Strawberry Pyramids

When we first started wanting to grow more of our own fruit, strawberries were top on our list. I remembered the strawberry patch fondly from my childhood but knew the traditional patch would not work in our small urban yard. Through research, I found the strawberry pyramid. It allows you to have 50 plants within a 6-foot diameter section of your yard. In addition, it looks pretty (strawberries have beautiful white blooms in the spring). You can make your own tiers or buy prefabbed ones from seed catalogs. We did the prefabbed route because the pyramid and strawberries came all together in a package and were about the same price as buying materials and strawberries separate. Ours are circular but you can also use other shapes.

When considering bed placement remember that strawberries reproduce by sending out daughters so they can easily spread. We have ours placed where they can be easily trimmed.

Sections are laid in pyramid fashion on top of each other: layer 1=6 ft diameter; layer 2=4 ft; layer 3=2ft. 26 plants go in bottom tier, 17 in middle tier and 7 in top tier. The roots should all be planted facing towards the center of the pyramid.

The best time to plant strawberries is in the spring. After planting, water regularly until established. Strawberries, like other garden plants, should have about an inch of water a week.

Now, here is the hard part. To allow them to get established, pinch off blooms for a couple of months. This allows the plant to get established before doing the hard work of producing fruit. It will be worth it in the end. We are picking about 1-2 quarts a day off of our first pyramid we established last summer.

We have loved having fresh strawberries with our meals. In addition, we freeze them, make jam and strawberry shortcake with them.

Chickens

Success has been had in getting the chickens to sleep on the perch instead of the nest box. It took a while. One by one they have begrudgingly slept on the perch. Tonight,the third chicken finally gave in and when I looked in on them, they were all asleep on it. We will leave the screen up over the nest boxes for a while though until the habit is well established.

Today, has been a hard work day. We finished planting all the new bed in the front yard. Mary has spent the day following behind putting down cardboard boxes and then putting down mulch on top of them. We are hoping to have most of the new bed mulched before leaving on vacation so we don't come back to a mess of weeds.

Our friend dropped off a load of firewood for our fire pit outside tonight. It should easily hold us for a while. Our driveway is full of firewood and mulch instead of cars right now. The only vehicle that fits is Chuck's motorcycle. It is the price of progress on a big project.

Another friend dropped off pallets yesterday that we are going to recycle into compost bins. Our current compost pile was supposed to be temporary but has been there now several years. It is time to move it. We are outgrowing the space now that we are expanding our gardening.

Our backyard is a mess temporarily. Between the cardboard boxes for the mulch, pallets, fire wood and mulch itself it is quite filled up. Should have it all put away in a couple of weeks. It will be worth it too when we get it all done. Luckily no guests or get-togethers planned in the near future.

Farm Day Visit

We spent the day at our friend's farm in Richmond today. This afernoon was spent playing and petting their baby llama who is about 4 weeks old. She is really getting interested in us and came over several times to investigate and let us pet her. Eventually,she started following us around the pasture when we were down there. She will even nuzzle your cheek with her nose if you lean over. What a joy to earn a new animals trust and to see her jumping and frolicking with the other animals.

Their neighbor came over to visit. He has an orchard with several types of fruit trees and small fruits. There were a few plums left on his tree and he invited us to pick and eat them. The kids were with us so we each had at least part of one. Yum! They were so juicy and sweet. There were also a few blackberries ripe so he invited us to pick a few of them to eat. What a nice midday snack!

The kids spent the afternoon altenating between the pool and the slip n' slide. Chuck joined us down there after work. Herb and Chuck spent the evening in the workshop doing projects together. Makenzie's highlight of the day was getting a horse back ride this evening. She loves riding their horses and it is so good for her physically.

It was such a fun, relaxing day. We always look forward to our visits.

