Uwharrie Heirlooms

More seed catalogs

2012-01-14T00:00:00.008-05:00

It's midnight, and I'm up trying to keep two fires burning - one for the house and one in the greenhouse. What better thing do I have to do between stoking the fires than update the ol' blog?

Before I get into my catalog list, I want to give an update on what's growing.

I have several hundred one-gallon angel trumpet plants that I began rooting in November. Many are already large enough for sale, but it's still a couple of months before that will happen.

I've been doing some transplanting of various herb plants that rooted in late summer. I think I actually heard some of them sigh in relief when I pulled them from their cramped quarters in the rooting trays.

In an attempt to keep the seeds from rotting in the ground I have started about 1000 plugs of early peas for transplanting to the field at Oak Bluff Farm. I have about 1000 seeds for the plug trays then the remainder will go directly into the row. I hope I'm not putting all this work into preparing a fresh salad bar for the deer.

Now, on to the list.

Every winter I receive many seed and plant catalogs from all over the United States and Canada. As I said in my last entry, I try to do the bulk of my business with companies that are close by. The order usually arrives sooner and shipping across country isn't cheap, or environmentally friendly. Sometimes, though, you have to get it where you can.

Here is a list of catalogs that I have received that I have yet to order from, but may give me the opportunity to try something new. They are in no particular order.

J.L. Hudson Seedsman
PO Box 337
La Honda, California 94020
J.L. Hudson runs a respected seed house on the west coast. He was saving seeds before it was the cool thing to do. You will find many unusual seed varieties in this catalog, and you'll get an education by taking the time to read through it.

Irish Eyes Garden Seeds
5045 Robinson Canyon Road
Ellensburg, Washington 98926
I think this is the first year that I've received this catalog. They say that they offer the largest selection of potatoes, garlic, shallots, onions and organic vegetable seed in the U.S. I guess I need to take a closer look.

Annie's Heirloom Seeds
12123 Darby Rd
Clarksville, Michigan 48815
This is a nice catalog with a very colorful front cover and a lot of color on the inside as well. This looks like a family business that carries only heirloom varieties, so I may try to give them a bit of business this season.

Heirloom Acres Seeds
2529 CR#338
New Bloomfield, Missouri 65063
I received two of these catalogs for some reason, both with the same handwritten address and both bearing two 42¢ stamps. I think they may be trying to get my attention. Just kidding. This catalog has no photos, but there are descriptions of a wide variety of heirloom seeds that may be worth the look for something different. If you are local to me and would like to have my extra catalog just drop me an email and we'll arrange to pass it on.

Territorial Seed Company
PO Box 158
Cottage Grove, Oregon 97424
Territorial offers a great selection of seeds and plants. They also have a line of garden supplies. A good variety of vegetables, flowers and herbs with color photos.

Seed Savers Exchange
3094 North Winn Road
Decorah, Iowa 52101
Seed Savers is a catalog of heirloom, open-pollinated seeds. They also have books and gift items in this full-color catalog. They boast of having the largest non-government seed banks in North America. A large variety of seeds may be found here.

Kitazawa Seed Company
PO Box 13220
Oakland, California 94661
I was excited to find this catalog in my mailbox. This company has been offering nothing but Asian varieties of vegetable seeds for 94 years! Wow! I am going to trey a few things here and hopefully I'll have some fresh Asian veggies to take to market this season. We'll see.

Bountiful Gardens
18001 Shafer Ranch Rd
Willits, California 95490
I've received this catalog for a couple of years, but have yet to order from them. They have a good selection of heirloom, untreated, open-pollinated seeds. There are a few rather unusual items here, and have a good selection of grains and cover crops. Shipping these products to North Carolina from California would be quite expensive, though.

Tomato Growers Supply Company
PO Box 60015
Fort Myers, Florida 33906
Lots of tomato stuff here, if you're looking for it.

That's about it for now. Catalogs seem to keep arriving, so I may be able to post a few more.

I haven't yet posted any of the "plants or bulbs only" catalogs that I receive, so be on the lookout for that post.

It will be much shorter.

Stay warm. Speaking of which, it's now 1:00 am and I need to go out and check the fires. Outside temp is 31º and falling.

Spring can't arrive soon enough. 66 days.

Seed sources

2012-01-04T14:08:00.022-05:00

I've been asked by several people for recommendations on where to buy seeds for their gardens.

There are many different sources for garden seeds. My first choices for bulk seeds are local, which is my first recommendation for anyone.

Reading through the seed catalogs every winter is one of my favorite winter "chores." While it is a necessary part of my chosen profession, it is so enjoyable. Last night it was 15° here in central North Carolina, but I was gardening in my mind while looking through my seed catalogs!

My favorite local seed sellers are:

Montgomery Farm & Garden
702 North Main Street
Troy, NC 27371
910-572-3990
Seller of bulk seeds from Wyatt-Quarles. They do have a rack of seed packets, but I'm unsure of the company.

Carthage Farm Supply
US Hwy 15-501-NC 24-27
Carthage, NC 27376
910-947-2213
Seller of bulk seeds from Wyatt-Quarles. They do have a couple of racks of seed packets, but I'm unsure of the company.

Aberdeen Supply
201 N Sycamore Street
Aberdeen, NC 28315
910-944-1422
Seller of bulk seeds from Wyatt-Quarles. They do have seed packets, but I'm unsure of the company.

Weston's Feed & Seed
330 West Salisbury Street
Asheboro, NC 27203
336-625-5700
A great old-time garden-center. They have bulk seeds from Wyatt-Quarles and seed packs from other companies.

Logan's Trading Company
707 Semart Drive
Raleigh, NC 27604
919-828-5337
Seeds from many different seeds companies, many of the mail-order companies below are represented here. A fun visit because they have so much to see.

Sow True Seed
146 Church Street
Asheville, NC 28801
828-254-0708
info@sowtrue.com

This Asheville, North Carolina seed company advertises Open-Pollinated/Non-Hybrid & Untreated Seeds featuring Heirloom, Organic & Traditional Varieties. I have not ordered from them but have bought a few packs from the rack at Bare Essentials in Boone, NC. I mention this company because they are based in North Carolina.

I've requested a catalog for the past two seasons but have yet to receive as much as an acknowledgement from them. I'll continue to wait and will give them a chance for my business, but only because I try to support NC companies when I can.

Now, here are the companies from which I purchase the majority of my seeds:

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
PO Box 46o
Mineral, VA 23117
540-894-9480
gardens@southernexposure.com

I absolutely love this seed company. They fill their orders quickly and rarely have I ever been unable to receive the seeds I want due to being out of stock.

This company's motto is, "Saving the past for the future" -- They offer a delightful catalog of heirloom seeds and gardening accessories. AND it contains far more useful information and interesting stories than your "garden variety" seed catalog. Learn seasonal garden tips, disease and insect control, seed saving, and detailed variety descriptions.

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
2278 Baker Creek Road
Mansfield, MO 65704
417-924-8917
seeds@rareseeds.com

Baker Creek says that they carry over 1400 varieties of heirloom seeds, and I believe it. Their catalog is one of the best resources that I have for information on heirloom garden seeds and plants. The history of the seed is important to me because I enjoy learning about the origins and uses of the plants that I grow.

Baker Creek carries one of the largest selections of seeds from the 19th century, including many Asian and European varieties. The company has become a tool to promote and preserve our agricultural and culinary heritage. Their company and seeds have been featured in The New York Times, The Associated Press, Oprah Magazine, Martha Stewart, and many others. Gardeners can request a free 196-page color catalog that now mails to 310,000 gardeners nationally.

Pinetree Garden Seeds
PO Box 300
New Gloucester, ME 04260
207-926-3400 • pinetree@superseeds.com

This company is perfect for gardeners who are looking for small quantities of seeds to grow. The prices are reasonable and seeds are shipped fairly quickly. They have a good variety of seeds in their catalog, and you can also order online.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

These are the companies that I order from regularly. I will put together a post of other companies that I have received catalogs from, including some that I intend to order a few packs from for the first time this season.

Have fun looking!

Merry Christmas

2011-12-19T15:04:00.002-05:00

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have supported this little enterprise during our first full year of business.

The road has been a bit rocky, but with the coming new year we hope to keep working and trying new things to make the road a bit smoother.

Working on a shoestring is not easy, but for now it's the only way we'll make this work. Paying as you go is not such a bad thing because what you're working with is paid for and you don't have to worry about yet another bill on the pile that's already there. Anyone who thinks that the small farmer has got it made and is raking in the dollars has obviously never tried it for themselves.

We pray that you and your family have a safe and happy Christmas Season and a prosperous new year. We hope to see you and all your friends in 2012 as we try to do this thing called farming again. And thanks be to God that Cindy has a full-time job that keeps this family afloat!

And please, remember the reason for this season is for the celebration of the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Hugh & Cindy
Carson, Eli & Daniel
of Uwharrie Heirlooms

A time for change

2011-11-22T14:54:00.002-05:00

The seasonal period that falls between the end of the traditional growing season and the beginning of a new year brings time for reflection on where we've been and what direction we want to go next.

With that being said, Uwharrie Heirlooms is moving in an exciting and new direction that will give us an entirely new outlook on the crops that we produce.

We are partnering with Oak Bluff Farm of Jackson Springs, NC, which has been what is known as a "conventional" farm since their first crops were planted about twenty years ago.

We have taken a long hard look at this farm. We don't see hundreds of acres of the same crop. We don't see combines and huge mechanical methods being used to harvest our crops.

What we see is an opportunity.

That opportunity will allow us to look into the future for generations rather than until the end of the season. As a small farm, we will be able to actually have a relationship with our crops that will benefit our customers and the final consumers of what we produce.

We are undertaking the methods of growing our crops more sustainably.

Most of the fields have lain fallow for the past year in anticipation of this new direction. We want to protect and build our resources, the soil and water, on this farm so that we can produce a diverse selection of the most popular fruits, herbs and vegetables while expanding the possibilities of growing new crops that will fill your plates with nutritious, healthy food.

It's not an easy transition. The farm has around ten acres of available cropland to use. We are beginning a rotation of cover crops, which will both protect and add nutrients to the soil, on a seasonal basis. Once we have secured the proper equipment for correct application we will institute a program of no-till farming to selected fields in order to build the available organic matter upon our sandy soils and to reduce the amount of erosion that comes from wind and water.

In the process we will be protecting our natural resources by reducing or eliminating runoff into our ponds and streams while building a legacy that we hope will carry on for generations.

It's a journey that we are prepared to undertake, and we would like to invite you to come along with us.

Uwharrie Heirlooms will continue to grow the types of plants and transplants that we have always had, but this partnership will offer the opportunity to greatly expand out offerings, and that makes for an exciting season!

October

2011-09-28T22:20:00.003-04:00

The heat of the summer has passed and the feel of fall has descended upon us here at Uwharrie Heirlooms. There is more work to be done than I can comprehend, but I am continuing my propagation for winter and spring crops.

We have been inundated with rain for the past week or so. My beautiful seedlings of the second round of cole crops have really taken a beating from the rain, but I hope to salvage some before it's too late.

I am continuing to work the local markets. I hope with fall here now that customers will come out more and support those vendors who take the time and trouble to make their wares available for the local folks.

I have browsed the past ten years of Hort Shorts in Carolina Country magazine and have come up with the following tips for October:

• Plant daffodils, crocus, tulips, hyacinths and other spring-blooming bulbs through December. The optimal planting time is when the soil temperature at the planting depth has dropped below 60 F. Good drainage is essential for spring-flowering bulbs. Amend clay or heavy soils with organic matter.

• Bedding annuals such as impatiens, begonias and coleus may be dug and potted, then brought inside to survive the winter. If you lack indoor space for large plants, cut 4- to 6-inch sections of stem and place in water in a small jar, bottle or vase. Pinch blooms and remove any leaves below the water line. When roots form, plant in small pots and keep in a sunny location.

• Hardiness varies among bulbs such as dahlia, gladiolus, canna lily and elephant ear. Winter survival depends on many factors: the average minimum winter temperatures in your area, the severity of a given winter, the degree of shelter in your garden and the particular species or variety. If in doubt, lift and store. For instructions about hardiness and storage of many types of bulbs, visit www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/hil-8632.html.

• Remove and destroy the dead foliage from canna lilies after frost to reduce infestation of leaf-roller caterpillars. The pupae of these pests overwinter in the leaves.

• Freshly dug sweet potatoes should be “cured” to heal any wounds to the skin and to jump-start the conversion of starches to sugar. Cure harvested potatoes by letting them remain in the warmest room of the house for a week or two, then store them in a cool place (50–60 F) for six to eight weeks for the sweetest flavor.

• Plant cover crops in fallow winter beds. Clover, annual rye, barley and buckwheat are a few examples of plants that will improve soil structure and suppress weeds. These can be turned under in spring before planting new crops.

• Planting trees too deep is a major cause of tree mortality. Determine the proper planting depth by identifying the trunk’s “flare,” the place where the roots begin to branch from the trunk. The flare should be visible above the existing grade after planting. This may require planting the root ball 1 or 2 inches above ground.

• Harvest turnip roots when they are 2 to 3 inches in diameter but before heavy frosts occur in the fall.

• Pick any green tomatoes before frost and wrap them individually in newspaper in a cool room to ripen.

• Some plants that are considered tender perennials in your growing zone may survive year-round in warm or sheltered “microclimates” in your landscape. For example, experiment with a planting near a south-facing masonry wall.

• Pick outer leaves of collards and kale, as desired, for cooking. Leave a central growing point and plants will continue to produce new leaves.

• Bring houseplants inside before evening temperatures dip below 45 degrees F. Check for insects and disease and treat before introducing plants indoors. Re-pot any leggy plants. Reduce amount of watering.

• Plant garlic from mid-September through November, depending on your location (on the earliest side of the range in the western parts of the state). Garlic needs adequate time for roots to develop before winter and about a 2-month cold period for robust bulbs to form in spring. Spring planting is least optimal.

• Direct-sow seeds of larkspur, poppies, love-in-a-mist, sweet peas and bachelor’s buttons now for next year’s bloom.

• Cover fallow beds with layers of newspaper topped with mulch or leaves, or sow cover crops such as winter rye, buckwheat and clover.

• If the fall has been dry, give perennials a thorough final soaking before the ground freezes.

• Rake and dispose of any diseased leaves in rose beds. Prune and remove any dead or diseased wood from the plants.

• Plant carrot seeds in small pots, and place in the sunshine. Before frost, bring them indoors. Place pots among house plants where they give a fern-like accent. Plants do best in bright light.

• Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) has a long taproot and is not easily transplanted or divided. The plant is tolerant of heat and humidity and is an excellent cut flower. Spider mites can be a serious problem.

• Baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata) grows best in high light and long days. Plants prefer a high pH (6.5-7.4). Blooms can be produced year-round in a greenhouse or a well-lit indoor room—preferably one with sunlight. Baby’s breath is a popular bride’s bouquet flower. Use it as filler in indoor floral designs.

• Indoor potted plants that have spent the summer outdoors need to slow adjusted to their return inside. Move these potted plants to filtered light for a few days.

• When relocating to a new property with a preexisting garden area, watch the overall landscape for a full cycle of seasons. Then you’ll learn what’s really there – like hidden clumps of bulbs, existing patches of weeds, and low spots that hold water after a rain

• When pruning, always cut on a slant just above where a leaf has emerged from the stem. Relocate or keep well-pruned any shrubs beneath windows so as not to block view from inside.

•Control nematodes that have attacked trees and shrubs. Apply a nematocide. Repeat the application as needed and closely follow the container directions. Make close checks for problems after spring growth appears. Fall and winter are the best times for moving established plants that need relocating.

• A recent study shows that gardening reduces depression, and increases satisfaction in everyday living. UNC researchers found that many gardeners use the activity as a social outlet.

• Apply an extra layer of mulch such as pine straw or pine bark to newly planted trees and shrubs. This reduces evaporation, helps roots adjust, and slows down weed growth in the spring. Dig the planting holes at least twice as wide as the container you bought the plant in – but no deeper. Always lift the plant by the root ball or container – not the trunk. In preparing soil to fill around newly planted trees and shrubs, a good mixture is roughly
equal parts potting soil, sphagnum peat moss, and composted manure. Fresh manure can burn tender emerging roots in the spring.

• In addition to trees and shrubs, fall is the best time for planting perennials and roses.

September

2011-08-28T00:04:00.003-04:00

What's happening at Uwharrie Heirlooms

The month of September is a busy time as the days get shorter and the temperatures begin falling a little bit here in central North Carolina.

The garden is looking pretty ragged with the exception of the morning glories, which have covered the plot like a blanket of kudzu. I've never seen anything grow like this vining weed has done in the past few weeks.

Our stock plants are getting a late-season grooming, which equals lots of cuttings to be made. As of this writing I have taken cuttings of several types of sedum, rosemary, thymes, lavender and dwarf euonymous.

Still to go are cuttings of all the mints, sages, oregano, stevia, scented geraniums, tarragon and savory. I continue to be on the lookout for anything new that can be added to our lineup of heirloom plants.

There's still some sanitation chores to be done in the greenhouse, along with getting ready for cold temperatures that will be here before we know it.

