Fall Is Here

Fall is here, along with all the fall chores! This pile only represents 1/100th of the leaves on the property, but I take all I can manage to get into the garden. They are great to cover the soil and create a lovely compost to till under for the spring.

We have been here at the farm for a full year now and it is exciting to think that for the first time, we can do some "fall" plantings to create early blooms for spring. Already the plant catalogs are pouring in and there are many seeds that can be started now to get a head-start for earliest of spring and summer blooms. Of course there are still veggies to be had as well.

A profile shot from the Fall garden- Collards, spinach, Kale planted in the veggie patch.

Anyone who restricts their seed starting to spring is missing out on the "cool-ness" of fall seed-starting season! Many plants can be started in fall and thrive in the mild conditions of Virginia.

I came across this old English Cloche in a fancy store. - a great way to give your baby seeds a head start but I prefer the free way to achieve the same effect -

The the good 'ol reuseable 1liter coke bottle. Actually I found that this is even better than the expensive one, since the cloches have no ventilation and like the inside of a car, can cook your plants if you dont watch out! The coke bottles have a ventilation opening built in. These mini-greenhouses are easy project to do, just take some scissors and cut off the very bottom, take off the label and voila!

Since we are adding lots of cool flowers to 2011, to make it on the seed purchase list, the new plant must serve 2 purposes - they must have (1) blooms that will hold up in a bouquet and (2) be a nectar or host plant for butterflies/bees. So my list begins - A few of the plants that are starting now (November/December ) that will overwinter well here in Zone 7 are:

Mondarda sp. (bee-balm) - just starting seeds now.

Obedient plant - named because you can actually move the stem around and it will stay where you bend it.

Dill & Parsley - For us to eat, for aromas in bouquets and the best host plant for swallowtails - can never have enough of these and the caterpillars devour them by the first week of spring.

Asclepias -aka butterfly weed. Late last summer I collected seeds from our plant, never have I seen so many monarch caterpillars as on milkweed - it gets eatten down to the stem.

Shasta Daisy - anything in the aster family is a great plant for bees and butterflies. These flowers are large and act as a nice landing pad for the butterflies and the stiff stems hold up great in the vase.

Being in the seed starting mood, I also wanted to begin an experiement for growing micro-greens. This project is especially great for a short attention spans like mine. From planting to harvesting, microgreens only take about 2-3 weeks to arrive on your plate. Apparently there are many different types of seeds you can harvest - from wheatgrass to spinach, even herbs like basil.

Simple to start - just a few supplies needed. Soil/compost mixture, pan, seeds, spray bottle for misting, and light. Tapping it down, I used my handy 'tater 'masher to maker sure all the seeds have good contact with the soil.
Yes, it is a brownie pan! I put mine on heat mat and light source. Watered with a spray bottle about once a day.

After about 7-10 days you are ready to harvest!

I decided to start with one easy one - radish - has a spicy kick, and beets, for a hint of color.

Check out the pictures. I would imagine it would be a great way to do to get your kids to eat their greens. They are packed full of nutrients. Not to mention a quick winter project for when you have some cabin fever.

Radish Microgreens Beet Microgreens

I am reading some books about microgreens and they are praised for their high vitamin content. They are used by up-scale restaurant chefs as a garnish to top off salads, cheeses, appetizers, sprinkled on top of soup. Also they can be used like sprouts in salads and sandwiches. I read that one chef sprouts some in a pretty container as the table centerpiece . His family would cut and use for snacking. I am going to try two more larger varieties next month. Sunflowers (they have a nice nutty crunchy flavor) and Pea microgreens, which are more substantical size and are great to be used as the base of the salad.

On to the "real" work of the farm (:) lol!

A little update on dumplings building prgress. He was able to successfully install the the overhang for the front of the porch up with the help of uncle Frank's crane truck.

How pretty is this porch looking!

Dumpling in his element.

Finishing up some framing on the roof. The hammer he uses is his grandpa's who taught him how to build when he was old enough to swing a hammer. It has been through some projects ! Gramps definetly passed along his building ability and talent.

He has decided that the roofing panels will be the same ones he used on the chicken coop since they worked out nicely for the egg-mobile.

Oh yeah and he has had alittle fun, with some practice time with his bow - pretty good aim I would say.