I ran across these two articles today on Google News…both of them are articles about folks who tried the method out this summer–both had a difficult time with SFG:
Sustain Spartanburg: A Green Daydream
Blight Strikes Home
Here are few notes:
- “My husband, Tom, designed improvements on ole Mel’s garden structure.”- might have been part of the problem, concrete blocks are different than a wood or vinyl foundation in terms of water absorption, etc.
- Blight is blight–you can get it wheter you are growing with SFG method or wide row. Not much you can do about it but spray and pray. (In my case, I will not be spraying this year, so I may get the blight, but we have had a good harvest so far.)
- I hold a similar daydream to the writer from Spartanburg–A Few Square Feet tended by a bunch of folks for those in need could make such a difference.
- Starting the garden is half the battle–most people don’t even try. They know it is hard work, it will take time, you are at the mercy of the weather, the insects, diseases… (But the Square Foot Gardening method has produced the most for me in the smallest amount of space and the least amount of work ever in a garden).
- I say, go for it–and when you eat that first home grown tomato of the season, you will know you did the right thing. That first salad with truly fresh lettuce. The first time you cook with herbs that were picked out the back door that afternoon, it will all make sense.
We have had more than our fair share of squash and zucchini this season. Three hardy plants of each is more than any couple could eat (we need a freezer with a bit of size to handle all that we have produced this season). Even the regional paper had an opinion.
Read: Squash abundance: Don’t squander your harvest
Excerpt:
“You can use shredded zucchini in place of potatoes in pancakes,” she said. “You can puree it into tomato sauce or stuff them with rice and vegetables.”
Zucchini and yellow squash should be picked when they’re about 8 inches long. After that, their flesh starts to become stringy and the seeds bitter.
You can reduce the number of fruits on each plant by harvesting the blossoms, which are considered a delicacy.
“If you still have an overabundance, you can always donate the extra to MANNA,” Hohenstein said.
There are some good recipes at the end of the article, too.
I saw this article on Google News today. What do you think?
Gardening can grow lifespan
Excerpts:
Gardening can help you live up to 14 years longer, according to National Geographic writer Dan Buettner, author of the New York Times best-selling book, “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest” ($14.95). Blue Zones are the longevity hotspots of the world….
Buettner said in an interview, “Many Americans exercise too hard. The life expectancy of our species for 99.9% of human history was about 30 years. The fact that medicine has pushed life expectancy to age 78 doesn’t mean our bodies were designed for three-quarters of a century of pounding.
“The world’s longest-lived people tend to do regular, low-intensity physical activity like walking with friends and gardening.”
A couple of comments of my own:
- Some Americans exercise too much, many do not exercise enough. I am convinced that walking the dog every day and spending time in the garden most every day has been good for my health. I still enjoy a good workout, but the low impact, regular use of muscles in my normal activity leads to fewer side effects and pains than other forms.
- I think gardening also contributes to better nutrition. I have never eaten as well in my life since gardening at a high level. We are eating numerous foods that are just not common in most folks diets. Kale, Swiss chard and other greens are healthy foods that you never see on a restaurant menu. We are eating more salads and more vegetarian dishes because we have so much available to us.
Even Good Morning America got into the swing of things this morning…
See…Easy Tips for Growing Your Own Food
A couple of excerpts:
Some 43 million U.S. households are expected to try their hand at food gardening this year — including the Obama family — and 21 percent will be newcomers looking to green their thumbs for the first time, according to the National Gardening Association.
The association says the average 600-square-foot garden costs $70 to plant, and produces about 300 pounds of fresh produce worth $600. That’s a $530 return on your investment.
I ran across these two articles today on Google News…both of them are articles about folks who tried the method out this summer–both had a difficult time with SFG: