Owner: Gardener to Farmer URL:http://gardenertofarmer.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:57:10 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: I am a passionate gardener who thinks she wants to be a farmer. Join me as I explore, learn, scheme and try a bunch of new things I have no idea how to do...at the very least, it will be funny Site statistics:Click here
Grapes and berries and plums, oh my! 2008-03-20 08:43:00 This is the part of the "Back 40" that holds the 4 grape vines, red and gold raspberries, 4 blueberries and 2 plums. The grapes are in the front and there are 4 very old vines. I think two red and two white. Since Oregon is wine country (Doesn't that sound kinda funny? I always think of California as wine country, but we have quite a few wineries.), I suspect they are wine grapes, but I will
Hateful Wildlife 2008-03-19 08:17:00 Let's all be clear here, wildlife can be extremely hateful. What you see above represents the umpteenth time I have tried to protect my little onion bulbs from the marauding intruder who takes great joy in digging them up, only to leave them laying on the ground right where they were. Each time, I go back out, replant them and try a new preventative technique. So far, I have tried Cayenne
Windy Hill and the Back 40 2008-03-18 08:27:00 View from Windy
Hill
So, we moved into our place just this last Thanksgiving. We live in Portland, OR...not in the country, so space is at a premium. Call it providence, serendipity, or karma, we were able to find a place on half an acre of land. Are you kidding me? Half an acre? 15 minutes from downtown? That is really a find in a city where land and homes are at a premium and where we have an
My First Greenhouse 2008-03-17 09:42:00 Yes, this is my first greenhouse...I am so excited! I had no idea how much I would love it. Our winters are fairly mild anyway, so it requires little supplemental heat. I have one of those radiator-looking heaters that we found for $20 at the Goodwill...perfect for the size of the greenhouse. And what is the size, you ask? Well, I am terrible at guestimating those kinds of things, but I would Read more:First
What's in a Name? 2008-03-16 13:59:00 See, here is the part where I try to explain what the @#$@ I am doing without writing a paragraph about it...yes, what I need is a name... According to Webster's, a garden is: a plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables are cultivated and a gardener is: to lay out or work in a garden. I assume that doesn't mean lay out, as in relax and catch some rays...but I digress...The
Sunny Days are Here Again! 2008-03-22 09:46:00 That might be a slight overstatement...maybe more like "Sunny
Day Are Here Again
". Wait, that is definitely wrong..."Sunny Day is Here Again"? That sounds like I have an Aunt Sunny, possibly a relative of Doris, coming to visit... Nevermind, the point is, we are supposed to have a sunny Saturday! Excellent!
I will be out trying to push the boundaries of gardening wisdom by planting a few starts
Kiss My Aster! 2008-03-21 06:59:00 OK, I acknowledge that's a cheap laugh...but I just couldn't resist! It's Friday, people!! And it is supposed to be sunny on Saturday! A cause to celebrate in the PNW (Pacific North West)...we don't have reliably warm sunny weather until after July 4th. So, I am crossing my fingers that I will be able to get out and work in the garden this weekend...
