Garden Progress

After an iffy start, the garden seems to be coming along.  This is the weeded part.  I'm ashamed to post the unweeded part!

Leading the charge are the cucumbers. Jackson Classic Pickling Cucumbers, to be exact. From the looks of things, I may be buried in cucumbers...  I already have enough for the first batch of lime pickles.  I've never had much luck with dills, but would love to give them another try.  There should be a trick to keeping them fairly crisp - that is where I have failed in the past.  If anyone knows this bit of sorcery, please share!

The squash is starting to produce just a bit.  They didn't weather the heavy rain as well as everything else.  So far the tomatoes are doing well, as is the okra.  On the tomato list there is Cherokee Purple, Super Sioux, Legend and some pre-Monsanto Big Beef (older seed).  Unfortunately, I've forgotten the variety of okra.  The beans are climbing their strings and will wrap around your leg if you stand still too long near them.  They are Gita, which is a long, slender gourmet bean with a nice nutty flavor.  And when I say long, I mean 18-20 inches long!  They are also stringless with a nice bean production.  I also planted a few 'greasy beans' for a dear friend.  Those are a first for me, so I'm not sure what to expect.

 

Soon I will be transplanting broccoli and cauliflower, and propagation in the greenhouse seems never-ending.  All of it keeps this Garden Girl digging in the dirt and Down To Earth!

Market Update

I will NOT be at the St. Alban's Market tomorrow (6/29/13).  I will return to the market, God willing, on Saturday, 7/6/13.  I will be at the Sewanee July 4th celebration, on (yes, you guessed it) Thursday, July 4th.  If you're up for a day trip with plenty of festivities, come visit!  The vendors will be in Shoop Park on the Sewanee campus (University of the South).  Susan Parry, glass artist extraordinaire, will also be there.
Easy to find, beautiful setting, food, festivities, parade and fireworks...what more could you ask for in a holiday celebration?

Almost Back At It!

Knock wood, this seems to be my shortest encounter with respiratory crud ever!  I've consumed elderberry, echinacea and astragalus tinctures twice a day, along with copious amounts of water and hot teas with honey.  I also did the saline sinus flush early on, which I'm sure didn't hurt and tried to get plenty of rest.  Needless to say, greenhouse stock doesn't water itself...soooo...
Oddly enough, when I would drag myself to the greenhouses to check on things (and water), my head would clear up and I could breathe freely.  Could have been the humidity or the essential oils from the plants, but I can tell you I seriously considered spending the night there!  But...visions of spiders tap-dancing all over my body put an end to that thought!
I'm hopeful that tomorrow will be even better and I can spend more time digging in the dirt!

St. Alban's Market 4/27/13 - UPDATE

Unexpected change in plans - I have come down with the same crud that my husband has had for a week.  This means I will not be able to be at the market this morning.  It could likely not be conducive to my recovery and I'm sure the customers wouldn't appreciate my presence either.
Hopefully, I will be well enough to set up next Saturday.  Sorry for any inconvenience...

St. Alban's Market 4/27/13

For those of you checking my blog, I will be at the St. Alban's Market this coming Saturday (4/27/13) from 10 a.m until 1 p.m. EST.  Since there is rain in the forecast, I will be bringing only plants.  Understandably, wet weather has a tendency to adversely affect my non-plant products.
I will have culinary and medicinal herbs, scented geraniums, butterfly bush, and horseradish.
The market is at St. Alban's Epsicopal Church  which is located on Hixson Pike, just north of Thrasher Pike and Gold Point Circle (road to Chester Frost Park).
Note:  If there are storms in the area, I will not be there.  Selling plants or any other product is not worth being struck by lightning...

Master Your Garden Expo was GREAT!

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Hamilton County Master Gardener's Expo this past weekend!  Once again, the weekend was so much more than I ever expected.  It was nice to reconnect with those I hadn't seen in a while as well as meet new friends.
Major kudos to Sue Henley and Patsy Boles for their efforts in pulling it all together - they did a fantastic job!  If there were any glitches in the execution of the event, they certainly didn't show.                                                  
 I hurriedly took this picture before customers arrived.  The booths were 10x10, so I had to cram a lot into a small space and still leave a means of 'escape'!  This girl is way too old to be jumping tables - HA!  I was in an excellent location and had very nice booth neighbors.

