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Thread: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

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    Australia Moderator Harmony's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Hi, Thank you Anka for the information about poppy seeds, how to harvest them and nutritional facts, recipes and videos.


    Your garden is looking fabulous and I hope everyone is having great success with growing food.



    I noticed the weather was very different the two seasons I have been growing vegetables at my present location. We had a very cool cloudy spring which made growing vegetables that like warmer conditions like pumpkins and zuccinis very difficult to grow. Neighbours have told me it has not been like this for the past 35 years that they have been here. They are also keen gardeners and would, I think, notice changes



    That lesson has made me consider how easily crops could fail and the need for flexibility in the time and the way we may have previously planted out seedlings etc. It is possible we may get irregular weather patterns. I'm thinking of how to adapt with the changes.


    Below is a picture of some apples that I have been able to harvest. Also, some preserving methods I've been trying my hand at. I tried drying and bottling some apples. Both worked quite well. The drying is quite straight forward using a commercial dryer. The bottling, as I am new and in an experimental stage, takes a bit more know how and practice.


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    Best of luck gardening,

    Harmony

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    I am harvesting zucchini, green beans, onions, tomatoes and peppers today! I feel a lovely sautéed dish coming on today...with some fresh deer meat sausage!

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    It's been raining here for two weeks.
    At the beginning of spring there was a certain programmed drought so that the plants did not have the necessary water to germinate.
    When the plants finally managed to germinate and grow, they grew hard under a gray sky and so beyond the normal sowing period during the year, the rains (and severe flooding elsewhere) began.
    Last year it rained for 6 weeks and my tomatoes were going to die, if I hadn't carried almost a ton of water, far from their roots, it was wonderful in the end that the tomatoes resisted and gave me the scheduled harvest.
    This year, I hope that history will not repeat itself, anyway, the plants will definitely survive, because I will not let them drown in the water (at some point the stems and roots rot), but I will not let them.
    Anyway, I made a movie, walking through water and soft earth (it was slippery), the rain just doesn't stop, but the plants still stand heroically.

    JUST RAIN(1:47)



    At least the potatoes and peppers are still good.



    Among these, I harvested some sour cherries (in the absence of the sun they spoil, and not all ripen), but I harvested a few to make only 2 liters of sour cherries with alcohol. I always put 1 kg of fruit to 1 kg of sugar and they leave a syrup for 12 days (the jar should be shaken daily), when we have the syrup, add 200 ml of 96 percent alcohol, store, and use in winter as a vitamin C supplement.
    I had to pick all the green peas from the rainwater and freeze them for the winter. 250 g of grains as seeds in the spring brought me 9 kg of green peas, it is enough for my family, for that sometimes I grow peas in late autumn.

    The cabbage for autumn harvest it has time to grow, we put it in barrels and make sauerkraut, for food and salad, it has a lot of vitamin C, helps intestinal circulation and is a comfort for stomach problems. Just add salt, black peppercorns and dried dill to taste.
    Oregano is very easy to grow, you plant it once and you have it for life, and it multiplies on its own, I cut it as it grows, twice a year to dry it, and I use it for tomato sauces, pizza and for hot peppers with vinegar in a jar, sometimes even for tea.

    And all this to be just human.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Wishing all gardeners happy days.


    Dear Anca, hoping the rain has subsided and your tomatoes are happyily growing again. What a nice harvest of peas and a great idea with the sour cherries for vitamin C syrup.


    The past growing season in the Southern hemisphere, where I am, was very late to start. There were many more days than usual that were cool and cloudy and the fruit was very late ripening. Apple growers were picking at least one month later than usual. Where we are it was more like one and a half months later for the apples when they finally ripened enough to pick. The summer finished up early as well and went straight into coolish weather and sort of forgot Autumn.


    I'm including a picture of some fruits I used to make preserves and cordials and syrups from. You can use them for different desserts and drinks later in the year, and give some away too. They are sweet, but you can use them sparingly on special occations.


