I ordered seed potatoes from Wood Prairie Farm in Maine this year and got two varieties, Butte and Carola. They both gave beautiful big potatoes that are creamy and delicious, one white, the other yellow. They did much better than any others I've gotten locally but that could be due to a lot of factors. I will definitely be ordering from them again. I picked varieties rated as "easy to grow". I also planted Greek gigantes beans for the first time this year. They grew amazingly and although they could probably use a little longer season I am going to get a good harvest from them.
I’ve found that the type of year we have effects the crop a lot. We had a pretty wet and not particularly warm summer here in the UK and the veg didn’t do so well as normal.
I’ve also found over time how different crops like to be grown. Some of the received wisdom does not always seem to be the best way. Maybe it varies, again, with your local climate.
I’ve started growing crops with flowers in amongst them and not worried too much about weeding during the growing season. Seems to work well!
I think for where I am the biggest way to get a good chance at a decent crop is to weed the beds out in the spring then hit them with loads of feed.
I’ve been really surprised at how much the random stuff that’s come out of my compost bins seems to have helped with that.
Your popcorn looks great! My grandfather grew it for years and I remember having to shell it off the cobs and how it hurt my hands - those kernels are so spiky. I planted some this spring but my geese got to it and it was gone in no time. Love hearing what you are learning because I go through the same process. Grew potatoes successfully for the first time this year (after several unsuccessful attempts) and learned a LOT while doing it. My drying beans (Good Mother Stallard, etc) did nothing until about July/August when it apparently got hot enough to suit them. They are now covered in pods that will not fill out and ripen before our first frost. I consider it a win if I at least learned something through it. I, too, don't feel like I grown nearly enough but every gain is good. Something is better than nothing. And done is better than perfect!
You're growing hops! They're beauties. For brewing, or for medicinal purposes? (We're growing a few kinds too, but missed the harvesting window.)
I ordered seed potatoes from Wood Prairie Farm in Maine this year and got two varieties, Butte and Carola. They both gave beautiful big potatoes that are creamy and delicious, one white, the other yellow. They did much better than any others I've gotten locally but that could be due to a lot of factors. I will definitely be ordering from them again. I picked varieties rated as "easy to grow". I also planted Greek gigantes beans for the first time this year. They grew amazingly and although they could probably use a little longer season I am going to get a good harvest from them.
I’ve found that the type of year we have effects the crop a lot. We had a pretty wet and not particularly warm summer here in the UK and the veg didn’t do so well as normal.
I’ve also found over time how different crops like to be grown. Some of the received wisdom does not always seem to be the best way. Maybe it varies, again, with your local climate.
I’ve started growing crops with flowers in amongst them and not worried too much about weeding during the growing season. Seems to work well!
I think for where I am the biggest way to get a good chance at a decent crop is to weed the beds out in the spring then hit them with loads of feed.
I’ve been really surprised at how much the random stuff that’s come out of my compost bins seems to have helped with that.
Thanks for this post. It was a joy to read! 😊
Your popcorn looks great! My grandfather grew it for years and I remember having to shell it off the cobs and how it hurt my hands - those kernels are so spiky. I planted some this spring but my geese got to it and it was gone in no time. Love hearing what you are learning because I go through the same process. Grew potatoes successfully for the first time this year (after several unsuccessful attempts) and learned a LOT while doing it. My drying beans (Good Mother Stallard, etc) did nothing until about July/August when it apparently got hot enough to suit them. They are now covered in pods that will not fill out and ripen before our first frost. I consider it a win if I at least learned something through it. I, too, don't feel like I grown nearly enough but every gain is good. Something is better than nothing. And done is better than perfect!
i have a deep history re popcorn.
Not because I have grown it ever but
because I had to give a talk on the history
of popcorn in 6th grade. It had pictures.
My 6th grade teacher had our class become
a corporation, a popcorn company.
It was weird, because suddenly the room
always smelled of buttery popcorn, and the mom's
of the students were inducted to make various
goopy syrup treats, all in the name of this
corporation of 6th graders. Kids got those
popcorn maker burns on their hands.
The whole thing was themed around
'cannonballs' and 'muskets' being
popcorn balls and long bags of popcorn.
I remember meetings about what products
we would make. Then the teacher made it happen,
which seemed cool but now I am a bit...puzzled by
it all. Yes, this really happened.
Eventually the principal put a stop to it, b
but by that time it had been going for at least
5 or 6 months..... I was treasurer but I kept
eating the profits. It was too easy.
I was wondering how your garden fared after the fire.
You did a marvelous job!
That picture of you two at the end is hysterical and true..
Keep on farming. Keep on homesteading. Keep on keeping on. You've got a faithful reader here.
Best wishes