 

 

I had a variety of goods for folks to choose from, and choose they did! I sold out of several things and had to replenish the plant supply for the second day of the show. It was also encouraging that my new t-shirt designs were a hit as well.  In addition, I handed out every single business card I brought!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Even though I have been running a month and a half behind in the greenhouse, the spurts of nice weather and sunshine seemed to give the plants the boost they needed. When almost everything is from seed or cuttings, there is no way to 'rush' the process.  That is perhaps the most frustrating part of the growth process.  It's not like you can grab them by their little leaves and pull them up to the size you need.  In addition, there are always 'critters' that like to show up at the most inopportune times!  However, that is all a part of the natural process, particularly if you try to grow sustainably/organically.  As my Dad would have said, "the bugs have to eat, too."  I just try to make sure I deal with them so you don't have to!

 

Now it's time for rest to prepare for another day of work.  I am feeling very blessed indeed and am looking forward to creating more products, growing more plants and participating in more opportunities.

 

Until next time, stay Down To Earth!

Great Weekend at Crabtree Farms

Crabtree Farms is a rural oasis in an urban setting.  Located just south of downtown Chattanooga, they have been in existence since 1998.  From their website description:

"The mission of Crabtree Farms is to connect Chattanoogans with our local foodshed. Crabtree Farms serves the greater Chattanooga community through education and advocacy programs that teach about growing food sustainably and choosing local produce."

They have a number of events throughout the year, with one being the Spring Plant Sale.  This past weekend, I participated in that event as a vendor.  It was a stellar weekend.  The staff and volunteers were very helpful and accommodating.  Even the weather was agreeable until the last 30 minutes on Sunday - then the wind picked up and it started to rain - but still not bad, considering the potential for volatile spring weather in the Southeast.

Mark always says "Go big or go home", so I went big.  I packed as many plants as I could into the back of the SUV and he helped out with tables, tent, etc. in the truck.  My display had been updated to reflect my 'brand colors' and I had a variety of non-plant products to add to the mix.  I was also

 able to get a few market totes decorated with my logo and my new 'Garden Girl' graphic.  Saturday was sunny and relatively mild with a non-stop stream of customers.  There's no doubt that the sunshine contributed to 'plant fever'.  People of all ages were buying plants of all kinds, ranging from edibles to ornamentals.  There were boxes of various sizes along with little red wagons, all filled to capacity.  Before noon, I was calling for reinforcements and Mark brought another wave of plants.  After I got home Saturday afternoon, I loaded up additional plants to fill the voids on Sunday morning.  Sunday ended up being an overcast and much cooler day than originally expected, but there was still a decent crowd.  I was also pleased that I sold several of my non-plant products.  It was a lot of fun and a more profitable weekend than I had expected!

 

I also had great booth neighbors with great products.  On one side was Rising Dawn Boutique (www.RisingDawnBoutique.com).  This lovely young lady makes hand-tooled jewelry out of metal, wire, various stones, crochet and other mediums.  On the other side was Sequatchie Valley Institute (www.svionline.org).  They had glass work, ironwork, hand-applied batik, tie-dye and other offerings.  Their organization is involved in sustainable living education and they incorporate the craft and artwork into that multi-faceted endeavor.

 

Crabtree Farms also has other event during the year, including a Fall Plant Sale that will be on my calendar as a try-hard-to-do!  Check them out at www.crabtreefarms.org.

 

As always, keep digging in the dirt and stay Down To Earth!

Pat

Ready to Grow!

We've had soooo much rain!  I was beginning to worry about being able to till the garden spot.  Although the soil has been amended, it can still hold plenty of moisture for a very long time.  While this is good for growing, it's not so good when it's time to till.  I checked a couple of spots with a shovel late Saturday afternoon and, unbelievably, it was a go!  Grabbing a rake to go along with the shovel, I raced to clear leftover debris while Mark fired up the John Deere.  Just as it began to rain AGAIN, the first turn of the garden spot was done.  That's what I call teamwork!


Mark finishing the tilling on the old John Deere

 



I had used newspaper and mulch to suppress weed growth between the rows.  It now serves its second purpose of continuing to contribute to the amendment of the soil.  Prior to planting we will likely add a bit of sand and some compost and till that in as well.
I've already started plotting out what will go where.  Rotation of crop types in a garden is important.  With simple rotation, you can manage disease control, insect infestations, and soil nutrient balance.  A quick Internet search can provide all you want to know, from the simplest to the most elaborate plan.

It seems around greenhouses and gardens, you can never have too many wheelbarrows.  Case in point, both my 'good' wheelbarrows were full and I had to grab an old one that belonged to my Dad.  I'm really not sure how old this one was, but it soon showed its age...and croaked...right in the middle of a relatively light task. 

