Gardening

[cineater]

That was the first one.



That was the second one.  She's about 8 feet tall.

[cineater]

One of our artists saw the last one and his face just lit up.  The ideas just started flowing, really inspired him.  Go ahead, we can put these up all over the garden next year.    And her picture got a lot of attention on facebook.

We did make the front page of the community news!  Great pictures too especially since they didn't get one of me.     They did quote me significantly all over the story.  Hate that.  https://mycnews.com/st-charles-county/

[cineater]

We had our oldest garden visitor today.  She'll be 100 in January.  She came up to see Mother Nature and return some seeds I had her working on.   

[cineater]

That's pretty much a wrap on the garden.  Got all the tools washed up, oiled and stored for the winter.  I'm leaving everything up this year that doesn't get mushy for the native bugs.  Weird year, the leaves are late.  They are dropping now but we still have trees that haven't changed.

[cineater]

What happen to my grass?     We had high winds last night.  My yard is a pile of leaves!  I use leaf litter.  There's some work to do out there.  None of which involves a rake.

[cineater]

Woohoo, the St Louis path folks are coming to do a presentation to us.  They are creating a system of paths connecting the whole St Louis area.  One of those paths is slated to go along the creek.  Would love if they put it on the garden side of the creek to increase foot traffic to our gardens but the other side of the creek is okay too.  Not that it isn't beautiful in it's natural state but we can't get over there to pick up the trash.  Not sure what our liability will be since that is our property but it's tax funded and maintained by the city.  Kind of excited about it, adds a whole new dimension to the gardens.

The gardens just won't let me go.  Life changes and I'm suppose to be preparing to turn the gardens over to the next overall lead.  I can walk away from that job but my head and heart are going to turn around and be back there.    

[cineater]

Alright!  The path people want to put the path on our side of the creek.  They want to run it right through where our amendment bins are.  They want a 20 foot easement and the bins are 22.5 feet.  No idea where we are going to move those on property. The great thing about a garden is it's always changing.  Or just when you think you are fucking done, you tear it up and start over again.    Cool, we are getting a backdoor to the gardens.

[cineater]

Yeah, it never ends.  We planted up 50 milk jugs of native seeds yesterday.  They won't be ready for sale for two years.  This week we seed onions and pansies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5FVlXTyizE&t=4093s  Good video about using native plants to combat pollution.  He speaks science so it's a little hard to follow but it's a good start when thinking about doing that.  Good caution comment when foraging for food, stay out of areas with pollutants as those plants take up that stuff.  This is exactly why I'm the labor and not that brains when it comes to gardening, "all the science I don't understand".   

[cineater]

I have onions!  We seeded our flats on Wednesday and they are already popping up.

I have one giant stink bug hanging out between my lights.  I'm hoping he dies before I have to take the lids off.  Okay if he hangs around on the houseplants but he can't be chewing up the seedling.

[pilferk]

Nice!

We put the grow lights up this weekend.  Still have lettuce, kale, spinach, and chives going in the greenhouse, as well as a little transplanted herb garden with rosemary, thyme, and a basil bush (this is it's 2nd overwinter in the greenhouse...it's too big to call it a plant anymore!!).

[cineater]

Nice!

We put the grow lights up this weekend.  Still have lettuce, kale, spinach, and chives going in the greenhouse, as well as a little transplanted herb garden with rosemary, thyme, and a basil bush (this is it's 2nd overwinter in the greenhouse...it's too big to call it a plant anymore!!).

I'm still messing with my lights.  I've swapped out two of my fixtures because I can't get the lights to continuously work in them.  All that moisture gets in there and just fucks them up.  I'm using the last two we got from the highway patrol busting pot growers.  They messed with the electrical connections on these.  I'm a little worried they may burn the house down.  Do you have your lights on chains so you can raise them up or down?  So much easier then trying to raise or lower the shelf the plants are on.

I know, basil is a bush.  Wish I had south facing windows so I could have herbs in the house.  I like to fluff them up and send that smell through out the house.  I've been known to rub the oil rosemary in my hair just because I like the smell. 

You're lucky to have a greenhouse.  I'm always interested in what you are doing in there.

[pilferk]

Nice!

We put the grow lights up this weekend.  Still have lettuce, kale, spinach, and chives going in the greenhouse, as well as a little transplanted herb garden with rosemary, thyme, and a basil bush (this is it's 2nd overwinter in the greenhouse...it's too big to call it a plant anymore!!).

I'm still messing with my lights.  I've swapped out two of my fixtures because I can't get the lights to continuously work in them.  All that moisture gets in there and just fucks them up.  I'm using the last two we got from the highway patrol busting pot growers.  They messed with the electrical connections on these.  I'm a little worried they may burn the house down.  Do you have your lights on chains so you can raise them up or down?  So much easier then trying to raise or lower the shelf the plants are on.

I know, basil is a bush.  Wish I had south facing windows so I could have herbs in the house.  I like to fluff them up and send that smell through out the house.  I've been known to rub the oil rosemary in my hair just because I like the smell. 

