While there is nothing wrong with using bamboo for trellises and stakes in the garden, I’m a big believer in using what you have. Today I am harvesting the stalks from my sunchoke plants to use as a support for next year‘s crops.
Sunchokes reach somewhere between 10 to 12 feet tall, so I will be cutting off the top half of the stalk where the blossom, foliage, and skinnier/weaker stem portion reside. I am cutting the base of the stalk at the soil line above the tuber. Discarded plant material like the tops or stalks that are deemed too slender/weak to use can be composted. To store my sunchoke stalks, I will be keeping them inside of my barn throughout the winter. Though as an experiment I left a couple of stalks outdoors throughout last winter and—still—they did not rot, I recommend storing in a dry place for longevity. ABOUT SUNCHOKES
If you are interested in growing your own sunchokes I have tubers available on my website. Creating a Sustainable Garden with Rotting Logs and Woodchips on the Permaculture Homestead10/29/2024
In nature we see rotting logs on every forest floor. These fallen trees provide shelter and food to insects, small critters, and mushrooms. They contribute to the greater mycorrhizal network, add nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to soil, and provide a place to grow a mushroom crop. Rotting logs and large wood chunks can be a great addition to growing spaces and fruit tree guilds. There needs to be a Nitrogen to Carbon balance in any natural decomposition cycle. Carbon items like logs need nitrogen to break down. But already rotting logs requires less nitrogen and, therefore, will soak up less from tree soil. Add compost around trees in addition to green guild members to balance out nitrogen. Video Time Stamps: 0:00 The role of logs in nature 0:56 How logs decompose 1:52 Using rotted stumps on our homestead 2:37 Using Black Walnut wood (juglone concerns) 3:22 Spreading rotted log mulch in fruit tree guilds 4:40 Why I prefer rotted chips and wood for tree mulch 4:59 Moisture control with larger chunks of rotting wood 5:37 Maintaining soil nitrogen levels with guild member growth 6:18 Garden pro-tip Relevant sources and information:
Ecosystem Processes Related to Wood Decay Can I use woodchips from walnut as mulch in my landscape? Hot composting and cold composting. Totally different processes and end products. One kills weed seeds, pathogens and parasites. One does not. The product you are looking for and how you intend to use it will determine the process.
Video Timestamps: 0:20 Compost heap ingredients 0:46 Carbon to Nitrogen (brown to green) ingredient rations for composting 1:04 Cold composting 2:02 Hot composting 3:25 Finished hot and cold compost comparison 3:36 Which compost system is right for you? HOT COMPOSTING OVERVIEW
Sources: “Within a week, temperatures in a properly constructed compost pile will reach 130 degrees Fahrenheit. That quickly kills many seeds and stabilizes the composted material. But it takes 30 days of exposure to temperatures of 145 degrees or more to kill seeds from tougher weed species.” wssa.net “Most species of microorganisms cannot survive at temperatures above 60-65°C, (140-150°F).” Cornell Composting COLD COMPOSTING OVERVIEW
The intention for using your finished compost will determine the process. If you would like to use the product in animal grazing spaces or vegetable gardens, hot composting is highly recommended as when desired temperatures are reached, pathogens and weeds are killed off within the heap. However, if you intend to use compost as a soil conditioner in your orchards or non grazing spaces where weeds are not problematic, cold composting may be a good fit for you. Growing the world’s most expensive spice is easy and feasible in many climates. I’ve had great success with saffron here in NJ, zone 7, and am actually planting more today. I got mine from Tara at She’s Rooted Home: https://shesrootedhome.com
Saffron is grown by way of a corm. I have grown this without issue in one portion of my yard for three seasons. This year I’m planting more in an area with vole activity. I’m making and will be using a cage for protection. Here's the video time stamps if you're looking for a short cut in this tutorial: 0:00 Introduction to Saffron 1:12 Harvesting saffron 1:32 Growing saffron corms 1:58 Companion planting for saffron 2:45 Making a vole-proof crop cage for saffron  This butternut squash soup recipe is the only one you'll ever need. You can easily substitute pumpkin or acorn squash for the butternut and the sweet potato adds a little flavor boost. Don't let the fact that this recipe is vegan deter you; it's seriously delicious. Or just swap half and half cream for the coconut milk if you really can't get on board.