Needless to say, that puppy won't roll!  We haven't decided yet if we will try to resurrect it or just use it as a planter of sorts.  It has seen plenty of action over many years and even has a piece of sheet metal in the bottom from a previous repair.  Perhaps it's just time to give it a place of honor and let it literally 'push up daisies'!

More exciting things to come...Stay 'Down To Earth'!

Just Say NO to GMO's

Soapbox time...
I am truly appalled with questionable science being railroaded through the system.  Biology aside, common sense should tell you that genetically altering crops that are eventually either digested directly by us or digested by animals then eaten by us cannot be a good thing.  Our bodies recognize 'normal' food.  What happens when our bodies are confronted with a Frankenfood to digest?  I say no one knows.
Bills have passed and signatures have dried, but don't stop raising a ruckus about our right to safe, normal food and the right to know what we are eating.  Do your research, read both sides, learn exactly what is done to create GMO's.  Learn as much as you can to avoid these foods and do what you can to select non-GMO food. 
I fear that it is too late - but please keep fighting the good fight.

"There's a Change in the Weather, There's a Change in Me"

It has been quite some time since I've made any blog posts, mostly because I was too involved in other things.  Much has changed since the last post and it will be a different story going forward.

In a nutshell, I am no longer affiliated with Possum Creek Herb Farm as of mid-July, 2012.  Now it is back to my own shingle of Down To Earth.  The logo has been slightly revamped, but the vision remains the same.  Here is the bolder, fresher logo:

 

On labels and such, I am using just the 'Down To Earth' portion, because it can stand on its own and takes up less space.  The whole shebang goes on signs and banners.

I took a well-deserved breather to collect my thoughts, evaluate ideas, formulate some new products and tweak existing products, as well as design some t-shirts and other gift ideas.  Those will be featured in future blogs.

 

During this time, I spent over a month caring for an ailing family dog (Barney), who recovered only to die unexpectedly right after the first of the year from a completely unrelated issue.  We love our critters...they are like members of our family, so this was particularly devastating to both my husband and me.  Barney was our little clown and provided years of companionship and joy to us.  While time heals, it is very slow going.  There still isn't a day that passes where we can't help but get a bit misty-eyed thinking about our little buddy.

This picture gives a small peek into his personality and spirit.  He lived to play ball and play with "Mr. Fox" (his favorite toy).

 

As it is said, life goes on and time waits for no one.  I hope to be adding regular additions to the blog, displaying my new creations and documenting adventures as I resurrect the business that I left idle for far too long.

Until then, hug your critters, keep diggin' in the dirt and stay Down To Earth!

Pat

 

 

 



Is Christmas Over Already?

Seems like it was just Thanksgiving and now Christmas has come and gone. We had a good Christmas in spite of the fact that Mark's mom went to the ER on 12/23 and has been in the hospital ever since with gall bladder issues. We've done a lot of running back and forth.

Like most folks, we cut back on Christmas spending this year. Mark and I still got special things for each other and I did a lot of homemade gifts to give. We had our annual Christmas Eve soiree. It was a lot of fun. This year it was pretty much all family. Our friend Cindy and her daughter stopped by for a few minutes on her way home from her parents' house.

Here's our tree. It's pretty much all non-breakable/natural material ornaments except for the lights. Mark put it up and decorated it. I think he did a great job. He also did a really good job with his wrapping this year!

Throughout the evening, the piano was the most popular spot for the kids, much to the dismay of the dogs. I'm pretty sure it hurt their ears, but they made the best of it.

Mark and his brother and sister were all pooped from doing the hospital visits. The taller boy with curly blond hair at the piano is her son.

I was glad that my cousin and uncle came. The girl and small boy at the piano are her kids. They live in Georgia and we don't see them very often. We always have fun and we should really try to get together more often.



I was sorry that the rest of the invitees couldn't make it (Michele and her boys had family obligations, my brother and his wife had other commitments, and my other uncle and aunt had all-day visitors). I'll get their goodies to them as soon as we can merge schedules. Geez, remember how simple life used to be? Where did that go?

It's just hard to believe it all came and went so quickly. Soon it will be a brand new year.

Fill 'Er Up

Not the gas tank, although the price per gallon has certainly been more tolerable - almost unbelievable. I'm talking greenhouses. It seems that as soon as there is some free space, it starts filling back up.

In a couple of weeks' time, it went from this:

to this:

...and then some.

