Gardening

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) – Support Your Local Farmer!

by nan on 2011/04/11 · 1 comment

In 1997, our family lived in a house that had an empty 1/2 acre of irrigated land behind it. We filled that land with herbs and vegetables, more than we could eat with two young daughters. At the time, we were selling beads at the flea market in Santa Fe, so I would take extra produce there to sell to the vendors. What I noticed right away was that the same people were buying every week, and they always asked what I would have the following week.

I’d worked on farms before and sold at farmer’s markets, but you never knew who was coming and what they would buy. It was a crap shoot, and never mind the unpredictability of the weather! Having regular customers like I did in Santa Fe got me thinking and researching, and I came across Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). Committed customers pay in advance for a season’s worth of produce and farm products. This money up front helps the farm get started in spring, a time when most farmers are short of funds. I thought it was a brilliant idea, because I’d seen my previous farm bosses struggle to get the money together in spring, then struggle again to pay off loans all season.

I had taken requests for produce throughout the summer and fall, and planned to sell CSA shares for the following season. Unfortunately, we ended up moving from that house and fertile land before I could order a single seed or sell one share.

There are over 4,000 CSA farms listed in the Local Harvest database today. If you’ve never heard of Local Harvest, this is from their site: ‘LocalHarvest is America’s #1 organic and local food website. We maintain a definitive and reliable “living” public nationwide directory of small farms, farmers markets, and other local food sources.’

Benefits for Farmers

> CSA subscriptions help with spring finances.
> There is a guaranteed market and less waste.
> Farmers can concentrate on farming in the height of the season instead of marketing.
> A farmer gets to build relationships with customers. S/he knows who buys, eats and cooks the farm produce. Those customers might even work on the farm or help distribute food as volunteers. It’s not called Community for nothing!

Benefits for Customers

> Buy fresh, local and (most likely) organic produce directly from the farmer.
> Support local business, which helps the community.
> Try new vegetables and fruits that they may not purchase otherwise.
> Adults and children can learn about farming, where food comes from and how it’s grown.
> Eat seasonally, which is better for your health.

A couple weeks ago, I ran into my friend, Daniel Carmona. He is one of the first people I met when I moved to Taos in 1988. We worked on a seed farm together, and he is still farming in a big way.

Daniel now owns Cerro Vista Farm in Cerro, New Mexico, about 30 minutes north of Taos. He sells produce at the farmer’s market, stores and restaurants, and he sells CSA shares. When I saw him, I asked about buying a share of his CSA. I’ve heard the price of food is going to spike this year. My garden space is so small, it would help to have another source of produce. I’d also be able to plan my garden around what I would get from him.

I think Daniel is the best vegetable grower in the county, and I’m sure others would agree. He has about 200 CSA customers and eight pick-up locations around Taos. Customers can also pick up at the Taos Farmer’s Market or right at the farm. He makes it easy to buy his produce! (photo: Daniel’s delicious carrots!)

When You Are Looking For a CSA

> Be realistic about how much food you need. Ask if there are Half Shares if a Full Share seems too much or find a friend to split one with you.
> Find out what they offer. Some only have vegetables, but other farm products are eggs, honey, meat, cheese, flowers and fruit.
> If you would like enough produce to put up for winter, ask about that. Daniel has a Fall Storage Share to put in your root cellar – beets, carrots, potatoes, winter squash, garlic, cabbage and onions.
> Find out if you choose your produce or if it comes already packed. Some farms box it for you, and you know what you are getting. Others let you choose a certain numbers of items, no matter what they are.
> Research farms in your area on Local Harvest. This is the best source of information. Interview several farmers, if you have that option. Ask for references, and find out how long they have been farming and doing CSAs.

Daniel’s farm is just one. Each is different! Find one that will work for you and your family’s needs. Eat fresh organic food, and support local agriculture!

Cerro Vista Farm summer squash plants, greenhouse and Sangre Cristo Mountains

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Garden Journal – Start Planning for the Growing Season!

by nan on 2011/01/13 · 4 comments

It’s that time again! The seed and garden supply catalogs are rolling in! There’s nothing like pouring over them on a cold day anticipating fresh food, flowers and herbs come summer.