Ingredients 2 Tablespoons olive oil salt and pepper 2 Butternut squash, sliced and seeds removed* 1 sweet potato, halved lengthwise 1 white onion, halved 6 cloves garlic, peeled 2 cups coconut milk 1/4 cup maple syrup 2 Tablespoons curry powder 1 teaspoon thyme, dried 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder vegetable stock for thinning the soup of needed Directions Heat oven to 400° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the sliced squash, sweet potato and onion on the sheet. Roast for 25 minutes. Open the oven and add the garlic cloves to the sheet. Roast for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Once cool to the touch, scoop the flesh from the squash and sweet potato. Discard the skins and place the flesh into a blender. Add the roasted garlic, onion and coconut milk and purée until smooth. Pour the soup base into a stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the maple syrup and seasonings and bring to a simmer. Heat thoroughly for 10 minutes and thin with vegetable stock if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve. *The seeds can be saved and served as a garnish for the soup. Simply remove any pulp, rinse with water and toss to coat with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and roast while the squash and sweet potato cook for 8-10 minutes.  This is the recipe I use every year. You can add cinnamon or anise if desired! 🍎🍏
INGREDIENTS 8 pounds of apples, peeled and cored 1 cup water 1/2 tablespoon bottled lemon juice per pint jar DIRECTIONS Prepare a water bath canner on the stove and bring to a boil. Sanitize and warm pint-sized mason jars. Roughly dice apples and place in a large stockpot. Add the water and bring the pot to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, until apples are soft (about 7-10 minutes). Mash the soft apples with a potato masher. Add more water if desired for a thinner applesauce. You can also puree with an immersion blender for a smoother consistency. Allow to simmer 5 minutes more. Add lemon juice to each jar. Funnel the hot applesauce into warmed jars, leaving 1/2” headspace. Wipe the jar rims clean, and seal the jars finger tight. Place the filled jars into the boiling water bath canner. Process for 20 minutes until jars are sealed. Remove the jars from heat and place on a towel on the countertop. Allow to fully cool before storing. Press each lid to make sure it does not fluctuate and a good seal has been achieved. Consume within one year. A few years back we had a drought here in central New Jersey. While I have rain barrels, this made me realize I'd like to have another source of water to rely on for crops, if needed. Thereafter, I started researching and build three ponds here on the farm. Two are retention ponds, one is a catchment pond. Learn the difference, how I use these ponds, how I installed them, and how I keep the water algae and mosquito free without pumps.  I hate buying vegetable broth or stock. I find most store-bought versions contain bell peppers which, to me, overpowers the taste of my recipes. I end up with bell pepper-flavored soups, etc. and I can't stand it! Not to mention they're often loaded with unnecessary ingredients or preservatives. And cost more than they should. Making my own vegetable broth is super easy and I use onion, carrot, and celery straight from my garden as the trinity of flavors. This trinity is referred to as "Mirepoix" in French cooking; the aromatic blend created when combining these three vegetables.
I prefer to make bulk batches of beans and vegetable stock all at once. With the equipment and ingredients already at hand, I figure it's wise to just make it all in the same session rather than bit by bit. This is a bulk recipe for large stock pots. You can use multiple pots to accommodate the recipe or cut in half if needed. The skin of the onion and garlic are left on as they contain many minerals and nutrients beneficial to human health. They also serve as a coloring agent. INGREDIENTS 10 gallon stock pot filled 3/4 of the way full with water (roughly 7.5 gallons) 2 onions, quartered, skin on (may also use 2 cups chopped shallots or leeks) 1 bunch celery leaves, coarsely chopped 4-5 carrots, washed and halved 6 cloves of garlic, pressed, paper on salt and pepper DIRECTIONS Combine the water and remaining ingredients into the stock pot. Season with salt and pepper generously. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes. While cooking, and once the vegetables are softened, occasionally mash the contents of the pot with a potato masher. This releases more flavor from the vegetables into the stock. While broth is simmering, sterilize and warm pint-sized canning jars. This recipe yields roughly 25 pints of stock. This may be a good time to prep your pressure canner according to canner directions. Once the stock has finished simmering, remove from heat and ladle spoonfuls of stock through a mesh sieve or strainer into the canning jars. Leave 1/2" of headspace in each jar. Wipe the rim of every jar before adding new lids and bands. The bands should be finger tight. Place the jars of stock into the pressure canner. The processing time is 20 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure. Adjust to accommodate your altitude according to canner instructions. Because my canner only fits 16 pints at a time, I pressure canned my 25 jars in separate batches. Once the pressure canning process is completed, jars should be allowed to cool and set on a towel-lined countertop for 24 hours. Ensure all jars are well sealed before storing in a cool, dry location. This stock should be consumed within one year. Yields: Roughly 25 pints of stock This is a pressure canning recipe, not to be substituted with water canning or processing.  This easy 2-ingredient glaze is way better than store bought. I use it on paninis, mozzarella, caprese salads, pizzas, and even on grilled peaches for a summer dessert. Best of all, we are lucky enough to use our own farm fresh raw honey.
INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons honey 1 cup balsamic vinegar DIRECTIONS Combine the honey and the vinegar in a small saucepan. Whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and continue simmering for 12-15 minutes, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cooled, stir the glaze. If a thicker reduction is desired, bring to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes more. Once fully cooled, store the balsamic reduction in an airtight bottle or jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.  Calendula is well known within the homesteading community for its medicinal properties. While beautiful and certainly a staple for many home apothecaries, this plant pulls its weight in the garden too. It's not traditionally considered a permaculture powerhouse, however, calendula definitely has much to offer.
Varieties shown: Ivory Princess, Bronzed Beauty, Sunset Buff
|
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.
For those interested in rescuing horses:
FREE eBOOK! 
The Sustainable Homestead is available NOW!
Categories
All
|
