Bird Brains

Humming Bird Nectar

1 part sugar to 4 parts water

boil mixture and let cool

refrigerate extra

Suet

Nuthatches, Woodpeckers, Creepers, Chicadees, Titmice, Kinglets

Cracked Corn

Blue Jays, Crows, Pigeons, Doves, Turkey, Pheasant

Ok, I intended to put more stuff here tonight, but it's getting late and I think I'm going to bed instead... but I am thinking of bird feeders and what types of feed I could grow myself, even if just in small quantities.

Garlic

Garlic! That most divine and smelly of alliums! No need to worry about how long garlic will store through the winter in our house - so far, I've not grown enough to make it from the early June harvest to the new year! But perhaps this year will be different. 102 cloves went into the ground last Autumn. Maybe this year we will have enough garlic to make it well past Christmas and into the New Year... or maybe, with more garlic, we will just eat more garlic before Christmas and the New Year!

Yes, you can grow the stuff from the grocery store, but, in my humble opinion, the hard neck stuff is much better. My favorite for two years running is "Siberian" - puts up with single digit winters, triple digit summers and relatively flaky watering patterns. Last year was my first year growing garlic and I only kept one bulb of my Siberian for planting out, choosing, instead, to eat most of it. This year, with more in the ground and a goodly fence to keep out marauding dogs (mine), I am hoping that I will feel like I have enough for consumption that I will actually save more for seed stock. If I can plant more and more and save more and more, then I won't have to spend more and more for garlic. In fact, it will start costing less and less to grow it. Then, the really good stuff, I will carefully pack and bring with us when we move. By then, I should hopefully have a second favorite (hopefully with different colored skins or cloves so I can easily tell them apart). I want to have "generations" of my garlic so that I can pass on seed bulbs to my children to grow - a stinky, yet tasty legacy!

Garlic should be planted about 6 inches or so apart, and in zone 6, about 2 inches deep. A good mulch will help keep the garlic from heaving during thaw-freeze cycles. It will also supress weeds and help moderate water loss and keep the soil cool when the heat strikes. With hardneck garlic, all the cloves are large, so none go in the cooking pot. Another thing to do with little cloves is to plant them barely an inch apart and grow them like green onions. Yummy in stir fry. One hardneck bulb breaks down into 5 or 6 cloves. Not a bad return on investment.

And, of course, some obligatory garlic resources:

• Garlic Seed Foundation - "an informal organization of growers and eaters allium sativum dedicated to its consumption and production."
  
  


• Organic Garlic Growing Info from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
  


• No Till Garlic - again from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service
  
  
  
• Garlic Growing from the Garlic Store. This is where I by my "seed garlic"
  


• From About.com - a good little overview of garlic and garlic growing.
  


• Some nice pictures:
  http://www.kispiox.com/photogallery/garden_flowers/pages/garlic_june.html, http://www.flickr.com/photos/cookingdiva/66006926/ , http://www.flickr.com/photos/joecortes/344444321/ , http://www.flickr.com/photos/wendymerle/163952376/

Apple Trees

It's still only February, and with more freezes on the way, we certainly hope the apple trees are not blooming now. Still, the thought of their sweet, pale pink blossoms on a 60*F day like today could make one believe that Winter had gone away for good. But fear not, Old Man Winter has plenty more in store for us.

Apple trees seem like they would be the perfect tree for a small, sustainable, organic farm. A standard tree, her trunk protected by stout fencing, could provide welcomed shade in a pasture for sheep or goats. As she matured, she would provide not only shade, but fruit for both livestock and human and wildlife alike. Branch trimmings could contribute to the wood pile, and choice wood chips could smoke some delicious hams. Autumn leaves could be left to enrich the floor under her canopy and also be used to make compost. Animal wastes and compost would return to the tree to complete the cycle.

Or, perhaps, a small orchard of semi-dwarf trees, coming into fruit only a few years after becoming established. At spacings of 12 - 15 feet on center, you could grow several apple varieties and enjoy fresh apples over the course of several months.

And what to do with all those apples? Chickens and goats and horses and sheep and swine, and, of course, people, all like to munch on apples. Apple juice and sweet and hard cider can be pressed - and the "waste" pulp can be fed to livestock, too. For more human style consumption, there is, of course, apple pie and apple tarts and apple fritters. And, while certainly, there are special "pie" type apples, I have had pies made with several types of "non-pie" apples and they were all delicious. ... and of course, apple butter and apple sauce and candied apples, baked apples and dried "apple leather" are other ways to eat them.

Generally speaking, you can find most fruit trees, including apple trees, in 3 sizes: standard, semi-dwarf and dwarf. Some varieties also come in "miniature." Standard size trees grow large - these are the giant old, gnarled apple trees you find in homes that are a half a century or older. 20 feet or taller with an equally wide canopy. They may mature and start producing fruit later than their semi-dwarf and dwarf relatives, but they are also in it for the long haul.