If you are new to gardening, buy a book. Gardening is a daunting undertaking if you don’t know anything. There’s a lot of planning involved and a lot of juggling. The best multi-taskers are frequently caught off-guard.

Even seasoned gardeners need to plan, and every year is different, meaning much of it is new to us, too!

These came in the mail yesterday!

I hope you kept a garden journal last year! If so, refer to it to see what worked and what didn’t. If not, start that habit now, even if it’s just scribbling in an old notebook.

> Measure your growing areas, and draw out plans. The more you have done before you plant a single seed, the more organized and relaxed you will be, freeing up your time and energy for other things.

> Always rotate your crops, planting in new places each year. This cuts down on diseases and insects. The soil benefits from crop rotation, too, because different plants use and disperse different soil nutrients.

> Put long-season crops in the warmest spots. That would be right out my kitchen door. I put tomatoes and peppers in containers right out front. My main vegetable garden is in a cool spot, so greens, herbs, raspberries and short season vegetables grow there.

> Buy heirloom and open-pollinated seed, and save some for next year. You can NOT save a seed from an F1 hybrid and get the same plant. Hybrids are made by cross-pollinating two plants with different characteristics to make a ‘highly desirable’ plant. The seed it produces will give you one of the parents. If you buy hybrid seed every year, you will have to keep buying seed. If you buy open-pollinated seed, you can save your own. Screw Monsanto!

> Consider building a cold frame of scrap wood and an old window. This will extend your season and give you more growing room. Even better, you can grow year round in a solar pod!

No matter what you choose to plant or how and where to plant it, start planning NOW! I know it’s hard to think of summer this time of year, but winter is the season in which to turn your gardening dreams into reality.

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Sprouts – The Perfect Winter Food

by nan on 2010/12/13 · 1 comment

I have been eating a lot of sprouts lately. Good greens and fruit are out of season and hard to come by, so I always find myself eating sprouts this time of year. They are good to eat all year, but I find myself craving good, home-grown raw food in winter. Sprouts are easy to grow and nutritious, and they fit into self-sufficient and frugal lifestyles.

What are the benefits of eating sprouts?

> First of all, they are raw and full of fiber and enzymes to aid digestion.

> Sprouts are high in anti-oxidants, which help prevent cancer among other ills. Broccoli sprouts, one of my favorites, is well-known for this.

> Iron and vitamins B and C are highly available and easy to assimilate.

> Sprouts will alkalize your body. We are overloaded with acidic foods, and sprouts help restore balance.

> Sprouts contain proteins and amino acids.

> They are low in calories.

> They are organic!

How do you sprout seeds?

There are several ways to sprout them. I have used a wide-mouth quart canning jar with a plastic strainer lid that screws on. You can buy these at the grocery store. I have also put 2-3 layers of cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar and secured it with a rubber band. Both of these are easily washed and reusable.

Put enough seed in the jar to generously cover the bottom. Cover them with water and soak overnight. In the morning, drain and rinse a couple of times. Set the jar on its side so the seeds are spread out as much as possible. Rinse and drain twice a day. Experiment with how much seed you need for your particular container. You can also sprout more than one type in several different containers, then experiment with mixing and eating them. There really are no rules.

Larger seeds take time to sprout, and they may start to rot before they sprout. For those types, like sunflowers, I use a soil-less germinating mix, the same that I use to start my vegetables in the spring. I use the mix over and over, just putting more seeds in as one crop gets eaten. Keep the soil moist by putting your container on a tray to hold water, and put some plastic or other cover over the top to keep the moisture in. You can also use the seed starting kits that have a bottom vessel for holding water and a piece of fabric to wick it up to the container of soil and seeds on top. These are the best for uniform moisture and high germination.

Sprouts do not need sun! Bright light is more than sufficient, and a warm spot in your kitchen will speed up the process. Depending on the seed, you should have edible sprouts in a few days to a week.

Eat them BEFORE the second set of leaves grow out. You literally want the sprout, the first two leaves with a bit of stem.

What types of seeds are best for sprouting and eating?