Silence

Today, we worshipped for the first time down in our outdoor worship area at church since its update by the youth a couple of weeks ago. Even though it was muggy and hot, there was a gentle breeze and it was very pleasant down there. What a different way to worship. Being out in nature has always been my quiet place and where I feel closest to God. Some of it I think is it gets rid of all the distractions that our modern world has to offer.

I especially thought about silence tonight during our evening worship service. We watched a piece by Rod Bell about finding God in the silence. It talked about noise and how it is everywhere in our lives. I was reminded once again how important finding disciplined silence is so important in my spiritual growth.

Over the years, we have tried to decrease the "modern noise" in our home. We do not watch TV much and do not have cable so we are not tempted by so many choices of things to watch. Until Wii came about, we had banned all video games from our house. The Wii is used when there are not many opportunities for exercise such as a rainy day or cold/hot weather. Even when we play it we tend to do it as a group. One plays while others watch and then we take turns. We have simple cell phones (no I-phones and such) so they do not rule our lives. Music is an important part of our lives but it is not left on in the background as a constant noise source either. None of these things are bad in and of themselves but we find that they can quickly decrease the amount of time we actually spend in conversation with each other.

One thing I started with the girls when they were little is each day in the afternoon we try to take some quiet time. This was started as our children gave up their nap times and I found I needed that quiet break each day. We have found it to be quite nice. We take this time to usually read or even catnap. I realized later it was also good for the girls to learn that quiet time is an important time for them also. It can recharge your batteries especially on a busy or difficult day.

What does your family do for quiet? Do you set aside time for yourself to have some silence?
Try to set aside a little time this week and see what happens. You might be surprised. We were.

Onions

This year we tried something new with our onions. We bought bulbs (locally we finally found them at Southern States) and planted them in the fall. We covered them with Ramey cloth which had been recommended to me by a master gardener. We left the cloth on all winter and took it off when you would normally plant onion sets. It worked well and we now our harvesting large, mature onions. This will allow us to harvest these onions and plant another crop there and harvest it before the end of the season.


Having such a small area to use for a garden, I need to get the most out of it I can. I try to plant 2-3 crops per row each season. I try to plant something new each time a crop is completed. This fall I will use Ramey cloth and hoops to hopefully extend my fall vegetable crops into the early winter months. I am still learning and experimenting with this and get better at it each year.


Ramey cloth is a new tool for me to use. I found mine at Fayette Seed and Southern States. Locally, it is also called "tobacco cloth". It is a light weight fabric with small holes which lets air in but protects the plants from the cold.

Growing onions like this was such a success I will definitely try this method again next year. For those of you living further north (we live in zone 6) I don't know if it will work for you. Check around with other gardeners or your local extension agent.

Moss Roses

A few years ago, I gave up planting annual flowers (die each year) in my flower beds. I found it too hard to keep up with the watering and each summer I ended up with a bunch of dead annuals way before the first frost which should have been their demise. Instead, I started putting them in pots and setting them in strategic places within the landscaping. I found watering of these plants to be much easier.

The exception to this rule is the annual, moss rose. They have succulent type leaves and are very drought tolerant (or in my case forgiving if I forget to water them). They are also a good green choice because they require less watering. They have pretty quarter-size flowers which you can get in many colors. Someone at a plant sale recommended them to me when I was looking for a plant that would sustain harsh conditions in one of my beds. They actually thrived where many other plants had died.

You can find them at most of your box store places as well as green houses among the more common annual flowers.

Gooseberries

Tonight, we picked our first gooseberries. We had a total of 10 berries but were excited to have those our first year. The berries taste is sweet mixed with a slight hint of tartness. Yum! It was the first time Mary had ever had one and she seemed pleasantly surprised with their taste.

Last year, I planted my first bush (a Hanoki Red) but almost lost it. The book said "full sun" so I planted it in the front flower bed. I forgot that gooseberries naturally grow in colder climates. This year, I transplanted it where it gets some afternoon shade and it is thriving. I also added my second bush which is a Poormans. The nice thing about gooseberries is they are self-fruitful which means they do not need another bush to pollinate it.

