Hello, friends. J and I have been discussing how gardening might change as we grow older, and with recent garden disappointments and challenges, we're pretty sure we won't be gardening as we currently are, with two large row gardens, in future years. We're not sure exactly how it will look, as we've tried most of the possibilities... raised beds, hoop house, containers, and many ways to improve the soil... compost, manure, ash, biochar, natural fertilizers and teas, chop and drop, with less than the hoped for results. We are considering building a walapini, attached to our old root cellar, but would only be able to grow certain things in there. Certainly no large, rambling plants. But, it's a possibility. Growing a large portion of your food organically is a lot of work, and with multiple challenges each year, we're looking for alternatives to what we're doing. We both really enjoy gardening, and having fresh food, but the amount of work, and the many challenges we're up against, are making us rethink things.
We pulled a few onions, all of which were small. I harvested zucchini, cucumbers, yellow squash, a cabbage, basil, rosemary and broccoli. Much of the broccoli looks like it's close to bolting, so I harvested the largest heads, and froze enough for quite a few meals. I plan to keep an eye on the smaller heads, and harvest them when needed. It turned out there was a little over 20# of potatoes harvested. I cooked up some of the "need to be eaten" batch, and forgot to weigh those first, but the harvest was better than what we initially thought. The smallest potatoes were canned. I found and transplanted another kale volunteer.
Dear McNibs has been having more issues. The most concerning one was when he just keeled over, looking just like someone who passed out. I was right behind him, heading to the mail carrier's vehicle, when he fell back, then onto his side, like a sack of potatoes. He seemed alert as soon as I got to his face, and not in distress. Thankfully, where he fell was a shady spot on grass, as it was a hot day, so I just grabbed a chair and water, and sat with him. He sat up in a few minutes, got up in 30, and hasn't had a recurrence, which I'm thankful for. There were also good things. On one of our walks last week, he trotted/hopped up the hill (due to his mass), trying to keep up with Guinness, when he had just been doing a slow plod for the past few weeks. I'll take the good wherever I can get it.
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| first hornworm of the year |
I cleaned and decluttered the floor of my closet, after getting another shoe rack to help organize. I've started going through my recipes, of which I've got entirely too many. I'm shredding any with ingredients I can no longer have, like eggs or dairy, or just don't sound as good as they used to. I hope to get them organized again, so I don't have to search through a large pile to find what I'm looking for. Two quarts of hummingbird food were made, and golden paste for the pups. The gardenia bushes are blooming, and smell so sweet. The lilies too. The coming week ushers in the summer solstice, with the longest day of the year. Wishing you peaceful, sweet days.
I have a couple gardenia bushes...although my leaves are struggling still from the harsh winter. But the blossoms are beautiful and the scent is heavenly! Your dog getting old....we had an older dog and it reminded me that I would be getting old and feeble. I actually like older dogs now...when I was young I loved the puppy aged ones.
ReplyDeleteIt's good to consider how you will garden as you get older. It is a lot of work. But it also is a very good hobby. Growing up, my neighbors had very large gardens up until very old age. The underground storage looks neat. My childhood house had what we called a "dirt cellar". (In the back of our basement into the ground more). We didn't use it, but another neighbor used it (hers') as her storage room for all her canned produce and barrels of onions and potatoes. andrea
That's true. I've been thinking more about adopting older dogs now, when the time comes. I remember we kept our winter squash and pumpkins, and pears in the root cellar, before we built our house, and I think potatoes too, though I also remember keeping potatoes and sweet potatoes under our bed, lol.
DeleteWow! That's a great potato harvest! And I'm so glad you've gotten broccoli without incident of bug pressure. Good for you.
ReplyDeleteIs that blanket flower? That tomato hornworm will make a great snack for your chooks!
I use raised beds, although I think because of doing yoga for so long, I am still able to squat and sit in small (kid's) plastic chairs to tend to the lower beds without a problem. I hope to be a spry old lady someday!
Sending you and your tribe peace and wellness.
The other thought I wanted to pass along is that we don't need to do everything ourselves. I make it a point to support local farmers who grow the way I do, keeping Mother Earth in mind. And they are younger than me, so hopefully, will be able to provide food for a good, long while.
ReplyDeleteSorry to take up so much space on your comments!
Bee well!
I love all your comments, Daisy. Talk away! We had two very long potato rows, so while 20# is great, one would expect lots more. We do still have the potatoes in bags to harvest yet though. I'm very happy about the broccoli too. Though I've certainly seen white moths flying around the crucifers, I have not seen the first worm, which is a happy surprise. The chooks did enjoy that hornworm! We've moved the raised beds from more central to the edge of the garden, and have had issues with bermuda grass (other weeds too) coming up in both places, though we put down screen first. I lean towards raised beds, for the things that can be grown in them, but J is disgusted with them. We were actually discussing yesterday the possibility of setting up a spot, so a person or couple could stay in an RV and help out during garden season, for free rent, water, electric and a share of produce. There's a farmers market I sometimes go to a half hour from here, but they have a very hard time keeping a vendor with produce there, as they can make much more in the city. There's a good one an hour away, but that's a commitment I haven't been wanting to make so far. There is a young couple who bought a farm 15 mins away that I've heard is doing good things. I saw where they set up at a local bakery last Saturday, for the first time, so I'll keep an eye on that. Now who's long-winded, ha! Thanks, and keep the ideas coming!
ReplyDeleteP.S. That flower is in the wildflower patch. I think blanket flower is right.
DeleteYour flowers are gorgeous, Laurie, and as always I glow when I see you photos. As to aging and gardening...yep. Gardening may never leave entirely, but you and J are thinking ahead.
ReplyDeleteMy son and his spouse purposely adopt only older (and sometimes elderly) dogs from shelters. They have enough activity in their lives (jobs, children, other) that they don't need the energy or demands of puppies, and they have gotten much joy over the years from their senior pets. The children (now 6 and 13) have also learned to appreciate their elders, and have learned that death, while sad, is also a part of life.
Your son and his spouse sound like wonderful people. And what an important lesson their children are learning.
ReplyDeleteGosh, I haven't had the pleasure of gardenia blooms since we lived in Hawaii. I miss the plumeria as well. I'm so sorry to hear about McNibs. I'm sure that was scary when he fell over. Oliver used to appear to pass out when he had pneumonia and it was always so scary. That was, unfortunately, our first sign of him being sick! I completely agree about gardening being a lot of work, especially as we age, and especially when our harvests aren't nearly what we're expecting. I'm currently growing a smaller garden, partly because of the decreased yields, despite my constantly amending the growing space. It's tough! And then we'll watch a youtube video where their garden is amazing every single year and my husband says "wow - I wish our garden looked like that!". Yup, I wish it did too. Great idea, though, to try different ways of changing up your garden to see if you can find something that makes it easier on you. Wishing you a wonderful week!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your comment, Staci. Like you say, it's not so much the work, but when it doesn't match up with good yields, well, it doesn't make sense to keep doing it. J swears we have more pests and challenges here than anywhere, certainly much worse than his previous home in the eastern part of the state. Nothing like fresh veggies, though, so we'll keep trying in some manner. I hope your week's a good one too.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos, Laurie! Thank you so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Linda, for visiting and commenting!
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