Semi-dwarf and dwarf trees are grafted to a "dwarfing root stock" - which keeps the trees themselves smaller, but does not affect the size of the fruit. These trees tend to mature more quickly and be of a size that makes taking care of them easier - especially for short people like me. Semi-dwarfs growing about 15 ft tall and 15 ft wide and dwarfs about 10 ft tall and 10 ft wide. A drawback of semi-dwarf and dwarf trees, however, is that they may need staking for their whole lives, being that the "dwarfing root stock" is not as vigorous or strong as the standard root stock.

You will need at least two trees from different "lineages" to cross pollinate and produce fruit. Reputable fruit tree catalogs and websites will tell you which types are compatable for cross pollination.

As for varieties of apples, there is a type of apple for nearly every climate.

Stark Brothers lists apples that will grow from zone 4 to zone 9, in colors from pale gold and bright green to rose blushed, classic red to a deep red-black. To add to the variety, there are also hardy, spicey and tart crab apples.

I can see pairs of semi-dwarf apple trees dotted around the property

• A pair just outside the chicken runs - shade and food near by, fallen leaves for the hens to play in during autumn.
• A pair at the north entrance to the fenced garden - one on each side of the garden gate - some shade in the summer from which to survey the gardens, with a handy snack near by. Leaves close by to gather into the compost bins
• A pair to frame the front entrance - roots not as invasive as bigger trees, spring flowers and fragrance - maybe crab apples here.
• A small group in the pasture, trunks and main rooting areas fenced off from sharp hoofs, but still providing some shade and munchies.
• Maybe a standard tree or two on the edge of a clearing in the woods - no staking, no tying, no fuss - a few fruits for us, but mostly something for the wildlings and for the future

Some resources:

• Dave's Garden - look in the fruits forum.
  
• Stark Brothers - where I purchased from a few years ago - very helpful staff; informative catalog; reasonable prices. We'll see in a few years how the trees do.
  
• The Virtual Orchard - interesting site; this article deals with bees and pollination.

Why this is not called "Sustainable Living Dreams"

In my dreams, I am living in a small cabin in a large woods. I have a little clearing where I have a fenced garden with raised beds of veggies, a small orchard and a fish pond. I use solar energy for heating, hot water and electricity. I live simply, my only extravagance a laptop and a satellite dish Internet connection. And, perhaps, a radio and probably a cell phone. I would raise and preserve all my own food and spend time communing with the trees.

But this is not my husband's dream. He wants a large "suburban" house and wants to be a "gentleman farmer" if farmer at all. More, I suspect, he just wants to live in a more rural setting. He wants a modern home, big screen TV, a tile shower. A place to bring old cars and trucks back to life.

But, at least, we both love trees. So, if he can have his modern conveniences, he is content to let me "do my silly farming thing." It's a compromise on both sides. Both of us have had to give up major parts of our dreams so that we could accommodate parts of the other's dreams. Still, I think, neither one of us would be content with even the best possible outcome of our own dreams if we couldn't have each-other. So, we compromise. And in doing so, we can "have our cake and eat it too." Just a little smaller piece of cake. But cake is very rich and sweet, so even a small slice is pretty splendid. Especially if it is German Chocolate Cake.

So we go forth, planning and plotting and dreaming of Our Place in the Country.

Woodlot Ideas

The groves were God's first temples.

~William Cullen Bryant, "A Forest Hymn"

I dream of several acres of trees - indeed, perhaps even a piece of property mostly wooded.

They say that you can harvest about a cord of wood from one acre of wooded land from prunings, dead wood, thinnings and such without harming or depleting the woodlot. While we may not completely heat by wood, especially in the beginning, I definitely want a woodlot for firewood harvesting. Wood for the fireplace, wood for the fire pit (for just enjoyment or for roasting a suckling pig), wood for chips for smoking meat.

Besides firewood, I desire wood for building with. Wood for fence posts or for making compost bins or for making furniture or artwork. Wood to surround me in my home.

And, would I be able to grow sugar maples? Wild bramble berries? Delicate woodland flowers?

And, of course, a woods to just to hide in and be at peace with the trees.

Some woodlot resources:

• Working Safely in the Woods - From the National Ag Safety Database
• TN Woodlot Management Handbook - Aimed at the larger woodlot, but still many ideas that can be used or modified for a smaller one. Road building, erosion control, tree thinning and planting, and much more. Not organically aimed, but still, some very good information.
• Fact Sheet from Cornell University - A little easier to digest than the Tennessee handbook - but, of course, therefore not as in depth
• Your Celtic Tree Horoscope - A little fun. According to this site, I am a Birch: "Birch people tend to be hard-working and ambitious, with strong leadership qualities. You are generally loyal and faithful, although you may tend to hide your feelings."

Some Resources

The web is a vast vat of knowledge. Anything can be found if you are diligent in the pursuit; however, things are just as easily lost. With so much information, it is difficult to remember where things are. So here are the results of some of my wanderings.

Resources

• Dave's Garden - Far and away the best gardening site I've seen. Includes forums for every type of gardening you can imagine - vegetable, flower, tomato, morning glories, seed starting, composting, etc. - but also forums on sustainable living, farming, market gardening and other topics of interest and of use for people wishing to live closer to the earth. In addition, there is an awesome plant and insect/bug database. A kind and gentle site that does not tolerate flaming, rudeness or personal attacks - truly a place where the Spirit of the Gardener can flourish.




