Basil

I harvested some of my basil, a lot of it had already flowered, but had not yet fully matured seed. I let it flower to let bees have more herb flowers. I am really getting into letting some of your plants go to seed, partly so that you can save the seed, partly to have flowers, for the bees and other insects.

So, I harvested I think 5-6 plants. Pulled them up from the ground. I brought them back and cut off the roots. I than stripped off the flower buds. I brought them inside and hand picked off the leaves that had no spots and were good looking. That meant about 50% went to compost. But, I have 3 dehydrator trays full right now, and can probably fill another two, just from the 'good' leaves. I didn't make much pesto because we don't have a food processor. I think I will put that on my birthday list. I am drying most all of it. Though, when we get close to our frost I plan on potting a few plants to bring inside through the winter, to have some fresh basil.

I should have enough fresh basil to last more than till spring. Probably till next Autumn or more. I'll probably give some of it away.


English Vintner

Comfrey

Ahh...wonderful comfrey, where would the organic gardener be without it? (I'm not really sure)

Comfrey is from the borage family, and grows very strong. A plant being as strong as it is you would think to spread easily, but it doesn't. If you plant one clump, it will not expand much. That is not to say that it is not propagated easily, on the contrary. Almost any little rootlet will sprout comfrey! So, beware when propagating that you watch where every rootlet falls, or you might have comfrey where you don't want it.

Comfrey has been used as a medicine at least in humans for years and years. But, recent research has shown that there is an alkaloid (I think it is, could be wrong) that is not good, and that it should not be taken internally. The link I will post at the end will have you believe in internal ingestion of comfrey tea. It does wonders for you, I have no doubt, but I wonder if there are any side affects from that, alkaloid. The article was published in '74, so I am not sure how the author thinks of it now.

I will probably be feeding comfrey to my chickens this spring. And, after reading the article I will be propagating comfrey this fall!!!! I would like to set a whole bed of it up (4x10ft).

Comfrey is great for the compost as an activator. You can make a 'tea' with it. Take the leaves, and put them in a bucket, and put a lid on it. As the comfrey decomposes it will turn into a liquid. Dark and rich!

Comfrey is great to lay down where you will be planting something that will need fertilizer for a good long while. It will provide it. Great for potatoes! It is rich in Phosphorus.

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/1974-05-01/Plant-Multipurpose-Comfrey.aspx?page=7

Do your own research on it, and determine for yourselves wether or not to use it internally for healing all sorts of ailments. It's probably better than most of the junk you get at the hospital anyway.


English Vintner

P.S. If you have not been on the Whizbang site before, please take a moment and check it out. I really like the guy. A christian, and an inventor. He has his own homestead buy likes to make things the most efficient. Like whizbang apple cider grinder and press and such!

http://www.whizbangcider.com/ This leads to his cider page, click on other links to read about gardening, chicken ranging and other categories.

Apple Grinder/Press

This photo is a picture of what my apple grinder will look like.


Well, apple picking went well. We didn't really pick apples, because we bought seconds for a good price. 21 bushels for $60. We then went to Stepp Orchard and bought some bags of Jonagold (cheaper than picking) and some sweet potatoes.

So, now we have lots of apples. I finally figured out what store will sell the disposals. Restore.

I will try and make that my project this week. To get the grinder almost all the way finished. If I work hard and have everything I could probably put it all together in 10 hours. We will see.

Well, talk to you later. We had rain all day today. Slow and steady, great for the soil.


Here is a link to where I am building my design from. I bought the book he sells. I've read a lot of his articles, all the ones on cider, and quite a lot on a few other things. I like him a lot. http://www.whizbangcider.com/

English Vintner

Fava Beans

Well, I don't often do two posts in one day. But I'll be gone tomorrow, apple picking.

A fava bean is another term for broad bean. Broad beans overwinter well, and give you a nice early spring crop before hot weather comes, which they hate.

My fava beans have finally sprouted and are coming up, they are sturdy little things coming out of those honkin' beans! Broad beans are quite big. They are used for flour, and my cousin puts them in soup. I will probably cook with them in soups and such. I learned my lesson last year, I tried starting them in march, but I soaked them way to long and they rotted, only 2 plants made it and were covered in aphids.

If you haven't ever grown broad beans, please consider growing a dozen or so. Plant them now, for an early spring crop. If you live in a cooler climate, you might be able to get some if you plant them in early spring (just not too early).

We are going apple picking tomorrow, up at 5:45 to leave at 7:30!

