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Too soon to talk about gardening?
- Thread starter Winchester
- Start Date
I've been wearing purple since I was 14. I'll be 71 in 15 days time!!!!!
I've just spent well over an our reading this thread from start to finish. My word. You have lovely gardens but is it worth the heartache and hard work it takes? I live in an apartment so can't grow any veggies. Keep up the good work.
I live in an apartment now as well so don't have a garden. I grew up on a farm and we had a large garden every summer and I think it was worth the work. The produce is much better than anything from a store. I do go to a farmer's market during the summer which is far better than produce from a store. I don't get the personalized choice like I would get from a garden, it's whatever is available at the market that day.
I'd love to eat home grown fruit and veggies. I don't have a farmer's market.
We had a garden when I was growing up but my mother only grew flowers.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #226
We have a lovely farmers market here. It's fairly large and it has a great assortment of fresh produce. A little on the expensive side though. The best thing is that it's well within walking distance of my work, so on Wednesdays, I will often walk over, buy what I need and lug it back to my office. I can store it in my fridge til it's time to leave for home. Part of the market, though, is flea market kind of stuff and while some of the things are really quite nice, some of it is junk. However, since one person's junk is another person's treasure--or something like that--everybody comes to the market to see what's available. It really does a great business. Old people, young people, everybody comes to market.
Rick has been taking Mondays off work as vacation days; this week, he's working today and will take Wednesday off instead. And we're going to the market for lunch. A hot sausage sandwich and some French fries....the best French fries are here at our market.
And I'll buy a dozen filled cookies from a bakery there to bring them back to share at the office. I don't make a lot of filled cookies for us and these are really good. Filled raisin, filled raspberry, filled lemon, and filled cherry, three of each. Yum.
On Friday afternoons, there's an organic market in the area. Everything that is sold there has to be made from all organic ingredients. I've gotten chicken there and some beef. The tomatoes are so good and the breads are just delicious. I don't get there that often, although, that one, too, is within walking distance.....if I hurried, I could make it, do a bit of shopping, and get back to work in my lunch hour. It's not too far from our library, so I can take advantage of both, if I want to.
It seems, too, that in the summer, everybody here has a roadside stand where they sell extra produce. The inevitable zucchini and summer squash, lots and lots of tomatoes, cantaloupes and watermelons, onions, peppers, mushrooms, everything can be found at the stands that dot our roads in the county. We're very rural and very agricultural around here. Before we started growing butternuts in our garden, there was a farmer out the road from work that would bring a huge mountain of butternut squashes down his driveway and place them by the road...on the honor system. He put out a sign with the prices and an old coffee jar. We'd grab a bunch of butternuts and neck pumpkins, place the money in the can, and go about our merry way. Then I'd spend the weekend cooking and pureeing squash for bread-baking and for the freezer. Sometimes I use butternuts for our pumpkin pies, too.
Sometimes, somebody here at work will bring in some extra produce from his garden and place it on the counter back at the office cafe. Tomatoes, peppers, squash, etc. It's usually gone with in a hour or so....somebody takes it.
I don't know, I guess I just take these markets for granted and figure everybody has a market. Or access to a roadside stand for produce.
Rick has been taking Mondays off work as vacation days; this week, he's working today and will take Wednesday off instead. And we're going to the market for lunch. A hot sausage sandwich and some French fries....the best French fries are here at our market.
On Friday afternoons, there's an organic market in the area. Everything that is sold there has to be made from all organic ingredients. I've gotten chicken there and some beef. The tomatoes are so good and the breads are just delicious. I don't get there that often, although, that one, too, is within walking distance.....if I hurried, I could make it, do a bit of shopping, and get back to work in my lunch hour. It's not too far from our library, so I can take advantage of both, if I want to.
