Comments on: Never Build on Your Food Supply

By: patricia

patricia — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:40:29 +0000

Jannie
If heaven is too much work most of the time, then yep this is heaven!

But it is a place of good eatin’

By: Jannie Funster

Jannie Funster — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:13:51 +0000

Yes, we do all need to find our way back to The Garden, or gardens. Your place sounds like heaven. Garden of Eden? And eating? xo Jannie Funsters last blog post..And the ukulele song winner is…

By: patricia

patricia — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 03:46:13 +0000

Davina,
today I had no phone and no computer for most of the day, now I am only connecting to the server on the web not in my mail programs. This computer IT stuff is very funky – new system starting the 28th and new phone company too…I can hardly wait

You did a great job on Barbara’s site. Bravo!

By: Davina

Davina — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:05:44 +0000

Hi Patricia. Oh, no worries. Some of my comments have been going into moderation too, on my blog and on other blogs. I've just been so busy and haven't had the time to investigate. I really enjoyed subbing for Barbara. I hope the info was helpful to everyone. Davinas last blog post..Self Help Me

By: patricia

patricia — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 23:43:05 +0000

Davina,
Though my parents always had a garden and my Grandparents, being of the depression, I did not take to well to gardening. It was always a necessity and not a joy. It is still a necessity but I changed my attitude about it – I just quietly do it my way and I don’t worry about having to fit into someone else’s patch.

I just love that so many garden patches are appearing downtown in spaces and on green roof tops. Oh there are some exciting changes in the air.

Sorry I did not see you for some reason? I am having to moderate each comment again? And with my computer still going up and down, they get stuck?
I need to find a forum!
Good job on substitute teacher at Barbara’s http://bloggingwithoutablog.com/blogging-support-forums-do-your-homework-first/

By: Davina

Davina — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 01:58:52 +0000

Hi Patricia. Funny you should post this today. I was downtown and noticed that a busy corner of an intersection has recently been designated as a community garden. Now, this is a busy corner of downtown Vancouver. I was happy to see that they weren't building yet another condo. When I was living on the farm as a little girl I LOVED working in the vegetable garden. During the summer I would wake early before the dew had even gone, and head out to the garden to do some weeding. It was so peaceful to be there in the stillness, with the sun still newly risen and the birds singing. Sigh. And then there were the fresh veggies to eat too. I miss it! Davinas last blog post..Self Help Me

By: patricia

patricia — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:09:58 +0000

Dot,
I will just suggestion one idea…we have to put our salad barrels in a shady spot, because our growing season is so short and the greens just bolt to bitter with sunshine…they like the barrels to keep their roots warm but not the leaves. Tomatoes would be very hard…but the barrel gardens are quite fun…

Indoor growing systems do not seem to be very energy efficient but I do grow my own sprouts inside and watercress. Basil plant is lovely indoors and out. I do load up on organics when they are in season and store them or dry them.

I think it is a significant motto for everyone these days.

By: patricia

patricia — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:05:42 +0000

Betsy,
Your yard and house sound wonderful and quite beautiful indeed.

And you certainly have been busy. We have not been able to use landscape cloth in the actual garden beds because it kills the seed.
but we are gradually using it in the orchard area to cut grass moving. Yes gardening is a joy all the way around. I found that the children did not take food for granted either. Though now all of the elementary schools here have gardens for the lunch program and my kids thought doing that at school and at home was a waste of learning time at school.

By: Dot

Dot — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:34:10 +0000

Sounds like a good motto for nations as well as individuals. Not soemthing I can do -- no way to get to the community garden, and too much shade to grow food on my condo patio. I'm not sure whether buying an indoor growing system with lights is energy-saving or energy-wasting. Dots last blog post..The Presidential Inauguration

By: Betsy Wuebker

Betsy Wuebker — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 12:04:37 +0000

Hi Patricia – I’ve often thought that only the most radically addicted gardeners would ever attempt the practice in Minnesota climate. But…I’m wrong, more and more are adding to the ranks of urban gardeners here in Minneapolis. In the western suburbs there are community gardens, people are researching rain gardens for run-off conservation and to keep our waterways and lakes/ponds cleaner, and of course, growing more of their own food – or supporting subscription-based farming to add to their tables.

All of this is exciting to Pete and me, as we both have been avid gardeners throughout our lives, learning from our parents (and in his case, grandparents). My dad was an organic gardener in the late 50’s-early 60’s, way before his time, and my fondest memories involve helping him plant seeds and till in the two houses we lived in.

Currently we have a 50 x 20 (approximately, maybe it’s bigger?) vegetable garden. Our biggest challenge is weed abatement and we have tried many methods, the best so far has been landscape cloth between rows. I’ve been advocating for square patches rather than rows within the garden fence, and I’d like to try combining vegetables such as squash/pumpkins with others in more natural fashion to keep the weeds out. Some of my great ideas fall on deaf ears!

So I keep to my specialty – flowers and ornamentals. Projects completed in our two years of marriage include an exciting oasis between our drive and the neighbors. Formerly a patch of grass that no one liked mowing, we created a berm with free compost and dirt, and lots of composted manure, added stone retainers and a path for the mailman, and I went to town. My birthday present for this area last year was an Eastern redbud tree.

I’ve also started on the perimeter in the back and have a nice perennial undulating border with lilacs and dogwoods. And we have converted the shady areas under our maples into giant circles of hosta.

Pete supports all my efforts as they lead to less lawn to mow. Now that our house has been re-sided, this year is my year to work on foundation landscaping. Pete made me my beloved white window boxes and with the addition of new shutters, our house is back to looking like the Cape Cod cottage it started out to be.

Gardening not only creates joy at the table, but joy in the heart. Back to the seed catalogs! Thanks, Patricia!

Betsy Wuebkers last blog post..REQUIEM FOR RYAN