tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60502635624428557102024-02-02T12:27:01.432-08:00Gardening Guru GoforthGardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-37721778986368342662012-01-04T05:42:00.001-08:002012-01-04T05:56:16.974-08:00Raised beds<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_Zbe7DCeQpQQ0BtzAtL-EdLxg-9NiMgjkUR-AoiYC-COwZLGMdvEc2p-dOI5wISI6nkIrYGAhDM8yvHe3dIf4qd_VJhUAnBy31345C6-Os34cD-prSAAwpIJDrh8SkkCsXarNBNeyBuW/s1600/July2010+018.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693773332350038450" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ_Zbe7DCeQpQQ0BtzAtL-EdLxg-9NiMgjkUR-AoiYC-COwZLGMdvEc2p-dOI5wISI6nkIrYGAhDM8yvHe3dIf4qd_VJhUAnBy31345C6-Os34cD-prSAAwpIJDrh8SkkCsXarNBNeyBuW/s320/July2010+018.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrai0S8MxQBzVm8ynlEzJFpkVf2BrrTPsGrW6OjvDHq9h2H6z888Y_FYe9znb20zhCp0fNPb_mOIFhP4NJXy9oSlKxaJcaRKSkKhXVB6tqswH-EuxiKtclyIzaQi8ykr8sSYecLycvw3qu/s1600/May2011+014.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5693773180812475858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrai0S8MxQBzVm8ynlEzJFpkVf2BrrTPsGrW6OjvDHq9h2H6z888Y_FYe9znb20zhCp0fNPb_mOIFhP4NJXy9oSlKxaJcaRKSkKhXVB6tqswH-EuxiKtclyIzaQi8ykr8sSYecLycvw3qu/s320/May2011+014.jpg" /></a><br />So many people want to use timbers or stone to create raised beds. While timber or stone does look nice, they are expensive and are not necessary for many situations. These pictures show two examples of raised beds. The bare ground beds were created by hilling disk on a small farm, although I have created raised beds on about 1/4 that amount of land just using a shovel. These beds were only used for one year because the tractor mounted tiller was able to level them back down. The raised beds covered by ground cover (a woven polyethene product) were built by a shovel about 20 years prior to this picture. The woven fabric kept the rain from washing the beds flat. <br /><br /><br /><div></div></div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-36340201872743850672011-12-29T07:13:00.000-08:002011-12-29T07:22:25.727-08:00My goal for the farmers market.Two years ago, I wrote a grant that, among other things, allowed Piedmont Farmers market to hire a full time manager. Last year the market paid her from reserve funds. Long term, they will have to generate more income to mantain a full time manager. <img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 285px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691569567177852418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMQplPRoTV4q34k9Ds_xWCWdV8MoBJ9ThBd_IHyMzp40Y7374sFlalztvEm11AE0YzvyYrL-sywBE2XAWqgGX5D6lR_ospnR43BDZ7Xhza6iTLC8xTadwicxLFj69ETrFWm3aGt-eiMRb1/s320/piedmontfarmersmarket.jpg" />There are three things they need to do to keep hiring a full time manager. One is to generate more vendor fees. I have written a grant to build a new building that should attract and retain new vendors. Second is to develop a repeatable iconic fundraising event. I have done that through the Harvest Gala. The final thing I will work on this year is donations and sponsorships. <br /><br /><div></div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-72376264972661216942011-12-29T07:05:00.001-08:002011-12-29T07:13:31.249-08:00Busy Part 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67RnRNAB1gHS_ofI5L0YB6BgouHEi5yYMfTamYohTEHeee-G2jsm4-HGx94mV7AKuv4G4WH6pgkKDRZ0g5qor_f1CH41KhUUgcyllPkdIpslsaJAeSR-hPotIUVlS_etNMbqUe-oR1MMd/s1600/002.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691566745037264370" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi67RnRNAB1gHS_ofI5L0YB6BgouHEi5yYMfTamYohTEHeee-G2jsm4-HGx94mV7AKuv4G4WH6pgkKDRZ0g5qor_f1CH41KhUUgcyllPkdIpslsaJAeSR-hPotIUVlS_etNMbqUe-oR1MMd/s320/002.JPG" /></a> The other project that I worked on this fall was our local farmers market. Here is a picture of the outside of the current building. The part to the right was build in 1988. I was involved in that project right after I was hired. The part to the left is a result of my grant writing efforts in 1999. I started working that year to be in a position to get additional grant money. I helped develop $100,000 worth of matching funds in 2007 and this year I wrote $150,000 worth of grants for a total of $250,000 to build a duplicate building right beside this one. <br /><br /><div></div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-79728541049489739882011-12-29T06:28:00.000-08:002011-12-29T07:01:25.844-08:00What kept me so busy this year?One of the things I was doing<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_ll8qyb7Qyt4bjHYS8ZZaplnw9nGZl0ZK8PdVmCZe4RRARajbQx44GfKgBSu3BW9Oeuh6kruyKy211usoVOBJ0F_ZWunX9Dj4SWMsNo5N3FV7a2WGine1tNIdDFIRJZrWbpIISwhh0eP/s1600/PFM+Auction+Gala04.