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Keeping in Touch:  Danger of Extinction  |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
 Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 06:37:54 AM
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Good morning, mavens! What a wonderful way to start the day - reading through all of the posts from the last two days. Whoever said we were prolific, yep, that's us. Won't even try to respond to any of them right now as just reading through them has eaten up my morning computer time.
Okay, there is one I'll respond to. Amy Grace, I'm the one that was wondering about the Country Wisdom book. Get ready for a good laugh. I have it already!!! I don't know what I thought the name of it was but somehow in my mind I had a picture of a regular-sized book that was really, really thick. Out of the blue yesterday I thought "I wonder if that's the big book we have." Just checked and yup, that's it. It is a wonderful book. I've just let it slide since getting the Carla Emery one. Got it back out the other night (how's that for a flashback to 'if it'd been a snack it woulda bit me?') and hubby was looking through it. We were even talking about how those two books pretty much make a library on self-sufficiency. Of course, I could never have just two books in my library but ya know, for those who are really into simple living....
So wonderful to hear everyone's voices. Hopefully will have most of my To Do list whacked off so that I can post more this afternoon.
(((HUGS))) to all.
God bless -
Karen ~ Chickherder & KMW (Keeper of Maven Words)
Farmgirl Sister #311
"To own a little bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds and watch the renewal of life - this is the commonest delight of the race, the most satisfactory thing a man can do." Charles Dudley Warner |
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farmmommy
True Blue Farmgirl
500 Posts
Kelley
Texas
USA
500 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 06:57:25 AM
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Hey karen, glad to see you back!!
Guess what gals? Emilee Gettle and I are gonna barter! I have a bunch of fabric, and I read somewhere that she (like myself) LOVES fabric! So, in exchange for the fabric, guess what she is going to send? Anyone know? Can anyone guess? Here's a little hint, it starts with an "H" and ends with an "S".......Ok, for you who guessed Heirloom Seeds, ya'll are right!!! I feel kinda bad that I didn't post on here to see who wanted it first, but here is what I thought....instead of swapping from the seed bank supply, I wanted to swap to INCREASE the seed bank supply!...So, for any of you who love fabric, don't worry, I'm sure I'll have more to barter for soon...Just give me a while....I'm a fabric HOUND!!!....lol.....anywho, i thought I'd share with ya'll, I think it is kinda exciting.
P.s. My computer (ISP) to be exact has made me very mad in the last week, so as of Wednesday, or thursday, I will be connected to the broadband world as oppssed to this Slow A** dial up!!! Hopefully, I'll be able to bring up a page in less time than it takes now....I can literally go fold and put away a load of laundry, vacuum the floors and wash a small sink load of dishes in the time it takes to bring up a page on dial up!!! So, I'm kinda excited about that too! ok, gotta go, have chores that are unfortunately calling my name!!! |
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farmmommy
True Blue Farmgirl
500 Posts
Kelley
Texas
USA
500 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 07:01:31 AM
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| OOps..forgot...tina, where do i go to ask about submitting an article on STL? When I go to cintact us....it won't let me....but of course, i'm having dial up issues, so that is probably the reason for that...but is that how i'd do it if my comp were working?....lol....Sorry, I'm having to sowly reaquaint myself with computers after a 2 year vacation from them!! |
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Corinnelouise
True Blue Farmgirl
957 Posts
Corinne
France
957 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 07:39:51 AM
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Kelley this is absolutely fantastic, good for you.
Girls you are doing so well it is just great to have you around.
Marcy, thank you thank you thank you for the great birthday card you've sent me, it is so sweet of you. It was in the last packet of mail we got from our Po Box and it brightened my day so very much.
Amy, we will stay in Boulogne at my favorite cousin's.
Karen, how was your media fast ?
Dawn, how are you doing ?
Annika, did you hear about your dad's tests ? I miss you and I know you are worrying. Take some time to breathe and know all will be well.
Teresa Sue, I am sure you are going to find exactly what you want and you will be surprised by how easily it comes to you.
Tina, Lillian, Ruth, Nancy, Amanda, Lanna, Lora, Diana, Amber, Elinor, Sue, Brenda, Denise, Ann, Rene, Cheryl, Dalyn, Alee, how are you doing ? sending positive thoughts your way to each of you.
Have a great day girlfriends.
Corinne
Sister # 101 |
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Corinnelouise
True Blue Farmgirl
957 Posts
Corinne
France
957 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 08:28:45 AM
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We are now officially 28 Mavens, thanks to Kris and Ann who have sent me their contacts.
I've sent out the new list just now. You will find that I've added our sisterhood numbers and the planting zones.
