Dig!

We have very rocky, poor soil on our hilltop. I use raised beds for my vegetable gardens. I have used Mel Bartholomew's Square Foot Gardening mix of peat moss, vermiculite, and compost for a few years. It has lots of advantages, the greatest of which is the lack of weeds (I pulled 3 weeds from a bed one season). However, since it consists of most or all purchased materials, this method is not economically feasible on any scale.
I have read of the wonders of double dug beds, but assumed they were too labor intensive for this busy stay-at-home mom. Double dug beds, in a nutshell, involve digging two shovel depths into the ground.

I thought I'd try a combination of the two ideas. So I dug one shovel depth down and worked in some purchased organic soil. The overall depth of loosened soil was almost equivalent to a double dug bed. Here is the sorghum growing in this space.

Not 50' away, planted on the same day, receiving the same light, is the other sorghum. I dug about a half shovel depth and worked in the same purchased soil. 

I am completely sold on my hybrid method. Obviously the digging depth has an enormous effect on the plants. I plan to garden in well-dug fluffy soil from here on. 

Freezing Corn

This year, I planted corn expressly to freeze some of the bounty. I chose the variety Bodacious, which had excellent reviews. It proved to have excellent flavor.

I blanched the corn for about 5 minutes and then immediately submerged in ice water until cool.

I cut it from the cob the old fashioned way - with a knife. I love my Old Hickory knives from Lehman's. https://www.lehmans.com For me, about a dozen ears made one quart of corn for the freezer.

Someday I'll invest in lots of glass jars for food storage. I have small jars I use for dried foods and I have large jars for canning, but not much in between. So I resorted to plastic bags to store the corn. I like to use Ziploc freezer bags, which are BPA free.

As a side note, I imagine in a few years we'll find some other terrible chemical that's in plastic and is going to cause loads of health problems (like BPA). I try to minimize my use of plastic and am always sure to only put cool (never hot) foods in plastic containers. I am slowly transitioning everything to steel and glass.

I fold the bag over like so to keep the seal clean. I wipe the seal with a wet paper towel to remove any bits of corn that might have made contact. Then simply remove as much air as possible from the bag, seal it, date it, and put it in the freezer.

Drying Tomatoes

In my youth, I despised fresh tomatoes. They were a unique form of torture. Now I can tolerate them; occasionally I even enjoy them. But I love dried tomatoes. My preferred method of consumption is on top of freshly cooked pasta covered in olive oil with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and pine nuts. That dish is so wonderful, in fact, that I planted tomato plants expressly for the purpose of drying the fruits.

The ones I grew myself are below. I simply sliced them, sprinkled some sea salt on top and threw on some basil.

These I purchased. I blanched (about 30 seconds) them and removed the skins to facilitate quicker drying. I sliced these grape tomatoes in half.

I dried the tomatoes at 145 F for a couple hours and then 135 F for about five more hours. The time can vary greatly depending on the size of the tomato. They should be leathery, somewhat pliable, but ...well, dry.

Some in the top photo are actually a bit too done. Notice the handful of dark tomatoes. And some of these were not quite dry enough for storage. I left those a bit longer.

 I stored them in an airtight container and am looking forward to my favorite pasta dish on a cold winter day!

Nature as Pest Control

Several weeks ago, I noticed my kale was starting to show signs of pest damage. I was determined to let things run their course and refused to spray anything on my food source. Predictably, things got worse before they got better. The kale started to look like swiss cheese.

I could see the nasty little pests crawling all over the leaves. The kale was loaded with them. I continued to ride it out.

After a few weeks, I started to see predatory insects on the leaves. Gradually, there were fewer and fewer pests and corresponding holes. The new growth was lovely.

Kale is very bitter during the hot summer months. I did not plan on eating any of the greens until they got a good frost, which makes them much sweeter. So I simply pulled off the damaged growth and was left with beautiful greens and a stronger predatory insect population.

Daylilies

I love Daylilies. They produce lovely flowers in an astounding array of colors, are hardy and can handle lots of abuse; many varieties are edible - leaves, tubers, and flowers!

Simple Sheet Mulch

Mulch helps conserve water, calms temperature swings, and improves soil. Sheet mulching is one of the gardener's most powerful tools. It builds soil and eradicates weeds without power equipment or chemicals.

Sheet mulch is beautifully simple. It begins with a weed barrier next to the soil, such as cardboard or newspaper. You can also use cloth, but it obviously takes longer to break down. I prefer cardboard because it is so much easier and faster to cover large areas. And I purchase a lot of things online, so it's an easy way to use all the boxes! (As a side note, I read that the ink in glossy newspaper contains metal pigments, but the black and white ink is soy-based and nontoxic; I assume cardboard is the same.)

