Today is the third day of my project, but the first day that I am experiencing most aspects of my project. I woke up this morning to the chirping birds and sunny skies that graced us for the first time in a looongg time, and I knew that it was the morning to plant my lettuce seeds. In yesterday's blog post, I wrote that I wanted to use mostly receptacles that I found around my house. I largely followed this principle (I even converted an old clementine box and a brown paper bag into an herb garden!) until I re-checked the "Big Book" and realized that container lettuces need about an 8-inch deep, long container to grow. I didn't have any of these lying around the house, so I ventured off to Simply the Best Fruits (we just call it Simply the Best in my house). They don't sell too much locally grown produce, but they sell a great variety of produce (they are one of the few places that sells fresh fava beans, still in the pod!), dairy, and even some dry goods like pasta at really great prices. Along with a great food market, they also sell planting, gardening, and landscaping tools. I talked to the person manning the gardening section and managed to find a perfect container for my lettuce. It is about 8 inches deep (a little shallower than what the book suggested), five inches wide, and about 15 inches across. A manageable size for me to carry around (I've already spent time this morning chasing "light/partial sun" for the seeds to grow.
That's one of the best benefits of container gardening--it allows for easy transport. For instance, when I started my planting, the weather was really crummy (chilly then humid, rainy then windy, cloudy and gray). So, I planted outside so as to avoid having to clean anything up, then brought them back into my garage where there was a controlled environment...and this time, I'll remember them!
Another note about utilizing resources...this probably isn't the best tip I could give you but it has worked for me. I got by with all my planting with only 1 small bag of soil (probably about 20 lbs.) from Sprain Brook. This includes starting the seeds in the tray, replanting them, and beginning again in new containers. When I started to run low, I snooped around my mom's garden for a little bit and found a giant terra cotta pot with nothing in it except really nice, moist soil she had bought from Ramsey's Farm Stand (another standby in my house that I'll write more about later). Technically, regular flower soil isn't best for vegetable growing. But, I ended up saving money and time and I'm sure that good soil is good soil. We'll see if it works (I'll let you know in 10-21 days).
Even though I'm not planting a full vegetable patch, or even a small one in the ground, I'm realizing just how much work it really takes to put food on our plates. When farmers start, they must till, nourish, and water the soil (not to mention balancing the nutrients), sow the seeds, maintain the plants (and keep them unharmed from erratic/extreme weather and insect plagues), harvest it, and sell it. It's a really intricate process (especially if done on a large scale), but I'm also realizing that there are so many simple ways for people to integrate their own, home-grown foods into their diets. While it takes some time, money, and initial planning, it really is possible to build a manageable, usable, and relatively low-maintenance home garden.
But back to the rest of my day. Today I am going to visit Glynwood Farm which is in Cold Springs. While researching which farms I should visit, I have gotten a lot of great advice from friends, family, and friends of the family. My mom's friend from college told me about Glynwood and it looks like it is going to be a really amazing farm. They have guided hour-and-a-half long tours the second Friday of every month in the growing season. You need to "make a reservation" to be on the tour, and they are not every Friday so it takes a bit of forethought. However, as with most farms, you can virtually always at least stop by, walk around yourself, and check out what they are selling that day. Another great thing about Glynwood, and I'll obviously be able to report back later with more details and photos (and recipes using their produce!!), is that they have a really well organized, artistic website. One of my favorite things on the website is their supply of agricultural maps of different counties in New York State. Take a look at the map of Westchester farms and you'll be able to see just how much is at our fingertips in this county. In terms of its geography, Westchester has coastline, mountains, valleys, rivers, and reservoirs that make for a really diverse and vibrant agricultural industry--everything from milk to kale to bacon to wine is available locally.
Friday, May 8
Thursday, May 7
Sowing the Seeds
Yesterday and this morning I sowed my first seeds! I felt like a real live gardener, I got my hands dirty and all. The only thing is, I basically expected I would have huge plants already complete with fragrant oregano and vine-ripened tomatoes. Right now, everything just looks like dirt--except for my tomatoes. A little bit of background...
In early April I decided I wanted to get a jump on my project and start some seedlings in my garage so that they would be all ready for the May start date of my project. My neighbor Sara told me that the now all-organic Sprain Brook Nursery was the best place to get everything I would need. She was right. I picked up seed packets (I decided on some hybrid Burpee's varieties of oregano, parsley, basil, dill, two types of tomatoes--red and yellow--cucumbers, and lettuce), a bag of soil, and a starting tray with a cover. I was very excited. Right when I came home from the Nursery I started my garden. It was going to be a snitch, right?