We were spared the wrath of Hurricane Irene, which stayed well to the east of us. The late-August storm brought us a little bit of rain and some gusty winds in the 30 mph range. One crape myrtle "Natchez" did sustain a broken limb, but it was sawn off and a number of cuttings were rescued from the branch before it became another piece in our fall bonfire pile.

In the garden

There are a number of things to be done in the garden this month:

• Keep the edible garden going by planting early-maturing greens and veggies for fall harvest. Vegetables to plant now include beets, carrots, spinach and bok choi (can withstand light frost) and kale and collards (can withstand heavy frost).

• Plant garlic from mid-September through November (on the early end of the range in the western parts of the state). Garlic needs adequate time for roots to develop before winter and about a two-month cold period for robust bulbs to form in spring.

• Butterfly lovers: Be on the lookout for caterpillars of your favorite “flying flowers.” Check plants in the parsley family (carrot, parsley, dill, fennel) for black swallowtail caterpillars. Look for spicebush swallowtail caterpillars on sassafras and spicebush leaves. Scope out milkweed for monarchs. And inspect passionflower vines for gulf fritillaries. For help with caterpillar and butterfly I.D., check out “Stokes Butterfly Book: The Complete Guide to Butterfly Gardening, Identification, and Behavior.”

• Give a helping hand to annual flowers that self-sow. Shake the stems vigorously to release the maximum amount of ripe seed. Or gather and scatter seeds elsewhere to increase your number of “volunteers” for next year.

• Evaluate your perennial beds now for spots that could use a fresh look. Pay attention to texture and form in addition to color.

• Don’t fertilize perennials at this time of year so that plants can ready themselves for winter dormancy.

• Fall is a good time to survey the lawn and garden and contemplate design changes. To help visualize the shape of new beds and borders, create an outline using a garden hose. Arrange the hose until you’ve created a desirable shape. Sprinkle flour on the ground to mark the outline, remove the hose and dig in.

• There’s more to a garden than curb appeal. Remember to create garden spaces you can enjoy from indoors too. Plant tall flowering plants in front of dining room and sitting room windows so you can enjoy hummingbirds and butterflies at close range.

• Pick ornamental gourds after they have fully ripened on the vine—the shell should be hard and the vine withered. Leave several inches of stem on the gourd.

• Harvest the heads of edible sunflower varieties when the outer shells of the seeds have hardened and the back of the flower head is dry and brown. Cure in a paper bag for several weeks in a warm, well-ventilated place.

• Sow spinach and leaf lettuce for autumn salads. Set out transplants of collards for a holiday harvest.

• Use kitchen wastewater to water houseplants and containers. Use leftover cooking water (unsalted). Collect cold tap water in a bowl as you’re warming up water at the faucet.

• Now is a good time to move bearded iris since it is essentially dormant. Lift clumps from ground with a garden fork. Break or cut apart the thick roots to make several plants. Each root division should have a fan of leaves.

• Plan to move tomato bed for next year’s crop to reduce the chance of diseases carried over in soil.

• Prepare for the gift of fallen leaves starting in the next few weeks. This free source for soil improvement can be composted or tilled directly into the garden, where it will break down and improve the texture and fertility of your soil.

Thanks to Carolina Country magazine's Hort Shorts for some of the tips published here.

Contact Uwharrie Heirlooms

Uwharrie Heirlooms is always glad to be of service to our customers. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

What a small world

2011-08-24T22:11:00.002-04:00

Several months ago I was scanning the Greensboro Craigslist farm+garden section. I don't do this on a regular basis since I don't have a huge need for anything, but I was bored and thought I'd just check it out.

I spotted an ad for water garden plants. Cindy and I once had a fish pool full of water hyacinth, but we let the cold beat us to them and they all froze to death.

I contacted the seller only to find that he had already sold the ones in the ad, but he hoped to have some more later.

A month or so ago I contacted him again and I finally was able to make to his house to pick up a couple of dozen water lettuce and water hyacinth plants. My trusty GPS led me directly to his home, where I was greeted warmly by his wife.

After chitchatting for a few minutes we looked over the selection and I began pulling plants from the pond. As I gathered the plants she showed me an envelope that contained predatory insects for organic control of flies in their horse pasture.

I mentioned that I had worked at the zoo several years ago and that we used predatory insects at the three-acre compost site.

Her eyes widened and she exclaimed, "You worked at the zoo?"

I get that reaction a lot when I tell about the years my wife and I worked there, she as an animal keeper and I as a horticulturist.

"Yes, for eight years," I replied.

Then she dropped the bombshell: "Our daughter is interning at the zoo right now!"

Wow, what were the chances of that? I answered a random ad, went to a stranger's home and all of a sudden it was like we were old friends.

She called her daughter outside to meet me and we both learned that we had many friends that work at the zoo in common.

I made some new friends and now have a selection of water plants again to replace the ones we lost and to stock the new "pond" that I'm making from a clawfoot bathtub that I rescued from an old house that is being torn down.

They were both very fun to meet and talk with. As the title of this entry suggests, it is indeed a small world.

You never know who you're going to meet next!

Fall is on the horizon

2011-07-29T23:51:00.002-04:00

As we all continue to suffer through the oppressive heat of this miserable summer, I would like to proclaim my belief that fall is coming, and will arrive just in time for us to get back in the garden to start anew.

Uwharrie Heirlooms will be offering a variety of late-season tomato transplants and a goodly number of cool-season plants.

I have already been seeing flats of large cool-season transplants on the shelves of the retailers that sell the products of the mega-plant mills, but it is just WAY too early to put these poor plants in the ground.

These are the same producers that have warm-season plants on the shelf in late February and March in hopes that you will take the bait and buy the transplants, plant them, watch them die, then come back and buy more.

I hate that.

At this time, we are offering a selection of 4" herb plants, including chives, lavender (Provence) and rosemary. They can be planted now, but make sure they are kept moist. Give them a bit of shade by cutting some leafy branches from trees or shrubs and sticking them into the ground on the south side of the plant. Let the branch drape over the transplant to keep them in the shade until the roots have time to adjust to the new soil in which they will be growing.

Late-season tomato transplants can be treated the same way. We now have six-packs of Rutgers, Homestead, Roma, Cherokee Purple, Purple Calabash, Mr. Stripey and Early Girl transplants. The supplies are limited, so if you want some please drop me an email at uwharrieheirlooms@yahoo.com so I can set them aside for you.

Cool-season transplants will also be in six-packs and should be ready in mid-August.

We will offer:

Broccoli
Calabrese
58 Days. An Italian heirloom that was brought to America in the 1880s, 5-8" heads and many side shoots.

Brussels Sprouts
Catskill (Improved Long Island)
100 days. Hardy dwarf plants produce tasty uniform sprouts. (baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

Cabbage
Golden Acre
62 days. Small, 5-7" heads can be planted closer together than larger, later varieties. 3-4 lb green heads don’t store for long, but it’s one of the fastest to mature. Resistant to cabbage yellows. (Southern Exposure Seed Exchange)

Cauliflower
Snowball
68 days. A work-saving variety with self-wrapping leaves which protect the white curds from heat and sunlight during late summer or early fall. No tying of the leaves is necessary unless heads grow larger than 6" in diameter. During hot weather growth slows until cooler weather arrives, thus preventing formation of undersized heads. (Southern Exposure Seed Exchange)

Collard
Morris Heading
85 days. Plant produces good yields of delicious blue-green collard leaves with light green veins. Slow to bolt in hot weather. A traditional greens grown in the South. (Reimer Seeds)

Vates
75 days. Plant produces good yields of delicious green collard leaves. High in Vitamin A, B1, B2, and C. Good freezing and canning variety. (Reimar Seeds)

Kale
Siberian
50 days. This tasty Russian variety produces leaves that are only slightly frilled and of top quality. 16-inch plants are very hardy and productive. (Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds)

Spinach
Bloomsdale
45 days. [Pre-1915.] A fully-savoyed or crinkled variety with dark green leaves. Heat-tolerant. Very dependable, and the most full-flavored variety for salad use. Has withstood winter lows to 0°F. (Southern Exposure Seed Exchange)

Within the next couple of weeks I will have 4" pots of stevia, Greek oregano, garlic chive and Pineapple Sage ready for sale.

New cuttings of lemon and silver thyme are rooting, as are peppermint, spearmint, orange mint, apple mint, chocolate mint, and a new variety, lavender mint.

Lemon balm is rooting, as are a limited number of patchouli starts.

Small transplants of a few hardy perennials are in the rooting stage and seedlings of a new sowing of common thyme and garlic chive are peeking through the soil.

The french tarragon has rooted and the creeping winter savory has too.

Golden and tri-color sage cuttings are scheduled to be taken next week. Another crop of broadleaf sage will be sown next week.

Everything that has survived the heat is now out of the greenhouse, which is undergoing a good cleaning in preparation for the cooler days that surely lie ahead.

Fall is coming.

I just know it.

The Uwharrie Heirlooms Story

2011-06-24T17:07:00.003-04:00

I was asked to share this portion of my POS brochure here. Hope you enjoy it.

During the summer of 1967 my parents sent me to stay with my grandmother, Ruth Johnson Martin, while they were at work during the day. My “Memaw” decided that she would keep me occupied by helping me to plant a garden.

We brought a mattock and hoe out of the shed and started digging what seemed like an acre of ground in which to plant our seeds. Actually it was more like eight feet square, but it was big enough to grow a few vegetables.

In that small plot we planted seeds of squash, cucumber, okra and corn. I don’t remember if we harvested a lot from my first garden, but I do know during that summer, my grandmother planted in me a love for gardening and growing plants that grows to this very day. She instilled the love of old plants and methods.

When I was 15 my father helped me build a greenhouse, which was small (8’ x 12’) but provided a place for me to practice my growing skills for several years. I studied horticulture in high school during my senior year, and went on to study further at NC State University. I built a larger greenhouse and started growing some of my own plants that I used in my landscaping business for over fourteen years.

I spent eight years as a member of the horticulture staff at the North Carolina Zoo, where I learned a great deal about growing without the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. Then it was time for me to move back on my own, and my life’s path has brought me back here, to my little plant farm called Uwharrie Heirlooms.

Summer Heat

2011-06-22T08:24:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was the first day of summer, and my wife has the evidence to prove it.

She took this photo upon arrival for our weekly farmers' market at the Star Heritage Center.

I don't handle heat very well, and I ended the day at the market feeling very bad from getting too hot and drinking too much water. The air conditioning and cool sheets were a welcome respite when I returned home.

Our Montgomery County Farmers' Markets are doing well and growing every week. We're getting a good selection of vendors on board and the public is responding by supporting the markets.

I'm currently working on a database of churches in the areas of our markets. As VP in charge of publicity for the markets I'm afraid that I have been missing a large portion of the population that really need to know about the availability of the products that our vendors are offering.

I hope to be able to send regular announcements to these churches so that they can pass on the information to members of their congregations. The majority of our promotion up to this point has been online, and it is a known fact that the elderly and low-income citizens that can benefit from the markets don't have computers and access to the internet.

We continue to receive very little support from our local "newspaper" in promoting the markets. The people there have it in their minds that we are a group of little farms making a mint by selling our products uptown. This is another reason that this county needs another newspaper to offer some competition. Three-week old "news" isn't news any more.

I'm working on procuring signs for the markets. They're long overdue and it's got to be done.

Our markets aren't just for farm products. We've had some neat entertainment as well. Trip Rogers and Tom Eure, aka the Thistledown Tinkers, have performed at both the Troy and Star Markets this month.

Other entertainers we've had have been the Healing Force, Old Habits and Sarah Wallace and White Water.

Thistledown Tinkers are becoming fairly well know. There is an article about them in the July 2011 issue of Our State magazine.

Things have slowed a bit here. Folks aren't planting in the heat. We've been doing some small herb and flower containers that have done ok, but hot weather isn't ideal.

The addition of some produce, as it arrives, has kept us optimistic that there will be reasons to keep harvesting and selling, but as we continue to clean out the remaining spring plants it makes more space for the plants that will make late summer and fall gardens alive for our customers.

Thank you for your support of our business and our markets. Even if we don't sell much some days it is always great to see our old friends and make some new ones.

Mid-season planting, and what's new?

2011-05-23T09:29:00.004-04:00

The end of May is the unofficial beginning of Summer here in central North Carolina. Today's forecast of 90°+ temperatures is a good sign that it's coming.

Where did Spring go? Wasn't it just last week that we were complaining about freezing temperatures? Weren't we looking forward to warm weather?

I'll admit that, while the colder temperatures don't always agree with the plants, they do seem to agree more with me. Fat folks, like myself, have that extra layer of insulation that makes cold tolerable and warm uncomfortable and hot unbearable.

Frequent breaks and cold drinks keep me going through the summer, and ceiling fans and air conditioning make the hot, humid nights bearable.

As far as heirloom plants go, I am on the tail-end of the initial garden transplants, mostly tomato varieties. I do have some of these potted into three-gallon containers that I will offer for sale in early June. If you don't have your garden planted, and even beginning the early harvests, don't fret. It's never too late to get started.

A new crop of tomato plants will be ready to go around July 1 for the late garden.

This is the perfect time to start an herb garden. It doesn't have to be large, and can even be as small as a few potted herbs on the back steps.

A few of the culinary herbs that I have ready for transplanting include: sage, parsley, common thyme, lemon thyme, rosemary, sweet genovese basil, purple ruffles basil, lemon basil, lime basil, red sorrel, lemon balm, chive, garlic chive, peppermint, spearmint, apple mint, orange mint and chocolate mint. I'm sure that I'm forgetting some.

The rooting beds are quite active now with herb cuttings, flowers and some vegetables.

We've been taking fresh swiss chard, fresh-cut herbs and spring onions to market lately, so keep an eye out. They're selling fast.

I will have some strawberry jars planted with herbs for sale around the first of June. This will be a one-stop kitchen herb garden for those who either don't have the space or the time for tending an herb garden in the ground.

Be on the lookout for Uwharrie Heirlooms at the Asheboro, Troy and Star Farmers' Markets.

We'll be looking for you!

Schedule Change

2011-05-04T12:52:00.002-04:00

I just want to call your attention to a change in my Market Schedule, which appears in the column to the right --->

I have decided to not attend a market on Wednesday. I've quickly discovered that I need the time to be able to maintain the goings-on at the home base.

In actuality, I need seven days and five people to maintain the place. I really don't know how I'd manage if I actually had large acreage in production here.

But in the meantime, I'll be around the greenhouse and gardens each Wednesday.

Thanks to all of you who are staying in the Uwharrie Heirlooms loop!

The van saga

2011-04-29T16:58:00.002-04:00

Back in 2005, when I was still working at the NC Zoo, a co-worker offered me an opportunity to purchase a 1987 Ford Econoline van at a reasonable price. I had long wished to have a similar vehicle to carry my DJ equipment and anything else I could use it for, especially plants, since I was planning to leave the zoo to return to the greenhouse business.

I bought it.

For several years I used it, on the average, once a month or so, as I didn't need it as much as I had thought. In the meantime I drove my little Toyota pickup, which finally conked out on me in February of this year.

With finances being pretty tight, the pickup sits, awaiting for help from someone who has yet to take a look.

So, the old white van became not just a delivery vehicle, but a mode of daily transportation. I can honestly say that I have received my money's worth, as it has struggled to keep me on the road for the past couple of months.

But the old van is not without its problems.

As many of you who know me are aware, the highway in front of my place is undergoing some serious road construction, and has been in that state for a couple of years.

A couple of weeks ago, the old roadway out front was milled down a couple of feet deep, leaving something akin to an old-timey moat across the front of my property. The construction workers were kind enough to build a bridgelike connection of soil or gravel so that we and our neighbors could access the road, releasing us from our pinned in status.

So, I was the first one to attempt an escape.

I fired up the old van, and started across the moat via the "bridge." My front end immediately sank to the axles and I felt a crunch as the entire front undercarriage made contact with the ledge of pavement that had been left following the milling operation.

I slowly backed out and retreated through the rear driveway from the greenhouse. The potholes there aren't much better than the ill-fated front drive, but I at least know where they are.

As I drove toward Troy, to the Farmers' Market there, the entire van began to shimmy, shake and shudder. It felt as if I had four flat tires.

I pulled into the driveway of a friend and got out to take a look. I saw no flats and could see no damage. I assumed that the van had been knocked terribly out of line from the driveway bridge incident. With my untrained eyes seeing nothing, I continued to shimmy and shake on my way to Troy.

When I arrived at the Farmers' Market I could smell the odor of something about my van burning.

My next assumption was that the brakes had somehow become locked and I was driving while they were stuck in the engaged position. When the market ended I started on what I thought would be a long, slow ride home.

There was no shimmy. No shake. No shudder on the return trip. I actually was able to drive the speed limit. The van felt and drove fine.

This was not to last, however. I was soon able to recognize the feeling that would come when the shimmies and shakes would begin again. I learned to pull to the side of the road, drive backwards for a few yards, then continue on my way.

So into the mechanic's shop it went. I suspected brakes, they suspected tie rods and we both agreed it would need an alignment. Up on the lift it went, front tires removed.