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 210px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691558217815368914" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil_ll8qyb7Qyt4bjHYS8ZZaplnw9nGZl0ZK8PdVmCZe4RRARajbQx44GfKgBSu3BW9Oeuh6kruyKy211usoVOBJ0F_ZWunX9Dj4SWMsNo5N3FV7a2WGine1tNIdDFIRJZrWbpIISwhh0eP/s320/PFM+Auction+Gala04.jpg" /></a> this past six months was developing a fund raising event for the local farmers market. With lots of help, we had an event with live music, local food, live auction, silent auction, door prizes, educational exhibits and demonstrations. <br /><br /><div>Here is a pumpkin that was carved for the event. </div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-28782145075299714742011-12-29T06:23:00.000-08:002011-12-29T06:28:53.542-08:00I can't believe the year is almost over<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NBEYxjo3sW9uw9mAt30Pj2tQ-hevyY-MFaQqBzWxc4XMFHJEbZD-zuT6g2EaZ5rmiNM3-qaAyrJRWLhHy-VTPjaZyAS_8ReQfbq9IvuD8aZcaOsHboX5f4ERmLfKnvuTwKRCneTWRh0-/s1600/shiitake+2.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691556430192154690" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NBEYxjo3sW9uw9mAt30Pj2tQ-hevyY-MFaQqBzWxc4XMFHJEbZD-zuT6g2EaZ5rmiNM3-qaAyrJRWLhHy-VTPjaZyAS_8ReQfbq9IvuD8aZcaOsHboX5f4ERmLfKnvuTwKRCneTWRh0-/s320/shiitake+2.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div>You haven't seen many post because of a hectic work schedule. I finished the year by inoculating some more mushroom logs. Here is the set up with an electric drill, hot plate for wax, and inoculation tool. (If you were following all the rules, the logs should not be laid on the ground. ) I am using the tail gate as a work surface for the logs. </div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-48244773526834700042011-07-25T13:16:00.001-07:002011-07-25T13:18:51.190-07:00Here is a picture of my high tunnel built earlier this year<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbp8E6akZp2B_wiOy5xVogWpfLSwT5z9vfFIl4pYjPFQOMlg2G83cjK9q5keIrPG87VZ_QAyHy32-zosFPtANWwuDYUcEFIncD4DxA3tkm1I2qCKWzLV6S4Y-dVa_gIL8_ajTq6zbmjpL0/s1600/May2011+008.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633386490436822882" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbp8E6akZp2B_wiOy5xVogWpfLSwT5z9vfFIl4pYjPFQOMlg2G83cjK9q5keIrPG87VZ_QAyHy32-zosFPtANWwuDYUcEFIncD4DxA3tkm1I2qCKWzLV6S4Y-dVa_gIL8_ajTq6zbmjpL0/s320/May2011+008.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div>I had the conduit bows on hand. I purchased some wood for the lowest purloin to attach the plastic and also purchased the plastic. The gross receipts for the first 10 days of harvest was higher than the amount I spent building it. </div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-77136544210910437692011-07-25T13:11:00.000-07:002011-07-25T13:13:44.510-07:00High Tunnel harvest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYSphkXZhYtxSEv-jxcxV_ORewRQrBdugU90I6bJPVTiLxOSqzvQB5BUGQ0g-C3B4UHSG6hasT_3a77zOwRCiGqOa70U-taCLG-mi7Oe3ekC89EQwIwhJOJBorQDdmfXbHi7dS50j9hiY/s1600/watermelon2+010.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633385359122626738" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHYSphkXZhYtxSEv-jxcxV_ORewRQrBdugU90I6bJPVTiLxOSqzvQB5BUGQ0g-C3B4UHSG6hasT_3a77zOwRCiGqOa70U-taCLG-mi7Oe3ekC89EQwIwhJOJBorQDdmfXbHi7dS50j9hiY/s320/watermelon2+010.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div>Early season tomatoes from my high tunnel. Note the normal size ink pen for comparison. </div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-73502112009515902882011-07-25T13:08:00.000-07:002011-07-25T13:14:36.472-07:00Farmers market.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0E5-71Ptv3Uq7xLIVp7V16pdPGU_4t3rp43_KniBuIgdcfvwvwO26gOdSrm5TOeWuO8RuyFuY-buN-cIFW0zMzQj7j_9mtXk6aFa1VtIXiR6BZOzycfMYqCbdJLSDXB4EjQGHIBDZ2t4j/s1600/watermelon2+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633384769608588802" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0E5-71Ptv3Uq7xLIVp7V16pdPGU_4t3rp43_KniBuIgdcfvwvwO26gOdSrm5TOeWuO8RuyFuY-buN-cIFW0zMzQj7j_9mtXk6aFa1VtIXiR6BZOzycfMYqCbdJLSDXB4EjQGHIBDZ2t4j/s320/watermelon2+001.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisumTE7dan3UYaHCuYwtFNKrCpScmYDGh0UpVCxE6cYlciAMM5Jht7DqGajJVEsCNj1tyb09I0k6ej9P5skof5RhwD_Nlf1pmqh9BW7XiWlx3YPdUrxgwQkiiT2MY0AQMb5ymVEelW7Rye/s1600/july2011+004.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633384763824345106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisumTE7dan3UYaHCuYwtFNKrCpScmYDGh0UpVCxE6cYlciAMM5Jht7DqGajJVEsCNj1tyb09I0k6ej9P5skof5RhwD_Nlf1pmqh9BW7XiWlx3YPdUrxgwQkiiT2MY0AQMb5ymVEelW7Rye/s320/july2011+004.