The New Ewe(s)

Welcome Home Laverne and Shirley!

And Happy Birthday Danny!

Here's some sweet pics of the brand new pregnant sheep that Danny took. They're Tunis sheep from Al and Yvonne Bessin. They both should have twins in September. They're super nice; Laverne is a little more outgoing than Shirley, meaning that she's more dominant. They're both getting a little pushy when they know you have corn. We feed them cracked corn almost every morning and evening and we have a little red bell that we ring. We also say "Hey sheep...Hey sheep." They have the pasture to roam as well as the electric netting section of the front yard that Danny and I just set up. They look so blissful out on the front yard munching on the lush lawn.

We also just set up the pig pen. We'll get two castrated male piglets within the next couple of weeks from Lance and Valerie Graves. The pigs are descendents from Warren Wilson stock. They were raised completely organically. Now they'll get compost from Penland as well as corn.

Sheep Shed

Cold and Rainy...Finally!

Well, I'm glad I posted in March because I almost missed 3 whole months on the blog. I know you guys were desperately awaiting my next post (haha).

Let's see...since March, I've seeded virtually all of the flowers and veggies for the summer, potted a lot of them up, planted a dye garden, Lupine, Hollyhock, and Monarda, planted green onions, leeks, lettuce, cilantro, dill, kale and chard, harvested parsley, spinach, mustards, turnips, and collards, weeded a ton of vetch, got chicks, bees, and sheep, went hunting for ramps twice, had a huge party and found out our band is playing on the main stage with Doc Watson and the Carolina Chocolate Drops in July!

Whew...so its raining and cold for what feels like the first time since February so I'm finally back inside writing this. It has been SO warm here! We've only had about 1 frost in the last 2 months. We've had plenty of rain in the form of thunderstorms just like summer, mostly in the afternoon. We just had a pretty crazy storm that took down about 7 trees in the main center of the Penland campus. Stuff is so far ahead! I've seen fireflies, potato beetles, and even some bugs I've never seen before. There's a Red Hot Poker in one of the gardens at Penland that is about 3 feet high and getting ready to bloom, something that normally happens here in Julyish!! It feels like jungle here already and I'm conscious of it in a way that I have not been before. After the sparseness of winter, all this green and lush vegetation seems to be closing in on me. Summer!

At Penland, the compost went pretty well this Spring, filling up my pallet bins faster because I have been adding so much more yard waste. The greenhouse is full of flowers and veggies waiting to go outside. Marigolds, Scabiosa, Geraniums, Petunias, Tithonia, and Zinnias are waiting and I'm planting Snapdragons, Cosmos, Nicotiana, Delphinium today. Green Onions, Lettuce, Dill, Parsley, Peppers, Tomatoes, Tomatillos, Squashes and Cukes, Okra, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Lovage and Lavender are all waiting as well. The Tulips, Daffodils, Alliums and Hyacinths were incredible this year, so were the Dogwoods, Redbuds, Serviceberries, Lilacs, Azaleas, and Rhododendrons. The Peonies, Iris, Fringetree, Poppies, Snapdragons, Foxglove, Roses, Spiderwort, Sedums, and Candytufts are all going off right now, along with a ton of other stuff. Its pretty beautiful!

Marie and I went and picked up 3 lbs. or 9 thousand bees and I carried them to Penland on my lap from Wilkesboro...that was exciting!

At home, I got two lovely pregnant Tunis ewes from Al and Yvonne Bessin. I can't wait to tell that crazy story (thanks Ray!). Anyway Danny and Heather have been helping me a lot with them and we built a sheep shed so that I can keep them away from the chickens this year. I also just fortified the garden fence to keep the sheep out this year.

I also got 12 Aracauna chicks that are Clapton's offspring and they're doin great.

Gotta run...maybe I can write the next time it rains~

PEACE

Still Nice!...and (R)evolutionary

So the weather is still nice and the whole Middle East is rising up against (and above) decades-old dictatorships...Twenty Toothpicks (2011) is proving to be a historical year already. I just wanted to show my support for the people of all of those countries that are finding a political voice in what could be a new era of democracy for the region. Hopefully this leads to a more peaceful world soon.

50s and 60s during the day and anywhere from 28 to 45 at night. It certainly feels like Spring came early...maybe the groundhog really did call it. I think as long as we don't have really hard frosts really late, everything will be OK with this early warming.

At this time last year, there were inches of snow on the ground and the year before it snowed right about now. No snow in the forecast so far, so I've been raking leaves out of beds at Penland and replacing them with wood chips---somewhat cosmetic, but the leaves do mat down more than the chips and make it harder for plants to emerge. The chips this year come from the huge piles that came from the tops of all the trees cut for the new dorm. If I buy chips I always go for shredded pine instead of hardwood because I found that hardwood gets more of those weird fungus that look like neon colored deer puke. The mixed chips I've used at Penland seem fine though.

