of her new hives and she's on the left and Carl Harrison is using the tire iron to separate the frames to pull them out to look over the hive. The Bees were washboarding - as you can see by the darkness on the front of the hive.This hive sits near the east side of the property line and these bees appear to be very tame and calm. We stood very near the entire process with bees flying all around and enjoyed watching and snapping pictures.
Here's David taking a very close look at the girls. I know he didn't think too much of the idea of having hives and yet, it didn't take long before he realized that these are not the bees of all the dramatic movies where someone is chased and covered in stings and laying twitching before being all but eaten alive by them.
Snakes at the Dragon
Remember the snake stories - here's David holding out the larger of several black snakes found this year. New neighbors may be the reason although we have always had black snakes take to the barn in search of mice. This was the egg eater in the previous posts. We just got this film developed. We also moved some old carpeting to make a pad to keep grass from growing under some wooden tables and in the midst of those were a couple of ring neck snakes so we have variety.
I want to post some pictures of the cherry tomatoes so more pictures later.
Green Roofs are taking hold across the US
I hope the developers building all the new lofts in downtown Tulsa will give tenants access to the roofs. I need to install irrigation like in the picture. Every spring I talk about it. Then I don't get it installed, and I spend the summer wishing I had a easier way to water.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
White Honey???
I saw a discussion on NEOBA's Yahoo Group about white honey. When I was looking at the hives on Sunday the honey looked awfully white. I was kinda concerned because I have been feeding the bee's lots of sugar water. Then I started thinking the main source of clover right now is white so maybe the clover honey is white too. After looking at the The USDA Honey Report for May, I noticed white honey seems to get as good a price or better than darker honey. Sugar water or not I am not going to worry about the color of the honey. I was told be several beekeepers to feed for six weeks and I have not added supers. So let the honey be as it may.
US Cities may get bulldozed for economic recovery
This doesn't seem to be making much news here in the US but it has hit the Britsh news. A large portion for Detroit has been removed and it looks like Flint is next. Will Urban Agriculture be incorporated into Flint like it is in Detroit? Or will it be like Tulsa and have vast unused areas.
I want to be an Urban Farmer
I think about this a lot. I look around at my area of town with blocks of vacant grass covered lots, which have been deeded to a land grant university (OSU). And I think why doesn't OSU support Urban Agriculture as a degree program. OSU is the agricultural center of Oklahoma, why does it not offer agriculture programs at it's Tulsa campus. Maybe no one has pointed this out to the administration or wrote letters to our state representatives. Maybe I should post signs that say "Hey OSU Plant food here." Anyway here is what is happening at Wayne State University.Just a note my brother-in-law is named Wayne and three guesses where he is from.
Community Garden solves Community Problems.
A few months back during the big community garden war. One of the arguments for community gardens was; community gardens build communities. Here is a example of positive things people can generate by getting together as a group and planting a few seeds.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
There's competition and there's competion
When I was getting ready to build my greenhouse, I met Amanda Howard at TCC in a class about building greenhouses. She sat by me, both of us felt the teacher was more college oriented than practical and she was near Kiefer while I am near Sapulpa. We ended the class and went our separate ways. After I got my greenhouse up, I decided to roam around the Snake Farm because she said her husband was posting signs - found one, called her and I asked if I could come visit her greenhouse - then invited her to see mine. Chance class lead to 16 years of she and I setting up side-by-side in Sand Springs and all the other herb festivals. She and I help each other. I recommended she sell scented geraniums and that's been her mainstay. She's watered for me, I her - a real competition between friends just means we help put up tents together, discuss problems, etc. It accidentally lead to me buying a very expensive bonsai that I thought my husband had admired when it was hers - the bonsai story will be for another time.
My competition isn't the small greenhouses or the local small nurseries but the box stores - Ace Hardware, Lowe's, WalMart, and even though Southwood isn't in line with them and their lack of plant knowledge, that's a hard store to compete against.
