Garden Update!

     As much as I don't want to think about it the gardening season is coming to a close. True, most vegetables will keep producing until the first frost but the days are getting a little cooler and a little shorter. Soon, winter will be upon us and so will a steady diet of root vegetables. Last year I experimented a little with hoop house gardening which allowed me to grow spinach during the coldest of weather and deep snow. I want to expand the variety of vegetables I grow this year of course. 

    

     But, all this talk of cold weather is a bit premature. Let's enjoy the last couple of weeks of summer while we can. Fall begins...September 23rd!!! Bring on the turnips!

Until then, enjoy these pictures I took in my garden yesterday. It isn't too late to talk about gardening. Feel free to ask questions!

Take care of yourself and each other...

Garden Update! (Battling Pests Both Large and Small)

     I made a couple of surprising discoveries working in my garden this evening. Both were welcome surprises but one was less so. While tending to one of my tomato plants I noticed that two green Allerbest tomatoes had fallen to the ground. One of the tomatoes looked like it had been munched upon but I couldn't quite figure out what animal was responsible. It hadn't fallen victim to an insect infestation nor had it been pecked to an early death by a European Starling (a fate that a few of my tomatoes had last year). It wasn't until I picked up the second tomato that I noticed a perfect imprint of a small set of teeth.

     Who would have taken a small sample bite into a green tomato and then left it on the ground for me to find? Surely my neighbors aren't walking around my garden when I'm not home and planting their chompers into whatever they feel like. It wasn't until a little later in the evening when my roommate commented that the night before he had seen a deer in our front yard eating the grass in our extremely unkept yard! Ah, of course. A passing deer decided to to come by and sample a green tomato and apparently didn't care for it.

     I have dealt with my fair share of garden pests. Last year I had a massive outbreak of Harlequin bugs, Murgantia histrionica, that wiped out my kale and spinach. This year I had an infestation of lettuce aphids and I found my first Harlequin bug egg casing yesterday on the underside of a broccoli leaf. I would never apply pesticides to any of my food so when I begin to see signs of insect infestation I begin the insect massacre! And I don't stop squishing until I'm satisfied that the threat is over! I know what signs to look for this year so I have averted disaster for the most part. Noticing the signs of insect infestation comes with experience.

     But, for reasons I can't quite figure out right now a deer in my yard is a very welcome site. I think I just like knowing that this deer can survive in an incredibly urban environment when so much of biodiversity has been destroyed due to urban sprawl. I don't mind if the occasional deer comes up for a nibble every now and then. But, dude.....wait until the tomatoes are ripe. They will be way more enjoyable.

     But, I must say that if one decides to grow a garden free of harmful pesticides you must be willing to accept and appreciate the insects that will take up residence. I am an entomologist by trade so I have a love of insects that most of the general public doesn't understand and I will admit that I find it incredibly funny seeing a screaming adult run away from a harmless insect. Insects have been here millions of years longer than us and they will be here long after we're gone. This is their home. We're just visiting so show some respect. It is fear of insects that drives the use of pesticides in the first place. We don't like the thought of an aphid on our collard greens but for some reason most people find that spraying our food with poison is a reasonable alternative. Get over your fear.

     My second discovery of the night happened only a few minutes later when I noticed that on the opposite side of the sidewalk that boarders my front lawn there was a tomato plant growing near a fire hydrant. I obviously didn't plant it there (that would be ridiculous). My best guess is that a few seeds from last year made their way out of my garden (possibly from a fallen tomato), across the sidewalk, and found a suitable place to germinate and grow in the small grassy strip next to the road. To quote Dr. Ian Malcolm, "Life, uh...finds a way."

     I'm certain that whoever decides to mow the area in the upcoming weeks will mow it down subsequently killing it. It's a shame really. Any open space is a perfect spot for a public tomato plant. Wouldn't it be awesome to pick a few delicious tomatoes off of a nearby plant when you are on a run or walking the dog? Maybe I'll try to save it and relocate it to a place where people are less mower happy. In the meantime...

