2006-Oct-23 - Simple Start to Composting!

This is as easy as it gets for getting started on composting--try it! :)

 

 

This time of
year with all of the garden scraps you can get a good
compost pile started. 

 

First here is a list of what you
CAN compost.

-fruit and vegetable scraps--peelings etc.
-tea bags, loose used, coffee grounds and filters
-egg shells
- leaves, grass clippings, straw, hay
-sawdust, wood shavings
-manure--except cat and dog
-spent annuals, frostbit plants, veggies, etc.
 -wood ash (fireplace or fire pit ash etc.)

Never put any fat or meat in your pile. You also want
to alternate ingredients. The household leftovers can
be layered, then the straw, leaves etc. Wood ashes
can be sprinkled between layers--as can the grass
clippings. The pile should be moist, but not wet. You
can put plastic over the pile if you are going through
a rainy period--just remove as needed.

Even if you don't compost on a regular basis you can
do this with your fall leaves. Pile them up--chop if you
can--and keep it moist. It will take up to 6 months, but
you will get a nice, crumbly compost that you can use
in your garden. You can cover the pile with black plastic
if you wish, or make a bin out of wood or fencing.

 

www.oldfashionedliving.com

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2006-Feb-22 - A Child's Garden & Homestead Blogger ENEWSLETTER :)

If you didn't get your copy of the Homestead Blogger Enewsletter in your email box.....you missed out!!!!! 

 

You can sign up here, on my blog, or on the main page of Homestead  Blogger :)    Here is just one of many wonderful articles that ran....(well, this is my article--LOL!) but there were tons of great articles....as always!  ENJOY!

 

A Childs Garden.....

 

It's that time of year...we all sit down with paper and pencil in hand, and start to ‘map outÂ’ &  dream...about this years garden! Why not sit down with our children and do the same?

A garden is wonderful family time, and a great learning experience for young and old alike!

 

Cultivate a love of gardening with your children, no matter their age, by letting them participate in the family garden!  Even better yet, give them their own ‘garden spaceÂ’-this could be a container on the porch, a flower bed, or even a section of a larger garden space-that is all their own!  Gather paper, pencil and some gardening/seed catalogs and dream together!  Let them choose what they want to plant, teach them to work the earth, plant their seeds, and care for them.  This is “their” garden spot, and the will delight in watching the seeds they have planted, grow, through their care, and the look on their faces when they see the first sprig of green pop through the ground is priceless!

 

Children learn so much by ‘doingÂ’ and ‘watching usÂ’ -  the time spent together is a gift in and of itself.  Let them experimentÂ…so what if they plant only daisies or petunias because they are ‘pretty onesÂ’, so what if their rows arenÂ’t perfect (mine arenÂ’t either)??  It is the learning experience and time together that truly count.  Even a 2 year old can plant seeds for starts in a paper cup, dig in the dirt and pick rocks out of the area, while older children can help prepare the garden area, plant, weed, water and PICKJ

 

Now, if you are feeling creative or your children are a bit older, or have some gardening experience already, why not try something a little different?  If you happen to have the space, younger children would LOVE the idea of a “Sunflower House” or “Corn Fort”!  Plant Sunflowers in a ‘squareÂ’ (with one open side for entry) or plant corn in square designs, 4-6 rows deepÂ… these make for wonderful childhood hideaways and memories!  A little bit older child might love to create a ‘butterfly gardenÂ’ or a ‘hummingbird gardenÂ’!  How about a ‘bean tepeeÂ’ or a Morning Glory fort?  My children love to make their forts at the base of evergreens, with some stumps or rocks they call it ‘their fort’—maybe your children are the same?  Maybe this summer they would enjoy a fort inside the garden area, or maybe theyÂ’d like to plant some flowers or veggies around their fort?   I am just betting a Morning Glory Tepee would be a HUGE HIT, and make a great place for tea parties!  ItÂ’s amazing all the things you and your children can do with dirt and sticks and seeds!  You can find all kinds of ideas on the internet, or at the local library (see references below) or at www.HomesteadBlogger.com  J

 

As we all begin to plan for the Spring planting season, make it a family project, include the children they will love it!

We include planting every year as part of our Homeschool lessons, whether its corn seed starts in paper cups, or a full scale garden~it is a teaching and learning experience every year!  Enjoy this ‘season before the seasonÂ’ and plan on spending some time helping your children dream up their special garden!  It makes for priceless memoriesÂ…all wrapped up in the pure simplicity of Â…A Childs GardenÂ….ENJOY J

 

 

 

 

Some Great Books and Resources for Gardening with Children

Roots, Shoots, Buckets & Boots~Sharon Lovejoy

GREEN THUMBS~Laurie Carlson

BEYOND THE BEAN SEED~Nancy Allen Jurenka

JMG:Junior Master Gardener Handbook

Steps to a Bountiful Kids' Garden

The Childrens Kitchen Garden: A Book of Gardening, Cooking and Learning

Great Gardens for Kids

A Childs Garden : Enchanting Outdoor Spaces for Children & Parents

Kids Garden! : The Anytime, Anyplace Guide to Sowing & Growing Fun

Victory Gardens Kids' Book

 

 

Lisa Barthuly resides in Washington State with her husband Marc, daughters Mercy & Cassandra, Cooter the dog, and Whitefoot the kitten. The Barthulys have recently moved to a brand new 'homestead' where they hope to be blessed with more children, and critters!  They are a Christian, homeschooling family, which works from home for The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, as well as their cottage business, "Our Little Homestead Originals" that makes hand poured all natural soy & beeswax candles and various other homemade creations! 