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    May you have good growing weather and a great harvest.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    How are my fellow gardeners faring? It has been a cool, overcast, drizzly summer so far, so most things in my garden are a bit behind. It's hard to be patient, sometimes. The brassicas, garlic, peas, greens, and carrots like it, but the beans, squash, and peppers do not. The tomatoes seem to be doing fairly well despite the cloudiness (yay!).
    Last edited by Nenuphar; 6th July 2020 at 07:16.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Nenuphar (here)
    How are my fellow gardeners faring? It has been a cool, overcast, drizzly summer so far, so most things in my garden are a bit behind. It's hard to be patient, sometimes. The brassicas, garlic, peas, greens, and carrots like it, but the beans, squash, and peppers do not. The tomatoes seem to be doing fairly well despite the cloudiness (yay!). I'm having trouble posting pictures on the thread, but there is a link in my profile to pictures if you'd like to see what's going on in my little garden.
    I just had a hard time for my entire vegetable garden, because it rained for almost a month, almost without stopping in significant amounts of water.
    And it wasn't sunny for the tomato and pumpkin flowers to open in time, the bees couldn't pollinate them, I helped them get through the flood, and they recovered very well from what they looked like, but I lost quite a lot of cabbage that had managed to grow large, but the moisture made some of it almost disappear.



    Due to the humidity, the potato plants melted, but they remained to grow from the rhizomes a little in the ground for a few more weeks.

    I'm not talking here about the weather or the loss of a crop for me, I'm talking about the lives of some plants that live quite a bit in their "diligence" just to feed us.



    Of course, I'm happy for every plant left alive, and I've been working in the garden for 3 days now, since the rain stopped and I'll make it a happy garden again.



    I wish all gardeners every success in their passion for plants!
    And all this to be just human.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Anka (here)
    Quote Posted by Nenuphar (here)
    How are my fellow gardeners faring? It has been a cool, overcast, drizzly summer so far, so most things in my garden are a bit behind. It's hard to be patient, sometimes. The brassicas, garlic, peas, greens, and carrots like it, but the beans, squash, and peppers do not. The tomatoes seem to be doing fairly well despite the cloudiness (yay!). I'm having trouble posting pictures on the thread, but there is a link in my profile to pictures if you'd like to see what's going on in my little garden.
    I just had a hard time for my entire vegetable garden, because it rained for almost a month, almost without stopping in significant amounts of water.
    And it wasn't sunny for the tomato and pumpkin flowers to open in time, the bees couldn't pollinate them, I helped them get through the flood, and they recovered very well from what they looked like, but I lost quite a lot of cabbage that had managed to grow large, but the moisture made some of it almost disappear.



    Due to the humidity, the potato plants melted, but they remained to grow from the rhizomes a little in the ground for a few more weeks.

    I'm not talking here about the weather or the loss of a crop for me, I'm talking about the lives of some plants that live quite a bit in their "diligence" just to feed us.



    Of course, I'm happy for every plant left alive, and I've been working in the garden for 3 days now, since the rain stopped and I'll make it a happy garden again.



    I wish all gardeners every success in their passion for plants!
    Will the bees still be available to pollinate now that the flowers are opened? (All those flowers look gorgeous!)

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Sarah Rainsong (here)

    Will the bees still be available to pollinate now that the flowers are opened? (All those flowers look gorgeous!)
    Yes. There is always hope, especially when we have great confidence in our bee family around the world!


    and

    Anca
    And all this to be just human.

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    Australia Moderator Harmony's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Dear Gardeners,

    It is great to hear how your gardens are faring with the seasons. I would like to dedicate this post to dearest wnlight. I will think of the cycles of life and renewal as with our friends and our plants and all our earth.


    Thank you for the news of your gardens. It is nice to hear of all the positive results as well as the unexpected issues that arise along the way.


    Potatoes and carrots are still keeping well under the soil, so are nice to dig up fresh when needed. We had a few frosts this past week and alot of cloudy days and some rain. July here is usually clear, cold, and frosty so we shall see what happens!


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    Also, I would like to add a little about Cistus Incanus plants, which alot of folk may know about. Sometimes it is called Rock Rose. With vitamins and medicines expensive and hard to get with short supplies being experienced, it seems like a good idea to check out our own areas and see what nutritional plants may be right outside our doors.

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    I have harvested some Cistus Incanus from beachsides and roadside "wildish" growth. If you harvest some, remember to just lightly prune tips with fingers or cutters, better not to take too much so the plant will stay healthy and there will be plenty when you need more.


    The leaves can be made into a tea after drying. I have included a picture of some I have dried. Cistus Incanus is claimed to be excellent as an anti-viral, antibiotic, antifungal and biofilm buster. Cistus Incanus breaks down the protein envelope around the virus which encapsulates the DNA or RNA viruses use to replicate in a host cell. It is also a good antiinflamatory and subdues pro-inflamatory cytokines. Also it breaks down mouth plaque for dental use and even has great uses for pets if you check that out.