It seems, too, that in the summer, everybody here has a roadside stand where they sell extra produce. The inevitable zucchini and summer squash, lots and lots of tomatoes, cantaloupes and watermelons, onions, peppers, mushrooms, everything can be found at the stands that dot our roads in the county. We're very rural and very agricultural around here. Before we started growing butternuts in our garden, there was a farmer out the road from work that would bring a huge mountain of butternut squashes down his driveway and place them by the road...on the honor system. He put out a sign with the prices and an old coffee jar. We'd grab a bunch of butternuts and neck pumpkins, place the money in the can, and go about our merry way. Then I'd spend the weekend cooking and pureeing squash for bread-baking and for the freezer. Sometimes I use butternuts for our pumpkin pies, too.
Sometimes, somebody here at work will bring in some extra produce from his garden and place it on the counter back at the office cafe. Tomatoes, peppers, squash, etc. It's usually gone with in a hour or so....somebody takes it.
I don't know, I guess I just take these markets for granted and figure everybody has a market. Or access to a roadside stand for produce.
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I do find gardening worth the effort. It's really pleasing to see the literal fruits of your labor! I know what I put in my garden too. Think fertilizers, pesticides, etc. I got a real kick out of serving pickles and peppers I'd canned from my own garden last year. This year I've done way more so i don't have to feel stingy about it when we don't have company.
That's another area where the work is worth the effort.
We have a decent size farmers market that is open 2 days a week. The problem is parking. I hate the parking. It's downtown and there is a dirt lot; but it can be SO crowded!! The last time i went my mother was with me to act as a spotter. The loscal Amish community sells a lot there. You can get anything from meat to sandwiches (kielbasa and sauerkraut! My FAV!!) to cheeses, cut up fruit, pickled products, pastries. I'm not sure about eggs or milk though. There are more places offering local meats, eggs, and milk now. They also have a flea market there and a barber shop. I think they still have a pizza shop in there. The original place had a bad fire and I don't remember for sure if they re-opened the pizza shop after that.
There are a number of road side stands near my home. Two of the bigger farm stands closed down this year. Ones with decent parking. Its kind of annoying to try to do these things with 2 kids in car seats. It takes me more than twice as long to get in and out of the car. So I've found myself passing them by anyway. My Grandparents and my MIL were/are ones to stop for bulk produce to put away for winter. It really pays off. MIL always has frozen peaches when we visit. They are really tasty on breakfast cereal! Strawberry shortcake in February is delicious!
We have a decent size farmers market that is open 2 days a week. The problem is parking. I hate the parking. It's downtown and there is a dirt lot; but it can be SO crowded!! The last time i went my mother was with me to act as a spotter. The loscal Amish community sells a lot there. You can get anything from meat to sandwiches (kielbasa and sauerkraut! My FAV!!) to cheeses, cut up fruit, pickled products, pastries. I'm not sure about eggs or milk though. There are more places offering local meats, eggs, and milk now. They also have a flea market there and a barber shop. I think they still have a pizza shop in there. The original place had a bad fire and I don't remember for sure if they re-opened the pizza shop after that.
There are a number of road side stands near my home. Two of the bigger farm stands closed down this year. Ones with decent parking. Its kind of annoying to try to do these things with 2 kids in car seats. It takes me more than twice as long to get in and out of the car. So I've found myself passing them by anyway. My Grandparents and my MIL were/are ones to stop for bulk produce to put away for winter. It really pays off. MIL always has frozen peaches when we visit. They are really tasty on breakfast cereal! Strawberry shortcake in February is delicious!
It has often started about these times, yellow leaves are steadily increasing in numbers now and nights are already too dark to see anything, when summer it is as bright as night as it is at cloudy winter day.
Weather has been warmest and most dry since whole so called summer we had, but at the end of month it is very much autumn already and that is not much more than two weeks from now. In a month there should be quite strong yellow colors on trees and in two months not much leaves left on trees.
It started bit early this year, but is progressing bit slowly, but steadily.
There has not been one month without subzero temps at night for this year yet and only handful of days above +20C (68F), so it has been very cold and wet year, I guess nature has decided to give up about this "summer"
Oh wow! I'm certainly not ready for those temperatures or changing leaves just yet. I'm sure it helps that you are accustomed to it. Our leaves don't really get to changing until October usually. Several things in my garden are already "done" for the year. But I'm still harvesting peppers and tomatoes. The potatoes and carrots are in the ground still too. I may have carrots to pick before too long. I did pull one tonight. It was only an inch long; but 3/4 of an inch wide; so I don't think it was going to get any longer. We pick a few strawberries every few days too. Usually they get eaten right there in the garden. So yummy!