If you wish to use soil amendments, such as lime for acidic soil, put them down first. You can also add some high-nitrogen material, such as fresh cut grass or produce waste from the kitchen. (For my ultra-simple sheet mulch in this area, I did neither of these.) Then add the weed barrier. This layer needs to block light in order to kill the existing plants; make sure the cardboard or newspaper overlaps so no light peeks through. It's a good idea to hose down the layer as you go so your paper doesn't blow away.

 A thin nitrogen-rich layer should be added next. Then comes the bulk of the sheet mulch: ideally, about a foot of organic matter such as straw, hay, leaves, wood shavings, etc. For my simple version, I put down only a few inches of straw. If you are using a high carbon mulch, you may add some nitrogen to this layer so the mulch decomposes more quickly. Again, it is beneficial for the mulch to be moistened.

On top of this, add a couple inches of compost. If the new bed won't be planted for several months, throw on some kitchen waste and treat this space as a compost pile.

The final layer is a couple inches of weed-seed-free material such as straw. I wouldn't recommend using hay for this top layer, as the dormant seeds will germinate and cause lots of unnecessary weed-pulling. I used wood chip mulch for my top layer. My goal was to keep the straw in place and give a finished look to the space.

I plan to plant this space next spring when the cardboard is well-rotted and easy to put a shovel through. A newly-constructed sheet mulch bed can be planted immediately, however. Sheet mulching is also known as lasagna gardening. Here is an excellent article with growing information for specific plants.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/lasagna-gardening-zmaz99amztak.aspx?page=8#axzz2N4iMBChZ

Crocasmia

Crocasmia is a lovely flower in the Iris family. It is native to South Africa and, like many foreign plants, can become invasive if left untended. I wanted to share my plant's progress this season.

developing buds...

 

opening...

 And then....pow!

Who needs a barn?

We have two buildings on our little 12 acres. One is our house; the other is a small shed in which we store the lawn mower, weed eaters, chainsaws, etc. There is nothing in the 1.5ish acres I fenced in for pasture. So what to do for the sheep? They certainly need a reliable shade source to provide relief from the unforgiving summer sun. Here is my solution.

First, I gathered my indispensable post driver. I used this fabulous tool to put up all my fence posts; it seems I am grabbing it to pound in a T post or two at least once a week.

I chose this little piece of bare dirt on purpose. The girls scratched (hooved?) the grass away under the structure in its previous location. I assume the bare earth is cooler. Anyway, I thought I'd save them some work by building their shade source on bare ground.

I place the posts in a rectangle, about 2' x 7' -ish.

Then comes the "hog" panel. Tractor Supply Company defines hog panels as 3' and cattle panels as 5' (if you go to purchase any), but this is a hog panel to me. This panel is 5' x 16'.  It helps to have a helping hand with this step. I never do and I'm always afraid the panel is going to whip back and gouge my arm or face.

I anchor the panel to the posts with one of my favorite tools - zip ties!

Next comes the tarp and it gets anchored the same way.

And we have an easy, cheap, portable, reusable shade source! I probably should have straightened the tarp, but it was really hot this morning. I used a 10' x 12' tarp. The trick is getting the tarp tight. If it has slack, the livestock won't appreciate it rustling in the wind, not to mention it will probably get blown off in a storm. And yes, this shelter has stood the test of storms and performed admirably. I purposely left a gap at the back so the sheep will benefit from the summer breezes we almost always have on the hilltop.

The sheep enjoy their shade and scratching center.

And cost? rough numbers here: The hog panels are about $30 a piece, T posts about $3, the tarp was about $15, zip ties are pennies. So we have this nice little shelter for approximately $60, not including time or the cost of tools. Not bad at all.

I would guess this could withstand Ohio winters, but I plan to build a straw bale structure for my girls. The winter winds can be pretty vicious up here. 

Herb Drying

I just finished drying the first batch of herbs of the season. I prefer perennial herbs that can be ignored and fend for themselves.

It is best to pick herbs early in the morning. They should be picked before flowering, as their flavor changes once they produce flowers. Inevitably, it is the lovely flowers that signal me to get busy and pick.

I chose the oregano stems that had not produced buds.

 I found this little guy among the oregano.

I gathered lemon balm to use in teas on cold, dark winter evenings.

