Orach

"Strawberry Spinach"

Purslane

Chard & kale

New Zealand Spinach

Collards

Come summer, growing lettuces and tender greens can be a challenge.     We  do grow a "patch or two" in our movable planter boxes that we move to the northwest side of the house to keep the sun's rays from beating down on the poor things.    Sure, we'll get a few cuttings before they expire; bu twe  rely more on their hardy counterparts for our summer green crop.

Over the last 25 years of growing food in the city, we learned many things - sometimes the hard way.  The main lesson is to  adapt, growing along with the season and not against it.  Trying to coax things to grow out of their season means you just create more work for yourself.

In summer there's a higher turnaround  with the greens, like lettuce and arugula, because of bolting .   In summer, our salad mix has more hardy (less likely to bolt) summer greens like dandelion, purslane, tetragonia, orach, amaranth, mustards, etc.

Don't think your chances have wilted for growing  nutritious greens in the heat of the summer.  Grow out of your comfort zone!  There are  plenty  of different and exciting greens  from which to choose.

What's your favorite "hot weather" greens?

Po-ta-Toes! Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew?" -

Time to harvest our Po-ta-Toes!

Here in So Cal, where we have a "to be desired" growing season,  I started the potatoes back in December.   Sometimes I have a few little "seed potatoes" leftover; but, each year, I get a couple of pounds of  organic potatoes from the local health food store and sprout them.

I like to plant the potatoes in 15 gallon tubs with an olla (clay pot irrigation).  Seems to be successful.

Digging up the tubs filled with potatoes

Cutting down the potato greens to get to the tubers

Olla and purple potatoes

Pulling out a clump of fingerling taters

Colorful spuds

Potato au gratin

You can tell by the photo line up, it  pretty much sums up what our weather's been like.  Hot, for a couple of days, then cold.

This season, I grew purple, fingerlings, yukon gold and red ones  which all turned into a pretty decent harvest of nearly 100 lbs.

If you never had a homegrown potato before, you are missing a real treat.  We've been enjoying  potato salad with pickled squash and carrots from the pantry.

Back in the old days, seems folks would eat potatoes raw like apples.  Watching the Lark Rise to Candleford series, there's a scene  with Mr Timmins munching on a raw potato.  Hmmm,  I thought, eating raw potatoes are bad for you; well, that's what they tell you.

Not quite sure I'll try raw potatoes anytime soon.  When we roasted potatoes, I'm often reminded of Wilder family in Farmer Boy.

Wacky weather whiplash pattern continues.  Last week it was a scorching 95 degrees; then quicker than you can say  "summer's here?" a  few days later it's cold, overcast and raining (what a BLESSING!).

The poor plants are totally confused and so are we - sweater on, sweater off, on, off?

In the garden, the elephant garlic is just about ready to harvest and we've been digging up pounds and pounds of tasty potatoes!  Just today made a potato salad with home canned pickled carrots and homegrown celery - so yummy!  Can't beat the flavor and texture of homegrown potatoes!

The summer crops are slowly replacing the spring greens and brassicas. Justin informed me that they already spotted the hated (invasive) bagrada bug due to the heat. Bugger!

As head manager of the front porch farm stand, my duties include not only managing the operation, taking orders and such but also  filling them. Think that's my favorite part: to be out in the garden early in the morning harvesting the lovely bouquet of greens.   I do declare that one morning we all picked nearly 30 lbs of greens to fill the orders that morning!  Whew!

Bouquet of greens, indeed.  One of our customers exclaimed, "If I ever got married, this would be my bouquet."  Awwww.

APRIL HARVEST

276 lb produce

Eggs 141 (Duck) 73 (Chicken)

2011 YEAR TO DATE

939 lb produce

Eggs 486 (Duck)  190 (Chicken)

Once again, the weather's made an about face!  Last week we were topping 90 degrees.  It was SO HOT even used the out door solar shower.  But today,  it's cold and rainy.  Certainly not complaining about the rain.

However, Cassidy wonders what happened to her sunshine!

This recent article stresses the importance of how we all should start taking gardening seriously.    Growing your own food in the city: it’s a challenge but a good one - an a very important on too!