Today the temperatures cooled down into the mid 70s by 5pm. So we spent the evening outdoors and it was beautiful! It was pretty cloudy; so there was no sun to make it feel warmer either. That is perfect weather to me!
Today the temperatures cooled down into the mid 70s by 5pm. So we spent the evening outdoors and it was beautiful! It was pretty cloudy; so there was no sun to make it feel warmer either. That is perfect weather to me!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #233
I have noticed that now it is still dark at 5:00 in the morning; last month, it was already starting to get light that early. It makes me sad that the days are getting so much shorter already. I'm not ready for it. Not yet.
Did some peppers yesterday...that was about it. I should have taken a couple tomatoes while I was up there. The butternut plants are starting to dry and the squash is starting to get that orangish color, but we don't know if it's because of autumn coming or simply lack of rain. I'm thinking more lack of rain than anything for now. Boy, do we ever need some rain.
Did some peppers yesterday...that was about it. I should have taken a couple tomatoes while I was up there. The butternut plants are starting to dry and the squash is starting to get that orangish color, but we don't know if it's because of autumn coming or simply lack of rain. I'm thinking more lack of rain than anything for now. Boy, do we ever need some rain.
I'm in Canada, so I'm certainly familiar with cool temperatures, but so far there's no leaves changing colour yet. However, sadly today is dull and windy and actually has a fall look to it.
I've picked my first ever carrots. They were about 2 inches long and about a 1/2" in diameter. Pretty cool. I'll leave the rest a while longer and see what happens.
Also picked some peas and green beans. And my corn has tassels & silk now.
And cucumbers are crawling up the fence!
Tomatoes are still small and green. They need more sun! Green peppers did poorly. Next year I may try them in pots instead of the actual garden bed.
For my first garden, it's been fun. And hopefully not done yet, as we tend to have pretty warm temps right into September, though of course shorter days.
Anyone grow spinach in the fall? Not sure if it's worth trying or not.
I've picked my first ever carrots. They were about 2 inches long and about a 1/2" in diameter. Pretty cool. I'll leave the rest a while longer and see what happens.
Also picked some peas and green beans. And my corn has tassels & silk now.
Tomatoes are still small and green. They need more sun! Green peppers did poorly. Next year I may try them in pots instead of the actual garden bed.
For my first garden, it's been fun. And hopefully not done yet, as we tend to have pretty warm temps right into September, though of course shorter days.
Anyone grow spinach in the fall? Not sure if it's worth trying or not.
Here it is somewhat similar to McGrath, Alaska, but we get much more rain and clouds, this year it has already been raining around 400mm (almost 16 inches) and most heavy rainfall has been around 160mm in an hour (over 6 inches in an hour), that is for this year, which is close to record year, I should try growing rice instead of potatoesI'm in Canada, so I'm certainly familiar with cool temperatures, but so far there's no leaves changing colour yet. However, sadly today is dull and windy and actually has a fall look to it. :frown2:
I've picked my first ever carrots. They were about 2 inches long and about a 1/2" in diameter. Pretty cool. I'll leave the rest a while longer and see what happens.
Also picked some peas and green beans. And my corn has tassels & silk now.And cucumbers are crawling up the fence!
Tomatoes are still small and green. They need more sun! Green peppers did poorly. Next year I may try them in pots instead of the actual garden bed.
For my first garden, it's been fun. And hopefully not done yet, as we tend to have pretty warm temps right into September, though of course shorter days.
Anyone grow spinach in the fall? Not sure if it's worth trying or not.
Tomatoes do grow, but only at southern wall and more successfully if old windows are placed leaning to wall, then one can pick them up at late August or September, put into shelf and wait for them to ripe.
