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The sunflowers that require no annual planting: meet sunchokes (aka wild sunflowers) and Maximilian sunflowers. Of course they bring a sunflower vibe to growing spaces, but also have all the perks of perennials for the environment.
Tubers loosen compacted soils, blossoms feed pollinators, the woody plant tissue absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than annual plants, they create a safe haven for predatory insects and birds, and they are edible. It’s said Maximilian sunflowers were planted around homes by the early settlers to deter mosquitos, and when their tubers are dried and added to bath water, they relieve pain and inflammation due to arthritis. And let’s not forget to mention the stunning living wall these plants create. Both sunchokes and Maximilian sunflowers spread by way of edible tubers. Therefore it's essential to plant these crops in a location with moist but well-draining soil. Too much standing water is cause for root rot, and will not only affect the harvestable roots but also threaten the life and productivity of the plants. If plants are allowed to continue to multiply without harvesting the tubers, a dense living wall will remain that can spread more and more every season.  Meet Garlic, a new kitten here named by my kids. ☺️ Every addition is a balance on the homestead between what the farm needs and what nature already provides. As a permaculture practitioner, I assess every single element before bringing in something new… this is how an ecosystem is maintained.
In this case, we were down to one barn cat. I knew we’d likely need another before the temperatures plummet… a barn full of hay and animal feed (no matter how well protected) is a welcoming spot for country mice and rats. I waited to see what our resident rodent and owl populations were like, how many predatory inhabitants we have that could access the barn realistically with guard dogs around, and what stray cats (if any) might come by. Too many cats could reduce a food source other wildlife needs to survive so I wanted to be sure we had enough prey to support another cat. If I take a food source away from owls, kestrels, fox, etc., they’ll be more likely to prey on my birds or leave the farm all together; neither of which is the intention. And because this is social media, yes, I feed my cats multiple times per day. 😉 And so it was meant to be. We welcomed Garlic a few weeks ago. A skittish but most welcome new farm friend. Time stamps: On Finnegan: 0:15 // Meet the new horses: 1:00 // See the stable upgrade: 5:10
I have been putting off making this video because we recently endured a devastating loss on my permaculture farm; my partner and friend, Finnegan, passed away unexpectedly. While processing my grief, it was essential I find Dozer (my remaining Clydesdale mare) a stablemate because horses just don't do well alone. Very quickly, I found two beautiful horses we could offer a forever home to. Meet Sholto and Nevin, who are both already broke to ride and drive. In this video I'm sharing the new comers, talking about losing Finn, and showing the upgraded stable. A few amazing places to shop for a horse if you're open to adoption: Colby's Crew: https://colbyscrewrescue.org/ Horses Deserve a Second Chance: http://www.horsesdeserveasecondchance.com/
Sweet potatoes aren’t really potatoes. They’re tropical plants with edible roots in the morning glory family. As such, the harvest should be cured differently to create a sweeter flavor.
- Start by planting after the last frost. You can do slips or plant an entire sweet potato. Make sure the soil is loose and nutrient-dense as these are heavy feeding plants. - Apply a dense layer of straw or mulch at planting time to retain moisture and prevent weeds. I do 10-12” thick. Grow undisturbed all season—no pruning of vines is necessary. - Stop watering about 7-10 days before you plan to harvest. This prevents cracked skin on the potatoes. - Harvest with your hands if possible by carefully moving back the vines, soil, and mulch. Lift without a shovel to avoid puncturing the potatoes. - Sweet potatoes need heat and humidity to cure. I harvest mine when the forecast shows temps are soon to dip and the plant begins to yellow. Do not wash the tubers. - A shady dry table outdoors is great for curing. Sweet potatoes need 80°F+ temps and 90% humidity according to The Farmer’s Almanac. Cure for two to three weeks before storing long term in a dark, cool, aerated location. - Sweet potatoes are an amazing ground cover in food forest systems and also do well when grown with sunflowers! NOTE: deer LOVE sweet potato vines Use a Byproduct from Prepping Dirty Produce to Give Your Soil a HUGE Boost: Permaculture Diary9/1/2023
Nothing is wasted. Capturing and storing energy. These are a couple of the permaculture principles I’m employing by soaking my carrots in water for 12 hours before processing, and then reclaiming that micro-organism filled water for my garden and compost heap.
Right after harvesting carrots and other root crops, it’s essential to remove the greens. Otherwise they’ll continue to pull water from the root. This can leave your carrot, turnip, or radish for example, wilted if it had to keep supplying the green tips with hydration. To restore any lost water and to loosen dirt and debris on the outside of the vegetable, I soak my carrots for 8-12 hours post harvest, after the greens have been removed. The next day, when I’m processing the carrots, I’m left with water that contains all the soil from my garden. That garden soil was created using a mix of growing soil, compost, and organic matter I’ve built up over time. By allowing it to soak in the water and breathe overnight, micro bacteria in that soil begins to multiply. Essentially, we’re creating compost tea from the soil deposits on the outside of the crops. This nutrient dense liquid can be applied to the garden directly. Instead I prefer to add mine to my compost heap. Scraps from vegetable processing are a great compost additive —but liquid compost is even better since it’s full of helpful microbes.
