Homestead Happenings

We're experiencing a true (for us) winter

here in the Piedmont of North Carolina, 

minus the snow.

We've been living here for just over 7 years,

and this is the coldest temperature we have had thus far.

Thankfully, the extreme chilliness only lasted for a few days,

and our averages are again ranging in the 40's to 60's.

So grateful for our toasty fireplace!

Most of the brassicas did well with an extra layer of protection.

The additional row cover saved most of the broccoli,

kale, and even lettuce plants.

The cauliflower was not so fortunate.

The leaves can still be shared with the chooks.

A few of the broccoli heads were harvested before the coldest weather,

even though they were not full-sized.

Oh, my, they didn't disappoint.

It was the tastiest broccoli I think I've ever eaten.

The remaining crops will offer side shoots for future picking.

Winter sowing has begun!

Time spent indoors allowed me to work on

the crops I want to grow for this spring.

The focus for this season is on crops I eat regularly.

The basics are carrots, kale, onions, potatoes,

and a handful of herbs.

Several containers were sown using the winter sowing method.

You can read about that here.

The bins remain outside placed in the asparagus bed,

and will be watered only when necessary.

Fortunately, we've had a long stretch of rain visit the garden,

so these should be quite content.

As the weather allows, more seeds will be started.

Betty actually spent some time inside.

We used our closet-sized room 

off the master bathroom to nurse her.

She has been limping for a while,

although I can find no sign of problems with her feet or legs.

She stayed warm, dry and bully-free for a week.

She's walking better and is back outside.

Several of the mailboxes in our cul-de-sac have been destroyed.

For some reason, over the course of a week,

someone found it necessary to

knock them over, run into them or

somehow make them unusable.

We ended up replacing the post with a metal one

and replaced the box on top.

These were originally purchased at the library bookshop.

I am looking for a local "free library",

(the kind where folks can give and take books)

so that they can be donated.

With the book banning going on these days,

it makes it a bit more difficult to find the right spot.

Hopefully, others will get to enjoy these.

The blueberries are waking up!

I spied buds on the branches about a week ago,

and despite the neglect over the summer,

(I didn't water them much),

and their poor placement in the garden,

they still keep working toward a harvest.

A few of the blueberry crops were stretching to reach the sun,

so the pots have been moved to the outside of the chook run.

I'm hoping they will get a better distribution of sunshine here.

The plan was to put them in the ground this year

and hope for the best.  I have thus far not had a great harvest from the plants,

but I am still tweaking the soil to get the right balance of acidity.

Maybe the proximity to the chooks and their fertilizer will help.

The cold is part of winter,

and we are so glad to be living with the seasons.

It does require me to alter my day-to-day a bit.

One thing I enjoy doing in the heat of summer

and in the cold of winter is jigsaw puzzles.

Almost done with this beauty!

I usually go for a 1-mile walk through the neighborhood

at least four days a week.

With the rain and cold, that's not possible,

so I have found a great resource for walking inside.

It's called "Walk at Home", and it can be found on YouTube.

Each day I can pick from a number of videos to complete my walk for the day.

In fact, I've been enjoying them so much,

that I have increased my walk inside to 2 miles.

If you need an alternative or just want to get started

taking better care of yourself,

this is an easy way to do something for you.

Even better, have family or friends join in!

Here's the link.

What's happening on your homestead?

Winter Sowing Method

What does the gardener do after the flurry of holiday activities is over and the long wait until spring planting begins?  What if you have no room for indoor grow lights or outdoor space for a greenhouse?  Have no fear, winter sowing will help you scratch that itch to get busy playing in the dirt. It is a simple way to get a headstart on the spring garden and one of the easiest methods of seed starting.

Materials needed:

Any clear (or light-colored) plastic container with a lid

-(Juice or milk jugs, kale or salad clamshell containers, etc.)

Compost or potting soil of your choice

Seeds

Drill, scissors, or nail & hammer (for drilling holes)

Garden marker

Water or spray bottle

Winter sowing begins with preparing the containers used for growing.  Drainage holes need to be made in the bottom of the container, but also in the top of the container to allow rain or snow to keep the soil moist.  Since the containers are kept outside all winter, they are able to drink up any precipitation. This also allows the gardener to water without removing the lid, should supplemental moisture be needed.  Keeping the interior as warm and humid as possible is vital.

After ample holes are created, it is time to add 2-3 inches of your choice of soil.  The vessels will hold the seedlings for just a short time, and so a small amount of soil should be adequate.  Moisten the soil before adding the seeds.