So long!

English Vintner

Leeks and Chickens

Leeks. I really enjoy leeks. I was first introduced to them probably 6 of 7 years ago. When my older brother Josiah was really into Redwall and cooking recipes that he found on the internet that were 'Redwall'. That was before Brian Jacques came out with his own recipe book for the Redwall recipes. Before than you could go on the internet and find all sorts of recipes labeled 'Redwall'.

Well, it was a dark night I remember, it was cozy in the house. It was sometime in the Autumn/Winter. We had a guest over, Miss Shelly (Joiner) as we called her. And that night Josiah made some bread and Leek Soup. That was the first I had tasted leeks. I liked the soup, but found it hard to believe that I liked it since the main ingredient, leek, was sorta like an onion.

Since than we have had leeks a few times, but not really more often than once or twice a year. Usually to make a British or Redwall recipe, usually called upon by Josiah.

Leeks are a member of the onion family. John Seymour, author of Self Sufficient Life and how to Live it, and several other books says that if you are only going to grow one member of the onion family, leeks are the thing to grow. It is used as the Welsh national emblem.

Leeks are a bit milder than onions. The stem, or bulb that you eat is tubular, long, usually from 7-12 inches and from 1/2" to 1 1/2" thick.

I do not know of something that bothers leeks, pest or disease. I grew some this year, a small patch, but plan to do more next year, if room allows.

I am selling a few leeks to a friend of mine, along with a couple of peppers and a cucumber. That is partly why I thought to write on the topic.


Chickens. I like chickens. I like eggs. I like chicken manure. All these are good reasons to get chickens, for my part. I am planning at this point to get 8 hens this Spring. Right now I am working on a design. I would like free range chickens, but don't have the space. So, what I will probably be looking at doing is having a moveable chicken coop, with some space around it for the chickens. Than, I would like to see about having the chickens graze on part of my garden beds. What I am thinking about doing is getting 4-5ft high chicken wire, and than posting that around one of my beds and having the chickens range in that one day, and than move it to a different part of the garden. Of course, when everything is full grown, I will have to figure out a few different things. I do have some space opposite the garden, a 'field' on a slope, 50x60ft. With 3ft tall grass. Maybe I could graze them on that too.

I am looking probably getting free range breed hens, so that they are hardy enough. I am going to have plenty of predators though, so the coop will have to be rodent proof. I know for certain that I have possums, coons, and occasionally neighbor dogs. I have snakes, snakes? Hmm.... Also owls, and night birds. During the day I have hawks.

What I will probably have to do is have the chicken coop and a little yard space. And than have another cage, that is 7ft wide, by 12 ft or something. I'm still figuring out stuff. If you have had chickens and have advice, I am glad to hear it.


We are going apple picking tomorrow!

English Vintner

Shallots

I really like shallots. They are small little onions in the shape of garlic and very pretty color. The ones I planted have a deep purple outer skin underneath the dry outside skin. The taste is of a mild onion, and most people think of them as being a little more gourmet. I guess because, why not grow or use an onion rather than a shallot?

A lot of people grow them from the small bulb, starting in the Fall. If you are growing from seed you can start in the fall, but earlier than the planting of the bulb. You can grow them fine from seed if you have a long enough growing season. If you can grow onions, you can grow these. I harvested mine in July, and I started them in March/April.

They like good soil, like onions, and lots of nitrogen. For longer storage cure them for several days before bringing inside. I found the inside of my greenhouse to be pretty good. I than put them, about 1 pound per paper bag and have them on a shelf in the basement. The best place is a cool dry area with good air circulation.



English Vintner

Planted

Taking a short break from other things, and talk a short bit about the garden.

I finally got around to planting some lettuce. Seeds from two romaine lettuce heads that sprouted this spring, it was probably the last ones to bolt, so it was some of the better ones to save seed from. I planted thickly, sprinkling on an area 3ft by 3ft. I did two areas. On the one area I cut up comfrey and sprinkled it on.

It rained today, so I am hoping they germinate well, along with the cooler weather this week.

My peas are finally bearing pods. Picked a dozen today. The pole beans in one area are slowing down. The others farther down, probably getting more moisture are doing well. I am selecting the straight long ones for seed. I have saved out a dozen or two so far.

Some of my brassica are trying to be eaten by worms...