Whatever useful information you would like to find on this list, please let me know and I will add them.
Corinne
Sister # 101 |
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deeredawn
True Blue Farmgirl
2306 Posts
Dawn
Cordova
TN
USA
2306 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 12:02:59 PM
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Hello Ladies, I have not forgotten about you all. 28 Mavens. Wow. What a wonderful group we have here and I am so proud to have you all.
I do want to apologize for my absence of late. Please know that I'm with you in spirit and heart. I have some family issues to deal with, and you know it's never easy when dealing with family. Please know that no one is ill, or compromised. Just some things that indeed need my full attention.
I have Mountain Fresh tomatoes coming up like crazy! I did a germination test and I want to say that its approx 97% successful. It kinda feels wrong to just throw some away, so, if youare patient with me, I will send you some starts in a wet paper towel thru the mail.
So it sure looks like we are personally making a dent in the way farmgirls see heirloom seeds! How wonderful! I have a feeling I may lay an egg or two this week....heehee.... stay tuned....
Dawn #279
MJ's Heirloom Mavens-QMD
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 12:05:45 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Lanna
quote:
Originally posted by Ms.Lilly
TS- I would like info on your property in Idaho, if you wouldn't mind.
Ditto this. If for nothing else, so I can  on my keyboard.
*****************
Lanna, mama to three little monkeys
Hi Lanna, sorry we're not selling our Idaho property
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 3
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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DearMildred
True Blue Farmgirl
223 Posts
Amanda
Tulsa
OK
USA
223 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 12:20:10 PM
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Hi y'all!
Busy day at work (as usual) but BF and I got a TON done yesterday with the gardening. Raised beds - check! Frames for verticle garden - check! SFG lattice - check! Mel's Mix - check! Yogurt cups and milk cartons for winter sowing - check! Woohoo!!!
I finally just sat down and decided what I'm going to winter sow, what I'm going to start indoors, and what i'm going to direct sow. I will be winter sowing 37 (!!!) different things. HOly cow. But not too many of most of them. Gonna start my hollyhocks indoors just because I want them to bloom the first year. Thought I would do a few seedlings of each of my tomatoes, pepper and eggplant indoors, and winter sow the exact same amount, so I can see if the WS method is comparable for more sensitive plants or not. Would rather not have to use the light setup if I don't have to.
Kelley that is *so* cool about Emile Gette!
Teresa Sue, I would *love* *love* *love* a few seeds of the rouge vif d'etampes pumpkins if you can spare just a couple. I am waiting on my Fortna white pumpkin seeds to arrive from Baker Creek, but when they get here I'd be happy to trade a few. Bought a Fortna last year and made a pie, it was extremely tasty and the pumpkin itself was SUPER easy to work with. Seeds scoop right out, not stringy, etc. (If I'd had half a brain I would have saved the seeds, but hey I was in the middle of cooking my first Thanksgiving dinner. Excuses, excuses!)
~~~Amanda in OK~~~
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. ~Will Rogers |
Edited by - DearMildred on Feb 17 2009 12:22:02 PM |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 12:27:56 PM
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Okay Amanda I can send you some rouge vif d'entampes pumpkins seed, I'll swap you for some Fortna white pumpkin seed cause I don't have any of that okay?
I though hollyhocks were a biennial and because of that it took two years for them to bloom? No? Maybe it is different in Oklahoma, because it is warmer there? I lived in Weatherford Oklahoma for a year, My mom was born in Tracy, Okla.
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 3
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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DearMildred
True Blue Farmgirl
223 Posts
Amanda
Tulsa
OK
USA
223 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 12:44:54 PM
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TS, oh, wow, Weatherford. My ex went to pharmacy school there. *rolling my eyes* Don't miss him! But he told funny Weatherford stories now and then. Mostly about how there was nothing to do in Weatherford.
Hollyhocks seem to be considered a biennial by some and a perennial by others and so on... but I did read that they will bloom the first year if you start them indoors early enough. So I'm giving it a shot, what the heck? I have some mixed hollyhocks from Tammy (via Farmgirls) and also a packet of Indian Spring hollyhock seeds from Botanical Interests, so I figured I'll do one inside and one direct sow, and see what happens. My not-so-very-scientific experiment!
Since the BF is moving to California on me (not that he really had a choice - when you get a good job offer in your specialty within your chosen field, in this economy, you jump on it!) it seems I may be moving in 2010. So I really want those suckers to bloom this year!
Question for y'all: how many seeds of each veggie variety should I attempt to start, given that I really only need *one* of each of the big vining plants? Tomatoes, pumpkins, summer and winter squash, etc. I was thinking maybe three of each kind indoors and the same outdoors, and pick the strongest of each one? Give the rest away?
