Spring on the Farm at Oran Mor

Good morning! We just finished up all the morning chores… chickens, ducks, and geese are out. Guinea keets have been tended, fed their organic starter grains and probiotic supplements. They are so cute, those little tiny baby guineas. The guinea eggs we are incubating have been turned and my favorite chore – the goats have been milked! Pearl is making breakfast of fresh turnips and eggs for community breakfast and I thought it would be nice to share some photos of the garden.

Motherwort in bloom, will soon be harvested for tincture.

Squash, Tomatoes, Peppers, Okra, Sweet Potatoes, & Cukes ready for the ground.

The rock bench below our Bradford Terrace gardens where we are growing greens, potatoes, bergamot, and elderberries.

Dale Gardens – growing tomatoes, basil, onions, kale, cilantro, and other greens.

Arugula flowers in another green bed.

A greens bed growing lettuces, mustard, and arugula.

Our many, many elderberry bushes are blooming!

We have been using our cob oven a lot this Spring, delicious pizzas!

There you have it.. hope you enjoyed a small taste of what’s going on here at the farm. I will update soon with some photos of our animals and more of the gardens once things get a little bigger. We have lots of corn, squash, and cukes in the ground and so much more to be done! Fun on the farm never ends.

What are you growing this year?

Gardens Growing Everywhere!

It’s officially summertime and there are gardens growing everywhere! It’s beautiful to see them popping up at motels, churches, apartment complexes, rec centers, schools, front yards, backyards, all over town… The reasons to garden far outnumber the reasons NOT to, and I’m here to tell you that ANYONE can do it!

I live in an apartment complex with my parents and my husband in Branson, Missouri currently. It’s a little tourist town, famous for it’s country music shows. We started growing here about 3 years ago in just one little patch in the landscaping. All we did was ask the management if we could grow a few things because I love to garden and beautify the landscape. They said as long as we maintain it and keep it clean, they would love it! Never be afraid to ask…

Three years later we now have one large bed and 3 small ones, our patio is covered in 5 gallons buckets with plants, and we have planted flowers all around the building.

It’s incredible how much we can grow in our small space! We have squash, a melon, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, carrots, lettuce, radishes, herbs, flowers, cauliflower, broccoli… the list goes on. If you have never gardened before, start small and grow with it. Don’t be scared to get some dirt under your nails!

My friend Christie, a local radio show host at www.souljourneysradio.com, came over and made a video of our apartment garden. Hopefully it will inspire you.

This article was originally posted on ecoetsy.com

What’s Growing in the Apartment Garden, #2

Things are growing beautifully here at home! We have lots planted and still space for more. There is a new weed coming up a lot that I have never seen before with a big, annoying taproot… I’m not a fan. Besides that, things are perfect and lovely!

The snap peas are growing fast. Today I’m going to tie some twine up the patio railing there so our little babies can climb up easily. They are so cute and will look beautiful once they start flowering!

This is a brand new strawberry patch that we just planted. We probably won’t get much fruit this year, but it’s growing well! Arugula in the bottom right and radishes growing behind the strawberries.

Radishes and carrots are growing slowly but surely in the wacky temperatures we’ve been having. Over on the right, take a look at that awesome Red Clover!! Almost time to harvest some flowers from her.

Sweet little poppy flowers are coming up in the lettuce patch! They will look gorgeous in a few weeks. Last year I had one poppy flower, let the seeds fall and overwinter, and now we have so many coming up! Poppy seeds like to overwinter.

I’m just starting to get things growing in our patio pots again. I planted cilantro, marigolds, and in a 5 gallon bucket I put a tomato, carrots, and calendula! It’s amazing to see what plants can grow harmoniously together in a small space and benefit eachother!

What do you have growing in your garden so far?

Blogging for GMO Awareness !!

From new friendships come amazing new opportunities and adventures! Every situation can shine a light on something new and direct us in a different, exciting direction.

I recently met a very inspirational friend online, a writer by the name of Michael Kinnaird. He found my blog and we really hit it off from the start. He shares my deep passion for living a harmonious life with our Mama Earth, growing our own food, respecting our resources, and motivating people to walk a natural path in their life. He is the author of Habit Guide, a guide to being happy and healthy…. and little did I know at the time, he is one of the masterminds behind GMO Awareness.

You may have heard of GMO Awareness on Facebook where they have over 11,000 likes.I was following their FB page long before I knew who Michael Kinnaird was! Moving onto the point of my story and what I’m so excited about… Michael has asked me to write for GMO Awareness! I was so thrilled I wrote my first article right away and it is full of awesome information! Check it out and give it some love.