    Here are a couple of links. One is an easy informative read and the other more on actual lab studies. I encourage anyone to check it out. click here click here



    Also a picture of a potato I harvested which I will be patenting as the fish and chip potato.
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    Good gardening to all

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Acorn and butternut squash.
    The only place a perfect right angle ever CAN be, is the mind.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    I picked some cucumbers to put in the jar for the winter, this year is the first time I tried a recipe with vitamin C as a substitute for vinegar and it worked, of course, a natural apples wine (cider) is also perfect.

    Cucumbers are more productive climbing on the net or thread, but there have been years when they have produced large quantities spread on the ground.
    Tomatoes begin to produce but rainy weather delayed their fruiting by about a month due to lack of sun, but it may be a longer fall to be able to harvest the entire crop.

    I treat the tomatoes with copper sulphate water and lime (100 gr. each 2 solid parts per 10 l of water), sometimes with bicarbonate (if necessary) and often with hydrogen peroxide (16 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide concentration 3 percent is put at 7, 5 liters of water) this is good for all plants in the garden for a surplus of oxygen, and the difference is very clear the next day.


    Peppers and eggplants still need to grow, they still have time, now they just make a lot of flowers (more than they could carry) but they are cute and "hardworking".
    Eggplant can be made into a multitude of food recipes and can be preserved in winter.
    https://i.postimg.cc/xC00MfYW/F11.jpg
    You can make eggplant salad with mayonnaise, baked moussaka with cheese or eggplant stuffed with rice with vegetables, or you can make a mixture of eggplant and peppers baked in a jar for salads or a stew in a jar ready to eat in winter.
    The bean pods can be preserved very well in tomato broth (boil the beans beforehand) and continue to boil in tomato broth and add greens that you like (I use celery), place in airtight jars and in winter they are cold and full of freshness.


    Dill should be picked soon, it is important not to wait for the seeds to dry completely and to harvest it with the plant(but you certainly already know that), to hang it in a cool and dark place, so the seeds will retain all the aromatic oils in them, in food and pickles they are very tasty.




    Lavender is very practical, you plant it only once and you have its pleasant smell every year, but it is very good for making tinctures at home and is beneficial:
    - through the comforting, calming and invigorating effect it can induce a state of deep relaxation and attenuation of anxiety, worry, fear, sadness, discouragement and irritability;

    - supports the improvement of cardiac function, with a favorable action on the activity of the heart, helps to normalize blood pressure;

    - contributes to the improvement of digestive functional disorders

    - contributes to the induction of a restful peaceful sleep;
    And lavender tea is very fragrant, it can also be used in hot relaxing baths.

    Rosehips are everywhere, and I will make marmalade in the fall from them, they are easy to pick if they are in separate bushes, if you find places near the forest.
    Rose hips are used for herbal teas, jam, jelly, syrup, rose hip soup, beverages, pies, bread, wine, and marmalade. They can also be eaten raw, like a berry, if care is taken to avoid the hairs inside the fruit.
    Wild rose hip fruits are particularly rich in vitamin C. Rosehip oil is rich in fatty acids such as omega-3, omega-6, omega9, but also in vitamin C, E, A, B-complex vitamins and minerals essential for skin health.



    Mint is also easy to grow, I have wild mint (it is much stronger and resistant to any frost), I use it for teas (dry and green) and it does not require much maintenance if it has the perfect living conditions (semi-shade and plenty of water) , is used in cosmetics, food, insecticide and in the treatment of many diseases.
    Trifolium pratense, the red clover helps with cough, asthma, indigestion, gout, wounds, but like any other medicinal plant it has contraindications for other diseases.

    Raspberry leaves help with a few teas to normalize the secretion of gastric juice and protect the gastric mucosa or to eliminate excess fluid retained in the body, I mostly use them for any small stomach ailment.

    Tropaeolum majus is a plant with beautiful flowers, they are grown for decorative purposes. Leaves and fruits can also be used for culinary purposes. The leaves can be used in salads, with a peppery taste. The seeds are also edible and can be used as a substitute for capers, but I only plant them for flowers because they remind my husband of his childhood.


    I encourage anyone who has time to try gardening, it's fun and healthy.

    I wish you all much success in gardening, and for the sake of plants that bear fruit only for us,

    Let it be rain and sun as Mother Nature knows best for the Earth to be healed!


    Anca
    And all this to be just human.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    So I'm not really sure this is "food security," but I figure it's close enough...

    Historically, I have not been very good with growing vegetables, though I am trying a bit more this year. With Anca's suggestions, my (one!) tomato plant looks beautiful and is producing lovely red tomatoes! I have a cantaloupe vine that is looking very hopeful. Both of these are grown in pots on my porch, because I have limited sun where I live: a small (about 3/4 acre) lot in a subdivision.