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTBztmlOALKAN3yaQgiMi7x1J3fmU7-r2D382w0VtmS22ve-WAJe3nkXwgdEGRQYmDpweRbT7VF9jRVR0d3LnGrQGgieqM8qqqvNal1-Oy1MLyB2xwbHsce19RtCxx0mzr0qBkpJ6swtk/s1600/july2011+001.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633384760426882130" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsTBztmlOALKAN3yaQgiMi7x1J3fmU7-r2D382w0VtmS22ve-WAJe3nkXwgdEGRQYmDpweRbT7VF9jRVR0d3LnGrQGgieqM8qqqvNal1-Oy1MLyB2xwbHsce19RtCxx0mzr0qBkpJ6swtk/s320/july2011+001.jpg" /></a><br />A few shots of produce I raised and sold this summer. (I just picked and sold the blackberries.)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-6119067559636671872011-07-25T12:39:00.000-07:002011-07-25T13:08:17.619-07:00Some kids are harder to raise than other kids<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpD-HrmFCZfRJ3MdnqzHtENPBn4xHSrmTQam-291uzF_AtEJh7dgAfX_unvc1-LcZt_UdrG7QPZe0KuvDACBXs_w4afzm5MC4yKjNc0uR__cD-ut2FQhFOpFXzO2itCqnqJyx0-z_l4YUu/s1600/wedding10.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633378475605890850" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpD-HrmFCZfRJ3MdnqzHtENPBn4xHSrmTQam-291uzF_AtEJh7dgAfX_unvc1-LcZt_UdrG7QPZe0KuvDACBXs_w4afzm5MC4yKjNc0uR__cD-ut2FQhFOpFXzO2itCqnqJyx0-z_l4YUu/s320/wedding10.jpg" /></a> He has totaled 7 cars. He washed 1/4 mile downstream during the first wreck and broke his neck in 3 places after he was thrown 20 feet from the car in his last wreck. He got two skull fractures when he jumped on a gang. (I know it is normally the gang that does the jumping, but this boy is a little different. He stopped his truck to rescue somebody, putting 3 men on the ground after taking the blow to the head.) He has been struck by lightning and knocked unconsious by a live electrical wire (it is possible the fall restarted his heart) and had his nose broke when a guy tried to rob him (he fought him off with a box cutter). So I was happy to see him get married. I hope it will be a turning point. If you have difficult kids, enjoy them while you have them. Sometimes it works out.Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-5950276122223964032011-03-31T08:19:00.000-07:002011-03-31T08:40:42.621-07:00Road building 3<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wAeCwLO3DuP7CJzDRWyPcADYuU9Rsmyr_0-0DhFupDiwAfWl4cdQdEiSZ5vwfkuslcrt31lK8okeCLywPE62hXKLaH_vrPsrR7QhLHpp_wanGtRHg0cdOGxto92PpUPKjYUk9AmGH8r4/s1600/RoadBuilding+016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590264247787344354" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2wAeCwLO3DuP7CJzDRWyPcADYuU9Rsmyr_0-0DhFupDiwAfWl4cdQdEiSZ5vwfkuslcrt31lK8okeCLywPE62hXKLaH_vrPsrR7QhLHpp_wanGtRHg0cdOGxto92PpUPKjYUk9AmGH8r4/s320/RoadBuilding+016.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div></div>This is my driveway. (I think this was a public road as early as 1903, but my neighbor and I hold the deed and the title search company claims its legit.) This area shows proper crowning with adequate ditches on both sides. It has been regraveled about 3 times since 1989 and is due another layer soon. Obviously landscape fabric wasn't invented in 1903, so a good road is possible without it. My preference in the future will be to use landscape fabric when I want a good road. (Sometimes road sort of develop without planning. I can't promise that won't happen.) Also see post Road Building 1 and Road Building 2. For some real information go to this booklet. <a href="http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/stewardship/accessroads/accessroads.htm">http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/stewardship/accessroads/accessroads.htm</a>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-46291619479324380102011-03-31T08:10:00.000-07:002011-03-31T08:41:08.692-07:00Road Building 2<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkrjfH75_2FIrV7KCcWsk6pfkAhyWuokjo7eCRwfvwFDatZVL_Kz0ePiATxGSEMt7zXvzt6p0Dhn6qLZIHUnuys2zXJXusv1uwdN9jUaErT83dAkp8asUODWHGGXKWQJw5r5_Qa66IVXB/s1600/RoadBuilding+012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590262209889476946" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwkrjfH75_2FIrV7KCcWsk6pfkAhyWuokjo7eCRwfvwFDatZVL_Kz0ePiATxGSEMt7zXvzt6p0Dhn6qLZIHUnuys2zXJXusv1uwdN9jUaErT83dAkp8asUODWHGGXKWQJw5r5_Qa66IVXB/s320/RoadBuilding+012.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsqNnY7IJdepE4sP6IBqfHi9j2-NLLKhpIRji_R-9XSl7Fjlh0XE1vLFJv-EaFfNE3gGnNSNui-7IHK_UZnfA2pKRfZfAR_n7gPZVEBxh17OtHBKdIzsy3X6xFkZh-N6THa-xFa8u1MvB/s1600/RoadBuilding+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590262116446556882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPsqNnY7IJdepE4sP6IBqfHi9j2-NLLKhpIRji_R-9XSl7Fjlh0XE1vLFJv-EaFfNE3gGnNSNui-7IHK_UZnfA2pKRfZfAR_n7gPZVEBxh17OtHBKdIzsy3X6xFkZh-N6THa-xFa8u1MvB/s320/RoadBuilding+013.