How A Hobby Can Feed Us

 

Life as we know it has changed.

Now, I don’t mean to sound alarmist and pessimistic with that statement, but it’s true.

Our ‘normal’ has changed. Only time will tell if it reverts back to what it was before.

But whining about it does no one any good. What we have to do is remain calm and adapt.

How do we adapt if we have no idea how long this new global emergency will take to play out?

Look to the past.

Many people’s ‘normal’ was upended during WW2. They had to learn how to bake with less flour as factories were mandated to make less of their ‘normal’ product and help make MRE’s for the soldiers. People had to learn to mend, patch, darn and make clothing from sources they might not have previously thought of otherwise. Like floursack cloth. 

Much of our food is not made in our own countries. Here in Canada, quite a lot of it is imported, including fruit and vegetables. Our food supply chains are going to be impacted as borders are closed to all but freight, as panic shopping reveals empty meat, bread, pasta and produce sections. This has already happened. How do we adapt?

Learn to make, and enjoy more meatless meals. Learn to make our own bread, buns, rolls and the like. Those who already know how to make their own pasta are one step ahead of the rest of us. Grow our own lettuce and potatoes. But consider this for a moment…

If people are self-isolating by the thousands now, who will start the seeds and man the greenhouses? Who will care for the seedlings until they are big enough to ship out to landscape centers and grocery stores in the spring, where gardeners have been known to cart home flats and flats of the little seedlings?

I’ll give you a minute to ponder that…

Yes, even a gardener’s hobby has been touched by Covid-19. There have been fewer seedlings to run our palms over, to study the growing tips and roots, to spend time choosing the very best there is. So how do we adapt to this?

We grow our own.

We sit down and honestly look at why we garden. Perhaps the hobbyist who has always grown roses should consider planting things that can be used in a salad, thereby improving their diet, their immune system and their overall health. This simple change will also result in fewer things needed at the now-overtaxed grocery store.

Now is the time to honestly assess if our occasional treat of sweet corn is worth the big plot of garden that would be better used for a staple like potatoes. Perhaps you’re sick and tired of mowing the lawn and would love more tomatoes in your diet. Learn what you need to do to convert the lawn to a food garden. (Even if your neighbours object now, they won’t when you share some of your bounty of sweet, juicy tomatoes with them at harvest)

So, my advice for you today...your “homework” if you will, is to sit and honestly assess what you want out of a garden. How can you modify your current situation and adapt to an ever-changing food landscape? Feel free to share your thoughts or concerns in the comment section. We’re all in this together and I don’t think we’re going to see the other side of it for a few years yet.

Spring's First Trimester

It surprises me how busy we can be here on the days we apply ourselves.
For example, the other day, I made myself a list of things I wanted to do, and instead of leaving the list on my desk in the basement, I left it on the table in the dining room. I walk by it a hundred times in a day, so I figured I'd get something done, right? I got the whole thing done, and then some.
Today, my plan was to finish vacuuming the craft room, which also serves as a basement sitting room. It gets used almost all the time, so it doesn't take long to need some attention. Today was the day to clean that up. I not only got it vacuumed, but I got the cobwebs that had been building up while the vacuum decided to be a P.I.T.A. So the upstairs front hall got cleaned up yesterday,  the board with nails that had served as a coat hanging place for years was taken off and proper coat hooks installed.  Then we swept and cleaned out the closet. Today the carpet in that space got vacuumed! Yesterday also saw the installation of a new set of metal shelves in the living room window for seedlings. So today, we were able to start 12 purple tomatillos, 6 'Alma Paprika' peppers, 9 'Clemson' okra, and approximately 15 carrots.
I'd like to claim more accomplishments, but with the dampness outside, my hands have been hurting a lot more. Of course, that would have nothing to do with the fact that I've been knitting as much as possible! On the needles this month is a panel of small squares, all knit in a row, for a 'Granny Square' style baby blanket. (That's a picture of one of the squares up and left. It's not a wonderful picture, but it's not completed, washed or blocked either.)

Mother Nature has finally relented and allowed us early spring. I don't mean it's come early, just that we're in the early stages of the season. Kind of like the first trimester of the season of green, you know? Everywhere the snow and ice is melting, everything is dripping, or puddled or muddy. I've never been so glad to see mud, it's crazy. Just when I thought we might go bonkers from being cooped up indoors, we have been able to walk comfortably a short ways into the woods, or goof off in the driveway and listen to the ice melt. Or stand outside in  a friend's driveway and talk about nothing while we soak up sunshine.

I know how much work I've signed up for, but I can't wait to have the yard back, no white stuff and days of sunshine ahead!

Seeds, Seeds Seeds!!

