Tater Update

Our friendly neighbors plot is coming along nicely. Our weather has been pretty mild with not a lot of rain. I have only watered once and let nature do the rest--it has rained twice since planting. the Kennebec are really going for it. I need to get over their more often and do a little hoe work. The weeds aren't too bad yet, but a little work now will help save a lot time later. Once they are a bit taller I will mulch around them with straw.

Share Cropping: Tater and Bush Beans

My friend can't get to his garden this year, so I've become a sharecropper! His plot is about 25 miles from our house, and is a bit of a drive. However, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to try some "larger" scale growing. He used his tiller to re-break the soil and I used my trusty hoe to create seven 80 ft rows. It was good honest work.

I'm hoping to get enough taters from his plot to keep us in the carbs for the winter. I wanted to plant a more diverse patch of the little miracles, but Yellow Finns were the only seed our store had left. I'm liking the idea of planting in more than my own yard. It is not as secure felling, but it opens all sorts of opportunities for building trust and relationships.

Details: four hours of hand hoeing, 38 pounds of Yellow Finn seed, 100 bush bean seeds, in seven 80 ft rows.

Neighborhood Food

My neighbors have been really supportive of our backyard endeavors. They share their kitchen scraps with our hens and now they are sharing a piece of their backyard! I planted three rows of potatoes: Yellow Finn, Makah Ozette, and Kennebec. The Ozette has a great history and it is fun to contribute to its spread--even if it is in a small way.

Details: Three 3 inch deep trenches, 20 feet long. 18 inch spacing between taters in rows 36 inches apart. Organic Kelp Meal in trenches.