Living the Dream: Before & After

Lately it seems as though I am in desperate need of a pick-me-up. So, I decided it would make me feel better to look at the before & after pictures of our house and property, to show myself how far we've come. I should feel happy and accomplished!

THE PROPERTY:

Barn - BEFORE

Barn - AFTER

THE HOUSE:

Kitchen - BEFORE & AFTER

(Facing toward the "Boutique" enclosed side porch)



(Facing east toward the window)



(We closed off the open bar to completely contain the kitchen)




THE HOUSE:

The Dining Room - BEFORE & AFTER




THE HOUSE:

The Living Room - BEFORE



The Living Room - AFTER


THE HOUSE:

The Duchesse de Portland Bedroom - BEFORE



The Duchesse de Portland Bedroom - AFTER

The Duchesse de Portland Bathroom - BEFORE



The Duchesse de Portland Bathroom - AFTER



The Duchesse de Portland Bathtub- BEFORE


THE HOUSE:

The Apothecary Suite Bedroom & Bathroom - BEFORE & AFTER



The Library - BEFORE & AFTER

The Front Door - BEFORE & AFTER


MORE PICTURES COMING SOON!...

Back to Basics

I was flipping through my Back to Basics book (the country living "Bible" if you will), looking for dinner ideas. It suddenly struck me how delicious those simple, homemade meals can be. You don't need fancy recipes when everything is grown and harvested right here on your property (or locally and with no chemicals!). Too often we think that cooking needs to be "fancy" with scads of ingredients, and everyone tries to outdo each other with the next fanciful concoction. I'm guilty of this as well, so it was nice to be able to remind myself that meals don't need to be complex in order to be delicious.

After dealing with a psychotic demon kitten all morning, I finally managed to make it outside to gather three large pine logs and chop/saw those into enough firewood to see us through this evening. After that building a small fire in the woodstove, I raided some cheap beer out of the communal fridge (Fat Tire - you can't go wrong) to take the edge off of life (and my still sore back muscles). Some days I can't decide which is more vital to life: Beer or Garden Fresh Veggies? The scales tip differently depending on the time of day...

This morning, I transplanted the last of my Clary Sage, Boneset, and Spearmint sprouts into "Grown Up Pots" and started a new germination tray with Parsley and Walla Walla onions. I have moved most of my hardier perennials into my newly heated greenhouse (also known as the Solarium with a portable heater!), but have left the more tropical plants in the Duchesse Room with the grow lights for now - it's still a bit too cool for them out in the greenhouse just yet. I also transplanted my yacon into a larger pot, as it had already outgrown the last gallon one.

Well, I hear the oven timer ringing, so that means my pre-chores dinner is ready!...

Gardening Royalty: A Crown of Asparagus

Well, I must have over-estimated my asparagus needs, because now I find myself with extra crowns and nowhere to plant them. I placed them in some moist soil for now in the pantry, but I am scrambling around trying to find some large containers to permanently plant them in. Ads posted on craigslist and freecycle were busts. I guess everybody wants to make money and not either give away or barter their old tubs and containers. But that is another rant for another day...

The silly little $20 ceramic heater we purchased at Bimart yesterday is actually working WONDERS in my Solarium-turned-greenhouse. I left it in there last night with my digital thermometer (cool feature: records the overnight low, so that I am able to see the coldest the Solarium got last night) and with the heater set on the lowest possible setting. Outside temps dipped down to 34/36 degrees F last night, but the coldest that the inside of the Solarium got was a mere 50 degrees! So: it worked!!! Thank you, Alex, for your wonderful (and economic) suggestion! Now I can begin moving my plants into the Solarium much earlier than I originally anticipated, and I can get my guest room back! The plants will be healthier in the long run, and I will be able to grow more of them since I will no longer be limited to two 4'x2' grow tables! Instead, I now have a 12'x25' space to work with. Yippee! And, for those safety conscious folks, don't worry - my heater has an automatic shut-off for overheating and if it accidentally falls over.

T-7 Days and Counting for Goat Babies. The barn camera is set up and sending live feed to our bedroom TV now. My husband and I want to figure out a way to broadcast it over the internet. We would call it "Goats Gone Wild."

Today, I planted another germination tray with Speckled Roman paste tomatoes (on the side of the tray), more Echinacea purpurea, Green Zebra tomatoes, and Garden Sage. Just yesterday I planted a tray with Stupice tomatoes (on the side of the tray), Mexican Tarragon, Jalapeno peppers, Echinacea purpurea, and Orange Oxheart tomatoes.

In other news, my asparagus crowns finally arrived. I have them soaking in water before I plant them later today (or maybe tomorrow at the rate that time is flying). I also picked up some Mary Washington asparagus seeds (yes, I love asparagus - can you tell?), and discovered that Bimart of all places has a decent seed selection of both vegetable and herbs! I picked up some more Meadowsweet and Caraway seeds, and some Walla Walla Onion seeds. After that, I was bodily dragged out of the seed section by Ryan. We had originally come in to look at portable heaters for the Solarium (so that I can move my plants - currently housed in the Duchesse de Portland guest room - in there and not continue to spill dirt on the carpet! *grin*).

Today dawned with a sprinkling of snow, but has now cleared up and is rather warm for a January day. I set out some of my 3-month-old perennial herbs for planting this afternoon. After looking at the weather forecast, I figured I could get away with it. Nighttime temps are only supposed to dip down to the mid-thirties now, and thus far the Clary Sage, Echinacea, and Skullcap I planted outside several weeks ago appear to be holding on just fine.