I have been doing lots of cutting back and also weeding, hoping to get a jump on the weeds before they get even hardier. So far that has mostly been Crown Vetch, which adds nitrogen and has pretty flowers, but sprawls and takes over and even worse, develops a root system that winds up being impossible to take out without digging the whole bed. Dandelions are up and similar to Vetch they have positive and negative traits. Dandelions do the job of tilling and accumulating valuable nutrients from deeper down than other plants can, but they are such a recognizable weed that I pretty much have to take them out. Others include Yellow Dock, Burdock, Wild Onions, Clovers, and Grasses. We had a really dry spell for a couple of weeks, but thankfully we've gotten some rain that makes weeding much easier. It also makes raking much harder because the leaves are so heavy.

Crocus and Snowdrops have already bloomed and I saw my first Daffodil open today. Tulips and hyacinths are not far behind. Set up my compost bin and I'm getting ready for Penland students to arrive.

At home, I've been keeping my chickens inside the coop, which is really hard to do when the weather is so nice. It has the benefit of letting the pasture grow a little without the constant pressure of all that pecking. I also know that I'm finding all the eggs and the other day I got 14 in one day, which is a record for this group of ladies (and gents). Getting almost a dozen a day feels way better than the 2 or so that I feel like I've gotten for the last couple of years. I think that when I had the sheep last year and the chickens did not have access to food at all times, that probably limited their production. I also think they lay elsewhere when they are roaming outside. I find them every so often, but I've looked many times and can't figure out where they go. At least one hen really likes the carport and I can't, for the life of me, find her roost. It feels so good to see them in the sunlight and its nice that there are starting to be some greens for them to munch on besides my compost. Most of the tiny green plants poking up are on the other side of a temporary electric fencing (poultry netting is what I call it) I put up, but my charger must suck because they never look like they get shocked and they'll cross over to get to the pasture, but won't be able to get back over so they huddle against the fence in the evening and I have to go carry them into the coop (another reason I have been leaving them in the coop for nights that I'm not around or just don't feel like going into a muddy pasture to scoop up a couple of hens). A funny thing happened the other evening when a couple of hens just decided to roost for the night on the ground, on the RIGHT side of the fence so they could have just walked into the coop if they wanted to, but I guess they were so used to being trapped by the fence they just sat there and waited for me! My buddy, Cheryl, who also raises birds, has a bunch of youngin's already, probably from her incubator, and she wants to borrow my rooster, Clapton, for some fertilization. I really like Clapton. He's really sweet and I feel like we have a good understanding. Newspaper is still just a freaknut.

I spread all last years coop scoopin's onto the veggies garden and my berries. I also sheet mulched the berries, laying about a cup of Steve Solomon's COF around each plant, then putting cardboard below the pine shaving/sheep poop/chicken poop mixture from the coop, with a layer of chips to top it all off. I hope the poop isn't too active (hot) for the berries and the perennials in the veggie garden. I am assuming that by the time I plant the home veggies, it will be fine. I think I'm doing mostly later season hot weather stuff at home this year. Got half of the bank by the road cut back, but still need to finish and clear out the wooded part of the chicken's pasture. Neighbor Gordon and neighbor Danny are excited to collaborate this year, which could mean chickens and/or corn and taters and /or some hops!! Our neighborhood definitely has potential! Starting my roommate search for this season, crossing my fingers. Getting psyched for the OGS this weekend!!!

PEACE

Coop

Wonderous Week(s)

OK...so it's been gorgeous since last week. For the last few days, the extended forecast has only shown one night with temperatures below freezing. What month is it? 70...really?! I remember one January a few years ago in Charlottesville, VA when the whole month was like this. I worry that all the plants and insects, etc. are going to be woken up only to be creamed by a hard frost or huge snow. My buddy, Dr. John, was telling me that he's seen trees leaf out three times in one season. We'll see, maybe it'll stay like this. Hopefully, this doesn't mean it's going to be a crazy hot and dry season.

I want to clear something up. I started this blog with the intention of chronicling the progress of my permaculture site, Sweet Aspect Mini-Farm. The farm is near Mars Hill, NC, zone 6ish (somewhere between 6 and 7). I am also the gardener at the Penland School of Crafts. In that capacity, I care for ornamental flower beds adjacent to dozens of buildings. I also started a food growing operation and acquired a permit to compost most of the organic waste the kitchen produces. I helped develop a forest stewardship program to manage the undeveloped portion of the 400-acre campus. The difference in elevation between the two sites is about 1,000 ft. There are many differences between the Penland and Sweet Aspect, so I'll start to be more clear about which one I'm talking about.

