Produce Progress

Tomatoes, eggplant, green and purple stringbeans, broccoli, carrots, Bell Peppers

I know I post a lot about our gardens but it is a big deal to us. A lot of what we eat comes out of that soil so we think about it often. I was perusing through the recent posts and saw that there needed to be some updated pictures.

We have enjoyed a few days of rain on and off, mixed with glorious sunshine. This has been wonderful for our plants which were quite thirsty to say the least! We are very happy with the turn out this year. All of our plants are growing strong and the weeding in the raised beds has been minimal and easy to control. The corn is growing fast and tall with a rich dark green in their leaves. There is a uncontrollable smile that appears on my face when I sit back and look at all of it in the early evening hours with the sun setting behind it all.

Peas, Romaine Lettuce, Kale, Herbs

I built a fourth raised bed and am contemplating planting some spinach, strawberries (for next year) and who knows what else in it. It will be for all late start plants. I hope to keep increasing our production as we become more efficient and increasing in the quality of produce. We would like to start selling some soon. I am looking in to what is widely available and maybe maybe start growing what is not, but yet still desired in the area.

Corn, various squash to the left, Rhubarb at far end.

 

…that he may bring forth food out of the earth;

Tilling with helpers.

It has been a rewarding growing season so far. Just the right amount of rain and sun to get our plants bursting out of the ground. To me its a miracle when every seed produces a plant that will feed us in some fashion. I have also enjoyed having my boys help out in any way they can. Both my boys love the tiller and want to help, they also like digging and planting.

Corn Garden

After we tilled this section of our garden, we had to “pick rocks”. This garden is full of them. We are using this garden for our heartier plants like corn, rhubarb and squash. They seem to do well in all kinds of soil. Over the winter I have added ash from our wood stove and other organic material to this garden to help sweeten the soil a bit more.

We have planted: Peas, romaine lettuce, string beans, carrots, broccoli, kale, spinach, celery, herbs, corn, various kinds of squash, eggplant, rhubarb and various kinds of tomatoes, grapes (already started from 3 yrs ago), and red raspberries.

Raised bed progress 2

Raised bed progress 1

Picking ROcks

 

Food, Inc.

Food, Inc

I have recently again been captivated by what I eat, and what my family eats. I am slowly getting an education on the food we buy and consume. What is really in it? Or not in it? Does the little picture of the farm on the packaging make you feel more secure about eating it? Is it REALLY cheaper?

 

Low Mileage Food

Grilled Venison

Take a look at your dinner table right before you dig in. Look at those veggies in the bowl…where did they come from? That barbecued chicken, steak, or even the sausage  on that pizza in front of you…where did it come from?  Now, I don’t expect you to say “The ground”, “A pig”, “A cow”, or anything sarcastic like that. What I want you to think about, is WHERE did it come from?I remember last year being shocked to look on a bag of frozen vegetables and reading “Product of China” !! Anymore we are mostly used to our food being shipped from Central or even South America.

So much of the food in grocery stores today

 

Thanksgiving….

This is my favorite time of the year. The air is cooler, potential for snow is in the air, wood stoves are burning, and hunting seasons are in mid-swing.

Thanksgiving seems to me to be tied to a wonderful heritage of self-sufficiency that has been all but lost in most Americans. The idea of growing your own food, hunting for your own food,  or raising your own food is mostly an interesting oddity to most Americans these days.  People are just so used to ordering food from a restaurant menu or seeing it all neatly packaged in plastic at the super grocery store down the road.

The personal interaction with agriculture is lost. The appreciation of a sacrificed life, or the toil of the earth is distant. I am thankful for being able to live where I do. It gives me plenty of opportunity to appreciate healthy homegrown and harvested foods. These foods not only cost less, but are much more healthy for your body as they do not contain all kinds of hormones, antibiotics, or chemical sprays.

I also love this time of year because my family is together under one roof. The conversation that fills the air is wonderful. Watching the kids play with each other, some excited about hunting in a few days, puts a smile on my face.

I will be traveling a few hours to my brothers house for the thanksgiving meal, and then returning with  another brother and his children and another one of my nephews. My home in North central PA turns into “Deer Camp” for the next few days after thanksgiving. Its a time of year that I favor most and just wanted to share my thoughts about it with you.

Hunting Success