stress or starvation

The lack of rain has been a serious issue in Texas for several months. I have been forced to change the way that I do things in the garden as a result of it. I am not a big fan of watering but in order to make a harvest out of the investments that i have made in out land in Kurten I have been watering 2 x a week. . Its not easy to water 3/4 of an acre . I have had to build irrigation using 1/2 inch pvc pipe sections about 20 feet long with 4 sprinkler heads and a hose connection . I have built a total of 10 of these so far . and I move them around the garden. I have also started using the system used by the A&M system digging trenches between my rows and running water down the trenches in order to water the roots of the plants. It takes a long time to dig a trench 100 feet long 5 x in one afternoon.

The stress of ]all this work is exhausting but my efforts are paying off and the plants are growning. But of course not like they could be if

if it would just rain.

This drought has really made me think about how reliant we all have become on the modern water sources we have available . Im not sure what i would have done 100 years ago if i was trying to grow food for my family with a shallow well or if I was really lucky a tank to get water from. I guess we would have been really hungry. I would really like it if any of you old timers out there could tell me how your parents or grandparents would get through times of drought like we are having now.

Have a great week. I think it is going to rain on SAturday.... . Vicki

A New year

It has been a long time since I have been on the blog . I could give a million excuses but I will just blame it on the holidays...... Although I have been neglecting the blog I have not been neglecting the garden. In between working as a nurse and dealing with the holidays I have been spending the majority of my free time preparing the garden for the spring . Since October we have put 8 tons of compost into the garden soil in Kurten and redesigned the watering system. Changing the watering system became a necessity as we have had so very little rain in the last few months.

I am happy to say that the hard work is paying off and thanks to the rain we had last week we are right on target for pickup to start in late January or early February.
So what do we have to look forward to.... Early on we will have spinich, lettuce , kale, collards, broccoli , cauliflower ,beets, swiss chard, and herbs. In march we should have green onions and if all goes well with my covered rows ,green beans and all kinds of crazy asian greens that can be used for salad or stir frys.

That leads me to the next topic ... why greens in the winter... We need more nutrients in the winter to boost our immune system when we are not getting as much excercise and sunshine like in the warmer months Unlike summer vegtables which have alot of water (which we need more of in the heat)and lower amts of nutrients per ounce, winter vegetables like greens, broccoli and cabbage ,spinich and swiss chard have a high density of nutrition and have the least calorie content. Leafy green vegetables are:• low in calories• low in fat • high in protein per calorie • high in dietary fiber • high in iron and calcium • and contain high amount of phytochemicals particularly beta-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene• Contain carotenoids, flavonoids and other powerful antioxidants that have cancer protective vitamin A, vitamin C, lutein and folic acid• Good source of enzymes besides all that they have all these wonderful properties
Low in Calories: Green veggies make great food when you’re on a diet. Green beans, cabbage, leafy greens are low starch and low in calories and can help fill your stomach with nutrition, but not calories.
High Protein: Vegetables like broccoli and romaine lettuce have high protein content. It is interesting to note that plant protein is superior to protein that you get from meat sources because it is much easier to digest. A half cup of broccoli contains 3 grams of protein. Certain blue-green algae like spirulina and chlorella contain a protein content which is higher than any meat, soy and wheat. Spirulina consists of 65-70% protein and does not contain any fat.

