New Content from King's Grant Farm, and a special link to one of New Hampshire's finest gardening experts, Henry Homeyer! (see below)
Imagine a world without our home gardens! How dull would that be? A random thought, indeed.
Never fear, if you live in a cute little condo with a small backyard deck off your sliding window door, then a couple pots with shade-loving plants will give you a season full of calm satisfaction and beauty. And that little area by your front door--the spot that gets all that great afternoon sunshine--comes to life each spring with your annuals blooming. Try planting a couple sun-loving herbs,
like basil, to add to your chopped tomatoes and olive oil that you gingerly top your rustic bread with!
Or, if you have have access to an old farm field right outside your screened-in porch, then strolling among your raised beds each morning with cup of coffee in hand will certainly add some color to your mornings, as you play a daily game of hide and seek with your garden's new bounty.
The garden connects people! Connects them to other people. Connects them to the earth. Connects them to Mother Nature's beauty. Connects them to fond memories.
King's Grant Farm. First settled in 1769. Under five acres. Sustainable fruits and vegetables for our families and friends. Sustainability on King’s Grant Farm is defined as healthy, local, socially responsible, and simple living with minimal farm controls. We try hard to reduce soil erosion, increase biodiversity, build natural resistance to natural predators, and reduce harmful ecological impact. We do not use synthetic or otherwise harmful pesticides of any kind. We create a self-nourishing system where less human intervention yields better quality crops. We far exceed national organic standards.
Henry Homeyer and www.gardening-guy.com
When I launched gg.org, I promised myself that I would not re-create the wheel or duplicate the efforts of others who provide a fine online service. That is why I have decided to limit my gardening postings to stuff that happens on King's Grant Farm, and link you to one of our region’s most beloved gardening experts.
Fast forward to my friend Henry Homeyer. He brings us vast amounts of local gardening knowledge through his web site, which will be the primary link through our Great Gardens section; he brings us his own brand of humor, and folksy wisdom and gentle take on life; and he brings us a passion for making life better for New Englanders through his books, magazine articles, online essays, and newspaper columns. He is a prolific writer and a dedicated “foodie”, and he loves being a grandfather! What more could you ask for?
His site states the following: Henry Homeyer, "The Gardening Guy", is a freelance writer, garden designer, and consultant, as well as Associate Editor of People, Places and Plants magazine. He lives in Cornish Flat, NH and writes a weekly gardening column for the Valley News and other newspapers in the region.
Knowing Henry personally is a new experience in my life, but knowing him through his writing and as a Master Gardener is a long time relationship for me. He is a rare individual and a Granite State treasure!
Link to Henry's site right here: www.gardening-guy.com
2009-2010 -- New Hampshire vegetable seeds--what worked and what didn't at King's Grant Farm: We are often asked about which seeds we plant for our King's Grant Farm vegetables. We have linked a page for what worked in 2009 and what did not; and a list of what we plan on ordering for 2010's season.
Here are some ground rules for our orders: Certified Organic when possible. Small batches. Many seeds are saved from the previous year's crops. When ordering, we purchase from FedCo in Maine, Peaceful Valley in California, High Mowing Seed Company in Vermont, and Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa. Each has a good Web site. Prices vary a lot and some companies have crop failures, so it helps to shop around.
We start our seeds, for the most part, under cover (inside, in homemade soil blocks using Henry Homeyer's soil block recipe). We are careful about hardening off and acclimating the seedlings to the prevailing weather. We use active crop rotation, follow rules about which plants follow which (according to the previous season's nutritional needs); and use companion planting, when practical. We raise our plants organically. Our natural soil pH is between 5.8 and 6.5, so we are, like much of New Hampshire, on the acid side of the pH scale, which accounts for our great blueberries!
Our soil's organic matter--that natural compost, beneficial microbes, and good fertile stuff that lives beneath the top layer--is growing every year. We'll report on our levels later in the season, and are hoping for a minimum of 5%.
At King's Grant Farm, we use a combination of framed raised beds, in-ground raised rows, and pots. Pots are mostly used for herbs. Our high bush blueberries are quite old; and the same goes for our apple trees, our rhubarb,and our brambles. Here is our list of seed varieties.
Spotlight on our Personal Values Relating to Food: Food is ultimately about our values; how we eat, what we eat, where we get our food, what we expect from our food, with whom we share our food, how we prepare our food, and how our food is grown and handled.