Relaxification

This morning dawned foggy and frigid, with snow capping the surrounding mountains. I hurried through farm chores bundled up in a fleece jacket, enormous scarf, and beanie hat. My winter time outdoor get-up generally makes me look like the Marshmallow Man. But at least I stay fairly warm. After a few hours, the fog burned off, and the day turned clear and cold. After the intense physical labor of the past two days, I was determined to relax ("relax" in Jillian vernacular is not quite the same for most people though). I began by saying a sad farewell to my tray of seeds that did not germinate - dumping the soil onto the compost heap. I replanted the tray with some Stupice & Orange Oxheart tomatoes, Jalapeno peppers, Mexican Tarragon, and Echinacea purpurea (what can I say? I enjoy variety!). I attempted to transplant some parsley seedlings, but decided that my herbs were still a bit too small. Next, I repotted some of my Dragon Fruit cactus cuttings that had finally rooted, and set them in a kitten-proof area of the house (or at least what I hope is a kitten-proof area!). I went out to the barn and filled up 6 plastic trays with grain, a dusting of loose mineral, and a dose of wheat germ oil, and took them out to the goat pasture for my pregnant does. I did "udder checks" and ligament checks and generally succeeded in annoying the heck out of my goats, which is my general goal in life. After that, it was off to our several acre woodlot to collect fallen pine logs. I did a few loads of hauling logs back to the house in the slippery terrain, and then knelt down (much to the extreme displeasure of my screaming muscles) and proceeded to saw the smaller branches into 18" pieces, and chop the large logs into firewood. I stacked a 2-day supply next to our back door, and went to our woodstove to begin the laborous process of trying to start a fire using very damp wood. Thankfully, we had just received a stack of bills in the mail, so I had plenty of tinder! Once I had the fire going well enough to where I felt I could leave it alone, I went into the kitchen and began mixing some herbal wormer and molasses into what my husband and I call "Worm Balls" for my pregnant does. This is a very messy and stinky process, but we only use herbal wormers because we do not want chemicals in our goats milk. Finally, I sat down for some lunch, and here I am: almost 4 pm, and I am just getting around to eating. Where does the time go? I started my day at 5:30 am...

What Are(n't) We Teaching Our Children?

A few days ago, some children ran up to the fence line we share with the vineyard & asked, "What are those 'things' running around over there?" The "things" in question were CHICKENS. These children did not recognize what a chicken looked like (nor did they appear to know anything about chickens). Now, I'm not saying that every child needs to be a farmer, but shouldn't they at least be taught to recognize the cow before it becomes their hamburger? Have people become so desensitized that when they think of pork, chicken, and beef, their only image is of the plastic-wrapped packages at the grocery store?...Did you know that most people do not associate cows with beef/hamburgers, or pigs with pork, etc.? Most people never even think, when buying their Thanksgiving turkey, of the animal as it appeared in life. "You mean to say that turkeys don't just magically appear featherless, headless, and in pretty plastic packaging?"

Don't believe me? Try it sometime: ask a person what the first image that comes to mind is when they think of meat.

The answer is disheartening...

Long Day's Journey into Night

WOW, what a crazy couple of days over here...started my morning on Wednesday by chasing down 7 escapee donkeys who decided to go for a run around the property in the pre-dawn light. Guess I hadn't latched the gate as firmly as I thought (it was hard to see with the enormous piece of hay I was carrying)...anywho, later that day, I also discovered that my darling donkeys had completely chewed through one of their wooden fence posts (which was 6 feet tall and buried in 3 feet of concrete), so I had to spend my afternoon digging out the old post and anchoring a new one. I was SORE and in dire need of sleep at the end of the day! Well, I go to bed and fall asleep for roughly two hours, at which point my husband and I were awakened by a noise similar to bombs repeatedly going off. I guess the wind had almost completely ripped off the top cap to our chimney (it was only held on by one bolt), and with each gust the cap slammed back down on the chimney. You could hear it through the entire house...Needless to say, it was a long night. We repaired it yesterday thankfully. I spent the remainder of yesterday filling up raised beds with compost (probably not the smartest idea after Wednesday's activities), and my poor back started seizing up. I was determined to finish my raised beds though (and I did)! Today is definitely going to be my day to RELAX. I think I've earned it! :)

I am including some pictures of my current tomato starts. These little guys are Brandywine.


Beginning in early February, I will be germinating: Stupice, Black Krim, Brandywine, Green Zebra, Orange Oxheart, Manitoba, & Aunt Ruby's Green German, as well as Habanero and Jalapeno peppers, Ground Cherries, and Tomatillos. By germinating everything around the first week of February, I will have some nice, big starts ready for planting in May! I think I want to try using those Kozy Coats (the water-filled teepees) for some of my tomatoes this year (maybe allowing me to set them out in April?). I don't know if they are a gimmick or if they actually work, but I think it's worth a shot to find out! I will probably use them on my Stupice tomato plants, as those are the most cold-tolerant and the earliest fruiting.

Well, kidding season begins February 1st, and some of my does look ready to pop. I am praying for an easy kidding season this year.

And I Made My Bed With Nettles...