At Penland this week, I tilled in all of the compost and Complete Organic Fetilizer (COF) I laid on 6 out of the 12 100' rows within the last couple of weeks. I wound up using about 8 quarts of the COF on each row and about an inch of compost from 2009. On Tuesday, I even planted a 100' single row of 2009 Winter Bloomsdale Spinach from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (SESE). I also did a 30' single row each of Ruby Streaks Mustard from the 2010 Organic Growers School, 2009 Tat Soi from SESE, and 30' of 2011 Sow True Seed's Appalacian Greens Mix, a combination of Seven Top Turnips, Champion Collards, and Green Wave Mustards. I hope they survive the next cold wave if they come up within the next week.

Before I tilled, I used a really handy trick to see if the soil's ready in clay conditions: take a handful of garden soil and make a ball with the soil in one hand. Stick the thumb of the other hand into the ball of soil. If it crumbles, you know the soil is ready for working. If you're not able to make a ball, you know the soil is too dry and if the thumbprint remains and the ball stays intact, you know the soil's too wet. If you till when the soil's too dry, the soil will slump the next time it rains and you will be left with an airless, concrete-like slab. If you till when the soil's too wet, the tiller will cause clods in the soil which will become like stones or bricks instead of the fluffy crumbly brown soil we all love.

Pili's Question

Hi Ryan,

I found your blog! and now i have questions. I've been doing some yard work - cutting down ugly stuff, and things that seem out of place. In doing this, i decided that i would like to plant some flowers - something pretty and colorful - that will be low maintenance and work in the local climate. Do you have any suggestions? I don't have a lot of money so suggestions for an affordable way to do this would also be great! Also, I would need to know when to plant them. If this is on your blog already - just point me in the right direction. I was going to post this as a comment on your blog in case it would benefit others.

Thanks!

Pili.

Low maintenance is SUPER key! The perennial flowers I always turn to in sunny situations are Black-Eyed Susans, Echinacea (Coneflower), and Globe Thistle. The no-brainer annual flowers that I always recommend for a sunny spot are Zinnias, Cosmos, and I really can't do without one called Celosia. You can easily find seeds for all these except for Celosia in the Fall. These plants are really easy to find and grow...I can definitely slip you some plants in the Spring. Anytime you can work the soil is a good time to plant from now until around June 1st, when you've kind of missed the Spring planting window. I'll also tell you later how to figure out if the soil is too wet or dry.

I want to know more about your site...I need to know how sunny it is and whether it is wet or dry. I can go into more detail once I know this info. Favorite colors, height requirements/preferences, and size of the area are other important details.

Coop

Leeks, Rosemary, Geraniums and Begonias

Just started my Leeks and Rosemary on Monday. Repotted my Geraniums, already gettin' big and lookin' good. Lisianthus comin' up. Still no word from the Begonias, but a couple of my Arums are sprouting. None of the Fringetrees have come up yet. Tons of flats of Green Onions.

Gonna have a hard time fitting all those Green Onions (Gronions, as I call 'em) in the unheated greenhouse with all of the Cabbage and Broccoli.

Also in the greenhouse are Curly Willow, Agapanthus, Paw Paw trees, Rosemary, and Green Onions. I'm trying to winter sow Garden Phlox and Foxglove, but that never seems to work for me.

Pruned ornamental and fruit trees like crazy all this and last week. Curly Willow, Redbud, Cornelian Cherry, a Yellow Cherry, Pears, and Apples. I'm done, now that the moon is getting full again. I'll fertilize and sheet mulch them later in the Spring.

Harvesting Beets, Red Giant Mustard, Thick-Stemmed Mustard, Kale, and Tat Soi from under row cover. Even Lettuce is sprouting and growing. I have a few plants of Parsley and Cilantro under cold frames, but the whole rows are alive with no protection at all!

Working on getting Tunis Sheep for next year, possibly females with an eye towards breeding

them...ahhh dreaming about the growing season...

Much Love

Coop

Clear and Cold

2011 has been pretty wonky so far.

My cat, Courdoroy, got super messed up when something got it on the bottom chin, it festered, her face got huge, and now its better, but here bottom jaw is hairless.

