Future of our food

It's 18* here and we're expecting yet another snow storm this week.  Spring, where are you??!!!  It snowed a couple of inches this past week and you can tell people are tired of shoveling when the driveways are no longer clean shoveled as if it hadn't snowed on it.  Now? Shovel the end of the driveway? Why bother when the cars/trucks can drive right over it! :)

The other night I was having trouble sleeping so I turned on Netflix and decided to watch a documentary called The Future of Food.

It was a real eye opener and will definitely change how you garden if you aren't already using organic, heirloom seeds. I know it totally changed mine!  I guess I should let you know that I'm one of those crazy right wing terrorist Tea Party members :)   I believe in less government involvement in our lives and it really disgusted me because the governments involvement not only effects the food we eat and the farmers who are trying to make a living growing it, but it effects our pockets and puts our future food supply at risk.  It started with genetic engineering and was made worse with the government allowing a company to copyright a seed.  The entire nature of a seed goes against this concept of copyrights.  The wind blows a seed, and it plants itself wherever it lands.  Well, if that seed happens to have a copyright and it blows itself into a farmers field and grows, the government can, will and has, taken all plants from the farmer as if he/she has done something wrong.  How can you control what lands on your field or in your backyard garden?  You can't.  What's next, copyrighting the animals or humans that are cloned in the future?  Don't laugh (ok I'll admit, when they said this in the movie I laughed at first) but our ancestors never would have thought you could copyright seed dna...

Now if copyrighting seed dna isn't disturbing enough, the fact that this one big company genetically engineers seeds using unethical methods is beyond disturbing. They use toxic materials (bacterias, etc) to get certain characteristics to attach itself into the seed cells.  And yes, that includes bug killing chemicals.  Now, imagine growing a plant from a seed that has even cells of a chemical that is engineered to kill bugs.  Now imagine feeding the veggies or fruit from that plant to yourself and your kids.  I just want to be sick!  I will be making great strides to use heirloom, organic seeds going forward.  At least I can control what I grow for my family.

NOW THE FUN PART!!!! Ordering seeds!!!  This just makes me beam from the inside out.  I have extra energy that just lifts my spirits in this frigid cold weather.  I found out we're expecting more snow this week - about 2 feet (NOOOOOOOOoooooo)  so I really need all the uplifting of my spirit as I can get!!

I have decided to go with Seed Savers Exchange because they sell only heirloom seeds and have a trusted reputation for my first go at growing heirloom (and mostly organic) plants.  I particularly looked at seeds that were labeled as organic (a very huge selection) and I have to say, I feel really good about my selections.  The hardest one to pick for me was cucumbers. I don't like pickles and I don't pickle (yet) so I just wanted a regular cuke that I can use with the lettuce I'll be growing.  I'm used to growing a burpless cuke but that was genetically engineered (GE) so I won't be using that anymore.  I'd rather burp then support GE seeds.  Here is my list:

Bean, Sutan's Green Cresent

Bean, Provider

Broccoli, DeCicco

Carrot, Danvers

Corn, Golden Bantam
Cucumber, Bushy

Lettuce, Grandpa Admire's

Lettuce, Rossa di Trento 

Runner Bean, Sunset

Tomato, Martino's Roma

Potato, Yukon Gold

I have decided to create an area to grow potatoes ( They just looked too good to pass up!) and I'm going to have to place my cukes somewhere else since they won't be bush types again (need to find heirloom bush type!) and will need to have a trellis. I've also decided to grow Broccoli instead of Eggplant. No one here really eats eggplant except for me, but I use brocolli often with dinner so that makes more sense.  I'm going to put the Runner Bean by the arched doorway into my backyard so it can climb up the sides of the arch. I thought that would be really interesting as the flowers are beautiful, but it grows veggies. 

And the adventures begin again!

    

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!!