    But I do pretty good with growing herbs. I have a huge line-up of herbs that I grow and use! Many of these I cultivate, but some grow wild in my yard and are simply welcomed and appreciated: rosemary, yarrow, oregano, thyme, mints (peppermint, spearmint, strawberry mint), dill, catnip, lemon balm (melissa), parsley, horehound, sage, stinging nettle, tulsi/holy basil, sweet basil, motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca), black cohosh, violet, turmeric, ginger, horseradish, mullein, St. John's wort (hypericum), chamomile, hibiscus, blue vervain (Verbena hastata), passionflower, echinacea, vibernum (cramp bark), pokeweed (yep! that stuff grandma said was poison is actually a very strong medicine!), sweetgum, usnea, mahonia (a berberine), heavenly bamboo/nandina (also a berberine), Japanese honeysuckle... that's all I can think of, but I may have missed some.

    I also recently started some (late!) seeds: valerian, marshmallow, anise hyssop (Agastache foeniculum,), spilanthes, bee balm (monarda), sweet annie/sweet wormwood (Artemisia annua), mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), lemongrass, calendula, comfrey, and boneset. So far, only the calendula and sweet annie have sprouted.

    These are just a couple pics of my herb garden and labyrinth:





    I also have an NFT aquaponics set up on my porch being fed by the goldfish pond. It's been a learning process. My pond looks lovely, but the aquaponic plants are not doing as well as I'd hoped. The broccoli raab/rapini has done well as have the green onions and dill. I'm hopeful that some michihili cabbage (smaller version of napa) will do well. Leeks and garlic are okay-ish... they started off great but seems to have stalled. The spinach is not happy at all. I don't know if it's too hot for them or what. My lettuce--which is supposed to be the prime aquaponic plant--I have yet to get to sprout. I put 9 bare-root strawberry plants in the system (another plant that's supposed to do well in aquaponics) and all but one died, and the one that lives is still very small.

    I love the aquaponics (and my cute little pond is very soothing), but it's definitely got a learning curve.





    I have well over fifty different dried herbs and at least that many of different extracts (tinctures, oils, syrups).


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    Romania Avalon Member Anka's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Your tomato plant really looks very healthy and very productive Sarah and is really a food security because it is grown carefully and naturally.
    The natural features of a plant that gives an organic food are very important and very complex to sustain and the difference will always be felt in taste.
    Did you know that children in the city being accustomed to industrially grown fruits and vegetables, can't stand the strong aromatic taste of my apples and tomatoes?
    Starting from the texture, color, pulp content, juice, aroma and perfume, the difference is seen and felt.
    A plant grown with water, natural fertilizer, sun, clean rain, wind, fertile soil, positive energy, music and a lot of care, looks and feels much better when it also gives you the original essence of exploded seed in the ripe fruit, it is a blessing not always food.

    Organic farming is a complete recycling process and a carefully maintained ecological balance, so when we say Bio we mean the method of growing in harmony with the soil, air and energy, and not a context of agriculture of chemical certifications and genetic interventions lost in extraporportional mechanical hazard.

    I met restaurants where it is mentioned that the food is Organic.
    This would have meant that the potato grown without chemicals and without too chemical fertilizers was removed from the soil no more than 10 minutes before it was prepared for eating and serving on a plate.

    For example, spinach loses its properties and vitamins even from the first minutes of harvest.
    I worked as a chef and served à la carte "Bio", this being one of the reasons why I gave up, being a lie, but Bio is too easy to use, not in the context in which a plate of food really Bio has in it the art of the Earth, a of the plant, of the one who prepares it and of the one who eats it. The art and patience of appreciating it when you eat it is real nourishment, at least that's how I feel.

    So yes. Every Bio plant is a blessing for the healing of the Earth and ours of all. Thank you Sarah for your care!

    I think it's too hot for spinach now, maybe that's why he's unhappy, but you can let him to make seeds for next year, but a new spinach can be planted in the fall two months before the cold arrives, because he really likes the coolness and the water in large proportions.
    Depending on the variety, the strawberries go well in the soil that is not very fertile, and in late autumn almost two thirds of the leaves are cut so that the rhizomes grow happily in the ground and come out in spring, usually near the old plant (as well as raspberries), but the strawberries in the soil are replanted every three years in another new location, because the rhizomes are reinvigorated when they receive a new soil and other new minerals.

    You also have a real live natural herbal pharmacy at home, and that combines nutrition with medication, treatment for all ailments and especially health combined with the beauty of Nature that always gives us everything and never takes anything away from us.