It is about time to plant shallots and garlic. I will probably plant garlic up by the fence, where it is drier, and closer to the deer. The deer don't like garlic, so it is better to have it closer to the fence where they well come. I really like shallots. The ones I grew were so pretty. A deep purple color. They are easier to grow than onions because they don't get as big. :) I'll probably grow some more from seed in the spring, and grow some from bulbs this fall.

The weeds are finally dying down. I will feel motivated to do a lot to the garden with the cooler and dryer weather. And when the weeds die down...

The greenhouse is in need of repair. It's gonna cost me $100 for the roof. The cost of the plastic is $70, plus $25 dollars shipping. I guess 4m plastic is fairly heavy...

Anyway, gotta work, see ya!


English Vintner

Natural Gardening

Here it is, spelling and all that checked by my dad. So, here is a more refined version of Organic Gardening, put down in better structure than before (I've mentioned here and there about it, but never really sat down on it)

Organic Gardening/Farming
Why should farmers and gardeners grow things ‘organic’ or more natural? On this issue you might say I side more with the ‘liberals’ than the ‘conservatives’. However, do not put me on the far left, for I do not belong on the far left. You might say I am a little left of the center. So, my point of view will be more to the left than right, because that is what I believe to be the best. I will not be citing anything directly, though through the last eight months of research I can remember a lot that I will be putting down here.

I think one of the first reasons most people should consider natural (I prefer that to organic, because organic is not always in line with how I will consider growing the way the ancients did) growing is the fact that you can get up to seven times more for the space! I think that alone should make most people reconsider how they are growing things.

The second reason is this. Why do we need to poison our land and ourselves to grow things? I mean, how do you think people grew things 200 years ago, in the start of America? Or, for that matter, how do you think Cain gardened? There is no need to be putting toxic chemicals into our land to produce 1/7 of the food we could be growing. I mean, seriously! Gardening solely on nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium using poison to kill insects, diseases, and plants has only been used in the last 100 years. Why, after 6000 years do we feel the need to poison the earth so to speak, when we could be doing a much better job?

Have you ever wondered how a plant grown again and again on one plot of soil can produce so many vitamins out of just nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium? Well, the fact is, it can’t very well. This could be another serious thing farmers need to think about. The food you are growing, is it as healthy for you, has as many vitamins and nutrients in it for you as it used to? The fact is, with our agriculture we are eating food that is no longer getting us the things we need. The nutrient level of crops grown naturally (using Sea Crop, paramagnetism, and good organic soil) is much higher than that grown on poisoned land with chemical fertilizer.

Agriculture today spends a lot of money on poison, and fertilizer. If you were to grow naturally you could cut poison out completely (you might have some instances when you might have to spray with something, but the alternatives to poison are MUCH better), and fertilizer almost out completely. You could grow a crop during the summer, and get in two green manure crops during the winter and spring. You could grow rye and vetch during the fall/winter, and than another fast growing spring crop. This would not only add all the nitrogen your plant would need (along with many other things found within the plant matter), but also add organic matter to your soil. Did you know that soil with a high level of organic matter holds water WAY better than other soil? Growing naturally would cut down your costs on poison to zero, your fertilizer to almost nothing, and your water could probably be cut in half.

It is sad for me to see the way we do agriculture. We could do it so much better (like most things in life in a fallen world, with fallen men) than we do. The amount of research on agriculture is fascinating to me. Someone has come up with a weed killer, using boiling water. It is a holding tank that keeps the water right at about 200F. It is on a truck and has several hoses leading off of it. It kills the weeds better than most poison, and does it instantly. If counties and states would use this to spray around electrical boxes and along side walks where they are trying to keep the grass down, it would cut the cost down a LOT!

Someone has done research with SEA CROP. It is concentrated nutrients off the coast of Washington. It increases plant growth and it makes the plants hardier to drought and freezing. Someone had some lettuce and greens. He sprayed it with SEA CROP. During the winter it froze, and in the spring time, unfroze and started growing!

A lot of the research with SEA CROP is in conjunction with ORMUS water. From a magnetic water trap.

Paramagnetism is Nature’s secret force to growth. The Irish monks of old were using it to garden, the Japanese have been using it, volcano ash and soil has TONS of it. You can actually test out this theory if you are doubtful of it.

Take two pots. Fill both with potting soil from the same bag. Sow radish seeds in both of them, the same amount. Now, in one put a paramagnetic stone, and in the other don’t put anything. Water them exactly the same. After 8 days, pull them both up by the roots and see the difference!
To get paramagnetic rocks you must find a place that sells rocks of some sort, hobby store, landscaping supplier? Rocks that are strongly paramagnetic include the following: Magnetite, Hematite, Basalt, Shale, Red Sandstone and White Granite, to name a few.