I also gathered sage. My one plant has been around for several years. It enjoys sandy soil that is not too fertile (just what he have on this hilltop). Give sage full sun, good drainage, and good air circulation. I use the dried sage on beef roasts all winter long.

And lastly, but my no means the least, I gathered some rosemary. This wonderful herb brings the summer into winter dishes. Rosemary needs a dry soil; it does not like having its feet wet. The plant is not winter-hardy here in Ohio without assistance. I plan to place several straw bales around mine this winter to help it through. I enjoy the dried herb on chicken breasts and beans thrown in the Crockpot. It's also great with beef roasts.

A side note about the crown vetch beside my rosemary plant. I have waged a fearless battle with this plant for a few years. I finally gave in because it's rather a nice weed suppressor and it's a nitrogen-fixer. It's also impossible to eradicate.

I prefer to use a dehydrator for some of the drying process; the herbs seem to have more flavor if they are dried quickly. I rinse the herbs, remove the leaves, and spread them on the dehydrator trays (picture shows rosemary and sage).

The herbs are done drying when they are brittle and crumple easily. They will mold if stored when not properly dried.

I store them in re-purposed glass jars, but any airtight container will suffice. They make lovely gifts, especially on a white Christmas.

Shetland Colors

I snapped all these pictures in between pettings. Fairlie tries to climb me when I'm not petting her enough; Bonnie nibbles my shoes or forcefully rubs her head on my legs. So those brown things in the pictures are my knees.

The variation in color is one of the many things I love about Shetlands. There are specific terms to describe colors of Shetland wool.
http://www.shetland-sheep.org/about-shetlands/shetland-colors/ describe the colors this way:

Greys to Black (listed from light to dark)

• Light Grey
• Grey
• Emsket – dusky bluish-grey
• Shaela – dark steely-grey, like black frost
• Black

Browns (listed from light to dark)

• Musket – light greyish-brown
• Fawn
• Mioget – light moorit (yellowish-brown)
• Moorit – shades between fawn and dark reddish brown
• Dark Brown 

Many Shetlands change color throughout their lives. My own Fairlie is starting to lighten. She may turn a light gray or even an ivory like her mother. I think Bonnie will stay a true brown. Her fleece is lightened by the sun on the outside, so there is beautiful color variation. I can hardly wait to shear them in the spring and try my hand at spinning. They will give such gorgeous fiber.

My Pastured Poultry

Thanks to my Dad's chicken coop, we were finally able to purchase chicks this spring. It's a lovely little coop that he made himself from scrap parts. He had two windows and built from there. Most of the pieces were found in dumpsters. My chickens have a room with a view.

I researched lots of homesteading books when I was deciding what breed of chickens to purchase. I knew I wanted some Buff Orpingtons. They are a dual purpose bird with decent egg and meat production. They are very good foragers. I mostly wanted them because they are so calm. This was important because I have a very loving and enthusiastic almost-two-year-old.

I wanted a rare/heritage breed, so I referenced my beloved American Livestock Breeds Conservancy http://albc-usa.org/. I chose Dominiques. They are considered the original American chicken breed. http://albc-usa.org/cpl/dominique.html They are excellent foragers and are known to hatch their own eggs. This was an important trait, since I want a self-sustaining flock.

Lastly, I wanted colored eggs, so I threw in some Aracaunas. They are often known as The Easter Egg chicken, since they lay many eggs of green and blue tints.

I ordered my birds from Murray McMurray Hatchery and was quite pleased. http://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html They were reasonably priced and I received strong, healthy chicks.

Here they are just a few days old. I used a red heat light so they wouldn't harm each other. We all know they peck each other to establish their "pecking order." The order establishes each individual's place in the flock. Each bird can peck all those below him, but none above. But chickens can become cannibals when they are overly crowded. They peck each other, draw blood, then the whole flock is drawn to the red spots and can inadvertently kill one of their own. The red bulb helps prevent this.

And here's a visit to the outdoors on a nice day. I purchased them in March, so they didn't get much time outside until they were feathered. Note the large stock tank I kept them in. I lined it with cardboard to facilitate easier cleaning. When it got too messy, I composted cardboard, pine shavings, and poop all together; I was left with a clean bottom to apply new cardboard and bedding.

And here they are finally in the coop and outside! They were so happy. The coop has two doors on each side, one low for chicken entry/exit and one high for ventilation. Before they were big enough to leave on open pasture, I rotated their fenced area from side to side. When both sides were used, we moved the coop with the skid steer.

These were some boards I had lined up for making a new raised bed. They think I made them a playground.

Here are the Dominiques.

And our king pin.