June 21st, 2010
It’s been a scorching past two weeks of heat and humidity, but summer only officially starts today, the Summer Solstice. What kind of weather lies ahead for the next few months?
It’s been crazy weather so far – a mild, wet spring with early crops off to a fabulous start – and then the flood came in May. On many farms and gardens, what wasn’t washed away, got waterlogged. So far this year, I’ve lost all of my garlic and onions and my potato crop I dug up this weekend was underwhelming. Was it the rain, the soil or my plants? Every year it seems to be something – trial and error and then trial and error again. But it does give one an appreciation of what does work in the garden. Berries are plentiful, my beans are abundant and the squash and tomato plants are full of just about ripe veggies. And, after several years of disastrous cucumber and pepper harvests, I think I may have a bumper crop of both.
It’s not that easy to grow consistent and abundant anything. One of our neighbors has an apple orchard and keeps their own bees. This year the bees didn’t pollinate the apple blossoms and the trees are empty of apples.
What’s to be learned – growing food is a tricky business? My lesson is to take advantage of what is available this summer – visit your local farmers market or farm stand. The summer issue Local Table has a list of area farmers markets and farms selling this season and they would love to share their harvest with you.
Seize the beet!
Tags: beans, beets, berries, farm stand, farmers markets, garlic, Local Table, onions, squash, tomatoes
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May 3rd, 2010
Have you ever noticed how beautiful it is after a storm has passed? It’s been an incredibly stunning day, but just start driving around – even here in rural Tennessee where the devastation isn’t as dramatic as in the more populous areas – you see debris tangled in fence lines, mud across the roads, rock slides and the river in places it’s never been seen before. The Cumberland is supposed to crest tonight, flooding over 500 acres of farmland and who knows what more damage it will cause to those living and/or working along the river. Some of our closest neighbors in Pleasant Shade lost their home to 5ft of water and the post office has been pumping water out all day.
Farmers have been hit hard. Spring crops were just being sown and now fields are either still lakes or flattened by fast moving water. I haven’t heard yet about the about to be harvest strawberries, but many of our strawberry farmers have got to have been hit hard. The Nashville Farmers Market is under water and most of the full time market farmers and vendors have lost everything. They don’t expect to open for at least 3 weeks. It’s not the lead story on the news, but the after effects of this past weekend’s storm are will be felt for a long time. I know many of our small farmers were about to return to local farmers markets with spring lettuces, onions and other crops, but many now will have to wait to assess their damage and re-plant. This will make their small margin of profit even smaller.
As things dry out and return to normal for the rest of us, remember your farmer and if prices are a bit higher or the choices aren’t as numerous as usual this spring – remember they have been dealing directly with the power of the storm.
Tags: Cumberland River, farmers markets, local farmers, local farms, strawberries, Tennessee flood
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April 13th, 2010
Ask the questions that have no answers.
Invest in the millenium. Plant sequoias.
Say that your main crop is the forest
that you did not plant,
that you will not live to harvest.
~Wendell Berry
Thank you to my friend Coree where I spotted the beautiful Wendell Berry quote on her Facebook page. It expresses exactly the feelings I have for our role as caretakers of our planet. We are only part of the cycle, yet human beings in our very existence take such a heavy tole on the environment around us. So, it’s fitting while the red buds and dogwoods are in bloom that at least one day is set aside to express our gratitude to the beauties around us.
Strike a cord and go green! The 9th Annual Nashville Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 17th at Centennial Park in Nashville is a rain or shine event, celebrating the ever growing and diverse environmental interests found throughout Middle Tennessee. There will be sections on Wildlife/Conservation, Sustainable Building, Waste Reduction/Recycling, Food and Farming, Air/Energy, Green Living, Adventure/Outdoor Education, Water and for the first time a new Merchant Village. There’ll also be demonstrations, food, a children’s area, and of course, live music! Come out anytime from 11am-7pm and listen to performances by Homemade Water, Apache Relay, Bela Fleck and more!
Earth Day Festival
Tags: conservation, Earth Day, farms, green living, local food, recycling, sustainable architecture
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April 1st, 2010
Spring wildflowers
Trilliums
Finally – spring is here. Daffodils, tulip trees, forsythias – even some of the woodland wild flowers on our farm have started their show. It’s breathtaking and besides being beautiful to look at the new life gives an added bounce to the step and I certainly feel like I’ve got double the amount of energy. Which is a good thing as it’s time to start planting this year’s vegetable garden. After a long winter hibernation those first days in the garden can make your body feel very creaky indeed.
If you aren’t able or have the time to plant your own garden, now is the time to sign up for the Summer Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) season. If you aren’t familiar with the program, it’s an opportunity for you to buy a share of a local farm for the upcoming growing season and in turn you get a weekly basket of that week’s harvest. Without a middleman, a CSA provides the farmer with operating cash and provides you with the next best thing to having your own garden – without the work and all the benefits of fresh produce, herbs, eggs, or meat. Plus, it is a great way to save money on buying your food.
It also gives you the opportunity to meet your farmer and have a better understanding of what it takes to grow food – you share in the ups and downs of garden successes and failures. Raccoons in the corn, too many cucumbers, drought – it reconnects us to nature’s seasons. Even if you’re not growing it yourself, you become aware of the ebb and flow of the garden.
The current issue of Local Table has a listing of CSA’s in the Middle Tennessee area. It’s not complete as new ones seem to be popping up all the time, but it will give you a great start – each CSA is operated a little differently and will offer slightly different produce – so ask questions and find the farm that’s right for you. If you haven’t had a chance to pick up the new issue, you can also go to www.localtable.net, click on farm guide and search by CSAs.
Tags: Communtiy Supported Agriculture, CSA, farms, gardening, local food, spring
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