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMk2png3Px7eo4GaflquyXGY02ASvGAkhbnkeJ76R2sNTFGhn4kIxFjoA8SFzpCZPe_40fQCNgEpfq59ICDNGcT4uAX8GV2FkLdFhHMsao5ocTgrrd_cTRa_9gzGfIOm3IMueh47esAQp/s1600/RoadBuilding+014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590262022144006658" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGMk2png3Px7eo4GaflquyXGY02ASvGAkhbnkeJ76R2sNTFGhn4kIxFjoA8SFzpCZPe_40fQCNgEpfq59ICDNGcT4uAX8GV2FkLdFhHMsao5ocTgrrd_cTRa_9gzGfIOm3IMueh47esAQp/s320/RoadBuilding+014.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div>These 3 pictures show a situation where in 2003 a person started to build a road without landscape fabric. This can be done. In fact, the majority of rural roads were done this way. It takes several years, additional layers of gravel and ongoing maintenance to make it work. In this case, the individual put in the first load and then changed their mind. The first picture is the way the surface looks today. By now a second and third layer should have been placed on top to give you a good aggregate surface. The second picture shows the gravel that was originally dumped on the ground and the third picture shows the gravel soil interface. If this road was travelled frequently, the gravel would get pushed down and the red soil would mix upward. So option 1 is to use landscape fabric followed by one layer of gravel. (See pictures in Road Building 1 post). This should give you a road with less ongoing maintenance although it isn't carefree. Option 2 is to use large gravel to get a base, followed by several more applications of gravel layers. Also see Roadbuilding 3 post and this <a href="http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/stewardship/accessroads/accessroads.htm">http://www.na.fs.fed.us/spfo/pubs/stewardship/accessroads/accessroads.htm</a></div><br /><div></div></div></div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-10231336282451081602011-03-31T07:46:00.001-07:002011-03-31T08:30:53.433-07:00Road Building 1<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWo9qdeoHHTuxLPY76vrq-Bg3MrCJVOfu5qezR4sT_FoEBR8P47YTrMVQcw4BzKUEAx2P6J5m42Yxc86lY0XWEfVSZL5b1P8Z3qbhFuIIEeM9esy9HwsBaf7WsWC3bhJndpx30A5sK50w/s1600/RoadBuilding+011.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590256483794089154" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWo9qdeoHHTuxLPY76vrq-Bg3MrCJVOfu5qezR4sT_FoEBR8P47YTrMVQcw4BzKUEAx2P6J5m42Yxc86lY0XWEfVSZL5b1P8Z3qbhFuIIEeM9esy9HwsBaf7WsWC3bhJndpx30A5sK50w/s320/RoadBuilding+011.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1DWaKtLCi6KRC8WoCmhmHW3xunAjKAZpzYDNnNADhFHmhp13aI4oRR4s0uw6z_xC07p_DU-2fu1t57fmqXCaGlBFzuxQo5b6rI8rfp3MZouaEi9UDoZFocTOePqNzVhWjFgT5Qke7d7t/s1600/RoadBuilding+010.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590256367307494082" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC1DWaKtLCi6KRC8WoCmhmHW3xunAjKAZpzYDNnNADhFHmhp13aI4oRR4s0uw6z_xC07p_DU-2fu1t57fmqXCaGlBFzuxQo5b6rI8rfp3MZouaEi9UDoZFocTOePqNzVhWjFgT5Qke7d7t/s320/RoadBuilding+010.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyAzp97oMdVC9VXM13El05cC-mbO2GfOburIkwVUsHxW_XJY5lbhO1b9wZ9hvHcqQyOtgcMFKs5zCYLLIc24N9qBB5Yjzv0jPh9S0vkij8Elaf3mxBb4JTi1P-3VobWI6c31ySSHY7-Sg/s1600/RoadBuilding+008.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5590255969266636914" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwyAzp97oMdVC9VXM13El05cC-mbO2GfOburIkwVUsHxW_XJY5lbhO1b9wZ9hvHcqQyOtgcMFKs5zCYLLIc24N9qBB5Yjzv0jPh9S0vkij8Elaf3mxBb4JTi1P-3VobWI6c31ySSHY7-Sg/s320/RoadBuilding+008.jpg" border="0" /></a> <br /><div>The picture to the left shows high quality woven landscape fabric on my property that was crossed repeatedly with emply logging trucks on the way in and loaded logging trucks on the way out. (The mulch wasn't present when the logging trucks were using this route.) The rut occured because this area wasn't crowned and held water which eventually led to this small dip. Still there is no tearing from the fully loaded trucks. The picture above is the back entrance of a former Class 3 dairy barn (Roughly 1940 to 1970) that has been used for horses (Roughly 1980 to 2000) and then equipment (2001 to present). When a cow or horse stands in a dry barn and then exits during wet conditions, the dry hoof picks up a little wet dirt and moves it away from the entrance. This eventually leaves a large hole. (One of my friends claims we can't rule out the possiblity that all dairy farmers looked for a hole and built their barn so the cows had to walk through it, but I really like my theory better.) About 2001 this hole was covered with landscape fabric and then gravel. The first