• Territorial Seeds - Well organized website, good selection of open pollinated seed. I have personally ordered from them on several occations and the seed is quite viable. I never use all the seeds in a particular packet and their seed stays viable for several years.




• USDA National Agricultural Library (NAL) Sustainable Ag Publications - Lots of interesting things here. One of the things that can be found are some profiles of people practicing sustainable agriculture. Our tax dollars doing something useful.




• Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education - Yes, more useful stuff from the government!




• National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service - ok, and one last government web site. In fact, this is the one that got me started down the road to sustainability.




• McMurray Chicken Hatchery




• Cackle Hatchery




• Journey To Forever - Their aim is to "help people fight poverty and hunger, and to help sustain the environment we all must share." They have articles both about their project and "How To" articles for farmers, for the organic gardener and more. Worth checking out.




• WindPower - one person's adventure with small scale wind power generation. Includes lots of "How To" info.

Hating The Concrete Jungle

I know that the job is paying for the land I currently enjoy and is helping us to move towards purchasing the land and future of our dreams, but I sure do hate it when I have to spend time in California. Traffic. Rude Drivers. Sirens. Cars at all times of the day and night. Weak, dying trees valiantly surviving in smog, reflected heat off of the asphalt, lack of rain or nutrients and a host of other items bent on their destruction. My determination to retire from this mess is renewed. Tomorrow I return home to check on garlic and fruit trees and sleep in my own bed.

Random Chicken Thoughts

Seems like having a small flock of chickens is madatory before you can be considered a farmer, sustainable, organic - or not. Besides the lure of fresh eggs and non-medicated chicken meat, there seems to be some deep seated need to have chickens clucking and scratching in the yard. And, according to Gene Logsdon in The Contrary Farmer, "You can raise four hens in the backyard easier than you cn keep a dog..."

One of my favorite magazines is called "Back Yard Poultry." While aimed at the non-farming small flock owner, their articles cover all sorts of small flock management of use to first time farmer. They cover chickens, ducks, geese and other birds.

Another site that I found entertaining and informative is Backyard Chickens .

Large commericial chicken "factories" want heavy layers, but a small, family operation may do better to have a "dual purpose" mean & eggs breed. Right now, I am thinking of Silver Laced Wyandottes. They are cold-hardy, pretty, docile and good layers of brown eggs. Visit the McMurray Hatchery to get an idea of the variety of chickens (and other poultry) that is available by mail order.

Keep on Keeping on

Even the merest gesture is Holy if it is filled with Faith.


Franz Kafka (1883-1924)

Austrian writer

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Some times it feels like this is such an overwhelming goal that not only will I not be able to accomplish it, I feel like I won't even be able to leave where I am and move. Both figuratively and litterally. So every day I resolve to spend at least 1/2 hour on something small towards this goal. 1/2 hour for 7 days is 3 1/2 hours a week. Times 52 weeks is 182 hours - or 4 1/2 fourty hour work weeks. Done in little increments, I can surely do this.

Going on a business trip - will be gone for 5 days. I shall bring some reading on this topic. Also, I will have internet access, so I can do research and post to my blogs while I am gone.

And, when I get back, it will be time to start seeds for spring planting! I used peat pots last year, and while successful, are not really sustainable. This year I will use up the peat pots I have and also start seedlings in flats of used plastic meat trays from the grocery. At least the meat trays will be used more than once before becoming landfill.

Pasture Seeding Rates

I can't help it. There is a part of me, deeply rooted in my genes, that desires to see cows chewing cud on lush, green pastures. I once had a one way commute of over an hour a day - the only thing that kept me sane was that part of that drive took me through rolling green (green in February and March, anyway) and brown hills filled with fat and sassy "white faced black cows" and their calves.

That having been said, yes, I know the photo has nothing to do with pastures. Most of my photos are on CDs right now and I didn't see any photos of cows or pastures. So here, at least, are some legumes - sugar snap peas, to be exact.

Anyhow, these seeding rates are from The Contrary Farmer by Gene Logsdon. Keep in mind, they relate to the area where he farms and may not be applicable to where you and I end up sending down roots... but at least it gives one a starting point. Armed with these figures, you can then calculate some gross costs. You can then take that information and accost your friendly neighborhood Agricultural Extension person to get figures and ideas more suited to your particular situation.

But, do read the book - it is much more informative and entertaining than the bare bones listed here. This info can be found in the chapter titled, "A Paradise of Meadows."

Note: This is not a "mixture" of what to plant, but individual amounts if you were to sow a pasture of each grass or legume.

• Bluegrass (as in "Kentucky Bluegrass") : 10 - 15 lbs per acre




• White Clover (aka "Little Dutch") : 2 lbs per acre




• Red Clover: 8 - 12 lbs per acre




• Alfalfa: 8 - 12 lbs per acre




• Timothy (sow with clovers): 10 lbs per acre




• Orchard Grass: 15 lbs per acre




• Landino Clover: 2 lbs per acre