Tim and Annette Riherd called me several years ago - I remember many long phone calls as I finally told Tim, Dang, start a farmers market in Owasso - coming to Jenks is stupid. Sharon Owen of Moonshadow Gardens in Muskogee and I exchange emails - and we seek similar and different spiritual paths. Cheree Tietz grew small gardens on my place for two summers - now she's on her own in a yard in Jenks - and OMG - she's done so well.
BUT, and this is a big BUT, there are people who do not have hearts and do not have souls who will come and slither up to you and will speak sweet words of Praise the Lord, God must have put you in my path and then shove knives into your back and into the backs of many other hardworking wanna be farmers.
I am in the midst of obtaining a grant for bee ownership. I am a bee idiot although I am not a great scaredy cat about them. Yesterday Della's little girl landed on my arm and I said gently, do not hurt me as she then flew off. We stood our ground and her and Carl dumped new bees on the ground and slowing put new bees above the old. Awesome. I am making an official statement here - the bees that will be obtained with the grant will belong to the farm but the true owner will be the lady who will care for them. Ultimately, if we are harmed in a wreck, Della Smith will be the person who will take the hives and continue to care for them. She must be paid for her deligent work and the bees must pay her. She already fully outright owns two hives that she has already placed here and I have no rights to block her careful maintenance or keep her from removing said hives at her discretion.
Why all the officialness - because the one that slithers has lied to me and about me, has taken that which does not belong to them morally and not compensated another for hard work, website development, or signage painting. Those who claim to be farmers and use FFA groups to plant, or the labors of others without paying them for it and slither and lie and cheat and steal do not constitute competition but disgust.
There, now I feel better. Now, regarding training new growers - when that connection is met - like when young Bill asked for advice yesterday, bring them on. I am a good teacher. I'll help answer questions, I don't know all the answers but I own a lot of books. I am kinda opinionated (Nahhhhh,........ really ya think!) but I almost get kinda oddly frustrated when someone calls and wants stuff with this inner feeling that well, if you want that, why don't you go out and grow it.
Oh, Bob, regarding the Bee Keepers and Ag people - I mentioned to Sue Gray that the bee keepers need to come to the Horticulture Industry Show (HIS) at TCC in January - she almost fell out of her chair with the concept and said that was a brilliant idea. I hope this gets followed thru on - Carl told me that someone had asked that the bees be set until after pollination and then removed from the farm when pickers came in and he couldn't do it. I told him that too many of the farmers don't know enough about bees - and we don't. Time to learn.
My competition isn't the small greenhouses or the local small nurseries but the box stores - Ace Hardware, Lowe's, WalMart, and even though Southwood isn't in line with them and their lack of plant knowledge, that's a hard store to compete against.
Tim and Annette Riherd called me several years ago - I remember many long phone calls as I finally told Tim, Dang, start a farmers market in Owasso - coming to Jenks is stupid. Sharon Owen of Moonshadow Gardens in Muskogee and I exchange emails - and we seek similar and different spiritual paths. Cheree Tietz grew small gardens on my place for two summers - now she's on her own in a yard in Jenks - and OMG - she's done so well.
BUT, and this is a big BUT, there are people who do not have hearts and do not have souls who will come and slither up to you and will speak sweet words of Praise the Lord, God must have put you in my path and then shove knives into your back and into the backs of many other hardworking wanna be farmers.
I am in the midst of obtaining a grant for bee ownership. I am a bee idiot although I am not a great scaredy cat about them. Yesterday Della's little girl landed on my arm and I said gently, do not hurt me as she then flew off. We stood our ground and her and Carl dumped new bees on the ground and slowing put new bees above the old. Awesome. I am making an official statement here - the bees that will be obtained with the grant will belong to the farm but the true owner will be the lady who will care for them. Ultimately, if we are harmed in a wreck, Della Smith will be the person who will take the hives and continue to care for them. She must be paid for her deligent work and the bees must pay her. She already fully outright owns two hives that she has already placed here and I have no rights to block her careful maintenance or keep her from removing said hives at her discretion.
Why all the officialness - because the one that slithers has lied to me and about me, has taken that which does not belong to them morally and not compensated another for hard work, website development, or signage painting. Those who claim to be farmers and use FFA groups to plant, or the labors of others without paying them for it and slither and lie and cheat and steal do not constitute competition but disgust.