    Sarah, you have a full stock of health benefits there in case of an emergency and in the long run it provides the prevention, amelioration and elimination of other diseases, which for me is a perfect and safe feeding security.
    You have a great variety of medicinal plants (I will have to look for each plant in the popular name according to the scientific name) but especially you have there a medicinal showcase that brings comfort and safety to health.

    Food safety also takes into account quality and not only quantity,
    and I suspect that every farmer knows how much good energy means to each plant he grows and what that entails.

    You Sarah built there a small corner of the world where plants heal people, especially through the labyrinth that descends into the deep space of the idea of ​​gardening and climbs into the wide universal space of the idea of ​​healing, it is really important because it can not be confused with idea of ​​style or leisure, but on the contrary, I feel that the labyrinth builds and places the garden in the right space.
    I will build one next year in an absolutely clear and definitive way!

    Each plant has its own living thread, and also the role of feeding us, it is interesting how you can see in each plant the role of feeding and healing at the same time, so we have medicine and taste on a plate, if we take care of this planet .

    Last year I thought that maybe flowers suffer if I pick them, but if I let them bloom completely first, it is very good for bulbs and roots because they grow better and multiply, here are some flowers with dew picked this morning for everyone, wishing much sun and health to all!



    I also picked poppy seed capsules and it seems that more than a bucket of poppy pods produce almost one kg of poppy seeds.




    Have a nice day everyone ~!


    Anca
    And all this to be just human.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

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    Our garden is mostly raised beds. (really helps with back problems)
    We even grow papaya trees, and cherry trees in raised beds.

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    United States Avalon Member Sarah Rainsong's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Thought this was very appropriate. Gardening and farming are not the same, and planting for FOOD SECURITY is the latter, not the former.

    Farmer’s Daughter: Gardening and farming each have value, but don’t confuse the two
    It was only a couple of years ago when I started searching for my first home to purchase. It was definitely a seller’s market, as it still is today, with houses usually selling within the first 72 hours of being on the market. So when I found the one I wanted, I had to snap it up (though even that didn’t stop the eventual bidding war).

    I was immediately drawn to the extensive garden tucked in the property’s backyard. It boasted a shed with a potting bench and 12 large raised beds surrounded by stoned pathways. It was a small consolation for moving away from the farm; I could still enjoy the fresh produce I was used to as well as get my hands dirty.

    I moved into the house too late in the season to do much the first year. But by the second year, I dug into the garden with gusto. I grew strawberries, asparagus, tomatoes, peppers, cantaloupe, gourds, cut flowers, and pumpkins. The results were mixed. I enjoyed lots of asparagus from spring through early summer. I had a bumper crop of tomatoes. I grew the most delicious cantaloupe ever. And the pumpkins were huge (if oddly shaped). On the other hand, my dog Mischa ate my peppers before I could pick them. The gourds were a total bust. And I never had enough time to actually cut the flowers.

    Overall, I loved it. It kept me busy while Mischa enjoyed the outdoors (try keeping her inside when the weather is nice), and there’s really nothing better than eating fresh produce you’ve grown yourself.

    But let’s be totally clear: I was gardening, not farming.

    I know the difference because my family ran a farm market for over 25 years. Almost all of the produce we sold was grown on our farm. Our year started with seeding the plants. It continued as we transplanted the small plants into the field, nurtured them as they grew, and harvested the produce when it was ready. Most was then sold at our roadside stand, with a smaller portion going to local grocery stores.

    So how is farming different than gardening?

    It starts at the very beginning. I bought plants and plugged them into the ground. On the farm, Mom started seeding in March. Each seed was carefully inserted into a cup of dirt. We had an older heater for the greenhouse to keep them warm on cooler nights. Sweet corn was planted in stages, so we had a steady supply throughout the summer. Tree fruits were protected from late frosts.

    For my garden, I had to weed my raised beds regularly. I’d don my leather gloves and get to work. The entire process took half an hour. On the farm, it was never so easy. We usually laid down a biodegradable black plastic that both kept the soil warm and stopped the weeds. But there were still times when we spent hours on our hands and knees pulling weeds.

    I didn’t really worry much about pests in the garden. Sure, the rabbit had his fill of my produce, but insects weren’t an issue. But pests are always a problem on the farm, especially for fruits and vegetables. Dad had to keep a strict schedule for spraying; even waiting a day too long could make a huge difference. I mean, people get pretty squeamish about worms in sweet corn.