Add the seeds of your choice to moistened soil, adding enough soil on top just to cover, without worrying too much about planting space. These seedlings will be transplanted into the larger garden within weeks, and can tolerate a bit of crowding in the winter sowing containers.  The best types of seeds to use for this method of sowing are beets, broccoli, cabbage, greens (arugala, kale, lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard), leeks, onions, and a whole host of flowers.

Again, moisten the soil, place the lid on the container, write the name of the crop on the outside of the container and place it somewhere out in the garden in a sunny spot.  That's it!  No need to baby the seedlings.  Things will germinate when it is their time to do so.  Watering is usually unnecessary, unless there is no precipitation for a long stretch.  The humidity and warmth created inside the containers will help the seeds do what they do best at the right time.

Once the seedlings germinate, they can be transplanted to garden beds, grow bags,  5-gallon buckets, or garden plots, whatever you grow your veggies in.  You needn't wait until all of the seedlings come up, they can be transferred a few at a time, as long as the soil and ambiant temperatures are appropriate for the particular crop.  Once they get transplanted, it won't be long until you start enjoying food from the garden.

The only crops that may not love this method are those that don't like to be moved, such as beans, carrots, peas or some fussier flowers like poppies or snapdragons.

Some of the advantages of winter sowing:

1.  inexpensive

2.  eco-friendly

3.  fairly hands-off (after initial planting)

4.  no need to harden plants off

5.  space requirement is small

6.  uses everyday items (that can be reused from year to year)

7.  earlier transplanting means earlier harvests 

I hope you'll give this method a try.  

It's a very rewarding way to garden, especially when you are ready to 

get out there and plant!

A Twist on Gratitude

 

Every...

effortless breath taken,

warm, soothing shower,

tasty morsel,

heartfelt connection made,

reciprocated smile,

IS

           A

                              GIFT.

Your turn…

Homestead Happenings

 

Greetings!

I hope your year is off to a great start!

In the past week, we've had over four inches of rain

over 2 days, so the garden is quite content.

So is this gardener.

It gave me time to work on 

another hobby, jigsaw puzzles.

They are a marvelous way to pass the time

during severe weather,

and it's one of the few things that I enjoy

which requires sitting down.

A check on the brassica beds found them doing fine.

The broccoli and cauliflower seem cozy enough.

The added straw and row cover 

no doubt keep them well insulated.

We have had quite a few overnight freezing temps,

but the days have been sunny and mild, for the most part.

In fact, I see something yummy in my future!

So grateful to be able to grow broccoli here in the winter.

Some of the lettuce that I had transplanted a couple of weeks ago

seems to be holding its own.

The kale (seen at the bottom of this shot), has been 

so slow to grow, and I'm not sure I'll get any harvest at all.

Time will tell.

The weather was so sweet this week,

that I even transplanted the rest of the lettuce

I had started using the winter sowing method.

Row cover was added after planting and a good helping

of shredded leaves was settled on top.

Upon strolling around the property,

I couldn't help but notice that there are 

a handful of plants growing right through the winter

with absolutely no regard for the temperatures.

This pansy display in our washtub

keeps blooming with no supplemental care.

It's fantastic to have this pop of color!

Although the candy tuft is not in bloom,

it is still green and healthy looking.

This plant has been in our pollinator box

for two years, and I need to remember

to add a lot more.

Another brilliant burst of color

comes from this sedum,

planted in a terra cotta planter and residing on the front porch.

Sedums have really become one of my favorite plants,

as they require very little from me.

Another new-to-me plant this past year

is the lamb's ear,

which forms a border on our front porch bed.

The texture is like velvet, which in itself 

is a great reason to grow it,

but just look at the soft, sapphire foliage.

The yarrow doesn't miss a beat

and has even blessed us with blooms!

It is one of the flowers in my winter arrangements,

when there is very little else blooming.

What a treat!

You're looking at part of my New Year's meal.

I usually make a few appetizer-type things

to nosh on throughout the day.

This year's menu included salmon patties

and this vegan nacho dish.

We had some tortilla chips in the house,

and I simply added cooked lentils, vegan cheese

and some homemade tomato sauce.

SO.  GOOD.

These gluten-free rolls I made for the holidays

turned out well.

My boy and I are both gluten-free now,

and it was just a little extra special having homemade rolls.

They are fashioned after the French brioche.

Gotta get the family history in there when you can!

They were readily devoured.

How's your year going so far?

Happy New Year!

 

"A person who never made a mistake

never tried anything new."

~Albert Einstein

Here's to new beginnings!

Blessings...daisy