Take care of yourself and each other...

Garden Update!

     My garden is starting to reach epic proportions! Besides the regular harvests of lettuce, cucumbers, and herbs I'm now harvesting lots of leafy kale. I did end up losing a tomato plant along the way. I thought I had a nitrogen deficiency, so I added manure to correct for it. Either it wasn't enough or a lack of nitrogen wasn't the problem. No worries however. If you don't kill a few plants from time to time you aren't trying hard enough as a gardener.

     I have been able to create a few of my meals using just ingredients from the garden. It's always nice to see the garden paying for itself.

Take care of yourself and each other...

Harvesting onions at the Towson University Urban Farm

"Car full of onions. Car full of onions. Car full of onions. Hey hey hey hey!"

You're supposed to sing the above lines like this:

Take care of yourself and each other...

The Beer is ready!

     Instead of making this yet another Tasty Tuesday post I have decided to debut the beer a little early. If you haven't read my previous posts about making this beer you can do so here, and here, and finally here. I wanted a beer that would be perfect for summer so I went with an American Pale. Hoppy with a hint of citrus, this is the perfect beer for really hot days. And did I mention that it will get you drunk?

     It has been hypothesized that civilization began when scavengers, hunters, and nomads began to settle and establish agriculture. But, it has been further hypothesized that the reason they established agriculture was to grow various types of grain that could then be fermented into beer. So, there you have it. Beer is responsible for civilization as we know it. Thank you beer! 

The American Pale

     I started making beer long before I began to discover agriculture but in a backwards/roundabout way I have managed to bring the two together. There is nothing more satisfying than drinking your own beer while working in your garden and growing your own food. When the Zombie Apocalypse happens (and it will mind you) I'll have the food and beer angle taken care of. All I need now to complete my team is a weapons expert, a martial artist, a sassy but beautiful black woman, and a fat guy. I am currently taking applications.

Having a beer while I check the tomatoes

Take care of yourself and each other...   

First Pictures of my garden!

     My own garden is in full swing and growing rapidly. It seems to me that things are off to a slow start but then I have to keep in mind that the growing season starts much later here in the more northern latitudes and I have been caring for most of these plants since the end of February. But, I have already harvested a great deal of arugula and herbs. I'm just hoping I have enough herbs to cook with when all my vegetables are ready for harvest.

     I split my garden into two sections. I'm growing all of my herbs and leafy greens in pots along with a few varieties of tomatoes on my side porch. The excellent soil and ample sunlight has caused these plants to do very well and to grow faster than the plants that are in the garden in the front yard. I actually like growing plants in pots more. It seems like a more efficient use of spaces, I can move the pots around to get ideal sunlight, and it seems to be a lot less work. The garden plot in my front yard is mainly a clay pit. The soil isn't ideal but somehow the plants have grown. Nature man, can't argue with it. So, enjoy these first photos of my garden. There will be more to come. If you have any questions about gardening of any kind leave some responses.

     I'll be writing a lot more about my garden (as well as the Towson University Urban Farm) in the coming weeks. Until then...

Take care of yourself and each other...

First flower blooms on my tomatoes! 

The mint is taking over...as it is known to do.

My potted tomato plants and the infamous pink watering jug

Some lemon balm and cinnamon basil

A pot of basil, chives, dill, and rosemary

Broccoli! 

These are one variety of beans I'm growing. I decided to use the chain link fence as a trellis system

A sweet Antigua pepper plant. One of 5 pepper varieties I'm growing.

Some kale and a different variety of beans in the background

More beans!

 

Funny Because It's True!

Earthworm Assisted Composting (a.k.a. Vermaculture)

     So I've been saying for years that I wanted to start composting. A few weeks ago a friend of mine told me about the wonderful world of vermaculture or earthworm assisted composting. Using earthworms to help with composting seems to expedite the process of breaking down food and provides you with a high grade compost to use in your garden.

