Chard: Under Cover

Posted on March 18, 2011 by itfarmer
Swiss Chard - Grown Under a Row Cover

Swiss Chard - Grown Under a Row Cover

I’ve decided that 2011 will be the year I finally move my gardening habit into the cooler weather seasons. I’ve gotten a start from a row of Swiss Chard that was planted in the spring of last year. I noticed at the tail end of February that these plants were still setting new growth, and I decided to cover the row as a way to help the plants produce earlier in the season.

This is the first time I’ve used a row cover to get a jump on the season, and I’m fairly surprised at how easy it is, and how well it works. I also wanted to show the difference between the plants which have been protected, and the ones which have felt the full brunt of the late winter snow.

Swiss Chard - Fully Exposed to Weather

Swiss Chard - Fully Exposed to Weather

The exposed chard isn’t looking too good. Many of the leaves are wilted, and I doubt they are edible, never mind tasty. There is one small leaf in the photo which might sustain a cricket for a day, but It would be nearly useless for a human snack.

Now…. To find more plastic to use as a row cover for some soon to be planted lettuce.

I should also note that I’ve planted my Artichoke and Brussels Sprouts seeds on March 14th.

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It’s Begun

Posted on March 14, 2011 by itfarmer
Celery Seeds in Dirt

Celery Seeds in Dirt

I’ve been waiting patiently, restraining myself from starting any seeds till the time is right, and that time is now. The season begins for me with Celery, which should be started 11 weeks before the last frost, several weeks before most other seeds will be started.

This is only my second attempt at growing the crispy garden snack, and last year didn’t go so well. I was not aware of the long amount of time required by Celery for Germination, gave up on the seedlings too soon, and re-used the dirt for other seeds. Later in the season, I found one celery plant by luck.

Chard Under Cover

Chard Under Cover

I ventured out to check on my chard cover over the weekend, taking a few pictures in the dark. I set my flashlight at the end of the small hoop-house, pointing the light towards the opposite end of the tunnel.

View from the Side

View from the Side

This tunnel setup is working so well that I may use it next winter in an attempt to grow Chard year round. The leaves which are not covered by the tunnel are wilting when they are covered with snow, but the plants under the protective cover are starting lots of new shoots, which should be edible in a week or two.

Concord Grape Canes

Concord Grape Canes

I finally got around to cloning a few grape vines. Jenny and I clipped a few canes from two vines on the farm, and I planted the clippings in these small ceramic pots. In the past I would have gotten carried away and started dozens of grape vines, but this year I’m trying to be more realistic, so I’ve only started a few. If your interested in the process for cloning your own vines, check out this post.

Grape Graft

Grape Graft

I’m always trying new things as I figure if I do this enough times, I’m bound to figure out some pretty neat tricks. Since I’ve read about grafting fruit trees, and I’ve heard that the root stock will color the flavor of fruit which the scion bears, I thought I’d try something similar with grape vines. I started with two clippings, from two different vines, and fused them together as a apple scion would be fused to root stock. I used some candle wax to seal the bond, and prevent air from drying out the canes. I’m hoping the difference in the two types of grape vines will cause the grapes to have a very interesting flavor.

Fruit Experiment

Fruit Experiment

Above is my latest experiment with cloning fruit trees. I put this together in haste, and it shows as my taping is very sloppy. You can see the buds beginning to open on the peach canes, and all of the other clippings are showing growth when you look close. I’ve gotten this far in the past, but I remain hopeful for this batch as I’m shielding the roots from light this time. Soon the clippings will deploy new leaves, and with some luck, they will grow new roots, which would be a step forward for my experiment.

Posted in Celery, Chard, Cloning / Propogating, Fruit Trees, Grapes | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My Inner Geek

Posted on March 2, 2011 by itfarmer
Perl Programs

Perl Programs

I’ve been asked to write up a guest post for a co-workers blog, about a project we’ve worked on to map addresses. If your interested, you can check it by clicking here. I try to keep anything computer related off of this blog, but I couldn’t stop myself from posting a link, and giving you a glimpse of My Inner Geek.

