tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74765409623916636202024-03-12T22:29:55.153-05:00Joy's Victory GardenAmid regular rationing of canned food in Britain, a poster campaign ("Plant more in '44!") encouraged the planting of Victory Gardens by nearly 20 million Americans. These gardens produced up to 40 percent of all the vegetable produce consumed nationally.
Today we plant to help promote sustainable living and to enrich our food basket. Welcome to my victory garden in Shawnee, Kansas.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-30338127371824680312015-12-20T10:33:00.002-06:002015-12-20T10:56:18.256-06:00What is a Walipini?What is a walipini? It's not an exotic animal from down under and it is also not a hybrid between a watermelon and a zucchini.
It can best be compared to an earth contact home. The Walipini is dug down into the earth about eight feet, facing the winter sun and covered with a plastic-sheathed roof angled at about forty degrees. It takes advantage of the naturally warm ground very much Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-42770147429776995292013-11-24T13:30:00.000-06:002013-11-24T15:43:20.944-06:00Food by the Inch - part one: SPROUTSGrowing your own food does not have to be a big production. The challenge is to make growing food part of your lifestyle. I have experimented with Square-foot Gardening and love the raised beds. Now I am looking for more ways to grow my food especially in what would traditionally be the down season. My goal is to find as many ways as possible to grow my food inside and outside the homeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-27399154195984651002013-11-06T13:48:00.001-06:002013-11-07T23:16:58.369-06:00Back to the Garden! I went through a blog storm starting in 2007 when I created several blogs. One of my blogs was about simplicity which is quite ironic since I was actually complicating my life - blogging, working, family and sometimes sleep. I was blogging sustainability, gardening, politics, faith, etc. I even created a website which is now defunct as I gave up the URL. It was exciting to have a public voice andUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-29113840501922075782011-02-20T13:51:00.010-06:002011-02-20T16:44:56.322-06:0021-day Vegan Kickstart UpdateI have been fully vegan, except for a few minor infractions, since January 1. I have lost a little over 10 pounds in weight and four inches off my waist. I am eating more than I used to eat. I have also been doing some exercise with my Wii, Wii Fit Plus and Wii EA Sports Active 2.
I was so used to counting calories with SparkPeople that it felt odd at first to stop counting. But I did. I Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-4084492579410932532010-12-30T09:19:00.000-06:002010-12-30T09:19:09.267-06:0021-Day Vegan Kickstart / a Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) site21-Day Vegan Kickstart / a Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) siteI am getting ready to start the 21-day Vegan Quickstart. You can follow along and you might consider going to the website and starting your own New Year's resolution for a healthy lifestyle. One that can be supported by your love of gardening! Now that is holistic!Buzz it upis_pub = 'ourfriendlyearty';<!-- Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-65246582717322671702010-12-26T05:58:00.003-06:002010-12-26T06:03:56.221-06:00Veggies: A New Approach to Type 2 Diabetes
Time to start planning your Spring garden and if you have elevated blood glucose, you have more reasons than ever to plant lots of veggies! A plant-based diet may be just what you need to turn your health around. A friend told me about Dr. Neal Barnard. I looked him up online, the I went to Amazon.com and bought his book. I am trying the 21-day challenge. Join me and you may have a whole new Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-26333400988179139292010-08-08T10:41:00.008-05:002010-08-08T12:19:07.195-05:00Fallow GardenThis has been a resting year for my garden. Not by plan, but events in my life have made it so.
It seems gardens take a hit when life gets busy. I thought this year would be my best garden year ever since my beds were made ready to plant last fall, but it was not to be.