You’ve probably seen alfalfa sprouts in the grocery store. You can get them plain or mixed with clover and/or radish for a little zing. They are easy to grow, store and use in salads and sandwiches. I also like broccoli and sunflower sprouts, and I have sprouted lentils, adzuki beans, mung beans and peas.

Instead of repeating all the good seeds to use, I’ll point you to Harvest to Table and Living and Raw Foods.

You can’t beat sprouts for fresh raw food!

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Thoughtful Gifts for Gardeners

by nan on 2010/11/23 · 1 comment

If you insist on shopping this time of year, please make your gifts useful. It’s a great time of year to buy for your gardening friends and family. There are great things out there for hobbyists and hard-core food growers alike. Just because winter is settling in, we shouldn’t forget about the garden!

The seed catalogs roll in about the time all the other ones do. You know, the annoying ones that only come once a year even though you’ve put yourself on the Please-Don’t-Mail-Me-That-Crap list, the ones that are full of low quality gimmicks. Despite that, every devoted and newbie gardener is now drooling over new seed varieties and planning next year’s plot.

> First, I’d like to say that anyone who feeds the birds in winter would LOVE a feeder, a birdhouse, nesting pockets, some suet or some seed. I have birds in my nesting pockets on winter nights. Last night, I saw a couple snuggling into an old nest in the eaves in a 45 mph wind. Gardeners know the value of birds and would love to take care of them over the winter!

> How about solar lighting for walkways? Nights are longer now, and the chances of your friends coming home in the dark are pretty big. Lights can also define a patio area for summer entertaining.

> You can buy gardening supplies year round at places like Lowe’s. Check your local hardware store and nursery, too. Most people think that, because the garden is tucked away for winter, you can’t find supplies. Out of sight, out of mind. Not so! Nurseries operate year round. Frequently, they are selling Christmas trees and wreaths.

> Find out where your friends prefer to buy seed and supplies, in real time or online. Gift certificates work well. I’d love a load of cotton burr compost, but getting it to my house might be difficult for someone. A gift certificate would work well for that.

> A garden journal is crucial for year to year planning. It allows you to record what you do, analyze, make comments and plan the next move. I have drawn 1/2 acre plots in mine! I refer to the old ones every year to check weather patterns, how certain varieties produced and so on.

> Speaking of weather… every gardener needs to watch it. Consider buying a rain gauge, a barometer, a thermometer or a small home weather station (for weather geeks like me).

> Gardening how-to books make great gifts for new and experienced gardeners. From seed starting to seed collecting, anyone can learn every step in an entire growing season. I swear by my books on southwester and New Mexico native plants by Judith Phillips. They are all I recommend for desert gardening.

> The garden can be dressed up with a bird bath, statues and reflective spheres. You can also find weather-proof benches to sit and enjoy the garden sights (and take notes in that garden journal!).

> Anyone can garden in containers! I grow a lot in containers, because our soil is too alkaline and heavy. Our season is short for warm weather plants like tomatoes and peppers. Growing them in pots lets me bring them into the greenhouse in fall and extend the season. Containers are perfect for patio gardening out back or on the 10th floor.

> For the garden shed, a potting bench is a practical gift along with watering cans, hose nozzles, trowels, pots and soil.

> Patio furniture or grilling supplies would probably go over well, too. Those may not be gifts used right away, but come summer, you’ll get invited to all those barbecues and be thanked profusely.

> Hats, gloves, aprons and shoes are small gifts. Chippers, composters and arbors are large gifts. All would be well-received.

There is an endless selection of gifts for the gardener on your list. From hobby to serious, cheap to expensive, get your friends excited about the next growing season!

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Garden Journal – Fall

by nan on 2010/09/29 · 0 comments

I took a cruise around the gardens the other day. It has been the weirdest gardening year ever!

> It was cold and snowy in May.
> June got unusually hot, even before the trees were leafed out.
> Summer rains came in July and August, and it was warmer than normal.
> September has been dry and hot with temperatures at least 10 degrees above normal.
> We had a major rain storm last week, and there should have been snow on the 13,000′ peaks afterward, but they are bare.