    Harvest in my garden was different too. Each day I grabbed my little basket and walked to the garden. I filled it up with yummies and was done in about 10 minutes. But harvest on the farm is longer, harder, and a logistics game. Just for our small cantaloupe patch, it took an hour and five people to accomplish daily. We overfilled anywhere from six to eight bulk bins each day (there’s about 200 cantaloupes to a bin). And we had to use a forklift to move those bins from the trailer into the cooler.

    In other words, gardening is a fun hobby; farming is work.

    Don’t get me wrong, gardens are great. They can be good for mental health. They teach kids how food is grown and raised. They’re a source of fresh fruits and vegetables, which we should all eat more of. And it’s a great way to just get outside and feel productive.

    But my garden will never do the work of a farm. It will never be more than a hobby. It will never produce consistent and sufficient crops to keep me fed. “Grow food, not lawns!” might be a fun slogan, but it isn’t practical or realistic to think my raised beds can replace farms.

    Gardening doesn’t make me a farmer.

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    I don't eat fish but I loved the efficiency and effortlessness of this. I love the way that this project involves creativity, innovation and improvisation.


    1 MILLION pounds of Food on 3 acres. 10,000 fish 500 yards compost

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Just some information for those who want to try, of course I only describe my example.

    Somewhere between gardening and farming I am with my garden, more towards gardening, but which covers my needs (for two people) all year round, until the harvest next year.
    Farming is a very organized and strict work indeed and with all the auxiliary equipment it still requires a lot of work and efficiency.
    Work must be planned on industrial quantities of planted areas, and the techniques applied to protect the plots as a whole are clear.

    Gardening a little more intensively, in order to ensure complete healthy food for a year (almost 8 months / year fresh vegetables and fruits and the difference of months canned vegetables in a wide variety) seems practical enough for me.
    So that I can plow and work the land with a tractor (not mine, because it needs maintenance ... parts and fuel), it costs me around $ 60 / year, and the seeds and fertilizer cost me about $ 32-38 / year, the land is the property of the house we bought 19 years ago, at an annual tax paid to the mayor's office of $ 56.
    In early spring in February, we plant (even under snow but not below temperatures below -8 degrees Celsius),
    -pea beans-250 grams of seeds that cost $ 1, gives us an average of 15 kg of peas for food and preservation that would normally cost (to buy) almost $ 60.
    The care work for growing peas is few, but a plot of about 3 square meters is needed.

    The same goes for the potatoes where the work is done only with the tractor, which we grow in such a way that we must have a quantity (110 kg / 200 pounds) and for the necessary planting next year (we bought potatoes for planting long ago 18 years), we have a very good and old potato seed that resists any frost (sometimes they sprout only from potato peels). At an area of ​​approx. 100sqm (approx. 330 sqfeet) reach a harvest of apox.250 kg / 500pounds which are usually too many.

    For tomatoes, we have very old seeds (over 40 years old) we do not know the name of the variety (no one knows it anymore), we call them by their location of origin, but the seeds that fall on the ground resist very harsh frosts and grow on their own in spring (when they think it's time), of course I plant about 1000 plants that provide fresh tomatoes for almost 5 months a year and preserve an average of 280 liters of tomato juice over the winter and the rest of the year.
    For tomatoes, the works are wider, but from the experience I have had over the years, I can total approximately a maximum of 12 full days of work / year.
    Onion seeds cost about $ 2 and I harvest somewhere between 40 or 50 kg (if the onion gets enough water) is more than enough.
    Peppers have the same character as tomatoes, they need a lot of care and fertilizer (I collect for free from a neighbor, natural fertilizer from chickens). Peppers can be eaten fresh or preserved in a wide variety of dishes.

    I grow in the garden, without fruit trees and medicinal plants, over 51 varieties of plants, and sometimes it is quite work with weeds, watering with a hose or loosening the soil (water is free from the fountain but I use it carefully, I do not like to consume resources), but as a vegetable food, I personally consider that the best one is the one raised by "my hand" because I "know" my plants and my work.

    As for work, it takes a lot, but every 10 minutes spent in the garden can be a pleasure divided between work and relaxation (of course I sometimes work, if I can for two hours continuously), I have learned this over the years and it requires a certain amount of release and adaptation, which, for me, is worth it.
    Looking at the "Food security" part is more than I need, looking at the cost side, I save a few thousand dollars a year, and finally, looking at the part of the effort required,
    well (because I got older) I can always adjust this but I will never give up the idea of ​​gardening, it is a real and complete meditation in the background.

