Nature's Bounty

Guess who's canning salsa tomorrow?

A Little of This, A Little of That

My, what a week this has been!  We finally got a break in the heat mid-week only to have the mercury head higher into triple digts again this weekend, and the humidity was back with a vengeance this morning.  

The garden is going nuts and we're swimming in tomatoes now.  J. finally got to sink his teeth into those Cherokee Purples even though they were struck with fungus and he was only able to eat 1/2 of each tomato.  After tasting them, he said we definitely need to try to grow them again next year because they are slightly sweet and oh-so-yummy.  Note to self.

I've gotta make that squash this week!

We picked up the most amazing sweet corn from a local farmer who had setup an "honor stand" stand at the end of his driveway.  If you're not familiar with the concept, an honor stand is one where you take what you want and then leave the money.  You know,...it's the honor system!

The mainstay here in the Midwest is a variety of corn called "Peaches and Cream" or "Andy's Candy".  As you can see, it's white and yellow variegated and has a nice, slightly sweet taste with kernels that are firm.  Delicious stuff but they tend to get stuck in your teeth.  The corn that we bought is called "Gotta Have It" and I can tell you that Andy ain't gonna push his candy on me anymore!  "Gotta Have It" is so tender that it gives away in your mouth, but it has all the taste of Andy's Candy.  Mmmmmmmm.....

Let's see.  I tried to reintegrate poor Henrietta, the hen that was being picked on by the rest of the flock back in March.  The wound on her neck has been healed now for some time but now the feathesr on her neck stick out rather than laying down flat.  As a result, we've taken to referring to her as our punk rock chicken.  Since she was pecked, she's been living in a separate chicken condo made  out of a doghouse on stilts (you can see a picture here).  I thought I could sneak her in right before everyone settled down for the night, and that seemed to go well.  But, when I got home from work the next day, she was hiding in the nesting boxes and it was obvious that she was being victimized again. 

So....what to do with poor 'Etta?  She doesn't lay eggs so I suppose most folks might turn her into dinner.  I can't bring myself to even think about that, because she really had endeared herself to us by following us around and "talking" to us.  *sigh*  We could give her away, but she would have to be a pet because I wouldn't give her away so that someone else could eat her (see above).  I guess she will stay where she is for now until we figure something out.

Speaking of chickens, the girls have slowed down in egg production significantly due to molting and the high heat.  Right now, I'm getting just 3 or 4 eggs a day out of the 9 chooks.  I used to get twice that.  And they are eating like a bunch of feathered pigs!

Finally, I am back to work on the "Chubby Chicks" quilt that I started back in April. 

 Some of you may have guessed that since I wrote yesterday about haunting the local quilt shops.  And I signed up for a 4-session intermediate quilting class at JoAnn's in August.  It's going to cover binding and machine quilting and I got signed up for 1/2 price, so I guess you can't swing a cat at that.  My first quilt still isn't quilted because I haven't found the right person to do it.  I'm thinking I can learn in this class and then  maybe do it myself?

Well, I'm off to bed where I'm sure I'll dream of lime green chickies and baby rabbits peeking out of my strawberry bed.  Oh yeah...I forgot that, didn't I?  There were 8 rabbit kits that hopped in all directions when J. watered the strawberry plants this morning.  At least they're cuter than squash bugs.

Sweet dreams,

Old Trucks and New Friends

I met some amazing people today and it was purely by chance. 

This morning, the plan was to head to Eudora, which is about 35 minutes southwest (mostly west) of Kansas City.  During that quilting class I took earlier this Spring, I kept hearing about this amazing quilt shop called Quilting Bits and Pieces.  The class instructor worked there (and her mom used to as well), and a friend of mine at work was doing block of the month there.   Since it is hotter than tarnation and it's not likely that we'll be able to get anything done outside, today was the perfect day to go.

Eudora has a quaint little downtown and the shop was adorable.  I spent way too much time in there and the ladies were really sweet and helpful.  Before I headed home, I wanted to snap a picture of an old truck that I had seen on the way home from visiting another shop up in Leavenworth, which is north of I-70.  What a perfect excuse to hit some of the backroads in search of some old barns.  But, instead, I found a field with hay bales as far as the eye could see.

I'd say those folks have been busy, wouldn't you?