Yesterday, Ryan helped me build a planter box (using reclamation wood from old hay pallets!) for my Stinging Nettles bed. I have read that Nettles do best in dappled shade with lots of moisture (makes sense, given where they grow naturally), and I decided that the best place to put them would be under the old apple tree in the far corner of the herb garden (where the rest of my partial shade plants are located). However, because they are STINGING Nettles, I wanted them set apart from the rest of the herbs. The planter box is roughly 2 feet high by 2 feet wide by 4 feet long. I found a glorious little spot of compost in our "Poo Pile" area of the property - lots of earthworms, and broken down nutrients - and filled the planter box with that. During this time, I actually caught myself saying, "Poo is precious." Though of course this was in a gardening-related context, it did make me realize that I desperately need a vacation. But that is for another blog entry.
In any event, my planter box is filled with "home grown" soil, and ready for Nettle seeds! I can't wait to begin early spring planting next month! I think I am going to build a removable netting of either chicken wire of horse fencing around the top of the planter box, so that unwary (or just plain stupid) guests don't try and reach in to touch the Nettles plant. I will be growing Yellow Dock this year as well (which helps ease the pain of a nettles sting), but why tempt fate (or people)?
I have also convinced Ryan to build a long row of reclamation wood planter boxes in front of the Solarium, where I will put some of the vast numbers of tomatoes and peppers I am sprouting this summer. I think this idea will not only add charm to the property, but will also help with my always-in-danger-of-being-overcrowded garden plot.
I also have two more peach trees and two Santa Rosa plum trees that need to be planted this week. We are in the midst of a heavy rain storm this weekend, which has been biding my time for now. I am excited for all of my edible landscaping!!

All In A Day's Work

Today I transplanted my sole cinnamon tree sprout (fingers are crossed for the rest to germinate in the coming weeks!), and several of my san pedro cactus seedlings that were overcrowded in their pot. That cleared space for a new germination tray to be planted! This time, I planted 7 compass plant seedlings (in a test germination on this plant, I kept the seeds outdoors for several weeks to give them cold stratification. Then, I gently uncovered one of the seeds from its outdoor bed and planted it - I had a vigorious germination in two days! So, seeing this, I went ahead and repeated the process with 8 other seeds, leaving the rest in the outdoor flat for a natural germination in the spring), some heirloom tomatoes, Greek Mullein, Costmary, Mexican Tarragon, White Horehound, and Blue Vervain (yes, I know that Blue Vervain tends to want a cold stratification, but I thought testing a few seeds in this manner wouldn't hurt - I had great success with my Balloonflower seeds and they never recieved a 6 week cold stratification from me!). All of my Oregano and Thyme seeds have germinated, and I am getting my first parsley sprouts. I didn't soak the parsley seeds in warm water overnight (as is often recommended), so the germination time was a bit longer (however, all the seeds appear to be germinating just fine). I have my first agave sprout after roughly a week, and am still waiting on my peruvian torch cactus seeds. They seem to be taking longer than usual...?

I was outside yesterday weeding one of my new raised beds, and discovered that my licorice is beginning to show new green shoots (as are my comfrey roots!) - how exciting! Even my tulips are beginning to peek above the surface of the soil. I do so love watching things grow!! I am really looking forward to seeing the front yard (normally an ugly, bare patch of mulch) awash in colors as the literally HUNDREDS of tulips I planted last fall flower. I can't wait to get pictures!

I also planted three peach trees yesterday along the fence line between our private "Innkeepers' Backyard" and the old female llama pasture. Not only will this provide food and shade in the years to come, but it will also help to hide that ugly "poo build-up" that tends to occur in winter from the Apothecary Suite. I am going to get more peach and plum trees and plant a "Fruit Tree Walk" along the future fish pond...once all of my landscaping becomes established, this is going to be a truly beautiful property. I will have the knowledge that I made it so - beginning from nothing and using my own bare hands.

Recommended Reading Material for Winter 2010

Out of all of my herbals, my two favorites would definitely have to be Stalking the Healthful Herbs by Euell Gibbons, and Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West by Michael Moore. I would recommend reading Gibbons' book first, as he writes a fabulous narrative - it's as though you are taking a walk in the woods together and discussing each plant as you come across it. When you are finished with Stalking the Healthful Herbs, move on to Moore's book for a deeper look at the medicinal properties of each herb.

The two herbs that I am learning the most about at the moment (and am the most excited to grow this spring) are Stinging Nettles and Yellow (or Curly) Dock. These two plants (as with many plants) are considered "weeds" by the uninitiated, but to the modern herbalist are invaluable tools of the natural world.

Interesting note: Yellow Dock can be used to ease the pain and rash of a brush against Stinging Nettles. Stinging Nettles almost always grow next to Yellow Dock, but Yellow Dock does not always grow next to Stinging Nettles.

Nettles appear to be one of the "super herbs" of the plant world - I find it interesting that so many think it's nothing but an annoying weed. Drying or cooking disables the "stingers" on nettles, and allows for its nutritional and medicinal properties to be utilized. Nettles are rich in vitamins A & C, high in protein, filled with chlorophyll, and probably exceedingly rich in trace minerals as well. Grazing animals will not eat live nettles, but will avidly gobble up dried nettles. A diet of nettles will improve an animal's coat and boost milk and egg production in dairy livestock and poultry, respectively. The stalks of mature Nettles yield a valuable textile fiber when processed like flax. Gather the first tender shoots of spring for eating, and make sure to wear gloves! Nettles can also be used in place of rennet for curdling milk. Is there any end to the wonder that is this plant?

You Learn Something New Every Day...

I recently read that when growing cabbage indoors in early spring for transplanting, you should not let the cabbage sprouts get older than roughly 5 weeks of age before planting them outside, otherwise they will not reach their full size. INTERESTING. That explains a great deal of the problems I had growing cabbage last spring! Good to know...

