Raised Beds Make Gardening Easier!

Raised beds look bare presently!

I have been so busy lately I can hardly keep up. My seedlings grew so much I had to transplant them. Today, I am going to try to transplant them yet again! Then start some more seeds. In our climate here in upstate NY, we can keep starting seeds right up the June or even later. I can start seeds inside all summer and when the plants outside are finished producing, I can transfer these out there.

Can't wait to plant in them!

Eventually, we plan on changing these beds over to rock beds. But when we built these back in 2005, it did not cross our minds that we would eventually build any out of rock. These we did together. My husband built them and I filled them with compost, as at that time my knees were fine. When my husband rebuilds these, he is planning on making them higher. That way I don't have squat down to work in them. Last year, I started using a stool from the house to sit on when working in them.

No bending! 

These beds are what I use for lettuce and salad greens. There is no bending involved. You can use just about anything for a raised bed if you find something that might work. Just as long as it has good drainage. When I plant my salad greens, I buy a bunch of different varieties of anything that can be used in your salads. Then I mix all the seeds into one container. And plant! They are awesome and you have the greens and lettuce that you like or want to try. Include some spicy types for a variety of tastes. What a tossed salad you will have!

A bed made of rocks!

I cannot understand why everybody does not grow most of their own vegetables during gardening season. My father, at almost 92, is probably outside today working on his garden. He has always had one and still does. Every year he tells me that next year he is going to have a smaller one, or not one at all. Then I go up to see him, and he shows me what he planted. It is usually the same size. Look at the prices in the store of lettuce alone! Then bring it home and see how quickly you have to use it. If it was growing in your own garden, you could leave it out there until you use it. If you have never had a garden, go buy one packet of seeds today. Then plant one container and eat it all summer. You will love it!

Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole
All Photographs Copyright © 2011 Kathleen G. Lupole

Physical Limitations On The Homestead

The Road To My House This Morning

The chickadees and blue jays are making their selves known now, after spending the summer out in the forest. The robins are still here, but not quite as prominent as before. I am always so sad to see them leave. One day, maybe in September we will notice they are not here anymore. Then fall will be here. I can't help to be sad to see the end of summer this year. This has been our best summer so far in 11 years of living here. Our garden is the best we have ever had and I don't want to see it end. Fall has always been my favorite season but my husband is having some physical problems and I worry about the hard winter on the horizon.

My winter squash and pumpkins in the garden are looking good. I will be canning them and probably buying more to add to them. Our apple tree this year is the best I have ever seen. The apples look good and are much bigger than usual. Usually they don't look real good and we end up feeding them to our horses. I always buy apples to supplement our pantry and can some and keep some for fresh eating. Fill your pantry as much as possible now while you can grow or buy the food fresh.

Pumpkins are growing good!

As you get older you will get many physical complaints and it is not easy to live with. My knees are so bad now that I am using  a walker in the kitchen. Outside I carry a small shovel with me but use it like a walking stick. I try to work around my physical problems. Goodness, I am only 58 and feel I shouldn't be in this bad of shape. After all, I was an avid exerciser most of my life. I belonged to a health club and also had gym in my home. Race walking and working out with weights were two of my passions. How could this happen to me?

One thing that has helped me very much is my Neuton garden cart. It is electric and I can take buckets of water or compost out to the garden or wherever. Makes it easier for me if I do not have to be asking someone to assist me. Right now I am still in the process of automating by ordering supplies online, so I don't have to try to walk around in stores like Walmart or the grocery stores. I shop at one Mennonite market, Pine Ridge and one local restaurant supply store, MainesSource, but for the most part, I'd rather buy online. No walking or driving to it.

This week-end I spent part of the day picking blackberries with my son and the other half organizing my pantry and putting away foods that I had just canned. Now I am hoping to buy beets and carrots to can, as for some reason or other,  I can't get either one to start in my garden. Canning food thankfully, is something I can do pretty easily in the kitchen by using a stool to sit on when I need to get off my legs. You just work around your physical problems because if you just decide you can't do it, then what will you and your family do when there is no food to eat in the winter? Besides, it is good for you to keep pressing on, Good for your confidence and good for your self worth.

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole

Busy, Busy, Busy

My husband felt sorry for me working out in the garden and hauling all my stuff around. So he bought me this little cart........it is a Neuton Garden Cart. Electric of course, runs with a battery that we can recharge by hooking up to our system. He bought himself the lawnmower and is waiting for that to arrive. So afraid he'll have to use the gas mower one more time before the Neuton gets here! This is along with our goal of being fuel free in five years. I mean fuel we buy, such as propane, gasoline, kerosene, etc. For the last month we have turned off the propane refrigerator and are now saving that money toward two more solar panels and the purchase of the solar refrigeration. It is not easy in this hot weather living without the refrigerator, though we did it back in 2003/2004 for a whole year.

I have been so busy here at Peaceful Forest Homestead with my garden. I am not complaining though, as it is coming up beautiful this year. Probably the best in all the years I have been here. It's a good thing too, as the price of everything in the stores has gone sky high! My friend ordered a 50 pound bag of wheat berries and it was $32. the day she ordered it, but they told her that when she picks it up the next week it would be more and they couldn't tell her how much more........well it was eight dollars more! Eight dollars in a week!

Last year we grew about 250 pounds of potatoes but this year, I am sure we will be way past that amount. And the plants are just thriving. I had planned on a rotation method with my raised beds and was not going to plant the potatoes in the same beds as last year. Well, I didn't plant in those beds at first, but then potatoes started coming up on their own! I guess last year, I left quite a few potatoes behind in those beds when I harvested. So I must have had more than 250 pounds. Since they came up on their own, I just added more seed potatoes in those beds to fill it up. It's ok with us as potatoes is one of our favorite foods around here.

I have been busy also working on designing a solar website for our friends who will be selling solar products as well as doing certified installations. I will post on that in the near future so keep checking back. They have some great things available as well as many incentives for people on or off the grid who would like to go into an alternative energy source lifestyle. I highly recommend it myself!