There, now I feel better. Now, regarding training new growers - when that connection is met - like when young Bill asked for advice yesterday, bring them on. I am a good teacher. I'll help answer questions, I don't know all the answers but I own a lot of books. I am kinda opinionated (Nahhhhh,........ really ya think!) but I almost get kinda oddly frustrated when someone calls and wants stuff with this inner feeling that well, if you want that, why don't you go out and grow it.
Oh, Bob, regarding the Bee Keepers and Ag people - I mentioned to Sue Gray that the bee keepers need to come to the Horticulture Industry Show (HIS) at TCC in January - she almost fell out of her chair with the concept and said that was a brilliant idea. I hope this gets followed thru on - Carl told me that someone had asked that the bees be set until after pollination and then removed from the farm when pickers came in and he couldn't do it. I told him that too many of the farmers don't know enough about bees - and we don't. Time to learn.
Don't Forget...
Visit Tulsa's community gardens today, and please put what you can afford in the tip jar.
I feel there may be a need for a Eastern Ok Chapter.
Speaking of young farmers. I came across this article about a documentary film called Greenhorns. I grew up on a farm outside of Tahlequah, but my skills are rusty. I would love to see a support group to help young people get started farming. There was a big fuss on the Yahoo Bee group about competition between beekeepers last week. Let me state my beliefs. The competition is not the farm down the road or the farm in the next county. The competition is the corporate agri-business that dumps cheap food on the US market from central and south America. Tulsa is a large enough urban area to support a strong locally grown food market. In years past farmers and beekeepers worked together to make a life for their families. It is not your neighbor you need to worry about. It is Monsanto, ConAgra, and ADM who are trying to destroy local agriculture.
Young Farmers
Yesterday David and I were out in the weeds - used to be called blackberries and will be blackberries again soon but the weeds surround them. Berries are just turning red so pickers will be coming out about Father's Day and for 3 weeks I will be up at 6 am for 7 am pickers. We failed to give them the care they needed - so this is the year we have to get our act together.
A car turned up the drive - young man and kid - I said lightly, if your here for berries - your too early and he just as lightly asked if he could park in the shade as the little one was sleeping. Sure - and I waddled up the drive to where he parked - dogs barked, kid woke up - mayhem for about 3 minutes and then the dogs settled down. Bill Edgar introduced himself, from Pryor but his mom-in-law was in Mounds and he had tried me before but we were gone that day. Could he ask questions??
Two hours later we parted friends. I think he said 32 when I asked him his age regarding his fear of snakes and I said he had plenty of time to outgrow that cuz I did. Agricultural Biologist in training, sustainable farmer, Edgar Springs Farm in Pryor.
First question was about a weed - lamb's quarter - what is it, how does it grow and he was pleased he could eat it - he's on a diet - a 50 mile radius diet and he is doing without flour products. Said he is eating a lot of goat's milk and goat's cheese and there's 1/2 a beef in the freezer and my Lemon Boy tomato I sliced in the house was the fourth tomato he had this summer after a Sun Gold, Juliet and a Tomatoberry cherry for a bit of a taste test. He liked the Sun Gold. So did Sophi his kiddo - oh she's just the prettiest 4 yr old and she wanted to touch and hug the dogs, cat, fish. How she missed the bunny - well, next time.
Before the taste test we wondered the yard, discussed college, the environment, our thoughts on sustainability and I pointed out weeds that stop blood flow or take out the sting of the nettles, things you could eat and things to stay away from. He had a small handful of medicinal weeds and my small flyer because he decided that CSA's were too hard on the guilt button to try again and we both were afraid of taking money and not having produce to give back to which I have never leaned toward or tried but he had. My flyer says this isn't a CSA here at the farm - sure hope tomatoes start to really produce soon. I end up tilling under things that don't get eaten because there's other things that take priority. He needed a mint, for hot tea that would be taking the place of his out of radius coffee. Said he had sipped hot water with honey in it since the diet began - just for a filler - the peppermint will be better.