If you're new to this space, I’m Angela. The best visual I can think of to illustrate what I’m trying to build is a small farm in France called La Ferme du Bec Hellouin. This is what I’m trying to create in central New Jersey: a thriving homestead resilient to climate change using permaculture methods.
I’m not your typical homesteader. I’m using animals and cover crops to restore once-depleted and dead soil. I place great priority on planting perennial crops and overstory trees. I invite wildlife into our farm ecosystem where nature is at the forefront of every decision. And every animal has at least one job that contributes to our ecosystem. As a result we are thriving despite heavy wildfire smoke, flooding, and drought. My homestead was build in 1775, but it’s only been under my direction for about 8 years. Already we have seen an increase in beneficial insects, birds, butterflies and wildlife. All while growing enough food for our family. I hope you’ll stick around. For more information on Le Ferme du Bec Hellouin, please click here. You can also find their book, Miraculous Abundance, here. Cover crops get a lot of hype when it comes to the vegetable garden. But they’re just as important (if not more so) in animal grazing spaces. My pastures are no longer seeded with straight grass—instead I use a mix of hand-selected cover crops.
I researched cover crops that meet the nutritional needs of my animal species while giving back to the soil. Cover crops not only create organic matter and improve soil, they also can attract beneficial insects, suppress weeds, bring up plant available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to plant roots, improve soil compaction, and more. My book, The Sustainable Homestead, has lots of info on cover crops and pasture management. The Rodale Institute is an incredible resource for finding suitable forage crops for your exact species and soil goals. Here's the thing about dill pickles... They can be canned with lots of room for creativity so long as the vinegar to water ratios remain the same. The vinegar is the ingredient that contributes acid to the recipe which is an essential component of safe water bath canning. Water bath canning is the best method for dill pickles for long term shelf storage; while you absolutely could pressure can, the result would be a mushy spear as a result of the high heat. A crunchy spear can still be hard to produce in water bath canning because, after all, we are cooking the spear in boiling water. While some folks like to add pickling granules (calcium chloride) to their canning jars to help maintain a crispy pickle, I go the natural route with grape leaves. Grape leaves contain tannins that naturally contribute to a crisp pickle and we have plenty on-hand from our hobby vineyard. One grape leaf at the bottom of the jar is all that's needed to help keep your pickles crunchy.  Angela's kosher dill pickle RECIPEYields 4 pint jars Ingredients 2.5 pounds pickling cucumbers (fresh, washed and free of blemishes) 2.5 cups non-chlorinated water 2.5 cups distilled white vinegar 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon kosher salt 4 garlic cloves, peeled 4 grape leaves, washed and free of blemishes 12 fresh dill sprigs 2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed, whole 24 black peppercorns Directions Wash the cucumbers. Cut 1/4" off of the blossom end. Quarter or slice the cucumbers in half, lengthwise. Trim to fit the height of the jar while allowing 1/2" headspace. Combine water, vinegar, and kosher salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir to dissolve the salt. Remove from heat. Sterilize the canning jars and prep the lids and rings. Start a large stockpot or canning pot of water on the stove. Bring to a boil. While the water is heating, begin to fill the jars. Place one grape leaf, three sprigs of dill, one garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed, and six peppercorns in each jar. Pack tightly with sliced cucumbers. Repeat until all jars are packed.  Pour the vinegar, water and salt brine into each jar, covering the contents. Leave 1/2" of headspace at the top of each jar. Remove air bubbles by running a clean butter knife around the inner perimeter of the jar. Wipe the rim of each jar clean with a dry towel. Add the lid and rim and tighten.
Submerge the jars in the boiling water bath and process for 15 minutes, adjusting for your altitude as needed. You can find altitude adjustments on Ball canning's website. After 15 minutes remove the jars from the water bath and set aside on a folded dish towel on the countertop. Allow to cool. Lids will pop as they seal. After the jars have fully cooled, check the center of each jar lid by pressing with your finger. If the lid fluctuates, reprocess for another 15 minutes. If the lid is firm, the seal is successful. Store in a cool, dark place. Pickles should be consumed within one year. It’s high spring and join me in harvesting peas, strawberries, and broccoli this evening during golden hour. I’ll share some permaculture tips as we go and a story about how I almost died from an allergic reaction to pesticides. A hyperactive immune response caused me to go into anaphylactic shock... for weeks. Yes I homestead today because I believe it's better for the environment and I crave a personal relationship with the land. But I also do it out of necessity; growing my own food and preparing it in the kitchen is essential for my health. |
Angela is the farmer and content creator behind Axe & Root Homestead® LLC. This historic six-acre permaculture farm is home to two Clydesdale horses, ten honeybee hives, five sheep, two guardian dogs, barn cats and a flock of 40 geese and ducks. The farm produces maple syrup, fruit from a small orchard and loads of garden produce for consumption, preservation and donation to the local food pantry.
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