 

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Swiss Chard, Bio-Char and Haste is Waste

Posted on February 28, 2011 by itfarmer
Swiss Chard Hoop

Swiss Chard Hoop

Even in the winter, I find my self walking around in the garden. I noticed the other day that my Swiss Chard is still alive,  so I started planning how I could help these plants grow even in the cold of winter. I had two extra polycarbonate panels left over from the greenhouse, and I figured they would make a nice little hoop house for the chard.

Looking into the end of the Hoop

Looking into the end of the Hoop

After much discussion about the easiest way to make the setup work, Davie and I constructed this small greenhouse by driving stakes into the ground a foot apart, and then curling the plastic into an arch. We then tied rope to one stake, and made a loop in the other end, which would be secured to a screw on the other stake. The loop will allow me to quickly open and close the plastic without retying the rope each time.

The hoop will keep the snow from burying the chard, and should keep it warm enough for these greens to grow. When the hoop was done, it was time to make some more Bio-Char.

Cooking Bio-Char

Cooking Bio-Char

The barrel above was packed full of Tomato, Okra, Corn and Pepper stalks. I was curious to see if this plant matter would convert into bio-char in the same way that wood is converted. I used a 2 x 4 to pack the barrel, hoping to maximize my results.

Terra Preta / Bio-Char

Terra Preta / Bio-Char

When I was cooking the bio-char, I used more fuel then normal, and it was a very hot fire, so I was surprised when I opened the lid and found that about a quarter of the bio-mas had not been converted into Terra Preta. It seems my fire may have been hot, but it didn’t last long enough to fully convert the material.  I’m happy to see the stalks worked just as well as cut wood, since I’ve just about run out of wood to convert.

Pony Cart - Broke by George

Pony Cart - Broken by George

We may not be Amish, but this pony cart used to be a lot of fun for the kids to ride on. Unfortunately, George, my older brother drove over the front part where it connects to the pony. It’s just one of the many things George has broken recently, and rather then get mad at him, I’m devoting a category just to things he breaks. To see photos in the future of all the things he breaks, simply click “Things George Broke” from the Categories on the right hand side bar. I wish this was the last item I would post, but I’ve been around long enough to know If I posted pictures of everything, I’d have a whole new blog.

Posted in Bio-Char / Terra Preta, Chard, Growing Season, People, Things George has Broken | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Early Signs of Spring

Posted on February 18, 2011 by itfarmer
Early Daffodils

Early Daffodils

I caught this sight out of the corner of my eye while petting my niece’s puppy. These green sprouts are Daffodils which are beginning to grow a few weeks earlier then last year. I took a similar picture on March 7th 2010 for my post Signs of Spring.

As I think about the timing when these plants first grow, I’m reminded that last year at this time I was busy cloning grape vines, but this year I haven’t even pruned those vines. I better get my self into gear as soon as the cold returns, or I will lose the opportunity for the year.

It’s important to prune grape vines, as grapes will only grow out of the new green part of the vine. When you prune a grape vine, your reducing the amount of top growth that the roots need to supply with nutrients. Since the size of the roots are not changed, it is easier for the roots to supply ample nutrients and water to the new growth, which in turn encourages better grape production.

Fall Planted Garlic

Fall Planted Garlic

I’m very happy to see that my store-bought  fall-planted garlic is still alive and well. I got these cloves at quite a discount compared to garlic bulbs in most gardening catalogs. I know these are not “Gourmet” garlic bulbs, but they are an important first trial before I invest in the much more expensive bulbs. If this garlic crop does well, I’ll begin diversifying with the more expensive bulbs.

Goat Manure

Goat Manure

I also have some work cut out for me this weekend. Above is one of the first of many piles of manure that I hope to place into the garden in the next few weeks. This particular pile is Goat Manure, which is very good for a garden, and contains very few seeds.