Consider: Farmworkers in California harvest 50 percent of the produce that people in the United States eat each day. Their role is vital in feeding our country, and yet their work lives might best be described as marginal: Each day they toil long hours for low pay, and afterwards many go “home” to places without cooking or bathing facilities
--The Fair Food Project, Field to Table
New Hampshire's Agricultural Resources: When one first hears the words "New Hampshire", the first thing that comes to mind may be First in the Nation Primaries or the Old Man of the Mountain. But rarely do folk think of a proud heritage of agriculture when they think of New Hampshire. A state that has 84% of its land forested lies claim to a heritage of abundant wood, especially for royal ship masts in earlier times. And did you know that at one time, New Hampshire had more grazing sheep than any other eastern state? Slowly climbing its way back into an active agricultural mode, New Hampshire residents have many resources to turn to, especially its fabulous UNH Cooperative Extension services and its Department of Agriculture, Markets, and Food's Division of Agriculture Development. Click here to begin your exploration: Who's Who.
When the cold sets in, you can begin to dream again of spring planting. For those of you who love to have your hands in the dirt, tending your plants, it's never too early to begin planning next year's plots. From time to time, I will post some links to sites that I feel are solid, responsible, and interesting as well. Here is a great mail order company (and Web site) for a wide range of organic fruits and vegetables. I especially like the idea that I can read the catalog and learn something. Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply, out of Grass Valley, CA.
October in the garden--the latest research tells us what to do and what not to do as we prepare our gardens for a different season. October in the garden.
Raised Beds 101: The Easy Recipe for Simple Raised Bed Gardens from the editors of greatgrandmother.org
Using winter rye as a cover crop is economical and makes sense on so many levels. The great amounts of nitrogren left in the soil come spring time is the real reason why folks refer to this sort of cover cropping as "green manure". There are lots of other benefits as well. Winter rye can be found in bulk form at Longacres Garden Center in Lebanon. Otherwise, it's hard to find. Winter rye essay.
South End Organic Garden Club: Scott and Laura Morrison are the founders and blog masters for this awesome local (really, regional in reach and scope) organic garden blog and information site. After exploring the site regularly for a couple of months (since there is a lot of garbage blogs out there), I received permission to link to their site. The Morrisons have created this real life community of organic vegetable gardeners--both online and within their greater Concord, NH neighborhoods--surrounding the love, enjoyment, and sharing of knowledge of organics. You will be most pleasantly delighted with the content as well. Here is the link: South End Organic Garden Club.
Extending Our Short Growing Season: How and What to Plant in late July through August. This read & clip article gives you helpful hints on extending your vegetable garden season into fall. Based on sound research and experience in northern New England gardening, this concise list will be of interest to you. Extend your season.
Organic gardening resources: Everything you ever wanted to know about the ins and outs of truly organic gardening, from soil amendments to irrigation, and from seed sourcing to cover cropping (green manures). This link takes you away from greatgrandmother.org and lands you on a richly-developed Web page from the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service. Everything Organic.
Ten Important Gardening Books: Reviews of the Top Ten for Northern New England. Garden book recommendations: read & print sheet
Interested in exploring your inner-farmer? Much has been written about the demise of the family farmer in the United States over the last five decades, and yet we need to reconcile this tremendous loss with the fact that more and more common folk feel the urge to explore the farming or agriculture lifestyle. In addition, now more than ever we are witnessing a resurgence of cottage industries in small animal husbandry, horticulture, backyard livestock, and agricultural activities that move beyond the kitchen garden. It sounds romantic, but what's behind the world of farming are stark realities of hard work, new academic concepts, the brutal realities of Mother Nature, and of course, the economics of farming. Beyond speaking with your county's extension specialist, try this resource: New England Small Farm Institute. Located in Belchertown, Mass, it's a resource to help you explore your inner farmer and make educated decisions about possible next steps.
Dirt 101: An Armchair Guide to Soil Biology for the Home Gardener. This comprehensive essay is a must-read for all home gardeners. Read Dirt 101 here!
Planting Tips by Vegetables: Easy Reference from greatgrandmother.org
Getting an Early Start: Cold Framing, Hardening Off, and Prayer
Blueberries: greatgrandmother.org's blueberry advice
Compost 101: Blending Your Greens and Your Browns
Feed The Soil, Not the Plants: greatgrandmother.org's dirty advice