There are many uses for gooseberries. I originally tried to grow gooseberries here because I remember the gooseberry pies my Mom used to make when I was growing up. You can also make preserves or just eat them fresh off the bush.

One down side to gooseberries is the bushes have many small thorns. Cleaning the berries can also be time consuming as they have a small stem on both ends that has to be removed before eating them. The effort is well worth it though when you taste your first fresh one or the first pie out of the oven. Another positive is raw gooseberries are high in vitamin C and a 1 cup serving only has 66 calories and 6 grams of fiber.

As you consider different fruits to try in your landscaping consider gooseberries. You won't regret it. I'm sure looking forward to when my bushes are big enough I can make my first pie with the berries. It has been years since I have had fresh gooseberry pie.

Weeds

We have spent this week catching up on weeding. Of course it is Kentucky so it is very hot and humid. We have been getting up early to work outside, followed by inside work and then back outside after supper. We are hoping to have everything caught back up by the end of the week. The weeds got ahead of us because of me being sick followed by 2 very busy weeks. We are trying to get everything back into shape before we leave for vacation in a couple of weeks.

When the weeds are this bad, sometimes I think Round-up would be so much easier but I know that is a short term solution that is bad for groundwater and the soil (not to mention my asthma). The thought passes and I keep pulling those weeds. The best path to weed control is good mulching and plantings that fill in space followed by maintenace weeding as the weeds rear their ugly little heads. It is especially important to get the weeds before they set any seed as they will then spread their seed and provide you with more weeds next year.

Having opened so many new beds in the past couple of years, weeding is still a bigger task than I would like it to be but I know that it will get better as the plants mature. The best part will be when we start getting even more of our own fruit. All the work last year with our strawberry pyramid was well worth it as we were eating our own freshly picked organic strawberries this year so I will keep weeding.

Day in keeping chickens

Today, Mary went out to put the chickens in the run. When I walked out she was chasing a chicken around the chicken chalet because it had escaped while she was trying to transfer them. It was quite the comical sight and a nice way to start the morning.

Mary spent the evening screening over the nest boxes. The chickens have been using them to sleep at night which is a habit we need to break. We don't want them pooping all night in the box where they are going to lay eggs. It makes for very dirty eggs. We are trying to break them of this before they start laying eggs. We have not been very successful so far.

We were not able to introduce them to the perch at a young age so they are not real keen on using it for sleeping like most normal chickens do. Unfortunately, tonight they were able to get over the screen area in one section so they were all 3 trying to squeeze into a 1x1x2 foot space which was pretty funny to watch. I put the one chicken who could not fit back there on the perch and she was not real happy with it. So tonight, we have 2 chickens trying to sleep in a little area and 1 chicken trying to figure out where to sleep.

We will reattach the screen tomorrow and try putting them back on the perch tomorrow night. Hopefully, when they have no where else to sleep they will resort to the perch. Wish us luck!

Farm Life

We have good friends in Richmond who own about 10 acres. On Mondays, we try to take the day and go to their house to visit. They have all boys but are the same age as my girls and have grown up together over the years. Each day we visit is usually an adventure. They have several animals there-chickens, 3 llamas, 3 sheep, 2 alpacas, 4 horses, several goats, 4 dogs, 3 cats, 1 rabbit and pet rats. It has been nice because we all participate in the work as well as the fun.

Today, we rescued overheated animals, helped with the plants, swam and watched a baby chick being hatched. I am so thankful that my children get this small piece of farm life. It is good for them to see the miracle of new life as well as the finality of death and know that it is a natural part of life. Before we started into gardening, they saw where fruit and vegetables come from and the labor used to grow them. They gathered and ate eggs from their chickens. They have helped train animals and care for them.

You will see more posts of our adventures at their farm especially during the warmer months.

