Aug. 27, 2008
Good Site for Identifying Wild Herbs
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
I happend upon this really neat photo index for herbs this morning, while attempting to identify a lovely little plant that popped up after our much needed rains.
NaturesHerbal has some links to other "herby" things, too. I found a Poison Ivy Relief kit that my dear friend Debbie needs right this minute!
Speaking of Poison Ivy relief....I am searching, without much success, for Jewelweed seeds. I found a source for plants, but would prefer seeds if possible. If any of you are fortunate enough to have Jewelweed growing wild on your homestead, I would be so very thankful if you would share some seed with me. I will gladly pay for the seeds and the postage if you would be kind enough to send them my way!
Blessings,
Catherine
Aug. 25, 2008
Winter Veggies
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
I'm getting ready for the Fall & Winter growing season. How about you?
I always enjoy the Bountiful Gardens newsletter, and this month they advertised the Winter Vegetables Collection . Ten seed packets for $19.50 is a pretty good deal; especially since they sell heirloom, untreated, sustainable..."Good" seeds!
I know that we have gardeners from all over, with very different climates and growing conditions; so I'd love to hear what you grow in the Fall and Winter in your area.
In Fall, I grow pretty much the same things as in the Spring garden. Many things actually do better in the cooler days of Fall since we can often go from Winter to almost summer-like conditions quickly.
The Winter garden allows us in the "heat zone" to grow those lovely greens like spinach, lettuce, mustard, etc. that can't take our hot weather during the spring and summer. Onions, beets, turnips, kale, broccoli and cauliflower also enjoy the winter weather here in the heart of Texas. 3 herbs that do well in my winter garden are: Parsley, Cilantro, and one of my favorites, Calendula. Oh, and my favorite flower of all, which has edible flowers, too- Violas!
Oh, I am ready, ready, ready for the cooler days ahead!
Blessings,
Catherine
Aug. 21, 2008
Have you heard of Luffa?
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
Hello dear friends!
I tell you, the weather has been rough around here... our garden has suffered. It hasn't helped that Shannon and I have not been ourselves either. We are thankful for what we have been able to get out of the garden, what we have been able to preserve for the winter. One thing that is doing quite beautifully though is my Luffa's. Dear Rhonda Jean sent me a package of seeds when we had a swap and I am so excited to harvest these once they have dried.
Silly as it may sound, I always thought luffas were a type of sponge from the sea. I had NO idea it was something to grow in the garden.
Her site has some great info on how to prepare these for use.
You let these dry on the vine and then once dried you can harvest the seed and peel the skin. Then you soak them in a bit of bleach water and let them dry... after dried they are ready for use or for gift giving.
I would love to get my own soap made so I could give a gift of soap and luffa.
But I am having a terrible time trying to find lye. Any ideas where I can buy this. I have tried Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart... I can't find it.
Thanks for your visit. May God bless you and your Homestead.
From my Homestead to Yours,
~Chas~
Chasity L. Burrell
Senior Editor Homesteadblogger
Heritage Acres Farm
Aug. 7, 2008
Marvelous Mulch
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
I know I've posted articles about this topic before, but I am convinced that a good, deep layer of mulch is a must in the garden.
The summer heat is almost unbearable here in the "heart of Texas", and my garden has been the most pitiful thing this year. I finally decided to just give up and wait for time to plant the Fall crops. But, the jalapeno and serrano pepper plants were still living, though I was having to water them every day, and they still looked sad and wilty. I wanted to keep them alive until we move in hopes to transplant them into containers and take them with us.
In a burst of gardening energy one morning before the scorching heat set in, I raked up a whole bunch of dead leaves and other "mulchy looking stuff" from under the trees and brush at the back of our property line. I put a thick layer- at least 6 inches, on top of the layer of cypress mulch already in place, around the pepper plants. When I first put it down, it was about halfway covering the plants themselves, but after watering it wasn't quite so tall. I watered thoroughly, making sure to soak not only the mulch, but the soil underneath.
I kid you not, those pepper plants look so much better, and haven't wilted since! I've even gone a few days without watering, and they are not only thriving, but setting fruit again.
I've always mulched, but since I've bought bagged mulch in the past, I didn't mulch quite so deeply. From now on, I'm going to be more thrifty and rake up whatever looks "mulchy" in my yard, and perhaps offer to rake a few neighbors leaves come Fall, too!