~~~Amanda in OK~~~
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. ~Will Rogers |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 12:48:35 PM
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I would think that a total of 6 plants each, considering you only need 1 plant, would be plenty. I'm sure someone would be thrilled to get some plants from you.
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 3
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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DearMildred
True Blue Farmgirl
223 Posts
Amanda
Tulsa
OK
USA
223 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 1:02:08 PM
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Teresa Sue I tried to send you an email and I think I sent it to myself instead. Duh. Seem to be having attention span problems today! Anyway I will send you some Fortna White pumpkin seeds when they come in. don't know yet how many in the packet. I hope hope hope hope they show up today, though I won't be able to play with... I mean plant... I mean winter sow... anything till this weekend.
~~~Amanda in OK~~~
There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves. ~Will Rogers |
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K-Falls Farmgirl
Chapter Leader
2096 Posts
Cheryl
Klamath Falls
Oregon
USA
2096 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 1:02:26 PM
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If anyone has hollyhock seeds they would like to trade I have some 100% certified organic Mammoth Sunflower seeds I would be willing to share in exchange, I want to start them inside since Iwont be planting outside until Late april.. I am in A short growing zone. 1A
Cheryl
Farmgirl #309
Almost daily posts at:
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Come visit the barn at http://barndoorcreations.blogspot.com/
Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise',
I wash my mouth out with chocolate.
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 1:46:32 PM
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Cheryl I have some that I saved, but they are all mixed colors and they are the old fashioned kind, not the really , really ruffley ones, do you want some of those?
That would be great Amanda!
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 3
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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Lanna
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lanna
A little town in Idaho
330 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 2:47:09 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Contrary Wife
Hi Lanna, sorry we're not selling our Idaho property
I wouldn't be able to afford it regardless (we have a whopping .28 acres! that's our budget, and that was before everything doubled in "value"). But... maybe I'll email you off the thread about maybe planting a few things on your land a la Gardening When it Counts if you'd be interested in that kind of adventure. Basically just planting, ignoring, and going and harvesting. I'm planning to have fun this year. Poor hubby. 
In fact, there's a little 1-acre place a few blocks away that used to have an elderly couple (really cute, sweet grandma and grandpa couple), that's now for rent. I think in a month or two I'm going to call the rental agency, maybe see what happened to the couple (I hope they're okay and just went off to enjoy being pampered in a retirement community or something), and ask if I could do a little gardening in their garden plot that's off away from the house. I saw them puttering around their yard many times and smiled and waved, but never stopped to chat.  I always figured "next year" I could go ask 'em about their garden and experiences and such. I can't pick my grandparents' brains. They're all gone now that I'm not as self-centered as I was back in my teenage/college years and more interested in how they did things.
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Lanna, mama to three little monkeys |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 3:14:06 PM
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Hey Mavens, I have a question for you. What book would you consider the most comprehensive on seed saving and having info on what plants cross pollinate with others?
Hahahah Lanna, you couldn't just plant and ignore it on our land, the moose, deer, elk, bear, turkeys, mountain grouse, rabbits would beat you to it!
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 3
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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Lanna
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lanna
A little town in Idaho
330 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 3:29:47 PM
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Oooh, turkeys... Neighbor got one last year (don't ask me how, and really, I don't want to know...), but I'm so curious to see what it tastes like.
I know Seed to Seed has tons of info, but it's been about a year or more since I've read it. Honestly, it intimidated me the last few times I read it because of the separating distances to absolutely prevent cross pollination and such. Maybe it wouldn't scare me so much anymore since I just jumped in last year and started saving seed every which way - like the guy in Otis Orchards I got 10 gallons of green beans and melons and squash from, I saved seed from those melons and squash and pilfered with permission some of the dried up bean pods for those seeds (after asking for the variety names of course). I figure if things cross, things cross. My backyard's small, and people 100 years ago somehow managed to eat things that tasted okay, so I'm not going to sweat it too much.
I'm still in the middle of that Carol Deppe book - I'm currently at her popbean chapter or whatever. Not sure if she has seed saving in there or not yet. I do think I went to school with her WSU chickpea connection's daughter though... Small world.
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Lanna, mama to three little monkeys |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 3:34:51 PM
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I don't think it's an issue of things tasting okay, it's just a matter of, if you are trying to keep a particular strain of something pure and not hybrid.
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 3
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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Tina Michelle
True Blue Farmgirl
6948 Posts
Tina
sunshine state
FL
USA
6948 Posts |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 3:51:58 PM
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TS, I don't have an extensive seed-saving library (yet) but Seed to Seed by Suzanne Ashworth is incredible. Hubby has taken it over so I haven't read it as much as I would like. He says "it covers what causes cross-pollination, how to avoid it, F1 hybrids and how they come to be, how a home gardener can do their best to avoid cross-pollination AND how to check to see if something was cross-pollinated the next year by examining the plant, etc."
