Kevin Goheen

When you're dealing with something that can kill you, please listen to the doctors and what they prescribe. I think herbs are amazing and wonderful things, but when it comes to life and death, layman's mistakes can be deadly.

So I am in the process of writing a book about nearly 100 perennial vegetables, and I need photo, but websites like Pexels will only have common plants. Thoughts?

So, a project I was working on in grad school that I still need to follow up on is a book on perennial vegetables.

My list has the given criteria:
Hardy to at least Zone 7b
Palatable
And obviously perennial

My list currently has 96 vegetables that meet those criteria. My thoughts for this post are what are things you would look for informationally in the book?

Some information I could include:
Pests/Disease
Scientific Name
Family
Other Common Names
USDA zones
Soil pH
Soil Type and Moisture Requirements
Light Exposure
Known Hazards

What are your thoughts? Be sure to share any odd vegetables that meet those criteria. As I may not have it listed yet. I am also on my work computer, so I don't have access to my list right now in case its asked for.

I think when developing a guild, the most important question is what pests you are going to be dealing with. Aromatics are good for deterrence from problems like voles and rabbits, but also make sure to have tree guards regardless.

Iva Sari wrote:Hi, has anyone among you tried sowing mustard seeds between onions as a way to protect the onions from onion flies?

I haven't dealt directly with onion flies, but I grow onions, cabbage, and potatoes together and I have no pest issues.

The highest production tree is actually an invasive in my region, the Autumn Olive. Just North of me in Southern Illinois they populate into the hundreds of thousands of trees. They produce gallons and gallons of delicious fruit. They also fix nitrogen. So, they make excellent nurse trees.

I would also recommend pears and walnuts as they produce copious amounts of fruits and nuts. The highest production shrub/cane I would recommend blackberries/raspberries depending on where you live. The warmer it is the better blackberries do, and vice versa. Blueberries also have a really nice neglect factor like the rest of what I mentioned. As long as the soil is acidic (4.5 to 5.5), they'll grow in nutritionally poor soils.

As far as apples go, it just depends if you have issues with coddling moth. If you don't then you can plant cultivars like Liberty, Macfree, Freedom, and William's Pride. We grow Liberty and have no disease issues whatsoever, but coddling moth is devastating here. So, we have to micromanage it unfortunately. Same with plums and peaches in our area with plum curculio.

I'm not opposed to working two jobs, just wanting work I won't grow as complacent in. I think you hit the nail on the head about cost. Usually, high quality consultation will cost quite a bit, but most homesteaders don't have significant income. While I don't have to make a fortune, I also need to provide for my family.

Thank you for your thoughts.

So, I am interested in providing homestead consultation for people, but I question the financial feasibility of it. I love the idea of helping others better provide for their families and I have an MS in Sustainable Agriculture, but I don't know how to put myself out in the public and how to make this something I can feed my family with. I mean if it went well, I'd invest in equipment to better direct and develop client's property, but I am also held back by fear given my area there may not be enough work to make a living.

I know I can provide consultation in:
Fruit & Vegetable production (Particularly perennial)
Livestock production
Resource Management
Soil Remediation
Greenhouse Production

Even if it's not something I can get started soon I plan to make a flagship for what people can do with their land with a 1 acre home my wife and I are buying. I will be able to show how space intensive we can be with minimal room. Maybe I am looking for some encouragement in it, but also practically speaking if the service was available would this be something y'all would want or know people who would? (I'm not soliciting). If this was something steady enough, I would be game to do video calls.

Any advice or thoughts are welcome.

I am in zone 7a, and even I am considering the possibilities of being able to grow oranges outside. The closest cultivar is a Mortan citrange which is hardy to about 5 degrees. We get down to zero most years, but it shouldn't stop me long term from continuing to cross it with poncirus to get a stable cross for cold tolerance and flavor. One of my long-term projects is having Kentucky grown oranges.

Winn Sawyer wrote:

Kevin Goheen wrote:maypop, poncirus, pawpaw

I think all three of those are hardy outdoors in your zone, no need to put them in the high tunnel.

I agree, I was meaning they have tropical cousins that aren't.