Daddykirbs Garden: food

Showing posts with label food. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

My Garden 2013: Adding On Using Firewood Raised Beds

Time for more gardens! LOL

Daddykirbs Garden Blog: Firewood Raised Beds

This led me to look around at my available space and resources. The area to the right of the small chicken coops looks just right. In fact I put in a raised bed there already for my Onions and Leeks. I just need to move the compost pile around and build the beds.

I have already spent too much money on the garden this year so I wanted this to be very cheap... like free. There are materials here to choose from, like: Pallets, Bricks and Firewood. Firewood wins! I have a big stack of this resource but I almost never use any of it. I don't burn wood in the house and since moving to the country haven't gone camping much. These logs will make very nice raised beds.

Daddykirbs Garden Blog: Chicken in the Garden

The chickens would have a ball in this if I didn't surround it with a fence. I'm very fortunate to have a supply of fencing and fence posts on hand as well. This entire garden was done in an hour or so with no money. All the materials were here just waiting to be rearranged and made useful. Check out the video at the top of this page to see the project from start to finish.

Go to this link to view and comment on the current blog: http://daddykirbs.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-garden-2013-adding-on-using-firewood.html

Monday, March 18, 2013

My Garden 2013: The Ugly Potato Patch

Update 4/4/2013: This blog post was merged to "Daddykirbs Farm Blog". Please reset your bookmarks so you don't miss any super exciting updates to my garden and orchard!

Go to this link to view and comment on the current blog: http://daddykirbs.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-garden-2013-ugly-potato-patch.html

Lately I've seen so many ways to grow potatoes. My head spins when I research the different methods. It spinned so much this year that I almost couldn't decide how to grow mine. When it comes right down to it you just gotta do it!

I've spent too much money on the garden this year so when it comes time to put the potatoes down I wanted it to be cheap. ...and when I say cheap I mean FREE!

It came down to using what I had on hand. This scrap piece of erosion barrier that I got out of the dumpster should do the trick. Check out the video above to see how I put it together.

Daddykirbs Garden: The Ugly Potato Patch

Go to this link to view and comment on the current blog: http://daddykirbs.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-garden-2013-ugly-potato-patch.html

Monday, March 11, 2013

Gardening With Kids

Update 4/4/2013: This blog post was merged to "Daddykirbs Farm Blog". Please reset your bookmarks so you don't miss any super exciting updates to my garden and orchard!

Go to this link to view and comment on the current blog: http://daddykirbs.blogspot.com/2013/03/gardening-with-kids.html

There are times when it's challenging to work with kids. I have said in the past that getting your kids to help is the easiest way to double the time it takes to do a project. I don't always do a perfect job at whatever I do, but I really want too. It's the desire to have things "done right" that makes inviting the kids to help difficult. Yes, I admit it... I don't always welcome the kids to my projects, but I'm getting better at it.

This year I have let down my guard. I am intentionally inviting the kids to come in and do some garden work. This has been done in the past but on a much more controlled and limited scale. Two 4'x4' raised beds have been built specifically for two of my kids. In these beds they have planted what they want. They won't be perfect... by any means, but they are fun.

I know my kids need to learn how to do some of this stuff. Gardening is something that everyone should know a little bit about. Growing food is so fundamental. There is a connection to who we are in this world that we GET when we grow our own food. Maybe that's a weird way to say it, but it's how I feel.

Not all of my kids care to be in the garden... that's ok. The two who really love it are a real joy. I love coming home and finding my little girl in the greenhouse singing as she is watering the little sprouts. She loves to tell me how many came up while I was at work.

My 15 year old son is autistic and he loves to plant things. He comes in with his service dog, Herry, to work with me as we plant new needs and potted plants. There are a few things he really enjoys in life: Frech Fries (crispy well done), Driving (he really wants a golf cart), Chin Hair and working with Dad!