Driving up highway 73 with the AC barely keeping up with the heat from the sun beating down on the roof of the Jeep, I realized I couldn't quite remember where I had seen that old truck.  So, of course, I ended up passing it and had to do a U-turn.  Growing up, my grandfather taught me that you don't walk onto someone's property without their permission, so I turned in the driveway to ask if the owners minded if I took a photo of their truck.

That's when I met Carrie, one of the owners of Faircrest Farm, and her family.  Not only did they let me take pictures of the truck, but she even drove me into the field in her own Jeep to spare mine from any scratches.  (Yes, my Wrangler is a bit of a prima donna and a city driver.  In all fairness, I haven't had it all that long.)

We chatted for a bit and she explained that they were getting ready to open their produce market on Sunday.  Then we talked a bit about her family and she mentioned that her dad liked to collect old trucks.  Well, stop the presses!  If there's anything I love more than old tractors, its old trucks. 



An old year-unknown GMC with a tree growing out of the engine compartment is still cool.



The next truck on our Old Truck Tour was definitely in better shape.  Behold the restored 1947 Chevy pickup.  I was raised to be a Ford gal because my grandpa always drove Fords, but when we rounded the corner and saw this, it was love at first sight.

I couldn't help but envision the back filled with produce and Carrie told me they fill it with pumpkins when they have their big Pumpkin Patch every year.  I may have to beg her to let me get a picture of that, because I bet that's something else to behold.  You can see a picture of the truck loaded with hay on their website. 

J. says I'm part magpie because I love shiny things.  This grill?  It's right up my alley.

After I drooled on her truck, Carrie whisked me off past her barn and 14 horses (one of them a rescued black Percheron!) and their extensive garden....

.... to see some more of her dad's truck collection.  Here's a late 40's GMC:

Carrie affectionately referred to the truck on the right as "the marshmallow" and told me that, when she was a young girl, her dad drove her family to Alaska in it at roughly 40 miles per hour the whole way.  That brings a whole new meaning to the age-old kid question "Are we there YET?"

An aging firetruck found its resting spot here.  This rusty beauty was one of about 30 old trucks lining the road through the property.  Lots of old Chevy's and Diamond T's.   Her dad was quite the collector.  And  Carrie said there were more in the barn, including her mom's 1936 Cord convertible. 

When we got back to the barn, Carrie introduced me to her neighbor, Bruce, and her mother, Gladys.  They were weighing produce and getting ready to open up the market.  In fact, while I was there, four other Jeep owners showed up to buy produce and we had a little Jeep Jamboree right there on the gravel.  That is, until the heat forced us back inside.

After Gladys offered me some incredible, fresh canteloupe slices, I relieved them of some gigantic Beefsteak tomatoes and jalapenos that were freshly picked from their garden and headed off down the road with a wave.

A very heart-felt thank you to Carrie, Gladys, Bruce and the other folks at Faircrest Farm for the warm welcome and for being so friendly despite the fact that I interrupted their busy morning.  If you ever find yourself in Basehor, please stop in and see Carrie and Gladys and snag some healthy, organically home grown fruits and veggies along with some recipes from Gladys. You'll be glad you did!

Faircrest Farm can be found at 22261 North 139th St on the west side of 7 Highway between Bonner Springs and Lansing, Kansas.  It's just a stone's throw from Kansas City.  According to Carrie, they're open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

DISCLAIMER:   I am not affiliated in any way with Faircrest Farm,nor was I paid for this post.  I just thought they were really cool, down-to-earth Midwestern good people.

Shared with my friends at thsi week's Weekly Top Shot,Ole' Saturday Homesteading Trading Post, Simple Things Sunday, Shoot.Edit.Submit, Sunday Snapshot, Your Sunday Best, the Homestead Barn Hop, Barn Charm and Green Day.

Pomato or Totato? Grafting is Fun

Before we talk about grafting, I just have to get something off my chest.  It rained today!

Thirsty sweet potatoes are happy to see the rain.  Aren't we all!

Okay, it only rained for about 10 minutes while I was in a meeting and the streets were dry by the time I got outside.  But, hey....it hasn't rained here forover two weeks and it may be closer to three weeks now that I think about it.  It doesn't take much to get us excited at this point.  I guess washing my car worked.  :-)

Now, on to my super secret topic that I mentioned we would talk about today:  grafting.  First, let me just say that this new obsession that I have with grafting is being bourne out of all the problems I'm having with my tomatoes.  As you know, I had to rip out one Early Girl tomato due to wilt (fungus) and now a second one is just about gone and it may be spreading to the heirloom Rutgers plant next to it.  I'm scared to death that I'm going to lose my entire tomato bed.  And, from what I've been reading, I'm not the only one with tomato woes this year.