And the dirt is still flying. It slows me down to have to clean trays as I go, but that's just the way it is. When you're the chief cook and bottle washer, you have to wash bottles as well as cook. No problem. I just keep plugging along.

Last Chattanooga Market Event for 2008

Hearye! Hearye! Come one, come all!

The Chattanooga Market's Holiday Market will be this Saturday and Sunday, December 6th & 7th. This will be the last time the market will be open in 2008. The times are:

Saturday, 12/6 from 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, 12/7 from 12:00 Noon until 6:00 p.m.

If you haven't finished your Christmas shopping, or maybe need to pick up some stocking-stuffers or teacher's gifts, or you just need to kick-start your holiday spirit, you need to make it a point to visit the Chattanooga Market this weekend. Help local/regional artists, crafters and small businesses by leaving some of your Christmas shopping dollars in Chattanooga!

A Heart of Gratitude

I am thankful for:

• Salvation, grace and mercy as a believer in Jesus Christ. I fail daily, but pick myself back up again and try to keep fighting the good fight.
• Mark, my husband. He always supports me, helps me and actually believes in me more than I believe in myself. He is off from work this week. Work has been increasingly stressful for him, so I'm glad he took some time off. He's cooking the Thanksgiving turkey a la Alton Brown.
• Reasonably good health. Aging is not for sissies, but any complaint I have pales in comparison to the suffering of others.
• Wonderful friends. I don't have many friends, but the ones I have are tried and true.
• Enough. Enough food to eat, clothes to wear, water to drink - basic needs met - which is more than many people in the world can say.
• Being an American. On it's worst day, she's still the best country in the world. I'm thankful for my freedom and know that it comes at a price. I'm thankful for those who sacrifice much to defend her. I worry that so many people seem to have forgotten that freedom isn't free. I'd like for everyone to find a copy of the Constitution, Bill of Rights and Declaration of Independence and read them - thoroughly, without interjecting any personal prejudice.
• My personal history. All families put the 'fun' in dysfunctional. There are not 'normal' families. But as I am in different gatherings, talking about people and things that have happened throughout my life and even before I was born, I am reminded of what a colorful history I have. There is good and there is bad (well, not real bad) but it all makes me who I am and that's OK by me.

This certainly isn't an all-inclusive list, but it covers the top 7. Since 7 is the number of completion, I'll stop here. I'm not sure, but I think I heard someone gagging...ha!

Return From Paradise

In my mind, Callaway Gardens = Paradise. I've often said that I would like to take a busload of atheists to Callaway and then have them tell me there is no God. The most elaborate cathedral of the wealthiest congregation cannot hold a candle to the magnificence of God's creation.

The weather was nothing short of perfect - not too hot, not too cold, clear skies, cool breezes. We went a week later than usual. Unfortunately, a lot of the gardens were in transition. Even so, I still managed to get some pretty good pics.

Plus had some critter sightings, which is always a good thing. I saw the fattest chipmunks I have ever seen. No pics of them, though. They are quick to dive into a hole. There was a gray squirrel really pissed that I was walking down 'his' path. He barked at me from a branch directly over my head. I laughed out loud, thinking of the scene that would ensue if he decided to pounce upon my head!

Before we left, I got some great pics of fox squirrels. Usually they are very reclusive. I don't know what has happened, but these guys (or gals or both) almost hammed for the camera. I was within 10-15 feet of them and they didn't even offer to run away. Just too cool!!

I don't think I've ever seen so few people there. Indicative of the economy/gas prices, I'm sure. However, that did make it nice and quiet & we got a much needed break from daily life. Now we'll be looking forward to going again.

Chattanooga Market Visitors

Last Sunday, October 12th, some people I used to work with came by the Chattanooga Market. While I don't miss the Corporate world one iota, I do miss my comrades from the trenches. More times than not, it was the clever remarks, jokes, and general frustration-sharing that made it all bearable.

Paul and Dan work in R&D/Product Development. Dan is based in Chattanooga, but Paul works in the tech center in Chicago. I hadn't seen him in quite a while. (Paul on the left, Dan on the right)

Libby, who works in accounting, had a new camera and was capturing the moments! "A leetle snap-happy with the new camera, no?" She was still learning about what it would do, but still took some great pictures of everyone. There was a little hiccup in downloading them, but that was cleared up in no time. The more she uses it the easier it will get. I know that from experience!

There were pics we didn't even know she had taken of us toiling away (yeah, right!). She was sneaky!