My plants have had a difficult time growing in this bizarre weather. Everything got a late start, the apple and apricot blooms froze, the tomatoes did poorly, the lettuce bolted from the heat, and the perennials are stunted.

The only plant that is thriving is the Russian Sage. Its profuse blue blooms are still covered in honey bees, because we have not yet had a hard frost. This plant is the most fail-safe of any I’ve ever grown. It is drought tolerant, needs no fertilizing, reseeds easily (that can be a curse or a blessing, but I see it as the latter), and takes just a bit of pruning in late spring. It never lets me down! (photo: flickr pmarkham)

What else is going on in the yard?

> The asters are blooming on stunted plants. They are gorgeous, especially combined with aspens and the yellow chamisa (that most people are allergic to). I’ve been deadheading Moonshine Yarrow, which blooms most of the summer and will go until a hard frost. This is another low-maintenance plant, but be warned – not all yarrows are like this! The pink ones I have are like weeds, and I am constantly thinning them out.

> I’ll leave the hollyhock flower stalks for the winter, because they are bird food. They attract woodpeckers, who cling to the sturdy stalk and peck at the seed pods. This is a joy to watch from the kitchen window!

> There is one hummingbird still feeding. This is very late for them to still be here, but he is enjoying our warm weather. I have feeders filled with black oil sunflower seeds and thistle for the sparrows, finches and red polls. Usually the yard is filled with wild sunflowers, but they were another weird-weather casualty.

> I am still picking strawberries here and there. They are like candy. Once you grow your own food, it’s hard to buy it from a store. There is no comparison! I’m also cutting side shoots off the broccoli plants – another tasty delight that store-bought cannot compare to. I have a couple more rows of beets and carrots to harvest, but I’ll pick those when I’m ready to use them. If hard frost threatens, I’ll dig them all up, scrub them, and put them in the fridge. They’ll last into winter.

> I had a container with two pepper plants outside. I brought it into the greenhouse when frost threatened earlier in the month. One is now producing bell peppers, the other has jalapenos. I couldn’t ask for a better combination!

> If this dry weather keeps up, I’ll keep watering. I have a feeling it is going to be a warm, dry winter, and that means continued watering.

> Fall is the best time to plant trees and perennials. They can put their energy into root growth without competing for energy needed for flower and leaf growth. I’d be planting if I knew I’d be here next season, but until I move, I’ll maintain the trees and gardens I have. A good watering next month and a layer of mulch will carry them into winter.

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Eco Recap 8.19.10

by nan on 2010/08/19 · 0 comments

As always, there is lots of information to share this week! You can follow me on Twitter and Facebook for the stuff I didn’t have room for here.

> My idea (for now) of rain harvesting is a bunch of buckets and 55-gallon trash cans lining the house under the roof. I use the water mostly for garden irrigation, but I have been known to dunk my head in it on a hot summer day. Someday I will get official with gutters and a cistern, and when I do, this item will come in handy.

> You don’t need LEED certification to live in an efficient, healthy home. You can, however, use their guidelines to make improvements. Start with an energy audit, and caulk and seal obvious leaks, then move up to larger items. Greening your home is not beautiful, until you get your utility bill. Here are five simple ways to get started.

> Get prepared for when the economy picks back up. There will be a demand for workers in sustainable fields. Here’s a projection on green jobs for the next ten years.

fat tire, sustainable brewery, new belgium, beer > I love beer. What I have been drinking for the last ten years or so is Fat Tire, one of several brews of New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins, Colorado. New Belgium is one of the most sustainable businesses in the US. Serendipity that I like their beer AND they are green! Here are four other eco-friendly craft breweries, and be sure to read the comments for even more.

> Consumption is evil. We need to cut back and do without every new gadget that comes along, repurpose what we have, and recycle what we don’t need anymore. Check out this list of anti-consumers, and get inspired to live a simpler life.

