Garden (and life) updates!

Hello!

Life certainly gets crazy at times.  What started as a kitchen refresh since we had to address a plumbing problem turned into a full gut downstairs remodel.  There were a couple of structural issues found that resulted in removing almost all the walls on our first floor.  I keep telling myself that it's going to be beautiful when it's done...we just have to get to 'done'.  

We ended up having to stay at our lake place for almost a month.  Normally, I have no issue with staying at the lake but when you're well over an hour from home and your home has serious issues, it's a tad stressful!  And all I could do in the garden was watch it via the cameras!

My poor gardens!  Thankfully, we did put down weed barrier fabric so the weeds are just crazy at the edges.  Although it rained for days, we have great drainage in this garden as we're on a hill causing it to dry out a bit at times.  Even so, the garden is doing amazing!  

Check out these tomatoes!  I am almost 5'6" tall, that tomato plant is about TWO FEET taller than I am!  The tomatoes this year are so big and loaded with fruit that some of them are actually bending the larger tomato cages over!  I think next year I am going to plant them right up on the fence to help support the cages that are supporting the tomatoes!  LOL

Here are a few more random pictures from the garden!

Zuchinni

Tomatoes

Sugar Baby Watermelon - the squirrel let this one get big...he better continue to leave it alone too! 

Eggplants

Corn - a new variety I'm trying, it's designed to grow shorter and can even be grown in containers on porches...or so they say!

Cabbage, I used a row cover and am pretty impressed with the results. 

Beets

Cantaloupe, or the start of one

Peppers.  My garden book got packed, I must find it to see which variety these are, I planted several!  Note, it got so big that I had to put a tomato cage on it.

Tomatoes.  Hiding in the shade.

Acorn Squash, the first time growing it.

Cantaloupe, can't wait to see these ripen!

Cucumbers!  The first time growing them on the cow panels.

Green Beans, we're about to be overrun!

Spaghetti Squash.  A great substitute for spaghetti and it gets additional vitamins and nutrients in too!

You'll notice some of the leaves aren't perfect, but what garden doesn't have a bug or two? I've also planned some things to encourage the good bugs and bees too!  I intentionally moved some oregano to the openings in the cinder blocks of my raised beds away from the other herbs, and let it go to seed for the bees.

I even planted some flowers to attract bees in little pockets in the garden where plants didn't quite fill in.

So even though it was neglected for a few weeks, the garden is still doing well.  I am experimenting with cow panel trellis, MI Gardener has a great YouTube video on making one here.  We got the panels and T posts at Tractor Supply, they were very reasonable to purchase.  We were able to put six cucumber plants in an area that is roughly 5' x 6', the area where we would have had one *maybe* two plants vining on the ground.  This year we have these trellises for the Acorn squash, Butternut squash, Spaghetti squash and cucumbers.    Here's your laugh of the day, I have another one...I planted yellow squash around it.  Yellow squash does NOT vine.  I'll call it a blonde moment.  Next year that trellis will be for the pickling cucumbers.  LOL

The Eagle scout project was great in that all the infrastructure was put into place for the handicap garden.  We found a couple of issues that we will adjust.  The raised beds weren't built deep enough so we'll take those apart and correct that.  Minor in the big picture.  

It's about time to start our second round of planting.  Once we pull the rest of the beets and carrots, we'll plant another round in those raised beds.  We have one raised bed that is currently empty and I'll be planting more salad greens in that one.

So far, we've had 2 minor and 2 larger harvests and our donation amounts are up to 164 pounds of fresh produce and herbs.  We look forward to being able to do more.  

Remember to check on your neighbors! I know it's not winter time but when it's as hot as it has been, we should still check in on them to ensure they're ok!

Gram's Gardens...and so it begins!

 

For those of you who may not know, I was chosen as one of the Marion County Neighborhood Food Champions for the 2021 cohort!  I can't begin to tell you how excited I am about this.  

I kept telling myself that I needed to get back to writing in my blog but I believe I've shared before how much I struggled during my pandemic lockdown.  As one of my students said, I am seeing a light at the end of this tunnel and I'm pretty positive it's not the train!  I am fully vaccinated, my doctors are approving cautiously reentering public, I'm loving that I'm going to get to see my grandkids in person...those are some of my short people in the picture above!  In a few weeks, I'll even get to go to my new office on campus...I haven't even seen it yet!