Garden As If Your Life Depended On It, Because It Will - Alternet

There are at least five reasons why more of us should take up spade, rake and hoe, make compost and raise good soil and garden beds with a vengeance, starting this spring and with an eye toward forever.

READ MORE

It's officially Spring and what a rocky start  weather wise.   We spiked into the 90’s for a few days and then dipped back under 60 with gray skies  and drizzle.  Crazy!

Busy, busy, busy - bees, biodiesel, soil blocks, picking, packing, watering, planting, building, etc. Where does the time go?  Not complaining; it’s good to have longer days to work on the farm here in the city.

Sis handed me a “to plant list” of things she needs for her home canning operation.    She makes a mean jalapeno jelly and wanted to make sure that I didn’t forget to plant them!

Squash, tomatoes, peppers and beans are all up and ready to transplant into the garden.   The new strawberry starts are filling in nicely. We are expecting to harvest berries in early June and the potatoes are just about ready to be dug up.  I know I’ve been looking forward to homegrown potatoes – they are way better tasting than the store.

The small invasion of aphids is now under control, sweet!  We spotted a couple ladybugs and have already noticed a huge difference on the chard and kales.    Thanks to the exceptionally warm weather last week, the greens seem to have grown a few feet (ok, inches) overnight.  We are now offering a slew of assorted greens at the front porch farm stand.  Sis is manager and CEO ("chief" for short) of the front porch farm stand and she’ll be posting more of what the stand has to offer.   It’s a wonderful feeling to feed the family and be able to offer the surplus produce to folks who are wanting to eat closer to home.

The hennery is cranking out eggs – yeah!

Last week, I helped a friend who manages a few urban bees divide a few hives for spring expansion.  Of course, we had to suit up on the HOTTEST day of the year (so far).   It was sweltering!  Hive work waits for no man, so we both suited up.  Long pants (I HATE long pants), long sleeve shirts and were sweating buckets just after a few minutes work.   I got some delicious honey comb in trade for a couple of hours work. What a treat and worth the (sweaty) effort!

The rescued hive is still here, bees going to and fro. It’s a wonderful site to see bees working the citrus.

March Harvest Tally

252 lbs Produce

Eggs      Chicken 91   Duck 160

2011 Tally to Date

663 lbs Produce

Eggs      Chicken 117   Duck 345

With only a few weeks left till spring, winter isn’t over with us just yet.

After pretty dry & rather warm start to 2011, February ended with a few cold snaps and storms blowing in.    The last storm dumped over 2 inches of rain and brought snow to some parts of LA!  We did get a bit of slushy, mushy "hail like" stuff for a minute.  The mountains that form the dramatic backdrop to the LA basin were covered in snow and that was a majestic sight to behold.

The last few nights have been cold (26 degrees at “Lettuce Level”)  but so far all the greens and vegetables under the row covers are doing just fine.    Since the stone fruits flowered so early we a bit worried that the recent rains and cold will have an affected on the crop this year.   Not only affecting the flowering but the pollination.

This years eats are at the mercy of the weather so we are hoping for a good year and bountiful harvest

February 2011 Harvest Totals

Produce: 118 lbs

Eggs:  38 Chicken    127 Duck

Year to Date Tally

Produce: 411 lbs

Eggs: 46 Chicken    185 Duck

Looking back on our goals from last year Justin (Jethro) got his fish project underway,  the grey water project too.

Jordanne (Ellie Mae) revamped our two social networks, Freedom Gardens and launched Backyards & Barnyards and did get around to organizing a lot of mess.  Not to forget the launced her super amazing Natural Poultry Supplement Mix which is receiving rave reviews!

As for me (Granny),  the mountain of fabric and yarn still looms like a huge shadow but the craft-music room is coming along nicely.  Not sure if I am talking less and listening more – guess I’ll have to ask my family & friends that.