> It wouldn’t be a recap without a green building! This comes from the Draw-Your-Own-Conclusions Department. Being green, to me, is holistic. It’s a lifestyle, a complete way of living, including appreciating nature, taking care of each other, and staying healthy. The largest cosmetic company in Brazil is embarking on a country-wide green building project. They are creating places for thousands of employees, sales people, consultants and contractors to meet, have trainings, stay and feel at home. The buildings are efficient modulars, which I love. What I don’t love is that (and I hope we all know this by now!), cosmetics are loaded with toxic ingredients, including lead and other heavy metals. So how green is this company? To me, not very. You can build green all you want, but if your product is toxic, it means little. Is this greenwash, hypocrisy, or just lack of education? Draw your own conclusions.

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Are Recycled Plastics Really Good for the Planet?

by nan on 2010/08/18 · 2 comments

I am all for recycling. We need to reuse and re-purpose as many items as possible. Of the three Rs of recycling – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle – Reducing would lessen the need for Reusing and Recycling. Recycling, although a positive thing, still uses energy and has some questionable, to me, long term consequences.

Having been a landscaper for many years, I’ve seen a lot of people opt for plastic lumber for walkways, walls and planting beds. Great stuff! It is made of recycled plastic and does not rot, like wood. Exactly. Does not rot.

Will. Never. Decompose.

Although my neighbor’s walkways look good all the time, never weathered, never showing signs of age, never rotting, at some point, when someone else comes in and remodels, those walkways, that plastic that was once saved from the landfill, will eventually get thrown away. One question I have is – 20, 30, 100, 200+ years down the road, will there be enough landfill space to accommodate today’s recycled plastics?

I just read an article about a New Zealand man who recycles plastic trash into bricks to use in landscapes and other outdoor settings. He would like to see his product used for sustainable emergency housing where natural disasters wreak havoc.

This is an honorable task, since it minimizes landfill waste and could shelter people in need, but think about it. What will happen to those landscapes and homes long after you and I are gone?

Think again.

See what you can do to Reduce your use of plastics. Today.

(Just as I was getting ready to post this, I found this on Triple Pundit – Landfills: A Viable Alternative to Recycling?. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.)

landfill

(photo flickr D’Arcy Norman)

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Create a Wildlife Habitat in Your Yard

by nan on 2010/08/17 · 2 comments

Many years ago, I was helping a friend landscape her new home here in Taos. Gretchen was an avid bird watcher, so we designed her one-acre lot to attract, feed and shelter birds. Aside from hanging hummingbird feeders and others filled with sunflower seeds and thistle, we planted perennials and over 30 native shrubs, and created a brush pile with scraps of tree trimmings. She strategically placed a few birdbaths around the garden.

Being a bird watcher myself, I have implemented a lot of her ideas in my yard over the years. My bird garden has fewer shrubs and more perennials, and is limited to the area right around the house. I have a couple of brush piles for shelter, and until I cleaned my yard to sell my house, I had a few dead trees (snags) standing. Most exciting, in my travels, I have become familiar with the plants in the wild.

I was out showing property the other day, and drove by a yard that looked a lot like Gretchen’s. The entire lot was planted with shrubs that would not naturally grow right there in the sagebrush. It was deliberately planted and beautiful with late summer, red berries gracing many of the plants.

National Wildlife Federation - Certified Wildlife Habitat There was a small sign by the road that I could not read, but on the way out, I stopped. It said ‘Certified Wildlife Habitat – National Wildlife Federation.’ Wow, I thought, I didn’t know you could get certification for feeding the birds!

When I got home, I went to the NWF website. For $20, you can apply for certification and receive other benefits, such as a membership, magazines, discounts and your name in the NWF National registry of certified habitats.

But even better, they tell you how to create a wildlife friendly yard! For free!

All you need to do is provide elements from each of the following areas:

> Food Sources – For example: Native plants, seeds, fruits, nuts, berries, nectar
> Water Sources – For example: Birdbath, pond, water garden, stream
> Places for Cover – For example: Thicket, rockpile, birdhouse
> Places to Raise Young – For example: Dense shrubs, vegetation, nesting box, pond
> Sustainable Gardening – For example: Mulch, compost, rain garden, chemical-free fertilizer

There are links to each of these categories, and there are a lot of details. They tell you how to create water features, build nesting boxes, garden organically, plant for birds and butterflies and much more. It’s very informative!

Whether you want to certify your yard or just create wildlife habitat, the National Wildlife Federation is a wonderful site to learn from.

