Garden Update

Every year that we garden we learn a little bit more about the soil, the plants, and especially the pests that are particularly abundant in the warm and wet Virginian climate! Over the past couple years we have battled vine borers, powdery mildew, and squash bugs. This summer we lost our squash plants to squash bug infestations not once, but twice! The beautiful squash and zucchini patch in the picture below was our third replanting attempt in early July! Thank goodness we appear to be winning this time, thanks in part to our relentless effort of handpicking the squash bugs, spraying the base of the plants, and reduced bug activity later in the season. Now if only we can get our first generation of plants to survive next year!!!




This is what it is all about, tender squash waiting to be steamed!



Some volunteer pumpkins from our compost pile that we transplanted into one end of our strawberry bed have done fantastic, we have several rapidly growing pumpkins that we hope to harvest for October holidays, we just hope we can still get around the garden the way these things are growing!




Other end of the strawberry patch with our recently planted everbearing strawberries (Quinault cultivar).



Maranda picking cherry tomatoes. Our tomatoes have done very well this year, although the dry summer did slow down fruit production quite a bit, even with our best efforts at keeping their "feet" wet.



Pepper plants had no problems with the hot, dry summer!



A welcome guest in our garden, enjoying the wet mulch under the tomatoes.



Some happy gardeners looking quite proud of their efforts. I should note that Kieran is already a bonafide horticulturist, he inspects plants for bugs and then asks us if they are the "good or bad" kind, and points out damaged or dying leaves, "sad" plants, etc.



A day's harvest. Radish leaves are poking out the back, their are fresh eggs under the tomatoes (with a cloth cushion that Maranda improvised).



A fair winning bell pepper that Master Gardener Kieran is showing off.



A garden is a lot of work and each year I eagerly start out, only to ask myself about a month into the effort if it is really worth it? For us, though, the answer is always yes. It makes for wonderful family times most evenings as we gather in the garden to water, weed, and harvest as a family. There is invariably some kind of discovery for us to wonder at together, and eating the healthy and fresh vegetables brings a kind-of satisfaction that you can't measure monetarily. Realistically I doubt we save any money by growing our own vegetables, and probably expend a little if you count the time and effort as well as equipment, but it is cheaper than cable and a whole lot more satisfying! :)

First Fruits

Our garden has had a rocky year so far, we got a late start and have been fighting various challenges ever since. We lost our first crop of radishes, carrots, and green onions to agressive weeds, our beans were lost to cutworms, and we lost 6/8 squash plants to a squash bug invasion (we have since replanted.

Therefore it is with GREAT satisfaction that we begin to enjoy our first fruits of the harvest season. Kieran is a proficient and expert picker (especially when it involves picking blueberries for his mouth!). Our tomatoes are loaded with fruit, and our peppers are also going gang busters, so we should have a productive August!

Here are a couple pics of Kieran and I planting some more rows of radishes, green onions, and beans.

Toading

So the other night there was a massive thunder storm that swept through northern Virginia, with close to hurricane strength winds! Kieran and Mommy watched in awe as lighting lit up the afternoon sky and dark thunder clouds dumped half a foot of rain or more in a couple hours! Daddy talked to Mommy and Kieran on the cell phone, as the home power was out for a couple hours, it was quite an adventure!

When Daddy got home that evening, another storm had just swept through, and the doppler radar showed things would be clearing up as we headed into dusk. So Kieran and Daddy did the only sensible thing any redneck family would do in a similar situation, we went frogging! Toading to be more exact, we droved up a country road and into the forest near our home, and then the adventure began! Invigorated by the fresh rainfall and warm temperatures, literally hundreds of tree frogs, pond frogs, and toads were in full chorus. Some were on the edge of the road, enjoying the warmer temperatures of the road still warm from the day. Daddy was the spotter, and when a toad sized amphibian was spotted alongside the road, we threw the emergency lights on and leaped out into the still lightly falling rain. Armed with a flashlight and a five gallon bucket, we would quickly survey the situation and plan our attack. A typical approach was Kieran taking the road, with Dad sweeping into the ditch to cut off escape points. Kieran would pinpoint the amphibian with a flashlight, and after a brief bit of conferencing, we would mutually decided if it was a toad (there was occasional disagreement, but we were able to work through it).

