Todd Hoff was one of the students in Love Apple Farm's Summer Vegetable Gardening Class last Saturday. I'm such a big fan of the Kentucky Derby, I can't believe I scheduled this class for that day! Oh well, I'll try to catch it on youtube.
But what I did like about the day, other than beautiful sunshine and bright eager students, was that Todd wrote a nice piece on his blog about the workshop. He took lots of pictures and even posted his notes, which you can find here.
I do take exception to his last sentence, though, that compost should be enough. If it were, I would use it solely. I like reducing my external inputs as much as the next organic farmer, but I've got a lot of crops that need feeding (and sandy soil).
Amend, amend, amend, folks!
Get in touch with gardening, and let the results offer you tasty food right in your own yard. Check out Love Apple Farms and you will get inspired. Good Luck!!
Posted by: Johnson Art Studio lighting design | May 15, 2010 at 04:14 PM
So jealous of your lovely, warm weather over there. I just had a bad frost over my tomatoes this week, I lost most of them!
Posted by: Matron | May 13, 2010 at 10:00 AM
Cynthia,
You are my gardening guru! I want to let you know how much I appreciate the wisdom and experience you take the time to share with all of us who are fortunate enough to have found your site. My tomato cages were built per your instructions last weekend saving a bundle of money. When I transplant my babies (teenagers actually, waiting for the weather) I will be following your instructions to the letter.
But here’s the kicker. Until I read your posts I had never given any thought to beneficial insects. This year my carrots were mowed down by sow bugs, earwigs and slugs have eaten half the lettuce, a yard of soil came in with fungus gnats, my beets have been gnawed on by leaf miners, and those things I thought were mosquito eaters are crane flies trying to feed their young with my potatoes. One rose bush in the front of the house has been heavily infested with aphids. When I saw little green worms on it a couple days ago I declared war. I came home armed with Spinosad and thought, “you are going down!” But with a closer look I noticed that only aphid bodies remained and the worms weren’t chewing up the leaves. (Ok… Cynthia says innocent until proven guilty?) A quick Google later and the good news is….I HAVE SYRPHIDS! Sorry to shout but I’m thrilled. (I also quickly realized that I can’t exclaim that just anywhere. My landlord gave me a concerned look like “take the day off and get a shot of penicillin”.) Anyway, with a naked eye I can watch these little guys munching away on the aphids.
Little green worms that are friends, so cool. Never in a million years would I have checked if it weren’t for your advice. You saved another piece of the planet with your words of wisdom and willingness to share. How dynamic is that! Thank you so much!
Posted by: Carla Cloud | May 09, 2010 at 04:12 PM
Florida here. Tell me about sandy soil! Hehehe Raised beds w/compost, horse manure, the remains of Starbucks, you-name-it, if it's safe we add it. Now I know why FL is the home of the Earthbox. Think containers folks!
Good luck at your new farm! Hope to get out your way soon!
Posted by: Leann | May 07, 2010 at 06:18 PM
Congrats to David Kinch and Manresa. James Beard award 2010!!!
Posted by: AF | May 04, 2010 at 11:28 AM