If you've been reading here for any length of time, you know I like to support smaller business. I especially enjoy ordering seeds from a smaller supplier if I can, so when I found Heritage Harvest Seeds  and T&T Seeds, both in a zone cooler than mine, I was thrilled! Today I placed an order with T&T. We ordered an elderberry bush, 5 "Fall Gold" raspberries and 5 "Royal Purple" raspberries. I've never seen raspberries this shade, dear readers, and I cannot wait to see the preserves we make from these! I also ordered green tomatillos from them.
Because I was on a roll, I also ordered purple tomatillos from Heritage Harvest. That salsa should be eye-catching!
We weren't done yet! Then we started "Mammoth Russian" sunflowers, "Walla Walla" onions and cilantro for kicks!
Our basil is coming up wonderfully, and I think I'll have to transplant our Mesclun soon too! It's growing by leaps and bounds!
How do you encourage spring at your house?

Current temperature: -1 degree Celcius or 26 F
Overcast
Very breezy!

Seeds Starting Time!!

Spring cannot come soon enough here in Northern Ontario, Canada.
So the fur-bearer forecaster says we'll have spring in another  six weeks. Yeah, I don't put much stock in whether a groundhog sees his shadow.  Whatever.
What I do put stock in is one growing one's own food.
If you've read my blog for any amount of time, you know I'm a big advocate of growing food, not lawns, no matter how much space one has.
So I'm happy to report that it's finally seed starting time!

At the beginning of the week, we hit our favorite TSC store and rounded out our seed supply with some more vegetable and herb seeds. Mom got a cabinet that has allowed us to move up from two plastic boxes, allowing us to keep everything in one place. All but one missing seed catalogue are in there, along with our gloves and tools, and of course all our seeds. Also this week, we started a few seeds in peat pellets on trays that now reside in an east-ish facing window. We started mesclun, pickling onions, grape sized tomatoes, spring onions, mini bell peppers, sweet basil, lamb's lettuce, crookneck squash, and we started radish sprouts in a jar! (Our alfalfa sprouts were such a hit a few weeks ago, we decided to branch out)

I will admit that all those seed catalogues were extremely tempting. It can be very easy to order twenty different types of heirloom tomatoes when one is stuck inside with -30 temperatures! I wrote out a very long list and set it aside for a few weeks, and then approached it rationally. Instead of twenty different types, I only ordered four. In addition to the tomato seeds we already have, I think we'll get a pretty good variety this coming summer. Now if I could just find my T&T Seeds catalogue so that I can order those purple raspberries, Saskatoon Berry bushes and strawberries!
Hurry up spring!

Current temperature: -6 C, or 21 F
Sky: Overcast
Light breeze

The Season of Seed Catalogues!

It's time for the much-anticipated arrival of seed catalogues here in the North, and in the spirit of sharing, I'd like to share a bit of how I decide where to buy, and where not to!

I like to shop locally if I can. Sometimes that means either my own region or at the very least, my own country. Not only has changed laws now made this nearly mandatory, but it makes more sense to me. Especially if I can find seeds guaranteed to grow in either my zone, or colder. This year, I've been lucky enough to find two seed companies that grow successfully in colder climates than mine, AND believe in non-GMO's! Yay! Heritage  Seeds and T&T Seeds, both in Manitoba. I can't wait to see how their seeds do next summer! No matter where you live, you'd be wise to buy as locally as you can. Please consider heritage types. They are worth the time, consideration and research. We lose an alarming number of plant species every year to hybrids, and the heritage types have colors, taste and shapes that no lab can reproduce reliably.

I made a list in the summer, and again in the autumn, and again just last week. I then compare this to how much space I'll have for growing, and how much work I'll be doing in a heat wave, or weeding  amidst mosquitoes. The seeds that make the cut are the ones I order.

This coming year, I'm going to attempt saving more than just pea seed. Starting small, and being realistic, I figure I'll probably move up to tomato, pepper, pumpkin and zucchini. If all goes well, I may not have to buy those seeds next winter.

Have you got your favorite seed catalogues yet? Who do you like to buy from? How do you decide what to buy and what to leave?

How Huge Food Corporations Will Make Upcoming Food Price Hikes Even Worse

An interesting quote this morning from an article I read called, "How Huge Food Corporations will Make Upcoming Food Price Hikes Even Worse"
First the quote, then a link to the article if you're interested.
(And there's a print link if you're like me and prefer to read articles without all the flashing ads on the side)

"Nearly 90 percent of U.S. cropland is comprised of just four crops. This year, the USDA estimates [10] that the nearly 30 percent of U.S. cropland is planted in corn, 23 percent in soybeans, 18 percent in hay, and 17 percent in wheat. Of these, only wheat is significantly different from the others: it mostly goes to feed humans (not livestock), it is less affected by the drought [11] in the U.S., and the U.S. is not the world’s top producer (it’s fourth)."