And your wildlife will love you for it!

As an FYI, here is a list of habitat plants that Gretchen and I used in our Zone 5 southwest gardens. Be sure to use native plants or those that are adapted to your area.

Perennials
> columbine
> bee balm
> penstemon
> hollyhock
> aster
> black-eyed susan
> cone flower (echinacea)

Shrubs
> trumpet vine
> honeysuckle
> currant
> yucca
> rose
> silver buffaloberry
> four-wing saltbush
> fernbush
> wild plum
> western sand cherry

Trees
> pinon
> juniper
> blue spruce
> chokecherry
> NM locust

And lots of sunflowers!

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Garden Journal – Early August Update

by nan on 2010/08/10 · 3 comments

Worst. Gardening. Season. Ever.

I have apologized for my gardens over and over this summer. They look awful! They should have reached their peak a couple weeks ago, but I am still waiting.

hummingbird, taos new mexico, snowstorm Here in northern New Mexico, we had a very cold spring. After a fairly dry but cold winter, we got hammered with snow in March and April. That didn’t stop the hummingbirds, though! This picture was taken at daybreak on April 23.

May greeted us with 16 degree temps and snow. I was ready to plant lettuces, greens and broccoli in the garden. Needless to say, that didn’t happen. I wondered if I’d ever get my tomatoes outside! Meanwhile, the greenhouse was teeming, but it was even too cold and cloudy inside for optimum growth.

We had close to record-breaking temps in early June. We rarely see mid-90s, especially in June! The trees were about two weeks behind leafing out, so they were covered with the fresh, springy yellow-green of new growth, but it was 95. I felt like I was in a Dali painting.

By the end of June, the weather was somewhat normal with summer rains and cooler temperatures, but the plants were not where they were supposed to be yet. Cool weather crops were suffering from the hot, dry conditions. The lettuce was tough, tasteless and not refreshing. Tomatoes were digging the heat, but I knew they’d suffer when the temps went back down.

I was tired of watering. The rain gave me a break, but then it got unusually hot again in July. The lettuce finally bolted, before I ate much of it. The tomatoes did not go outside until late, so they are behind. I have two tomatoes the size of dimes. The other blossoms were all blown off the plants in a storm last week. If those two tomatoes ripen before frost, I’ll be shocked. I’ll be bringing those pots into the greenhouse soon. Seems I just put them out!

I have about a dozen apples, and the magpies will probably get to them before they are ripe. There are no apricots. The blooms on both trees froze in May.

cosmos_2147 There are big bare spots in my flower beds. Even the weeds don’t seem to be doing well! The cosmos, a Taos icon, have just started to flower, and they are only about 1′ tall. We are talking about a 6′ towering plant that is normally covered in blooms and bees in mid-July! Not this year!

My hollyhocks, another Taos icon, are about 2′ tall and hold few flowers. These usually tower high into the summer sky! They get very weedy by reseeding, and I dig them up by the dozens to keep them from taking over. This year, I am babying the ones that made it.

What does flower does not last long, because it’s been so dry. I had more stalks than ever on my yuccas, but the flowers dropped after a few days instead of the normal ten day show.

It’s been disappointing, and that’s an understatement. If this is my last summer in this house, this was not a very good send-off.

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Reunion!

by nan on 2010/06/24 · 3 comments

It’s time for a short break for me! Company has come to town – seven women I have not seen since high school graduation in 1972! The last thing I want to worry about these next few days while we have an amazing reunion (and recovery days afterward!) is posting to this blog, Twitter and Facebook. I’ll be back next week with a couple guest posts and hopefully some writing of my own.

I have gone back to school to be a Residential Planner. It will expand my real estate business, but it’s very time-consuming. And I miss getting up and writing in the morning! I have a few weeks off from school, so I hope to get caught up with desert verde, too, and bring you some original writing.

Meanwhile, go through the drop-downs in the navigation menu at the top of the page, and read Eco-living Tips, the Solar Building Series, and facts and news about Eco Building. Check out the Nature Quotes and Book selections, and visit the ads on the right side of the page to help keep this blog alive! There is lots to see while I’m gone a few days!

See you soon!