However, she wasn't as thrilled to have the camera turned on her!! She tried to scoot away, but I caught her - with my cell phone camera!

Dane and his lady friend Meg were there, too. Dane is a pretty regular visitor to the Market. Currently, he works in payroll, but has worked in production, quality and environmental. At one point he was the president of the LEPC for Hamilton County (way to go, Dane!). He always stops by every time he's there. Aren't they a good looking couple? I've got my fingers crossed!


Bree and her friend Mary came by as well, but managed to dodge the snap-happy Libby.

It was really great to see everyone. When you work together for so long, and survived some of the rough times, it's like family. I hope they are able to come back for Oktoberfest on October 25th and 26th and bring others with them! I always like seeing my peeps!!

Cuttings and More Cuttings!

When most people are watching the last bits of their once lush gardens succumb to the autumn changes, we are already full steam into the next growing season. The work is hard and often tedious, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

In the past 10 or so days, I have done approx. 3200 cuttings of a variety of plants (but who's counting?). About a third or so of those were done with help from my friend Cindy. We spent 2 full evenings working with these tiny pieces of plant material, dusting their sometimes thread-like stems with rooting powder and sticking them into potting soil in plug trays. Some of the little sprigs looked pretty sad, but we gave them a fighting chance. Of course, after a few hundred you need some kind of relief, so margaritas were in order. It didn't have any negative effect on the planting quality, but it did increase the giggle factor exponentially!

Here are the fruits of my/our labor:

Needless to say, I'm almost cross-eyed and am going through the motions of sticking these little sprigs in my sleep! But hey, I can't complain - it's improving the profit margin!!

Fall in the Garden

The beans and squash are long gone and the tomatoes are slowing down. If I can get enough ripe tomatoes to can a little bit of juice, then the remaining green ones will go into green tomato relish. The okra is still bearing, but some of the plants have gotten so tall, I can't pick it! That job will now have to go to dh, Mark. Since he's 6' 5", he's the only one who can reach them without a ladder!

I planted swiss chard, red leaf lettuce, turnip greens, collards, mustard and kale. They are coming along nicely and will love the cooler weather over the next several days. Who am I kidding? We're ALL loving the cooler weather. The turnip greens have reached a nice size, so I harvested some for supper. There were a few of the other greens that looked pickable, so I threw them in, too.

The spinach and beets had to be replanted, as the first go-around didn't fair so well. I'm not sure if it was the heat at the time, or maybe I didn't water enough. I've also added about 30 or so broccoli plants.

I've already decided that I will expand the size of the garden for next season and try a few new things along with the normal fare. It will take multiple tillings over the winter to make it work, but I think it can be done. With the batch of compost that is brewing in the tumbler and maybe a cover crop of red clover, the soil should be workable.

I love my garden!

A Hint of Fall

It may still be hot outside, but there are definitely signs of fall. Something about the quality or smell of the air, the breeze that doesn't feel like a dragon's breath, or maybe it's that the humidity has dropped a bit from 190%!
Fall is my favorite time of year. I'm hoping we have a decent fall season, but the dry weather may cause the leaves to fall more quickly. At any rate, the respite from the heat will be welcome. Plus, fall means vacation and we already have reservations for a few days at Callaway Gardens.
Now that I'm 'greenhousing', fall is the busiest time of year. Within days we will be sowing perennial seeds and sticking cuttings. Mark still has tables to finish and I still have pots and trays to clean. There will have to be a dirt run soon, because all I have left is what is in the potting tub. Each year brings learnings, and I am going to try to do a few things differently this season. Maybe they will improve my productivity. However, I'm thinking the best thing for my productivity would be for my internet service to go on the blink!!!

Goodies From The Garden

Even though the garden had a late start, we are reaping the rewards. I absolutely love picking the garden goodies. Here is part of a recent haul:

I have frozen 12-15 quarts of Enterprise hybrid squash, a few quarts of Taxi yellow tomatoes and a quart or 2 of Starship patty pan squash. I am in the process of canning the combo of Blue Lake and Kentucky Blue green beans. The Soleil wax beans are still growing and maturing.

The Celebrity tomato bushes are loaded, as are the Health Kicks and Big Beef. As soon as the Celebs mature, the canning of tomatoes, sauce and juice will begin.

In spite of the ever-present weed population, it is a satisfying feeling to walk into the garden. It was so hot when the seedlings were planted, I wasn't sure we would get much of anything in the way of a harvest. Now that the veggies are coming in, I'm hoping that the 'season' doesn't run out on us before everything is done!