Well, turns out gardening takes some work... and some knowledge. I had already bought a book called "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" by Ed Smith--once you take a look at his picture (just click on his name), you'll see why I trusted him so much! Turns out, while his book was informative, it was intended more for gardeners with a lot of land, some previous knowledge and experience, and a lot of time on their hands. It wasn't quite as helpful for me, but it gave me a sense of which vegetables and herbs might at least grow well here. Sara was also nice enough to lend me her book "The Big Book of Vegetable Gardening" which had a lot more helpful, more realistic advice for me. Most important, it had a section all about container vegetable gardening. I had never thought about growing vegetables in containers, but it made perfect sense to me. It allows an inexperienced gardener to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs (and obviously, flowers) in a limited amount of space. It also allows for easy transport and a unique kind of decoration. The "Big Book" had a few really helpful charts in it. One outlined the best varieties of vegetables to grow in containers with their growing/planting season and light and space requirements. While it makes sense that a corn plant might not be the most successful container vegetable, how many of us really know that Swiss chard would grow well? This chart helped me a lot. Another helpful chart if you are looking to grow a year-round container or regular garden is one that details (for a moderate climate) which vegetables to grow in which months.
Back to the actual planting. I started my seeds off in my starter tray in my garage (it was far too cold for anything to be outside--most gardeners start their seeds after "the last fall," basically right around Mother's Day but it seeds can be started indoors much earlier). I carefully followed the instructions on the back of each seed packet (they were easier to understand and abide by than the ones in books and on the web) and set up an architect's light to provide a constant, and pretty strong source of light. I diligently watered them. OK, I watered them regularly for a few days, and they actually grew! I almost felt like I was in the Little Shop of Horrors (shout-out to SHS Senior Class Play!) each morning when I went to inspect them and they were growing. Once I went away for Spring Break and my mom decided she wouldn't water my vegetables for me, things started to fall apart. I totally forgot they existed except for the few times I had to go down into the garage to grab some extra paper towels or something. Turns out, plants actually need water. And it helps if you don't leave a light bulb shining on them for days at a time. Who'd a thunk it? So, my plants pretty much died--except for my tomato plants! They remained strong and lived through the drought, I'm really not sure how. I think they're a little stunted, but they're my favorites as of now (maybe because they are the only green things in any container).
So for now, I have a variety of containers and vegetables that I am trying out to see which work best. I decided to test traditional terra cotta pots against other materials including plastic bins and old plastic soda bottles, even a half of a paper milk carton (I thought it might be convenient to have a small container of herbs that can stay on the windowsill of my kitchen). I wasn't sure of how much soil to put in each, and I'm not totally certain that all of the containers are of the right size but I feel the most important thing is just to give it a go (obviously with some plan and insight into the process) and adapt it to your own situation. I wanted to purchase as little as I needed to in order to be greener (using materials I already have instead of buying new ones reduces consumption and waste of materials) and more economical (I'm obviously saving money by not buying new containers for each plant). Look around your house and yard and you'll be surprised at how much is really at your disposal for a container garden.
Another note, I decided to start from seeds because I thought it would be the most fun, most economical, and most challenging. I may need to shift my plan if after two weeks (the germination period for most of my veggies) I don't see much progress.
In early April I decided I wanted to get a jump on my project and start some seedlings in my garage so that they would be all ready for the May start date of my project. My neighbor Sara told me that the now all-organic Sprain Brook Nursery was the best place to get everything I would need. She was right. I picked up seed packets (I decided on some hybrid Burpee's varieties of oregano, parsley, basil, dill, two types of tomatoes--red and yellow--cucumbers, and lettuce), a bag of soil, and a starting tray with a cover. I was very excited. Right when I came home from the Nursery I started my garden. It was going to be a snitch, right?
Well, turns out gardening takes some work... and some knowledge. I had already bought a book called "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" by Ed Smith--once you take a look at his picture (just click on his name), you'll see why I trusted him so much! Turns out, while his book was informative, it was intended more for gardeners with a lot of land, some previous knowledge and experience, and a lot of time on their hands. It wasn't quite as helpful for me, but it gave me a sense of which vegetables and herbs might at least grow well here. Sara was also nice enough to lend me her book "The Big Book of Vegetable Gardening" which had a lot more helpful, more realistic advice for me. Most important, it had a section all about container vegetable gardening. I had never thought about growing vegetables in containers, but it made perfect sense to me. It allows an inexperienced gardener to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs (and obviously, flowers) in a limited amount of space. It also allows for easy transport and a unique kind of decoration. The "Big Book" had a few really helpful charts in it. One outlined the best varieties of vegetables to grow in containers with their growing/planting season and light and space requirements. While it makes sense that a corn plant might not be the most successful container vegetable, how many of us really know that Swiss chard would grow well? This chart helped me a lot. Another helpful chart if you are looking to grow a year-round container or regular garden is one that details (for a moderate climate) which vegetables to grow in which months.