Today I transplanted Garden Sage, Echinacea Purpurea, Boneset, Greek Mullein, Yerba del Lobo, and Heimia sprouts out of their germination trays and into larger pots. I wish that I had the room to give each little sprout its own pot, but sadly, due to space constraints, I cannot. In roughly 2 months (so, about March - possibly early February if the weather stays this warm) I will be able to plant my hardier perennials outside. The weather has been unseasonably warm this January - roughly 20 degrees above average. I am concerned for some of my more difficult germinators (such as the Yellow Gentian), which need cold stratification for successful germination. I planted most of them last fall, and we did have unseasonably cold weather in November and December, so perhaps they are ok? Still, I worry...as much as I would like this warm weather to continue so that I can begin my outdoor gardening early this year, I almost want the weather to return to chilly for a bit more. I'm weird like that, I suppose. I also worry that with this stretch of warm temperatures, I will be tempted to plant everything outside early, and then with my luck get hit with a long stretch of frost - killing all of my lovingly-raised plant babies. So I suppose my desire for a return to colder weather is really my desire not to succumb to temptation. Who knew I was so complex?

After rotating out seedlings, I replanted one of the germination trays with the rest of my Boneset seeds (the seeds have a somewhat short viability, so I wanted to get them all planted before I forgot about them), some peppermint, a great deal of spearmint, and the rest of my clary sage seeds. That being said, I am really hoping I can find some kind souls to accept gifts of mint plants this spring...otherwise, goodness only knows where I will plant all of this. Sometimes I think I have what may be known as "Obsessive Compulsive Seed Planting Disorder." I.E. - If I have a packet of seeds laying around the house, I am automatically driven to plant them. Who knew today was going to be about psychology! Here I thought I was going to be writing about gardening...

Well, enough of my odd sense of humor for the moment. Back to my never-ending list of farm chores!...

January on the Farm: A Photo Tour

We moved Gloria into the angora goat pasture. It's so nice looking out the window every morning and seeing one of our favorite llamas! Gloria and Quanta are becoming good friends...

My many many pots of freshly planted chardonnay grape cuttings (Thank you, Matt!!)

The enormous pile of cuttings from our own grapes that I still need to pot...

Ryan's "Yard Art" - his solution to normal fruit tree staking...is it obvious that the man is married to a geologist??

I'm so proud of him!

View looking west from our property (oak marks the back property line) - you can see Valley View's rows of grapes to the left

The herb garden is slowly taking shape...

We have begun construction on the 4th & final raised bed...there is even a pile of poo already in place...

We have 3 out of 4 fig trees planted over Jugi's grave (which marks the center of the herb garden). I miss my beloved "Foo Bear" so much...

My outdoor nursery flats containing Burning Bush, Juniper, Bayberry, Balloonflower, Compass Plant, Yellow Gentian, and Arrowleaf Balmsamroot seeds, as well as saffron.

Goat babies!!!: Troz, Waffles, and Ollie.

I Am Robot Queen of the Seedling Things!

It's official: I have my first cinnamon (tree) sprout! I planted 10 seeds roughly 3 weeks ago, and this morning I discovered my first seedling! I feel all-powerful now! *grin* I have always told myself that if I could grow cinnamon then I could grow just about anything! My final step to achieving this will be if my yellow gentian seeds germinate this spring. Should that occur, I think I may squeal with glee. Yellow Gentian is notoriously hard to grow from seed, but it is also the most sought-after of all of the bitters herbs. I have planted my gentian seeds in outdoor nursery flats (along with my Burning Bush, Arrowleaf Balsamroot, and Compass Plant), in order to give them the necessary cold stratification that they require for germination. I have heard that cinnamon seeds can be difficult to germinate due to a low natural viability. I have no idea if this is true or not, but I DO know that they require very high temperatures to germinate. Thankfully, with my grow lights and heat mats, I was able to provide this. And thank you also to Horizon Herbs for the opportunity to try my hand at germinating cinnamon seeds!!

I finished my spring herb seed order for the 2010 gardening year. Ryan and I have nearly completed my formal herb garden. We have begun moving loads of rock for the 4th and final raised bed; I have just about finished spreading layer upon layer of mulch in the walkways (it's a constant battle to smother the weeds); and my family has helped me to plant 3 of 4 fig trees over the center marker that is Jugi's grave (which forms the core of the garden - I feel that is fitting tribute for my beloved "Foo"). Last year, I planted some of the raised beds with madder, licorice, bloodroot, comfrey, valerian, arnica, skullcap, mexican tarragon, echinacea, four varieties of sages, chives, lavendar, several different mints, epazote, angelica, feverfew, horehound, lemon balm, elecampane, and more! My new additions for the herb garden this year include:

Agrimony, Anise, Betany, Borage, Burdock, Moldavian Dragon's Head, Gravel Root, Wormwood, Blue Vervain, Baical Skullcap, Evening Primrose, Mexican Marigold, Yellow Dock, Grindelia, Passionflower, Costmary, Yerba Mansa, Goldenrod, Astragalus, Yarrow, and Stinging Nettles. Of course I always plant the normal annuals too: Basils, Calendula, Coriander, etc.

With the new garden additions, I tried to focus heavily on herbs that had a reputation for helping with problems relating to chronic coughs and infections of the urinary tract, which certain members of this family are prone to suffering from. The nice thing about planning your own medicinal herb garden is that you can tailor it to suit your own family's needs! For more information on the medicinal properties of many of my herbs, I recommend reading Michael Moore's book, "Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West."