The verdict: brakes are ok, but it might need a master cylinder for an amount of bucks I couldn't consider right now.

So the intermittant shimmying continued, but not as often. It seemed that when it would do the dance that it was a bit more severe than previously.

Yesterday I headed out to the Troy Farmers' Market again. No shimmy, no shake. But I was in for other problems.

The wind at the market was ferocious, and my plants took quite a beating. My tent, even with 80 pounds of weights attached and bungees in every direction, wanted to go wind sailing. It couldn't get any worse than this.

Or so I thought.

Following the market I started on a fifteen mile drive to the lake to eat dinner with my wife and boys, who are enjoying their spring break fishing, swimming and getting burnt to a crisp in the sun.

About halfway there the dance began. Shimmy, shake and shudder. I performed the routine of pulling over, backing up then continued on my way.

I enjoyed a nice spaghetti meal, then it was time to go home so I could take out the windswept plants and replace them with fresh ones for the Pinehurst market. I unloaded quite a few plants for my wife, who wanted to plant the damaged ones around her parent's lake house, then started on my way home.

About three miles down the road, the shudder started, but this time it was acompanied by a WHAP! WHAP! WHAP! sound. "Flat tire for sure," I thought.

I had my window down, then started hearing a new sound. It was the sound of bits of metal hitting the pavement as I limped along to a suitable stopping place. "I guess the tie rods are falling off now."

I pulled into a convenience store and moved to the far end of the parking lot. I got out and looked.

No flat tires.

I looked underneath the front end. All steering mechanisms were in place.

I was stumped. I thought that perhaps I had run over something that I hadn't seen.

As I stood there wondering I spotted something that sent a chill up my spine.

The left front tire was sitting askew and there was only one lug nut keeping it from coming completely off, and it wasn't far from abandoning ship itself.

Apparently the mechanic had not tightened the lugs. I could have found myself driving a tricycle if I hadn't pulled off the road when I did.

I called my wife to pick me up, then went inside the store to inquire if they sold lug nuts.

"You can look in the automotive section," said the clerk as she returned to her cell phone.

The "automotive section" consisted of a few quarts of oil, some hose clamps and some of the worst-smelling air fresheners you could imagine.

It looked like a trip to Albemarle to the auto parts store was in order.

I received permission from the clerk and her helper to leave the van parked where it was. My wife arrived with the two boys in the back seat. I had forgotten that my DJ equipment was in the back and there was only one available seat. Problem was that, with my oldest son along for my ride, there were two of us.

He crawled into the back seat between the two younger sun burnt boys who loudly reminded us all that second degree burns can be quite painful.

We returned to the house, deposited my older son, went to Albemarle, bought new lug nuts and a working jack, then returned to the van.

I jacked her up, secured the wheel, returned to the house for my son, then got home around midnight. No shimmy, shake or shudder,

There was no time to reload the van.

And that's why I didn't make it to Pinehurst this morning.

But I did thank the clerks at the store with a half dozen beautiful German Johnson tomato plants.

Markets are underway Let's garden naturally

2011-04-25T13:01:00.004-04:00

I want to welcome all of you who are joining my blog as a result of our interactions at area farmers' markets.

I just want you to know that I am enjoying meeting each and every one of you, and I hope you'll continue to log on here from time to time. Your comments, criticisms and suggestions are always welcome.

From now through fall is the prime time to start a garden of some type, be it vegetable, herb, flower or a combination of the three.

I would encourage you to try growing something new this year. Something that you have never grown before. Home-grown is by far the best, and if you garden you already know that.

I would also like to encourage you to include more natural methods in your gardening plan. If you use synthetic pesticides such as carbaryl (Sevin) on your plants, why not try a different, less-toxic approach this year?

While there is not a pesticide, even natural, that is 100% safe, there are many alternatives available.

Some alternatives include:

• Neem Oil - is used in gardens and landscapes against insects that chew on plants such as black vine weevil.

• Insecticidal Soap (my favorite) - is used in gardens and landscapes against a variety of small, soft-bodied pests like aphids, spider mites and scale crawlers.

• Rotenone - is an older, broad-spectrum natural insecticide used for a variety of garden and landscape pests. It is available as a powder or liquid.

• Spinosad - is a newer, broad-spectrum insecticide for use in gardens and landscapes.

• Pyrethrum - is an older, broad-spectrum insecticide for use in gardens.

• Diatomaceous Earth - Diatomaceous earth is a dry, powdery material (natural dust) derived from the shells of marine organisms. It is used mainly to deter and kill crawling pests both indoors and outdoors. It works great against slugs.

• Beneficial insects - such as ladybugs, parasitic wasps, praying mantis or lacewings.

Using Herbs as Companion Plants to Deter Pests
(from About.com Gardening)

• Aphids - Chives, Coriander, Nasturtium

• Ants - Tansy

• Asparagus Beetle - Pot Marigold (Calendula)

• Bean Beetle - Marigold, Nasturtium, Rosemary

• Cabbage Moth - Hyssop, Mint (also clothes moths), Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Southernwood, Tansy, Thyme

• Carrot Fly - Rosemary, Sage

• Flea Beetle - Catmint (Contains nepetalactone, an insect repellent. Steep in water and spray on plants.), Mint

• Flies - Basil, Rue

• Fruit Tree Moths - Southernwood

• Japanese Beetles - Garlic & Rue (When used near roses and raspberries), Tansy

• Potato Bugs - Horseradish

• Mosquitoes - Basil, Rosemary

• Moths - Santolina

• Nematodes - Marigold (Marigolds should be established for at least 1 year before their nematode deterring properties will take effect.)

• Squash Bugs & Beetles - Nasturtium, Tansy

• Ticks - Lavender (Also thought to repel mice and moths.)

• Tomato Horn Worm - Borage, Pot Marigold

Keep an eye on the market schedule in the column to the right as it may be subject to change.

I'll see you at the market!

It's all a green blur

2011-04-05T23:06:00.002-04:00

I am officially six flats away from having absolutely no space left in the greenhouse, and that means one thing. It's time to sell this stuff. Luckily, the new farmers' market in Troy opens in two days, and I am hoping that the word is out enough that we have a good crowd of people with dollars to spend. The weather is not helping. Yesterday the temperature rose to 87° with a low last night in the 60s. Today the temps stayed in the 60s with a frost advisory in effect until 9 am tomorrow. It's hard to plant a garden with extremes like that, and I have THOUSANDS of vegetable, herb and flower transplants that are looking for a home. It's been tough getting to this point with limited funds, but things seem to keep working out a bit at a time. I ran out of flats over the weekend, again, and opened my last bag of growers mix today, but there are still seeds going into the basement for germination, cuttings being taken and plants being divided. It never ends, and that's the great thing about this little horticultural empire of which I am the king. Any time I think that I've done all I can do it only takes a little search to find something else. The thing I love about limiting myself to heirloom plants is the fact that there are hundreds and thousands of years behind me in which these plants play a part. It's horticultural archaeology, in a way. If I keep digging I can keep finding more. But first I've gotta sell this stuff to make room for more stuff. Bring your dollars, folks!

Farmers' Market Schedule

2011-03-24T20:18:00.005-04:00

OK y'all, it's almost that time. While I've had cool-weather crops ready for transplanting ouside for several weeks, I also have a greenhouse on the verge of bursting at the seams with summer vegetables, herbs, flowers and a few shrubs.

All these plants need a new home, and I will be moving about to farmers' markets, hopefully close to you. These markets are where all my little orphan plants may be seen by folks who I hope will adopt them.

Here's what the schedule is looking like as of today. Please keep in mind that schedules are subject to change, so please keep an eye on the Uwharrie Heirlooms Facebook Page for daily information:

• Mondays - No markets scheduled

• Tuesdays
Asheboro Downtown Farmers' Market
234 South Church Street
Beginning May 3, 2011
7:00 am - 1:00 pm

Star Farmers' Market
454 South Main Street
Tenatively beginning May 31, 2011
2:00 pm - 6:00 pm

• Wednesdays
Sandhills Farmers' Green Market
Sandhills Community College
Pinehurst
Beginning April 20, 2011
3:00 pm - 5:30 pm

•Thursdays
Asheboro Downtown Farmers' Market
234 South Church Street
Beginning May 5, 2011
7:00 am - 1:00 pm

Troy Farmers' Market
417 North Main Street
(Cash Points Parking Lot)
Beginning April 7, 2011
3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

• Fridays
Sandhills Farmers' Green Market
Pinehurst Sand Parking Lot
Beginning April 20, 2011
10:00 am - 1:00 pm

• Saturdays
Asheboro Downtown Farmers' Market
234 South Church Street
Beginning April 16, 2011
7:00 am - 1:00 pm

Sundays will be for resting, but plants will still need to be watered and produce will still need to be tended. As small is my operation is I can't imagine how the big farmers get everything done.

Of course, bigger farmers probably have more help than I do.

Please say a prayer for me as I get into the market schedule. My family and I will surely need all the prayers you can give us.

I want to give credit for my statement about orphan plants to the late Warren Steed, who was the proprietor of Steed's Nursery, just outside of Candor. I'll tell you about Warren in a future post.

Feeling like a rubber ball

2011-03-12T22:36:00.007-05:00

When you have your fingers in a lot of pies, you can expect to be moving from one thing to another on a regular basis.

That's been me for the past couple of weeks.

Horticulture is my obvious calling, but I'm involved in a couple of other things that keep me busy. I was asked to report on some Montgomery County activities on behalf of the Courier-Tribune newspaper in Asheboro last fall, and I actually began those duties on January 1 of this year.

With some experience in writing over the years I welcomed the opportunity to keep my skills honed a bit, and I need to thank Mary Anderson for opening this particular door for me. She's been great to work with and is very understanding when I have conflicts that prevent me from doing everything that's asked of me.

Of course, being free-lance rather than an actual employee gives me a certain amount of freedom that I otherwise would not enjoy.

I've only had two conflicts to date, and both of them related to pre-market meetings for a couple of farmers' markets that I hope to participate in this season.

The Sandhills Farmers' Green Market is still a bit iffy right now, as is my favorite, the Asheboro Downtown Farmers' Market. There are still a couple of wrinkles to be ironed out yet.

The BIG news for local farmers is the ongoing organization of the Troy Fresh Market, which is slated to open on Thursday afternoons, 3 pm to 6 pm, beginning April 7 and continuing through Thanksgiving week. The "Cash Points parking lot" on North Main Street will be the site for this market.

The Thursday time is in the experimental stage, and will possibly be a bit flexible, with the possibility of adding a few Saturdays throughout the season.

A group of local farmers (myself included) are banding together to make this market a success, and Danélle McKnight, our new Horticulture agent with NC Cooperative Extension, is guiding us through the hoops to get this going. A few of us attended the March meeting of the Troy Board of Commissioners to show that we're serious.

Work in the greenhouse is ongoing and has spread into the garden, where I have started putting in some cool-crop seedlings in anticipation of adding a bit of heirloom produce to my plant sales this year.

Mushroom log season is wide-open and today was the second installment of our annual workshops at STARworks. I think I had the most fun today of any class we have had in the three years we have been conducting these events. Many thanks to Anne and Greg for keeping this going. I can't wait 'til next year.

I borrowed this photo from the STARworks newsletter that went out last week. Anne Pärtna took the photo at out first workshop as I was assisting Jessica Datin of Wadesboro with her inoculation.

Jessica returned today for our second workshop, and I want to say that she is just delightful to be around and I am glad that she thought enough of us to return. Overall we had around thirty students this year, which was a good number to work with.

After the class today Daniel and I went out and felled a large white oak that I hope will supply me with the rest of the logs that I need to make 200 this season (plus a lot of firewood for next year).

Since I'm not following the "rules" this year I went ahead and drilled out about thirty or so logs when we got back home. Both Eli and Daniel helped out on this chore a bit - and I didn't even have to ask them! I won't actually have my hands on the spawn for a week or two, but now that the wood's on the ground I'm not quite as anxious.

So as you can see, I have been bouncing back in forth, but it keeps life interesting. More to come, and thanks Sheila ☺.

Raised beds with a story

2011-02-28T23:14:00.010-05:00

I can post that I'm sowing seeds and transplanting seedlings only so many times without boring and losing my wonderful audience here, so I'll switch gears a bit and tell you a story.

My story is the one about my raised garden beds.

The photo to the left is the only one I have to share right now, but I hope that will change soon as I start to fill the beds with a great variety of vegetables that are currently being babied in the greenhouse.

The event that started me thinking about my story was the fact that I built two more raised beds today, doubling the number to four. My goal is to complete at least eleven beds before this season is over, but five may be my limit for this year.

So, here's the story of my raised garden beds:

For the past several years I have laid out my plant beds on an east-west pattern, just tilling the garden area and shoveling out a narrow path every four feet to create raised beds. Last year was the final straw as this grower was unable to walk between the beds because everything grew so fast and tall that it all just fell over into a huge mass of everything I had.

I decided that a different method was in order, so I started researching raised beds on the internet.

When we first moved to this land in 1995 I built four or five beds, using pressure-treated lumber. At that time I was in the landscaping business and spraying pesticides everywhere like nobody's business, but I soon learned that what I was doing wasn't what I wanted to be doing. I gradually left the spraying behind and tried to grow using compost and natural methods.

I tore out the pressure-treated beds and started gardening without them.

And I missed my raised beds.

Now, going back even farther, to the year 1990, the year Cindy and I were married. I had the opportunity to work for two of the dearest ladies that you would ever meet. Gladys Monroe and Ethel Reynolds lived in a large, two-story house that overlooked West Main Street in Biscoe.

If you go back to my first blog entry from a couple of years ago, you'll read a bit about them and how they influenced my life.

As it so happened, Cindy and I rented their late nephew and his mother's home, which was on an old hog farm just down the street and within view of Ethel and Gladys' house.

I'm sure that you're wondering where this story is going, so I'll digress and tell you that my garden beds are twenty-one years in the making.

After we moved onto the Monroe farm in 1990, Ethel and Gladys mentioned to me that, in one of the farm buildings, there was a stack of rough-sawn cedar lumber that belonged to them, and had been laying there for decades.

They told me that they had always wanted a cedar chest made from some of that lumber, but that they had never been able to find anyone to build it for them.

It just so happened that Cindy's father, Benny Stewart, had a woodworking shop behind his house and he agreed to make them a chest.

After they were presented with their chest they told me that I could have the rest of the lumber, and I gladly accepted it. It stayed in the farm building until we moved from there in 1995.

Upon moving, we had to find a new place to store the wood, so we moved it to an old barn at Cindy's grandmother's house.

Sadly, Cindy's grandmother passed away several years later and the farm was sold, so the lumber had to be moved again.

I didn't have a building to move it to this time, so I stacked it up on a couple of sawhorses out behind my house. The weight proved to be too much for the sawhorses and they collapsed, essentially causing the lumber to be laying on the ground.

Being tired of moving the lumber and still not knowing what I was going to use it for, I left it laying for three or four years, whereupon it became covered with honeysuckle and provided a nice shelter for mice and the black snakes that hunted them.

Two years ago, when it came time to build the greenhouse, it so happened that the lumber pile was right in the middle of the site I had chosen. So it was time to move it. Again.

This time I stacked it on cinder blocks with spacers between the layers. The only thing to bother it now was falling leaves and the weather.

One day I was looking over the stack and an idea hit me.

I finally knew what the lumber would be used for.

I would use it to rebuild the raised beds that I missed so much!

So, I restacked and sorted the pieces by width, and my raised beds are gradually reappearing.

They are each forty inches wide, to allow me to reach the middle without too much trouble, and

the beds are each twenty feet long.

The new beds run north-south, which my research had convinced me is the best way.

The old Monroe wood had finally found its use.

This cedar lumber that belonged to the ladies that had such an impact on my horticultural life has come around again to help me continue on my way.

Although Ethel and Gladys both passed away back in the 1990s, they still live with me in the form of some rough-sawn cedar that they bestowed upon me some twenty-one years ago.

Now I think about them every time I go into my garden, and it makes me smile.

What's going on here?

2011-02-19T19:41:00.008-05:00

Wow! It's been just over two weeks since I posted here and, boy, things couldn't be busier!

I've been transplanting seedlings all week, and there are literally THOUSANDS of seedlings waiting to be moved to a little roomier place to grow. I've been working primarily on early, cool-weather seedlings so far. As of today, the only thing I have left to transplant before I get into the warmer garden plants are the Georgia Collards.

Here's what's growing on right now: Lettuce Romaine, Lettuce Tom Thumb and Lettuce Tennis Ball. The last two are great for small gardens or even container growing.

All of my swiss chards are transplanted: Rainbow, Lucullus, Ruby and Vulcan. These are best planted right around the last frost and will continue to grow on up into the heat of summer.

The Wong Bok Chinese Cabbage has served double-duty so far this season. They're all in their six packs now, but they spent the first days of life as Daniel's science fair project! He planted three containers of 100 seeds each, placed one on the heat mat, one in the cool basement and one in the refrigerator. After four days he started counting seeds as they sprouted. The heated ones were the only ones to germinate,

Surprisingly, to us anyway, his project was one of the ones chosen to move up to the regional science fair at UNC-Pembroke on February 26! Round two began last night as he counted out the seeds again and prepared another three containers to be ready before next week.

