How to Start Seeds under Grow Lights

March is FINALLY here. In Wisconsin March is the beginning of starting seeds under grow lights. Today I moved all the stuff out of my storage area and set up my grow lights for my seed starting. For two months I have to find another place to put my extra stuff so I can set up the growing area (it's a good excuse to weed things out of storage as well).

So far I have started many new herbs, celeriac, celery, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and onions. By the time I am ready to start the peppers, tomatoes, gourds, and other crops this first batch will be going in the ground.

I have always used regular fluorescent lights in the inexpensive shop light fixtures you can get for about $5 at home improvement stores. I know experts recommend that you replace the bulbs every year, but I don't do this and I've never had a problem getting my plants off to a great start.

I always use Jiffy potting soil and cut expenses in the area of planting containers. Often I cut off milk jugs and use the bottom to start seedlings. Then I take the best seedlings to transplant into small containers (like yogurt cups or homemade paper pots). I also start seeds in the little starting packs that fit nicely inside a liner pan. If you are careful you can save these each year and reuse. Be sure to wash them well and it is a good idea to use a little bleach to disinfect them.

I water the seeds well, then cover with saran wrap. When the seeds begin to sprout I remove the wrap and make sure to water from the bottom (some plants will dampen off if the soil is wet at the base of the plant....yes....this has happened to me, so I know from experience....water from below).

Place the lights as close to the soil as you can and adjust slightly higher as needed when the plants grow. It is important to keep the lights close to the plants! That's really all there is to starting seeds inside. Sometimes I also start a few flats of seeds by a window. I haven't had any trouble doing that, but the plants do tend to get leggier than if they are under grow lights.

Yippee, spring is almost here!

I'm Crazy About Heirloom Tomatoes

Now I know I'm crazy. I went through my seeds this past weekend to start getting organized because it is time to get planting. I went to the garden center yesterday to get my jiffy potting mix and some trays for starting. I planted 3 kind of heirloom onions, celeriac, and cutting celery. In two more weeks I'll have lots more to sow and in a month my basement will be overflowing with seedlings.

About the tomatoes however......I have been collecting seed from my favorite tomatoes, Rose, and Federle for several years. This year I wanted to try other varieties as well, so I ordered more seeds from Fedco, Baker's Creek, Seed Savers, and I got a lot of free seeds from Wintersown.org. Now that I have compiled everything I ordered I see I must have been nuts. Have you ever gone grocery shopping while you were hungry? You know what happens. You buy too much! That is what has happened to me.

I have 27 different heirloom tomato varieties. Now 27 plants is more than most even think to plant in their garden, so having that many varieties is pretty crazy. But we love tomatoes and I usually put in at least 40-60 plants in a normal year. Because we have 7 mouths to feed we need more than an average amount of food to get us through the winter, but this year I am trying to grow almost ALL our food. So with tomatoes that means enough for spaghetti sauce, tomato soup, chili, beef stew, ketchup, juice, and more for an entire year. I will probably plant 100 plants. I guess if I end up with too much the kids can sell the extras at the local farmer's market near us.

Here are the varieties besides the Rose and Federle that I am going to plant.
From Baker's Creek:

• Rev. Morrow's Long Keeper (plant in June and harvest later - keeps through December)
• Aunt Ruby's German Cherry
• Dad's Sunset
• Ananas Noire
• German Red Strawberry
• Millionaire
• Paul Robeson (very excited about this one)
• Hawaiian Pineapple
• Riesentraube
• Carbon (excited about this one too)
• Orange Fleshed Purple Smudge (can't wait to see and taste this!)

From Seed Savers Exchange:

• Black Sea Man (PL)
• Wisconsin 55

From Fedco:

• Cherokee Purple
• PineappleAunt Ruby's German Green

From Wintersown:

• Green Sausage
• Chocolate Cherry
• Speckled Siberian
• Black Cherry
• Tumbling Tom
• Tennessee Britches

From P and P Seed Co:

• Phil's Fantastic (supposed to be very large!!!)