I think one buff orpington got way too cold last week and could barely walk and had its feathers all fluffed up and just looked crazy (crazier than normal). It wouldn't roost at night and just slept in the corner. I'm pretty sure that chicken has disappeared, but right before it did, a barred rock joined it on the floor and wouldn't put any weight on its left leg. It was eating and drinking, but getting pretty beat up by the other chx so I brought it inside in a dog crate. It laid down on the good leg and to my knowledge never got up again. It was alert for three or four days, but wouldn't eat or drink so I killed a couple nights ago. Killing hens is so much harder than rooster or broilers. Kind of scarring, especially because I have no idea what happened to it. I tried to look under the feathers, but I didn't dunk it in hot water and pluck it because I wasn't going to eat it. I probably could have, but I was sketched out that it might have had an infection.

I spent almost $1500 for a new tie rod end, steering rack, and a radiator/heater core flush for my truck. $1500 and still no heat in the ride. Damn!

Mecury in retrograde? Well, its clear and crisp and gorgeous today. I needed it! Clearing a road and cutting firewood all week (red oak) and taking down black walnuts and dead apple trees. Nice to clear vines multiflora rose and such this time of year when its not quite as overwhelming.

Geraniums came up and look nice. I swear, even though they're not even an inch tall, they make the room smell good already.

Some of the green onions I planted that were packed in '08 are coming up! The others are just popping.

The arum I planted is not up yet, even though some of the seeds were sprouted when I planted them from being in room temperature, moist vermiculite for a few weeks.

My fringetree seeds aren't up yet either. I'm afraid both might have dried out in the flats, even though I put plastic on top.

Still waiting for the begonia and lisianthus. I bet they'll both take a couple of weeks to come up. Keeping my fingers crossed.

In good news, the ladies are laying eggs like gangbusters and I sold enough of the lamb to at least cover the cost of processing from Little David's. The customers seem to be happy.

Gettin' ready to sheet mulch my perennials and lay the COF (complete organic fetilizer) and compost on the annual garden.

Happy that some of the snow finally melted and I can see the ground. Stoked to be working outside doing something other than shoveling snow. What a January!

Peace

Coop

Margo and Lisa come to visit

Hangin' out with Margo and Lisa, who spent last season working for Charleston Farm, was super fun! It gave me all kinds of insight on the fine tuning of growing that I really only learn from other growers. Subtle ways we do things differently.

I just put in my seed order for the year. I am trying a local open pollinated organic seed company here in Asheville called Sow True Seeds. I also ordered from Johnny's and Fedco. Bummed that I won't get the Evergreen Hardy White Green Onions in time. I started eight flats of that seed from two years ago, but I don't have very high hopes. I'm in the midst of rearranging my propagation area to make maintenance easier, but as soon as I get that squared away I'll be planting geraniums and begonias. Last year, the geraniums were the best ornamental flower I had with petunias a close second. Check back for pictures of my growing space.

Here's my veggie seed list:

Fedco

Mustard Chinese Thick-Stem OG, Mustard Red Giant OG, Lettuce Green Ice OG, Lettuce Green Deer Tongue OG, Lettuce Royal Oakleaf OG, Lettuce Slobolt OG, Lettuce Tom Thumb, Lettuce Buttercrunch, Lettuce Wunder von Stuttgart, Lettuce Jericho OG, Lettuce Parris Island Cos, Lettuce Anuenue OG, Lettuce Summertime, Zucchini Jackpot, Zucchini Costata Romanesca OG, Patty Pan Benning's Green Tint, Cucumber Marketmore 76, Cucumber General Lee, Tomatillo Verde Puebla OG, Bell Pepper Purple Beauty, Bell Pepper Feherozon, OG Bell Pepper King of the North, Tomato Peacevine OG, Tomato Old German OG, Leek King Richard OG, Leek Bleu de Solaize, NZ Spinach, Okra Red Burgundy OG

Johnny's

Green Onion Evergreen Hardy White, Green Onion White Spear, Green Onion Nabechan, Cilantro Caribe, Chard Brightlights, Zucchini Cashflow, Dill Fernleaf, Squash Superpik, Squash Yellow Crookneck, Rosemary, Shiso, Cayenne Joe's Long, Tomato Mountain Magic, Leek Tadorna

Sow True

Arugula, Slow Bolt Mizuna, Organic Beet Chioggia, Cabbage Early Jersey Wakefield, Cabbage Perfection Savoy, Cabbage Red Acre, Broccoli Green Sprouting Calabres,e Carrot Red Core Chantennay, Cauliflower Self Blanch, Cilantro Slow Bolt, Dill Green Sleeves, Organic Eggplant Black Beauty OG, Lettuce Buttercrunch, Lettuce Green Oakleaf, Mustard Old Fashioned, Radish Daikon, Japanese Minowase, Appalachian Greens Mix, Turnip Purple Top Globe, Organic

Definitely dreamin' of Spring...

Coop