Sophi fed fish, ate tomatoes, loved on Porter (the cat), got licked by Gabby and had a couple of lavender blooms to smell. I found her a feather from Moe's tail in the house and let her take that home - it was sticking out of her skirt pocket at an odd right angle when they left.
Oh, David was still in the weeds - his only day off cuz the union dudes with more seniority bumped him for a month so they could stretch the 4th of July weekend. Wink - I got out of some of the work - Wink.
Bill's a young farmer - he's going to come by again - I told him I'd hand him a tool while we talked the next time - maybe because I felt a little guilty for getting out of the work.
A car turned up the drive - young man and kid - I said lightly, if your here for berries - your too early and he just as lightly asked if he could park in the shade as the little one was sleeping. Sure - and I waddled up the drive to where he parked - dogs barked, kid woke up - mayhem for about 3 minutes and then the dogs settled down. Bill Edgar introduced himself, from Pryor but his mom-in-law was in Mounds and he had tried me before but we were gone that day. Could he ask questions??
Two hours later we parted friends. I think he said 32 when I asked him his age regarding his fear of snakes and I said he had plenty of time to outgrow that cuz I did. Agricultural Biologist in training, sustainable farmer, Edgar Springs Farm in Pryor.
First question was about a weed - lamb's quarter - what is it, how does it grow and he was pleased he could eat it - he's on a diet - a 50 mile radius diet and he is doing without flour products. Said he is eating a lot of goat's milk and goat's cheese and there's 1/2 a beef in the freezer and my Lemon Boy tomato I sliced in the house was the fourth tomato he had this summer after a Sun Gold, Juliet and a Tomatoberry cherry for a bit of a taste test. He liked the Sun Gold. So did Sophi his kiddo - oh she's just the prettiest 4 yr old and she wanted to touch and hug the dogs, cat, fish. How she missed the bunny - well, next time.
Before the taste test we wondered the yard, discussed college, the environment, our thoughts on sustainability and I pointed out weeds that stop blood flow or take out the sting of the nettles, things you could eat and things to stay away from. He had a small handful of medicinal weeds and my small flyer because he decided that CSA's were too hard on the guilt button to try again and we both were afraid of taking money and not having produce to give back to which I have never leaned toward or tried but he had. My flyer says this isn't a CSA here at the farm - sure hope tomatoes start to really produce soon. I end up tilling under things that don't get eaten because there's other things that take priority. He needed a mint, for hot tea that would be taking the place of his out of radius coffee. Said he had sipped hot water with honey in it since the diet began - just for a filler - the peppermint will be better.
Sophi fed fish, ate tomatoes, loved on Porter (the cat), got licked by Gabby and had a couple of lavender blooms to smell. I found her a feather from Moe's tail in the house and let her take that home - it was sticking out of her skirt pocket at an odd right angle when they left.
Oh, David was still in the weeds - his only day off cuz the union dudes with more seniority bumped him for a month so they could stretch the 4th of July weekend. Wink - I got out of some of the work - Wink.
Bill's a young farmer - he's going to come by again - I told him I'd hand him a tool while we talked the next time - maybe because I felt a little guilty for getting out of the work.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Next week is local food week.
Not sure what this is being called or what it is about. But the Tulsa Community Garden Association is sponsoring a tour of Tulsa community gardens. Here is a link to the flier on their website. Owen Park Community Garden was left off the list you can visit their garden at Edison and Santa Fe.
National Honey Report for May....
was released yesterday. Prices listed on the report are for very large quantities. Average producer case prices are here Wholesale and here Retail. Most Beekeepers here in Tulsa are selling at $5.00 per pound, and people are talking about moving the the Troy pound (12 oz) instead of the Imperial pound (16 oz). I am assuming all the reports linked to in this post are based on a 16 oz pound.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Rain - best for the Garden
Watering is a chore - takes a lot of time and we are lucky our water costs are fairly low - it's rural water and tastes pretty good too. So when it finally rains, ya just get a good break. We got just about 1.25 inches of rain - we had been watering so where the ground has some wetness to it, it actually helps absorb additional water.