Heirlooms from the local feed store:

• Red Cherry Large
• Red Oxheart
• Brandywine Pink (PL)

Out of all these seeds, the only plants I need to really worry about cross pollinating are the Brandywine Pink, Black Sea Man, and the Rose. Each of those plants is a potato leaf (PL) variety which means that the stigma sticks out of the anther cone. In regular leaf tomato plants the stigma does not stick out of the anther cone so cross pollinating does not readily happen. There is a lot of conflicting information regarding tomatoes and cross pollinating, but one article that I like can be found here.

Based on my own experience growing tomatoes for over 20 years I really haven't encountered any crossing between regular leaf varieties, only potato leaf varieties. So I will follow the seed saving idea of bagging with tulle that I have on hand for the seed I plan to save. I will probably bag the regular leaf varieties that I deem desirable enough to replant again next year just to make sure the seed is pure, but I don't really think it is necessary.

Okay, now you know I'm nuts about gardening, nuts about tomatoes, and just plain nuts. But I'm excited to try these tomatoes!

Heirloom Apple Trees

I plan to graft many different heirloom apple trees this spring. Grafting means that you take a dormant 1/4" diameter branch off a tree whose variety you wish to grow and graft it onto a rootstock. Growing apple trees from seed doesn't give you a very good tree, so people have been grafting fruit trees for a long long time. The cut from the piece off the tree (scion wood) has to match the cut on the root stock and then be sealed with putty and tape so oxygen can't penetrate the cut. I have found some cool videos on Youtube demonstrating this. You can view one here.

The varieties I will be grafting on M26 rootstock are:

Early Strawberry Origin: New York 1800 Ripens: Jun/July Zone: 3 - 6 It is very similar in appearance to another early apple, Early Red Margaret, with the two often mistaken. Fruit is medium sized and often has unequal sides. The smooth, thick skin is light greenish-yellow with fine stripes and splashes of bright red. The tender, crisp, juicy flesh is white and often stained with red when eating.

Oriole Origin: Minnesota 1949 Ripens: July/Aug Zone: 3 - 6 Yellow skin, striped red. Parentage: Yellow Transparent, Liveland Raspberry. An excellent quality dessert or cooking apple. Tree is extremely productive, and extremely to very hardy.

Yellow Transparent Origin: Russia (Europe 1870) Ripens: July/Aug Zone: 3 - 6 Medium to large fruit with transparent pale yellow skin. Crisp, sweet and juicy, but has a very short life after ripening on or off the tree. Often picked in a greener stage for cooking. Excellent for sauce, pie and drying. Bears very young and heavily. Thin for best size.

Sweet 16 Origin: Ripens: Sept Zone: 3 - 6 Uniquely flavored sweet, crisp apple with good storage qualities.

Pink Pearl Origin: California Ripens: Sept Zone: 3 - 6 A pink-fleshed, pearly-skinned apple that is not just a novelty, but a good tasting apple with firm flesh. Tart to sweet-tart, depending on time of harvest. Blooms very attractive. Makes pink applesauce and attractive fruit tarts. An Albert Etter introduction.

Golden Russet Origin: New York prior to 1845 Ripens: Oct Zone: 3 - 6 An old American cider apple, also good for eating and drying, and attractive for a russet. Tree medium to large, fruit medium to above. The sugary, dense flesh of this apple is the essence of the European reinettes.

Melrose Origin: Ohio 1944 (Jonathan x Delicious) Ripens: Oct Zone: 3 - 6 Large, homely fruit with yellowish-green skin streaked red with russet spots. The flesh is firm, coarse, sweet, juicy and creamy white. One of the best keepers of all time, whose flavor improves in storage (best after Christmas). Very good for pie and baking. Should be grown in full sun for best quality, susceptible to scab. Bears well every year.

Golden Noble Origin: England 1820 Ripens: Zone: 4 - 7 Very handsome pure yellow fruit with creamy white flesh and excellent texture. One of the best cooking apples with high acid and an extremely good fruity flavor. Trees are upright, spreading and moderately vigorous. A special garden tree because of the clear yellow glow of the apples in green foliage. Partial tip bearer.