The other cabbage I hope to have is Early Flat Dutch.

Broccoli seedlings are Calabrese (Italian Green Sprouting) and Di Cicco.

Rounding out the list are Cauliflower Snowball, Brussels Sprouts Catskill and Collard Morris Heading.

I have some Snow Pea Melting Sugar coming up in plug trays. I'll be transplanting them to my own garden beds, but if you'd like to have a few just let me know.

These plants will all be gone before the markets open and numbers are limited, so if you want any of these please let me know right away. Everything but the peas are in six packs for $2.00 each. The peas will be twelve for $2.00.

I've got 123 varieties of vegetables, herbs and flowers on heat so far, with lots more to sow. I'm on my second round of tomato and pepper sowings already with at least two more sowings of some varieties to come. Everything's germinating well with the exception of the Peter Peppers. I think I need to find some fresher seeds.

As a matter of fact, I think I'll go look for some right now!

Hope to see or hear from you soon.

Seeing Green!

2011-02-04T18:22:00.002-05:00

Just a short post to let you know that I started seeing sprouts yesterday. As of today I have seedlings of Chinese Cabbage Wong Bok, Cauliflower Snowball, Broccoli Calabrese, Collard Morris Heading, Collard Georgia Green, Broccoli Di Cicco, Lettuce Tennis Ball, Lettuce Tom Thumb, Lettuce Romaine and Stock Starlight Sensation.

This is the point where I look at the flats and think, "Oh my goodness, now I'll have to transplant all these things!"

But I'm really looking forward to it. I should have early plants ready before the farmers' markets open, so keep an eye on this blog and my facebook page, where I'll let you know when they'll be ready to sell.

Thanks for keeping up with the goings-on. I'm heading out to sow a few more seeds before calling it a day!

Of Groundhogs and Seeds

2011-02-02T20:15:00.002-05:00

This morning groundhogs all over said that we will have an early spring, except for the one in Greensboro which predicted six more weeks of winter.

So, whose groundhog do we believe these days. When I was a kid there was just one, Punxsutawney Phil. Now it seems that EVERYBODY has a groundhog, which just takes a good thing and makes it aggravating. I like Phil, because he predicted what I wanted to hear this year.

It's kind of the same principle that people use when picking sports teams. Go with whomever's winning (this week). If UNC had as many actual students as they do "fans", then there wouldn't be anywhere to have an actual town in this state. It would all be University of North Carolina at North Carolina.

Anyway, my seed-sowing is continuing. Since my last post I have placed quite a few more seeds in little containers with potting soil, set them under lights and over heat, and crossed my fingers, toes, legs, arms and anything else that I can cross. And it ain't easy with this arthritis that seems to get a little worse each year.

Here's what's new:

Echinacea Purpurea
Foxglove Mixed Colors
Parsley Italian
Lemongrass
Shasta Daisy Alaska
Stock Starlight Sensation
Snapdragon First Lady Mixed
Rudbeckia Hirta
Yarrow Summer Pastels
Chinese Lantern
Dill Bouquet
Hollyhock Summer Carnival
Gaillardia Aristata
Sage Broadleaf
Forget-Me-Not Blue Bird

Nothing coming up yet, but that could change any day. I'll keep you posted if I can get my legs uncrossed.

I Love Dirty Fingers

2011-01-30T14:40:00.009-05:00

This weekend has really been beautiful. Warm(er) weather and sunshine really helps you shake off the winter blahs and get some things done.

I spent the better part of yesterday in the greenhouse with the fan on and the doors open. I sowed thirty-one different plants/varieties that should start keeping me busy for the next few months. I'm being a bit more meticulous this year in my sowing practices to make record-keeping easier. I'm counting out the larger seed and sowing them in rows so that they won't get as crowded in the seedling stage, plus it makes it easier to keep track of the germination percentages.

Even though I'm using tweezers for the larger seeds I'm still broadcasting the smaller ones. I can still get my fingers dirty with the potting soil as I work.

I've had some low germination with some seeds in the past and I hope to track it better to see if there's a pattern with particular varieties, seed companies, or whatever may cause any problems. I'll also find the best seeds and suppliers while I'm at it.

Yesterday's work ended with these Swiss Chard seeds sown: Vulcan, Ruby, Rainbow and Lucullus.

Even though it's late by about six weeks, I sowed four pots of Texas Early Grano Onion. I can always plant these myself for market sales if they're not ready for plant sales time.

Brassicas include: Cauliflower Snowball, Broccoli Calabrese (Italian Green Sprouting), Cabbage Early Flat Dutch, Collard Morris Heading, Chinese Cabbage Wong Bok and Broccoli Di Cicco.

Hot Peppers: Long Red Cayenne, Hungarian Wax, Jalapeno, Habanero and (pictured) Peter Red Chili (also know simply as Peter Pepper. I'm pretty sure I don't know why.)

Sweet Peppers: California Wonder, Sweet Chocolate, Corno Di Toro, Sweet Banana and Marconi.

Ashe County Pimento is a North Carolina heirloom that is classified a spice pepper.

Tomatoes: Abraham Lincoln, Sophie's Choice, Black Prince, Yellow Bell, Red Cherry, June Pink and Marglobe VF. These are all considered early tomato varieties.

I sowed a pot of butterfly weed that we saved from a plant in our perennial border. This is the native asclepias tuberosa, and it was really beautiful last year. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that these will germinate for me.

I'll be adding to this list as others are sown.

Eli got into the act later in the day and helped me by moving the rosemary plants into the greenhouse where they'll start greening up and growing again. We'll keep an eye on them and prune and fertilize them so they'll be in great shape for spring sales.

Eli likes going to the farmers' markets with me. If we start out well I may turn him loose by himself at a local flea market so he can earn a bit more money than he has been able to make so far. He really does a good job with the plants and I hope he'll stay interested so that he can continue with the business when I'm old and decrepit.

That may be sooner than I want to think.

Just Stuff

2011-01-23T19:46:00.009-05:00

I received notice that my initial seed order had been shipped, so in the meantime I've been trying to catch up on some loose ends.

The weather report for the next few days doesn't look good. According to the FOX 8 map, we're sitting right on the line between snow, ice or a cold rain. It's changed every day for the past week, so I guess we'll just have to wait and see. In anticipation, the boys and I have cut up all the slabe we had and stacked them indoors so we'll be able to stay warm. At least we will if the power stays on.

I also heard from Professor Omon at NC A&T that the shiitake mushroom spawn will be ready in mid-February. I'm planning on inoculating at least 200 logs of my own this year, so we've been in the woods cutting white oak, the wood of choice.

So far I've taken down one good-sized tree that was in the path of an old logging road that I'm reopening to gain access to the land we're working. I was able to get seventy-five usable logs from the tree and the rest will be used for firewood. The small limbs and laps are being strategically piled for wildlife habitat. As we get the logs ready, I prune the small twigs from them, then place them in a stack to be carried out to the truck.

We're having to carry the logs about 80 yards, across
a small creek and through a literal minefield of small stumps that were left after the pines were thinned last fall. The little stumps make it very hard to walk, and we have actually fallen a few times because of them. The boys enjoy it for a little while, and then it's off to hike, play and explore. They claim to have found a cave and a bear trap while on our last expedition on Friday, but I haven't had the chance to check it out yet.

I'm envisioning some creek bank erosion and an old piece of farm equipment, but my father-in-law says that hunters used to trap mink along area creeks about 50 or 60 years ago, so Eli may have actually found an old trap. He said it was rusty and covered in vines.

The next seed order will be placed Tuesday, and my first liner order of some varieties of herbs that I've had trouble starting from seed in the past will be made as well.

I finally got back into "my" office building today with the intention of reclaiming some of my territory. The boys decided that it would be a fun place to play and Carson uses it just to get away from the rest of us. He needs his space, y'know.

Just for illustration, imagine the worst episode of "Hoarders" that you've ever seen.

Luckily, a lot of what I have to clean up will burn in our waterstove very nicely and help keep us warm.

56 days 'til Spring.

OK, Here We Go!

2011-01-19T20:04:00.047-05:00

Today was a wonderful sunny day and the temps actually made it up into the 50s this afternoon.

So why was I indoors for most of the time? I have a good excuse.

I made my first order of seed purchases today. It was for pepper and early tomato seeds, to be received from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange in Mineral, Virginia. Southern Exposure (SESE) is most local to this area, about three hours up the road from here, and is one of my favorite heirloom seed sellers.

If you plan to start some of your own seeds you should give these folks a try.

For your information and entertainment, the SESE catalog descriptions and photos follow. Unless otherwise noted the photos are borrowed from their website for use here.

Tomato "Marglobe VF" 70 days. (Determinate) [A select strain of the old favorite 'Marglobe' originally released by the USDA in 1925. 'Marglobe' was first developed in 1917 from a cross between 'Marvel' and 'Globe'.] 'Marglobe' has been in demand for several generations while many other varieties have come and gone. This selection has been improved for disease resistance. Fruits are red, medium-sized, 5 to 8 oz. with firm walls and good flavor. Plants are stocky, vigorous, and have excellent disease tolerance. Vine growth is uniform and provides good protection from sun scald.

Tomato "Abraham Lincoln" 70 days. (Indeterminate) [The original 'Abraham Lincoln' was a late-maturing variety introduced about 1923. This early season introduction (circa 1975) ripens 10 to 12 days earlier, has smaller fruit, and does not have the bronze-green foliage characteristic of the original.] Flavor is slightly acidic but distinctive. Plants have excellent resistance to foliage disease. The red, medium-sized fruits are uniform and free of defects. Highly recommended where foliage disease is a problem.

Pepper, Bell (Sweet) "Marconi" (green > red) 80 days. Fabulous yields with this 7" horn-shaped, Italian heirloom pepper. Great for frying, drying, or fresh in salads. Flavor is very sweet whether green or red, stands up well to the heat.

Pepper, Frying, "Sweet Banana" (Long Sweet Hungarian) 70 days. (pale green > yellow > orange > crimson red) Very dependable. [Introduced 1941.] Heavy yields of attractive, sweet peppers pointed in shape, 6" long, 1-1/2" wide. Eaten at any ripeness stage, but sweetest at the crimson stage. Great for colorful salads, frying, and freezing. A joy to grow because of its dependable high yields and ornamental value. Excellent choice for the Mid-Atlantic region.

Pepper, Bell (Sweet) "Sweet Chocolate" (Choco) 86 days. (green > chocolate brown) Sweet flavor with a hint of spiciness. Fruits averaging 2.6 oz., are large shiny brown, blocky-shaped chocolate-colored bells, 3- or 4- lobed. Adds an unusual color to salads. Has no "grassy" or "green" taste typical of peppers if harvested in the green stage. Unusual dark maroon interior fruit color. Extremely productive and disease resistant, this one of the easiest medium sweet bells to grow to full ripeness. This is our favorite sweet pepper.

Pepper, Hot, "Long Red Cayenne" 72 days. [Introduced before 1827.] A choice, fiery-red hot seasoning pepper. Use fresh or dried, especially in salsa or chili. Pendant fruits are 3/4" wide by 5 to 6" long.

Pepper, Hot, "Habanero" 95 days. (green > orange-red) Very hot. [Cultivated in the Yucatan, Trinidad, and West Indies.] Very aromatic, flavorful, powerful pepper used in Caribbean curries and "jerk sauces". Slow germinating and requires a warm growing season.

Pepper, Hot, "Hungarian Wax" (Hot Banana) 60 days. (pale green > yellow > crimson red) Long, banana-shaped, medium-hot, spicy peppers, 6 to 7" long x 1-1/2" at the shoulder. 'Hungarian Wax' is a very reliable and productive variety adapted to the cool north as well as the deep south. Use fresh, canned, or with pickles.

Pepper, Hot, "Jalapeño" 72 days. (green > red) The classic salsa chile. Small, hot, thick-walled peppers are usually harvested green, but can be left on the plant to mature to red. A teaspoon of jalapeno vinegar makes an excellent seasoning for bean soups. Jalapenos filled with cream cheese and fried are a Southern specialty.

Pepper, Bell (Sweet) "Corno Di Toro " [Italian heirloom -- "Horn of the Bull"] 80 days. (green > crimson red) Extremely productive, tall plants produce so much fruit that the plant will do well with a good staking! Thin, 8-10" long fruit, slightly curved. Great flavor, good for frying and cooking.

Pepper, Bell (Sweet) "California Wonder" 75 days. (green > red) Widely adapted standard variety. [Introduced 1928.] A tobacco mosaic-resistant selection of 'California Wonder' pepper, well-known, and preferred by many market growers and gardeners. A smooth, blocky bell, mostly 4-lobed, with thick walls. Fruits average 6 oz., and measure 4" x 4-3/4". Foliage provides good cover for fruits.

Pepper, Sweet, "Ashe County Pimento" 70 days [Revived by NC seedsaver Rob Danford.] One of the few peppers that reliably produces well in the short Smoky Mountain growing season (150 days or less). An incredibly sweet, bright red, thick-fleshed pimento pepper measuring 4" across. Great raw, as well as for cooking, roasting, and canning. Holds good texture and flavor.

Tomato "Rutgers VF" (Rutgers Improved) 73 days. (Determinate) ['Rutgers' was developed by the Campbell Soup Company in 1928 from a cross of 'Marglobe' and 'J.T.D.' The variety was later refined by Rutgers University in 1943.] 'Rutgers' rapidly gained acceptance as a quality tomato shortly after its introduction, and it remains well known for its excellent flavor and reliability, especially as a canning variety. 'Rutgers Improved' is a 'Rutgers'-type tomato with additional disease resistance. Plants are compact. Fruits are red with good interior color, 6 oz. or larger and with thick walls. Widely adapted.

Tomato "June Pink" (Pink Earliana) 68 days. (Indeterminate) ['Earliana' was developed as a result of intense competition among turn-of-the-century growers attempting to bring the earliest tomato to market. It was first offered commercially in 1900 by Johnson and Stokes, and may be derived from a sport of 'Stone'.] 'June Pink' is virtually identical to 'Earliana' except for the unusual rose-pink color and longer production. Bears clusters of 4 to 6 very attractive rose-pink tomatoes. We like it for flavor and color, and consider it among our stable of garden favorites. Fruit is relatively free of defects and vines bear a long time.

Tomato, "Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter" 79 days (Indeterminate) [Developed by M.C. Byles in the 1930s and released to SESE in 1985. A legendary tomato always in demand in the Mid-Atlantic states. The following history is based on portions of our 1985 taped interview with M.C. Byles who developed this tomato in the early 1930's while in Logan, WV. Mr Byles is affectionately known as "Radiator Charlie". He earned that nickname from the radiator repair business he opened at the foot of a steep hill on which trucks would often overheat. Radiator Charlie had no formal education or plant breeding experience, yet he created this legendary tomato by cross-breeding four of the largest-fruited tomatoes he could find: 'German Johnson', 'Beefsteak', an Italian variety, and an English variety. One of the four varieties was planted in the middle of a circle. Then, using a baby's ear syringe, he cross-pollinated the center plant with pollen from the circle of tomatoes. Next year he selected the best seedlings: he planted the best seedings in the center and the rest in a circle around it. The pollination and selection process was repeated six more years until he had a stable variety. After Charlie developed and named this large tasty tomato, he sold plants for $1.00 each (in the 1940's) and paid off the $6000 mortgage on his house in 6 years. Each spring, gardeners drove asfar as 200 miles to buy Charlie's seedling tomatoes.] Fruits of 'Mortgage Lifter' can average 2-1/2lbs and may reach 4 lbs when well grown. Plants are very productive, disease resistant, and continue to bear until frost. These large, slightly flattened, pink-red tomatoes are meaty and flavorful with few seeds. (Photo Copyright Laura Sutherland courtesy of Bill Van Doren and Laura Sutherland.)

Tomato, "Eva Purple Ball" 78 days. (Indeterminate) [Late 1800's heirloom from the Black Forest region of Germany from Joe Bratka's grandfather. Seed courtesy of Carolyn Male and Craig LeHoullier. Introduced in 1994 by SESE] An outstanding performer in hot, humid areas with excellent resistance to foliar and fruit diseases. This is one of the most blemish free tomatoes we have grown. Unlike other crack-resistant varieties it has a soft tender texture. Produces smooth, round, attractive pink-purple fruits weighing 4 to 5 oz. Evenly ripening fruits are easy to harvest, some dropping from the vine at peak ripeness. 'Eva Purple Ball' is great in salads, sandwiches, and sauces (the skin peels easily). A wonderful all-purpose tomato with excellent flavor.

Tomato, "Red Cherry" (Old Fashioned Red Cherry) 72 days. (Indeterminate) [Introduced before 1840.] This is the small 'Red Cherry', not the 'Large Red Cherry' commonly used as a salad tomato. Very dependable, full-flavored salad tomato. Grows so vigorously that it tends to outgrow some diseases. Resistant to fruitworm and high temperatures.

