Potting Soil

Few people knew which tasks Ken did and which I did.  We formed a good team, and I guess to many people the pieces were seamless.  Ken did the planting.  He made the potting soil in fall, brought in enough to fill four or five fifty gallon plastic barrels, made the soil blocks, planted, watered and transplanted. In Ken’s absence I found empty barrels – he hadn’t felt good enough to make the potting soil.  …

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Sorting and Cleaning and Well……

I have been cleaning and sorting and clearing in the house; there is much to do.          One day I climbed up a ladder and washed high walls – can’t remember the last time I did that (embarrassing, but true).         I also started sorting rags with the plan to put them in barrels outside until I have cleaned, sorted, reorganized my solo living space.         …

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Putting Snow inside the Greenhouse

Last fall we had unusual weather – eighties on October 20th!  And less than three weeks later on November 5th, the temperature dropped to single digits, and the ground froze.  We wanted to plant garlic, but how?  Ken planted garlic in the mobile high tunnel where the soil was NOT frozen.     This spring has been cool and we got late snow.  I realized it would be warm in the greenhouse so I dug …

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Harvest Newsletter

Greetings from the Garden!  This box has sprouts, onions, garlic, celery root, carrots, beets, black radishes, kohlrabi, and dried black beans Field Notes.  This is our final box.  After twenty – three years I think we can say it was a good run.  We have delivered vegetables to people on time without fail for all those years.    Each box had at least eight  different varieties, and many had over twelve.  Ken did a marvelous …

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Opening the Greenhouse

Spring planting in the greenhouse all depends on the weather.  The air and soil temperature inside the greenhouse is much more important than the date. Some years Ken had planted in February, but this year we had early cold with no snow cover, so the frost went deep into the soil.  We have also had more cloudy than sunny weather, so there has not been much solar gain once the sun has some real heat …

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Onions Make You Wait; They are Worth It.

The first seeds Ken planted each season were the onions.  Since I had bought seeds, I decided to try planting them in Ken’s germination cabinet.  These are the first seeds I have planted since the bean seed in the cup in kindergarten.  Although I called a friend for tips, I had low expectations.   So much could go wrong.  Was the soil too wet, too dry, did I put enough soil covering the seeds, too …

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Harvest Newsletter

Greetings from the Garden!  This week’s box has sprouts, dry beans, carrots, beets, onions, garlic, kohlrabi, celery root, radishes, and cabbage.     Field Notes.  This weekend I plant to use some of the potting soil to plant onion seed.  Wish me luck!  Ken had done all the planting. In the kitchen I started sprouts for this week.    From the Kitchen.  Sprouts are a sure sign of spring.  This cold winter the frost has …

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Following in Ken’s Footsteps – Making Sourdough Bread

Ken had so many cooking jobs – bakery, pizza parlor, restaurant, hospital and finally as a private chef.  He made bread for us.  He left me a starter.     Sylvia worked to bring Ken’s starter back to life AND came over to show me how she makes bread.  I last made bread in my twenties with yeast and had no sour dough starter experience. Well, now I am ready to practice and make my …

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This Old Dog… Blacksmithing!

People ask how soon will I have an auction, start selling things, etc.  But I see this as a golden opportunity to try things and decide if I like them before I sell anything!  One example is Ken’s blacksmithing tools and equipment.     Today I visited Joyce, a wonderfully talented blacksmith in nearby Barron, Wisconsin.  She had invited Ken and me to come by and see and use her forge.  I brought a small …

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Harvest Newsletter

Greetings from the Garden!  This CSA box has sprouts, onions, garlic, beets, carrots, black radishes, Kohlrabi, celery root, and Cherokee Trail of Tears Dry beans.     Field Notes.  We are at the midpoint between solstice and equinox.  These mid points are where the drama happens – Solstices and equinoxes mark a conclusion of lengthening days or lengthening nights.    Most religions and folklore have names for these points: St Brigid, St Blaise, or Candlemas …

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