Mulch your gardens thickly! Your plants will thank you.
Blessings,
Catherine
Aug. 6, 2008
Want to Spice Things Up a Bit?
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
How about growing your own Vanilla beans! Logee's has a new variety which sounds very tempting to try: Vanilla planifolia variegata .
The variegated "Calamondin Orange" would also be fun to grow if you have a greenhouse, sunroom, or live in a warm climate. Unfortunately for me, they can't ship citrus plants to Texas. I really don't understand that, because you can buy citrus trees at the nurseries here. Some oddball regulation, I suppose.
Oh well, I'll just request the Vanilla plant for my all too quickly approaching birthday, and be happy to get a new "pet"
!
Blessings,
Catherine
Jul. 24, 2008
Backyard Sustainable Agriculture
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
This is a good video for those interested in sustainable agriculture. It is particularly helpful for those of us who are renting or have limited space.
Anyone here with advice on this subject, please share it with us, too! This is something our family and a few good friends are looking at putting into practice in the very near future.
Blessings,
Catherine
Jul. 20, 2008
How To Dry Fresh Herbs
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
There are lots of ways to dry your fresh garden herbs. my sister dries hers in a dehydrator. But my favorite is to air dry them as follows.
Here's How:
Gently wash herbs and pat dry with paper towels.
Tie two to three stalks together.
Hang upside down in an airy, dry spot.
Herbs will dry in one to two weeks under favorable conditions.
When herbs are dry and crumbly, remove leaves from stems.
Crush leaves with a rolling pin or leave whole.
Pack in an airtight container or zip-top bag with air removed.
Use within 6 months.
Tips:
Pick best leaves just before herbs bloom.
Harvest in early morning as soon as dew has evaporated.
Herbs only hold their potency for about 6 months.
If it is damp out and humid inside I put them in my hot-water heater closet to dry. I am always on the lookout at garage sales for little glass jars with tight lids to store my herbs in.
Grandma Rosie at Grandma Rosie's Texas Home
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
Well here's a tiny tidbit I was completely ignorant about:
There are 3 types of carrots:
- Nantes are medium length and cylindrical.
- Imperators have extra length and durability for packing and shipping. This variety is best worked in deep, loose soil.
- Chantenays are wide at the top, shorter and blocky. They are suitable for shallow, heavy (read clay) soils.
Not all catalogs list the details of carrot type. But the variety name can give a clue as to the type of carrot.
Alright, so maybe you knew this. I did not and was so excited when I discovered it yesterday in Johnny's Select seed catalog. Now I know why the Chantenay Red Core variety works best in my heavy, clay soil! I'm also looking at Oxheart, another heirloom Chantenay-type carrot for my fall garden.
Have fun planning your fall and winter garden!
Kristin Hoffman homesteads with her family in the hills of East Tennessee and blogs about alternative energy, family farming, and home schooling with her husband at www.solarfamilyfarm.com. The Hoffmans also run Knot4Fun, a family business dedicated to teaching kids the practical skill of knot tying and adventurous outdoor play. Kristin can be found processing the many gallons of milk from her (now) two Jersey milk cows. Yikes!
Jun. 24, 2008
Herbal Garden Helpers
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
Hello there! Hope your gardens are growing well and you are having bountiful harvests. Though the heat is taking its toll on garden and gardener here, the squash and okra are hanging in there
!
I spend the morning hours outside watering and puttering about in the garden and enjoying my containers of herbs, and the afternoons trying to beat the heat indoors, enjoying a good book.....or two, or three!
I've gleaned some great tips from the book, Companion Herbs for Natural Health by Juliette de Bairacli Levy that I thought you might be interested in.
Use your "less than fresh" dried herbs, mixed with wood ash to not only deter pests, but encourage growth.
In Mexico, Sage leaves mixed with goat manure and wood ash produced superb vine and corn crops. The author says she grew wonderful grapes using this mixture, too. Wild sage was used, but I wonder if garden sage wouldn't have maybe at least close to the same benefit?
Bitter herbs, such as wormwood, southernwood, mugwort and rue, powdered and sprinkled in when planting beans, peas, peanuts and cereal grains, will deter birds and act as insect repellants.
I hope those tips are of some use to you. Herbs are simply wonderful, aren't they?
Have a great week!