Here's the link to the article. It's worth a careful read.
How Huge Food Corporations Will Make Upcoming Food Price Hikes Even Worse

The Many Faces of "B"

When I first sat down to write this post, I had a hard time thinking of words relative to farming and agriculture and prepping that started with B. Clearly I just need more coffee, because once I put my mind to it, there were all kinds of ideas.
The obvious first choices are broccoli, beets and beans. Because my family enjoy both raw and cooked broccoli, I'll be planting some and we'll likely freeze it and eat it raw. Beets are enjoyed as well, though I imagine there will be fewer of these since it has fewer fans in our family. These will be easy to put up pickled. Beans are important to both homesteaders and preppers alike. Many people put up bags and bags of them in case they need to one day rely on their own food supplies instead of the grocery stores. Heirloom beans have as an interesting and varied a story as the history of North America. There are dozens of types, colors, shapes and flavors. I'll be growing green beans and yellow wax, and I'd like to grow butter beans and a new-to-me type called "Orca"
(That's them below)
I'm fascinated by the whole process of taking a seed that looks so interesting, planting it and watching it grow, and then discovering what the pod might look like!

Of course, along the way, there will also be bugs, both good and bad. I'll have to learn how to spot the good guys like Brown Lacewings, Ground Beetles and the bad such as the Mexican Bean Beetle, as well as learn how to take out the bad guys in a way that won't do harm to the ecosystem.
Let's not forget bees too. We'll be planting flowers and herbs throughout the yards (front and back) to encourage bees and butterflies to not only visit, but pollinate as well. It frightens me a little to think about the "dead hive syndrome" that so many bee-keepers are hit with. Whole hives suddenly dying off mysteriously, but there is a theory that chemicals insecticides are the killer. Just one more reason why Monsanto's greatest legacy is wrong for the environment and people.

One of our goals for next year is to plant a few more berry bushes. The fruit will help us produce reams of gleaming jars full of jams and jellies. Raspberries, strawberries, locally foraged blueberries, and high-bush cranberries. I always thought of grapes as berries when I was growing up, and those will be planted in a bright sunny spot as well.

One of my goals this fall is to prepare different vegetable beds throughout the yard. I've put a lot of thought into what size beds I'd like to plant. They'll be anywhere from twelve to fifteen feet long and four feet across. These dimensions should allow me to build enclosures to keep out excessive sun (for those cool weather crops like lettuce and peas), cold, and even the chickens on their free-range days. A bed that is only four feet across allows for much easier weeding from either side. In case you're wondering why I don't just plant traditionally, in rows, I plan on instituting a three year crop rotation plan. This will help cut down on soil diseases and pests, as well as allow for green manure plantings.

I suppose there are dozens of other "B" words that relate to life in the Urban Trench, but the goal here is to get you thinking.
What other "B" words can you think of that might relate?

Putting Our Money Where My Mouth Is

Yesterday was a small adventure day for us. Every now and then, we like to take the bus up to Waterloo and hit one of my favorite seed stores, Ontario Seed Company. One of our favorite restaurants, Cora's, is right across the road and we always stop there for breakfast or lunch. (If you ever have the opportunity to eat at a Cora's, you really should! Their dishes are like no other breakfast or lunch you've ever had for these prices!) We went with a small four page list of seeds to get for both us and my Mother, and I would say we got at least three of those pages. We also found a mortar and pestle that my darling partner had been wanting.  Actually it was a set of three mortar and pestles, so I would say she's set for a while now. We got flower seeds (corn poppy, california poppy, morning glory, shasta daisy, salvia, and two different kinds of impatiens). We got vegetables and a fruit (iceberg lettuce to add to our growing collection of lettuces, cabbage, collards, onions, more peppers, zucchini, broccoli, pumpkin and cantaloupe) We also started our herb collection off with lavender, lemon balm, rosemary,  arugula, and purple coneflower, which is also known as echinacea. As if all that wasn't enough, we also wandered a few blocks in search of a store that sold a certain type of bag that Betty wanted. I knew she wanted one that had a woven, ethnic, "Himalayan-look", but with a zipper for security and a long strap so she could wear it across her body. I commented to her that if Ten Thousand Villages didn't have one, no one would. You're probably giving me the same questioning look she did. To explain,
"Ten Thousand Villages is an organization which sells handicrafts from “developing” countries through its network of stores in Canada and the USA, as well as hundreds of annual Festival sales. Ten Thousand Villages is a program of Mennonite Central Committee, a relief and development organization working in more than 50 countries around the world. Ten Thousand Villages has its roots in the work begun by Edna Ruth Byler in 1946." Even better is the fact that the artisans all belong to collectives, which gives them bargaining power, and the fact that the craftspeople are paid half when the order is placed and half before the finished order ever leaves their country. It's good to know my money isn't lining some crooked politicians pocket!