Phytochemicals: Green vegetables are rich in phytochemicals, particularly romaine lettuce – and darker green leafy vegetables like spinach, zucchini, brussels sprouts, garden peas, Swiss chard, kale, collard greens, mustard greens and turnip greens. These green vegetables contain the powerful antioxidants beta-carotene, lutein and zeaxanthin. Dark, leafy green vegetable a day may keep the ophthalmologist away! Zeaxanthin and lutein are two carotenoids that are found within the retina of the eye. A six-year research study at the National Eye Institute, Maryland found that lutein and zeaxanthin may nutritionally help to protect against blindness (macular degeneration). It was found that lutein and zeaxanthin can help to reduce the risk of AMD.1 Macular degeneration affects 1.2 million Americans.
High Fiber: A diet high in fiber content helps prevent constipation, and also aids in lowering cholesterol and weight loss management. Green vegetables are rich in fiber content particularly broccoli, spinach, swiss chard, mustard greens, green peas, kale and other dark green leafy vegetables
High in Calcium: Calcium is important for strong bones and teeth. Calcium in the blood helps regulating the functions of muscles and nerves. It is important for clotting of blood. The outer leaves of cabbage, broccoli leaves, turnip greens, mustard greens, collards, and kale are especially rich in calcium.
High in Iron: Iron is found in hemoglobin, the red pigment in blood, which is essential for transporting oxygen in the blood to all parts of the body. Iron is also required for many metabolic reactions. Iron is needed in cellular reproduction, which is an ongoing process in the body. The extra iron is stored in the liver, bone marrow, and the spleen. From here it is converted into hemoglobin as and when the body requires it. Green vegetables are especially rich in iron, especially avocado, asparagus, and broccoli.
Potassium and Magnesium: The American diet is said to be low in potassium and magnesium. These minerals are present in high amounts in dark green vegetables. Potassium and magnesium can be linked to healthy levels of blood pressure and blood sugar.
Folate: Folate is a B vitamin. Folate promotes heart health and is said to help prevent certain birth defects. Folate is necessary for DNA duplication and repair.
Vitamin K: Just one of cup cooked deep green vegetables supplies nine times the minimum recommended intake of Vitamin K. Vitamin K is essential for the clotting of blood.Normalizes pH level: Too acidic a pH level is caused by a diet high in sugar, starch and fats. Green vegetables can nutritionally help your body normalize its pH level.
Enzymes: Enzymes support a healthy digestive system. When eaten raw, green vegetables are a good source of enzymes. Enzymes help to break down food, into smaller substances so that the nutrients can be absorbed by the body. Enzymes also help to eliminate parts of foods that are not useful to our bodies. Remember, generally the greener the food the higher in nutritive content.

So here is my recipe of the week.... Simple and Easy. Greens and Garlic..... 8 cups of chopped greens, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tablspoon of minced garlic and a dash of cayenne pepper. Heat oil in a wok , cast iron fry pan or a non stick skillet over med high until it starts to bubble add the garlic and cayenne , cook for 30 seconds , then add greens stirring for 4 minutes or until bright green and just starting to get tender add salt give a quick stir shut off heat and cover. Serve within 5 minutes with your favorite pan seared pork, steak or chicken and a baked/ or microwaved sweet potatoe for a complete nutrient packed , satisfying ,high fiber, immune system boosting meal.
Have a great week ....

Apples, Cranberies and Lobster

What a strange title... I am thinking about those things because I just got back from a trip to New England. My husband and his parents and I went to see the foliage . Charles parents have never seen the leaves in color so as a way to celebrate thier 50th wedding anniversary we took them on a guided tour of New England. Charles's dad is a farmer and plant breeder so he was very interested in seeing farms. His only other request was to eat seafood everyday.

I grew up in New England and have many friends in the fishing business. One of first stops was to a small fishing villiage called Pemiquid. Its harbor is full of lobster boats . It was a beautiful calm day but the boats were not out. I asked my friend Ricky who is a part time lobster man and he said that the problems in the economy had trickled down to the lobsermen. People were not eating lobster becuause it is a luxery item and the price had dropped down so low to $2.00/lb that the fisherman could barley afford to take thier boats out. The fish buyers will still marking them up and making a profit. There are no subsidies for lobstermen. I enjoyed the cheap lobster and ate as much as I could. If anyone out there wants a contact for some cheap lobster let me know

Next we went to an apple orchard for fresh apples and cider. My father in law( who is a farmer and a plant breeder) was so excited to see a real cider press and orchard . He had never had fresh apple cider before and it was so cool to see his face when he tried it. The local small orchards have had to change the way they press cider because of all the food contamination scares. Instead of using a wood press they use stainless steel now . Many old presses have gone out of business. Luckily this orchard could afford the equiptment . The cider was great. This cider has a disclosure on it stating it has not been pasturized and it may be unsafe for people to eat raw food. Thank you government for the warning but Ill take the risk Some things are just better not heat treated.