Tomato, "Black Prince" 69 days. (Indeterminate) [A local garden jewel from Irkutsk, Siberia.] 'Black Prince' produces medium-sized fruits that are a deep reddish brown color, grading to dark brown or "black" on the shoulders. Interior fruit color varies from dark red to a translucent chestnut brown. Juicy, tender texture with appealing fruity flavor. Fruits average 2-1/2" in diameter and are slightly pear shaped.

Tomato, "Sophie's Choice" 55 days. (Determinate) [Heirloom from Edmonton, Canada, sent to SESE from Dr. Carolyn Male. Introduced 1997.] The best choice for an extra early tomato - highly productive, flavorful and large-fruited. By far the earliest variety we offer, 'Sophie's Choice' ripens ahead of all other extra-early varieties in our trials. Unlike other extra-early varieties, the fruits are flavorful and large, averaging 6 to 8 ounces and weighing up to 12 ounces. 'Sophie's Choice' has an orange-red exterior and deep red interior. Produces large fruit on a small plant only 18 to 24" tall. Quality is best in cool climates. Does not handle heat or drought well.

Tomato, "Yellow Bell" 60 days. (Indeterminate) [Introduced in 1986 by SESE. Family heirloom from Tennessee.] This yellow paste tomato can be used in salads or for making tomato paste, juice, preserves, and yellow catsup! Heavy-yielding plants produce 5 to 12 fruits per cluster. Fruit shape is similar to 'Roma', averaging 3" in length and 1-1/2" in diameter. Survives cool wet conditions better than other paste tomatoes. Ripens from green to creamy yellow to yellow. Flavor is outstanding, both sweet and rich. Excellent paste tomato for those who prefer yellow tomatoes.

I'm really looking forward to getting these seeds sown. By this time next week, if SESE ships as fast as they usually do, these should be tucked in to their warm little starter trays under the lights.

I'm especially anticipating the peppers. Last year was a bust for my pepper seeds as the germination was very poor. I plan to really baby them this year because I want a good crop of seedlings, and I hope to harvest quite a few this summer for market.

Hopefully, I can keep you up to date on the seed orders and give you a chance to do a bit of planning of your own.

Everyone stay warm. It's supposed to be another cold weekend, and I keep hearing folks use the "S" word a lot . (Praying for warmth).

A Brief Respite from the Cold

2011-01-14T14:52:00.005-05:00

Everybody complains about the weather, but I decided to do something about it today.

Every year the NC Nursery & Landscape Association holds an education and trade show in Greensboro called the Green n Growin' Show. When I was in the landscaping business I went every year, but I haven't taken the time to attend in several years.

For a mere $15.00 entry fee I spent a couple of hours cruising the aisles and looking at plant material from palms to Christmas trees and everything in between. Also exhibiting were many equipment and tool suppliers. I did a lot of window shopping and picked up a few catalogs, but didn't spend any money there.

We've been under a layer of ice and snow for almost a week now. I've been buried in my pile of seed catalogs and have made decisions on plants for this year, then later I've gone back and changed my decisions, and I'll probably go back and change them again.

Tuesday is the day my first order will go in, so I still have some time to change my mind - again.

Y'all stay warm if you can.

2011 - A New Year and Time to Get Started!

2011-01-06T01:31:00.003-05:00

OK y'all, the cover's on the greenhouse, I've started building new garden beds, the seed catalogs are overflowing from the mailbox and I've downloaded a new template for this page.

Now what?

First, I have to get everyone up to date with what this new year should hold for us (me) at Uwharrie Heirlooms. Last year was kind of a bust for me because I just tried to cram too much stuff into a short period of time, then it got SO HOT that it was hard to get out into the great outdoors. My fall crop failed, then failed again, so I wasn't able to get my cool-weather seedlings going like I had hoped.

Spring plant sales at the Asheboro Downtown Farmers' Market were good. I only made it to market during April and May, so that's going to hurt me as far as procuring a regular spot this year goes, but I'm pledging (we'll see how it goes) to try to help the market, as well as me, by attending three mornings a week instead of just Saturdays.

Since the cover is finally on the greenhouse, it's time to decide, 1. what to sow, 2. what to bring inside to get some new growth going, and 3. how to keep the doggone thing heated so that 1 and 2 can be accomplished! The photo shows a pretty bleak look at what I'm facing right now, but the soil and pots are ready to go, and I have about two-thirds of the benches in place, along with heat cables and mats for seed-starting. If nothing else has been accomplished, at least the cats have a new spot to stay dry for the rest of the winter! I've got two wood-burning units ready to install and a pretty reliable source of waste wood product to burn.

One thing I found last year is that it IS possible to try to grow too many varieties of plants for sale. I had initially planned to grow just a few, but ended up with, for example, over fifty varieties of heirloom tomatoes. This year I'm going to grit my teeth and keep the number to around half that many. That's where record-keeping comes in handy. I'll grow more of the ones that sold the best and throw in a few new ones for good measure (yeah, we'll see . . .).

And there will be MUCH (or is that MANY) more plants than 'maters. I promise.

I want to look into attending other markets and to broaden the number of perennial heirlooms for the new season. I have found some new sources for seeds and plant material and I'm looking forward to trying out some new old stuff.

Although I don't plan to sell huge quantities, I am hoping to provide some heirloom produce this season to compliment the plant sales. I know that plants will pretty well peter out after May, but I hope I'll be able to entice folks with some different things. Again, we'll see.

Mushrooms are back on the table this year. My old logs have just about done all they can do, so I have decided to replenish these with two hundred new logs this year. I'll post about that later.

Well, if you've stuck with me by reading for this long, thank you. If not - you're not reading this anyway.

Look for occasional articles written by me in the Courier-Tribune starting this month. I was approached to give them a hand with some local coverage after an article that I wrote for Ann Williams of Fork Creek Mill Pottery was syndicated last fall. I'm looking forward to getting back in the newspaper business, somewhat, although it will be very limited.

Let's get some stuff growing, shall we?

Cold Weather has Arrived

2010-11-07T18:17:00.002-05:00

This will be a short post, and the first in a long time.

Trying to balance between part-time work and keeping plants growing has been a real challenge this year. A lot of things have not worked out as I hoped, but there have been a lot of successes that can't be ignored.

I've been trying to beat the freezing temps for the past couple of nights, and have been successful so far, without having to resort to any heat in the greenhouse.

I'm still fine-tuning the arrangement in the greenhouse, but I feel like I can have a great variety of herbs and heirlooms when spring rolls around again.

Everybody have a safe and warm off-season, and I'll try to do a better job of keeping you posted on the goings-on in the heirloom patch!

Communication Woes

2010-05-27T13:37:00.002-04:00

I'm out of touch right now.

I have misplaced my cell phone, which is 910-975-2373, and I'm not able to receive calls from there until I either find it or buy a new one. If you've called me there I apologize for the delay in answering your call, because I haven't received it yet.

This has happened just after my wife and I decided that we didn't need a home phone since we are rarely there. That number, 910-948-1035, has been disconnected.

Our computer has crashed, so no email from home until we get that taken care of.

I still check my email every day or so. Right now I am writing this from a laptop using the free wifi at McDonalds!

Email me at uwharrieheirlooms@yahoo.com until things get better here. Sorry for the delays, but they should be worked out within a couple of days.

It sure is quiet lately.

What's Available

2010-05-12T14:14:00.003-04:00

We have a lot of garden-ready transplants available this week. I'm working from memory to start with, so the list is most likely incomplete. The tomato inventory below is accurate, however.

Vegetable transplants include Zucchini Green Beauty, Squash Straight and Crooknecks, Squash Waltham's Butternut and Squash Pattypan. Eggplant Black Beauty, Okra Clemson Spineless, Cucumber White Wonder and Poinsett.

Flower transplants include cosmos, zinnia and mixed sunflowers. Later this week look for moonvine and purple hyacinth bean, both are vining annuals.

Herb transplants include Sweet basil, rosemary, oregano, several mint varieties, catmint and catnip.

The castor bean (mole plant) will be ready for sale by the weekend. Also ready by the weekend will be the Balsam (Touch-me-not) and Lunaria (money plant).

This is the tomato transplant inventory as of May 12, 2010. All plants are subject to prior sale and may not be available if already sold:

1884 - 1

Abraham Lincoln - 27

Arkansas Traveler - 12

Aunt Ruby’s German Green - 26

Azoychka - 22

Beefsteak - 0

Big Rainbow - 11

Black Cherokee - 14

Black Cherry - 0

Black from Tula - 18

Black Krim - 19

Black Plum - 32

Black Prince - 16

Black Russian - 4

Black Zebra - 21

Box Car Willie - 13

Brandywine Pink - 4

Brandywine Red -0

Brandywine Yellow - 6

Caspian Pink - 10

Cherokee Chocolate - 14

Cherokee Purple - 16

Cuostralee - 13

Eva Purple Ball - 18

German Johnson - 2

Giant Green - 14

Great White - 26

Green Zebra - 28

Henderson’s Pink Ponderosa - 24

Hillbilly - 20

Homestead 24 - 13

Hugh’s - 26

June Pink - 20

KBX - 24

Large Red Cherry - 24

Marianna’s Peace - 15

Mortgage Lifter - 0

Mountain Gold - 8

Mr. Stripey - 14

Old German - 18

Paul Robeson - 23

Pineapple - 4

Principe Borghese - 8

Pruden’s Purple - 23

Purple Calabash - 4

Roma VF - 8

Rutgers VF - 22

Santa Clara Canner - 6

Silvery Fir Tree - 7

Speckled Roman - 13

Stone - 16

Stupice - 13

Yellow Pear - 0

For more information on these plants, please scroll down to an earlier blog where each variety is listed with descriptions.

Marketing My Heirlooms

2010-05-05T18:03:00.006-04:00

One of the first questions that I posed when I decided to return to growing plants was "How will I sell them?"

One of the answers came to be the Asheboro Downtown Farmers' Market.

This market is housed in a wonderful facility on Church Street in Asheboro, just twenty minutes from my house.

I set up shop there every Saturday morning. I'm classified as an "Occasional Vendor" but I hope to be there as many Saturdays through the season as I am able to have product available.

My middle son, Eli, accompanies me each week and he enjoys meeting people and selling plants as much as I do.

This is Mothers' Day weekend coming up and, for this Saturday only, we will have a buy one get one free special on our tomato transplants.

New this week will be transplants of Clemson Spineless Okra, Moon & Stars Watermelon, Yellow Straightneck Squash, Butternut Squash, White Wonder Cucumber, Poinsett Cucumber and a whole lot more.

It's never to late to plant a garden or container. Come on out to the market this Saturday and we'll fix you right up!

Remember, that you can visit us at home by appointment. Just email or call 910-975-2373 to set up a time.

Talking About Heirlooms

2010-05-05T17:31:00.003-04:00

Tuesday, May 4, I was honored to be invited to speak to the Cabarrus County Master Gardeners in Concord NC about heirloom plants.

David Goforth is the Horticulture Agent there, and he has a great group of Master Gardeners that are very active and interested in gardening. They patiently listened to me talk about what little bit I know on the subject and followed up with a good discussion with plenty of good questions.

Gardening is the type of thing that brings all involved together. I look forward to the opportunity to go back and see them again!

Planting Season is Upon Us!

2010-04-26T15:09:00.002-04:00

After a great weekend of plant sales, I want to update the list of heirloom tomato transplants that I have available for sale.

They are:

1884, 78 days, 1-2 lb. dark pink

Abraham Lincoln, 70 days, medium-size, red

Arkansas Traveler, 89 days, medium-size, pink

Azoychka, 83 days, 3" yellow-orange

Big Rainbow, 90 days, over 2 lbs., green, yellow & red

Black Cherry, 64 days, 1" deep purple mahogany brown

Black from Tula, 70-80 days, 8-12 oz. deep purplish-brown

Black Krim, 80 days, large dark red, purple

Black Plum, 70-80 days, 2 oz. mahogany-brown

Black Prince, 70 days, 2-3 oz juicy, purple-black

Black Russian, 80 days, good container plant, reddish-black

Box Car Willie, 80 days, 10-16 oz. red

Brandywine, 80 days, 12-32 oz. pink

Brandywine Red, 90 days, 8-12 oz. deep-red

Brandywine Yellow, 76 days, large yellow

Caspian Pink, 80 days, 1 lb or larger, pink

Cherokee Chocolate, 80 days, 12 oz. brownish-chocolate color

Cherokee Purple, 80 days, 2/16 oz. deep red

Cuostralee, 85 days, 1-2 lb. red

Eva Purple Ball, 78 days, 4-5 oz. pink-purple

German Johnson, 78 days, 1 lb. or more pink

Great White, 85 days, large white beefsteak

Green Giant, 85 days, 1-2 lb lime green

Green Zebra, 85 days, 3 oz. yellow-gold

Henderson's Pink Ponderosa, 87 days, up to and over 2 lbs. pink

Hillbilly80-85 days, huge yellow red bi-color

Homestead 24, 80 days, 8 oz. red

Hugh's, 89 days, large yellow

June Pink, 68 days, medium rose-pink

KBX, 70-80 days, 12-16 oz. orange

Large Red Cherry, small round red fruits

Marianna's Peace, 85 days, 1-2 lb. pink

Mountain Gold, 80 days, medium yellow

Mr. Stripey, 76 days, silver dollar size red, orange yellow and green stripes

Old German, large yellow w/red center

Paul Robeson, 74 days, 6 oz. dusky dark red

Pineapple, 80 days, up to 2 lb. yellow w/red blush

Principe Borghese, 78 days, 2" fruits, red

Pruden's Purple, 75 days, 1 lb. purple-pink

Purple Calabash, 85 days, 3" purple/burgundy

Roma VF, 75 days, 4-5 oz red

Rutgers VF, 73 days, 6 oz. red

Santa Clara Canner, 79 days, 8-10" red-orange

Silvery Fir Tree, 55 days, 4-5 oz. bright red

Speckled Roman, 75 days, 4-6" orange-red

Stone, 78 days, 5-7 oz. acidic, not as sweet

Stupice, 62 days, 2 oz. red w/green shoulders

Yellow Pear, 85 days, yellow cherry.

Plant Day at Asheboro Downtown Farmers' Market April 24

2010-04-24T00:09:00.002-04:00

Uwharrie Heirlooms will be at the Asheboro Downtown Farmers' Market Saturday morning April 24. It's Plant Day at the market and there will be special activities, especially for the children.

The plant sale at STARworks went very well. Anne, Adam and the crew really know how to put on a show.

We still have a good selection of heirloom tomato plants for sale in 3 1/2" recycled plastic containers. Several varieties are running low or sold out. When things slow down this weekend I'm going to attempt to put together a list.

Come on out Saturday to Asheboro and say hello!

Plant Sale at STARworks April 23

2010-04-07T20:09:00.003-04:00

I met with Anne Pärtna today for our initial planning session for a plant sale scheduled for April 23 at the STARworks Garden, located on College Street in Star, NC.

The sale will begin at 2:00 pm and last until 6:00 pm. This is a Friday, and will be a great opportunity for folks to come out and get some transplants for their garden. Several local folks will be participating, including myself, so there will be a variety of growing goodies to choose from.

In addition, tours of the STARworks Garden and CSA will be going on, along with refreshments and other good stuff.

There will be an assortment of heirloom vegetable, herb and flower transplants from Uwharrie Heirlooms, perennial and herb plants from STARworks Garden, and I may try to get some of our Busy Bees 4-H Kids to work a booth to sell their perennial plants that are available for delivery May 4.

Also, Anne says that she will have a selection of planters that were made especially for the STARworks Garden by local potters. They will already be planted and the proceeds will benefit the programs that are offered through the garden and ceramics parts of STARworks.

It looks to be a lot of fun, and we hope you will join us. I'll post more information as it "sprouts"!

Better Late Than Never

2010-04-03T21:55:00.007-04:00

Transplanting continues as winter jumped through spring and straight into summer. It is so tempting to go out and plant the garden and put in some of those vegetable plants that have been shipped in from deep south growers.

Many, many thanks to my wonderful wife, Cindy, for pitching in to help me with the transplanting chore. (That's her hands in the photo.) It's been about twenty-five years since we used to sit up late at night in my little greenhouse and transplant seedlings. We were dating in those days, (B.C. = Before Children) and it brings back some great memories of all the things we used to be able to do together.

I can't say for sure, but I feel like any plants that are put into the ground this early will either suffer from a late freeze or sit there without growing until the ground warms up, which is usually late April to early May in these parts.

I still go by the age old wisdom of gardeners and farmers that I have known that always told me that vegetable plants should not be set out until May 10, because that is the first day of the season that the soil is warm enough to allow the roots to grow.

Whether you believe that or not, I am continuing to transplant vegetable, herb and flower seedlings into larger pots, so they will be coming of size in the neighborhood of April 15 or so. I will start posting an inventory list when they are ready for sale. I hope I have some things that you'll like.

Happy Easter to all, and please remember that it's not about a bunny, but it's a celebration of God's son giving his life to save our souls and rising from the dead to return to heaven in preparation for taking us all there with him some day.

Brown Gold Helps the Soil

2010-03-20T15:09:00.003-04:00

I want to take this opportunity to, once again, thank my friend Lynne for allowing me to occasionally take her horse manure to add to my compost piles and growing beds. This "brown gold" has really made a difference in the quality of my once all-clay soil and it is becoming a rich loam.