    Some of the tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, after I watered, the rain came , and some pink lilies that grow every year (I leave bulbs in the ground over the winter)



    I want each of us to have enough food resources and, in the future, to become healthier and healthier, as Nature and the earth help us!
    Good luck to all gardeners (of any plant!)



    Love,
    Anca
    And all this to be just human.

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    Australia Moderator Harmony's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    How wonderful to hear about everyone's gardenning adventures. All the different gardenning methods of each person is interesting to ponder. 🐜🦋🦎

    Sarah Rainsong, I can just imagine opening your cupboard of tinctures and having so many to choose from.

    Antagenet, I like the above ground easy to reach garden beds.

    Constance, I enjoyed the video about how much food can be grown in a reasonably small place recycling each stage to the next.

    Anka, you have a mighty productive garden with all of nature in tune working together, and it never fails to amaze me. Thank you for information on how you manage, alot of experience no doubt.

    My fruit trees are taking a rest at the moment, being in the southern hemisphere, but the leaf buds are getting ready for spring.

    I have planted some lettuce and spinich in boxes in the sunroom to see how they fare for some extra winter greens, so we shall see. Also working on getting an inexpensive greenhouse made with some used materials to help with the seasonal changes and make it warmer for the raspberries.

    There looks like there will be enough potatoes and carrots to carry us through the whole year. Also silverbeet and onions and herbs. Other greens that have been frozen like beans and peas should also carry us through the year as well. The preserved apples and fruit jams and sauces are in good supply along with some fresh stored apples and still picking kiwi fruit for fresh desserts.

    I'd say we have about 1/4 acre only under food growing and fruit trees and even with a cooler climate it is possible to have enough food salad, fruit and vegetables for 2 people and give away quite a bit during peak harvest times. Each year could be different though.

    In the beginning of the growing season it is fairly busy getting the compost into the beds and some natural goodies and getting your seeds sprouted on time etc. Then it's mainly watering and weeding throuhout the season. I can't overdo it and pace myself, but it's surprising how it all adds up and some delicious produce is very healthy and satisfying. It definitely connects you and keeps you grounded with nature!🌹🐝🐛🐌

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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    How do you save your tomato seeds? (any other seed saving tips to share?)

    Here's an article I found. It talks about fermenting the seeds as the best option. Do you find that necessary?

    How to Save Tomato Seeds
    Fully ripe disease-free tomatoes are the best candidates for seed saving. Seeds can be saved casually by squeezing them out onto a paper napkin and then air drying them, but fermentation is a better route.

    Fermentation removes germination inhibitors and the gelatinous sheath from seeds, and it may treat some seed-borne diseases. Properly stored tomato seeds may remain viable for over six years.
    1. Rinse tomatoes in water to remove dirt before harvesting seeds. Cut off open or damaged parts of fruit. We collect tomatoes in five gallon buckets then fill them with water. Cleaning any dirt off becomes a natural sweeping motion with your hands as you grab tomatoes from the water.
    2. Cut open ripe tomatoes one variety at a time and squeeze the pulp, juice and seeds into a container. If you have strong hands, you may crush the tomato in a five gallon bucket. Try to develop skill holding the tomato right side up and opening the tomato from the bottom blossom, and, with your fingers, then milking the germplasm gel which contains the seeds off the central column. This is the fastest method.
    3. Pour into a container with a lid. Do not add water as a substitute for tomato juice since dilution slows fermentation.
    4. Label and set aside the containers for three days at a temperature not more than 70°F (21°C).
    5. Stir the fermenting juices to submerge the pulpy material, once or twice daily. This prevents the build up of mold which is not harmful to the seeds but may discolor them.
    6. After three days decant. Pour into a larger container that allows you to add three or more times the volume of water and pour off the pulpy water but not the seeds at the bottom. Viable tomato seeds will sink. Repeat two or three times until seeds are clean. Note: not all viable seed varieties sink in water.
    7. If selling seeds commercially, soak clean seed in water with a cap of antibacterial bleach, 10% bleach solution, for 30 minutes to kill seed-borne disease. Then rinse seed under cold running water for seven minutes, constantly agitating and stirring the seed. This post-soak rinsing is needed to reduce total residual chlorine to below the National Organic Program (NOP) standard of four parts per million. Sanitize equipment thoroughly between uses to eliminate Late Blight contamination.
    8. Pour the seeds into a fine mesh sieve or window screen. Lightly spray off remaining gel or debris. If drying the seeds on a screen, spread out with water spray, not your hand. Wet tomato seeds will stick to your hand.
    9. Tap the strainer or rub your hand under it to remove excess water. Flip the strainer over, smacking it on a paper plate to deposit the seeds or allow seeds to dry on a screen.
    10. Label drying plate or screen with the variety name and date harvested.
    11. Let the seeds dry for five to six days at room temperature in a well-ventilated place.
      Stir and crumble seeds with your fingers daily to prevent them clumping together.
      As the seeds dry, lightly rub clumps together between your palms to separate seeds. We also rub dry seeds through a #2 cleaning screen .132 to separate remaining clumps before bagging, available from www.horizonherbs.com.
    12. Store in zip lock plastic bag in a cool, dark, dry place. Place label inside the bag. Refrigeration of seeds is not necessary but okay. Do not freeze seeds.