I have found that raised beds even with a soil-less mix and ground cloth will still grow weeds, since weed seeds are also Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-33836366070893667912009-12-19T21:56:00.009-06:002010-01-11T10:27:37.786-06:00Ratatouille, the movie and the recipeI love the movie but have yet to try the recipe. I am hoping it is delicious as the charming movie. It looks like a good recipe to make from fresh garden produce. It will be on my summer cooking to do list next summer.Recipe: Confit Byaldi - New York Times After viewing the movie "Ratatouille" this evening, I set out to find a recipe. I found this one on New York Times website. Here is an Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-13828775501150176392009-06-04T08:03:00.003-05:002009-06-04T09:11:08.621-05:00Invaders in the garden!While checking my garden this morning I notices to interesting things - "footprints" in the garden and random seedlings I didn't recognize. My first thought on the footprints was that the dogs had gotten in, however looking more closely I am sure it is rabbits, dag nabbit! Tops of some bean plants and lettuce were nibbled. Didn't have this problem last year because my raised bed was 22 inches Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-3450289595945357472009-05-31T01:55:00.004-05:002009-05-31T02:01:06.225-05:00The newest thing in the garden this yearIt had to happen someday, but sooner sure is nice! Meet the newest member of the family, my grandson Brayden. In this picture he is three days old and ready for his first ride home. I wasn't sure how I felt about being a grandmother...wow...that sounds old...until I saw his little head pop out into the world. Watching a birth is a spiritual experience. I am happy to be Grandma. He is a very Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-8286036906064431612009-05-31T00:55:00.007-05:002009-05-31T13:27:15.365-05:00Raised beds in place and plantedThe raised beds are in place and planted. I have planted tomatoes, zucchini, egg plants, okra, bell peppers, banana peppers, spinach, lettuce, bush beans, collard greens and cilantro.Tomatoes in cagesZucchinis planted in hills.From left to right, eggplants, bell peppers, and okra. This is the first year that I have actually used a grid. As Mel Bartholomew says, you aren't square foot gardening Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-46316391190809070662009-05-10T07:59:00.017-05:002009-05-31T01:54:13.910-05:00Preparing New Raised Planting BedsMy new raised bed frames arrived from Natural Yards on Friday, just in time for the weekend. This year my garden supplies include two 4 x 4 raised bed frames, a 4 cubit foot bag of sphagnum moss, a 4 cubic foot bag of vermiculite, 1 bag of composted manure and two compost 50 gallon bins worth of composted yard clippings. I also purchased a 100 foot bolt of weed barrier cloth and 10 bags of rubberUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-70989432898704649542009-04-26T08:01:00.006-05:002009-05-09T16:59:03.800-05:00New Every Morning...God's mercies are new every morning and his faithfulness endures forever. It's time for a new garden season! I am sure many of you have been planning for months. Last year, as a newby gardener, or rather a returning gardener, I got a very late start planting my first plants and seeds in late June. This year, though later than the real garden troupers, I am starting earlier. I have ordered two Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-56323674651042155962009-01-04T22:05:00.002-06:002009-04-26T08:21:21.217-05:00Urban ChicksHere is a site I just found that is very interesting. It is something that I wish I could do if my city would change ordinances: Back Yard Chickens...in the city. Here is an additional resource: How to keep chickens in the city from WikiHow. Urban chickens appear to be the next movement in the Victory Garden genre. Maybe I won't need to move to the country after all. Buzz it upis_pub = 'Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-55737468544449293002008-10-08T22:34:00.003-05:002008-10-08T22:45:16.852-05:00The Garden Season transcends Fall.I have been distracted with the Election Season. And then there is the exploding financial markets. As things heat-up in the election and blow-up on Wall Street, the weather has been cooling down. It's time to find some peace walking through the garden. It's time to think of the joys of this season about to pass and look forward to next year.The end of the growing season has arrived. However, I Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-17142013090717443652008-09-02T21:45:00.010-05:002008-09-02T23:51:53.168-05:00New Addition to Garden: Classic Reel MowerNow I know that my husband, Brian, is totally sold on going green and sustainable living. He did some research and placed an order for something truly cutting edge which is actually a classic, the Scotts 20-inch Classic Reel Mower.It arrived today and as soon as we got home from work, Brian busily got working to assemble the mower. As they