picture shows the intact fabric in the bottom of the hole. The fabric has limited the gravels trip downward and has limited the red dirts movement upward. No additional gravel has been added over the past 10 years. Contrast this to the picture in the Roadbuilding 2 post. I figure if I am going to do build a good road the right way, I will use a fabric under the initial gravel. However, there is rural road building expertise in the Natural Resource Conservation Office if you wish to get an expert opinion. </div></div></div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-50036404775022604822011-02-18T12:47:00.000-08:002011-02-24T09:58:32.952-08:00Hot Links for Vegetable Gardening Class.Here is the post harvest handling link referenced in class<br /><a href="http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/hort2/mf1175.pdf">http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/library/hort2/mf1175.pdf</a><br />Here is the Home Vegetable Gardening Guide referenced in class<br /><a href="http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/ag-06.pdf">http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/ag-06.pdf</a><br />Here is the web site for weed identification mentioned by Wendy.<br /><a href="http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/weeds.htm">http://www.dgsgardening.btinternet.co.uk/weeds.htm</a><br />Here is a composting site<br /><a href="http://www.p2pays.org/compost/">http://www.p2pays.org/compost/</a>.<br />This site was mentioned during the crop rotation presentation, however the specific article from Fall 2010 is no longer available to the public. <br /><a href="http://www.urbanfarmonline.com/">www.urbanfarmonline.com</a><br />Here is a place to sign up for quarterly newsletter that I help edit.<br /><a href="http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/extgardener/about.htm">http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/extgardener/about.htm</a><br />Here is a portal to the Extension vegetable references on the internet<br /><a href="http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/hortinternet/vegetable.html">http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/hortinternet/vegetable.html</a><br />The Cabarrus County Cooperative extension website (with access to the Ask an Expert link)<a href="http://cabarrus.ces.ncsu.edu/">http://cabarrus.ces.ncsu.edu/</a><br /><br />My direct email<br /><a href="mailto:djgoforth@cabarruscounty.us">djgoforth@cabarruscounty.us</a>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-64059489348827653372011-02-18T12:42:00.000-08:002011-02-18T12:47:31.443-08:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsi834LU3UKa8dto6rRaeMzax2E9OmovdkxbgXvs02nPgdbbF8fV59UfKbxhhLU6LCYQWHHGpjwXWbJCiDoLQDQjigO1YZSZbYxmh0OpME-Fud7PCC84mC4GxtOuOp0GjaSshYNDGJd1B7/s1600/January2011a+005.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575132938085119074" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsi834LU3UKa8dto6rRaeMzax2E9OmovdkxbgXvs02nPgdbbF8fV59UfKbxhhLU6LCYQWHHGpjwXWbJCiDoLQDQjigO1YZSZbYxmh0OpME-Fud7PCC84mC4GxtOuOp0GjaSshYNDGJd1B7/s320/January2011a+005.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br />Again I pulled my maple sap collecting equipment by Feb 1. I rinsed it before storing it. I am calling this year's harvest about 5 gallons. My wife cooked some down until it was the consistency of corn syrup. It started crystallizing aroudn the edges almost immediately. She then used part of it for a pecan pie. Without a doubt this was the best pecan pie I ever ate. I am not sure what she did with the rest of the syrup/sugar. I cooks one small batch down to the sugar stage. I ate it as candy so it didn't get counted a part of the 5 gallons.Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-87027123693405478532011-01-13T11:40:00.000-08:002011-01-13T11:42:20.598-08:00Willow Oak.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz_7gY5NwmNBP_iYkoFlOLWujwoEfII6_ASxtOrerWdqL9tE1cK8Vy1bEnTtpOMkS3t-zK7o-pxt9NUgy7Dt74EJsGOOH0ZFKxOhwMt9gDH6ttYQfIdIICQvWsJ77vPrvzF355Vd2EAp9/s1600/January2011+019.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561757896334034194" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtz_7gY5NwmNBP_iYkoFlOLWujwoEfII6_ASxtOrerWdqL9tE1cK8Vy1bEnTtpOMkS3t-zK7o-pxt9NUgy7Dt74EJsGOOH0ZFKxOhwMt9gDH6ttYQfIdIICQvWsJ77vPrvzF355Vd2EAp9/s320/January2011+019.jpg" border="0" /></a> This willow oak was increasing in diameter at the rate of 2 inches per year. I hated to cut it, but it was shading my persimmon trees and I valued them more. <br /><div></div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-90625546736845223522011-01-13T11:15:00.001-08:002011-01-13T11:44:12.767-08:00Interesting Frost patterns<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicT_zc5wBNnifS3nHSZOTJ0h-pbxtxdSISXSwSsVTTnnb4O5lQCJkv6kwqH5kfOEWy7-JJq2zfVBy7MX3BloIRiGdwAxe-NewzMMYMfHs3qB6zeswZR59jQOtmkWVd2r7V54Mja1iVcZhl/s1600/January2011+013.