The last day of our trip we went to a small cranberry bog . We were lucky and the owner was there and gave us a tour. We got fresh cranberries and all the csa members will get a 1/2 pound bag this week. Massachusetts used to be first in cranberry production until about 1995 ( mostly small family farms)but when everyone realized how nutritious cranberries were large company owned farms were started in Wisconson and the price dropped from $1.50 a pound wholesale to 60 cents. Many of the small picturesque bogs have been sold for realestate because the families could no longer afford them. It felt good to be able to buy my cranberries direct from a family grower. The cranberries I bought were spray free . The farmer said that becuase she did not spray her cranberries were not as perfect as the ones raised on commercial farms and so she was only able to sell them for juice price. I am glad to know I have spray free cranberries and the look and tast great.

Im sure by now you are getting my point. It is important for everyone to support small local agriculture . Without our support All the things I love to eat that made my trip to New England wonderful could be a thing of the past . I appreciate your support for my farm and I hope you are enjoying the taste of real food.

Speaking of real food. We had a frost at our farm in Edge. The summer squash took a hit and so did the peppers. Luckily I still have some peppers and squash growing in town in Bryan. What was strange about the frost was that My in laws garden which is 5 miles up the road from mine in Edge had no frost at all. So I guess those tomatoes will keep coming for the next couple of weeks. Next week the long awaited Broccoli should be ready . I am so excited. See you at pickup....

Cows and Volunteers

Farming always has its surprises some good and others not so good. In early July I had a beautiful stand of small watermelons in the garden I was very excited about them because there was not much else besides purple hulled peas and okras left to harvest. Well one day as I was sitting in the living room relaxing my husband comes in and says... its a good thing you are relaxed... you won't be for long.... the cows got in the garden.

Well as you could expect 22 cows can eat some plants. I learned that they love little watermelons and overripe cucumbers. They do not like purple hulled peas very much and they don't even touch the eggplants.

So here is the surprise.... they must have stepped on quite a few of the small watermelons becuase in August after we got that rain and I had spread compost all over the garden watermelon plants just started popping up everywhere in the section they were before. Well I let about 25 of them grow and surprise this week after the rain we have little watermelons . They should be ready for the first scheduled pickup next week!!! What a treat. One was ready to pick today so it cut it open while i was working in the field and it was amazing.

Of course now we have what I hope is cow proof fence.

Speaking of cows we have have grass fed beef cows available for sale. We will deliver to the butcher of your choice and you must pay for the butchering separately. Please contact us if you are interested and we will give you the price details.

Here in Bryan and CS we were spared with the hurricaine . The rain was a blessing for us and my gardens look great. However there are lots of people in shelters in B/CS who did not fare so well. . Please consider volunteering at your local shelter. The experience will be as sweet for you and the people you help as one of my volunteer watermelons. NOw that I don't need to be watering everyday I will be giving up one of my days in the garden to help out with the health care needs of the evacuees. They need help badly. Hope you can help too.

Early to Bed

When I was growing up my favorite books were the little house on the Prairie Books. My favorite being Farmer Boy. I learned alot about what it took to be a farmer and some good farming tips. I was fascinated by the way that the whole family worked together and the bounty that they were able to provide for thier family and the people in thier community. They also had alot of fun. That life was foriegn to me because I grew up in middle class suburbia and we did not have a garden except once. My mom grew radishes. I did have neighbors though and i was always asking to see what they were growing. One thing that has stuck with me is that farmers go to bed early and get up early. I have always been an early riser and I used to be in bed by 9pm. Over the past few years I have gotten out of the habit of going to be early mostly because my kids are older and they stay up later .Lately though I have been really tired. School started this week so I decided that we all should go to bed earlier. Well guess what. After 4 days of going to bed before 10p instead of 11 or 12 I woke up yesterday morning feeling great. Whats more I am waking up earlier and having alot more time to plan my day and have time to myself.
This is good for the blog as well because here i am before 7 am.

