Harvesting root veg demarcates the border between fall and winter for me. Since September I’ve been watching the weather, waiting for the cold to come that would force my hand and make me get the produce into the cellar. It was an especially fun game this year with a remarkably temperate fall. I feel like I got away with something … Read More
Already Late for Next Year’s Seeding, Dang.
This is a first for me. Normally this is a March/April job – prepping soil for the coming year’s planting. My recent adventure at my local organic veg grower reminded me I was a bit behind the ball, as they already had onions, spinach, etc coming up for wintering over. Their little cold-hardy plants will have roots prepped to send … Read More
Tomato Vintage
This year’s tomato vintage sports both pretty substantial fails and victories, but on the whole, it’s a win. First, the good. I planted space that wasn’t in production last year, on the south side of my garage along the alley. ‘Aren’t you worried people will steal your crop?’, asked many. I figure if they need it that bad, have it. … Read More
Dry Beans – Preliminary Verdict [2011 harvest]
Last night I tackled the next round of bean harvest and shelling. I’m realizing one of the perks of being small-scale on this I can harvest as they ripen – which they are not doing all at once – and it’s actually quite pleasurable to sit and shell them. Yes I will likely thresh them as my production increases. Some … Read More
Dry Beans – 2011 Harvest Begins
Dry bean harvest has begun. This is my 3rd year at it, and it’s now one of the crops that gets me most excited. There are some seriously compelling reasons to grow this stuff. First, there is no other substantial protein from the garden that can store as well and as easily. No solar dehydrator here – leave them out … Read More
Edmonton Organic Grower’s Guild
It never ceases to amaze me how much opportunity there is out there for folks when it comes to local food – un-elitist, accessible-to-all, free, local food. This organization might take the cake. They are a cooperative of volunteers who farm vegetables and fruit on land owned by the University of Alberta. They seed as a group, weed as a … Read More
Laissez-Faire Gardening Dividend
I see this ridiculously lovely onion, about as thick as my thumb, as a dividend of laissez faire gardening. I did not plant it this year. This year being my first with a solid crop rotation in place, last year’s allium patch is this year’s bean patch. But it looks like I missed a dozen or so onions last fall. … Read More
Best. Spinach. Crop. Ever.
I’ve grown spinach every year since 2003. For years I’ve seen seed catalog photos of large spinach plants, thinking they must be liars. My spinach was always small, would produce a few leaves, and it would proceed to bolt if the sun looked at it wrong. We’d get a nice crop of baby spinach, but that’s really about it. Apparently … Read More