     With the additional help of a few internet videos I made it my mission to get a vermaculture bin started and I would like to share it with you. If you have a garden or potted plants this is a great way to dispose of food scraps and in turn obtain highly nutritious plant food. Additionally, as the worms begin to break down the food, liquid called "worm tea" will build up and collect in your bin. This liquid is a fantastic fertilizer and can be used in your garden as well. Most sources say that it is also "very powerful" and should be diluted with water before you use it.

     For this project you will need two sturdy plastic bins (I used two 10 gallon bins but a smaller size will do just as well), old newspaper with soy based ink, a drill or other device to create air holes, approximately 60 earthworms (two containers), and water. Certain species of earthworm work better than others. Most sites suggest the red wiggler worms and recommend against night crawlers but I am using trout worms which seem to fair very well. Worms are usually sold at sports supply stores or even farmer's markets. As for the newspaper make sure you find some with soy based ink. Most national newspapers use soy based inks so that shouldn't be hard to find. In total I only spent about $15 to create my bin. Happy composting!

     Biologists note: When you decide to use the compost produced by your vermaculture bin in your garden it will probably be best to keep all worms in your bin and out of the garden. The earthworm species sold at your local bait store may be non-native and shouldn't be introduced into the environment.

Step 1: Stack your two plastic bins inside of one another and use a drill to poke air holes in the top bin. You also need to drill holes in the bottom of the top bin so the "worm tea" can drain through and collect in the bottom bin.

Step 2: Tear your newspaper into strips. You want to use enough paper to create a bed for your earthworms.

Step 3: Using a watering jug dampen the newspaper. It is important to only dampen the paper slightly. You don't want to have puddles.

Step 4: Add your food scraps. I have a couple of organic banana peels, some greens, bits of carrot, and some old bread. As with regular composting, you DO NOT want to add any dairy or meat to your composting bin. This could introduce unwanted bacteria to your compost.

Step 5: Add the earthworms right onto the food scraps and damp newspaper.

Step 6: Using a whole sheet of newspaper, cover your worms and food scraps. Dampen the top layer of newspaper. Remember: you want moist paper, no puddles. When it comes time to add more food scraps just lift one side of the paper, deposit the scraps, lift the other side of the paper, and deposit scraps on the opposite side. That's it!

 Just for reference this is the brand of worms I used.

Take care of yourself and each other.

Towson University Urban Farm

    I'm pulling double blogging duty now! A few posts back I mentioned that I am a member of the urban farm/community garden at my University. The experience has been incredibly rewarding so far and has increased my agricultural knowledge.While my own seedlings continue to grow in the University greenhouse the seedlings for the Urban Farm are growing only a few feet away. Soon, my seedlings will go into the ground of my front yard (hopefully this weekend) and the community garden seedlings will live out the rest of their ephemeral lives soaking up water and sunshine on the campus farm.

     In an effort to promote the latest events taking place in the Towson University Urban Farm a blog was created during last year's growing season and I have just posted my first blog entry. Check it out here: Towson University Urban Farm. Read all about our new Rainwater Catchment System (pictured above) that was recently constructed by a crew of very enthusiastic urban farmers (including myself: pictured on the right). We at the Farm hope to continue our mission of growing healthy food for the community in a sustainable way.

Take care of yourself and each other!
  

And the Garden is Growing!

     The seeds I planted only a couple short weeks ago are healthy and sprouting. My beans are on the verge of world domination (or at least greenhouse domination). I still find it amazing that a small seed given the right conditions can sprout into something so large. Science, man. Can't argue with it.

     The Maryland weather has been very unpredictable this year. We're almost into our second week of Spring and we are barely out of the 30's at night. What's going on? The last frost should hopefully come around April 11th (check for your area) and then it will be time to transfer these hardy seedlings to some outdoor soil. My pepper plants (all four varieties) are the slowest to germinate so far. I'm a little worried that they have fallen victim to my heavy watering hand but I'll give them some more time. I have a feeling that warmer weather will send those shoots out of the soil and into the daylight. If you aren't as fortunate as I am and don't have access to a greenhouse then germinating seeds on a sunny window sill should do the trick just fine. Don't be afraid to kill a seedling or two along your journey of becoming a gardener/farmer. Like everything else gardening takes patience and practice. You'll learn when to water and how much. You'll learn how much space each seedling requires. Just stick with it!   