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561751830011838306" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicT_zc5wBNnifS3nHSZOTJ0h-pbxtxdSISXSwSsVTTnnb4O5lQCJkv6kwqH5kfOEWy7-JJq2zfVBy7MX3BloIRiGdwAxe-NewzMMYMfHs3qB6zeswZR59jQOtmkWVd2r7V54Mja1iVcZhl/s320/January2011+013.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-ZjBYMXDZarzS8GazaEfJFUuqwggl3wxVjfdtRm5O35bTQihE7sZVyv98gHRwIznjSxLUJkr4VdUbzqj7QMbHzxfsnDdIwWF6uStNUBvuJxAIyeMCOAvIDpBjAY2bKegft2DPR6B4xaj/s1600/January2011+012.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561751555978501890" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8-ZjBYMXDZarzS8GazaEfJFUuqwggl3wxVjfdtRm5O35bTQihE7sZVyv98gHRwIznjSxLUJkr4VdUbzqj7QMbHzxfsnDdIwWF6uStNUBvuJxAIyeMCOAvIDpBjAY2bKegft2DPR6B4xaj/s320/January2011+012.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><span style="font-size:0;"></span></div></div><br />Here are a couple of pictures of frost patterns on my truck. These are natural. I think this is the first time I have ever seen anything this extensive.Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-11422606176412117872011-01-13T11:05:00.001-08:002011-01-13T11:15:49.478-08:002011 Maple Syrup harvest<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpu4JteX9wlgzmkPxp2bnd53susnAUJKVl-iqxcYkRPkn6B3LsvGu1VZOioOrkuEMuTFE_RS6IvFOeEeCHz4GVyVWpA-sct0Gh-mG2u00QU9UizvtJk3g2ci0Poc3bcEGpQe9vQPg8ukG/s1600/January2011+014.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561748972633531842" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfpu4JteX9wlgzmkPxp2bnd53susnAUJKVl-iqxcYkRPkn6B3LsvGu1VZOioOrkuEMuTFE_RS6IvFOeEeCHz4GVyVWpA-sct0Gh-mG2u00QU9UizvtJk3g2ci0Poc3bcEGpQe9vQPg8ukG/s320/January2011+014.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This year we had a snow on Christmas night and I tapped my maple trees the next Monday December 27th. The first week there was a huge sap flow. I had over 3 gallons of syrup before the date I normally tapped my trees. I now have over 4 gallons total and hope the trees will continue flowing after this cold snap. I have heard that northerners call it a sugar snow when the snow is on the ground and the sap is running heavy. I am fairly certain it is the weather conditions and not the snow that makes the sap so prolific during that time. Here is the stove I use. I have it in an outbuilding because the house can't stand that much moisture. Out of 40 gallons needed for one gallon of syrup, I boil down about 38 gallons outside and then finish boiling off the last gallon inside. I have to boil it all day on the stove, but that is so much simpler than building a fire to boil it. </div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-87373746017513776372010-10-01T06:06:00.000-07:002010-10-01T06:11:26.328-07:00More on pesticides and peachesJust found a whole website devoted to the dicussion of the pesticide issue I reference in an August posting. <a href="http://www.safefruitsandveggies.com/">http://www.safefruitsandveggies.com/</a><br />I have said it before but will say it again-farmers exposed to the undiluted fresh pesticides are living longer and healthier lives than consumers exposed to the diluted and environmentally degraded pesticides. I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that people aren't getting enough pesticides, but that would be a more logical jump than the one people are making.Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-21743749917134582402010-08-27T07:30:00.000-07:002010-08-27T07:45:18.115-07:00Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden TalkHere are all my posted newsarticles. <a href="http://www4.ncsu.edu/~djgofort/">http://www4.ncsu.edu/~djgofort/</a>.<br />Use this link for youtube videos on gardening and lawns <a href="http://www.co.cabarrus.nc.us/News/Channel22/successfulgardener.html">http://www.co.cabarrus.nc.us/News/Channel22/successfulgardener.html</a> (Look for the one labeled Lawns.)<br />Here is a link to Vegetable Gardening Guide <a href="http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/ag-06.pdf">http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/ag-06.pdf</a>.<br />More info on vegtables; <a href="http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/hortinternet/vegetable.html">http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/hortinternet/vegetable.