How to Keep Monsanto Out of Your Garden

How to Keep Monsanto Out of Your Home Garden

Writing is something that has always come naturally to me, and writing about my passions and beliefs is what I love more than anything. To write for this amazing effort of enlightening people to the truths of GMO is a task that I’m thrilled to commit time to! I feel like this is the beginning of something wonderful for me… not sure exactly what is yet, but I believe it involves writing and sharing knowledge and power with others. I’ll keep you posted as I go along on my journey. 🙂

PS. It’s snowing outside my window in the beginning of May in Missouri. Is this an Ice Age?

What’s Growing in the Apartment Garden

Spring is here in full swing and the garden is full of bounty and beauty! I’m so thrilled that I took the time to go out in the cold of fall and winter and throw seeds around here and there, because so many of the babies I planted are coming up now! Many varieties of annual plants can overwinter their seeds in the midwest and then they are the first to come up in the Spring. I threw around lettuce, arugula, marigolds, and morning glory among other things…

lettuce patch next to our patio

lettuce patch #2

lettuce patch #3

We thinned one lettuce patch and all of our little heads of lettuce made it. They did lose some outer leaves, but they are going strong! Notice the weeds growing all over our garden… I like to leave the weeds until I decide to thin or plant something in it’s place because they are there for a reason. Weeds grow to put nutrients into the soil and having something covering the ground is a really good thing. Whenever I pull the weeds, I either lay them down on the ground or turn them under to decompose.

baby cilantro

dry birdhouse gourds

I grew these last year and now it’s time to drill holes so the birds can use them. Then I’ll preserve them with clay, decoupage, or paint… haven’t decided yet.

beautiful soapwort

radishes

Our radishes are growing so fast this year!! Last year it took forever because the soil at our apartment complex was mainly compact clay and rock. We practice no till methods so we just put some manure, straw, and compost on top of the soil. The simple act of building the earth a couple inches and growing things in it (including weeds) has made a fluffy, delightful soil in just a couple years!

Our new neighbor planted zinnias!

kale going to seed

We planted these dwarf kale in late Spring and reaped the bounty of them throughout the Fall and WInter. Now they are going to seed and the little flowering tops taste just like broccoli!!

Although our apartment management is incredibly pretentious and closed minded about many things, I am forever grateful to have the opportunity to grow a beautiful garden here! I truly believe that almost any apartment management would be willing to allow tenants to BEAUTIFY the garden spaces. Without the flowers and plants, this place would be so dull! I recommend that anyone interested in gardening and living in an apartment should ask the management if they can beautify their home. The worst that can happen is a no. Go for it!

Springtime Crafts – Get Outdoors!

The sun has been shining warm and bright for days now here in Missouri. Almost every night we get a beautiful Spring shower and the afternoon clears up to a beautiful day! Birds are chirping, squirrels are coming out of their homes, and I spend time outside every chance I get!

Today I’ve compiled a list of fantastic springtime crafts that you can make outdoors, display outdoors, and ones that are just plain Springy! Hope you enjoy…

How to Make Fabric Tassels – These tassels are so cute and can be made out of any scrap fabric you have laying around, so they’re eco-friendly too! Once you’ve put it together, you can drape them from your balcony, front porch, tree house, or fence!

Ideas to Dress Up Flower Pots – I love having all sorts of vintage and crafts flower pots on our patio outside. They’re fun to decorate, fun to plant in, and it looks absolutely adorable to have a patio full of potted plants! Check out these adorable ideas to get some inspiration.

How to Build an Herb Spiral – These are a fantastic way to make the most of a small space, because they are built vertically in a spiral shape. They are beautiful and can be built in such a way that they require very little watering.

buy gourd birdhouses on etsy

Making a Gourd Birdhouse – I grew some gourds last year for the soul purpose of turning them into birdhouses! I haven’t done it yet, but I will let my readers know when I’ve done it! Here is some really useful information about the size of gourd and hole size for specific birds – Gourd Nesting Requirements

Are you planning to do any fun outdoor projects now that it’s Spring? I hope these ideas inspire you and please share with us some of your Spring ideas and activities!

This post was originally written for EcoEtsy here.

Rejoicing in the Springtime

Spring is here and the beautiful, perfect days just keep coming!!! We keep having these amazing mornings that start off with a light rain and then all afternoon we are blessed with a warm sunny day, and sometimes we get another rain or thunderstorm at night. Thank you mama nature!

We have lettuce popping up all over the garden, thanks to my throwing old seeds all over the place just for fun. The other day I went out and thinned them and was actually able to save every single one and they are growing so happily!

valerian – a wonderful herb

Valerian is a unique herb whose roots are used as a natural sedative and body / mind relaxer. The aroma and flavor are fantastic! I will let this grow all spring summer and harvest some of the root in the fall.

delicious cabbage!