Golden Russet Origin: New York prior to 1845 Ripens: Oct Zone: 3 - 6 An old American cider apple, also good for eating and drying, and attractive for a russet. Tree medium to large, fruit medium to above. The sugary, dense flesh of this apple is the essence of the European reinettes.

Sierra Beauty (This one I ordered the TREE)Origin: California Ripens: Oct Zone: 3 - 6 Large, handsome apple with thin green and yellow skin, striped or blushed red. A favorite apple from Boonville, CA. Juicy, very crisp and tart. A good seller in farm markets and an excellent keeper. The tree is compact.

Hudsons Golden Gem Origin: Oregon 1930 Ripens: Oct/Nov Zone: 3 - 6 Fruit conical, elongated, yellow russet. Perhaps the finest eating russet with crisp breaking sugary flesh and distinct pear flavor. Quite disease resistant to apple scab, powdery mildew and somewhat resistant to fire blight.

Trees I have already ESTABLISHED (had a couple fruits on them last year):

Honeycrisp Origin: Minnesota 1991 (Macoun x Honeygold) Patent #7917 Ripens: Sept/Oct Zone: 3 - 6 Skin is mottled red over yellow. The flesh is very crisp and is excellent for eating. Good keeper - up to 5 months. Topped with McIntosh and Delicious for fresh eating in taste tests.

Gala

NORTHWEST GREENING Nice older tree in my orchard. Similar to Granny Smith in color & flavor. Excellent cooking & pie apple ripening in LATE September - EARLY OCTOBER. Large green apples are crisp, sweet-tart and Excellent keeper. Trees are resistant to blight & rust. STORES ABOUT 2-3 MONTHS. ANNUAL BEARING

Apples Trees and Thinking of Spring

Just two weeks ago we had a false sense that spring was approaching as our temperatures were in the 50s and our snow melted. But.....winter is still here as we now are in the midst of accumulating 7 more inches of snow. One of things I love about winter is dreaming about spring budding forth, summer crops growing and the bounty that follows.

Yesterday I made progress with the apple orchard in a practical way. This summer will be our 8th summer on our 15 acre homestead. Until this past year we really didn't realize the full potential of having a homestead -- primarily because I had 3 more children and there is only so much time. Now with the youngest 3 1/2 it's time to ramp things up. Our apple and pear orchard in the back yard has definitely seen better days. I evaluated that three apple trees must be cut down, another one still has a nice enough base to graft onto, and the rest we'll wait and see another year.

So I ordered 18 sticks of scion wood, 30 rootstocks, and one tree ready for planting. I ordered from Maple Valley Orchard because they specialize in heirloom varieties that are no longer widely grown and also because they are located in a colder zone than I am (hopefully the trees will survive our frigid winters). Tony, the owner, was Sooooo helpful helping me pick varieties and also giving me an education over the phone on successful grafting. I plan to demonstrate grafting with our local homeschool group in April, so hopefully I'll get enough practice on water sprouts and new lilac shoots to get good at it.

The plan will be to get many new trees planted and established. I would also like to set an area aside just for future apple tree propagation . Many of the varieties I selected are for storage (to help with food through the winter) and the rest are for fresh eating, baking, and cooking through out the entire season (June/July through November). I can't wait to get started!

I will list the different varieties I am starting in another post. But for now I'm going to enjoy watching the snow by the fireplace.

Heisman is here!

The past week was a little crazy adjusting to a new little baby around. But he is growing and doing well enough that he will be going out to the barn to stay very soon. He goes out with us to do the chores and I think he is eager to be outside.

Heisman is a southdown ram lamb. Another sheep person didn't have time to care for this little fella, so we took him in. We aren't planning to use him in any part of our breeding program so he will become a whether soon. I didn't really need the extra work right now, but I really wanted the experience of caring for him as we have 17 ewes that have been bred and this is our very first time having lambs. So I figured it would be easier getting experience with just one little guy than when I have 30+ lambs in the barn very soon.

I am learning homestead life as I go. I am fortunate that I have an adventurous spirit and some good friends who are learning as they go too. But sometimes I think it would have been nice to learn these things as I grew up (like my grandma did). You can only learn so much from reading a book. I do better with real hands-on training.