In the meantime, I already have a spare guest room FULL of seed germination trays just brimming with sprouts (and some established plants)! They are merely waiting until March when I will begin transplanting them outdoors. Currently contained in the "Green Room" are: Hibiscus (which is actually going to end up being a houseplant), Mbuluki (another houseplant), Brandywine tomatoes, a variety of basils (this batch is really for winter culinary use, but if they make it until spring then I will plant them outside), agrimony, marshmallow, heimia, Cinnamon (another houseplant during the winter anyway), Maravilla, Boneset, Empress Tree, Yacon, Desert Willow, Chaste Tree, Echinacea Purpurea, Yerba del Lobo, Clary Sage, Garden Sage, Licorice, Greek Oregano, Thyme, Italian Parsley, Greek Mullein, Centaury, Mexican Tarragon (I plan to grow a great deal of this because I LOVE cooking with it!), San Pedro cactus/Pitaya Cactus/Dragon Fruit Cactus/Peruvian Torch Cactus (all houseplants), Agave, and more!

I also visited a friend's vineyard yesterday and collected many many chardonnay grape cuttings, so today I am in the process of potting them all up. Ryan pruned our own wine & table grapes this past weekend, and there is another huge pile of cuttings waiting for me to plant them. So many projects! The grape cuttings that I started LAST winter are now ready for transplanting. I have been putting them along the fence lines in the formal herb garden - I figured that this was an excellent way to cover an ugly fence AND provide delicious fruit during the year! I noticed with my year-old grape cuttings that I had terrible success on the batches I potted WITHOUT rooting hormone. On the batches where rooting hormone was used, I had a very high (70%+) success rate. However, overall, the grape cuttings that I planted in the ground had a 100% success rate, and had the best and LARGEST establishments of roots. If I had the space, I would plant ALL of my grape cuttings in the ground, and then dig them up the following winter. This seems to be the best road to success. Unfortunately, not possessing the space for planting 300 grape cuttings in the ground, I am limited mainly to gallon pots. I try to place between 12 and 18 grape cuttings per pot, as grapes seem to be social plants who do better when housed in large numbers.

Winded

Okay, I now realize that I am severely out of shape! Collecting and dumping 5 wheelbarrow loads of manure into my new planter boxes (really awesome ones that Ryan made using deconstructed hay pallets!) has me absolutely sore and winded! This from the girl who, last summer, lifted over 1000 lbs. of rock in a matter of roughly 6 days to construct her new formal herb garden! Apparently, winter really HAS been my time to sit around...the silver lining in this recent bout of strange above-average temperatures has been that it has allowed me to go outside and get some landscaping work done around the B&B. However, I was driven indoors this afternoon when the rains came.

I finally got around to planting my final two indoor seed flats today: Tray #1 contains Agave and Peruvian Torch cactus, and Tray #2 contains Italian Parsley, Thyme, and Oregano. I also transplanted some Boneset and Maravilla seedlings into larger pots. Still waiting for the rest of my Maravilla seeds to germinate, as well as my cinnamon seeds. I remember reading that the cinnamon takes a long to germinate though...*fingers crossed*

Thrift Store Find!


Today at a local thrift store I discovered a lovely little vintage (nearly antique, really) "Tourist Register" book. It had originally been used by one of the Jacksonville B&B's ages ago, and now I will be using it for MY Jacksonville B&B! Isn't that interesting?! Thus, the cycle continues...

The book had two guest signatures in it from 1942.

What the Weirdness?

This has been a very strange year, weather-wise. For example, in December we had the coldest weather on record since the 1990's, and now in this first week of January it's been in the 50's during the day with a nighttime low of 48 degrees! This is NOT our normal weather! I went out to prune some of my roses today, and discovered that they have begun budding leaves, and one poor confused soul had fresh FLOWER BUDS on it! IT. IS. JANUARY.
I left the one rose bush with the flower buds alone for now. I kind of want to wait and see what happens...

I am more than a little concerned about some of my outdoor nursery flats - many of those herb seeds are difficult to germinate, and require months and months of cold...I hope January begins to cool down again, or else I may not have plants!

An Apple A Day Keeps the Doctor Away...
But What About 100?

Here at the farm, we are preparing to place our 100-count EMLA 7 apple rootstock order soon, so that I can begin my heirloom apple orchard grafting project. I have been looking forward to this all winter! We are ordering the rootstock wholesale to save money, and using our own heirloom apple scion wood from our already established 12 apple trees. I will be growing my grafts out in gallon pots for the first year, and then planting them in the back pasture when they are large enough to survive on their own. The main apple orchard will consist of 32 heirloom trees, and I may plant a few more around the property. The remaining apple tree grafts will be for sale.

Ryan's Surprise Birthday Party

Notice me making funny faces at the camera in the background...

The three amigos!

What a fun night - good food, delicious drinks, and fabulous friends! Happy 25th birthday, Mr. Garrett!

Beauty in Bloom


My Amaryllis finally bloomed in a beautiful double bloom display! What a gorgeous way to brighten up the indoor winter scene!...

Planting & Plotting...

I managed to get one indoor seed tray planted yesterday with some good ol' garden sage, echinacea, boneset, and yerba del lobo. I also managed to get two outdoor nursery flats planted with arrowleaf balsamroot and compass plant. I still need to get my two remaining (indoor) seed trays planted with parsley, more clary sage, thyme, and oregano; and agave and peruvian torch cactus. In the seed tray that I planted roughly one week ago, I already have heimia, yerba del lobo, centaury, and mullein sprouts! Still waiting for the cinnamon and maravilla seeds to germinate. Can't believe that in February I already have to begin transplanting my perennials outdoors (this according to the OSU Extension's Gardening Guide, which has yet to fail me).