The 7K bonanza harvest wasn't the only highlight from 2010

We went back to Wild & Scenic located in the quaint mountain town of Nevada City and had a chance to meet our favorite author, John Robbins.  Had a workshop at the Eco Farm conference in lovely grounds Asilomar (didn't get to spend as much time on the beach as we'd like since it was soooo cold and rainy!).   Not to mention numerous articles and video pieces which all were featured here on the blog – our favorite being the recent So Cal Connect piece , I am Los Angeles , Private Chefs of Beverly Hills,  Sis and I were "Cover Girls" & with an article featured in this online magazine and I wrote about my home school experience for another

Our home made film "Homegrown Revolution" won  many awards including : Best Environment & Ecology Film North America - Swansea International Film Festival, U.K.; Prize of the Mayor of the Capitol City of Slovakia - Ekotop Film Festival of Sustainable Development, Slovakia; Best Short Documentary - Southern Appalachian International Film Festival, Tennessee; Honorable Mention: Westpac Award Best Short Film - Reel Earth Environmental Film Festival, New Zealand.  (You can purchase a DVD copy)

We traveled to back to the homestead in New Zealand where I was born (more pics and tales to come) and with our biggest turn out ever to a presentation on urban homesteading!

After the New Zealand trip: Other outreach opportunities included four university appearances by "Farmer D" and a presentation for a public school district's student gardens fundraiser.

On the urban  homestead

Keeping it real.  As with any journey, we had our ups and downs.

Passing of dear old Clementine (the poster chicken & darling of the UH movement) and our duck Amy after freak accident which never fully recovered from.

The cycle of life continued, Though there were sad deaths there was new life with four additions to our flock.  Our southern belles  - Annalee, Lulu Belle, Beulah and Opal.

Pushing the envelope in urban sustainability we added new projects:  hops for beer and 50 tilapia for aquaponics fish farming and wrote about the challenges that we face of growing food in the city.

Wrote about necessary Urban Homestead apparel and "Natural Beauty, "  "Homesteader Hygiene", & Living Without AC,  Washing Clothes by Hand & threw an amazing  "Girlie" Tea Party under $50!

Long time customer, Elements, who featured our many of our homegrown items on his menu unceremoniously dumped us (having money issues)   When one door closed, it opened up our produce to the public with the launch of the Front Porch Farm Stand featuring local foods and goods.

Weather continued to be a problem with a record heat wave in October & record rainfall in December

Though we had one of our best honey harvest in years, Varroa Mites (and early cold weather) wiped out all of our of beehives except one.

I dropped the ball on the Weekly Meal wrap ups (sorry readers) posts but I picked up guitar which I am enjoying relearning – well, except for the sore finger tips.   Ouch!

There you have it!  Some of the highlights of 2010,  I know I just touched the tip of the ice berg otherwise I’d be here all day.

So what our plans/goals for 2011?   That’s certainly a good question and a lot to digest ….  we do know are going to have sadly terminate some projects because of the lack of support.   It’s a bitter pill to swallow put sometimes you got to cut things that are weighing you down.  I’m talking to myself here… have to keep saying that!

Also like to thank all of you readers who have supported us via donations or purchases from our online store.    Not to mention all the wonderful letters, cards and emails.   THANK YOU!

While I try to shake off a awful case writers block, if you are new or a lurker to this blog, this is a good time to swap howdies or better yet TELL US what your FAVORITE post(s) of 2010 were!

So pull up a chair and give us a holler ya hear and hope 2011 is off to a good start for you!

Yesterday, the biggest storm we’ve seen in years dumped 3 1/2” of rain giving us a five day rain unprecedented total of 15 1/2”  Incredible!

Thankfully, we are on high ground while other parts of the Southland didn’t fair as well as streets into torrents of mud and water.  Oh, another thing to be thankful for is a  good metal roof that we put in a few years back, so we didn't have to worry about leaks.

The ground is so saturated that it couldn't take any more and parts of the yard/garden turned into little lakes.

And picking produce?  Ha!  The heavy rain just wouldn't let up so we hauled out the pop up that's normally reserved for keeping the sun off during tabling events.  Well, it got christened for a  new purpose: to keep the water off our backs as we picked the produce orders for the front porch farm stand.   Gotta make do and become creative!