</a><a href="http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/consumer/hortinternet/fruitandnuts.html">html</a>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-80538907051943564332010-08-02T11:16:00.000-07:002010-08-02T11:23:09.788-07:00Blueberry picking<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXf8FRyXCx_VZzgw55yEEDGb7Ph8PCqSc9-_u8q6XE8fzgjNhaAAzHmJKuxxACa6WV-8T_jyOScm1_Oa7AF1_QXtgBBizpjlXi6-1kaapCMMhbmdi35DWENobR9cuksG8AYdbpdSEpnJfC/s1600/July2010+034.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500878509824016402" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXf8FRyXCx_VZzgw55yEEDGb7Ph8PCqSc9-_u8q6XE8fzgjNhaAAzHmJKuxxACa6WV-8T_jyOScm1_Oa7AF1_QXtgBBizpjlXi6-1kaapCMMhbmdi35DWENobR9cuksG8AYdbpdSEpnJfC/s320/July2010+034.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwI9bk2qI4z1PtOW1nFdywpECEabOa240s5SPHmJihKYP5tl2c17YJL90AlhbevDxfsuUL3JJvNAKeQRafht3PfBe_1pRgjJ-ZLOhxpHV4V8CQtwse2LvSRaKNglsI3SoDSRCdj-XuAPtu/s1600/July2010+033.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500878358887643922" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwI9bk2qI4z1PtOW1nFdywpECEabOa240s5SPHmJihKYP5tl2c17YJL90AlhbevDxfsuUL3JJvNAKeQRafht3PfBe_1pRgjJ-ZLOhxpHV4V8CQtwse2LvSRaKNglsI3SoDSRCdj-XuAPtu/s320/July2010+033.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div> </div><div>Once when we were kids, Dad drove us over to a swamp near Norman where we got to picking blueberries. We fill all our buckets and then emptied the 5 gallon water cooler and filled that. That was our first experience in that particular patch. There was Mom and several kids and I think we spend several hours at it. I guess we did fairly well given our inexperience and the berries we were picking. <br /> The other afternoon, I left work and started picking my blueberries by 6 pm. I took a break and wound up watching close to 30 minutes of world news. I got started again and by 8:23 pm I had picked 5 gallons. I guess this is the most I have ever picked on my property. Friday I picked another 1and 3/4 gallons and guess I spend less than an hour doing it. Those sold for $4 a pint at the market. <br /></div><div></div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-1771396013809035102010-08-02T11:13:00.000-07:002010-08-02T11:16:28.877-07:00An itchy bedFound this little fellow while picking okra. He felt at home. My slight movement of the leaves didn't disturb him enough to cause him to leave. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgce4H23lhfg1Das9AjIuymyMKQA-gzihoBA139vKUr5XzmD3o4ZaVgQdfpSNC7XTpgXvf098KJXvaHyPr3BHjo9S89HIcE1L2HzDBolpGVqyzjyzKJRJ-TELAZuLsOqkGCGF446app2Lp9/s1600/July2010+038.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500877415524803058" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgce4H23lhfg1Das9AjIuymyMKQA-gzihoBA139vKUr5XzmD3o4ZaVgQdfpSNC7XTpgXvf098KJXvaHyPr3BHjo9S89HIcE1L2HzDBolpGVqyzjyzKJRJ-TELAZuLsOqkGCGF446app2Lp9/s320/July2010+038.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-90051781929789394302010-08-02T10:25:00.000-07:002011-01-13T11:44:51.058-08:00Misguided JournalismEvery year during my peach season the misguided members of the Environmental Working Group promote a list of fruits and vegetables to buy organic. This mis-information is picked up by well respected publications. For example, here is Prevention magazines’ version. <a href="http://www.prevention.com/dirtiestcleanest/">http://www.prevention.com/dirtiestcleanest/</a>.<br />This article has issues.<br />The first fallacy is that organic means pesticide free. Organic doesn't mean pesticide free. See a list of 1700 approved chemicals here: <a href="http://www.omri.org/omri-lists">http://www.omri.org/omri-lists</a> . Some of the organic pesticides require more personal protective equipment than conventional pesticides for the same plant disease. Other organic pesticides require longer re-entry intervals. Compare the label on this organic pesticide (currently being recommended for downy mildew on cucumbers) <a href="http://www.hort.wisc.edu/cran/mgt_articles/articles_pest_mgt/labels_msds/labels/kocide%202000.pdf">http://www.hort.wisc.edu/cran/mgt_articles/articles_pest_mgt/labels_msds/labels/kocide%202000.pdf</a><br />with this conventional product being used for the same purpose <a href="http://www.tifton.uga.edu/veg/Alerts/PRISTINE%2003-0117%207-22-03.pdf">http://www.tifton.uga.edu/veg/Alerts/PRISTINE%2003-0117%207-22-03.pdf</a><br />The second fallacy is that somehow the toxicologists are wrong and the dilute, environmentally degraded pesticides at the consumer level will cause some type of damage. Meanwhile the fresh, concentrated pesticide is not affecting the manufactures, commercial applicators or farmers. The commercial applicators are mixing and applying the fresh, concentrated pesticides every day in season. The farmers also mix, apply, repair pesticide spray machinery, get fresh concentrated pesticides on their skin and clothes and live their working lives in the fields and orchard where the fresh pesticides are sprayed. Thankfully, the toxicologists are not wrong. In fact, the farmers and commercial applicators live longer and healthy lives than the average consumer. The Agricultural Health Study is probably the latest up to date source of this information. <a href="http://aghealth.nci.nih.gov/">http://aghealth.nci.nih.gov/</a> . I have followed this study since enrolling about 200 local farmers in the study when it first started. Each year of the study, I feel more confident that pesticides are not a problem for consumers.