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    Romania Avalon Member EFO's Avatar
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    Default Re: What did you plant today? Garden and Farming for FOOD SECURITY.

    Quote Posted by Sarah Rainsong (here)
    How do you save your tomato seeds? (any other seed saving tips to share?)

    Here's an article I found. It talks about fermenting the seeds as the best option. Do you find that necessary?

    How to Save Tomato Seeds
    Fully ripe disease-free tomatoes are the best candidates for seed saving. Seeds can be saved casually by squeezing them out onto a paper napkin and then air drying them, but fermentation is a better route.

    Fermentation removes germination inhibitors and the gelatinous sheath from seeds, and it may treat some seed-borne diseases. Properly stored tomato seeds may remain viable for over six years.
    1. Rinse tomatoes in water to remove dirt before harvesting seeds. Cut off open or damaged parts of fruit. We collect tomatoes in five gallon buckets then fill them with water. Cleaning any dirt off becomes a natural sweeping motion with your hands as you grab tomatoes from the water.
    2. Cut open ripe tomatoes one variety at a time and squeeze the pulp, juice and seeds into a container. If you have strong hands, you may crush the tomato in a five gallon bucket. Try to develop skill holding the tomato right side up and opening the tomato from the bottom blossom, and, with your fingers, then milking the germplasm gel which contains the seeds off the central column. This is the fastest method.
    3. Pour into a container with a lid. Do not add water as a substitute for tomato juice since dilution slows fermentation.
    4. Label and set aside the containers for three days at a temperature not more than 70°F (21°C).
    5. Stir the fermenting juices to submerge the pulpy material, once or twice daily. This prevents the build up of mold which is not harmful to the seeds but may discolor them.
    6. After three days decant. Pour into a larger container that allows you to add three or more times the volume of water and pour off the pulpy water but not the seeds at the bottom. Viable tomato seeds will sink. Repeat two or three times until seeds are clean. Note: not all viable seed varieties sink in water.
    7. If selling seeds commercially, soak clean seed in water with a cap of antibacterial bleach, 10% bleach solution, for 30 minutes to kill seed-borne disease. Then rinse seed under cold running water for seven minutes, constantly agitating and stirring the seed. This post-soak rinsing is needed to reduce total residual chlorine to below the National Organic Program (NOP) standard of four parts per million. Sanitize equipment thoroughly between uses to eliminate Late Blight contamination.
    8. Pour the seeds into a fine mesh sieve or window screen. Lightly spray off remaining gel or debris. If drying the seeds on a screen, spread out with water spray, not your hand. Wet tomato seeds will stick to your hand.
    9. Tap the strainer or rub your hand under it to remove excess water. Flip the strainer over, smacking it on a paper plate to deposit the seeds or allow seeds to dry on a screen.
    10. Label drying plate or screen with the variety name and date harvested.
    11. Let the seeds dry for five to six days at room temperature in a well-ventilated place.
      Stir and crumble seeds with your fingers daily to prevent them clumping together.
      As the seeds dry, lightly rub clumps together between your palms to separate seeds. We also rub dry seeds through a #2 cleaning screen .132 to separate remaining clumps before bagging, available from www.horizonherbs.com.
    12. Store in zip lock plastic bag in a cool, dark, dry place. Place label inside the bag. Refrigeration of seeds is not necessary but okay. Do not freeze seeds.
    The first tomato that plant is producing will be the best for collecting seeds and not quite using fermenting,simply take out the seeds,wash them well in a fine mesh sieve to remove as much as possible of the gelatinous sheath,then spread as even possible on a plane surface.Dry them in a sunny ventilated space.

    Attention!From time to time,check them not to stick on the surface,otherwise you will need a scraper for recover them.

    After drying you can store them as any other bought seeds.
    "Your planet is forbidden for an open visit - extremely aggressive social environment,despite almost perfect climatic conditions.Almost 4 billion violent deaths for the last 5000 years and about 15000 major military conflicts in the same period."

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