Posted in Flowers, Garlic, Spring, Weather | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Seeds – Rearin’ To Grow

Posted on February 14, 2011 by itfarmer
2011 Seed Supply

2011 Seed Supply

There it is, my supply of seeds as I head into the 2011 growing season. I’ve got all the essentials, including Cucumbers, Tomatoes, Beans, Zucchini, Winter Squash, and lot’s of things which are new to me such as Artichokes and Eggplant. I have my schedule of when to plant each item ready to go so that on June 1st I’ll have hundreds of little plants ready to be moved out of the greenhouse and into the garden. The only thing standing between me and this years growing season is about 3 inches of snow, 6 weeks of time, and the new mess I’ve made in the greenhouse. (I really need to build a workshop for my woodworking hobby).

So here’s the breakdown of my seed collection:

The shoe box on the left contains mostly seeds that have been saved from past gardens. In here I have mostly peppers, squash, and tomato seeds of various flavors, sizes and growth habits.

The box on the top of the photo contains all of the seed packets which I’ve purchased in past years. I’ve got hundreds of tomato seeds, flowers, lettuces, even turnip seeds.

The individual seed packets in the photo are items I’ve purchased specifically for this growing season. Here’s the breakdown:

Squash
Black Beauty Squash
Bush Baby Squash
Gold Rush Squash

Beans, Dry and Soybeans
Cannellini Lingot Bean
Etna Bean
Sayamusume Bean
Tiger’s Eye

Cucumbers
Marketmore 97 Cucumbers
Mcpick Cucumbers

Artichoke
Green Globe Improved Artichoke

Carrot
Cosmic Purple
Rainbow

Brussle Sprouts
Long Island Improved

Celery
Utah Celery

Lettuce
PineTree Lettuce Mix
Gabriella
Oakleaf

Kohlrabi
Early White Vienna

Chard
Orange Fantasia
Bright Lights

Eggplant
Pingtung Long

Cabbage
Pinetree Cabbage Mix

I’m sure I’ll add to this collection as I spot seed packets at various stores I frequent. It’s nearly impossible for me to walk past a seed display without picking up at least three new seeds.

 

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Trying Something New

Posted on February 8, 2011 by itfarmer
Cabinet Base

Cabinet Base

I made the mistake of watching “This Old House” on Saturday morning, and I soon found myself with my tools in my hand ready to build a new cabinet in my bathroom. I started by surveying what wood I had available, and put together a pretty simple plan. I decided to build the shelves and outer frame with some discarded baseboard stored in the barn, and the doors would be constructed from recycled door jams. I reused all of the hardware from the old cabinet including the handles, hinges and magnetic latches. The whole project cost me some elbow grease, a paint brush, a few screws and some sand paper.

Stained Doors

Stained Doors

The width of the cabinet was 18 inches wide, so each door would be 9 inches. Since the wood I was using was only about 6 inches wide, I had to glue the pieces together. When I had both of the doors cut to size, I decided they looked pretty plain, so I cut grooves 3 inches from the top and bottom. I intended to paint the grooves with white paint, but when I hung the doors I had a different idea. I twisted two pieces of copper wire together, and then flattened them with a hammer. After applying some silver paint to the copper and handles, I attached them.

Copper Weave in Detail

Copper Weave in Detail

When it came time to attach the twists of copper, I hesitated a bit. I just spent hours staining these boards, and now I was going to put a nail through them !After attaching them, I was happy with the result, and I’m glad I took a chance on something new.

On a more gardening note, I’ve just submitted my second order of seeds, and when they arrive, I’ll only need to purchase a few herbs, and some Stevia seeds.

Posted in Building and Construction | Tagged | 3 Comments

Winter Plans

Posted on February 4, 2011 by itfarmer
Morning Sun

Morning Sun

I have been watching Mother Nature more so then usual now that I have a new project in mind. I’m thinking about building a root cellar to store produce without refrigeration. In order for the project to be a success, I must understand all of the variables which will heat the structure, as well as using the sun as a possible light source.