Whatever my kids are learning in this process is good. Just plain good. There are times I think that "they need this"... and I'm sure they do, but really... I need them. I need this. They joy they give to me is far greater a reward than any harvest my garden will ever physically provide. I'm sure my improperly spaced pepper plants will be fine. My Tomatoes that aren't planted quite deep enough will grow. I'll survive my Lemon tree not producing as many Lemons because my little girl couldn't resist picking those pretty flowers in the Spring. ... All those things are nothing next to the blessings of sharing in the joy of gardening with my kids. :)

Go to this link to view and comment on the current blog: http://daddykirbs.blogspot.com/2013/03/gardening-with-kids.html

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

My First Hugelkulture Garden Bed

Update 4/4/2013: This blog post was merged to "Daddykirbs Farm Blog". Please reset your bookmarks so you don't miss any super exciting updates to my garden and orchard!

Go to this link to view and comment on the current blog: http://daddykirbs.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-first-hugelkulture-garden-bed.html

Permaculture? What is it? Well I'm still learning to answer that question for myself, but basically it's designing our environment more like nature. When we mimic nature our gardens will thrive and be more self sustaining. We help the soil along by providing more materials like compost, clippings, mulch and in the case of Hugelkulture we bury wood.

It is my goal to use my farm in a more sustainable way. Or as a gardening buddy of mine on Google+, +Dan Grubbs, says "regenerative". The idea of restoring our land to a more fertile and fruitful existence.

This is all new to me too. I'm learning right along side you. Here is my first experiment with Hugelkulture. As the experiment goes along I'll add pictures and video to this post. So, bookmark it and come back! :)

Watch this video :)

Starting the Hugelkulture Bed - Daddykirbs Garden Blog

This next video shows some of the "next steps" I took to make this bed work better.

Since that first bed felt so good... I built a second. Here is a series of pics for that second bed.

Daddykirbs Garden: Hugel Bed #2 Logs covers with mulch - view from the South

Daddykirbs Garden: Hugel Bed #2 Logs covers with mulch - view from the North

Daddykirbs Garden: Hugel Bed #2 Covered with first layer of dirt

Daddykirbs Garden: Hugel Bed #2 Layered with horse manure compost

Daddykirbs Garden: Hugel Bed #2 Layered with horse manure compost - view from the South (Awesome shot of my beautiful little 'bota in the background)

Daddykirbs Garden: Hugel Bed #2 Layered with horse manure compost

Daddykirbs Garden: Hugel Bed #2 Final layer of mulch/dirt blend.

Go to this link to view and comment on the current blog: http://daddykirbs.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-first-hugelkulture-garden-bed.html

Pin This :)

Go to this link to view and comment on the current blog: http://daddykirbs.blogspot.com/2013/02/my-first-hugelkulture-garden-bed.html

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

Raised Beds - Trash to Treasure

Update 4/4/2013: This blog post was merged to "Daddykirbs Farm Blog". Please reset your bookmarks so you don't miss any super exciting updates to my garden and orchard!

Go to this link to view and comment on the current blog: http://daddykirbs.blogspot.com/2013/02/raised-beds-trash-to-treasure.html

I love my garden. I don't like spending money to have nice things. Oh trust me we spend our share, but every once in a while it's nice to get a break. One way that is cool to save money and materials from the landfill is to recycle.

I know I'm not the first to discuss the topic or share a nice story, but this story is mine :)

Behind my workplace is normally many pallets. These pallets are brittle and full of nails and staples. It's difficult to find one that is usable. All the good ones get snatched up fast by the guys that drive around and collect pallets. They like the standard sized shipping pallets that make such nice things like compost bins and tables. Then one day.... I found this.

This is no where near standard size. This is big and heavy. There are very few nails in it and not staples. This just has to be mine! Yep, I drove the truck the next day to work and loaded it up.

I wasn't sure at first what I would use it for. Those nice 2x6 planks had so much potential. They could be used for just about anything. Well, as I was building raised beds for my garden I decided to take this pallet apart to make a couple of smaller beds for the kids. It came apart nicely and went together even better.

Trash to Treasure Raised Bed - Daddykirbs Garden Blog

The kids are thrilled! They can't wait to start growing their own peas and spinach! Yay!

Kids Showing Off Raised Garden Beds - Daddykirbs Garden Blog

UPDATE! Here are the beds full of nice dirt and some plantings. So far there is lettuce, cabbage, tomato, arugula and chives. They still want to plant seeds :)