The Ignorant Gardener

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Sat, 25 Apr 2015 23:18:00 +0000

It's almost that time of year! Be sure to visit Humboldt County's various farmer's markets this spring through fall. Arcata has been open all year long, and Eureka's will be opening in June, and Fortuna's in mid May. You can find dates, times and locations here and here.

http://humfarm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=221&Itemid=43

humfarm.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=221&Itemid=43

Jamie's Biointensive Gardening

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 01:06:00 +0000

My friend Jamie has an amazing garden going at his Napa home this year and he's been kind enough to share his pictures with me for my blog. This is a picture of his gardening "bible". How to Grow More Vegetables then you ever thought possible on less land than you can imagine. Written by John Jeavons. John Jeavons uses garden techniques developed by Alan Chadwick. This book shows you how to raise enough fresh organic vegetables for a family of four on land as small as 800 square feet. John Jeavons is the director of Ecology Action, an environmental research and education organization formed in 1970. He has helped revolutionize sustainable mini farming around the world. Jamie has been using the guidance of this book since 1996.

Jamie's Garden May 2010

Jamie's upside down tomatoes. These did well except for their tendency to dry out often and they got a bit of blossom end rot. They produced some good tomatoes, but in Jamie's opinion it's better to grow them in a bed if you can.

Jamie's garden plan for this year. This year will be an heirloom tomato garden. The Squash bugs invaded last year. Turns out the only way to get rid of them is to not grow squash for a season.

Jamie used a Florida Trellis System in his garden last year. You can see it in bed number 1.

Jamie's compost

Jamie's redneck greenhouse. 2X4's, wood screws and shrink wrap. Looks pretty cool to me.

Sunflowers and Marigolds popping up

Double digging bed #1. Jamie moved a wheel barrel of soil out of the way to loosen up 12 inches below with a garden fork.

Compost to be spread on the beds

Move the soil next to it into the space and work back, shoveling 12 inches and then loosening, then you're done.

Composting the "green layer" of top of the rice straw (or wheat straw) and oak leaves.

Florida Trellis system - tomato plants will reach 6 feet or more.

April 10th 2011 bean sprouts popping up. Below the beans are Burpee's American Giant Hybrid Sunflowers, Burpee's Golden Cheer sunflowers, burpee's mix marigold and some standard marigolds - pest defenders.

O
Organic fertilizers. Crushed granite, oyster shells, blood meal, bone meal, fish meal, alfalfa meal, rock phosphate and 2 cubic foot bags of "Bumper Crop"
from Van Winden's. A scale should be used and the LaMotte soil test should be used to see where one is at as far as soil nutrient balance before adding organic fertilizers.
Flat design from How To Grow More Vegetablese

Jamie's cost breakdown. The Shallow flats cost $9.46 each. The deep flats were $10.17.

Beans almost ready for transplant, sunflowers and marigolds and tomatoes sprouting. Cleared area to plant sunflowers, intending to use the sunflowers for the beans to climb. Below is Jamie's mix. Equal amounts of compost, bedding soil and a bit of sand to keep it loose. He also used a slow release fertilizer since this spot isn't as nutrient as his beds.Jamie used old arrows to mark location of his sunflowers. They are spaced 24 inches apart. Beans to be 8 inches apart. Flats waiting for transplants. And 30 1 gallon containers to go into beds. 10 varieties, 10 per bed, 3 beds.

And Finally - Jamie's pole bean set up, since the sunflower/pole bean plan isn't going to work, because they're "antagonists". It's better if they climb up a companion plant, like corn. He's using a horizontal wire and strings running down to the beans here.

So there you have it - Jamie will be doing his transplants tonight in the light of the full moon. I'll be following his garden throughout the season, especially since I can't grow my own this year, so check back to see Jamie's successes.

Rent A Ruminant

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 18:50:00 +0000

Can't manage that yard work? Get a goat.
http://realestate.msn.com/article.aspx?cp-documentid=25440992&GT1=35009#atoolb

Spring is here, really it is

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 18:16:00 +0000

It's a wet one here in Humboldt

It may not feel like Spring is here in Humboldt, and in many other parts of the country right now, but Spring is here, I have found signs of her arrival. Really, it's true! Look!

