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Welcome To Spring & Some Books To Inspire You

Today March 20, marks the beginning of Spring.  On this rainy cold day in Northern California, I took some photos showing the resurgence of my garden that I hope will inspire you.  I'm also providing a list of  books that I think would be helpful to those interested in creating their own "urban farm."

Sugar Snap Peas - A family favorite.  These peas have crunchy, sweet edible pods that my kids love.  I've planted snap peas as early as January 1 in my green house.  This year, I planted them in a raised bed.

Blenheim Apricots Forming - Blenheim apricots are considered the best but they are hard to get outside of California because they are so perishable.  To enjoy them, you need to grow your own.

Cherries in Bloom - I have relatively young trees.  Seeing them flower is nice, but not as dramatic as when the trees are larger and in full bloom.  A mature flowering cherry is an amazing sight and one that has inspired nature lovers for centuries;  the Japanese celebrate Spring by pick-nicking under cherry trees in full bloom.  This practice, known as "Hanami," or flower viewing, dates back to the Nara Period. (710-794 AD)  Thankfully, you don't need to be the Emperor to enjoy cherry blossoms.

All Blue & Maris Piper Potatoes - You would think that home grown potatoes can't taste much different than those purchased at the grocery store.  Well, think again.  Not only can you grow better varieties, even standard ones are better because they are so much fresher.  It make one wonder how long they sit in storage before they hit the produce aisle.  See my posting to learn how to grow potatoes in containers.  The grow bags shown in my garden can be ordered for Amazon.com for just $7.

Ripening Blood Oranges & Lemons - wonderful fresh citrus.  The oranges can be eaten or juiced.  The lemons are great for lemonade or for salt preserving.  Check out my wife's recipe for preserved lemons.

 
Oats - This is an experiment for me.  I planted these in the late Fall and overwintered them.  I won't get much actual grain this year but I just wanted to see if Oats could survive the Winter here in Northern California.  They did, so I'll probably plant a larger amount in Fall 2011.

Beets - So easy to grow.  The best way to cook them is to just wrap them in foil and bake in the oven.  When cool, you can easily remove the skin.   No need to peel prior to cooking.

Carrots -  Danville (shown here) are a good variety for the Winter because they are less likely to get woody.  For planting in the Spring, consider Chantenay, an heirloom French variety.

Peach - Last year this poor tree got peach curl and didn't do all that well.  It's a variety called Baby Crawford.  I'll give it another year and if things don't look better, I'll have to find another variety.

Garlic - I grow both hardneck and softneck garlic.  If you want to know more about garlic, have a look at my posting Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Garlic.

Bees Foraging for Nectar and Pollen - I'll probably have 4 hives this year which means plenty of honey for friends and family.  I may even make some mead, honey wine that tastes like sherry.

Books To Consider:

If you are looking for some good books to help kick-start your backyard gardening, the following can all be purchased at Amazon.com.  Just click to follow the link.

How to Grow More Vegetables & Fruits Than You Ever Thought Possible - There's a wealth of information here.  The tables at the back of the book are worth the price alone.  Highly recommended.

The Home Orchard - A great beginners guide to growing fruit trees at home.

Four Season Harvest - This book by John Coleman inspired me to grow year-round.  I now harvest beets, carrots, kale, mache and other veggies from my garden, even in the dead of winter.

Beekeeping for Dummies - This is actually better than the name implies.  If you are new to bee keeping, start with this book and then add The Beekeepers Handbook.

Raising Chickens For Dummies - OK, full disclosure time.  I haven't read this book, but I was so happy with the Beekeeping book in the same "Dummies" series that I feel comfortable suggesting this as something to consider if you are thinking about adding chickens to your backyard.  The book gets very strong reviews on Amazon.

And to close this posting, a photo of lemons on a rainy day.

Summer Reading: A Very Small Farm

Yesterday was the first day of summer, so I thought I tell you about a little gem of a book that you might enjoy adding to your summer reading list.

A Very Small Farm by William Paul Winchester is a memoir of his 18 year journey into homesteading.  Having completed a college degree in botany, Winchester buys a 20 acre parcel in Oklahoma and builds a house, barn and garden on his property.

Like a modern Thoreau, Winchester lives a simple life of solitude -- tending his Buff Orpington hens, milking his cow and harvesting fruit from his orchard.  His only source of cash income is the honey he sells from his many bee hives. 

Winchester recalls that during an election campaign he's called by a pollster to ask about his political views.  The author admits to be stumped when he's asked about his income; "There was no place in his questionnaire for my embarrassment of riches, only a dollar figure placing me somewhat near the poverty level."

But it's very clear from the book that Winchester is not poor at all.  And herein lies the appeal of this book; it's a romantic portrayal of a simpler way of life where frugality and self-sufficiency are the the currency that matters most.  These values, and the straightforward writing style of the book, will resonate with homesteaders both real and of the armchair variety....

"I don't consider myself any more sentimental than the next, but in the course of those quiet hours in the garden with my hoe an affinity develops, one that deepens immeasurably in the case of seed I save back for planting next spring. Because of the seeds in those jars and packets in the pantry, winter never seems long.  Brought out on a snowy evening and scattered on the dining table in a pool of lamplight, seeds look like nothing so much as precious stones -- treasure, which in a real sense they are."

The book's chapter are arranged topically but each includes a set of journal entries Winchester recorded in his diary.  They are arranged chronologically, and over the course of the book, provide a glimpse into daily life on Winchester's farm through an entire calendar year.  

Reader be warned, the journal entries all begin with a description of the day's weather.  I suspect that the publishers choice to include this information was a conscious one, and meant to act as a literary device to convey a sense of stability on the farm, because it doesn't make for scintillating reading..."Change to rain and falling rapidly, cirrus fair becoming stratus mostly cloudy, 42 to 67 degrees..."   

That said, I highly recommend A Very Small Farm to gardeners, homesteaders and wannabes.  An elegant little book and a quick read, you can buy a copy at Amazon.com for just $10.