Let me tell you about Gram's Gardens!  When I wrote my Food Champion proposal, I had broken the plan into four parts that would happen over multiple years until the plan was fully in place. 

*Phase one was expanding the donation garden.   

*Phase two is to create a handicap accessible (including wheelchairs) gardens.  There will be seating areas and accessible pathways.

*Phase three includes community plots that will be available to those without an area to garden (or want to learn from/with others while doing it), the donation for these plots will be low cost and we have supporters lined up who will help cover that donation if someone is in need of that.  The goal of this phase is that those who want to garden, can regardless of budgets.  

*Phase four is multi-faceted.  It includes an educational area so children from schools, scouts, etc. can learn about how to grow things.  It will also include volunteering so that elderly or shut ins who are unable to get to a food pantry/distribution can have it delivered to them.  This will allow volunteers who need community service hours to get them, an example of that being my son's school requires students to complete so many community service hours in order to graduate.  As a non-profit, we can sign off on those hours.

I'm so happy to share that we've expanded the donation garden to between 2000 and 2100 sq. ft.  Last year we donated over 500 pounds of fresh produce (less than 24 hours between picking and in the hands of the recipient) and our goal this year is 1000 pounds!

We're also able to announce that our timeline on the handicap accessible garden which will include the educational area has been moved up!  There is a Boy Scout who had his Eagle Scout project cancelled because of CoVid restrictions who is now taking this project on.  If you are so inclined to help him, please watch for a fundraising link for this as he has to do some fundraising as part of the project requirements.  We've been able to expand on how this will look as well.  There will be a raised bed (on the ground) that will be for flowers as I really want to include fresh flowers in the deliveries to the elderly and shut ins just to brighten their day.  We also have an artist friend who is going to help us include art in this garden, whether that is a changing art installation/exhibit or even a little library type of set up with art kits for children...watch for pictures of this!  This area, once it is available, will be experimental this season to work out any kinks in the set up.  We plan for it to be fully functional next season!

One major roadblock we are currently facing is in the form of a giant tree.  This tree is becoming the bane of my existence right now....

I'd like to point out that my husband is 6'4" tall.  I really, truly, honestly, dislike this tree!  If shading my garden area isn't enough, it's now been hit by lightening and really needs to come down before any more damage happens to it.  We'll be looking at possible grants to help with the removal of this tree.  

Anybody want any wood?  LOL

We'll be setting up "work days" to help get the garden ready and planted.  Sunday, we're finishing the building of the final three raised beds in the donation garden for lettuces, spinach, and peas, filling them and laying out the weed barrier fabric over the rest of the garden.  I'll keep y'all posted about work days if you'd like to join us for planting or harvesting as the season progresses!

Thank you to those who've helped and supported my idea to do this.  I can't wait to see what we can accomplish!

Please, feel free to hold me accountable for writing more consistently and to provide updates on Gram's Gardens!

Dee 🎕

Gram's Gardens!

 Hello everyone!

2020 has been quite the year, hasn't it?  I hope this finds you all safe and healthy!

I wrote about my husband suggesting I garden to help my mental state with being home and not being able to be social.  I often tell him, he's a genius!  His idea truly helped me psychologically and emotionally.  

I turned most of our backyard into a garden, about 1600 foot of it anyway.  I planted my normal garden things and I planted things I'd never grown before.  I experimented with ways of gardening I hadn't employed before.  It was therapeutic for me.  

I knew there would be far more than we needed to eat for our family so I'd arranged to donate the excess.  After what we ate, what I canned/dried/froze, and what we gave to family, we were STILL able to donate 521 pounds of produce.  I had a goal of donating 200 pounds, I had no idea we could more than double that!

I've often wondered why more people didn't garden.  I mean, I know I live in the city now but you don't need 1600 sq. ft. to garden to supplement your groceries.  I find a lot of people don't know how or are unsure how to start.  Many people prefer organics, the best organics you can acquire are those you grow!  When you grow your own fruits and vegetables, you know exactly how those items were cared for. Watching it all grow from dirt and seeds to a colorful sea of fruits and veggies is truly art in motion.