I believe that America has a chance at changing, and we just might be able to do it. If you do any research into how ancient civilizations did farming you will see a common thread. They didn’t use poison! :) The fact is, changing old habits is not an easy thing to do, so it is up to the coming farmers to decide if they will go with the big corporations, will they go what seems the easiest at hand or will they go with the smaller farmers, who are testing out growing naturally, not using poison, and getting good results? It is up to you and me to spread the word, natural growing.

I hope you enjoyed that. I still would like to write another essay on sorta how to do it. I've told you the method, but I would like to write one kinda on doing it.


English Vintner

High Fructose Corn Syrup

It is amazing what money will do for you. It corrupts you.

I was talking to a friend and he said he heard about one of the big food companies asked this guy to do tests on HFcorn syrup. So he did. Unfortunately the tests were not in their favor, so I think they asked him to come up with one in their favor, since he wouldn't, they fired him and got someone else to do it.

When the big companies put out reports you have to be extremely cautious in believing them. They get the reports from the people they want and have it written the way they want. They have the power and the money. The other side is not working for a big company and so is a lot more likely to contain the truth about things. Though, don't believe one thing you read, but get confirmation from it from other websites. I generally don't take something as being true unless I look it up and get 3 other websites or places to agree with it.

High Fructose Corn Syrup recently put out an article (well, they didn't, but someone high up) that they were changing the name. Because of all the bad conitations it has. Well, hopefully most people are not reading the labels and since it doesn't say HFC syrup, they will buy it, or so they hope. The pressure from the people has made a lot of the big companies come out with HFCS FREE products, ketchup, and lots of other things. I am hoping that now that some companies are changing names, that they will not go back to using HFCS and call it Corn Sugar.

Some companies it is now legal (you gotta find some way under the fence, right!) to call it corn sugar. So, be on the look out for things that have Corn Sugar as some of the companies will be switching.


What is wrong with HFCS? First off, it could have mercury. And mercury poisoning is not good, though I would believe that a LOT of americans have it. Did you know, we are just about the only place that uses it? It is because america grows the corn. Go back to the pilgrims, we were growing the corn the most over other countries. So we use it. Coca Cola in other countries uses sugar, but because HFCS is so cheap they use it here. Some of the ways to make HFCS is altering it using mercury. Not always, but there is no way to tell which ones have mercury and which don't.

The second reason. Fructose. I have become convinced, due to reading, that fructose is not good. Unfortunately a lot of people switch to Agave nectar because it is 'natural'. Well, its not really. It's basically maple syrup, except has fructose, and lots of it. Even more so than HFCS!

Whats bad about fructose? Well, studies have shown that fructose is sweeter, making you gain weight faster by it. Fructose is broken down much faster, and converted to fat.They have shown also that your risk of heart disease and cancer are higher when eating fructose. What about fruit, doesn't it have fructose? Well, yes. But in much smaller amounts and fruit has so many nutrients and vitamins. So, eating fructose in its natural form is fine, its when it is concentrated like in HFCS and in Agave nectar.

So, what should I use? Well, we use Sugar for a lot of things, which is mostly sucrose. For special diets we have xylitol. Which though expensive is one of my favorite and probably the best sweetener substitute. It is 1:1 with sugar which is why it is expensive. It was actually invented so to speak by the Fins in Finland. Right after World War 1 I think. They had a shortage of sugar and found that the sap of birch trees contains high amounts of xylitol, a sugar alcohol. Alcohol, I'll get drunk? No, sugar alcohol means your body absorbs the xylitol like the way it absorbs alcohol, instead of absorbing it like sugar. Xylitol is use in gum in america, but not much else. In Finland and a lot of europe it is much more popular.

The other sweetener I like is stevia. Some people don't like the flavor, but I love it. I put it on cereal and in baking things, but I am just about the only one who eats it. My mom and a lot of people don't like the sorta aftertaste, some what like licoruse. It is much cheaper than sugar though. And the ratio can be as high as 300stevia to 1 sugar! So, buying a small container is like buying 50 pounds of sugar.

I hate aspartame, it makes you fatter, slowing your metabolism. Along with other side affects. I am not totally against Splenda, but don't know as much about it. I would prefer splenda over aspartame.

Any questions that I might be able to answer? : )


English Vintner