It is funny to me to hear the protests of my kids when I tell them that I'm going to get a load of "horse poop" for the garden. It also gives me the opportunity to explain how important it is to the soil and the relationship between some types of waste and the good things that can be done with it if it is used correctly.

My youngest son actually spent some time with me, helping to fork the manure onto the bed which I had overseeded with crimson clover last fall. I seeded too late for it to grow properly, but there was an abundance of small clover plants peeking through the soil, which may add a bit of nitrogen to the mix after all.

We have been adding organic material, such as grass clippings and fallen leaves, along with other nutrients to the beds for several years now, and it has made it so much easier to work the soil and it doesn't settle into a hard brick between crops.

And my chickens love it! Eventually, my boys will love it too.

I'm Growing Heirloom Plants for Spring. OK?

2010-03-12T21:10:00.004-05:00

I guess I have been doing a poor job of letting people know what my little growing spot is all about. The last few posts have been descriptions of some of the tomato seeds that I will be growing into plants, but if you missed my February 1, 2010 post you might assume that I was planning to grow the tomatoes themselves to sell.

This confusion has apparently cost me the opportunity to sell my plants this spring at the Moore County Farmers' Markets in Pinehurst and Southern Pines. The Market Master went to my website, which he found by clicking the link on an email that I sent him, saw the last post and assumed that I was growing tomatoes. Never mind that my application for membership stated that my primary crop is plants.

I sent my application for membership to him the first week in January and had not heard from him or any other member of the market. I emailed him last week because it is getting close to time to start and I had intended to attend the pre-season meeting, which he told me had already been held February 22.

When I asked why I wasn't notified he told me that there was no use in me being there if I wasn't going to have a space to sell from.

I'll admit that it upset me, but enough about that.

I've had a lot going on since my last post on February 4. I'll try to catch up during one of the rainy days in the next week or so.

Zebras and Mr. Stripey

2010-02-04T17:23:00.008-05:00

In expanding my disclaimer, I am posting comments and photos made by myself and others in a sole attempt to bring more knowledge of the plants that I am growing for 2010 to whomever cares enough to read my posts. If I am violating any copyrights that may be yours and you'd wish for me to remove any proprietary materials that I post here, just let me know and I'll do it, 'cause I try to be a good guy!

For the record, I haven't had any complaints, but I just want to be up front with my readers and anyone who may be interested in suing someone (me) who doesn't have anything worth suing for.

I have five striped or bi-color heirloom tomato varieties on my list for this year. These tomatoes are as interesting to look at as they are to eat!

Mr. Stripey, aka "Tigerella," is probably my favorite bi-color tomato. I found the fruits from which I saved my seeds for this year late last October at the Watauga County Farmers' Market in Boone, NC. The large tomato yielded plenty of seeds and had a rich flavor that makes me look forward to having a lot more this coming summer! The fruits should ripen 56 days from transplant on indeterminate plants. The gentleman from whom I purchased the tomatoes raved about how well his plants produced and that he had been harvesting from the same plants all season.

Big Rainbow caught my eye in the Southern Exposure Seed Exchange catalog. They say that Big Rainbow is the most visually spectacular tomato they have grown. "As fruits ripen they resemble a rainbow: green on the shoulder, yellow in the middle, and red on the blossom end. When fully ripe, the fruits are gold on the stem end and red on the blossom end. Early fruits weigh over two pounds with little catfacing or deformities. 'Big Rainbow' has very good resistance to foliar disease and continues to bear until frost." I can't wait!

Gary Ibsen of Tomatofest says that "Black Zebra is a natural and stabilized cross between Green Zebra and a black tomato by Jeff Dawson. This is one of the stars of his whole tomato showcase. A proven success with markets and friends. Our TomatoFest organic tomato seeds produce vigorous, indeterminate, regular-leaf tomato plants that produce 4 oz., 1 1/2", juicy, round tomatoes with purple/mahogany-colored skin with green stripes (like brush strokes) with exceptionally rich, complex, really delightful tomato flavors that contain hints of smoke and sweetness. Its flavor also carries the rich complexity associated with the best of black tomatoes. This this is one of our favorites for looks and taste. A winner! Once tried, you will keep this black tomato a place in your garden."

Green Zebra is a pretty tomato, that is still green when ripe. Craig LeHoullier says that Green Zebra is a "well known variety – medium, green with gold stripes, green flesh – tart, snappy flavor, another Tom Wagner variety." Craig is the heirloom tomato expert for North Carolina (and beyond). He grows thousands of transplants each year and sells them at the NC Farmers' Market in Raleigh. Craig has a very interesting and informative website about he and his wife's activities that you can find by logging on at http://www.nctomatoman.topcities.com/From_The_Vine.htm.

The fifth striped variety that I'm planning to grow this year is Old German, is an indeterminate variety that was introduced in 1985 by Southern Exposure Seed Exhange. It is a Mennonite family heirloom that was found in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginiaand is described as "a large, very attractive and tasty tomato." It is mostly yellow with red centers and is said to have good color. SESE says "Old German is not a heavy producer, nor does it tolerate drought, but its flavor and color are outstanding. An attractive addition to salads. Fruits often weigh over a pound." This should be another exciting tomato for the 2010 garden.

Brandywines and More

2010-02-03T13:33:00.011-05:00

As I said earlier, I am including descriptions from other sources with my own comments here. I try to give credit when I can, but it's all in the name of spreading the good word about heirloom tomatoes and other heirloom plants as I continue with my blog.

I have two varieties of Brandywine Heirloom Tomato on my list for this year. The original Brandywine is a large pink tomato, but I'm not planning to grow it this year, although that could change.

An excellent history of the Brandywine tomatoes, written by Craig LeHoullier, appears on the Victory Seed Company website at http://www.victoryseeds.com/information/craig_brandywine.html.

Red Brandywine is described in the Tomatofest catalog as an old Amish heirloom dating back to 1885 and is named after Brandywine Creek in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The vine is indeterminate, fruits ripening ninety days after transplanting into the garden. Large, vigorous vines produce eight to twelve ounce deep-red fruits in clusters of four to six.

Yellow Brandywine is described by Craig LeHoullier as indeterminate, golden fruited, large fruit, oblate shape, some green shoulders, some ribbed shoulders, some cracking, yield can range from low to high, potato leaf, meaty, flavor intense and on the tart side. They should ripen seventy-six days from transplanting. The Brandywines are one-slice per sandwich tomatoes!I'm looking forward to growing this and all the others, some of which I am trying for the first time.

Cuostralee is a red, French heirloom tomato that ripens eighty-three days from transplanting. The Heirloom Tomato Seed site says that Cuostralee is a heavy producer that measures up to four inches across and can weigh as much as three pounds each! My California-bought Coustralee didn't make it last fall, so I'm giving it another try with my own plants this year.

My next post will cover some of the bi-color or striped tomatoes that I'll be growing for 2010. Thanks for taking the time to read!

First Look At Some Heirloom Tomatoes

2010-02-03T00:19:00.008-05:00

As I blog on the tomato varieties I plan to grow this season I will be mixing my own comments with descriptions from the catalogs of the seed companies from which I have made purchases this year. Thus said, I'm not plagarizing, just passing on information.

These heirloom tomatoes are each red varieties.

Abraham (Abe) Lincoln begins maturing 70 days from transplanting and is indeterminate, which means it will continue to grow and grow.

The original 'Abraham Lincoln' was a late-maturing variety introduced about 1923. This early season introduction (circa 1975) ripens 10 to 12 days earlier, has smaller fruit, and does not have the bronze-green foliage characteristic of the original. The flavor is slightly acidic but distinctive. Plants have excellent resistance to foliage disease. The red, medium-sized fruits are uniform and free of defects. Highly recommended where foliage disease is a problem.

Bloody Butcher is said to be sensational and very popular, early producing tomato variety. A good choice for a tomato as you wait for later varieties to harvest. The plants produce indeterminate, vigorous, potato-leaf plants that yield copious amounts of 2", 4 oz, fruits that are deep-red color, inside and out. Five to nine fruits per cluster with a rich heirloom tomato flavor. Plant produces well until frost. A good tomato variety for cooler growing regions since fruits ripen quickly. A good canning tomato. I received one plant from California last season, planted it in September and it produced until frost in late November. I saved seeds that I will be planting this year. The tomatoes begin ripening 55 days from transplanting.

I was attracted to the Box Car Willie heirloom tomato for the simple reason that I remember seeing advertisements for Box Car Willie records on television when I would arrive home from school in the afternoons. These commercials were usually aired during the afternoon showings of Match Game, back in the early 1970s.

Box Car Willie is a slightly flattened New Jersey tomato variety by Joe Bratka's father. (most likely named for the country western singer). Plants produce indeterminate, regular-leaf, tall, vigorous, tomato plants that yield abundant crops of 10 to 16-ounce, smooth, bright-orange/red slicer tomatoes with distinctly delicious well-balanced, rich, sweet taste that have sufficient acid to push the flavors forward and guarantee this variety as a good choice for a canning tomato, sauce tomato or salad tomato or perfect for tomato juice. A good all season tomato that produces well until frost. Box Car Willie is a staple in the home garden. Good resistance to disease and cracking. You can expect to pick your first one eighty days from transplanting.

Next time we'll talk about Brandywines and maybe a couple of others.

Groundhog Day and Peaches

2010-02-02T09:39:00.005-05:00

Laying the blame for six more weeks of winter on a large rodent in an unpronouncable town in Pennsylvania has always kind of been a gripe of mine. I know it's all for fun, but for years there was only one groundhog forecasting the weather, but now it seems like there's one in every town, and they never agree. This morning at the break of day, the Pennsylvania groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter while a dressed up pot-bellied pig (called a ground-HAWG) in Lexington, NC says just the opposite. Of course, the two are located a couple of growing zones apart, so everyone knows that winter is always over in North Carolina several weeks ahead of Pennsylvania.

Regardless of what the groundhogs say, on February 2 of any year there will always be six, nearly seven, more weeks of winter. Just look at the calendar. The first day of spring always occurs on the vernal equinox, which falls this year on March 20 at 1:32 pm EDT.

The vernal equinox is the point at which the sun is directly over the equator and daylight and dark are nearly equal. After this day the daylight hours continue to be longer than the dark nights until the summer solstice on June 21.

I enjoy the cold weather to a certain point. I really don't care for snow and ice that stays around for days and days, but I have a special reason for enduring a certain amount of freezing hours every winter.

Peaches.

Yes, peaches. You may be asking yourself if I have finally lost my mind, which could be an argument itself, but the plain fact of the matter is that I absolutely love to bite into a fresh, juicy Sandhills peach every summer, and that would not be possible without the freezing temperatures of winter.

Most peach varieties require more than 1,000 hours during the winter with temperatures below 45 degrees. That's about forty-one and a half days of cold temps, but who's counting?

I think it's almost there. Happy Groundhog Day.

Order Tomato Seeds - Check!

2010-02-01T19:47:00.004-05:00

With all this ice laying around outside my door, it's a comforting thing to be able to get the first of several seed orders out of the way.

I placed my heirloom tomato seed orders this evening, and I've promised to list them for some of my good friends. I've also got some seeds that I saved from last year.

Here's an incomplete list of the tomatoes that I plan to grow:

Red Varieties
Abraham Lincoln
Bloody Butcher
Box Car Willie
Brandywine Red
Cuostralee
Homestead
Jefferson Davis
Mortgage Lifter
Principe Borghese
Roma
Rutgers
Silvery Fir Tree
Stone
Stupice

Green Varieties
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Green Giant

Pink Varieties
Arkansas Traveler
Caspian Pink
Eva Purple Ball
German Johnson
June Pink
Mariana's Peace

Purple/Black Varieties
1884
Black Cherry
Black From Tula
Black Krim
Black Plum
Black Russian
Cherokee Chocolate
Cherokee Purple
Paul Robeson
Purple Calabash

White Varieties
Great White

Yellow/Orange Varieties
Azoychka
Brandywine Yellow
Hillbilly
Hugh's
Mountain Gold

Striped Varieties
Big Rainbow
Black Zebra
Green Zebra
Mr. Stripey
Old German

If there's a particular heirloom variety that you don't see here or would like for me to grow, please let me know as soon as possible. My email address is uwharrieheirlooms@yahoo.com.

I plan to blog on each variety, including photos, beginning this week. I hope to have other garden plants available for transplant, and will pass that information along as I have it.

Thank you all for sticking with me in this endeavor. I'm looking forward to being able to supply good healthy transplants for you to plant and enjoy throughout the 2010 growing season!

Oh, and don't believe everything the groundhog says.

Winter Happenings

2010-01-23T13:48:00.002-05:00

I'm sure I don't have to tell you how cold it's been for the past few weeks. The cold finally broke and we've had a few very nice days recently, which prompted me to get up and out to get some needed chores taken care of.

I'm getting ever closer to being able to use the greenhouse. My D-day is February 14, which is my customary first day of indoor seed sowing. I am so looking forward to getting back into the plant business after a decade or so of being away from it.

As usual, money is the catalyst when it comes to getting the work done. Being unemployed and broke does not bode well for self-employment as the old saying, "it takes money to make money" is absolutely true. I've been doing a little every week as a few dollars trickle in, and I'm hoping to be on the up side of it all by Spring.

Heating the structure will be a challenge. I'm considering wood heat as my primary source, but I plan to use heat cables and a few supplemental electric heaters to get me through the coldest nights.

I'll try to keep everyone informed of any progress, and I may even venture out with the camera soon.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T22:24:00.003-05:00

It's been a daunting 49 days since my last post. We didn't succeed completely with a 100% local meal for Thanksgiving, but we did better than we have ever done, so there's still a little room for improvement.

I should have the greenhouse up by seed starting time in February. The hoops are up and leveled and I'm working toward purchasing some 4 x 6 timbers to frame the bottoms of the ends so that they will support the heavy sliding glass doors that I obtained from Freecycle. It's a slow task to build a greenhouse with no help but yourself.

The seed catalogs have started arriving and I must now begin to narrow my list of several hundred varieties that I would like to grow on my quarter acre of space.

I finished my online class in Sustainable Agriculture from Central Carolina Community College last week, and I'm waiting to see my grade. I feel like it will be good, but I won't know until it's posted. If my Spring registration went as I hope I should be attending classes on campus one day a week beginning in January.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I hope all who read this have a safe and joyous Christmas spent with your friends and loved ones.

I'll try to post again in early January. Surely something will be happening by then!

Local Food

2009-11-04T19:51:00.005-05:00

Somewhere in my travels across the world-wide web this week I saw a challenge to everyone that will be celebrating Thanksgiving to make their entire meal that day from local foods.

Although I rarely contribute to the cooking end of the meal, I've decided to accept the challenge and try to do just that.

So far, I have procured a local free-range turkey, local sweet potatoes and very local collards and turnip/mustard greens from the back forty. There may even be a few tomatoes hanging on if we don't get a hard freeze.

I don't know where to find local cranberries, and there probably are none. I'm not familiar with anyone in the area, much less the state, who raise cranberries. I wouldn't miss them, although the juice sure does help out when I'm feeling a bit cruddy.

Irish potatoes shouldn't be a problem, and we have corn and green beans preserved from the summer (I think).

I'm pretty sure there are still some local flour mills for bread. I'll be looking into that. Drink will be a challenge. There's always water from the Pee Dee River that comes from our tap, but I hope to be able to mix something with it to enjoy.

I am familiar with some microbreweries within a 50 mile radius. Beer is good.

Persimmon pudding for dessert, if I can find some local honey to substitute for sugar. And sweet potato pie.

I'd appreciate any suggestions. Feel free to add to the menu!

Procrastination

2009-10-19T13:59:00.002-04:00

This will be a short post. Last night we almost had a frost here at the gardens. I had a miniscule amount on my windshield as I got the truck warmed up for the kids to wait at the bus stop. Tonight is supposed to be even colder before warming up for the rest of the week.

I have been doing everything except erecting the first greenhouse. I've been seeding, rooting, transplanting and collecting seeds. I guess I'm in denial that winter is really on the way, but it will be here if I'm ready or not.

I'm heading back outside to continue laying out the foundation. If I can make it past tonight I may get another chance.

Gotta get it done.

Reminiscing . . .

2009-10-01T08:09:00.004-04:00

The Little River Band, back in the Fall of 1978, sang of "all the time we're missing, spending the hours reminiscing," as if that's a bad thing.

Maybe so, but I find some comfort in doing that, as well as a fair amount of angst over what I should have done, or "where would I be now if only . . ."

One thing that has stayed constant for me, however, is the fact that when things are looking bad, I can always turn to the soil. If you take care of it, it will take care of you.

In my first post I told you about the people in my community that pointed me toward horticulture, and some that actually gave me some small shoves in the right direction. But, back then (the mid-1970's) there were a couple of other people who helped me, and probably millions of others. Both are gone now, but I would like to give them the credit, on my behalf, that they deserve.

First is James Underwood Crockett, or Jim, as he was better known. Jim had a weekly program on PBS called "Crockett's Victory Garden" that was a no-nonsense show about gardening.

