Garden Season 2010 : Part 4: Major Planting Season is upon us!

The end of summer planting season here in Phoenix's Low-Desert Climate is probably the most rewarding. Both the garden and the Gardener will have the benefit of the monsoon rains and the beautiful weather of fall.
Most of the plants will survive and even benefit from the light frosts of winter (greens and 'fruits' become sweeter) and many will continue producing from fall through the winter and spring -- right up until the heat of June allows the squashes and melons to take over their space!!

Also, This post is almost late for a small window of the prime time for a few late summer crops such as beans and cucumber and the tail end of a few such as squash and sunflowers.
These crops are great for this time of year because their 'early summer' season often ended in bitter cucumbers and zucchini (ie summer squash) from the increasing intensity of our summers. The fall weather merely slows them down until they are finished.

Please take a look at the calendar page here, http://www.urbanfarm.org/Planting_Calendar.pdf
but here is an abbreviated list.

End of August/Beginning of September Summer crops
select the shortest "days until harvest" if you are planting into September
  • Green Beans (pick sweet young beans often to promote longer harvest)
  • Corn (quick)
  • Cucumber
  • small Summer Squash (Zucchini, yellow crookneck)
  • Tomato transplants
September Fall/Winter/Spring crops
Enjoy the seasons with a continuous harvest from one time planting or subsequent replacement plantings for overlapping harvest. Try seeds, if you have the time, it's frugal especially when you share!
  • Beet
  • Broccoli
  • Cabbage
  • Carrot
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Cilantro
  • Garlic
  • Kale, arugula, other greens
  • (spinach, lettuce in the second half of September)
  • Parsley
  • Peas
  • some Herbs such as Thyme, Sage, Fennel
It's always amazing to me just how well things grow here once the peak of summer is over. Established plants left in the ground such as beets and tomatoes that died on top during the scorching days will come up again from the root. Don't go crazy pulling anything out unless you need the space to plant a different plant - It is amazing what will provide for you over and over again with minimal effort.

Spring and Fall crops such as greens (spinach, etc) or peas that have such a short life in other parts of the country can produce(!) for five consecutive months here!

High Brix Gardening (high nutrition) and a note regarding compost

I should have put this on a long time ago. Here is a site that is the home to High Brix Gardening.
It introduces what it is and why we should put emphasis on the makeup and content of the food we are growing. The higher the complexity of the plants/food, then the higher the nutrition, but other benefits include much better taste, more resilience to pest, disease and stressors including heat and drought.

For those who are interested, Sea90 is the sea mineral that I chose to start with. I am still figuring out which nitrogen/seaweed source to use for foliar feeding, although Chicken manure is currently in use around my yard. You can search on the internet for many other sites referring to High Brix gardening and/or Sea minerals for more on the subject.

NOTE: The City of Gilbert offers a free compost bin. Simply call the number, give them your address and they will drop off a compost bin. Through the miracle of nature, you put in your yard waste and kitchen scraps (no animal products) and ~6 months later you have free fertilizer/soil.
Out of simplicity, the easiest way to think of compost ingredients is half brown, half "green". If the bin starts to smell, then there isn't enough of one of them (probably the brown) and since we don't have an abundance of tree leaves or the like, then this is the only time I put grass in the bin -paper from the shredder is also a quick option (neither of which will compost on their own).

Dehydrating 2010

As long as the nights remain above 80* and humidity is below 60% (=basically here in Phx means 'not raining') then you can continue to dehydrate outside.
EDIT: GRAIN DOES NOT NEED THOSE TEMPERATURES - STILL TESTING FOR LOWEST WORKING TEMP.

This week I have a box of pears that I bought when the forecast was predicting clear and sunny for days/weeks. However, they have done surprisingly well despite the higher humidity putting pears onto my list of fruits that can be dried successfully. :)

Give it a try! Dehydrate some fruit in your backyard this year! Banana slices are easy for anyone since many of us regularly find 'overripe' bananas in our homes. They do, however; take longer than one day to dry. Just leave them until they are leathery and yummy :)

Senate Bill 510: 1st post

http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-510

Ok, I've had a chance to read more regarding Senate Bill 510 since I first created this post last Thursday (when I had quoted someone else's commentary on it).