Once your soil is infected with fusarium or verticullium (for example), it can be particularly difficult to get rid of it.  One tactic is to sterilize the soil with steam (very costly!) or to cover over the soil with transparent plastic for the entire summer (no garden for an entire year!)  And, if you have a small garden, rotating your tomato plants as a way to try to deter disease may not be possible. 

Enter grafting.  Basically, it's taking a less vigorous, less resistant variety of plant (which many heirlooms are) with the desirable above-ground characteristics like visual looks, taste, etc. and growing it on a tougher, more disease-resistant and insect-resistant rootstock.   This is actually a practice that has been used for thousands of years and you may be more familiar with it in terms of apple or other fruit trees.  Most trees you buy at nurseries are grafted.  In Japan, 95% of watermelons and oriental melons, tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants are grown with grafting (Ohio State).


In tomatoes, there are two varieties that are used most often as the rootstock:  Beaufort and Maxifort.  Beaufort is best for field tomatoes and Maxifort is best for hoop houses and greenhouses.  Both are extremely tolerant of and Beaufort, in particular, has an extremely strong root system.  We all know that usually results in an extremely strong  plant, because more roots = more nutrients.

Photo courtesy of
LivePlant Farms



There are three methods for grafting, but it essentially involves an Exacto knife to cut the plant stems and grafting clips to hold the two stems together while it heals.  And grafting isn't easy on your pocket book.  Just 50 seeds for the Beaufort rootstock are  over $20.00 at Johnny's Seeds and then it's another for the grafting clips.  Heck, Amazon even sells rootstock.  (Is there anything I can't get at Amazon?)

So here's an idea...how about grafting a tomato onto a potato plant?  Tomato's up top and potatoes down below.  It's possible!  Before you get too crazy with ideas of watersquash or cukatoes, however, just be aware that you can only graft plants together that are in the same genus.

If you're interested in reading more about grafting, here are a couple of interesting resources on the topic:

A Real Life Example:  Curbstone Valley Farm

Growing for Market: Graft Tomatoes for Greater Yield and Disease Resistance

University of Vermont Extension's "Grafting Greenhouse Tomatoes"

North Carolina State Extension:  Grafting for Disease Resistance in Heirloom Tomatoes

Wikipedia: Tomato Grafting

And here's a really great video from the folks at Ohio State University that shows how to graft tomatoes: 

 

What do you think?  Would you try grafting?  I think I just might try it next year.

For more fun, go check out what other folks are up to at the following linky parties:  Rural Thursday and Farm Girl Friday.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

Sometimes you're a winner, and sometimes you're a loser.  While out in the garden tonight, I noticed that *someone* had taken a huge bite out of the huge, beautiful Early Girl tomato that we've been waiting to ripen.  I bet the thing is close to a pound all by itself.  I was hoping that wouldn't happen, but it was very low on the plant. 

J. thinks it was the naughty male Cardinal that lives in the neighbor's tree because he saw him out there.  Apparently, he's narcissistic and drawn to anything the same color as him.  The bird that is, not J.

(*giggle*  If we had caught the Cardinal eating the tomatoes, could we say that we caught him "red-handed"?  Get it?  RED-handed?  Oh, that is so bad....)

The good news is that he spared our heirlooms, which we've been waiting on oh-so-patiently. 

Cherokee Purple tomatoes!

These aren't ripe yet, but they are very close.  Maybe tomorrow,. but definitely by the weekend.  J. is practically salivating. 

And we also got our first little Roma.  Somehow I doubt I'll get much sauce out of this little guy.

Note to Self:  when planting Romas for sauce, plant LOTS.  I've just got 4 plants and, while they are covered with tomatoes, it's not going to be nearly enough to make enough sauce for canning.  *sigh*

I've got a really cool topic planned for tomorrow's post and it's something that I don't think I've seen on any body else's garden blog.  So I hope you'll join me tomorrow to see what the top secret topic is.

What's up in your garden this week?  I love reading about it, so please leave me a comment!