When you have vegetables - especially tomatoes, watering consistently is essential. Tomatoes have this built in ability to grow very fast if they go thru a dry spell and get a lot of wet all at once. I know the yellow pear tomato is very susceptable to expanding and bursting itself causing ugly brown scars and open scars that can get buggy. When I put cherry tomatoes into 15 gallon pots which makes them a lot easier to pick, they get watered daily and as the temperature rises, they get sometimes double doses. This cooling spell also allows the tomatoes the opportunity to set bloom. Best if you don't go out and rustle thru tomatoes when they are wet - it tends to spark a flurry of biological disease agitation.
I told a grower I would experiment with some of his tomatoes - so far, I've not gone out to see if he even had any available. Part of me feels guilty - the other part says I was nuts to try.
There's a movie coming to the Circle Cinema - FRESH - you can find trailers to it on youtube. It will have some very graphic and disturbing video about how animals are treated in huge commercial farms. Look for it just before Father's Day on a Thursday evening - Justin Pickard obtained it for viewing.
Time to run the weedeater again - I am beginning to ask myself how dumb can I be to let parts of the yard get so weedy - this isn't just edging work - it's the 3 foot tall dock and horsetail and such. I bought a Poulan walk behind string mower - serious business - so far, it's been a great machine - use the heavy plastic twine - the lighter stuff is just a joke but the heavy stuff - works great.
When you have vegetables - especially tomatoes, watering consistently is essential. Tomatoes have this built in ability to grow very fast if they go thru a dry spell and get a lot of wet all at once. I know the yellow pear tomato is very susceptable to expanding and bursting itself causing ugly brown scars and open scars that can get buggy. When I put cherry tomatoes into 15 gallon pots which makes them a lot easier to pick, they get watered daily and as the temperature rises, they get sometimes double doses. This cooling spell also allows the tomatoes the opportunity to set bloom. Best if you don't go out and rustle thru tomatoes when they are wet - it tends to spark a flurry of biological disease agitation.
I told a grower I would experiment with some of his tomatoes - so far, I've not gone out to see if he even had any available. Part of me feels guilty - the other part says I was nuts to try.
There's a movie coming to the Circle Cinema - FRESH - you can find trailers to it on youtube. It will have some very graphic and disturbing video about how animals are treated in huge commercial farms. Look for it just before Father's Day on a Thursday evening - Justin Pickard obtained it for viewing.
Time to run the weedeater again - I am beginning to ask myself how dumb can I be to let parts of the yard get so weedy - this isn't just edging work - it's the 3 foot tall dock and horsetail and such. I bought a Poulan walk behind string mower - serious business - so far, it's been a great machine - use the heavy plastic twine - the lighter stuff is just a joke but the heavy stuff - works great.
Way off Subject
OK - I am going to get way off the subject of food security in this post - so bear with me. My husband loves to eat breakfast out - it drives me crazy but I love him so much that most of the time I join him. We go to one particular restaurant that belongs to two sisters. Yesterday I ate there and the owner related this story to me.
There is a group of city fathers that get together and drink coffee. They used to get together at Rivett's and take up the first table and the city mayor is often with them. This group includes about 8 men. First she asked me if we were going to go eat at another restaurant in Sapulpa that was recently had a new facelift and then said these men told her they were going to start going to it cuz it was all fresh and new. (This other restaurant as of right now has 73 health dept violations and I won't eat there after getting several pieces of dirty silverware. We actually drive past this restaurant to get to the sister's restaurant.) I made a face and told her I'd stick with her restaurant.
Then they asked her why she didn't give free coffee to the police and the firemen. She said she doesn't give anyone free coffee, although all fill-ups are free. Someone in this group of city jerks then told her she would be doing herself a favor because then she would be less hassled. She was angry when she told me this because her family fled communist VietNam in the 70s after her father was arrested for failing to bribe the police in that country. She felt that if she wanted to buy cops favor, she could have stayed in Nam instead of coming here. We discussed the finer points of how it seems that our nations politics and heart and freedoms have been slowly dwindling away and she has lived here since she was 10 years old. I am truly concerned about ethics - of which I see none in our political system.