Cheap Mulch

One thing that Mary and I have found over the last couple of years is a cheaper way to mulch. We still use a thin layer of mulch but underneath of it we place a layer of newspapers or cardboard (non-glossy kind). We use at least 8 pages of newspaper or 1 layer of cardboard. I always enjoy putting these down. It is like putting together a simple jigsaw puzzle. We found this method very effective in keeping the weeds down.


The other thing that we try to do is plant our plants close enough together that they will shade out the weeds when they are mature. We also try to use native or low maintenance plants. My favorite saying is "I will water and baby it for the first year. After that if it does not live, then it was not meant for my landscaping (except for food producing plants). " This is a time saver as well as a more sustainable landscaping practice.


I thought of this subject today because Mary and I spent the afternoon laying cardboard and mulch in the new ornamental herb garden at church. Chuck had asked for some quiet time this afternoon for Father's Day and Makenzie was napping so it gave Mary and I the perfect opportunity to get some work done. We had asked congregational members to bring in extra carboard boxes and/or newspapers so we could put them under the mulch. A gentleman in the congregation had just moved to a new home so he volunteered to bring us the boxes he used as he unpacked them. It was beneficial to both of us.


Cardboard with mulch was a better option for us than black plastic and mulch om this new bed. Using the cardboard method, it allows the plants to expand while keeping the weeding to a minimum until they mature and can shade out the weeds themselves. As the cardboard composts under the mulch it will disappear as the plants get larger and also create organic matter for them. Black plastic would be there for years and not allow the plants to expand as well.


Next time, you mulch try laying cardboard or newspaper before putting down the mulch in a small area. You can compare it as time goes on to your current method of mulching and see which method in your opinion controls the weeds better and keeps the plants healthier.

Happy mulching!

Green Cleaning

This week, I was able to cheaply buy a copy of Green Cleaning for Dummies and have enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it as a good read for those who want to "green" up their cleaning. The best part is that there is a whole chapter of recipes for green cleaners.

We have been using green cleaners around our house for several years because of the allergy factor here at our house. Commercial cleaner odors and chemicals set off our asthma and allergies so they have been banished for quite a while. We have used baking soda and white distilled vinegar as our main cleaning ingredients since that time. The best part is our bill for household cleaners is a small fraction of what it cost to buy the commercial cleaners.

About two years ago we started making our own bar soap. I finally had run out of options in the commercial variety department that did not make some of us break out in a rash. As we have delved deeper into green cleaning, we have started experimenting with making our own dishwasher and laundry detergent. We have found many of these cleaners work just as well or better than their commercial counterparts.

I would encourage you to find a copy of the book sometime or do an internet search for green cleaning recipes. I will also share some of our recipes and tips in future blogs.

Happy green cleaning!

Freezing broccoli

To freeze broccoli, first soak heads in salt water bath (drives out worms). Next drain and cut it into pieces. The next step is to blanch it. This is most easily done with a blancher. It is a larger pot that contains a smaller pot with holes. They are fairly cheap and make life a whole lot easier. Bring water to boil. After it comes to a boil, put some broccoli into it and boil for 3 minutes (time this exactly). Remove inner pan and dump cooked broccoli in ice water bath (stops cooking process quickly). Drain. Put amount you would use for one meal in freezer container and seal. Make sure to mark the container with the product and date. Repeat process until all broccoli is doen. Freeze. Enjoy later in the winter. We especially like it in our quiche or on our veggie pizza.

Backyard Chickens

A couple of months ago, we decided to dive in head first and get a couple of chickens. We have a small backyard in your typical older city addition. Many cities allow people to have small city flocks. You can check your local ordinances.

I knew I enjoyed chickens. I have many fond memories of helping my aunt with her large flock when I was growing up. We all enjoy sitting and watching them. My youngest daughter loves to go to the run and hand feed them different items. The chickens come running to the fence whenever they see her coming.