In an Old Barn

I passed this grey oldtimer on the outskirts of Gardner, Kansas back in March and it called to me through the car window.  There's something familiar about that worn gravel path up to its door.  Seeing these old barns always makes me nostalgic and a bit sad, but I am always hopeful that they will be revived or that new wood barns will spring up to lovingly take their place among them.

In an Old Barn

by Charles G.D. Roberts (1860 - 1943)

Tons upon tons the brown-green fragrant hay
O'erbrims the mows beyond the time-warped eaves,

Up to the rafters where the spider weaves,
Though few flies wander his secluded way.

Through a high chink one lonely golden ray,

Wherein the dust is dancing, slants unstirred.
In the dry hush some rustlings light are heard,
Of winter-hidden mice at furtive play.
Far down, the cattle in their shadowed stalls,
Nose-deep in clover fodder's meadowy scent,

Forget the snows that whelm their pasture streams,
The frost that bites the world beyond their walls.
Warm housed, they dream of summer, well content
In day-long contemplation of their dreams.

This post is a part of this week's Barn Charm hop.

More Fun With Canning Labels

Hi, I'm Cranky Puppy....

 and I'm addicted to designing canning labels.  That's right....I can't stop! 

There are so many creative things you can do with these with just Microsoft Word and Paint.  Look at what I put together while goofing off and watching a movie last night.

Click to biggify!

Wouldn't it be fun to give these to someone?  My favorite is the Blackberry Jelly.  The blackberries on that one and the bee on the "Pure Honey" label are just Word Art. If you want to customize these, I've made the blank backgrounds available to you here.  (Biggify to 200% to get them to the correct size for a wide-mouth canning jar.)  Please feel free to use them as you wish - the only thing I ask is that you link to this post if you repost labels that you've made with them.

One note:  I recommend a color laser printer if you're going to print labels of this quality.  Print them on photo paper so they're nice and glossy or Avery labels.  I picked up some laminating sheets at Hobby Lobby for 50% off yesterday and will go over the top to protect them from spills, etc.  And, as I mentioned before, you could leave the date off and write it on with erasable pen onto the laminate if you want to reuse these labels over and over again.

If you don't have time or inclination to design your own labels, there are lots available for free online as well.  Here are just a few that I've come across:

Some elegant, customizable designs from Ball Fresh Preserving:

Cute and simple designs from A Sonoma Garden



Printable marmalade labels from Wendolonia.  I love this design!



Yummy vintage wallpaper design from Merriment Design



These are just a few of the lovely labels available for both regular and wide-mouth jars at About.Com. 



And here are a few others you might want to take a look at:

http://gardentherapy.ca/freebie-canning-labels/

http://hollabee.blogspot.com/2011/01/jam-labels.html

I just think these are so much fun.  I may very well go label everything in my kitchen and, if J. and the dogs stand still long enough, I'll label them also!

If you've created your own labels or come up with some creative labelling ideas, I'd love to hear about it.  Please leave me a comment or email me!

I'm sharing this with the Saturday Spotlight, DIY Project Parade, Sunday Showcase, Making the World Cuter, MorrisTribe Homesteading, Carnival, Creative Bloggers Party, Carnival of Home Preserving, Masterpiece Monday, More the Merrier Monday, Thrifty Treasures, Made by You Monday, Motivate Me Monday, Motivated Monday, Country Homemaker Hop,  I Made It Monday!, Show Off Monday, Homemaking Linkup, Nifty Thrifty Tuesday,  Get Your Craft on Tuesday, Encourage One Another, Whatever Wednesdays, Wow Us Wednesdays, Home is Where the Heart is, Pin It Thursday, All Star Block Party and Summer2012 Sharing Time hops.  Go check them out and find some more great ideas!

Garden Horror

It's bug city this year - I guess because of the lack of really cold temps this winter and the hot, dry weather we've been having.  While last year was a dream gardening year and I had no problems, I am now fighting a huge war against every fungus and bug known to man.

Let's start with the cucumbers and their arch enemy, the Cucumber Beetle.

Cucumber Beetles

Whether spotted or striped (mine are spotted), they're about a 1/4 inch long and hibernate in your soil.  The adult female will lay clusters of 200 to 800 tiny, orange eggs on the back of the leaves or within cracks in the soil at the base of the plant.  Larvae emerge after 5 to 8 days and spend 15 days feeding and then repeat the cycle. Their mission in life is to seek out cucumbers and other cucurbits and destroy them.