I like the fact that they put the producer before the product. This isn't Wal-Mart. You won't find items made by 12 year olds forced to provide for their families in horrible conditions for pennies a day. Now I'm not implying that Wal-Mart supports sweat shops, but think about it, how else do you think they can offer the products they do at those prices all the time? Not accusing, just sayin' ... think about it. So anyway, in we went and I immediately saw a bunch of things that appealed to me, not the least of which was the wooden cabinets and tables made from abandoned and reclaimed wood. These pieces had class, style, character and they were made from more solid wood than your average $25 entertainment unit. I loved them! While Betty shopped for a bag that was exactly what she wanted, I came across the perfect coffee mug. It was hefty in my hand, it felt solid and it held a serious amount of coffee! I am VERY particular when it comes to my favorite mugs. They must have style, heft and look damn good too. I found one. (No Betty, this does NOT mean you can throw out my brown one with the broken handle)

Even better than how this feels is that I know who made it! "Drink your morning coffee from this stunning ceramic mug and contribute to the well-being of talented artisans from India. Moulded from clay by the skilled hands of local artisans, this mug is characterized by its deep blue hue, stylized motif and perfect glaze. A mug of style and substance."
Indeed!


So we got a good supply of seeds for the next few growing seasons, had an awesome lunch and even got to support craftspeople in developing countries. We ate well, provided for our future sustainability and shopped politically.
I'd say that's putting our money where our mouthes are!

Why We Need Winter

The Never-Ending blanket

As I write this morning, there is a clear blue sky outside and as of five minutes ago a chickadee was singing happily not far away from my patio. There is barely any snow to speak of outside, only patches  in deep shade, really. It's not cold out, but there is a chill in the air, it is 39 degrees F or roughly 4 degrees Celsius. All in all it feels more like April than January in Ontario! But while part of me worries about the way our seasons are changing and what effect it will have on our grocery bill, I am grateful for a lack of bone-chilling cold. Despite the fact that I am Canadian and despite the fact we are moving further North; I hate being cold. Go figure.
Winter is important though. We need the snow for next summer's water tables, the plants need the rest and the animals need the season so that they can follow their annual internal clocks and migrate...those that do. Gardeners need winter to prepare for the next growing season. You know how much I enjoy the planning, the seed catalogues and the dreaming. As Jacqueline said in response to my last post, seed catalogues are like a little bit of summer in the grip of winter. Even though there is no bone-numbing grip to speak of yet, seed catalogues are nice to use as both entertainment and a gardening tool. (Which reminds me, I'm expecting another catalogue shortly)

Knitters need winter too I think. Winter is a good time to learn new techniques, new stitches and try out new patterns. It's also a good time to look through the knitting basket and asses hibernating projects. I did that recently and I ended up frogging five projects! (For those of you who might not know what frogging is, it's a knitters term for tearing back a finished or unfinished project) All three of our sons have ADD, and we've found that occasionally, knitting helps focus the middle child. He doesn't do more than a few rows of a strip he's working on for a dog blanket, but it helps slow him down and focus his energies; and in the end, some lucky dog will have a warm smooshy blanket. While going through the knitting-basket-from-Hell I also found my own blanket in the works! For a couple of decades I had wanted a multi-square, multi-colored blanket. There were a couple of strips done, a few squares, but nothing much had been sewn together. So, in spite of the hat I've got started and first ever baby sweater that intimidates the heck out of me, I picked up the blanket again. I need a project to work on while I watch television, and it's always been the perfect one. There's a picture of part of it above.

All of this keeps me active during the winter, not to mention those two mile walks I mentioned earlier. On nice days like yesterday (much like today), it's a simple but soul-satisfying joy to walk down to the library and come home with a  few books in the backpack. This weeks reading list includes;
"Accessible Gardening:Tips & Techniques For Seniors and The Disabled" by Joann Woy
"Four Season Harvest" by Elliot Coleman
"How To Grow More Vegetables, Fruits, Nuts, Berries, Grains And Other Crops Than You Ever Thought Possible On Less Land Than You Can Imagine"
by John Jeavons (This is nearly a gardening bible for those who have very little space. Although I hear guerilla gardening is all the rage)
"Tea Bliss" by Theresa Cheung
"The New Organic Gardener" by Elliot Coleman

All that and a few audible books to listen to while the t.v is taken over by cartoons or CNN!
Is there a craft or skill you develop in the winter? What is winter supposed to be like where you live? Is there something you want to work on this winter?

Stay sharp, stay watchful.