How is it that we have city officials who believe that cops and firemen have a right to free coffee - not a privilege but a right? It was as if they were implying she should also give this group of well-to-do and powerful men free coffee and the fact they usually don't bother to order a meal only makes that a real waste of the restaurant owners coffee, time and space.
I have a softspot for firemen, I'd almost give firemen free coffee but this is her restaurant and her rules and she obey's all the health dept rules - and buys the items needed and hires the plumbers and electricians to install these items.
I don't know if it will do a bit of good but I notified the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation of this incident. I am angry to know that these men who never have their wives with them think they have a right to tell a restaurant owner that she should serve free coffee to anyone. She indicated that they were also rude as men to the waittresses and it was absolutely rude for them to even say they would change restaurants based on something as trivial as decor, especially since they choose to go to one funky, nasty place to eat. Any thoughts? I'd sure like to confront these creeps but then I am sure this restaurant would be on the Harrassment List from the city fathers.
There is a group of city fathers that get together and drink coffee. They used to get together at Rivett's and take up the first table and the city mayor is often with them. This group includes about 8 men. First she asked me if we were going to go eat at another restaurant in Sapulpa that was recently had a new facelift and then said these men told her they were going to start going to it cuz it was all fresh and new. (This other restaurant as of right now has 73 health dept violations and I won't eat there after getting several pieces of dirty silverware. We actually drive past this restaurant to get to the sister's restaurant.) I made a face and told her I'd stick with her restaurant.
Then they asked her why she didn't give free coffee to the police and the firemen. She said she doesn't give anyone free coffee, although all fill-ups are free. Someone in this group of city jerks then told her she would be doing herself a favor because then she would be less hassled. She was angry when she told me this because her family fled communist VietNam in the 70s after her father was arrested for failing to bribe the police in that country. She felt that if she wanted to buy cops favor, she could have stayed in Nam instead of coming here. We discussed the finer points of how it seems that our nations politics and heart and freedoms have been slowly dwindling away and she has lived here since she was 10 years old. I am truly concerned about ethics - of which I see none in our political system.
How is it that we have city officials who believe that cops and firemen have a right to free coffee - not a privilege but a right? It was as if they were implying she should also give this group of well-to-do and powerful men free coffee and the fact they usually don't bother to order a meal only makes that a real waste of the restaurant owners coffee, time and space.
I have a softspot for firemen, I'd almost give firemen free coffee but this is her restaurant and her rules and she obey's all the health dept rules - and buys the items needed and hires the plumbers and electricians to install these items.
I don't know if it will do a bit of good but I notified the Oklahoma Bureau of Investigation of this incident. I am angry to know that these men who never have their wives with them think they have a right to tell a restaurant owner that she should serve free coffee to anyone. She indicated that they were also rude as men to the waittresses and it was absolutely rude for them to even say they would change restaurants based on something as trivial as decor, especially since they choose to go to one funky, nasty place to eat. Any thoughts? I'd sure like to confront these creeps but then I am sure this restaurant would be on the Harrassment List from the city fathers.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
The Natural History of the Chicken
Watch the following video starting at 3:48 and then watch the last portion of this video - I cried like a baby - Lisa - a French silky wants to be a momma
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJFU8mjMEK0&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJFU8mjMEK0&feature=related
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Nice NEOBA meeting last night.
Thanks Okiedragon for the Tomato plants they all found a home. We a good demonstration about "Checkerboarding". It is a hive management method thats discourages swarming and increases the population of worker bees in the hive. Therefore giving you more honey. The method simulates what bees would be doing in the wild. Here is a link to all of Walt Wrights articles.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Hormone Free Turkeys
I found a post on craigslist for turkeys and I contacted them about Red Bourbons or Bourbon Reds - these are a red brown bird with a wide white band on the wings - a mid sized turkey that does not have to be reproduced thru artificial insemination but actually mates like a normal bird should. Sure enough they had some - Warner, OK. H&H Hatchery is working on Organic Certification and they have a wonderful selection of chicks. I got 6 unsexed tiny babies. We got lost so get a map or make sure you stay on 64 thru Muskogee.