Adult cucumber beetle treating my cukes like a buffet.

Looking over my cucumber plants, I found only this one adult cucumber beetle.  They are fast little boogers, let me tell you!  But cuke beetles are also dumb - despite having wings, they won't fly away and will instead drop to the ground as their only defense.  So I caught her and did a little tap dance on her head.  And, no, I don't feel bad about it.

Finding only one adult doesn't give me a lot of solace, even though I didn't find any eggs either.   You can see the damage she caused to just that stem in the picture.  What I'm worried about is that the larva are already in the dirt gnawing away at the cucumber roots.  Seriously, I never knew that gardening would turn me into a nervous wreck.  I've always heard that it was relaxing!

Treatment:  Trellising helps protect against all but the adults, and we're already doing that.  We'll be spraying the plants with Neem oil later today to see if that makes them less attractive.  I also read that you can try 1/2 tsp of peppermint oil in about a quart of water sprayed on once a week.  Apparently, the beetles don't like the taste.  Plus your garden will smell minty!  LOL.   We'll also be making sure that there is plenty of mulch right up against the base of the plant.  This interrupts their reproductive phase.

And, if that doesn't work, spray with Rotenone.  Rotenone is organic and occurs naturally in some plants; however, some recent studies are linking it to increased occurrence of Parkinson's Disease so I will be avoiding it.  I'd rather let the beetles have my plants.

This fall, we'll till the soil up and expose the eggs to kill these pests. And next year we'll plant radishes with the cukes.  Apparently the cucumber beetle is a picky eater and doesn't like radishes touching anything else on its plate.

Tomato Fungus:  Fusarium or Verticullium Wilt

Back on June 20th, I talked about pulling up one of J.'s Early Girl tomatoes because it was infected with what I thought was fusarium wilt.   These are the only plants in our garden that are hybrid and not organic, and we bought them as seedlings from Home Depot. I am now fully convinced that they were infected with wilt before we bought them.

This is the second Early Girl that was right next to the one that I yanked out.  Despite my fervent hoping and praying, it is infected as well and I can confidently state that I am certain this is verticullium wilt.  It starts with yellowing on one side of the leaves, stems or plant and eventually spreads upward.  What is happening is that the fungus is attacking the roots and the plant is blocking off water avenues to stop the fungus from spreading further up the plant.  In doing so, it is starving itself and the leaves start to die. 

Doesn't this just make you feel sad?

As you can see, it's heavy with fruit.  I am crossing my fingers that it hangs on long enough to get these tomatoes ripened so we can harvest them.  Of course, we also take the chance that the fungus will spread in the soil to our beloved heirloom Cherokee Purples and Rutgers.  I think I see some signs already, but no yellowing yet.  

Treatment:   To start, plant varieties that are resistant.  They're usually marked on the seed packages when you buy them.  And make sure you never plant your tomatoes in the same place every year.  There is no known cure for plants infected with either fusarium or verticullium wilt.  Honestly, you should yank the plant out immediately.  I just can't bring myself to do that as I stand there and look at all those juicy green tomatoes.  Tto try to combat it from spreading, we will be scouring the local nurseries for some RootShield, the only product that *might* combat fusarium or verticullium wilt.  

The other thing you can do is sterilize the soil, but it needs to be done in the full heat of summer.  I would have to rip out all my plants and cover the entire raised beds with clear plastic and let it bake for the rest of the year.  I'm not willing to do that.  Plus doing that also kills all the beneficial organisms in the soil as well.

Squash Bugs

I really hate these guys.  They attacked my cukes and pumpkins late in the season last year in the other raised bed so I thought I would be cool and switch the squash and cukes to the other bed to get away from them.  These nasty little critters overwinter in the soil and are really hard to kill. They can also travel fairly long distances and reproduce quickly.  And did I mention that they will literally suck the juices out of your plants until they die?!

Due to excessive squishing, I had to borrow this picture from Deardorff and Wadsworth.


Seriously, squash bugs make me say naughty words.

Treatment:  Squishing and more squishing.  Wear gloves and be prepared - they STINK when squished.  Put a board down in the garden and they'll congregate under it, which makes the finding and squishing even easier.  My garden is like a horror movie - as I squish, I imagine ever more horrific ways to dispatch with these evil bugs.  Maybe some leftover fireworks?  Or, if your squeamish, dump the bugs and eggs in a jar of soapy water and watch them drown.  Very satisfying...