Corn On The Cob For Babe

Corn On The Cob For Babe

I’ve also reached a tentative deal with my brother in which I’ll be trading Babe for a piglet, and some bacon. The plan involves Babe meeting a boar, and having some piglets. Since pigs require three months, three weeks and three days for pregnancy, I should have a new piglet sometime in June.

Above I feed Babe the remnants of some frozen corn on the cob. Babe loves corn…. as you can see with that surprised look on her face.  She has a very inquisitive expression on her face whenever I bring her fresh produce. It’s almost as if she’s saying “Where did you get a tomato in this freezing cold ?”.

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Fruit Trees from Seed

Posted on January 31, 2011 by itfarmer
Apple Seedlings

Apple Seedlings

Cloning Fruit trees does not look very promising, and although I’m not giving up, I’ve decided to hedge my bets a bit by trying the one guaranteed way to get new plants: from seed. I should be very clear about this up front: When you grow fruit (especially apples) from seed, your not guaranteed much. These tiny seedlings could grow up to be the most sought after apple variety to date, but the odds are quite steep against getting a tree that grows anything but crab apples. Wildlife will eat crab apples,  so I guess the worst case scenario would be to fatten the local deer up a bit.
Apples, Pears, Plums, Peaches

Apples, Pears, Plums, Peaches

I’m also starting some other types of seeds, ones in which the odds of success are very much stacked in my favor: Pears, Plums and Peaches. Here’s how I do it: Purchase locally grown produce, and get some kids to eat the fruit. Save the seeds, and let them dry for a day or so, then place in a zip lock bag, and store them in the freezer for about three months. Thaw them out, and place the seeds in a small tray of water till they begin to sproat.  Place the sproating seeds in containers with Miracle Grow, covered with only 1/4 inch of soil at most.  Keep the dirt moist.  When the last chance of frost has pasted they can be moved outside.

Be sure to mark where you plant them, and what type of tree is planted there. It’s very easy to forget in a year or so.
Posted in Fruit Trees | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Made in America

Posted on January 21, 2011 by itfarmer
Toddler Bed

Toddler Bed

After posting pictures of the items I’ve constructed for Saint Nick Industries, I had another request for kiddie construction: A Toddler Bed.

I’m still relatively new at this whole furniture construction subject, but I make it a point to learn from past projects, and use that knowledge to improve each additional item. Since the closet I had constructed earlier was still standing after a few kids got a hold of it, I figured I was on the right path, and decided to give this bed project a go.

I started it like any other project I knew little about: researching plans on the net. While I wasn’t intrigued by any of the plans I found, I did notice some recurring structural elements. Each set of plans had a Head-board, Foot-board, and Railings. The plans also specified a mattress of approximately 50-54″ X 26-30″. I got the measurements from my friend, and sure enough they fell in the same range. I would be building a 52 x 28 inch area for the mattress. I then found out that the toddler for which this bed would be built was exactly 33 3/4 inches tall, so I decided to match the toddlers height when constructing the head-board.

The most difficult part of the whole project was finding the right combination of boards to equal the desired 30″ wide for the head and foot board. I didn’t have the table saw moved to my greenhouse yet, so I couldn’t trim the pieces, but eventually, I stumbled upon the right combination. I’ve since fitted plywood between the railings, and I’ll be staining the whole project in the next few days.

Night Stand

Night Stand

After constructing the toddler bed, I decided to make something for myself. I started with the intention of building a simple night stand to place my cell phone and wallet while I slept. What happened to simple, I guess I may never know. I began wondering how I could make this piece unique, and decided to create a circular stand, with three legs. After many, many wasted pieces of wood, I got the angles right, and managed to fasten it together with enough strength that I can sit on the stand as if it were a bar stool.

Now…. What to build next ?

2/17/2011 – Follow Up:  Here’s what the finished toddler bed looks like:

Toddler Bed After Oak Stain and Glossy Clear Coat

Toddler Bed After Oak Stain and Glossy Clear Coat

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