What does that have to do with Asters? Good
Can this Rhubarb be Saved? 2008-03-24 08:15:00 There was a sale on bulbs, roots and tubers at the local discount place...I couldn't resist! I bought a bag of rhubarb (it's name is Victoria...no, I didn't name it, that was the name it came with) and brought it home. When I opened it, the little guys had already started to grow...and not necessarily in the right direction. So, I potted it up, hoping a little TLC would save it. Afterwards, I Read more:Rhubarb
Let's Make the Bed 2008-03-23 10:11:00 What a day! Yesterday, I worked in the garden until I could hardly move...and enjoyed every minute of it! Here, my nephew Nathan and I are covering the beds with row covers. I planted seeds, tubers, bulbs and starts of various things...the bed we are covering in this picture contains potatoes. I have fingerlings (La Ratte, Ruby Crescent), reds (Colorado Rose), russets (Nugget Russet)and Yukon
Strawberry Snack 2008-03-29 08:00:21 I have been in denial. I have refused to believe that something has wintered over in the strawberry plants and is even now munching on the leaves. I brought the plants into the greenhouse to give them a head start on berry production. I noticed there was a bit of leaf damage then, but didn't pay much attention, thinking it was left over from last season. But when I went out to water last evening, I noticed there was new chewing going on...and I suppose I should figure out what it is so it doesn't affect any of the other plants in the greenhouse.For some reason, this is the part of gardening that is most difficult for me to implement organic methods. I know, I know...I can't just blast it with a bottle of non selective bug killer...but that would be so easy! Last year, I had a problem with Read more:Strawberry
, Snack
Let it Snow? 2008-03-28 08:51:07
Although I think snow is beautiful...I also think it should have manners. This is one time when the old school parenting adage of speak only when spoken to should apply...I mean, what kind of commentary is this? Snow in late March in Portland is like a defiant teen..."Ummm, I can do what I want, you're not the boss of me, WHATEVER!"And I refuse (not very successfully) to get into a power struggle with this adolescent fit Mother Nature is throwing. "Listen, you can't just snow because you WANT to...life doesn't work like that. We all have boundaries, we all have responsibilities. Yours is to warm up the little plants and seeds and bulbs with the sun so we can have LIFE...Do you think you can do that?""Whatever", MN replies. I should note here that Mother Nature likes to go by "MN" becaus
Hello, Dahlia! 2008-03-27 09:19:59 I have come late to the appreciation of Dahlias...and this is mainly due to the fact that prior to living in Oregon, I lived in Oklahoma...hold the redneck commentary, please. Dahlias are not generally appreciative of an environment that approximates a blast furnace ... which is much like summers in OK.The world of Dahlias includes a wide range of flowers. There are many forms ( singles, semi doubles, collarette, waterlilly, decorative, anemone, cactus, dinnerplate, ball and pompon), colors (all but blue and green), and sizes (plants from 2'-6' tall, flowers from 1"-1')...One foot? A flower that is one foot across? I have to believe that is true, since I looked it up in Rodale's All New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening (aka The Good Book II) and if it's in The Good Book, it has to be tru Read more:Hello
Podcasts 2008-03-26 09:01:10 I feel the need to be frank with you...I am a podcast lover...yes, it's true...there's just something addictive about the little buggers. And, after you have listened a few times, it becomes really obvious which ones are worth listening to...and not just because they are uber professional...It is a lot like reading blogs. It takes about 1 minute to know if someone actually cares about the quality and content of their product. The love that goes into the creation of a podcast or blog is what brings us back to read or listen again and again. It's all about the love, people!Two of my favorite video podcasts are Gardenfork and Real World Green. Eric Rochow is knowledgeable, funny and entertaining, and it is clear that he has a large and very loyal listening base. It also doesn't hurt that he Read more:Podcasts