You can also try spraying the bugs with soapy water, but I have found that to be somewhat unsuccessful in killing them but it does make them fall off the plant.  I guess what the spray doesn't kill you can squish.  And, for any eggs that you find, either remove that part of the leaf of use duct tape to pull them off.  Kind of like waxing your garden!  :-)  Or how about a dustbuster or shop vac to vacuum them up?

I just read about some guy in Kentucky who sprayed his leftover squash with moonshine and then set it on fire to get rid of the squash bugs.  Lacking in the subtlely department, but I'm sure it's highly satisfying.  I mean, who doesn't want one of these?

Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhh! 

I hope none of you are having these kinds of problems but, if the garden boards online are any indication, you probably are.  It is a bad year for us gardeners, I guess.

I've shared my buggy freakshow with this week's Ole' Saturday Homesteading Trading Post, Country Garden Showcase and Farm Girl Friday.

Veggies and a Job Offer

I'm getting tired of how hot it is (105 AGAIN today!) and tired of writing about it also, so why don't we take a quick stroll through the garden and see what's up?

I'm still picking off dried flowers from the lettuce plants and I not have quite alot of lettuce seeds.  The beans are still green so I'm waiting for them to dry up so that I can finish harvesting their seeds.

But, in the meantime, here's a beautiful spaghetti squash that we just picked!

Alas, it will be our only one because of some pesky pests that I'll be posting about tomorrow.  I'll also be posting about how we prepare this bad boy.  Can't wait to try it and see if actually taste like spaghetti.

Our jalapenos are finally producing and I'm sure they are loving this hot, dry weather.  And, as I was poking around in the beds after mowing yesterday, I discovered this teeny, tiny little sugar baby watermelon.  Isn't it adorable?  A hearty thanks for my handsome hand model, J. for posing in this shot.

Finally, we come to the Roma tomatoes that are absolutely covered with fruit.  They seem smaller, though, than the romas that you would buy in the store, though.  Perhaps because they are an organic variety?  I think the one thing I've learned is that you probably have to plant a ton of romas in order to get enough to can.   That's just one thing I've learned from my garden this year - both good and bad. 

Yesterday as I was watering the strawberry plants, I heard some squealing that I swear sounded like some more rabbit kits.  Despite searching all over, I couldn't find them but I know they are somewhere in our yard.  Seems I can't grow squash very well this year, but I sure can grow rabbits!

And, last but not least....I did get that job offer that I mentioned earlier.  It would have been a step up in my career and would have looked great on my resume, but I would have had to drive an extra 25 minutes each way.  It also would have been a decent raise but, after taxes and the additional gas and wear and tear on the Jeep, it really would have meant only about $3500 per year.   The older I get, the more protective I am of my time and it means more to me than money.  So, after I talked with my current boss and his boss, they convinced me to stay after we discussed some really exciting changes that are coming and some opportunities that are opening up.   

So a bunch of us celebrated my decision to stay with this:

That's the Houlihan's Fruit Jar Punch that I've been wanting to try ever since I saw that it's served in a canning jar.  I didn't even know that Ball made jars in a 1/2 gallon size and now I must have one!

This concoction tasted deceptively like non-alcoholic pink lemonade:  fresh strawberries, fresh lemon juice, Thatcher's Blood Orange Liqueur and Cruzan Strawberry Rum.  Yum!  Served in a 1/2 gallon Ball jar as a pitcher with smaller pint jars as glasses.  I say why bother with pouring?  That's my straw on the right. 

And, yes, I did feel a bit woozy after that.

:-)

Shared with:

A Rural Thursday

FarmGirl Friday

Farm Fresh Friday

We Are the Brave

Wow, check out this hard rockin' version of the Star-Spangled Banner.  

I love it!

Happy Birthday, America!

Several years ago, J. and I set off on a visit to New York to see the sites and visit a friend after 9/11.  The highlight of the trip for me was the boat ride to Ellis Island to see Lady Liberty.  The sky was beautiful on this windy, crisp January day and the waters were choppy.  But once we arrived, I was awestruck by this piece of history and what she stands for.  Pictures simply cannot do her justice.

This picture is my favorite, so I thought I would share it with you today, America's birthday.