Here's an example: in the "Squash, Malabar Gourd and Calabazilla" section (pg 110), it lists the six species of the Cucurbita genus. In detailing the Cucurbita maxima genus, which lists about every conceivable variety (looks like about 100 or so), it warns that they all will cross with each other. The White Fortna and the Rouge Vif d'Etampes are in that species so they will cross.
This is where said hubby found out that the Table Queen Acorn squash, Black Beauty Zucchini and Golden Zucchini that we were planning on planting this year will cross. The Waltham Butternut is another species so it won't cross with any of those three. Therefore.......we're planting the Waltham Butternut and Black Beauty Zucchini, giving the Golden Zucchini to Ruth and hoping to find a friend willing to let us use part of their yard for the Table Queen Acorn squash.
For those that are wanting to use heirloom seed for personal use only, it isn't as much of an issue. The day the book came I posted this on the DOE: "Had to read the section on page 15 called 'Gardeners as Stewards' and this sentence jumped out at me: 'Vegetable gardeners must do everything in their power to maintain what remains, because extinction is forever.'" Until then, I didn't want to do any "artificial" pollination, just let nature take it's course. After reading the intro, I see the importance of ensuring the purity of the seeds and we're going to do hand-pollination when necessary. Having said that, we are only doing this for some of our plants. For others, we'll let someone else maintain the purity and then support their seed-saving efforts. It takes a village......or a henhouse of mavens.
MHO: If you have any plans to be a serious seed-saver, this book is a mush have.
God bless -
Karen ~ Chickherder & KMW (Keeper of Maven Words)
Farmgirl Sister #311
"To own a little bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds and watch the renewal of life - this is the commonest delight of the race, the most satisfactory thing a man can do." Charles Dudley Warner |
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Lanna
True Blue Farmgirl
330 Posts
Lanna
A little town in Idaho
330 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 3:52:01 PM
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True. I'm definitely all about keeping my Kootenai and Purple Russians just the way they are. Isn't everything a hybrid of something else at this point? Purple podded peas are stabilized heirloom/OP plants now, but at one time they were just 2-3 separate kinds of peas that were cross-pollinated. But I'm also not planning to sell my seed, just trade as need be with friends/neighbors.
Tomatoes originated around the equator, but now people like me can grow them because of the crosses that have happened over the years where tomatoes acclimated with the climate up here. So I guess I'm not a complete purist in that regards.  Although you bet I'll have a major hissy fit if Monsanto tried to sue me over corn or something. 
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Lanna, mama to three little monkeys |
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LivingWell4You
True Blue Farmgirl
1411 Posts
Karen
Hillsboro
MO
USA
1411 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 4:10:33 PM
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Okay, ya'll we're posting away while I was writing and then I had to go start supper. Just wanted to add that S2S is very techy. If you're into that (and we are) it's fascinating. If you're not at that point now, then I'd stick with Gardening with Heirloom Seeds. It gives you the same information about Cucurbita cross-pollination in a sentence or two.
Leaving you with more thought: Gardening is fun. If it starts to become work, the heart and soul goes out of it. And diversity is a huge part of it. Just like the garden, if we were all the same (a mono-culture, shall we say), how healthy would that be?
God bless -
Karen ~ Chickherder & KMW (Keeper of Maven Words)
Farmgirl Sister #311
"To own a little bit of ground, to scratch it with a hoe, to plant seeds and watch the renewal of life - this is the commonest delight of the race, the most satisfactory thing a man can do." Charles Dudley Warner |
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farmmommy
True Blue Farmgirl
500 Posts
Kelley
Texas
USA
500 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 4:16:06 PM
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| So, are any of you going to be using isolation cages and self pollinating this season? |
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Contrary Wife
True Blue Farmgirl
2164 Posts
Teresa Sue
Tekoa
WA
USA
2164 Posts |
Posted - Feb 17 2009 : 4:20:30 PM
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Actually tomatoes grown in our climate are "annuals" because they are tropical plants, but in their native climates they grow year round. I saw a tomatoe plant in Mexico that was at least 14 feet tall and it was quite old and was still producing tomatoes.
Teresa Sue
Farmgirl Sister #316
Planting Zone 3
"Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly." The Dalai Lama |
Edited by - Contrary Wife on Feb 17 2009 4:23:35 PM |
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Keeping in Touch: Danger of Extinction |
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Danger of Extinction
