Joylynn Hardesty

Steve Farmer has a successful method of planting trees in solid rock here.

The plants that grew the gifted seeds were grown together, so we may have the beginning of a landrace. I planted as many green fibered seeds as I was given, finishing the row with the red foliated white. I put another row of my natural fiber in the same bed. I'm pretty sure we'll have a landrace next season!

Imagine the horror of the fiber enthusiasts who labored to develop these colors.

Did you notice how clean that black seed is? Totally naked and without fuzz... this is how it popped out of the cotton boll. I think this means a person may be able to spin straight from the seed with this variety. This is a feature that I want to keep! So I planted another row in a bed 15 feet away, behind a trellis that I pray will be covered in squash.

The gifted varieties were Erlene's Green and Red Foliated White.


Here I have pictured the white cotton I received from the heritage demonstration mentioned above. It is probably a commercial variety as the demonstration was on the cotton gin. They got a deer in the headlights look when I asked what the variety name was. The heirloom natural I misplaced the name of.

Would a jigsaw without the blade also work?

Would pigs be interested?

...in kudzu?

I couldn't find a quick reference that lists them all, but pigs cattle and chickens are also able to eat it. While I don't have personal experience,  I can tell you that there is no kudzu in the beef cattle pastures.

From eat the weeds.

See, this is what you mean when you call it a lotus? Cool to know how to use the stems now too!

I've been playing with the idea of getting some.

Oh, no! I don't have an answer for you, perhaps those who do will be al8ng soon.

In zone 7 last year mine didn't sprout until July

Also, is space at a premium?

Sunchoke as a wind brake? Not in my area. Every time a severe thunderstorm is predicted, I know more stalks will be leaning. Also, we have a 2 month seasonal drought. We have rain during this time, but the sunchokes turn mostly brown, and yucky.

Dan, how strong are these winds, and does your wife drake need to be attractive?