Today I made a little ladybug friend. She was climbing up the radish sprout and it was oh so cute!!

I’m so excited to be gardening again and I know this year is going to be GREAT! I learned a lot from last year and will be able to plant even more in our small apartment garden this year. Yay!! We’ll be incorporating more vertical gardens later on this spring, so stay tuned!

What have you started growing so far?

Ten Reasons to Grow a Garden

Growing a garden is an absolutely beautiful experience that gives me absolutely enjoyment and I can’t imagine my life without it! So today I’m going to share Ten Reasons to Grow a Garden to hopefully inspire those who are on the fence about it…

Save money on food

You can certainly spend a whole lot of money on your garden, but I tend to find almost everything I need for free or very inexpensively. Here at our apartment garden we practice no-till gardening so we use lots of nice amendments to build up our soil. Manure, straw, and compost cost next to nothing. All of our plants are started from seed sourced from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. A packet of seeds goes a long way and most will last for a few years! I also love to have local seed exchanges to get new, different seeds and make new friends.

Connect with your food

The only true way to understand and deeply connect with your food is to grow it yourself! You will gain a deep awareness of the soil, the water, the plants, bugs, animals and all the other life that is flourishing in your garden.

REAL organic food

Many of the codes and regulations of organic food in the United States are totally hypocritical of what we think to be organic… With all their rules and wordy documents, how do we really know what is truly pure? The only way to know your food meets your standards is to grow it yourself, or go to the farm that you are buying your food from!

Daily Dose of Vitamin D

Gardening will take you outside in the warm sunshine! Absorb the rays of the beautiful, life-giving sun and let it fill you up with luscious vitamins! The sun can also ease your stress and lighten up your spirit.

Calm your Mind, Body, and Soul

Our lives can be very hectic these days. Computers, checkout lines, driving cars, and meetings can make my head spin 20 ways at once! When I go outside in the garden, it takes me back to simplicity where life moves slowly and naturally. It brings peace to the mind, body, and soul like a deep meditation.

Garden Parties

Have a garden work-day and invite some friends over to share the work and play of gardening! It is so much fun to share the work load with friends and time will fly by! Brew some sun tea for everyone with some of the herbs from your garden and have fun!

Feed the Neighbors

There is no gift I love more than homegrown food, and my neighbors feel the same way! When I knock on my next door neighbor’s door with a big patty-pan squash and a bag of tomatoes, her face lights up and it totally makes her day! Sharing fresh, homegrown food is absolutely rewarding. You can include a little recipe card with your harvested bounty for bonus points!

Local and Sustainable

Eating local food is one of the most sustainable practices each of us can commit to. When we eat local, we eliminate LOTS of harmful fossil fuel emissions from gunking up our atmosphere. Eating food from your own yard is as local as you can get!

Dirt Makes You Happy

Scientists have actually found a strain of bacteria in the soil called Mycobacterium vaccae that triggers the release of seratonin in the brain! So there is literally a little element of the soil that elevates your mood and decreases anxiety! Very cool.

Be the Change

Talking, planning, and protesting may help spread the message, but to truly transform this world we are living in, we just have to DO IT. Take the leap and make a difference in your world by growing your own food.

Linked up at Inspire Me Monday,  Party Wave Wednesday, Tasty Traditions, Small Footprint Friday, Fight Back Friday, Saturday Round Up, Simply Natural Saturdays, Eat Make Grow

How to Build a Compost Pile

Carlos, my soul partner best friend ever, and myself – We built a super simple, inexpensive, and very effective compost pile today! Cost – $18 and we still have 45 feet of chicken wire left! oh & a bit of manual labor!

How to BUILD a COMPOST PILE

< Supplies >

• chicken wire (We bought a 50 foot roll for $8
• 2 metal posts (Same aisle as the chicken wire fencing at Lowe’s)
• hammer
• wire clippers

Find a nice tucked away place to put your compost pile, but easy access from your kitchen! Hammer the metal posts / stakes into the ground a foot or 2, make sure it isn’t too wobbly.

Then take your chicken wire and make a nice circle shape around the stakes. You can attach the chicken wire to itself by wrapping little pieces of wire. (Oh I just realized how much simpler I could explain this with a video! )

A word about compost. SIMPLICITY . Everything will naturally decompose over time, no matter what it is. Produce, grass, hay, manure, leaves, these things break down so easily! It’s good to have a nice balance of “green stuff” like living things with color (food scraps, fresh cut grass) & “brown stuff” like … things that are brown (hay, leaves). Manure, althought brown, is considered a “green” because it’s more alive… LOTS of bacteria activity, microscopic life. Let’s put it this way.

The more microbes, the more alive it is!

Believe!!!

 

Linked up at: Eat Make Grow