I will certainly be more prepared for my own lambs that I would have been if Heisman hadn't come along. I need to get a few more supplies like stuff for tube feeding and colostrum powder and extra nipples for bottle feeding. SOOO glad I did this!

Raising a Bottle Lamb

It looks like we are going to raising a bottle lamb. I am thinking we will be picking him up tomorrow so that is exciting. My friend knows a friend who doesn't want to keep him, so we will be the lucky recipiants. I'll post pictures tomorrow!

Lamb Leg Red Wine Recipe

We just ate lamb leg for the first time. It was unanimous. We all loved it. In fact I should have taken a picture of it....it looked sooooo good.

I grew up living in the country on a couple acres, but my family never raised any animals other than a pet dog and rabbit. When I think about it I kind of wonder why we didn't.

This lamb leg was small from one of the whether lambs we had processed this fall. When we told our families we were raising sheep, they all said yuck about the meat, but I doubt very much that they ever even tasted any kind of lamb meat. The leg of lamb roast we ate tonight would be considered real gourmet fare. Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 cup red wine
4 cloves minced garlic
1 t thyme
3 T minced fresh rosemary
a pinch of freshly ground black pepper
1 T extra virgin olive oil

Put all the ingredients into a ziplock plastic bag along with the lamb leg and marinate. I put the lamb in the refrigerator and marinated all day. Before I baked the leg I rubbed it liberally with plenty of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper. I baked it on a small rack in my roasting pan and because I couldn't find anything on-line that was consistent with how long you should cook your roast I cooked mine until a thermometer read 140 degrees in the center. I wanted the meat done a little more than medium rare and I have to say it was perfect. I had a bone-in leg so that usually needs a little more time than a boneless leg. One of the directions I read said to start with a hot 425 degree oven for 20 minutes and then turn down to 300 degrees so that is what I did and I have to say for my very first time I was delighted it turned out so delicious!

Garden Fresh Nutrition in Winter

Want some fresh grown garden nutrition in the middle of winter? How you ask? Simply by sprouting some seeds in a glass container. In the past I have sprouted beans. I love beans. This time I bought a bag of alfalfa seeds to sprout. Alfalfa sprouts are high in antioxidants. It only takes a couple of days for them to really get going, so I think I'll start another batch today and then by the time I'm finished eating these guys the next ones will be ready. If you would like some nutrition information on sprouts you can check out the Good Sprout News.

It's All Too Much on Ground Hog Day

It's All Too Much by Peter Walsh, the professional organizer from TLC's hit series "Clean Sweep, is the current library book I'm perusing. I'm definitely not the packrat that I see in the homes on television, but I do have my own short comings.....namely lots of good books, educational toys, clothing (all from garage sales and on sale), and craft supplies. I guess when you add it all up......it stinks. It doesn't matter how much space I have, I fill it up. I guess I picked up this book so that I don't have to be the army sergeant any more when we have company coming over. And yes.....we do like to have company over. In fact I love to have company over....I just hate the hassel of the last minute hide it routine.

So.....big sigh.....I guess I am like most evey other American I know......we have too much stuff! It's time to purge. I mean really purge. You know, it's not like I can't pick something up at a garage sale if I find I miss it or really want one again. So even though Punxsutawney Phil said we have 6 more weeks of winter left, my spring cleaning has to start today. I will be too busy this spring to do it then.

So on to work! Happy Ground Hog Day!

It's Time to Wake up America!

I accidentally (or maybe it wasn't a coincidence) ran across this web page while I was checking into the safety and reputation of Seventh Generation Cleaners. I clicked on this link that advertised Five Food Films that Deserve an Oscar. Now I have already watched one of these films and ordered one other, but three of these films were totally new to me. I can't wait to order them from the library, or net flix, or I'll purchase them.

When I was first married, over twenty years ago, I gave a donation to a door to door person who was fund-raising for Green Peace. When my husband came home he was horrified that I would give a contribution to such an extreme organization. I mean this organization supports saving the whales and owls. They are tree huggers. They picket and protest. They try to save the planet. Really.....they are doing what we have the right to do in America. But most Americans don't exercise their right to stand up for what is just and what is right. We fear our government and big businesses and as a result big agri-business has taken over our entire food industry with the help of our federal government. They are in the process of taking over the entire world food supply too.