Bonus Post 2008-03-26 08:09:57 OK, the very funny girls over at Weed Wackin' Wenches decided to tag me...Tag, what the @#$! is that? Apparently, I am going to write ten things about myself that other people might find interesting...OK, only 10? Oh, and about the picture...(that's pretty much how I am feeling right now...have some bug that the whole fam caught...yippee...) that is the tail end of my third child, Spencer.Here are then, are the 10 things...1) I have a wife and two, no make that three (including Spence) children2) I STILL love Martha3) I work at a really amazing non profit4) I love to cook, read about cooking, talk about cooking, maybe someday I will blog about cooking5) I love to read (especially vampire books)6) Both my mom and I are living with Fibromyalgia7) I love the color turquoise8) Did I mention I Read more:Bonus
All Grown Up 2008-03-25 08:51:45 As a proud parent, I just can't resist pulling out pics of the kids at every opportunity...so today's post is dedicated to my children...my praying mantis children, that is. Here they are, being born...err, hatched, out of a weird looking, hardened foam-like egg. Hundreds of these tiny guys starting crawling out of the egg and sit on the surface to rest a bit before crawling off to make their way in the world. And here are some that hatched in their home...a ball jar covered with a lid that had holes poked in it. What? Did you think I would have them in the house without a lid? I may love my children, but setting boundaries at an early age is VERY important...We took the kiddos to their new home in the yard...and immediately developed empty nest syndrome. It was just so damn quiet in the h Read more:Grown
Can this Rhubarb be Saved? 2008-03-24 08:54:06 There was a sale on bulbs, roots and tubers at the local discount place...I couldn't resist! I bought a bag of rhubarb (it's name is Victoria...no, I didn't name it, that was the name it came with) and brought it home. When I opened it, the little guys had already started to grow...and not necessarily in the right direction. So, I potted it up, hoping a little TLC would save it. Afterwards, I embarked on a mission to truly understand our friend the rhubarb plant.I should mention that I have two gardening books, both of which I consider to be the Gardening Bible. The Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening (Rodale, 1979), also known as the Old Testament and The All New Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening (Rodale, 1997), also known as the New Testament. I have lots of other books, but these two Read more:Rhubarb
Let's Make the Bed 2008-03-23 10:32:58 What a day! Yesterday, I worked in the garden until I could hardly move...and enjoyed every minute of it! Here, my nephew Nathan and I are covering the beds with row covers. I planted seeds, tubers, bulbs and starts of various things...the bed we are covering in this picture contains potatoes. I have fingerlings (La Ratte, Ruby Crescent), reds (Colorado Rose), russets (Nugget Russet)and Yukon Gold. I also replanted my white and yellow onions.And all the while, this little beast is watching, waiting for me to make a mistake...This time I am using some serious staples to hold the covers on the beds...I am also hoping that tucking my crops in will help them deal with our still chilly and wet weather. I like to think of my potatoes as being ensconced in a snuggly comforter with a good book an
Sunny Days are Here Again! 2008-03-22 10:23:01 That might be a slight overstatement...maybe more like "Sunny
Day Are Here Again
". Wait, that is definitely wrong..."Sunny Day is Here Again"? That sounds like I have an Aunt Sunny, possibly a relative of Doris, coming to visit... Nevermind, the point is, we are supposed to have a sunny Saturday! Excellent!I will be out trying to push the boundaries of gardening wisdom by planting a few starts when it is too cold and too wet...Will I let conventional gardening wisdom and years of science stop me? No! I will use my gallon milk containers as ghetto cloches for the broccoli raab and rig up some sort of plastic covering for the lettuce, that in later years will be known as the "Circus Tent Fiasco"...And of course, I will take pictures so you can laugh at, I mean, with me...For inspiration, I a
Kiss My Aster! 2008-03-21 07:26:02 OK, I acknowledge that's a cheap laugh...but I just couldn't resist! It's Friday, people!! And it is supposed to be sunny on Saturday! A cause to celebrate in the PNW (Pacific North West)...we don't have reliably warm sunny weather until after July 4th. So, I am crossing my fingers that I will be able to get out and work in the garden this weekend...What does that have to do with Asters? Good question...They are just one of the many things that are starting to show life in on Windy Hill. It's funny how excited I am to see my plant friends return. This may seem strange to people who are not nuts about gardening...but I get a thrill when I see the first tiny little leaf appear from the Delphinium I bought for half price in the fall of last year. That little chartreuse leaf is the first sign
