Planted "Skorospelska" Sunchokes today that I got from Moose Tubers. Of the 3 pounds that came, one did not come in good shape, but I planted it anyway.

I was surprised to learn not many people know how to companion plant Sunchokes and was lead to believe it might be good to grow with rhubarb or corn, and that it truly is a Native American plant.

So I planted it as a windbreak in 2 places of my vegetable kitchen garden area that has my Seed of Life garden in the middle. Since I have another pound to plant, I am considering planting some with the corn, beans, squash, bee balm plantings.

I could go on and on about what else I did, but the funny thing of it all. I sat down around 5pm thinking of what to cook for dinner, and the next thing I know it was 7pm.

Hmm, still have twelve and a half pounds of various potatoes to plant still too.  They need to be Chitted, or green sprouted before planting.

How does our Food Forest Grow?

Although this portion of the property is a food forest with all 7 layers, I am working to improve upon it as I learn from my Permaculture Designers Course.  Today it was rather nice out and I decided to make a quick little video of what we have going on in a small space.

I did not list everything we have growing, but there is more.  The chickens free range through here every day weather permitting until a new tractor is built.  Have a great day!

Synergistic Straw Bale Gardening

Well, I finally broadcast planted my 1st polyculture of the season yesterday.  In my kitchen garden beds, near the house, literally on top of straw bales that have been in the rain for 2 weeks I broadcasted a lot of varieties of seeds.

Let me back track a moment.  To fully explain what I mean by straw bale gardening please review this YouTube video.


 

However, for an Organic application, I used Happy Frog soil, and worm compost tea.  After grasses started popping up 2 weeks later I knew it was ready to start planting.  However, I found transplants to be utterly annoying to do.

So, I remembered this video from Emilia Hazelip & Synergistic Gardening.  I had moderate success with it last year, so this year I am trying the same, but on the straw bales.  If you are not familiar with E. Hazelip please watch this 30 minute video on a kitchen garden that has nearly 0 input other then vegetable transplants when you pick something else.  It is true to chop & drop as well.

Since I am doing this method to build soil over time in an area that is hard impacted, and rocky this method seems like the logical choice.  Which leads me to what I planted in bed one, well, it contains Parsnips, Radish, Dragon Carrot, Daikon, Turnip, Beets, Calendula, Nasturtium, Kale, Forellenschluss, Romaine Lettuce, White Bunching Onion, Giant Musselburgh Leeks, Chives, Borage, Italian Parsley, Garnet Oakleaf Lettuce, Lisbon Bunching Onion, Corn Salad, & a red heirloom cipollini onion.

The beuaty of this method is that I slowly get to pick items for salad as everything comes in, and then it gets sweet peas, spinach, mustard greens or beans as something gets picked.  Makes for a great way to get healthy food quickly and cheaply with a large variety.  Come  fall the Spinach, beans, peas, and mustard are already being picked if all goes well.

Sunset? Where did it go?

I am not sure how it happened. In a way you could call it missing time. A little while ago I was at my computer having a nice time playing a game, but then I glanced out the window. I saw a beautiful sunset occurring so I went outside and started working on my upper deck by the arbor and suddenly started reorganizing my nursery area, cleaning, etc. etc. etc. while also setting up for Aquaponics using some "feeder" goldfish I rescued a year ago.

Next thing I know it's right now, and very very dark. What happened to that sunset I went out to enjoy?