I've wanted to create a community garden for quite some time.  With my husband's encouragement, I've taken the steps to get things started.  I have created a non-profit called Gram's Gardens...yes, a play on my business, Gram's Jams, that I had to close when I got cancer.  To me, the name also harkens back to my own dear, sweet Gram.  She was a cook...in the old school sense of the word.  No one went hungry around Gram and there was always something homemade lurking somewhere in that kitchen of hers! She didn't have a huge garden (that was my wonderful Uncle Luke!) but she always had fresh produce.  I'm in my 50's now and some day, I will learn to cut a cantaloupe with the finesse she had!

Gram's Gardens will start by expanding and continuing the donation garden that we did last summer.  We also own an empty lot nearby that we will be turning into a Community Garden.  There are already some fruit trees there (apple, peach, and pear) and we will be expanding that and also planting some other fruits (strawberry, blackberry, grapes, and blueberries), probably some rhubarb too (even though that's icky...LOL).  I have to move a fence and have one large...really large tree taken down to open the lot up to the sun.  We'll then have plots for members of the community to be able to grow their own mini garden if they don't have their own yard.  I am also looking at a way to allow those with disabilities or others unable to garden on the ground to be able to garden.  I see built raised beds so those in wheelchairs can roll right up to them to garden or the elderly don't have to get on the ground to do so.  I remember when my Mom was in hospice, the highlight of her day was taking her outside to the raised beds, built so a wheelchair fit under them and she could garden from her chair.  More people need to have that available to them.  Fresh air and sunshine are good for everyone!

We'll be showing people how to garden in the Community garden and eventually, I want to make deliveries to elderly and shut-ins who are unable to go to the local pantry or the Farmer's market.

Our state paperwork has been approved, we have a Board of Directors, I've enrolled in Purdue Extension course on starting a farm (I know...but that is sorta what we're doing here) and I've applied for a City program that focuses on successfully running a non-profit to be a food champion...cross your fingers that I'm chosen!  Everything isn't going to happen in a day, or even in the first season, but we're on our way!  

I'm looking forward to getting this going and giving back to my wonderful community!

Wear your mask - Wash your hands - Social Distance - Be safe!

Being a hugger when hugging isn't safe!

Hello again!

I hope you're all safe during these difficult times.  As I often remind everyone during times of bad weather, please check on those around you.  A lot of people aren't ok right now.  Be safe and social distance but a phone call to check on your neighbors or a message on Facebook may mean the world to someone. A couple of my friends have shown me this cool new thing called Marco Polo, I am sure it's not new but I'm learning this and love hearing from (and seeing) my friends. 

I've been 'quarantined' at home due to being compromised and it feels like it's been forever.  Don't get me wrong, I'm so very thankful I'm cancer-free (WOOHOO) but I still have many of the issues that put me in the high risk category for CoVid-19...so I stay home.  

Anyone around me knows that I am a hugger...a serial hugger if you will.  I'm also a pretty social person.  When shut down first happened in early Spring, I wasn't doing well with it.  Not even a little bit.  I won't lie, there were tears.  I was upset that my family was essentially locked down because of me.  They understood and didn't complain at all but it bothered me that once again, my health affected them.  My wonderful son, seeing me upset, asked his dad what he could do for me.  My husband said "just hug your mom".  And he did.  Often.

My brilliant husband, knowing my love of gardening, suggested that I put in a large garden.  More on that in another post.  

I have gone back and forth on writing this post for a couple of months.  In these crazy and dangerous times, we need to know that it's ok to not be ok.  Reach out for help if you need it.  Reach out to friends to check on them.  A friend had a great idea with the Marco Polo app...use it to check in with friends at least weekly.  I'm working on this.  Sometimes, it's tougher than others as I don't want to reach out when I'm down but I know that is when I need to do it the most.  I am trying to find something positive to share even if I'm having a down day.  I have decided to set some time on Sunday afternoon/evening to send some Marco Polos.  I know it takes about a month to create a habit, I'm not there yet, but I'm working on it.