Grapes and berries and plums, oh my! 2008-03-20 09:17:42 This is the part of the "Back 40" that holds the 4 grape vines, red and gold raspberries, 4 blueberries and 2 plums. The grapes are in the front and there are 4 very old vines. I think two red and two white. Since Oregon is wine country (Doesn't that sound kinda funny? I always think of California as wine country, but we have quite a few wineries.), I suspect they are wine grapes, but I will have to wait for the fall to find out.The long row behind is the area where the red and "Fall Gold" raspberries are. When we moved in, the raspberries were in a rather poor state. I am working on rejuvenating them...which consists of the removal of old canes and suckers that are too far out into the path and the yanking of lots of dead canes. I ordered 10 Fall Gold plants from Peaceful Valley, one of
Hateful Wildlife 2008-03-19 09:26:51 Let's all be clear here, wildlife can be extremely hateful. What you see above represents the umpteenth time I have tried to protect my little onion bulbs from the marauding intruder who takes great joy in digging them up, only to leave them laying on the ground right where they were. Each time, I go back out, replant them and try a new preventative technique. So far, I have tried Cayenne pepper and row covers.OK, to be fair, this has only happened three or four times. But it FEELS like a hundred times! I just don't understand...onions? Why onions? None of the other seed beds have been disturbed...just the onions. Not the shallots, just the onions. Onion persecution!!I can't decide if it is the squirrels or the HUGE black crows that are everywhere on my property. I think they have both bec
Windy Hill and the Back 40 2008-03-18 08:49:02 View from Windy
HillSo, we moved into our place just this last Thanksgiving. We live in Portland, OR...not in the country, so space is at a premium. Call it providence, serendipity, or karma, we were able to find a place on half an acre of land. Are you kidding me? Half an acre? 15 minutes from downtown? That is really a find in a city where land and homes are at a premium and where we have an "urban growth boundary". I am not even 100% sure what that is, but I know it is non-negotiable...We have more wind at this altitude, which is also good...will help with mildew and other no-goodniks that thrive here. Our family named our place Windy Hill...no commentary on lack of originality...the name has sentimental meaning...Anyhoo, we moved into this mid century daylight ranch, which couldn't be
My First Greenhouse 2008-03-17 10:06:13 Yes, this is my first greenhouse...I am so excited! I had no idea how much I would love it. Our winters are fairly mild anyway, so it requires little supplemental heat. I have one of those radiator-looking heaters that we found for $20 at the Goodwill...perfect for the size of the greenhouse. And what is the size, you ask? Well, I am terrible at guestimating those kinds of things, but I would say it is 7 ft tall by 8 ft wide by 10 ft deep. It is made of glass. We inherited it with the property.At the beginning of February, when I started planting seeds, I was trying to work out what kinds of supplemental light I could use without spending a fortune. We bought 24 inch shop lights with grow light flourescent bulbs. Didn't get those up yet...and haven't really needed them too much...I will Read more:First
What's in a Name? 2008-03-16 14:56:36 See, here is the part where I try to explain what the @#$@ I am doing without writing a paragraph about it...yes, what I need is a name... According to Webster's, a garden is: a plot of ground where herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables are cultivated and a gardener is: to lay out or work in a garden. I assume that doesn't mean lay out, as in relax and catch some rays...but I digress...The definition for farm is: a tract of land devoted to agricultural purposes, while farming is: the practice of agriculture or aquaculture...Huh? I don't get it...is it about size? My yard is smaller than a "farm" size tract of land? I have a "plot" instead of a "tract"? Does size really matter? I know, there are a million ways to tease apart these definitions...we could look at all kinds of things and it s
