New Garden

Getting Started

This year has been hotter and drier then any other year during which I considered myself a gardener. Before I began growing my own food, I really didn’t worry much about the weather, but now I do. It’s become so warm that my winter squash produced and died at least a month ago, and all of the cucumber and zucchini that usually protrude from my ears  is no where to be found. My tomatoes are still doing very well, but all else is basically lost.

I won’t give up however, and I’ve decided to take a new approach. [ Continue Reading at http://itfarmersblog.com/?p=2668 ]

 

Changing As I Grow

Unknown, but Great Tomato

This years garden has been bittersweet at best. I’ve been blessed with an early abundance of most crops, which ended when the rain became irregular. I now venture into the garden solely to pick tomatoes, peppers and potatoes.

What happened this year ? Many things, I guess. I’ve begun a process of change much as I do often in my life. When my personal change occurred at the same time as our lack of rain, my garden was left without water. I was more interested in developing my carpentry skills than irrigating the garden.

Directly under this delicious tomato is the work I’ve been spending all of my free time developing. It’s an X shaped table that I’ve constructed with mostly materials from the old wall that formerly occupied this space. I’ve spent very little money on materials, less then $100 for sure, and recycled lots of paneling and wall studs, even a hand full of nails.

I found myself endlessly sanding, and re-sanding the surface boards, searching for the methods and materials that would make this project not just beautiful, but more of a work of art, then construction. I’m far from finished, but it’s this work that drives me these days.

Vertical Indoor Strawberry Grow System

I’ve also found myself to become almost obsessed with learning, mostly about the changes in our economy, environment and the way I view the world.  I’ve found myself glued to endless hours of TED talks (Technology and Education, “Ideas Worth Spreading”: http://www.ted.com/talks ). I’m trying to learn faster then the world is warming, a task which may be impossible. Global warming is NO LONGER A THEORY. If you still believe that it is, you have spent too much time indoors with the AC on.

I’ve become interested in good farming techniques, rather then producing too much food. I want my food to carry the smallest carbon footprint possible. I want my food to grow indoors too, and to fruit when the weather outside will not co-operate.  This is the idea behind my Vertical Indoor Strawberry Growing Stand.

Kareese (my niece), and I, have been working on this stand for a few hours a day, and I’m really proud of the result. Many of the ideas used in it’s construction where Kareese’s, and a good deal of the nails pounded were a result of her effort.  I cut all but one piece of wood  with the chop saw, and she cut a single piece with a hand saw. It was a great collaboration, and an even better time to teach.

All, in All, I see change ahead. Change especially for this blog. If I am to continue my efforts here, there will definitely be a wider array of subjects then simply gardens. I may remove all boundaries and simply write about what matters at the time. I guess we will see. I do hope I’m wrong about the future, but with reports of Climate Change Accelerating, I am having a difficult time being optimistic. Watch it for yourself: http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/james_hansen_why_i_must_speak_out_about_climate_change.html

Take Care.
Signed, The Crab.