Suzette Thib

My dad has talked about some delicious peach trees from his youth and finding this thread has me thinking we should put some pits in the ground sooner than later. Anyone have updates on their plantings?

I completely agree about this being a cop-out for many women who are burning the candle at both ends, especially in standard American setup.        We intentionally try to live pretty slow, however since mid 30s I have had random joint pain and brain fog, like having a newborn, but there is no baby! I'm also needing 8-9 hours of sleep at night, previously I would thrive on 6 hours. I never put these together to mean anything, along with a few other symptoms mentioned, especially weird joint aches that come out of nowhere and then I'm like, well, I guess my thumb is out of commission for a few minutes?  Glad to know to learn about black cohosh.

Timothy Norton wrote:For next year, I am planning on making use of some poorer quality area of my property through creating a straw bale garden. Currently I am in the planning phase, but am itching for spring to be here to get hands on.

(Source)

I have read up on the mechanics of the process and how to create them but I was wondering if anyone has some hands on experience that could share their experiences.

Anything to look out for? Did the garden's performance meet your expectations?

Thank you in advance!

There is this book Marvelous Abudance and they did the old Parisian market garden of heaping fresh manure and surrounding it with bales and planting into the bales. They had great success, if my memory serves me right. Paris did, over a hundred years prior. Hotbed method.
Also I have read that getting your hay far in advance and letting it rot will kill off the weed seed, leaving you with a tight bound moveable-plantable compost. Reminds me of the Ruth Stout method too, which I have had work for us.

Jake Esselstyn wrote:Today I will transplant my first round of fall greens. It is dry, so I'll have to water some. I suspect it's too late to be planting pumpkins. I hope you get some long beans before it turns cold. I'm hoping to get a few cucumbers from some young plants I started about a month ago. Otherwise I'm shifting to fall/winter vegetables now.

This simple month-by-month guide of what and when to plant is extremely useful. I refer to it every month.

https://louisianasnursery.com/monthly-guide-planting-vegetables

Thanks for the guide.

For a follow-up I did get enough long beans for a stir fry or huge pot of ramen once a week (family of eight) up until December started. It was worth it for me! The pumpkins and squash I removed in favor of starting peas!

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:I would never own a composter that doesn't have Bluetooth and an app.

LOLOLOL

Mike Barkley wrote:Thought I should share this gem of a reference book.

I wouldn't recommend the old way of making ice.

Beekeeping has changed considerably too.

Sometimes though ... especially for permie type folks ... the old ways are the best.

Enjoy.

Found a copy of The American Frugal Housewife from 1833, at the 2nd hand store and it has so much good information that it makes up for anything that hasn't stood the test of time (or science).

Jay Angler wrote:We had 1 week to find and buy a house when my husband was transferred from Ontario to Vancouver Island, BC 20+ years ago when our son's were 2 and 4 1/2. Hubby absolutely didn't want suburbia, but I also knew that he'd be working long hours and not have a lot of time for managing a property. Under the circumstances, we did quite well.
We have 2 deep wells, but electricity is mostly hydro-electric in this area of the province and reasonably priced.
Too many huge cedar and fir trees that block a lot of light in the places I'd like to garden. There are days I wish I wasn't too small/light to be comfortable using a chainsaw!
The house was a compromise, but every time I try to suggest certain changes, hubby gets bogged down in - "should we just renovate with a bulldozer". Houses of this one's era tend to have asbestos hidden in them, particularly the stipple ceiling, so testing has to be done first.
The property came with a chicken coop that totally doesn't meet "permaculture principles" but we made portable shelters and use the building for our brooder and gardening tools. What started out as "a few free chickens for our eggs" turned into my hubby's retirement business. Being on a moderately busy road in a community that appreciates farm fresh eggs and is 5 km to the business area of the local small city (and the public library's even closer), are major assets. What we've given up in "isolation" we've more made up for in time/money/gas saved by having important things close at hand.
So sometimes I think it's all about working with what you've got, making do, fixing up, and not chasing a dream that could change in an instant. I try to celebrate the things that work and be thankful that I can try new trees/shrubs/veggies/animals and see things grow.

The part about working with what you've got, etc. YES

We chose a location and while it checked many boxes, it does have some limitations. When we focus on making it the best that it can be here for us and our kids, everything is more wonderful. Attitude is everything (or almost!).

Judson Carroll wrote:In general, no.  Canning pressure canning, and probably hot bath would kill the pro biotics.  Anything cooler would lead to explosions.  Fermented foods are self-preserving.  I am still eating pickles my grandmother made over 30 years ago.  Fermentation is pre-canning preservation tech and fermented foods are alive - they should stay that way.

The bit about your grandmother'es pickles you are still eating - INCREDIBLE!

We are hurricane territory. My husband keeps the generator working and fuel set aside for that. We also freeze OJ bottles and milk jugs of plain water that can fill space in freezer or fridge between stints with the generator on. We also fill some with water for basic hygenie needs and store them out of the way. We keep our camping stove and BBQ pit in working order and with fuel, as well as stock up firewood as well so cooking is usually not too stressful. (stock up on matches) Lots of fans too. Losing water and power in 90 degree weather and 70-90% humidity, well the fans are indispensible. My husband also make sure we have good screens for our windows so if we need them opened,we can. We try to keep dry staples stocked and I have spent time learning (and still am) about what actually really needs refrigeration vs what can do without.

Bob Waur wrote:

Suzette Thib wrote:Hello, in South Louisiana too. Definitely trying to start cool weather crops as "Gardening in the Humid South" suggests but this drought is making it way too hot. Sowing pumpkins and squash and trying to keep my okra wet enough that it wants to produce. Might lose the pumpkins and squash to an early freeze but at least they are growing! Broccoli is growing in the shade of the okra and tomatoes are trying to produce. Some long beans sprouted and I might get a crop of them if this heat keeps up. Any suggestions of what wants to grow in this hot dry weather?

Hi suzette,
If you are near the latitude of New Orleans then your planting windows are about two weeks ahead of mine for Spring.
Now is my time to plant Bok Choi, Fun Jen, Red Giant Mustard, Beets, Tokinashi Turnips [The best tasting turnips, even turnips haters enjoy then), Chard, Minowasi Radishes and Chinese Cabbage. Last year I had all these survive a 10 degree night with row cover. I realize you are asking about heat tolerant crops but these are planted in the heat, kept watered, and go on to do really well as the weather cools.
Just as N.O. is two weeks ahead of me in Spring, it is two weeks later in Fall on average.

Bob, Thank you very much for the specific varieties. That helps so much. I love love love turnips! I will check my seed bank here at home.