say, some assembly required. He had it together within 15Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-28085330050170161742008-08-30T08:58:00.019-05:002008-08-30T16:28:36.375-05:00Progress of the Planter BoxesMy planter boxes are coming along very nicely. I have found that the green beans like to have their soil moist. They don't do well if you let the soil dry out between watering. This is amplified by being in a container on a raised deck. They get more breeze and being in a single row are not getting the humidity they would if more clustered in a garden bed.I have been watering them exclusively Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-48689551961346540322008-08-14T22:08:00.013-05:002008-08-30T16:38:14.291-05:00Vines in my Garden and Grape leaves on my PlateWhile I was looking through my Weight Watcher's materials, I found that grape leaves are listed on the core plan food list. I wasn't expecting to see grape leaves on the food list and it sparked a thought about what I might try cooking next for dinner. I wrote a while back about all the vines that had wound themselves through my garden. Some of those vines are wild grapes.When I got home, I Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-89983863336306376702008-08-12T23:12:00.012-05:002008-08-30T16:41:00.194-05:00Cooking with Tofu and Fresh Garden HerbsOur food from the Hen House C.S.A* this week included a pound of tofu. My husband wasn't so sure about tofu, so I looked around for some interesting recipes. I customized one to the ingredients I had on hand. I have recently joined Weight Watchers so I am building a lot of recipes using their online tools. I promise to share the ones that turn our well with you, my readers.Here you go, another "Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-19697329545055702502008-08-10T12:11:00.009-05:002008-08-13T03:11:11.449-05:00Shout Down my Rain Barrel!Say, say, oh playmate,Come out and play with meAnd bring your dollies threeClimb up my apple treeShout down my rain barrelSlide down my cellar doorAnd we'll be jolly friendsForever more more more more more.Rain Barrels made from recycled materialsWe went to a class provided by Bridging the Gap at a local recycling center last Tuesday evening and made two 55 gallon rain barrels. The rain barrels Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-59310673369798260462008-08-10T12:08:00.007-05:002008-08-30T16:42:44.599-05:00Back to the GardenGuardian of the BeachThe wizened old man who watches over Bethany Beach, Delaware is the first one to greet you and the last to say, "farewell." I would love to bring the old man home to my garden. Maybe I can find a big log and create my own someday. We had a great time at the beach and it seems we have been running ever since. But today I am determined to give you some updates of my suburban Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-68013226891445340782008-07-26T21:48:00.003-05:002008-07-26T22:12:00.546-05:00Prince Charles endorses Victory Gardens"It doesn't need an acre of garden, a window box is a very good start." Prince Charles, in a look-back to the "Dig for Victory" campaign of WWII, is endorsing a new campaign of victory gardening. I am so very happy that we now have a royal reason to enjoy our backyard gardens in addition to the pleasures of fresh food, we can now take pride that the Victory Garden movement is royally Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-36976300954869208492008-07-23T17:19:00.006-05:002008-07-26T21:48:04.851-05:00At the Beach!We have been at the beach for the past week at our annual Weaver family reunion! It was great to see everyone again. It was a true vacation from the computer. My day job is very computer intensive work -- so I was determined not to touch a computer or think about work! However, I missed my garden and blogging!To prepare my gardens before leaving, I set up soaker hoses on the raised bed and on theUnknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-52299165950782949332008-07-10T14:50:00.004-05:002008-07-10T15:16:19.763-05:00Just Plain Fun to Read: Blogs worth your time! Anajz from the Sustainable Backyard kindly awarded "Joy's Victory Garden" with an award and now it is my turn to pass on the award to a few of my favorite spots on the web. There are so many blogs I enjoy that it is hard to pick and I will probaby have to have a few more rounds of awards in the future!I pass on the "just plain fun to read" award to the following blogs:Choosing Voluntary Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7476540962391663620.post-72957834892567165642008-07-06T11:27:00.006-05:002008-07-06T12:20:58.370-05:00An Award for Joy's Victory Garden! - just plain fun to readAnajz from the Sustainable Backyard kindly awarded "Joy's Victory Garden" with an award! Thanks Anajz! This is so exciting!Now I will pass on the fun and will send this on to some of my favorite to read blogs! Stay-tuned.Buzz it upis_pub = 'ourfriendlyearty';<!-- AddThis Button END -->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0