My prayer is that you're doing ok under the circumstances and that you're safe.  Reach out and check on your friends and neighbors, it could mean a lot to them.

What are you doing to occupy the extra time and your mind during this time?

Cupcakes!

We're not big cake eaters around here.  So, I make cupcakes.  A cake mix makes a lot of cupcakes!  

What I do so I don't waste is once I make them, I don't ice them.  I put them in freezer bags.

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I just take out the number of cupcakes we want and put on a plate to thaw.

In about 20-30 minutes, they can be frosted.  You can make frosting, but when it's on sale/clearance, I'll buy some to have on hand.  Today in the pantry, I found this:

So, about 20 minutes after the hubby says "Do you have anything sweet, a cupcake sounds good", you have these:

Yes, there is one less than when I sat them out to thaw, the hubby grabbed one as soon as I iced the first one.  

As a reminder....check on your neighbors.  No, don't go over there during a shelter at home, but call them, text them, Zoom with them.  It's good for everybody!

Cleaning wipes

Hello again!

Let me start by saying that I hope you are all safe and healthy.  If you are an essential worker, you have our deepest gratitude and sincerest thanks!  Please be safe and rest when you can.

This past weekend, as I was cleaning I realized it was time to clean and restock my cleaning wipes. This made me think about sharing all of this with you.

Are you one who uses Windex wipes or Lysol wipes to help with cleaning at home?  I was for quite a while.  A little over a year ago in the midst of paying for cancer bills, I realized just how much I was spending on these wipes.  A quick internet search of Walmart shows Windex wipes are $3.08 for 28 wipes (11 cents per wipe) and Lysol wipes are $4.16 for 80 wipes (5 cents per wipe).  I know that doesn't seem like a lot but every bit adds up.  As my Gram used to say, "Mind the pennies and the dollars take care of themselves".  

As one cost saving measure, I decided to try my hand at making my own.  The things on Pinterest that used paper towels I found just didn't work.  I gave up and decided to try something on my own.  

I was at Kroger and saw a sale on Handi-wipes.  The big roll was right at $4.00 on sale, it was about 50 wipes. They're good size wipes too!

I bought a couple of SnapWare containers (again on sale) for $2 or $3 each.  I bought these because it's a waterproof container with locking sides.

NOTE:  LABEL THEM WELL!

And I used what I had on hand for the Lysol and Windex (generic this time)...and this is how I restock them too.  Even if I'd had to buy these, the Lysol is about $3.00 and the Windex (if you bought name brand) is about $3.48

Fold the wipes to fit the container, which for me is folding in thirds and then in half and put them in the containers.  I generally put about 6 at a time.  Pour on the applicable cleaner and lid them up.  Let sit until the wipes have soaked up the cleaners.

Again, MAKE SURE THEY'RE LABELLED CORRECTLY!

Now, here's the nice part.  You can wash these.  I generally will wash them once or twice depending on how they're holding up.  I have washed them three times but twice is usually the standard for them holding up.  And if I've cleaned up something icky, I'll just toss it.

These save money and the because we're using Lysol, it kills 99% of germs & virus.  Super important during this time.

Biscuits

In the past several days, I have been asked for a good biscuit recipe.  I always share my Gram's 1-2-3-4 biscuit recipe.  It's super easy and gives great results!  I even won 2nd place at the State Fair with these biscuits!  Sorry for not pictures, I had made biscuits before everyone asked for a recipe.  

The ingredients are simple:

1 tsp salt
2 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 cold butter
3/4 milk (I've used everything from buttermilk to half and half to regular milk)

The instructions are just as easy.  

I sift the salt, flour and baking powder but you don't have to.

Cut in the butter, I suck at using a pastry cutter so I just use two knives until it looks like cornmeal consistency.

Then using a fork, stir in the milk just until it comes together.

I take the mixture to a floured counter and using my hands press it out to the thickness I want..generall 1/2" or so.  Handle them as little as possible so they don't get tough.  I'm not precise in this.  Cut the biscuits, if you don't have a biscuit cutter, use a glass.

Bake in a 450 degree oven on an ungreased baking pan for about 12 minutes, give or take, depending on how hot your oven runs.