The salmon berries are starting to bloom! Yum! Now if I can only beat the birds to the berries.

A poor little soaked daffodil

I'm not sure what these flowers are, but they tell me spring is here

Wild onions - it smelled delicious here.

The blackberries are budding.

Horsetails

Lupin - not blooming yet, but they will soon enough

If you look around - the signs of Spring are everywhere - before we know it we'll be complaining about the heat.

A food word of the day for the gardener

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 03:28:00 +0000

Bullrush - Massette - An aquatic plant which grows along the edges of ponds and swamps and the banks of rivers. The leaves and young shoots are eating in salad. The roots, which are fleshy and full of starch, are also edible.

From Larousse Gastronomique

Zen Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 04:03:00 +0000

A Carrot by Any Other Name

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 20:26:00 +0000

A Carrot by Any Other Name

Farm Aid: 25 Years of Making A Difference

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 04:30:00 +0000

The garden at the Loleta Cheese Factory

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 01:06:00 +0000

After a nice lunch at the Loleta Bakery the girls and I took a nice walk in the late summer sun and enjoyed the gardens at the Loleta Cheese Factory. What a great place so spend a sunny afternoon.

My New Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:45:00 +0000

I'm in my new place and have a new yard to play with. Now to get all my garden tools dusted off and see what I can do with this.

High Class Chicken Coop

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 01:01:00 +0000

I work with a crazy lady who has an endless obsession with chickens these days. She got a wild hair this year and decided to do the urban chicken thing in her backyard. She's discussed so many different kinds of chickens with me that I can't remember all of the breeds she has now. All I can remember is that there are some silkies, banties and auracanas. Over the past five months she has spent endless hours building the coop for these lucky little fowl. Today she shared the final result with me, and I tell you, these are some lucky chickens. These are some fancy digs. Turns out she's a pretty talented lady.

Carter House Gardens

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:36:00 +0000

Today I stumbled upon one of my favorite restaurants gardens. The Carter House Restaurant 301 has been raising it's own edible flowers and herbs for 27 years. The Carter House maintains one of the most extensive organic gardens of any Inn on the West Coast, most of the herbs being used in the restaurant the very day they're harvested.

Not only does the garden have a daily supply of herbs and vegetables for the inn, (the Inn's guests are invited to help the chefs harvest for the meals to be served that evening - a nice way to get close to your food, I'd say) but the master gardener also puts on lectures and garden tours. The garden is also home to organic garden seminars and horticultural education. I found today that not only does it supply food to the inn and an opportunity for education, but it's just a beautiful and peaceful place to roam around in, smell the intoxicating smells of the herbs in and to just relax in. I'll be back soon.

Sunday Flowers

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 18:12:00 +0000

Anthony Bourdain’s Medium Raw Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 23:59:00 +0000

Anthony Bourdain’s Medium Raw Challenge

Stop by and check out the essay I entered in the challenge. If you like it please feel free to vote for it.

From Ignorant to mad to sad gardener

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 21:53:00 +0000

This year I lose my garden. It's killing me not to be able to buy starts at the nursery and dig in the dirt. But next year will be different.

In the mean time, I am reaping some benefits from my hard work in the past. This is the first year I've had such a great crop of strawberries and the apples are coming on strong.

A final gift from my garden that I'm extremely grateful for.

From Ignorant to Mad Gardener

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 15:30:00 +0000

Lately I've been out of my mind. For quite a while I've been out of my mind. I've been down right mad lately, and not in an angry sort of way, but more like a Mad Hatter sort of way.

And when the gardener goes mad you can see just how mad she's gone by that state of her garden.

The mustard went wild, the carrots buried alive in weeds, the turnips gave up and the lettuce was being taken over by volunteer potatoes. My artichokes are dying and the asparagus is all but gone. The kale and cabbage went to seed and the weeds are so bad not even the mint can survive. All a reflection of what's been going on in my head.

But, lately, I've been trying to do some weeding or de-cluttering in my head. It's a slow painful process, but I'm feeling better, and just like my head, my garden is slowly getting de-cluttered, which is also a slow painful process, but just looking at it after one session of weeding it's already looking a little better. I've got a long way to go, with my head and my garden, but at least I feel like I've made some progress, which has lifted some weight off of my shoulders.