I hope I got at least 1-2 females as I want to continue this line. Jim, the owner, said the odds stack that way. I'll keep you posted. I've never had the courage or desire to raise my own meat - but I just finished Animal, Vegetable, Miracle a few months back and I may not eat turkey from my own home every day - but I'd like to know I could have meat on my table produced by my farm. The next test is to not become too attached to them - I love geese and we've had birds before but never could we bring ourselves to kill a chicken or duck or turkey for dinner. I know nothing about plucking them, I know you cannot let the guts burst when cleaning and I have 1/2 an idea where the guts are and I hope I can swiftly dispatch them but up to that time I want to give them a good home, good food and forage, lots of room and I hope they have a semblance of a family life as I even plan to let the hens raise their own young.
I know I am lucky to have room to raise 6 - more would be too much right now - I'll take pictures as they progress.
H&H had some of the fanciest grey turkey's and wild turkeys and I have a phone number and he takes checks after 11 on Sundays. I have the phone number - just ask.
I hope I got at least 1-2 females as I want to continue this line. Jim, the owner, said the odds stack that way. I'll keep you posted. I've never had the courage or desire to raise my own meat - but I just finished Animal, Vegetable, Miracle a few months back and I may not eat turkey from my own home every day - but I'd like to know I could have meat on my table produced by my farm. The next test is to not become too attached to them - I love geese and we've had birds before but never could we bring ourselves to kill a chicken or duck or turkey for dinner. I know nothing about plucking them, I know you cannot let the guts burst when cleaning and I have 1/2 an idea where the guts are and I hope I can swiftly dispatch them but up to that time I want to give them a good home, good food and forage, lots of room and I hope they have a semblance of a family life as I even plan to let the hens raise their own young.
I know I am lucky to have room to raise 6 - more would be too much right now - I'll take pictures as they progress.
H&H had some of the fanciest grey turkey's and wild turkeys and I have a phone number and he takes checks after 11 on Sundays. I have the phone number - just ask.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Sorry I left you hanging with the sourdough.
If you started your starter. Keep it in the refrigerate, and feed it once a week. I will post recipes soon. I had an unexpected death in my family and it has curtailed my postings for a few days. I hope to be more active next week.
Yesterday's Studio Tulsa.
Rich Fisher interviewed Sara Murray about Global Food Issues. Very interesting program. If you missed it or want to here it again here is the link.
Anyone still wanting to start a Bee Hive this year.
Visit NEOBA's yahoo group. A few local bee keepers are still selling starter hives. Here's the link. NEOBA Messages. The next meeting will be June 8th at The Tulsa County Extension Office on 15th Street. at 7pm.
Brady Heights Work Party
From Justin:
Some of us are going to do a workday at the community garden tomorrow (Saturday) since we haven't had one for awhile, please join us if you are able.
We will be moving dirt from my house 20 W. Latimer St. at 11:30 with my trailer to fill the rest of the triangular beds, so folks can take them over. Also a neighbor south on Cheyenne, has a ton of mushroom compost that we need to pick up and mix in those beds (and others), like the strawberry row up front.
Thanks,
Justin Pickard
If you are just wanting to get your hands dirty feel free to join BHC Gardener's. They usually server a real good lunch.
Some of us are going to do a workday at the community garden tomorrow (Saturday) since we haven't had one for awhile, please join us if you are able.
We will be moving dirt from my house 20 W. Latimer St. at 11:30 with my trailer to fill the rest of the triangular beds, so folks can take them over. Also a neighbor south on Cheyenne, has a ton of mushroom compost that we need to pick up and mix in those beds (and others), like the strawberry row up front.
Thanks,
Justin Pickard
If you are just wanting to get your hands dirty feel free to join BHC Gardener's. They usually server a real good lunch.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Cardboard on rows
Our peppers had been set out about 2 weeks ago but we just got them mulched yesterday. I spent some time online one day trying hard to find the glue used to make cardboard - the best thing I could find was that most glues that break down in water are made of hoof material - I really don't know if this is true so any experts can tell me otherwise. But we use cardboard in the garden to keep rows clean.