You're lucky to have a greenhouse.  I'm always interested in what you are doing in there.

Yup, lights on chains for SURE.  Makes life so much easier.  Learned that trick on youtube!

This is our second season with the greenhouse.  It's relatively small (10x12) but we can do greens and herbs pretty much year round, now.  We also turned one of our cattle panel arches (3 arches long) into a 15 foot high tunnel.  Nothing in there right now, since it's new and we're monitoring temps.  But so far, so good.  Definitely will give us more "start space" in the spring.

[cineater]

Nice!

We put the grow lights up this weekend.  Still have lettuce, kale, spinach, and chives going in the greenhouse, as well as a little transplanted herb garden with rosemary, thyme, and a basil bush (this is it's 2nd overwinter in the greenhouse...it's too big to call it a plant anymore!!).

I'm still messing with my lights.  I've swapped out two of my fixtures because I can't get the lights to continuously work in them.  All that moisture gets in there and just fucks them up.  I'm using the last two we got from the highway patrol busting pot growers.  They messed with the electrical connections on these.  I'm a little worried they may burn the house down.  Do you have your lights on chains so you can raise them up or down?  So much easier then trying to raise or lower the shelf the plants are on.

I know, basil is a bush.  Wish I had south facing windows so I could have herbs in the house.  I like to fluff them up and send that smell through out the house.  I've been known to rub the oil rosemary in my hair just because I like the smell. 

You're lucky to have a greenhouse.  I'm always interested in what you are doing in there.

Yup, lights on chains for SURE.  Makes life so much easier.  Learned that trick on youtube!

This is our second season with the greenhouse.  It's relatively small (10x12) but we can do greens and herbs pretty much year round, now.  We also turned one of our cattle panel arches (3 arches long) into a 15 foot high tunnel.  Nothing in there right now, since it's new and we're monitoring temps.  But so far, so good.  Definitely will give us more "start space" in the spring.

You only need a small one for a family.  Who knew you could do so much with a cattle panel and they are mobile, changing around is easy.

[cineater]

You get a chance watch the Great Dark Divide.  One of those back packing movies and free with an AARP membership.  Something I want to talk about but don't want to put a spoiler out there.

[pilferk]

You get a chance watch the Great Dark Divide.  One of those back packing movies and free with an AARP membership.  Something I want to talk about but don't want to put a spoiler out there.

Have not seen it (and no AARP membership, yet).  But googled it and it looks interesting!

[cineater]

You get a chance watch the Great Dark Divide.  One of those back packing movies and free with an AARP membership.  Something I want to talk about but don't want to put a spoiler out there.

Have not seen it (and no AARP membership, yet).  But googled it and it looks interesting!

They come for you when you turn 50.  It was really good.  And I have questions.    It's probably free on a couple of other places.

[cineater]

Found that movie on Amazon Prime too.

I always forget the fan when I'm growing.  The onions are about 5 inches but they are kind of weak and falling over.  They get 1/4 fertilizer.  The wind from the fan gives them strength.  We'll see if that helps them to be a tougher plant.

[cineater]

https://extension.missouri.edu/events/produce-safety-for-community-gardens-and-home-gardeners?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=

This is a good class and free.  I took it last year.  Usually if you register and can't attend that day, they send a follow up link for the recording.

Join MU Extension Horticulture Specialists, and Produce Safety Trainers, Patrick Byers and Justin Keay for a class detailing best practices for growing, processing and storing produce safely. We will discuss such topics as produce safety risks, hygiene and health, water and irrigation, soil, manure, compost and more! Growing safe produce for community garden members and clients of food pantries is a goal we all should be working towards. Community garden leaders, members, home gardeners and Master Gardeners are encouraged to attend.

This class will be offered via zoom, zoom details will be sent following registration.

Registration closes at 5:00 p.m. on 1/26/22. Please share this class with your gardener friends!

[cineater]

If you're interested in Native seeds:

New webinar from Seed Savers Exchange!
Join us Tuesday, January 18 @ 1 PM Central
Seed Savers Exchange is excited to announce the first seed rematriation webinar of a four-part series.

This series will highlight 2021-2022 seed rematriation work with seven partners funded through a North Central SARE Partnership grant awarded to Seed Savers Exchange. 

Join us to learn how Indigenous farmers, activists, communities, and nations are welcoming seeds home to grow and share. 

Our first webinar will be held Tuesday, January 18, 2022, from 1 - 2 PM Central Time (US). 

This webinar is open to the public. Space is limited for the live event, but the event will be recorded and shared with everyone who registers. Even if you are unable to join us live you will be able to watch it at your own convenience.

Register here:  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2816415890610/WN_VPMI4NrzR6WrkExmCdz7Kg

[cineater]

Oh yeah, that path is not going through our property during my tenure as the overall lead.  They have another project before possibly coming to us.  I can walk away from that job.  I toyed with keeping it for another two years but no reason now.  Be careful joining these garden clubs.  Before you know it, your in leadership roles.  I just want to play in the dirt.