Two Cherokee Trail of Tears Bean plants

I think this might be kale....but don't quote me on that. 

Sprouting!

A Post about Food Preservation

Homemade applesauce anyone?

     I've benefited greatly from the kindness and knowledge of friends and acquaintances. For the better part of my teenage and young adult life I was woefully unaware of the big exciting world that was around me. Growing up in a small community located in rural North Carolina it was hard to imagine a life outside of the town boundaries so in order to cope I found it easy to place mental boundaries on myself. It is so much easier to surround yourself with the familiar or the safe. It's easier to resist change than to step outside of your comfort zone.

     I think it is the same in every small community or town. In my case, you hopefully graduated high school, took whatever job was available, and maybe if you worked really hard you could afford a small place of your own and a used truck. I admit that I dream of having a small place of my own and any vehicle that works will be fine with me but the people I am talking about were sadly unaware or resistant to the joys and pleasures in life. I knew something existed outside of that town but I didn't know what or even how to get there. I relied primarily on the kindness and knowledge of others who then pointed me in the right direction. I'm still on that journey of self discovery and I want them to know that I am truly thankful.

     One part of my journey has been learning how to grow, cook, and preserve my own food. I enjoy learning a new skill and I've always believed that the more you know the less you need. In previous posts I have mentioned belonging to a great group of organic gardeners that grow vegetables and then donate the products of their labor to various charities. Recently, one member of the group organized a demonstration in food preservation and it was great to participate.

     Unfortunately, there was a lot of waste associated with my personal garden last year as I became overrun with tomatoes, cucumbers, and other things. I tried to give away as much as I could but some went into the garbage. NEVER AGAIN! Canning and pickling seem to be lost skills these days and I am determined to bring them back (with style of course). As for now, the tomatoes, squash, peppers, carrots, eggplant, kale, lettuce, and cucumbers are sprouting and it won't be long before they go in the ground for the summer. Whether they are enjoyed fresh right out of my garden or a little later during the coldness of winter I will be ready. Stay tuned.  

       

      The beets are about to be pickled

Time to Germinate!

     Gardening season is almost upon us! The weather is getting warmer (although only slightly here in Maryland) and the days are getting longer. It is almost time to start growing my own food and I'm looking forward to it. Last year was the first year I grew a garden and it certainly was a success but I also learned a lot about "what not to do". So, this summer will hopefully be a time for innovation and a chance to increase my yield while decreasing water and soil usage.  I have seeds germinating in peat pots among other things at the moment and hopefully in a week or two there will be growth. I have about a month before plants can start going in the ground (you should always wait until after the last frost in your area) so that gives me plenty of time to work the soil and prepare.

 Not a great picture but you get the idea.

     One thing I have learned is that you need very little space to grow a lot of food. My garden is about 6x15 feet and that was more than enough to have plenty of fresh vegetables and have enough left over to share with a few neighbors and friends. You need even less space if you decide to grow in pots. So, make the effort to grow something. Growing your own food can not only save you a lot of money on grocery bills in the long run but can also be a good way to spend time with friends and family.   

This year's seeds.

     I don't know which I enjoy more, buying seed or actually growing my vegetables. There are a lot of great resources on the net for heirloom and organic seed varieties and I'm always on the lookout for a new or interesting plants. My favorite seed dealer is Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds out of Missouri. They have great prices and an absolutely amazing selection of some very unusual varieties of tomatoes, beans, peppers, greens, etc. Don't forget about your local seed dealers however. Organic farms are popping up all over the nation right now so get out and explore your area. Befriend your local organic farmer! Maybe they will hook you up with some cool swag.    

Take care of each other.