I am headed out to the garden to hoe and plant. Things are looking really good . I am really excited about the spinich and lettuce . Looks like we should have some in the first basket. The corn ear worms did some damage to the corn but we are not giving up and will be replanting this weekend. Peppers and eggplants are going strong and we will have lots of those.

Have a great holiday

Summer Vacation

I am back....... My husband Charles and I had an amazing vacation to the east coast ( Maine, Massachusetts and Connecticut.) This vacation was the first time that my husband took more than 3 days off of work in years so when we left I was worried that he would not be able to relax but he did . It was hard not to with the beautiful places that we went to visit. I used to live in Maine , Connecticut and Massachusetts and consider New England one of the most beautiful places in the country. Even though Charles has travel on every Continent he had never been to these states. So we started with the coast of Massachusetts .We stayed in little town called Marshfield at my parents ( a block from the beach). Morning walks on the beach, lunch at a seaside restaurant outside overlooking the ocean and lobster dinner at my parents house(complete with newspaper on the table and yummy clam chowder) .

Next Charles and I went for a drive up to Maine up the coast and then onto Millonocket Maine. We stayed at Baxter State park in a little cabin where we hiked the appalachan trail, fly fished, canoed , swam in crystal clear water and cooked over a campfire. Baxter state Park is one of the most Pristine places in US .

It was so great to share this place with Charles who loves the outdoors as much as I do. I would reccomend that everyone who is able goes and visits this place.

We went to Connecticut after Maine where I surprised Charles by taking him to a old playhouse in Ridgefield to see our favorite singer , John Hiatt. Great concert.

We ended our vacation back in Massachusetts for a few more days at the beach , touring around Boston and even visited a farmers market where niece (who has the family green thumb) sells vegtables for a farm she works at .

This farmers market was in Cohassett Massachusetts. It was about the size of Bryans farmers market but on a beautiful grassy common surrounded by 300 year old homes.

Vacation is always a wonderful thing ,but it always comes with a price. I"m not talking about the monetary one. I am talking about the double time ,that no matter how well planned your vacation is , you spend catching up on everything that you forgot about for 12 days. In the case of gardening it is weeds. I will say that I was thankful for rain and everything I planted before I left,got off to a great start.

Well thanks to a tractor, a tiller and some hard work all the weeds are under control . I am happy to be home with my hands in the soil.......

Hard Work , Old timers , and Ice water

I havent had a post on the blog for a while . Ive been working. ...Watering, Harvesting, building fence and irrigation, running after cows , picking okra( a daily job) , weeding , planning, watching , learning and praying.

We have all worked hard these last few weeks, the soil is ready and we have started planting for the late summer and early fall harvest. We are just finishing up the new irrigation system and will be able to water to get those seeds up and started.

I have to say that I am very thankful for all the hard work of my husband Charles, his Dad and my 3 sons Micah, William and Tj . They have all put in some hard work in the sun to help me get the garden ready for the fall.
We have nothing left to do but rest, wait for rain and water if it doesnt for the next couple of weeks.



I've learned that 50% chance of rain means 50% of Brazos County might get rain ,that cows can turn on a faucet to get a drink , okra grows in 5 minutes, why they call them Zipper cream peas, that its not the curly cue that tells if the watermelon is ripe , its the thump and the yellow spot, that cantelopes fall off the vine when they are ripe , and that the best dinner in world is a few handfuls of purple hulled peas , a fresh tomato and a melon for dessert while I am watering the garden and watching the sun go down.

Last week I was wishing we would get a little of the rain from the hurricaine I watched it rain on one side of the road and not the other and felt frustrated. Then I looked up in the sky at a double rainbow and remembered to pray and thank God for blessing me .

I am off for a week of vacation to rest up for fall farming... Hiking the Appalachian Trail in Maine and hopefully a visit to a potato farm and Johnnys Seed company. Oh yeah fly fishing and eating lobster too. Have a great week.