The lettuce, mustard and carrots were salvaged. The dead and dying removed and fed to the goats. A great many weeds pulled, but many more to go. Just seeing the difference after this give my mind a small amount of much needed peace.

And a small amount of bounty for the dinner table.

Mustard greens, lettuce, carrots and a few beets.

Hopefully I'll reap some bounty after clearing out the weeds from my head as well.

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 16:51:00 +0000

http://ping.fm/WtihB

Spring is peeking around the corner

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 05:48:00 +0000

I'm noticing on my morning walks and in my garden that, even in the 3rd week of January, Spring is poking her little head up above the cold dirt.

The Salmon berries are blooming! I'm hoping I can beat the birds and the County road crew to the berries this year.

Daffodils are popping up everywhere and all the plum trees, including ours, are going into full bloom.

My apple tree is starting to bud out and it desperately needs a good pruning. I hope we get another awesome yield in the fall. My big chore in the garden now, is to get it all cleaned up and ready for the spring, and to decide what I'm going to grow this year and get some seeds ordered. I'm itching to garden!

Winter

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 06:21:00 +0000

Well, I haven't been able to spend much time in my garden. It's in desperate need of weeding, no watering is necessary, and thankfully my seedlings are growing right along. Not much else to share. So I'll share this picture of the beautiful bloom on my Christmas cactus. This cactus is a cut off of my great grandmother's plant. I'm not real good with houseplants, so I've made it a priority to keep this one alive. I was so please to see it bloom, and at Christmas time no less.

When you're done enjoying the cactus blossom, be sure to stop by Omnivores Delight and read my little rant about American's and there silly New Years Resolutions, and then you can read about my silly New Years Resolution.

Happy New Year.

Winter Garden

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:56:00 +0000

Mustard Greens

Carrots

Oriental Spinach

Chinese Kale

Walla Walla Onion

And plenty of Romaine lettuce that I somehow didn't get a picture of.

Seed Catalogs are comming!

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 06:12:00 +0000

It's like Christmas all over again! The seed catalogs are coming! One of my favorites is Territorial Seed Company. I can't wait to start picking out what I'll have in my garden next spring. I hope to post pictures of what I have growing righ tnow by this weekend. I actually have a vibrant and living garden growing this winter. Romaine, Oriental spinach, Chinese kale, turnips, carrots, beets, and mustard greens. All doing pretty well inspite of the several hard freezes we've had. Cross our fingers they make it long enough to harvest! Pictures to follow soon - I hope!

Crazy Fall

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 02:14:00 +0000

Like I said in my food blog, Omnivores Delight I've had a crazy couple of months. It's not been a fun crazy, but I keep trying to move forward. Unfortunately all this craziness has taken a lot of time from my blogs. I have been busy in my garden though. I've been attempting to see what I can grow into the winter months here in Humboldt. So far lettuce and Chinese Kale are thriving well beyond my wildest dreams. The Oriental Spinach would be if the slugs didn't like it so much. My turnips and beets are struggling. The soil just doesn't have the nutrients they need to thrive, but my carrots seem to be doing pretty well. I just stuck some onion starts in the ground, walla walla's and green bunching onions. I'm pretty sure this is the wrong time of year to do this, but they seem pretty happy, so we'll see how this goes. I also have a bunch of mustard greens doing pretty well. My arugula is struggling, but the seeds I had were pretty old. I'll have to get some pictures of my garden, as weedy as it is, and keep you posted on the progress. Hopefully I'll find the time between now and the crazy Christmas holiday, which by the way we will be enjoying leg of lamb from the lamb we raised ourselves. I'm so excited about that!
Happy harvests!

Little apple tree - HUGE apples

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:01:00 +0000

My little apple tree produces pretty big apples every year, but this has got to be it's biggest ever:
4 inches across:

This is my giant apple next to an apple that is the size of one you would buy in a store:

A Growing Market

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:15:00 +0000

Interesting article for local Humboldt County Farmers with a farm to table concept coordinated by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) http://www.caff.org.

The new food fighters - Health

noreply@blogger.com (Kim Eastlick) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:21:00 +0000

The new food fighters - Health & nutrition | GreatSchools

Posted using ShareThis