Since this blog seems to somehow attract attention from anonymous droids I'll leave my personal commentary on the limited side after simply bringing your attention to the bottom of the link where it reads :
"the following organizations have taken a stance on this bill:"

WARNING: PERSONAL OPINIONS FOLLOW:
Just from the above linked list, I can see where my opinion stands on the Senate Bill.

Who do you believe should be in charge of our food? Our private gardens may become one of our very few safe sources for food sooner than later.

Educate yourselves on what makes food safe or unsafe... until you do, believe the people that are willing to eat the food they grew themselves (just as it is and thrive from it and do not feel it necessary to "process it" until dead in order to even feel safe.)

Perhaps some movie media for those not inclined to research and need an "easy" starting point:
Food Inc.
The Future of Food

Look into the Opposition of the Bill:
(notice the emphasis on small farms and naturally raised food... This is the true "green"; good for the environment, good for us, good for our children.)
Weston A. Price Foundation
Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund
National Independent Consumers and Farmers Association
Raw Milk Association of Colorado
Farm Family Defenders
American Grassfed Association
Small Farms Conservancy
National Family Farm Coalition
Carolina Farm Stewardship Association

---------------------

S 510, the "Food Safety Modernization" Act of 2010

I'm not sure if the following list is correct, but if it is, that is actually even more disturbing to me. Notice the neatly divided party affiliation.
And you can see the pockets stretched out with $11,253,246 from the same interest groups as those supporting this bill.

Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL) is the sponsor of this bill.

Co-sponsors are:
Lamar Alexander [R-TN]
Jeff Bingaman [D-NM]
Richard Burr [R-NC]
Roland Burris [D-IL]
Saxby Chambliss [R-GA]
Christopher Dodd [D-CT]
Michael Enzi [R-WY]
Kirsten Gillibrand [D-NY]
Judd Gregg [R-NH]
Thomas Harkin [D-IA]
Orrin Hatch [R-UT]
John Isakson [R-GA]
Edward Kennedy [D-MA]
Amy Klobuchar [D-MN]
Ben Nelson [D-NE]
Tom Udall [D-NM]
David Vitter [R-LA]

S 510

2010 Primary Election

August 24th, 2010 6 a.m. - 7 p.m.

Bring proof of identity to your polling place. (1 if w/ picture, 2 if no picture (such as utility and bank statements)

Additional information is in the big paper book that came in the mail such as information on our Arizona Legislative District 22 Candidates.

Quote from Gordon B Hinckley:

Now, I want to say to you, and I say it with a plea in my heart, get involved. Get involved on the side of righteousness and truth and decency and sobriety and virtue. You, and others like you, are the great hope of this world. . . .

The problem with most of us is that we are afraid. We want to do the right thing, but we are troubled by fears and the world drifts about us . . .

'Be not afraid, only believe.' I commend to you these wonderful words of the Lord as you think of your responsibilities and opportunities. (Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley, 128–29)

There is a free Independent study course online titled CIT 70: A Citizen's Guide to American Government and Politics with this food-for-thought:
As inhabitants of the Promised Land, as citizens of this free nation and as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, much has been and will be expected of Church members in the United States of America. For those looking for a place to start, the primary political duty of the Saints, as the Lord has declared, is to diligently seek out "honest men and good men . . . and good men and wise men ye should observe to uphold; otherwise whatsoever is less than these cometh of evil" (Doctrine and Covenants 98:10).


Money Management

"With sound principles and diligent effort, financial mastery is in your reach."

Money Management Myths article Headings:
Myth 1: It's only Temporal
Myth 2: Money Management is Mostly a Man's Responsibility
Myth 3: If I Pay My Tithing, My Finances Will Just Work Out
Myth 4: Parents Should Help Their Adult Children Financially
Myth 5: Help is Too Expensive

Free e-course:
"Marriott School of Management [has] created an alternative [to expensive financial advise] that is broad, easily accessed, and free: a personal finance Web site. The three-year-old endeavor (personalfinance.byu.edu) teaches beginning, intermediate, and advanced lessons in personal finance - with a gospel perspective.