First, we plant peppers 18 inches apart in two rows - with the second row offset from the first so that the plants are only about 1 foot away from the second but we offset the plants so that the second row is 1/2 way between the first. Next comes the soaker hose and then we mulch with newspaper. Newsprint uses food dyes - not the old lead dyes of yesteryear. We don't use the slicks - those just don't let water thru. The silly easy secret to using newspaper is to use a large flat container about the size of a cat box (I use one of those plastic storage containers) and have the paper in a stack already separated and ready to use - I prefer two full sheets or one full and one half sheet. Then I water the whole mess - let the paper soak up the water.
We usually mow once a week and I catch all the clippings, dumping it into wheelbarrows. This gets hot if left overnight as it starts to cook but is still workable - if it gets rained on or left much longer, you might just want to compost it. Once a section of newspaper is put down around several plants, we have started cutting large swaths of cardboard to use as boarders or down the walkway. If I don't have enough grass clippings to hold down the cardboard immediately, I'll put down fence posts or rebar until more mulch can be obtained. But I make sure the newspaper is covered or I don't put it down - it will blow once dry and end up trashing the entire neighborhood. If I have enough clippings, I'll use it on the cardboard but if the board is going to be walking path, I prefer a heavier mulch like leaves or woodchips cuz the cardboard and green clippings create a rather slick as snot walking path.
Yesterday we had to soaker hose going as we mulched the peppers - oh, we also always put those tomato cages (those little wire cages that have three legs and two circles at the top in a slightly upside pyramid shape) around the peppers - they aren't worth a flip for holding tomatoes but for peppers and dallias they work just great. Peppers are brittle plants - a good wind can twist and break heavy fruited branches. Do that just before adding mulch while the paper is wet.
Honestly, if I could wiggle my nose and make all bermuda grass die all at once, it would already be gone as that is usually the worst of the grasses in the garden. And it just creeps toward tilled soil like it was invited in.
First, we plant peppers 18 inches apart in two rows - with the second row offset from the first so that the plants are only about 1 foot away from the second but we offset the plants so that the second row is 1/2 way between the first. Next comes the soaker hose and then we mulch with newspaper. Newsprint uses food dyes - not the old lead dyes of yesteryear. We don't use the slicks - those just don't let water thru. The silly easy secret to using newspaper is to use a large flat container about the size of a cat box (I use one of those plastic storage containers) and have the paper in a stack already separated and ready to use - I prefer two full sheets or one full and one half sheet. Then I water the whole mess - let the paper soak up the water.
We usually mow once a week and I catch all the clippings, dumping it into wheelbarrows. This gets hot if left overnight as it starts to cook but is still workable - if it gets rained on or left much longer, you might just want to compost it. Once a section of newspaper is put down around several plants, we have started cutting large swaths of cardboard to use as boarders or down the walkway. If I don't have enough grass clippings to hold down the cardboard immediately, I'll put down fence posts or rebar until more mulch can be obtained. But I make sure the newspaper is covered or I don't put it down - it will blow once dry and end up trashing the entire neighborhood. If I have enough clippings, I'll use it on the cardboard but if the board is going to be walking path, I prefer a heavier mulch like leaves or woodchips cuz the cardboard and green clippings create a rather slick as snot walking path.
Yesterday we had to soaker hose going as we mulched the peppers - oh, we also always put those tomato cages (those little wire cages that have three legs and two circles at the top in a slightly upside pyramid shape) around the peppers - they aren't worth a flip for holding tomatoes but for peppers and dallias they work just great. Peppers are brittle plants - a good wind can twist and break heavy fruited branches. Do that just before adding mulch while the paper is wet.
Honestly, if I could wiggle my nose and make all bermuda grass die all at once, it would already be gone as that is usually the worst of the grasses in the garden. And it just creeps toward tilled soil like it was invited in.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
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