It's a Miracle! 2008-03-31 09:07:22 Last night, we harvested our first ever cuttings of lettuce from our greenhouse...cue angels singing, clouds parting, sun streaming in...It's the miracle of life! I was in my glory...all of my hard work had resulted in our first "crop"...not that I think this is a big deal or anything...The kids promptly poured ranch dressing all over it and loudly complained about having to eat salad AGAIN. And soon, we will have a nice crop of radishes to go with our salad. Despite the snow, the little guys are peeking their heads above ground. Yummy! I am sure the kids will look at my lovelies with utter disdain.But no matter, this is the beginning of a very exciting adventure! Harvesting that lettuce from our greenhouse gave me visions of growing veggies year-round. I think there will even be enough
Mother Nature is so Totally Grounded! 2008-03-30 11:58:29
Seriously, I have had it up to here with "MN". You may remember that she had changed her name to "MN" because Mother Nature was "gross" and a name for "old people". Yes, "MN" is struggling with adolescence, and we are all affected by her choices.I have to admit, I am tired. MN is wearing me down and is on my last nerve. I have tried to reason with her, really I have...but she is having none of it. Yesterday, she threw a fit in which she snowed, rained, sleeted and hailed. What? I mean is that even possible? All with a sassy commentary of intermittent thunder. I don't know, maybe we aren't good enough parents. Do we tell her how proud we are of her EVERY time it is sunny? I am sure we missed a few...and what about partly cloudy? You know, she doesn't have to be perfect...have we set
Two Fer 2008-04-02 08:21:06 Yesterday, it was sunny and nearly 60 degrees! Hmmm, maybe grounding MN (Mother Nature) worked...Note to self: consider creating a system of rewards and punishments to help MN learn how to regulate... And I have so much to talk about, I am making this a two fer...yes, that's right, two...two...two posts in one! And I won't even charge you extra...Anyhoo, as you can see, I spent the entire day out in the deliciously warm weather. I did an inordinate amount of weeding, yuck, and planted seeds and little seedlings. I transplanted what seemed like a hundred little Walla Walla onion seedlings. I seeded them in an egg carton, the one that holds 18 eggs. It actually worked very well. I noticed in the last couple of days the were looking a bit jaundiced, so I knew I had to get them into the soil,
The Return of the Rhubarb 2008-04-04 09:04:15 Remember when I adopted those sad little rhubarb plants at the discount store? I didn't know if they would make it...yes, I spent plenty a sleepless night, walking the floor, worrying about my babies...ok, that might be a slight exaggeration...but, I was highly concerned.Movie: The Return
of the Rhubarb
Time: The Present, Scene: Girl, errr, Lady, ummm, Chick stumbles into greenhouse, looks stage left, sees the Return of the Rhubarb. Cue music: Theme from Gone With the WindChick: Oh my God...it can't be, it can't be! I thought I'd lost you...oh, my sweet Rhubarb, I thought you'd left me forever! Rhubarb: says nothingChick: Say something, please, anything! I thought you were dead! The kids and I had to sell the farm and move to a small half acre plot in suburbia just to survive!Rhubarb: says
Yard Envy 2008-04-06 12:15:38 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's yard. Isn't that the first commandment in gardening? And yet, I have a not so small case of yard envy. I mean, just look at my next door neighbor's front yard...Wow. Seriously. It is absolutely spectacular. I wonder if they did all of that work themselves or if they had a landscaping crew. Since we are new to our neighborhood, I don't know many people...but you can bet the first time I see these guys out front this spring, I will be bounding over to ask.As a gardener, this really appeals to me. But, if I am thinking more along the lines of farming, I am not so sure. Yes, I am sure both gardeners and farmers appreciate beauty. But, I think I have always assumed that farming is more function than form.If I were thinking about that space in terms
Attack of the Killer Blackberry 2008-04-09 08:47:01 If you live in the Northwest, you know about brambles...We have a love hate relationship with brambles...the fruits are so tasty, but they can be very invasive! I happen to love Blackberries but the shrub that you see pictured is not a welcome guest.As you can see, it has taken over a portion of the hedge behind it...so removal will be particularly difficult. Sadly, it is also in other parts of the yard, including my grape vines and very dangerously near my raspberries.Being relatively new to the Pacific Northwest, I am still discovering what the regional challenges are of gardening here. I did some research and I think the thug pictured above is the Himalayan Blackberry . (Audience: Collective Gasp) I know, isn't that scary?Actually, it is very scary...have you ever seen The Blob? The Read more:Killer
Recommend Site To A Friend