I am also plotting my herb garden for this spring. I still need to finish the fourth and final raised stone bed, but that hasn't stopped me from planning out what to plant in it this spring! :) At the rate I am going, all four beds will be entirely filled up this year! I may need to build a whole new herb garden to house my other plant babies over the years! :P

Plant Babies!

It's been less than a week, and already some of my Yerba del Lobo, Heimia, and Mullein seeds have sprouted! I am really looking forward to watching the rest of my seeds germinate over the weeks! I am trying to summon up the energy to finish planting my other three germination trays (gotta stick to "The Plan" for January - see posting below), but a nasty head cold has laid me low.

Speaking of January, I am excited to begin a new (and hopefully better year). 2009 was fraught with stress and heartbreak, though it had some good times too. I am ready for an upswing though, and I just think that 2010, with its beginnings engulfed in the Blue Moon, will be just that! What good luck that a blue moon falls on New Year's Eve! To me, that simply has to mean positive things. Traditionally, the blue moon is a time of rare occurances and mystical happenings, and is supposed to be the time (along with New Year's Eve - a fact that I find ironic) when you look back on your past accomplishments and failures, and set new goals for yourself. I figure that, based on this, the goals I set myself for 2010 (goals, mind you, not resolutions) should have the extra oomph! from the blue moon's happy glow. Ryan and I need all of the positive energy we can get!!

The Plan

In an effort to become better organized than my normal chaotic gardening style, I have written up a 5-month-long schedule of planting. I only have 4 seedling heat mats, so I am constrained to germinating only as many seeds as will fit in 4 trays this winter (another reason it was wise for me to plan everything out!). Using Horizon Herbs germinating hints and the OSU Extension's Gardening Book as guides, I have devised my method of attack. While some may be surprised at the planting times of certain items, you must remember that Ruch is a strange micro-climate in Southern Oregon. We are often times warmer and drier in the winter than the surrounding communities, and cooler (by about 10 degrees!) in the summer. Previous experience has taught me that I can transplant certain species outside earlier than people in, say, Medford or Selma, can. Our climate even differs from Applegate - a mere 7 miles away! Last spring, I was able to set out my tomatoes in April and have no ill effects, whereas friends in Applegate were unable to plant theirs outside until early JUNE! So you see, Ruch is a strange little gardening vortex...
In any event, here is my To-Do List for January:

JANUARY
INDOORS
Tray 1 - Already planted with Yerba del Lobo, Heimia, Mullein, Cinnamon, and Maravilla.
Tray 2 - Peruvian Torch Cactus and Century Plant (Agave)
Tray 3 - Parsley, Clary Sage, Echinacea, Mexican Tarragon, Boneset
Tray 4 - Garden Sage, Oregano, Thyme, Chives, Boy Choy

OUTDOORS
Direct Seed Anise & Angelica
Tray 1 - Arrowleaf Balsamroot
Tray 2 - Compass Plant
Tray 3 - Fraxinella

For Those Long, Cold Winter Months...

After almost three years of procrastination (yes, I am THAT good), I finally managed to make it over to the library and obtain my library card! While I was there, I discovered that the Ruch Library has quite a respectable medicinal herb section! One of the books I stumbled across, Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West, by Michael Moore, is seriously one of the best stores of knowledge I have ever seen. I read the book cover to cover, and am now biding my time until I can afford to buy all three of his books! They are a must-have for any serious (or even amateur!) herbalist! So Michael Moore is my recommended reading for this winter.

I recently put in an order for some new varieties of herb seeds to add to my ever-expanding garden this spring: Arrowleaf Balsamroot, more Chaste Tree (for landscaping around my herb garden), Greek Mullein, Compass Plant, Peruvian Torch Cactus, Heimia, European Centaury (I'm already growing yellow gentian, and just thought I'd add another bitters herb to the mix!), and Agave. I'm really looking forward to this spring, and all of my fabulous plants!

Speaking of plants, my cactus seedlings are doing quite well, and have started to develop their "true" leaves. I had limited germination on my Dragon Fruit cactus (still trying to figure that one out - but they did seem, out of all three, the most susceptible to mold), but my pitajaya and San pedro seeds demonstrated explosive germination. I was planning to order more Pitajaya seeds from HH, but it would appear that they are currently out of stock. I'll try and post some pics of my cactus seedlings soon.

(Cactus seedlings at roughly 4 weeks)

It's a Pokey Kind of Love

Well, the cactus seed germination is through the roof! Which means YAY!: I'm not a complete and utter incompetent (this is always a good thing)! I went ahead and sowed germination tray #2 with the remaining cactus seeds. Only managed to fill up ~1/2 of the tray, so I suppose I will need to get some more cactus seeds (oh shoot! What a crying shame! *laughing*). I want to try growing Giant Saguaro from seed - there is something ironically fulfilling about the idea of growing a plant that will outlive me. So instead of raising kids, I'm raising cacti!

Today I transplanted my assorted basil, clary sage, brandywine tomato, hibiscus, and boneset sprouts into larger pots. It's so nice to have lovely green plants growing even in the dead of winter! At least I know that I will have a heck of a start on spring.

Still waiting for my pineapple tops to root. I believe my two Dragon Fruit cactus cuttings have finally rooted, and one out of three of my Selenicereus grandiflorus cuttings have rooted. No signs of life on the avocado seeds yet, but I have heard that avocados are notoriously difficult to germinate (and when they do, require a long time to sprout). We shall see...Fingers are crossed!