 

Email Lisa at  OurLittleHomestead@Hotmail.com  or Lisa@TheHomeschoolMagazine.com

Visit us at  www.HomesteadBlogger.com/OurLittleHomestead  and stop by the Merchant Village when it opens on Homestead Blogger, and visit their shop...

"Our Little Homestead Originals " & stop by www.HomesteadBlogger.com/HomesteadOriginals  ;)

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2006-Feb-13 - Garden Planning.....

As we are planning out the garden, here are some helpful planning ideas--to help your garden thrive :)

Some plants do better when in the company of certain other plants for a variety of reasons...to repel harmful insects, to attract useful insects, or to enhance the growth rate and flavor of other plants.  Companion planting helps bring a balanced eco-system to your garden.  Every garden is different with different problems.  All problems will not be eliminated, but it is definitely worth experimenting.  Below are plants with their "good" companions which enhance the plants existence, and their "bad" companions that can create adverse effects.

 

Asparagus
       Good-Tomato, Parsley, Basil       

Beans
      Good-Rosemary, Peas, Corn, Cucumbers, Radishes
      Bad--Onions

Beets
      Good-Lettuce, Onions, Brassicas

Cabbage
      Good-Aromatic Herbs, Celery, Beets, Spinach
      Bad-Strawberries, Pole Beans, Tomatoes

Carrots
      Good-Chives, Rosemary, Sage, Radishes, Lettuce
      Bad-Dill

Corn
      Good-Sunflowers, Pumpkins, Beans, Squash

Cucumbers
      Good-Beans, Carrots, Onions, Radishes
      Bad-Strong Herbs

Dill
      Good-Cabbage, Onions, Cucumbers
      Bad-Tomato

Marigold  
      Plant throughout the garden

Oregano
     Good to all Vegetables

Peas
      Good-Lettuce, Beans, Carrots, Radishes
      Bad- Onions

Potatoes
     Good- Horseradish

Roses
     Good-Garlic

Tomatoes
     Good-Basil, Carrots
     Bad-Corn, Fennel

Sage
     Good-Broccoli, Cauliflower, Rosemary, Cabbage, Carrots

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2006-Jan-22 - The Family Garden :)

I thought this was a great article--worthy of posting :)

 

The link to the article in full is at the bottom~enjoy!

 

Today's lifestyles leave families little time to spend together; however, gardening offers a perfect opportunity for a family to share and learn together. Many activities are suitable for family time in the garden, such as:

Plant a tree to celebrate a birth. A tree's growth is much like a child's. It starts small and young, as a seedling. It needs nourishment and watering. Like a young child, a tree goes through growth spurts, passing through juvenility and entering maturity. In maturity, it is able to share with others its fine attributes, such as shade to cool and add comfort to a yard or home, leaves to help make soil-building compost, and sturdy branches from which young children can swing.

Your child can see his or her own growth reflected in the growth of the tree and can appreciate the length of time it takes for a tree to grow to maturity. The love of trees your child gains now will carry on through adulthood.

Learn the names of plants. Spending time in the garden to learn about plants can be fun for parents and children both. In addition to learning about food crops and beautiful flowers, this time is a perfect opportunity to learn which plants or plant parts can be potentially poisonous and how to enjoy the plants safely.

Plant a vegetable garden. The rewards of a vegetable garden are as exciting to adults as they are to children, giving both a sense of accomplishment

Sharing the joy and excitement or even the disappointment and failure of a vegetable garden strengthens family ties.

Make crafts from garden harvests. Projects, such as making bird houses from gourds grown in the family garden or arranging dried flowers, offer times of sharing for family members.

Share gifts of the garden. Giving gifts of handmade crafts and treasures from the garden is extremely satisfying, and I have never met anyone who was not delighted in receiving such gifts. Even fresh produce, such as tomatoes, squash, and green beans, make terrific gifts for people who do not have a garden. Offering these gifts gives adults and children alike an opportunity to show they care about others.

The garden is a fertile ground of opportunities for families to grow together and learn more about each other while tending the garden.

It offers the opportunity for adults and children to share ideas -- to talk and, most importantly, to listen to each other and, by working together, to communicate the many messages that must be said without words.

Gardening develops self-esteem, a sense of nurturing, and the quality of generosity. The garden is a wonderful family room!

Start now to involve your child in the planning of your spring garden. There are many books for children to educate and excite them about gardening.

Seed catalogs can be a source of fascination and are perfect for craft projects after the plants have been ordered.

 

http://www.pioneerthinking.com/garden-ideas.html

 

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