We have a small coop with a small run underneath of it that we can use on stormy days or when we are gone. We also have large run which is 3 feet by 7 feet that we keep them in during the day. They love running and flapping their wings while they are in there. In Lexington, you must have your chickens contained at all times. The larger run gets moved around the yard so they can essentially free range during the day but still comply with local ordinances. Besides, with the large number of local cats (including our own) I think they would have been chicken dinner for one of them by now if we did not have them in a totally enclosed area. As time goes on I will post pictures and general plans for the coop and run.

The next big thing we get to look forward to is our first eggs from our own chickens. If you have not eaten a farm fresh egg, there is no comparison to the pale yolk varieties you buy in the stores these days. I would encourage you to buy some fresh eggs one time from a local farmer (here in Lexington you can get some from several of the farmers at Farmer's Market). You may never go back to store bought.

Harvesting Broccoli

I have started harvesting my broccoli for the season. For those of you newcomers to broccoli growing, it is ready when the heads are well formed and the little individual buds are tight. To harvest broccoli, simplly take a sharp knife, cut it at base of head leaving the broccoli plant leaves. Your broccoli plant will then send out smaller shoots of broccoli in the next little bit which also can be harvested. The head while it is still on the plant needs to be watched closely for signs of yellowing or beginning to flower. (This means that you have waited to long to harvest.) Harvest immediately, cut out yellow and flowering part and process like you would normally do. Will post how i freeze broccoli in a later post.

strawberry shortcake

We love eating the strawberries fresh out of our backyard, but our favorite has to be fresh strawberry shortcake. Since it is made with whole grains and unsweetened strawberries we will even have it for our main supper dish with some other fruits and veggies from the garden. Here is the recipe we use.



Shortcake:

1 cup unbleached white flour

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsps baking powder

1/2 cup butter

1 beaten egg

2/3 cup soy milk



Stir dry ingredients together. Cut in butter. Put in wet ingredients and stir until just mixed. Pour in 9" round pan. Bake 450 degrees for 15-18 minutes. Cut a slice, put on fresh cut strawberries and top with whipping cream of choice if you wish. Enjoy!

Freezing Strawberries

One way to enjoy your homegrown strawberries year round is to freeze them. I simply wash and core them. Next, I put them in freezer bags and simply put them in the freezer. I usually use quart size bags and freeze about 2 cups per bag. That works well for our family of 4. They taste great in recipes as well as eaten with a meal. We really enjoyed a little taste of summer during the winter months.

ornamental herb garden

The ornamental herb garden at church is planted. I am hoping to get it mulched this weekend. I can hardly wait to see the results.

The outdoor worship area is coming along. I am looking forward to seeing the end result.

Today, I am taking the day off from the big church project and getting some things caught up at home. Several of my broccoli heads are ready to harvest. I will blanch and freeze them. They will taste great this winter. I am hoping to get cream of broccoli soup made this weekend. Yum! Also, with all the rain I need to work on getting the weeds out of my garden. The chicken chalet needs to be cleaned out. Laundry is also calling my name.

Tonight, we are joining the youth at a church members house who lives in the country. They are going to do a gun safety class there. Afterwards, they will have a campfire and camp on their lawn.

Tomorrow, I will spend the day finishing some more projects at church before everyone comes on Sunday and sees all the new landscaping. The youth have worked hard this week and it looks really nice. I can't wait for people to see it.

ornamental herb garden

The week of church improvements is winding down. Yesterday, I went and bought all the planitngs for our new ornamental herb garden at church. The hope is that our neighbors and church members will be able to pick fresh herbs to take home and use as the plants develop. I am also hoping it will serve as an example of how you can put edible herbs within your regular landscaping and have beautiful beds.

Last night, I laid out all the plants and will plant and mulch them today. I have included familiar herbs such as bergamot (bee balm), basil, thyme and parsley as well some more unusual herbs that have nice ornamental properties. These include 3 varieties of hyssop, chamomille, and false indigo.