Apothecary Farm Holiday Song


Jingle Bells!

Suede Boots Smells!

The chicken laid an egg.


Punkin thinks


That Zilla stinks.


And the donkeys say

"Oy Vey!"

EUREKA!
Well, after being absolutely terrified that I was a raging incompetent in my first attempt to raise cactus plants from seed, I now know that I have been successful! I have four confirmed cactus sprouts (1 pitajaya, 1 dragon fruit, and 2 san pedro), and three seeds that are in the process of sprouting. It's been less than a week since I planted my seeds! I used the recommended soil components, and provided both bottom heat with a heating mat as well as an overhead grow light, and plenty of humidity. I have heard that most people trying to raise cactus from seed have a problem with "dampening off" (i.e. mold), and I did as well. You have to surface sow the seedlings, as well as keep them very moist. This is unfortunately the perfect environment for mold to grow. What I did to save my seedlings was to brew a very strong batch of chamomile tea (2 cups boiling water over 1/4 cup dried chamomile flowers - cover, and allow to cool, then strain off the flowers), and sprayed my seed tray. This killed off most of the mold. However, there were still patches of it here and there. So, as none of my seedlings had yet begun to germinate, I allowed those portions of the tray to dry out for a bit (about half a day). Then, I re-dampened the soil, and voila! No more mold problems. My germination took off shortly afterward. I have heard from HH that sometimes allowing your soil to dry out and then rewetting it can help with the germination of cactus seeds.

I will post pictures as soon as my "babies" get a little larger (the macro function on my camera doesn't like to work very well).

I still want to get a few cuttings of San Pedro from Horizon Herbs...maybe after the holidays when things calm down around here?

Speaking of cactus plants, my Christmas Cacti are in full bloom right now (I have five of them scattered around the house)! I have never before possessed a Christmas Cactus plant, and I think that they are GORGEOUS! The one in the library is especially beautiful. I enjoy having them around, because in the winter time (when there are no outdoor blooms to cut and arrange in vases in the house) I can set the plants in pretty pots in guest rooms for a little color/decoration!


Aren't the flowers just beautiful?

And the Freaky Cacti Fetish Continues...

So I am branching out and attempting to grow freaky cacti from seed. This is a whole new area of gardening that I have yet to explore, and I am pretty excited! Placed my Horizon Herbs order for seeds of three different (and fascinating!) cacti varieties:

Hylocereus undatus
(The Dragon Fruit cactus that I have mentioned in earlier posts)

Echinocereus triglochidiatus
(Also known as the Pitajaya Cactus - produces tasty fruit!)

...and the cactus that I am the most excited for...

Trichocereus pachanoi
(The San Pedro Cactus, which apparently makes a fabulous house plant!)

Here is another link with information about the San Pedro Cactus.

The Year At A Close...

Hard to believe (okay, impossible, really) that the year is already almost at a close. There is so much that I wanted to accomplish, and yet ran out of time for! Even with winter hitting, I am already looking ahead to spring and planning my garden and heirloom apple orchard. This month, I need to get all of my culinary herb seeds germinating in preparation for transplanting in February (according to my OSU Extension gardening guide). In January, I need to begin getting all of my cold weather vegetable seeds germinating. January is also the month of pruning and grafting. I still need to order my omega tool and rootstocks. Ryan and I are going to put a 32-tree heirloom apple orchard in the back of the property (where George, Judge, and Winchester are currently living). We will be be using scion wood from our own 15 heirloom apples trees already found on the property (Arkansas Black, Winesap, Fireside, Cinnamon Spice, Chenango Strawberry, & Cox's Orange Pippin)), but I will also be ordering some scion wood for Ashmead's Kernal, Calville Blanc d'Hiver, Pitmaston Pineapple, Wealthy, and the White Pearmain. I am so excited to have an heirloom orchard! Besides apples, I will be planting my grape starts (that I began last February from cuttings taken from Longsword Vineyard (thanks, Matt!!)), and taking some cuttings of my heirloom roses (specifically Duchesse de Portland & Harison's Yellow), honeysuckle, and fig trees for propagating new plants. So January will be a very busy month! In February, I am already going to be direct-seeding cold weather vegetable crops into my raised beds, and tilling my large garden plot in preparation for a large scale planting in March. So much to do!...

Thinking ahead to next year makes me also ponder what goals I have in mind for 2010. I hate making New Years' resolutions, but I DO believe in setting obtainable goals for yourself for the coming year. Here is my list:

1. Increase the size of my dairy goat herd (pretty easy, since I have 5 does due in February & March - fingers are crossed for lots of girl babies!!)

2. Finish building my 4th raised bed in the herb garden

3. Finish landscaping the herb garden

4. Plant one or more fig trees over Jugi's grave

5. Have an amazing summer with the B&B business! Pay off 2 out of 3 large debts associated with moving to Oregon/getting the B&B up off of its feet

6. Get a cheese press, and have Ryan make hard cheeses for eating in Winter 2010

7. Increase yacon crop (possibly 2 separate harvests in May and November: growing my yacon indoors this winter, harvesting it in May, and then setting it out again for another harvest in November)

8. Graft 100 heirloom apple trees (and pray for a 70%+ success rate)

9. Begin landscaping the "Innkeepers' Backyard." My goal is to have it looking pretty (if not exactly finished) by the summer solstice in June, so that I can have a Solstice/BBQ party in my yard!