So, the big blizzard of 2010 has finally arrived. We got over 2 feet and Bailey, my 2 yr old lab mix, had a blast!! She loves water in any form, especially snow. I haven't seen my backyard deck since Christmas Day and now I can only see the top of my BBQ what with the snow drifts being so high. I haven't ventured out into the yard yet, there's only a small path along the house Bailey created for the couple of times she 'had' to go out. Tomorrow I'll shovel a path and check things out back there. I still want chickens, even if I had to wade through the thigh high snow drifts. Perhaps my fiance will soften up over time about 'farm animals' lol In the meantime, I'll go out back and check the area where I want to plant Blueberry bushes. Bailey will love it as she flies through the untouched snow. Before long it will look all trekked upon like the front yard =)

I have been DREAMING of gardening. I went and checked out all my gardening equipment. I need to order some peat pots to put my seedling plugs into. I checked out my new grow light I bought last year and it's all ready for new growth to begin. I went through all my seeds and made a list of the couple of new ones I want to try this year. I have just enough seeds of a couple of other veggies (tomatoes for one) that I won't have to buy, so there aren't as many seeds as I thought that I still need. Cha Ching! Money saved is a great thing!

There has been some confusion where I live as to exactly what zone we are. I grew up and have been gardening thinking I'm zone 6 like the rest of southern NY - that's what everyone around Long Island will tell you we are. Well, last year I started looking into the actual zoning maps when one caught my attention and did more research today since I'm snowed in, and found out that the USDA differs from other maps. I found one interactive map that I absolutely loved, and it states that my area is 7a - a small area is 6b and others are 7b - but mostly Long Island is 7a. Finally I know what zone I'm in! Not that it would change much since I typically make sure I get plants that are zone 6 and above anyhow =)

Interactive Plant Zone Map


Note:
Order seeds needed plus peat pots
Enter date into calendar for first seeding =)

2011 Garden Plan coming together

As I've been going through my seed catalogs I've been deciding what new veggies/fruits I'll be trying to grow this year. I was going to create 3 new beds, but due to a lack of full sun I'll be working with 2 new beds, which will give me 4 beds each 4x4. I plan on dedicating one full bed to trying corn. I've never grown this before, but have always wanted to try it. Now's as good a time as any! I have been reading up on growing corn and feel pretty confident about growing them. Found out I have to grow them in a 4x4 area for pollination. That's easy since my raised beds are 4x4. I have a variety picked out that says its good for northern gardeners. I still need money to build the 2 new beds (along with ordering compost from different areas to fill them) so lets hope I get this job I'm interviewing for so I can get the same type of beds I have already. Otherwise it'll be a DIYer this time around. I saw in the Burpee catalog that there are cornors you can buy (much cheaper then the whole set) and then just purchase the wood. I'm going to have to price out the wood. My other beds cost $100/each and I liked knowing I was helping to support the amish (in Ohio) who made them.

To buy heirloom, or not to buy heirloom. That is the question...I've been thinking on lately. I know the advantages of being able to reuse the seeds it creates, but that's as far as my education goes. Not to mention that I don't have a clue how to save the seeds, at least properly to ensure germination. I guess I will look into the pros and cons and perhaps I'll grow my first heirloom plants this year.

Note:
Go through current seeds and decide what seeds need to be purchased.

Hope Springs!!!

My favorite time of the winter is when the Burpee seed catalog arrives! This season it arrived right after our first blizzard which is really quite timely. Oh, just seeing all those beautiful colors, and the different varieties of veggies and flowers, it just creates this warmth inside me that just overflows into a rather stupid looking grin that won't leave. I call it "Hope". Hope that Spring really will be coming again. Hope that I won't always have to bundle up when I go outside. Hope that one day I'll be able to walk barefoot on the grass again. Hope that I will learn from my previous mistakes and create my fantasies of an overflowing veggie bed that will fill the pots and freezer in my kitchen so we can have deliciously healthy meals for the summer and last through the winter.

This year I have the same fantasies I always have: that I'm going to have so many veggies I'll have enough to give to family after filling my freezer. I will be trying some new things and coming up with some habits to ensure I do the best I can with what I have to work with.

I found this book that gives symptoms of plants and possible causes of their illness called What's wrong with my plant? (And how do I fix it?). I chose this book firstly because the layout is so very easy to read. If you can SEE your plants problem, they have a picture for it and I think that will make things easier. The other thing I liked about this book is they use Organic remedies. I totally believe in doing everything in my veggie garden the organic way. I refuse to put any chemicals near anything my family will be eating. I buy organic milk and organic eggs. If I could afford it I'd also buy organic meat, but being unemployed, that won't be happening at this time.

Notes:
Every weekend check plant health
Mark calendar when feedings are to be made