Will post some initial pictures as well as pictures of things as they progress when I get my camera back. Mary is borrowing it for her trip this week.

outdoor worship area project

The youth have done a great job this week. The projects at church are coming right along including the upgrade to outdoor worship area. Major headways made against the honeysuckle. We planted our first native rhododendrum bush and will see how it goes. Native plantings are slow but coming along. All the construction debris was pushed down here when the original building was constructed so real top soil deep enough to plant it hard to find.

The best part is the stairwell that a gentleman from church designed. It is rustice looking, made out of the recycled plastic and is a wonderful addition to the garden. It will allow more people an opportunity to enjoy the area who have some physical limitations.

This Sunday the 8:15 service has their worship down there and in a couple of weeks the 10:45 service will have theirs down there.

outdoor worship update

Many hands today to help today both for outdoor worship area and other landscaping tasks. Stairwell area down to garden looking good. Major effort towards getting rid of honeysuckle. Tomorrow, we will start working on putting in some of the plantings. So excited!

outdoor worship area project

Tomorrow, starts our youth mission trip and the projects Mary and I have been planning for our church's outdoor worship area and other outdoor spaces at church. Hope we get a good turnout of helping hands and the weather cooperates. I am really excited to see the results.

Shooting Star Nursery

We have a locally owned mail order company here in the Bluegrass called Shooting Star Nursery. They specialize in native plants. On Fridays and Saturdays during the spring they are usually open to the public from 10-5. I have looked at their items online and have been very intrigued by them. Mary, Makenzie and I made the trip out there today. It was an adventure. The place is full of native plants. The people were very knowlegable and we really enjoyed our time there.

We went so we could look at plants for our naturalization project in our church's outdoor worship area and get there opinions. We came home with a wide variety of plants that are in good shape and very reasonably priced.

Planting native plants in your landscape cuts back on watering and specialized care. It also provides habitat for local butterflies and other navtive species.

If you get a chance check out thier website at http://www.shootingstarnursery.com/. If you live here locally it is worth a drive out some day. It you go tomorrow, you can get free heirloom tomato plants. We brought home 2 boxes worth to share with friends.

Good Food

Tonight as we sat down for supper, I realized how far we have come in our journey of trying to eat mostly local food. We had blueberry pancakes made from local flour (Weisenburger Mills), blueberries frozen last year after being bought from a local farmer and eggs bought at Farmer's Market (we are hoping to have our own eggs in next couple of months). We had side dishes of freshly picked snap peas, strawberries and raspberries from our garden. We still have a long way to go but it is nice to see a start.

The best part for me is seeing hard work pay off and actually eating what we are producing. Looks like broccoli will be here soon. Can't wait to have our first fresh cream of broccoli soup for the year.

Mary and I have been working on the church flower beds the past couple of months. On Sunday, the church is having a work day. One of the projects will be putting plantings down into our outdoor worship area. Have spent the past two weeks looking at how to best "naturalize" the area inexpensively. Of course, honeysuckle tries to quickly take over the area but the church has persevered and it has become a quiet retreat in the middle of a very urban area. Hoping someday to have the area filled with native woodland plants which will add to the quiet worship area it has become for many of us. I love sitting down there and spending time with God. My backyard is becoming that quiet place for me also. Whatever your religious preference, I feel it is so important to take quiet time each day.

Take a little quiet time today and enjoy the creation that God has made for us!

Simple entertainment

Last night as I was sitting on our carport (aka covered patio for us) with our friends and family, I was reminded how much fun getting together with friends/family can be. We keep it simple between all of us. The host family usually provides the main dish and everyone else brings a dish to share and their preferred beverage. It makes for a lot less stress on the host family and can be an inexpensive evening for all involved.

What a great low-impact environmental entertainment. Also, with all the electronic devices these days sometimes we forget the joy of just sitting around with friends and enjoying each others company.

If you haven't done so in a while, gather a group of friends for an evening. Tell them that you will supply the main dish and ask if they would be willing to bring another part of the meal.