I do tend to have a tree hugging instinct. The basic difference between me and many other tree huggers, however, is that I worship the Creator, and not the "created." I marvel at the diversity and beauty of this incredible world our Lord God created -- every single day. It could be the reflection of the sun off the shining snow, or the incredible palette of colors in a sunset. There are so many marvels each and everyday! But I also feel this deep need to protect and preserve this beautiful world the good Lord has made.

So I would encourage you to watch these Five Food Films that Deserve an Oscar. Not only will you be awakened to what is being hidden from the American people, but I guarantee you will feel the moral outrage that I do that we are being subjected to poisoned food and a one world agenda for total control.

It's time to wake up America!

You're Eating What?

You're eating What? is a lecture by Jeffrey Smith, author of Seeds of Deception, describing why you should NOT eat Genetically Modified Food.

If you eat anything that comes out of a box from a grocery store, chances are likely that you ARE eating Genetically Modified Food. This stuff isn't safe......

Listen here....

You're eating What?

Don't Put That into Your Mouth

Jeffrey Smith, author of several books including Seeds of Deception, and Genetic Roulette has a great hour long audio that tells you how you can live healthier by not putting any GMO foods in your mouth.

Take your health back into your own hands and listen to this audio!

Don't Put That into Your Mouth!

You won't believe how poisoned the American food supply is!!!! LISTEN NOW!!!!

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

If you are looking for an awesome resource for organic, non-treated, GMO-free heirloom seeds look no further than Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. This company has been around for 11 years and what's amazing is the vision of the owner, Jere Gettle. He is a 28 year old young man who sees the need in preserving our world's diversity in foods. Over the course of 11 years he has grown the number of rare seeds his company is helping to preserve to a very impressive amount. I have also ordered seeds from Fedco Seeds and Seed Savers Exchange this year, but I am very excited about the seeds coming from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. They carry many varieties I have never ever seen before (and I check out heirloom seeds all the time).

You may ask yourself why you should consider buying heirloom seeds. After all....seeds at the rack in Walmart are a lot cheaper. Yes, that may be true, but actually when you stop to think... You can save heirloom seeds from year to year, and your only investment is your initial purchase. Which seed is more cost effective? The heirloom seed of course. Plus you get the honor of preserving our diverse food heritage. The cheap seed racks at Walmart really only offer the same old seeds that Mansanto wants you to buy. They don't really want you to know how delicious an heirloom tomato is. Or how flavorful an heirloom bean may taste. If you know this, you might demand that farmers start growing these crops and sell these in the grocery store instead of all the bland veggies that taste like cardboard.

Another reason to grow heirloom crops is for the community it creates. Farmers used to pass their seeds down to the next generation. They would also share with neighbors. Farmers were quite proud of the great qualities they bred into their seeds by careful seed selection year after year. Many communities proudly served their heirloom goods to visitors, and each region was known by the crops they propagated.

Hybrid seeds can only be grown once. The seeds are a result of the cross pollination of two different parent crops. Generally, the off-spring seeds will not run true to type but will rather have traits that are more dominant of one of the parents. Heirloom seeds do not do this. You will get the same off-spring each year. But even more amazing is the fact that careful seed saving year after year can get you a seed that has characteristics you are looking for. For instance if you want a huge tomato....then save the seeds each year from the very biggest tomatoes and after a few seasons your tomatoes will be bigger. If you want an earlier harvest, then save the seeds from the earliest ripening fruit and after a few years your plants will be producing crops a little earlier. Isn't that amazing that God gave us the ability to adapt his seeds by careful gardening without gene altering science?

Why would you want to avoid Genetically Modified Seeds? Well, the only test done in the US for the FDA to make the claim that gene altered food is safe was done by the very company who wants to sell these gene altered seeds and the chemicals that must get sprayed on them for them to work, Monsanto. All other independent companies research has deemed these foods unsafe to eat. Why would the FDA allow this company to sell these seeds then? It's called $$$$$$. The very heads making the legislation in the EPA, FDA, and USDA come from (drumroll please.......) Monsanto. Mansanto and the gov. regulating agencies have had quite the revolving door. Now isn't that a interesting fact?