Blessings,
Catherine
p.s. Sorry that I've been hit and miss here on the Front Porch. The computer is in an "uncooled" room of our little house, and quite honestly, I try to avoid it as much as possible these days
. A dear friend from a more temperate climate, likened being in Texas in the summer to being in a clothes dryer
! Pretty accurate description of my office/storage/junk room, too. But....change is coming, not only in the seasons, but in our home situation, too
. I'll post more about that on my blog later.
Jun. 12, 2008
Garden Projects and a Great Video
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
Most of you probably know about Path to Freedom and their great story. This video really makes me want to dig in and get started on some new gardening ideas. Definitely some much needed inspiration for this gardener!
I found several projects on their site that I've put on my "Honey Do" list for the summer
. Check out their DIY links- you might just find some for your own To Do list
.
Hope everyone is having a great gardening season. The heat is on here in Texas, so I'm trying to keep both myself and the veggies hydrated. Plans for the Fall garden are underway, as well!
Blessings,
Catherine
May. 19, 2008
Waterwise Idea
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
Here is an article that shows how to harvest rainwater . This is one of those things that I plan to do someday! For now, we resort to plopping a few buckets out to catch what we can :) . This is a great idea, though. In my own experience, the garden definitely thrives more when watered with rainwater than with what comes from our water hose.
For the even more industrious...I bought a bottle of rainwater (to drink) at a nursery this weekend. Clever gentleman harvests rainwater and then filters it with reverse osmosis (I think that's what it said, well, he filters it nonetheless)....and makes a pretty penny selling it, I'd imagine
. Sure tasted better than the "mineral water" that comes out of my faucet
.
Happy Gardening,
Catherine
May. 19, 2008
Theme gardens are a great way to spend time with your kids
Posted in Homestead Garden and Farm
Great idea! Grandma Rosie
Theme gardens are a great way to spend time with your kids
By JIM GAINAN
With school ending soon and prime planting season upon us, now is the perfect time to get your kids involved in the garden. Planning and planting a theme garden together is a fun way to foster some creativity.
Ideas for theme gardens are as unlimited as your imagination. Plop down in your yard with your kids and some lemonade for a brainstorming session. They'll be sure to surprise you with some of their ideas.
Here are some themes to get you started:
Pizza garden: planted with ingredients that can be used on pizza - oregano, parsley, basil, onions, peppers, Roma tomatoes
Salsa garden: hot peppers, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, garlic
Kitchen garden: named so because traditionally these gardens were usually planted with all edible plants and located just outside of the kitchen door, but may include some cutting flowers for the kitchen table: chives, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, sage, dill, oregano, marjoram, savory, mint or tarragon for the herbs. Then you could include vegetables that your family likes to eat: tomatoes, onions, beans, lettuce, radishes, cucumbers, beets, carrots, etc. - This list is limited only by your space.
ABC garden: Plant one plant for each letter of the alphabet. Alyssum to Zinnia. Hint: Q - Queen Anne's Lace and X - Xeranthemum
Fairy garden: Think small, low-growing and tiny-leafed plants and create a space for these magical people. Carpet their dance floor with creeping thyme or moss. Foxglove, miniature roses, bells of Ireland, coral bells, fragrant herbs, sweet woodruff, wild strawberry, hollyhocks
Wizard of Oz garden: poppies, "munchkin" pumpkins and of course, a scarecrow!
Outer Space garden: cosmos, snapdragons 'Rocket Series', moonflowers, 'Moon & Stars' watermelon
Butterfly garden: 'Autumn Joy' sedum, Asclepias (Butterfly flower), Scabiosa (Pincushion flower), Coneflower, Lavender, Shasta Daisy, Butterfly bush, lilac, coreopsis, Achillea, Astilbe, Armeria. You also have to plant to feed the caterpillars - borage and dill work well.
Color Gardens: From the all-white moon garden to a rainbow garden, masses of plants in the same color are eye-catching. Choose colors from your favorite sports team and show your support all season long or select plants that have the same name as colors - lavender, goldenrod, cornflower, pinks. If planting a moon garden, be sure to select flowers that do not close at night: white petunias, babies' breath, chrysanthemums, roses and try some silvery dusty miller or greenery with variegated leaves such as hostas.
Whether choosing to plant a structured English Knot garden or an untamed wildflower garden, make it a family affair and enjoy the rewards all season.
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