Kieran was the master toad catcher. As toads rely on their unpleasant taste as their main defense, they often squat patiently for a toddler to snatch them up. These toads were feeling frisky though, and Kieran had to perform several stunning maneuvers to grapple them into the bucket. Daddy did stop a couple get aways, but Kieran officially caught two toads outright, out of our final total of five toads for the night!

Okay, so about now you might be wondering...why in the heck would anyone want to catch toads? Well, our large garden is full of pesky slugs, beetles, crickets, and other insects that like to dine on our young vegetable plants and flowers. Toads have a voracious appetite and are a great, chemical free way to reduce the pests in your garden! After showing mommy our evenings catch (of course Kieran had to hold each one up for her to see), we all walked down in the garden and carefully released them. Safe inside the fence from our dogs, the toads are faced with a vast array of dinner options, and pretty much zero risk of being flattened by a passing car! Now if only we can convince that garter snake that we saw eating a toad in our garden to leave our new comers alone!!!

PWR Beekeepers CBS Spotlight

The regional beekeepers club that I have joined were recently spotlighted on national TV. It was a really good clip, with interviews of a number of club members. I am "one" of the individuals in the white bee suits standing next to the hives. It was a great day and very educational.

A Tomato Worthy of Praises

The Tennyson's have discoved an amazing heirloom tomato called Kellogs Breakfast Tomato. This tomato is truly fantastic and has changed the way we view this fruit staple (yes, tomatoes are fruit...). It has a firm texture and slices into wedges quite well. Dipped into humus this mild, slightly sweet flavored Tomato is TOO DIE FOR. Needless to say, we will be including Kellog's Breakfast Tomatoes in all future gardens. For other horticulturists out there, check them out!



P.S. I will be enjoying these luscious beauties as soon as I hit submit on this post!!!

07.07.07

Maranda, some friends, and I attended the kick-off for Live Earth 2007. We didn't get in to the actual event so had to watch screen from the side of the platform. The event is intended to raise global awareness and commitment to reducing global warming pollution. Attendees were asked to sign a 7 point pledge. Here is a shot of the capitol and Al gore on the stage (he was about 150 feet to our left out of sight. To add your name to the pledge, click HERE.

New Blog on Social Justice, etc

Ken has kicked off a new blog called transforming society. Check it out and leave feedback.

I need your help

I am going to create a 2nd blog for more formal posts on social justice, sustainable living, human nature, and other light topics. I have found two possible blog names that are available, but can't decide which one I like best. Give me your opinion!

rethinkingtruth.blogspot.com

transformingsociety.blogspot.com

Home Grown Chicken

Yesterday afternoon we enjoyed the company of friends over some tasty chicken and equally tasty brew. The chicken was from our own coop as we had intentionally raised both hens and roosters with plans to have a chicken barbecue when the roosters were grown. I realize that this likely offends some folks and I do understand and respect that. I can only say that it was very satisfying to have carefully raised and provided for these birds, before humanly killing and consuming them. It is akin to laboring over a garden all summer and then enjoying the "fruits" of your labor. Far more satisfying and respectful of the animal then simply showing up at a grocery store to buy some "meat."

As we had an open invite with flexible time, we ended up with our neighbors, friends Ryan Page, Croghan, and the Doan Boys (all three) wander in at various times of the day. Much thanks for the good fellowship on a beautiful early summer evening. The three or so small boys running around the backyard seemed to have a good time as well, with my son Kieran double fisting drumsticks and his friend Keenan dumping the dogs water dish over both their shoes. Everyone under the age of 5 left with only a few nicks and bruises, so the father's declared it an unmitigated success!