Funny how in one season we went from the hottest day ever recorded to the wettest week.   The weather is certainly swinging to the extremes.

Today will be a chance to clean up and catch up on chores (parts of the animal compound are a bit swampy, check on the bees) and hopefully we get a chance to dry out a bit before the next chance of rain this weekend.

Oh and there are a couple pots of marmalade on the stove so got to attend to those.   Busy busy!

Dealing with too much water

Water catchment fills up

Drainage became a problem

Pathways turned into big puddles

Sheets of water

Back patio turned into a lake

Blackberry wonders if this rain will ever be over ... either that or she's looking for that ark!

God's promise. Double rainbow!

Got a paddle?

Jordanne joked the other day that she thought she saw the animals lining up two by two!  Glad someone has a sense of humor because this rain is turning streets into rivers!

Over the last four days we got just as much rain we normally receive for the entire year.  12" fell (yes, you read right TWELVE inches)  here on the urban homestead leaving the grounds soaked and saturated.   We aren't out of the woods yet.  Keep those boats and paddles ready!  An even wetter & colder storm is  expected today and tomorrow,  then another chance on Saturday!

La Nina my foot!  Folks are calling this a historic Pineapple Express with storms piled up  from one side of the Pacific to the other  These series of storms are shattering rainfall records and turning the LA basin into one giant mud puddle.

Of course, we rejoice at the prospect of so much liquid sunshine but then again so much at one time really doesn't help us except to fill up the dangerously low reservoirs - they are saying that this should help ease the drought!

Being in such a dry climate, it's a challenge to doing chores and picking produce around the urban homestead.  Not set up for so much rain all at once!

Wet jackets, socks are strewn on top of doors.  The living room''s been turned to a make shift laundry room.

The critters, especially the cats are going a little stir crazy.   Romping around the house like they've taken an overdose of catnip.   The goats are displeased there's no sun and Fairlight has taken her frustrations out on cardboard box.  I think she thinks if she rubs and butts it enough the rain will split and the clouds will part.  Sorry girlie - ain't happening.   The chickens look so pathetic and the ducks, well, they are happily oblivious of the misery of their fellow creatures.

We humans are fairing a little better, though confounded at the historic deluge there’s nothing we can really do but make the best of situation tackling indoor activities,   keeping the animals dry, feeding the bees their sugar and essential oil mix and doing outdoor work as best we can.

Funny thing is, the challenge that we are facing is that for 25 years we’ve adapted our growing methods for a dry climate.  The recent and early wet winter has thrown us for a loop!  The square inch method of gardening isn’t ideal for such wet weather.  So now mold has become an issue and ruined a few of the raised beds that had lovely carpet of salad greens.

Though, I had planned on finishing a few knitting UFO’s (aka "unfinished objects") a recent knitting gift had me clicking away at the needles in record time.  Made the scarf in the nick of time as a goodbye gift to a long time friend who was traveling overseas.   Of course I used huge 13" and thick yarn!

Jordanne's been in the kitchen whipping up some delightful & gorgeous eats

Holiday orders for preserves and soaps from our front porch farm stand are keeping us busy.  A sincere thank to our customers for braving the rain and supporting local foods and farms!  We have a few gift baskets to put together today not to mention picking a few veg orders so back to work!

How are you holding up with this deluge?

The buckets, bins, barrels and cans are ready to catch the rainfall, animal compound is secure, cob oven covered, craft projects line up.  Bring it on!

What sort of rainy day activities do you enjoy?

Oh, and if you are stuck inside looking for some gifts for friends and family

There are only a few dozen Little Homestead in the City calendar's left   The colorful and quirky calendar is certainly a great conversation starter!

Or how about the Homegrown Revolution DVD From Slovakia to India to Wales to New Zealand, this award-winning short documentary has inspired audiences around the world to take steps toward a more sustainable way of life. Purchase the DVD for your family, school, church or community

There's a lot more at our Urban Homestead Supply Store

And our Front Porch Farm Stand which is now stocked with greens, salad mix, meyer lemons, guavas and home preserves which make great gifts.  We are open Sun-Fri (closed Sat) winter hours are 10 am - 5 pm