Snow can come at September or October, sometimes it comes at January, because our weather varies quite a bit, it is really hard to plan what to grow during next season.
There were news recently where it was stated that we are having coldest and most rainy weather in whole world during our so called summer and it does not help that I live even high up on hills around 750ft from sea level.
This year I did not grow much at all, not sure about next year, I really would like to grow red sweet bell paprika and tomatoes, but it is not possible every year, also harvest will be after the summer and I would mostly need those at summer.
I could really move someplace where people don't know what snow is, but I have seen snow even in Texas, so might be that place would be too hot for my pale skin
I need a green house, several really, to season firewood and grow all these wonderful stuff people get to grow bit further away from arctic sea.
A greenhouse would be very helpful JTbo. I have wanted one here; so I can start my own seedlings. They do make lights for growing things indoors; but you would need to pollinate things by hand as well. My cousin's daughter just moved from Alaska to Hawaii. I think she has the right idea; even if it was a temperature shock!
I pulled in a few peppers last night and some cherry tomatoes. Hopefully I can get some more peppers pickled. Today is gloomy here but we aren't expecting rain. Just gloom. I think it's supposed to rain tonight or tomorrow. There is a chance anyway.
I pulled in a few peppers last night and some cherry tomatoes. Hopefully I can get some more peppers pickled. Today is gloomy here but we aren't expecting rain. Just gloom. I think it's supposed to rain tonight or tomorrow. There is a chance anyway.
You could come here. No snow where I live.Here it is somewhat similar to McGrath, Alaska, but we get much more rain and clouds, this year it has already been raining around 400mm (almost 16 inches) and most heavy rainfall has been around 160mm in an hour (over 6 inches in an hour), that is for this year, which is close to record year, I should try growing rice instead of potatoes
Tomatoes do grow, but only at southern wall and more successfully if old windows are placed leaning to wall, then one can pick them up at late August or September, put into shelf and wait for them to ripe.
Snow can come at September or October, sometimes it comes at January, because our weather varies quite a bit, it is really hard to plan what to grow during next season.
There were news recently where it was stated that we are having coldest and most rainy weather in whole world during our so called summer and it does not help that I live even high up on hills around 750ft from sea level.
This year I did not grow much at all, not sure about next year, I really would like to grow red sweet bell paprika and tomatoes, but it is not possible every year, also harvest will be after the summer and I would mostly need those at summer.
I could really move someplace where people don't know what snow is, but I have seen snow even in Texas, so might be that place would be too hot for my pale skin
I need a green house, several really, to season firewood and grow all these wonderful stuff people get to grow bit further away from arctic sea.
It is wonderful in there, orange juice is so easy to get, just grab few oranges from tree on yard, also lot less rain too, wonderful place what I have visited there.
Was it last year or one year before when you got little snow for short time? I remember something from news about such, but surely much warmer there.
I was just checking my e-mail and I found one from Burpee for their Fordhook Open Day. (http://www.burpee.com/gygg/content.jsp?contentId=summeropens) Boy that sounds fun! They have self guided tours of the gardens, speakers, demonstrations and an open question and answer session. They are even going to have some chefs from the Food Network Test Kitchen! I could probably get to this if we planned it out well in advance; it's not really day-trip optional for me. I'd want to be sure we could get there early enough to make the most of it. But it looks really interesting!
That does sound really nice. I think that there would be a force field around the place that would keep out someone like me though. I shouldn't be around that many living plants. They'd be doomed. I walk into the garden center at Wal Mart or Home Depot and expect the plants to all just die as I walk by with my invisible (except to them) robe and sickle.
I was just checking my e-mail and I found one from Burpee for their Fordhook Open Day. (http://www.burpee.com/gygg/content.jsp?contentId=summeropens) Boy that sounds fun! They have self guided tours of the gardens, speakers, demonstrations and an open question and answer session. They are even going to have some chefs from the Food Network Test Kitchen! I could probably get to this if we planned it out well in advance; it's not really day-trip optional for me. I'd want to be sure we could get there early enough to make the most of it. But it looks really interesting!