OK, enough of the rant here. What I really want you to know is that God gave us the ability to enjoy diverse, nutrient dense food through growing and eating heirloom foods and saving our own seeds. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is a great place to start.

P.S. Jere was a homeschooler and started this business as a teenager! Gotta love that!

Are Organic Foods Really Organic?

You still need to read the labels on food even when they are labelled organic. The government has tried to allow big agri-business to cash in the ever growing organic food market by lessening the organic food requirements. So even though a package may say organic is may only be made with one organic ingredient. Sometimes it is 70% organic. If you want everything inside the package to be organic you have to find 100% organic. nice....huh? I read the label on everything because I want to know if there are any soy, corn, cotton, or canola ingredients in my item and I want those to be organic. Those four items are the highest risk of probably being genetically modified ingredients. The summer of 2008 was the first planting of GM beets as well, so you can except to find sugar as a GM ingredient in most processed food too. The only way to be guaranteed to get non GM sugar is to look for 100% cane sugar or evaporated sugar cane.

Isn't it nice of our government to not think it is wise to at least give a consumer of choice of knowing exactly what is in our food? (heavy dose of sarcasm here!!!)

So, while there are many very good companies out there trying their hardest to provide you and me with alternatives to the big agri-businesses toxic food products, those big businesses are trying to mislead the consumer with very lax labelling laws. The only reason we still have the 100% organic label is due to consumer DEMAND. I wish there was as much consumer demand for labelling GMO foods. I truly believe you are what you eat.

Food Security In America

Are you concerned about the food security in America?

It's pretty scary.....Almost all of America's cropland is in production with inedible food crops (and it's genetically modified). We are facing serious economic crisis. People are becoming unhealthier and unhealthier every day. What's going on?

As Americans we are eating almost all processed food and have all but forgotten how to prepare our meals from REAL whole grains and fresh produce. Not a box or package that says whole grains, but real wheat kernels that need to be ground fresh. Real oat groats that need to be rolled or chopped. These are REAL foods.

After reading Animal Vegetable Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver I realized that even though I grind my own wheat and flake my own groats, I have still played my roll in not supporting the very farmers who eek out a living growing REAL food. How many times have I driven right past the vegetable stand or avoided the farmer's market for the convenience of one stop shopping at the grocery store?

One might argue that they are supporting farmers by purchasing produce at the grocery store, but most often that produce has traveled over 1100 miles. What we need to do to build food security and avoid possible food shortages in this country is support our local farmers. We need to go back to eating food that is in season and appreciate it during the season. We need to support the local food producing farmer. In times of need, they, will be the ones to help. Where will they be if we don't support them and they go out of business? Yes, sometimes the food is a bit more expensive, but it is also FRESH, and usually grown without toxins. I believe most disease in this country is caused by the foods we eat. Most of our food supply is toxic and devoid of any nutrition.

If you are concerned about the economy there are several things you can do to help build food security.

• First, plant some food for yourself. Even urbanites can have a small garden and fruit trees. I have been known to plant a garden in almost every dwelling I have lived in--even if it was in a few containers.
• You can keep a couple of laying hens. In most areas of the country people are allowed at least 2 or 3 hens. With very little effort you will have eggs.
• Make friends with country folks who provide fresh food (if not year round with a greenhouse) at least seasonally. Support their farming efforts.
• Eat foods that are in season. I don't think people even know or remember that is what we have done for thousands of years!

I would also recommend that you stop buying as much processed food as you can. This month figure out one convenience food that you can make yourself and do that. Make a lot of it and freeze it so you have it on hand when you want it. Then next month pick another item you can either do without or can make yourself. OR you can find an organic equivalent. By doing this you are not supporting the big agri-buisnesses that have taken over in America. The organics are the little guys...support them instead. The more you learn to do without or do for yourself or purchase locally or purchase organically, the faster we will have food security in America.

What are you willing to do for yourself today?