On this Fourth of July, please take some time from the fireworks, tasty barbecue, and fun to gather your friends and family and remember why we celebrate this holiday.  Today is all about the birth of this great nation and the freedom that we hold so dear.  We shouldn't take it for granted because it can slip away when we're not looking. 

I hope all of you have a safe and happy 4th!

Saving Seeds: Lettuce and Green Beans

DISCLAIMER:  The information provided here applies to plants that are heirloom, organic or open-pollinated.  Attempting to harvest and re-grow seeds from hybrid plants is not encouraged, as the plants may not perform correctly or the seeds may not even germinate.

As a new gardener, one of the things I really enjoy is sitting down with a stack of seed catalogs and figuring out what I'm going to grow next year and how to arrange things in the raised beds.  But seeds and seedlings can quickly become expensive.  And why pay for something that you can easily get for free from your current plants?  Lightbulb!  Why not save the seeds?!


Harvesting Lettuce Seeds

We eat a ton of lettuce and have enjoyed growing some buttercrunch lettuce this year for the first time.  When the weather got warmer, it bolted - that means it started growing upward exponentially and eventually flowered and went to seed.  I posted about my naughty, bolting lettuce back on June 9th.  Since lettuce leaves tend to get bitter once the plant bolts, I considered yanking it out and giving the space to more peppers.  That is, until I found out that lettuce seeds are among the easiest to harvest and store.

Fast forward 3 weeks and the plants are now about 3 feet high and have cute little yellow flowers on them.  And this is where the magic happens!  See those grey poofballs in the photo that kind of look like teeny dandelions?  That's where the lettuce seeds are.

Harvesting lettuce seeds is insanely easy.  Just pluck off the spent blooms that have dried and turned into "mini dandelions" and rub them between your fingers.  The tiny seeds will pop right out.  Be forewarned:  the blooms are sticky with sap so you will end up with some of it on your fingers.

Buttercrunch has black seeds, but some lettuce seeds are white, depending on the variety.

Lettuce flowers only stay open for about an hour or so and the flowers won't all dry up at the same time, so you will need to revisit the plants every 1 or 2 days to pull off more dried buds.

Once you are finished, place the seeds in a sealed container in a cool, dry place.  Make sure you label the container with the type of seeds and the year they were harvested.  No more buying seed packets!

Seed storage time:  3 to 5 years
Germination percentage:  85%

I'll be planting another crop of lettuce in the fall and will use some of these seeds in the process.


Harvesting Green Bean Seeds

Green beans are another really easy seed to save for the beginning gardener.  Our Contender and Bush Lake bush-variety green beans that are pretty much done producing.  I decided to not pick the last remaining beans and let them dry on the plant.  They need to dry and mature on the plant, so don't pick them before they are dry.  This can take up to 6 weeks but, in our Sahara-like weather the past couple of weeks, it didn't take anywhere close to that long for mine to dry out.

Once they are dry and brittle, you can pull them off the plant and open the pods by hand to remove the individual beans.  If you're harvesting these in the fall and frost is a danger, you can pull up the whole plant and hang it by the roots in a cool, dry location to let the pods dry up.

Seed storage time:  3 to 5 years
Germination percentage:  75%

HINT:  Designate one or two bean plants as "seed" plants only at planting.  Don't pick ANY pods from them to eat and then harvest the seeds once the pods dry up.

If you look closely at the picture, you'll see some immature beans that are a little smaller and whiter than the mature beans.  It's questionable whether these are viable but I may plant a couple of them just to see what happens. 

Here in Missouri, we can replant beans all summer, so I may pull up my plants and replant another batch.  We were really enjoying the fresh green beans while they lasted!

 

A Note About Storing Onions

Since we're talking about storing things, I wanted to show you a picture of something I had mentioned a week or so ago about storing onions in pantyhose.  This is pretty old school - my grandmother did this with her worn out stockings.  It allows the onion to stay cool and dry with air flow, and it keeps any enterprising bugs out.  Plus you can tie the pantyhose around a nail or shelf support and hang the onions up.  Just add an onion, tie a knot, add an onion, etc. etc.  Then untie when you're ready ot use. What a great way to recycle and reuse!

Til next time,

I'm linked up to this week's Country Garden Showcase, Garden Life Linkup, Tuesday Garden Party and Monday Barn Hop.  Go check out what everybody else is up to!