10. Build the outdoor dutch oven in the "Innkeepers' Backyard."

11. Increase advertising for the B&B

12. Increase types of medicinal herbs found in my herb garden

13. Grow more freaky cacti (from seed!)

14. Help Ryan to convert the larger Apothecary Suite closet into a walk-in library

15. Begin converting the Solarium into a real conservatory.

16. Finish building planter boxes for the Secret Garden & plant more grapes, etc. in that area

17. Obtain my nursery license and begin making plant sales

18. Visit my heart sister, Elaina, and her (*fingers crossed*) baby!!

19. Spend more time with my husband & appreciate the beautiful moments in life

20. TAKE A VACATION!!!!

Try this fantastic cranberry relish next year!

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups fresh cranberries
1 apple (Fuji works well)
2 carrots, peeled
1 large fennel bulb (reserve tops for garnish)
1 medium yacon tubers, peeled
1 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Combine and coarsely chop in a food processor. Garnis...h with fresh fennel leaves.

Enjoy!

This relish has a refreshingly sweet and crunchy flavor with a cleansing hint of anise at the end. Delicious!

Fall

My saffron is blooming! This is the first year I have tried growing saffron, and I am very excited & pleased! I planted roughly 22 bulbs, and here is a shot of my first flower:

I also finished bringing in the Yacon harvest last week (it's currently "curing" in my enclosed porch). It was a small but promising harvest - I am looking forward to next year's crop:

This isn't "GoodBye," It's "I'll See You Later..."

We put Jugi to sleep last Tuesday. I looked at him on the previous Thursday and I realized that it was time. I told Ryan we couldn't wait much longer. We called the vet on Monday (after playing a bit of phone tag with the vet doctor), and they said that they could do it the next day. Ryan put the phone down for a moment and asked me, "Are you ready for this?" I told him, "How can I EVER be ready for this??" The vet came, and had to sedate him twice in order to get him to calm down enough for the euthanasia injection. With so much sedation, poor Jugi had a hard time breathing, and he couldn't see me because his eyes were so hugely dilated, but I talked to him and petted his forehead the entire time. When he stopped breathing, I said to him, "I'll see you later, k?" That was when I let myself cry. I had promised him the night before that I would not cry during the whole procedure, because I knew it would sadden him and he needed me strong. I kept that promise, though it took every ounce of determination...and the minute the vet and assistant left (because we had it done at home, in the livingroom, with him looking out from his favorite view point window), I started bawling into Ryan's arms. The vet and tech had cried when Jugi stopped breathing. I was actually immensely thankful for that - it was comforting to know that they had not performed this procedure so many times that they were immune to the heartbreaking sadness of it. We buried him in the middle of my herb garden, with a large stone marker. The house feels so empty without him now. I keep thinking/expecting to see my beloved Sun God, and then I remember that I no longer have him. After spending about an hour crying, Ryan and I opened up the best, most expensive bottle of wine in our pantry, and drank to Jugi's honor. I have not had a half bottle of wine at one sitting in years...I definitely felt its effects, but at the same time, I needed something to take the edge off of the pain. I spent the entire day with him before the vet doctor showed up. We sat together, and he crawled into my lap and I petted him until he fell asleep. We gave him a final day in his beloved Solarium. I did everything I could to make his final days so full of happiness and love. In some ways, this situation was a blessing - it allowed us to say goodbye. I will always be thankful for that.

I am including some pictures of Jugi in his final day(s). These pictures, though they sadden me because he is obviously ill and suffering, make me smile because I know he is happy in them - even if it was just for a moment. Elaina phrased things best when she commented on that picture of me, Ryan, and Jugi. Tuesday I put her words into actions, and I enjoyed every moment I had left with my kitty. I know there will be other kitties in my future, but there will only ever be ONE Jugi...

The Reign of Jugi:
July 17, 2005 - November 3, 2009


The reign of "Foo" lasted for far too brief a time: July 17th, 2005 - November 3rd, 2009. I still remember going into the Petsmart in Salt Lake, in order to buy cat food for a different kitty that I was pet-sitting, and seeing that little strawberry-milk-mustache in the pet carrier. Petsmart was having their big cat adoption event. It was love at first sight for me. I asked if I could take Jugi into the glass "meeting room" where we could interact. He spent the entire time completely ignoring me, and trying to figure out how to escape. I knew then that he was the perfect kitty for me. My aunt paid the adoption fee for me as a belated birthday present, and I took my new kitty home. I remember accidentally banging the carrier against the kitchen door as I brought him in ("Welcome home, Jugi!" *smash* "Ooops! Sorry..."). That first night he claimed the foot of my bed (setting in motion a trend that would continue almost every night for the rest of our time together). I wasn't used to sleeping with a kitty at the foot of my tiny futon bed, so during the night I accidentally threw my legs over him in my sleep. I was quickly awakened to the feeling of having my feet bitten repeatedly by a very annoyed kitty.

I love you, Jugi.

The Mourning Moon...

So how is this for irony?: Today is the full moon for November, and it is commonly referred to as the "Mourning Moon." The description I have for it is: "In November, turn within and let inner growth be the focus of the journey through the underworld. Learn, study, reflect, and grow. In this time of mourning and loss, let the quietness of home and hearth sustain you, for in safety and familiarity there is hope to see us through the long dark winter."

Touché.

*sigh*

Elaina phrased it best...



"I think there is an excellent lesson to be learned from Jugi in that picture. Devote yourself wholeheartedly to the moment, recognize that it is good, and enjoy it with all you have. "

Beginning today, I am going to put her words into practice.