Jim would begin the half-hour show by demonstrating hands-on demonstrations of almost everything that could be done in the garden. He would start seeds, help them along, harden them off, get down on his knees with a trowel and put them into the soil. He would nurture the plants until they either bre fruit or flowers, then harvest them and show you how to enjoy them.

Jim was the first person to ever mention composting to me, although he never knew it. When his first book from the series, appropriately entitled "Crockett's Victory Garden" was released, my parents gave me a copy for Christmas. I still have it, the inside cover inscribed by my mother as a gift for me, a sixteen-year-old boy who was starting on a journey that, thirty-three years later, is still winding down the road.

The great thing about Jim's book was that it was divided by month, so that you could follow what he was doing each month and apply it to your own garden. Now, his garden was in Boston, so I learned to adapt his schedule to fit mine.

For the time, Jim was a great mentor for me. I didn't know then about the negative effect that the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers had on the soil, and Jim used them in his gardens.

Crockett died from cancer in 1979 at age 64.

The second person of influence, although I didn't realize it until years later, was Robert (Bob) Rodale. Rodale published a little magazine called "Organic Gardening and Farming," and it really was little. It was about half the size of a traditional magazine with a somewhat glossy cover and pages of newsprint-quality. But those pages were jam-packed with good information. Even if you weren't an organic grower the information within those pages was priceless.

I borrowed the photo at right, although the issue pictured is much older than the ones I started out with.

Rodale, following in the footsteps of his father, J.I., were pioneers of the past. Following World War II, when gardeners and farmers were jumping on the chemical bandwagon, these men were leading the charge of soil building and the benefits of healthy food and living. They practiced what they preached and established a farm in Pennsylvania where organic practices, both old and new, were carried out. The pages of the magazine spread the news of what they were doing, and failures were reported along with triumphs.

Son Robert was the man in charge when my sister first introduced me to the magazine back in the late 1970's. He traveled the world to spread his message, and was in Russia helping to launch a similar magazine when he was killed in an automobile accident in 1990.

After his death, I feel like the magazine lost it's focus for a while. The little magazine became a bigger, glossier publication, probably to attract the more "yuppie, Martha Stewart type" reader. Where the old magazine had ads for tractors and worm kits, the newer one touted luxury automobiles and skin conditioners.

I will admit that I rarely read the magazine these days, although the ones I have seen seem to have moved a bit more back to the old one. But it's still glossy and the "and Farming" was dropped from the title years ago. The website is pretty good, http://www.organicgardening.com/, and you can probably spend a day there following links and just surfing in general, but it just hasn't been the same since 1990.

I realize that different people have different visions, and employees almost never have the passion for a business that the owner has, but give me a break. How can PBS get away with calling a show "The Victory Garden" when the hosts have probably never had dirty pants or even grown their own food for that matter. Just dropping the name of Crockett doesn't make it anywhere near the same show.

What do the majestic gardens of estates in Europe have to do with "victory" or "gardening" for that matter?

Thank you Jim and Bob, for keeping it real.

Weather According to the Seed

2009-09-29T14:20:00.009-04:00

I may seem a little obsessed with persimmons this year, but here's another little tidbit. Folklore says that you can tell the severity of the coming winter by cutting a persimmon seed in half and looking at the inside.

An image of a fork in the seed is said to mean that the winter will be mild and there will be plenty to eat. At the other extreme, a knife means that the winter will be bitter cold and the winds will cut you like a knife.

A spoon bodes for a cold winter with a fair amount of snow to be shoveled. The spoon represents the shovel.

My persimmons say spoon. The photo is a little fuzzy, but you can see the image in the seed half on the right.

It does kinda look like a snow shovel if you look at it just right. We'll take a look back in the spring if I can remember and see how it turns out.

Now, I need to go out and find a wooly worm.

Good News for a Local Farm

2009-09-29T00:22:00.006-04:00

I would like to congratulate Donny and Lynn Epps of Whipowill Hill Farm for their success in winning one of the $5000.00 grants from the "Montgomery Makes" competition. They will be producing pasture-raised poultry and pork, and I'm not sure if they will include beef but I will post it here if I find that they do.

Donny and Lynn live with their family in the community of Abner, which is in northern Montgomery County, just west of NC Highway 134 near the Randolph County line.

The husband and wife farmers are very deserving in their winning of this grant, and I wish them the best of luck as they get the new business off the ground. Lynn says that they hope to get it going in October.

I'm also looking forward to having a taste of that great home-grown meat! I'm hoping folks will find that it goes well with heirloom vegetables and herbs! ☺

Persimmon Pulp's Piling Up Like Compost

2009-09-23T21:12:00.004-04:00

A new part of my daily routine has become bending over and picking up persimmons. I don't know if you've seen my belly lately, but this is actually a feat for me as I suffer greatly from Dunlap's Disease.

As I wrote a couple of days ago, I put a good day's work into cleaning out from under the two trees beside my office, and I don't want all that effort to go to waste. I've learned that it takes about fifty persimmons to make a pint of pulp. It's kind of relaxing for me to mash it out into a bowl and then transfer it into the Ziploc® bags and to the freezer. I've lost count, but since last week I've frozen over ten pints.

I think the chickens are enjoying it as much as I because they're on the receiving end of the leftovers when all the pulp is removed. The boys have a special word for it, something like "eeeyewwww!" but the chicken actually do seem to appreciate the delicacy. They'll get all the leftovers through the end of the season since I've already taken all the seeds I need for this year.

I had thought about adding the leftovers to compost, but the thought of all of those seeds in a compost pile caused me to nix that idea. Either way, the chickens will take care of the composting for me.

I've been busy dividing and potting up garlic chives, and have gotten a couple of equisetum (horsetail) for potting in the process. I've discovered a pretty good-sized patch of the horsetail in the old herb garden that seems to be a manageable size for potting, so I hope to tame them in the next day or two. I do plan to post a disclaimer with them when I go to market. If you've ever made the mistake of planting horsetail in your garden then you know what I mean.

Cindy and I bought a small pot of the equisetum from Meg Shelton's herb farm down in Leland back around 1996 or so when we were first becoming interested in herbs. I noticed as we were driving out of her farm that she had what looked like a row of the plant in her field that had spread and taken over her whole garden. It didn't dawn on me until later, but once you plant it in the ground that stuff will run across the garden and knock you down before you can get back to the house! It comes up EVERYWHERE! Thus the disclaimer.

Anyway, it is a neat plant, but it's best grown in a container so you can keep it in check.

In case someone is actually reading this, I'm looking for plants of French Tarragon and Winter Savory for cuttings. If you or someone you know would be willing to share some cuttings or divisions I'd greatly appreciate it, although I can't say "thank you" for them. If you don't know why, then go back to my very first post to find out.

Disappointment

2009-09-23T12:42:00.000-04:00

I received a call yesterday from the Economic Development Corporation to inform me that my business plan that I had submitted was not approved for funding. The $5000.00 grant would have gone a long way toward making my endeavors a success, but I'll have to come up with a way to move on and get it done without any assistance.

My largest needs right now are containers, flats and soil mixes to get my plants into the position to be sold. I have been using a lot of old, saved/recycled containers, but I don't have any more of the sizes that I really need and to purchase new ones is out of the question due to the costs involved.

I'm also in need of the rental of a skid-steer loader or a backhoe to level off more of my property to use for nursery and garden space.

Things will work out one way or another.

Update: No Plant Sale at DSBG

2009-09-21T21:59:00.000-04:00

I just got an email from my friend at Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden. It seems that AutumnFaire will be limited to artisans only, no plant vendors. I was looking forward to the experience, but will continue on the path I'm on now. This is ok as there's plenty to do here in the meantime.

There will be plenty of opportunities for future sales. Everything happens for a reason.

Shorter Days and Persimmon Logic

2009-09-20T20:10:00.000-04:00

The days have become noticibly shorter as fall is now only two days away. Traditionally, this has always been my favorite time of the year, but I'm really not sure why. It may go back to my childhood when this time of year meant that Halloween was just around the corner with Thanksgiving and Christmas trailing a few weeks behind.

I continue to take cuttings, sow seeds and pot up the results. I am getting dangerously low on the recycled pots that I have been using. This is one thing that I can take some pride in, however, as the stacks of used pots that I have been saving for more than a decade have started to shrink down to "not much".

Last week I started on some new benches for the yet-to-be-constructed greenhouse that is still a pile of pipe out back. I haven't used pressure-treated lumber in a few years because of the contamination issues, but times and methods have changed and the bad stuff is not as bad as it use to be.

I constructed the 3' x 10' frames from 2" x 4" lumber and am attaching 2" x 2" kennel wire for the tops. This will work ok for larger containers, but the 4s and 3s that I'm using will have to be in a flat to stand up.As of now there are no legs, but that will change when they are finally installed in the greenhouse, and they are easier to move and store as they are now. I'm finding that old clay pots make good legs when turned upside down and placed at each corner of the bench. It's also much less expensive as I have hundreds of clay pots scattered about the place. This is another blessing because I find that herb plants display and sell much better in clay pots rather than plastic, although clay does dry out much faster. This is actually a plus for the Mediterranean herbs which like to be kept on the dry side. This is good because that means less water flowing through the pipes! (That reality hasn't hit yet as the water bills are still relatively low, but I expect that to change next year when I hope to have three seperate production areas under daily irrigation).

Fall also is persimmon season. Diospyros virginiana is the botanic name for what we call our native persimmon trees. We have a couple of young trees between my office and the garage that have been producing for a few years. This year I took a day and cleaned out from underneath the trees, pulling and piling wads of English Ivy that has crept over from the lot next door. I've raked it clean and spread plastic on the ground to keep the fruits clean.

Friday I collected enough to freeze three pints of pulp, and added another pint Saturday. I've not had an opportunity to pick any up today, so tomorrow I will probably have two or three more pints.

I was so proud of my efforts and made it a point to show Cindy the frozen nectar of persimmons stacked in the freezer. She was less than enthused and informed me that she didn't like persimmons. Well, neither do I, but persimmons aren't edible, in my opinion, unless they've been changed into a scrumptious persimmon pudding! My mom made the best persimmon pudding back in the day, and I think she must have used the same recipe as my aunt, because I cannot tell the difference between the two. My goal is to find that recipe and see if I can make it too. I'm not holding much hope until I try though, because I still have not been able to replicate my mother's macaroni and cheese, which I also hope to somehow taste at least one more time before I die.

Another by-product of persimmon pulp are persimmon seeds. I cleaned two hundred seeds from the first batch and planted them in a five-gallon nursery pot. I covered them with about one-half inch of medium and covered the pot with a piece of hardware cloth (pictured above) to keep the critters from digging this winter. They'll be mulched in, along with the beautyberry and dogwood, and put away for the winter.Hopefully, I will have the reward of some native persimmon seedlings next spring to pot up for sale.

Speaking of sale, I'm in negotiations at the moment to be a vendor at AutumnFaire next month at the Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden over in Gaston County, near Belmont. I'll write about that as things get worked out.

Until next time, whenever that may be . . . I'm off to find the persimmon pudding recipe!

A Nip in the Air

2009-09-02T23:42:00.000-04:00

I've decided that I'm not going to apologize for my delays in posting any more, because it means that I've been too busy to sit down and think about a subject to dwell on.

But, actually, I feel like I've been pretty busy. I've only got a week left to finish my business plan and I'm taking an online class in Sustainable Agriculture from Central Carolina Community College on top of everything else that I'm working on.

Daniel, my youngest son, is playing football for the first time in his life, so that's an automatic four hours a week out of the schedule to shuttle him to practice, sit on the sidelines, and then bring him home. He was so excited the day he was issued his helmet, shoulder pads and practice jersey. He wore them around the house for the following three days and wouldn't take them off. When he tried to wear them to open house at school I had to draw the line and tell him to take them off. Now, after he's been hit a few times by the bigger guys it's getting harder and harder to get him to put them back on for practice.

This first week of September has seen a marked drop in temperatures, although the calendar says we still have three weeks of summer to go. The nights have seen temps drop into the 50s with daytime highs in the 70s. I really do love this weather, and fall is my favorite season, but it also lights a small fire that tells me that I'm going to have to get serious about erecting the greenhouse that still lays on the ground in pieces. I'm looking forward to it and dreading it at the same time. Once it's up and operational it means that I'm going to have to start moving everything that I've been working on for the past two months inside for the winter.

As nurseries go, I'm still teeny-tiny, but from my past experience I know that you have to crawl before you walk.

In the fifteen years since I seriously grew plants to help bring dollars in, I now have a new problem to watch out for, and that's fire ants. I have been fairly successful in keeping them at bay up until the present, but I am finding more and more of the little varmints sneaking onto the property, and once the road construction out front gets into full swing, I know I will be faced with a major battle. Road-building equipment is notorious for bringing the ants in from the last place they were used, and there are enough infestations within three or four blocks of my gardens, I know that they will be here en masse when the dirt starts being moved.

The tomatoes that I planted a month ago are growing well, or at least the majority are.
Out of the thirty-three initial plants, I have twenty-four still standing. I have found that it's not worth the expense to buy plants from across the continent. Since I did so back in July I have found growers somewhat closer for late orders, but that shouldn't be a problem after this year, as I hope to be a supplier myself for early and late heirloom plants. The blurry photo at the right is of the first tomato in the late garden, a German Johnson. Unfortunately, it's also the only tomato to form so far. There's plenty of blooms, but I have seen very few pollinators in the garden this season.

I have three hills of zucchini that should be bearing soon, if the real cold will hold off for a few more weeks.

Last week my friend Joe from Oak Bluff Farm rode with me down to Maxton NC to purchase collard plants from Eric Morris of E. Morris & Son Plant Farm. If you know anything about collards you are surely aware of the Morris Heading Collard, the seeds of which are sold nationwide. This collard was developed at this farm. I don't know if it was developed by the current Mr. Morris or maybe his father, but the farm has been selling plants since 1919, and Mr. Morris has got to be in his nineties. He has undoubtedly hand wrapped literally millions of collard plants in brown kraft paper at the table behind his old cinder block building. He is stooped and has to use a walker, but he stands there for hours on end, meeting his customers and wrapping the bundles of freshly dug seedlings that his workers continuously bring in from the acres of fields around. He looks so feeble, but his voice is strong, and he knows what he's doing.

While there I also picked up a flat of broccoli, so the fall garden is now starting to take shape in the shadow of what little late summer plantings I have. I planted the collards out during a real hot spell last week, and I have lost a few, but the cooler temperatures and some slow rain early in the week have got them growing in the right direction . . . up.

My major tasks for the past couple of weeks have been taking cuttings, mainly culinary herbs. I have over five hundred rosemary cuttings in, some oregano, wormwood, mints and sages. My chive seeds never germinated, so I'm going to try again with some fresher seeds. I have sown lettuce and have taken cuttings of Brown Turkey Fig, which I don't know whether to expect to root or not. Some sources say that I'll be lucky to achieve 30% success while others brag about how easy it is.

My swamp hibiscus seeding resulted in over seventy plants and I had a little bit of success with the peegee hydrangea. The oakleafs are not rooting, but neither are they dead and crispy! An aloe vera plant that was handed down from my wife's late grandmother yielded over fifty new divisions and three large stock plants for the future. It was growing in an eight-inch azalea pot and was so top heavy it's hard to believe that it would even stand upright. We will share some of the new plants with aunts, uncles and cousins from that side of the family and offer the rest for sale next spring, Lord willing.

That's kind of a catch-up version of what's going on around here. Between classwork and getting the business plan in shape, I will have little free time the next couple of weeks. But until then, I wish my readers good luck in your endeavors, and please consider adding yourself as a "follower" so that I can pretend to actually be a "leader" of sorts.

Take care, friends!

Money

2009-08-15T15:41:00.000-04:00

I can't believe it's been over two weeks since my last blog. As much as I enjoy writing it's unthinkable that I go so long without checking in.

I do know where my free time has gone in the past couple of weeks. I've been making contacts with old friends and introducing myself to new ones via the craze called Facebook.

I actually joined Facebook to network for my DJ business, but everything seems to have tangled up into one big ball, and I'm finding that there are a lot of people who think as I do on Facebook, and I've also learned that other folks that think as I do run from it without looking back.

Several people in a recent business plan class I am taking were discussing Facebook and their feelings that it is "Big Brother" at it's worst. I'm kind of on the fence, but it is kind of addicting to just run in for a minute to see what all of your friends are up to. Minutes usually turn into five, ten, fifteen . . .

I am a part of a group of local entrepreneurs, attending a workshop to learn about, write and fine tune a plan for our businesses. Everyone in the group is from Montgomery County, and it's probably the best group that I have had the privilege to be a part of in many years.

The ironic thing about this group is the fact that we are all in competition for two five-thousand dollar grants from the local Economic Development Corporation, who is sponsoring the workshops.

We may be in competition, but we are also somewhat connected in ways that I really can't explain . . . but we do talk about it at the workshops.

The workshop is being led by Marla Coulthard, who is under contract to the EDC. Marla spent time in the newspaper business and has become rather adept at writing grant requests as well as winning them. She is doing a good job leading us through the process. Each workshop is two hours, and the time goes by very quickly.