Back to the actual planting. I started my seeds off in my starter tray in my garage (it was far too cold for anything to be outside--most gardeners start their seeds after "the last fall," basically right around Mother's Day but it seeds can be started indoors much earlier). I carefully followed the instructions on the back of each seed packet (they were easier to understand and abide by than the ones in books and on the web) and set up an architect's light to provide a constant, and pretty strong source of light. I diligently watered them. OK, I watered them regularly for a few days, and they actually grew! I almost felt like I was in the Little Shop of Horrors (shout-out to SHS Senior Class Play!) each morning when I went to inspect them and they were growing. Once I went away for Spring Break and my mom decided she wouldn't water my vegetables for me, things started to fall apart. I totally forgot they existed except for the few times I had to go down into the garage to grab some extra paper towels or something. Turns out, plants actually need water. And it helps if you don't leave a light bulb shining on them for days at a time. Who'd a thunk it? So, my plants pretty much died--except for my tomato plants! They remained strong and lived through the drought, I'm really not sure how. I think they're a little stunted, but they're my favorites as of now (maybe because they are the only green things in any container).
So for now, I have a variety of containers and vegetables that I am trying out to see which work best. I decided to test traditional terra cotta pots against other materials including plastic bins and old plastic soda bottles, even a half of a paper milk carton (I thought it might be convenient to have a small container of herbs that can stay on the windowsill of my kitchen). I wasn't sure of how much soil to put in each, and I'm not totally certain that all of the containers are of the right size but I feel the most important thing is just to give it a go (obviously with some plan and insight into the process) and adapt it to your own situation. I wanted to purchase as little as I needed to in order to be greener (using materials I already have instead of buying new ones reduces consumption and waste of materials) and more economical (I'm obviously saving money by not buying new containers for each plant). Look around your house and yard and you'll be surprised at how much is really at your disposal for a container garden.
Another note, I decided to start from seeds because I thought it would be the most fun, most economical, and most challenging. I may need to shift my plan if after two weeks (the germination period for most of my veggies) I don't see much progress.
Wednesday, May 6
Day 1
So, this is it. The moment I've been waiting for for weeks...no, more like months. I can distinctly remember a time last year, when life seemed only to include standardized tests, listening to seniors talk about their Senior Options projects. They seemed to glow with relaxation and wisdom as they talked about life outside of school. It was a life I wanted to enjoy, and now I am!
I thought it might be helpful to first give some background on my project so that readers have a sense of what I will actually be doing. I have always been really interested in cooking, gardening, writing, and environmental issues but I haven't had much time during school to actually explore these interests in much depth. So when it came time to pick a Senior Options project, I thought what better way to combine all of these interests in my own independent study. It seems that "going green" and being a locavore (here's a video to pique your interest but much more on this later...) is becoming utterly en vogue even though it seems to be utterly unglamorous. I mean, really. Getting your hands dirty? Rotating compost--aka rotting food? Snipping your own herbs? But that grounded mentality (pun intended) is exactly what people are looking for right now. A reasonably priced, environmentally friendly, and delicious approach to food and eating. Heck, even the president and first lady of the United States have a home vegetable/herb garden! As I always say, if it's good enough for the Obamas, it's good enough for me.
My job over the next month and a half will be to provide you resources and tools to try to incorporate these values into your life with relative ease. Soon I will be visiting Westchester County farms and providing you with economic, environmental, and culinary tips based on those visits. I will also post pictures of the farms, related articles and videos, and try as often as I can to post interviews with the farmers who bring the food to our plates. I will also be trying my own experiment of growing my own food--at least some of it--for me and family to enjoy.
Speaking of breaking ground, I've got to go get my planting on!
I thought it might be helpful to first give some background on my project so that readers have a sense of what I will actually be doing. I have always been really interested in cooking, gardening, writing, and environmental issues but I haven't had much time during school to actually explore these interests in much depth. So when it came time to pick a Senior Options project, I thought what better way to combine all of these interests in my own independent study. It seems that "going green" and being a locavore (here's a video to pique your interest but much more on this later...) is becoming utterly en vogue even though it seems to be utterly unglamorous. I mean, really. Getting your hands dirty? Rotating compost--aka rotting food? Snipping your own herbs? But that grounded mentality (pun intended) is exactly what people are looking for right now. A reasonably priced, environmentally friendly, and delicious approach to food and eating. Heck, even the president and first lady of the United States have a home vegetable/herb garden! As I always say, if it's good enough for the Obamas, it's good enough for me.
My job over the next month and a half will be to provide you resources and tools to try to incorporate these values into your life with relative ease. Soon I will be visiting Westchester County farms and providing you with economic, environmental, and culinary tips based on those visits. I will also post pictures of the farms, related articles and videos, and try as often as I can to post interviews with the farmers who bring the food to our plates. I will also be trying my own experiment of growing my own food--at least some of it--for me and family to enjoy.
Speaking of breaking ground, I've got to go get my planting on!
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