I really don't think that any of us are in direct competition with each other. The grant money is provided through a larger grant from USDA, to encourage small businesses in Montgomery County. Requirements for the grant are that the new or expanding small business must be related to agriculture, tourism or the creative arts.

One small nursery owner is seeking to expand her business to sell wholesale to landscapers. Another has a grading and hauling business while another is an ex-teacher who is operating a tutoring business. One couple wants to encourage local art through an art gallery.

There is a jewelry-maker, a couple who want to expand their pasture-fed meat business, a viticulturist who is opening a winery, a beekeeper, a natural dog-treat baker, one individual who wants to encourage others to keep their dollars in the US, a biblical T-shirt maker. And me.

The money would be nice, but the relationships that we are developing in the class are priceless. I think whomever wins, we all will be winners. We may live in a small county, but there are still a lot of things that we can learn about and from one another.

Touring

2009-08-04T21:37:00.000-04:00

There is so much to learn from other small farmers.

Yesterday I took the opportunity to tour the Piedmont Biofarm near Pittsboro with a group of like-minded folks, courtesy of Debbie Roos of Chatham County Ag Extension.

The farm is on the campus of Piedmont Biofuels, which is manufacturing biodiesel fuel at the facility.

Also on the campus is a new company called EcoBlend, which manufactures organic approved pesticides.

Doug Jones, of the Biofarm, led the tour, which lasted just over two hours - and we still didn't see everything.

Doug came to NC from upstate New York to take advantage of the longer growing season. He is growing vegetables year-round at the Pittsboro farm using season extenders and greenhouses.

He is very interesting to listen to and he gives a good tour. I was especially interested in his heirloom vegetable production.

He specializes in peppers and only had one row of tomatoes, but he sure knows how to pack them in. If Doug was growing tomatoes on my plot, he would have planted about 140 plants in the area where I have only 33. Note to self: Plant more intensively next spring.

It was interesting to see how he trellises his plantings, using ordinary cattle fencing and t-posts.

Here you can see his solitary row of tomatoes on the right and two rows of peppers to the left. The trellis is only 5 - 6 feet tall, which I thought may be too short, but it seems to be working for him - and he's the pro.

Doug sells produce at the Durham Farmers' Market throughout the season, and travels to, according to him, "fifty other markets." He also runs a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation for people in the community to come out and enjoy the fruits of his labor, by subscription.

We have a local CSA too. Anne Pärtna at STARworks has a CSA going. You can see her blog at http://starworksgarden.blogspot.com/ . She and Alan Landman are really nice folks, and I'd like to encourage you to check them out.

Back to the tour, Doug says that his true love is breeding plants, trialing new varieties and saving seeds, which he uses year to year and also gives away at workshops. His farm is only four years old, but it is producing many different vegetables on only a couple of acres.

The guys at EcoBlend showed the results of some of their trials on the campus. The natural herbicide has done a great job on bermudagrass, japanese honeysuckle and poison ivy. I was fortunate to receive samples of their herbicide and fire ant drench. I intend to apply it to the japanese honeysuckle that plagues my fencerow, and also look forward to zapping the fire ant mounds that have finally encroached on my little piece of land here. I'll give them some feedback on how the product works for me. To my knowledge I'm the only facility in Montgomery County using it.

Tomorrow is going to be another day of market research. I hope to take in at least three farmers' markets, starting in Greensboro and ending with another visit to Watauga County, and maybe a quick visit to a farm up there.

Reaching Out

2009-08-02T14:10:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I think that Tom Sawyer may be the wisest person who ever "lived."

I learned a thing or two from Tom, a case in point involves my three children . . . all boys . . . all just like me.

My mom put the curse on me many years ago. You know, the one that goes, "I hope when you grow up your young'uns will be just like you."

Well, thanks mom. Rest in peace. If I was really like this, then you deserve to rest.

My boys are in for a heck of some stormy adulthoods, 'cause I've passed the curse on to them so many times already, it's got to be cloudy for them.

One day after church recently I absently announced to whomever was within earshot that my wife and I had decided that the next time we got married we weren't going to have kids. A lady from the congregation burst out laughing and told me that she thinks she remembers that my parents made the same promise!

My favorite Tom Sawyer story was the one about his chore of whitewashing the fence.

Just to remind you, ol' Tom hated doing that work, but when his friends would stop by he pretended that he was having the most fun of his life, just whitewashing away. Thus, all the friends wanted to have some fun too, so they ended up doing all the whitewashing while Tom stayed over in the shade, resting.

While I do enjoy my time in the garden, sometimes it's hard to spend hours struggling behind the tiller to break up some ground that has had more than a year or two to settle. But, if you've been following my previous blogs, you know that I've had issues with getting my soil prepared, so it's behind the tiller I go.

Apparantly, tilling looks like fun to a portion of my family, namely Daniel, the youngest. I didn't make it look like fun intentionally, I really do enjoy it, as long as I can take frequent breaks.

Daniel came over and begged me to allow him to operate the machine. At almost nine years old, it would be quite a task for him to "manhandle" the Lazy Boy, but I was mowing and helping out (really I was) in the garden at his age, so I figured that there's no time like the present.

I ordered him to put something on his bare feet and told him that he could give it a try.

After showing him how to safely work the tiller I put him on one of the raised beds that hasn't been used for a couple of years, so it's not as tough tilling as the rest of the garden. He really had no problem tilling a row through the twenty-five foot bed, preparing it for six more tomato plants.

Daniel found that planting, mulching and watering can be fun too.

I can't wait until we start putting in his favorite food - broccoli (Take that, George H.W. Bush!). He should enjoy that, and I expect to see him sitting out in the middle of the patch eating it off the stalk one day this fall!

I feel good that there will be hope for Daniel in the garden. Eli may have to be prodded a little, but I'm "optimistic" (see yesterday's post).

Meanwhile, as Daniel turned that soil, Carson and Eli were at their usual daily grind of computer and video games. To be fair about it, though, after Daniel went into the house and bragged to his siblings about his opportunity to run the tiller all by himself, Eli decided it must be fun too, so he rushed out to take his turn.

Carson never moved.

Progress, however, is being made. I'm reaching out to my kids in a new and exciting way.

Now if I can convince them how great the veggies will taste instead of hot dogs and that, no matter what Ronald Reagan said, catsup is not a vegetable!

What would Tom Sawyer do?

Horticultural Gambling

2009-08-01T22:27:00.000-04:00

Anyone who gardens has to be optimistic or crazy. I confess to being a bit of both.

There are always enemies in the gardening world: pests of all shapes, sizes and colors . . . weeds . . . drought . . . weeds . . . flood . . . did I mention weeds?

The biggest enemy of all, at least in my garden, is frost. A killing frost, that is.

This is where the title of this post comes in.

Horticultural gambling is for the optimist, or the entrepreneur (willing to take a risk) gardener who plants with the optimism that maybe the first frost of the season will be a few days later, or maybe the last frost will be a few days earlier.

But who knows for sure?

I finally got the last of my late heirloom tomatoes in the ground today. According to my trusty chart, that makes them exactly seventeen days past the date for putting tomato plants in a late garden.

It's only thirty-three plants, but I'm gambling my crop for next spring on these plants, for I hope to save the seeds from these to start my plants for next year.

The chart I use is based on an average first frost of October 30, which tells me that I should have had these plants in the ground no later than July 15.

But if that first frost will just hold off until November 10, then my odds get a little better, because I just won ten more days, which only makes me seven days late.

But, what if, it doesn't frost until November 20? Well then, I just hit the jackpot because I'm actually four days early!

Hopefully my little plants will be bearing well before that first frost, but only God knows when that will be.

I have started back to church services lately, and even started singing in the choir, but I know for a fact that God will not be bribed, especially by my singing, so I'll leave it up to him to decide when we're ready for the cold nights.

I didn't get a spring garden in because I was gainfully employed and on call 24/7, but now that that's in the past I am determined to have a late garden to eat from and, hopefully, have some extras.

I live in Zone 7, so my chart tells me this about planting for a fall garden:

July
5 - eggplant plants
15 - tomato plants, melons, squash, pumpkins and lima beans
20 - sweet corn
25 - pepper plants
30 - snap beans

August
1 - cucumber
10 - okra, broccoli plants, cabbage plants, collard plants
15 - carrot, chard
20 - beet, green pea
25 - kale
30 - turnip

September
1 - mustard
5 - spinach
10 - leaf lettuce
30 - radish

Of course, this chart is just to be considered a guide, because it's based on the average first day of frost. I'm not going to lose any sleep, because I'm a gambler . . . I'm optimistic . . . I'm an entrepreneur!

Or maybe I'm just crazy.

Finally, a little progress

2009-07-31T17:24:00.000-04:00

It's been an interesting week in the garden. Seeds are sprouting, roots are forming, and people are finding out what I'm up to.

The sun coleus cuttings have all rooted. I'll use them to pretty up the place until frost, maybe putting in more cuttings to overwinter if the greenhouse is ready by then.

The rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) 'Salem' is starting to show some roots. These will be potted for overwintering, to be offered next spring.

Seeds that have germinated include Snow in Summer (Cerastrum), Black Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta), Purple Coneflower (Echinacea), Cupid's Dart (Catanache caerulea), Hollyhock (Alcea ficifolia), Garden Sage (Salvia officinalis) and Swamp Hibiscus (Hibiscus coccineus). All of these will be potted, overwintered and offered next spring.

I gave up on having someone do the plowing in my garden spot and opted to spend $70.00 to have my tiller repaired by a professional.

The problem turned out to be something out of my pay grade anyway. It seems that when I tried to start the tiller for the first time this season, a valve was stuck and the plastic cam on the metal shaft was turned a bit, causing it to get out of time, so it wouldn't run. If you understand all that, then I'll call you the next time it won't run!

Anyway, now that the tiller is running, I am finally getting my late heirloom tomatoes in the ground. They are being planted at 36" intervals in rows that are 42" apart. Composted cow manure is worked in at the planting spot for each plant, which is then put in as deeply as possible. The entire bed is mulched with spoiled hay and the first liquid fertilization with Neptune's Harvest Fish & Seaweed 2-3-1 is applied. This will continue at three-week intervals.

The plants are staked (or will be) with eight foot, 2" x 1" cedar stakes, compliments of Ethel & Gladys, whom I mentioned in my first post. The boards that these stakes are being cut from were milled almost 100 years ago, and I hope they will last for many years.

Rain has been plentiful this week, with passing showers and thunderstorms keeping things a bit moist. My July water bill should be in the mailbox tomorrow. I plan to be sitting down when I look at it.

A Quick Catch Up

2009-07-26T23:31:00.000-04:00

It's been a busy week.

My market research is continuing with visits to farmers' markets where I'm not seeing as many heirloom vegetables as I thought. The Watauga County Farmers' Market has had the most of any I have seen, but there is a larger concentration of natural and organic farmers in that area of the state.

I am sowing seeds of perennial flower and herb plants that I should be able to winter over for the spring market. The cleanup of my plot continues as I'm still waiting for all my well-meaning friends to help me get my soil prepared for the fall garden. My tiller should be ready to go Tuesday, so I'll be free to work the soil on my own schedule.

I've added to the cuttings from my last post, and a few spearmint cuttings from the NC mountains are now being babied. It's so hot, and I'm beginning to see some black spots on the leaves, so I'm not holding my breath. I'll probably have better results with the root divisions.

I hope to have more interesting things to discuss later this week. Y'all hang in there with me and we'll try to keep this ball rolling.

'Mater Sandwiches and Hot Weather

2009-07-16T14:02:00.000-04:00

The thermometer says it's 84° outside, but with the humidity it's more like 100° in the shade today.

The morning was spent taking cuttings from the Salem Rosemary in hopes that they'll root in time for planting out this fall. They join the Oakleaf Hydrangea and Sun Coleus cuttings that were put in earlier this week.

A list of the heirloom plants to be propagated this year is still in the works, but what ends up on it should be a good start for fall and early spring sales for next year.

There are thirty-eight tomato plants ready to go in the ground as soon as it gets worked up. Twelve tomato plants came in from Laurel Garza of Laurel's Heirloom Tomato Plants in Lomita, California this week. As tomato plants go, these were expensive, about $9.25 each, but they will expand the selection of plants for next spring if they bear fruit in time to save some seeds this year.

Speaking of saving seeds, seeds of 'Black Russian' tomato are fermenting as I write this. I can't wait to grow these out next year as this is one of the sweetest tomatoes I have ever tasted. It has a beautiful dark bronze color and is simply a beautiful tomato. I picked them up at the Moore County Farmers' Market at the FirstHealth Fitness Center in Pinehurst this past Monday.

It's trying to rain, but not having much luck. I think I'll set up my sprinklers in the garden plot to soften it up a bit. That will usually get the rain to move on in!

I just finished a good ol' juicy 'mater sandwich with Duke's (Lite) Mayonaise. If you can't find Duke's where you live, then you're really missing out on some good ol' southern food. I'll get into that another time.

Until I see you again . . .

Getting started - way too late

2009-07-15T17:40:00.000-04:00

I've been interested in growing heirloom vegetables and plants for quite a few years, but it seems that life just kept getting in the way. I should have started this back in 2005, but circumstances got in the way then and have seemed to ever since,

For the past couple of years I've been writing for a local weekly newspaper, which is actually a 24/7 job if you want to cover the news the way it should be covered. I have really enjoyed the work. Unfortunately, it was not destined to last.

The economy in this part of the world really is suffering. If you don't work for the government or Wal-Mart you are lucky to have a job. Our little newspaper officially bit the dust yesterday after many heroic attempts on the part of the owners to keep it going. So now, six more people are unemployed, myself among them.

But, as I know and my family and friends keep reminding me, God never closes a door without opening another one.

So, now's my chance to get back to the point I was in 1976 - growing plants. I think the happiest time in my horticultural life was when I was sixteen years old with a small greenhouse in the back yard. I was growing plants for myself and others.

I guess it all started the summer I spent with my grandmother Martin (Memaw), I think it was either 1967 or 1968. We planted a small garden, probably 10 x 10, on the north side of her small house in Biscoe. I'm sure it was all done wrong, but it kept me busy which, looking back, was probably her intention anyway.

When I was older, around 1976, my dad and a neighbor built me a small 8 x 12 greenhouse. I remember two people in particular who took me under their wings as far as plants were concerned.

The first was Annie Butler, an elderly African-American lady who had a homemade wood and fiberglass greenhouse in her back yard on the outskirts of town. And. let me tell you, that greenhouse was bursting at the seams! Annie and her husband, Bud, were friends of my parents, and we went over to see them often. We never left their house without either a plant or a cutting to take with us.

Bud used to plow gardens around town for people, using a mule and an old turning plow. As a boy I loved to sit and watch him work that mule.

The other person was Guy Greene, who started a small greenhouse and nursery business after he reitired as a meat cutter at the local Piggly Wiggly store. Guy was generous, as most true plant lovers are. He gave me the best advice for growing plants that I ever received. On one of my visits I was complaining about the problems I was having with my plants, that they weren't growing the way I thought they should.

His advice was in the form of a comment. Guy told me, "You've been keeping your hand too far away from the fertilizer bucket!"

I never forgot that, but I still seem to have that problem from time to time. My philosophy on fertilizers have changed a bit since those days, but plants still need food if they're going to grow.

Annie and Guy both are gone. Guy passed away in the fall of 1978, and Annie moved up north to live with family around the early '80's after her husband wandered away from the house and was never found. I never heard what happened to Annie after that.

Since then there have been others. There was Mrs. Callicutt and her daughter, Joyce Atkins. Paul Lewis grew some plants and did landscaping, and Ethel Reynolds and Gladys Monroe kept me busy for several years. They taught me to never say "thank you" for a plant gift. They said if you do it will die. They said you're supposed to say, "I hope it grows."

In 1983 I strayed from my path. I took on some landscaping and then spent the next fourteen years growing farther and farther from my greenhouse work. My landscaping business grew larger than I could handle and I lost my work bit by bit. I still had a small greenhouse (14 x 22) that I used until the big snow of 2000 crushed it, but I had so many distractions I was unable to use it the way I wanted.

In 1997 I went to work in the Horticulture department of the North Carolina Zoo, spending the next eight years there.

This brings me back to today. I'm hoping that God has closed my door on the newspaper work so that I can see the opening he's made for me to get back to my "roots," pun intended.

I bought a used 20 x 50 greenhouse a couple of years ago, but it has just been a pile of wood and metal, since I've never had the opportunity to actually put it back up!

Well, the time has come. I've been working since July 2 (my last day at the newspaper) to get my area cleared of junk, briars and weeds. I still have a way to go, but I've been putting a lot of ideas in my head and researching in books and on the internet, and I'll be ready to go as soon as I get my gardenspot tilled up.

There's thirty-eight heirloom tomato plants in one-gallon containers sitting on the porch of my office, ready to go in the ground. I should be able to harvest a good amount of fruit before first frost, which is October 30 in my neck of the woods.

I hope to be able to keep everyone posted on my progress, and please say a prayer for me and my family as I venture into new old territory!

I hope it grows.