<br />This article found somebody that always peels their peaches before sampling. That is meaningless but if it makes a difference to you, I sample in excess of 300 peaches every year without peeling or washing the skin. I do this when I come to a broke limb and have to figure out if the peaches had time to ripen before the limb broke. I sample one and know whether to pick or abandon the rest. (By sample number 200 or so when I wish to know how good a peach is, I just taking a bite out of the center and discarding the rest. My mom would probably be upset if she caught me.)<br />Even if you wish to continue to accept the premise of thier pointless article, I hope you don't worry about my products. My blueberries have never been sprayed with insecticides or fungicides. I have used weedkillers in nearby areas, but never on the actual plants or even as a broadcast spray around the blueberry plants. As of August 1 2010, it has been 46 days since I sprayed an insecticide on my peaches. There have been 9 rain events during that time. As long as 30 days ago (July 15) honeybees were foraging on my peaches with no problem. I have insects from at least 5 different orders in my orchard right this minute.<br />I am sure the needless worry caused by irresponsible and lazy “journalism” in articles like this is no fun for the person going through it. However, the real damage caused by articles like this is the reduction in healthy food consumption. Fresh vegetables and fruits are the good guys. Eat them. There is no scientific reason to pay higher prices for fruits and vegetables labeled organic. If higher organic prices will keep you from consuming fruits and vegetables than buy conventional fruit and vegetables, preferably from local conscientious farmers like me.Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-22018533737884441222010-07-13T10:55:00.000-07:002010-07-29T12:53:55.699-07:00The Way Grandpa Did itEvery once in a while I hear people say they want to farm the way Grandpa did it. I don't think some of them could hold up to it. Grandpa lived 9 miles out of Mt Gilead. If he wanted the plow fixed , he toted it to town. Got there by the time the blacksmith opened at 7 am. Got back home and hitched up the mule by 9 am and plowed till dark. Once he had a toothache all day Sunday. On Monday he was in Mt Gilead by the time the dentist opened at 7 am, got his tooth pulled, then home by 9 am, and plowed the rest of the day. And he never let the dentist use any anesthesia because he didn't have time to be whoozy behind the plow. Grandpa would chop in the fields until he almost quit sweating. When the waterboy came from the spring with a gallon of water, Grandpa would drink the entire gallon. Sweat would drip in a solid stream from his elbow until it cooled him back down. And he would keep chopping. He didn't have caffeine to get him started in the morning or a fan to cool him down at night. Other than a linament that smelled like turpentine, all his medicine came from plants he found in the woods. For arthritis he stuck his hand in a beehive and took a few stings. He pulled his oldest girl out of school by 9th grade to help on the farm. Or to be more accurate, he pulled her out to sleep. She was already working on the farm and doing homework in addition to farm chores was causing severe sleep deprivation. He put is oldest boy to work at the sawmill at age 13. His wife would work the fields too, leaving the youngest on a blanket at the end of the row, the next oldest watching the youngest, the next oldest hauling water, and the rest of the children working. They did it all about 3 steps ahead of malnutrition and about six steps ahead of starvation. I have no interest in farming like grandpa did it.Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-20816750020631600482010-07-13T10:53:00.000-07:002010-07-13T10:55:46.785-07:00Sweet Cherry Harvest 2010<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8cthXCiLcB8amLhuLEF02AR9_sq4qI-VNizowDiJclGMWlb1MZP4CvQ_x8vGe6lCaD4t9t39lvJA10yhVD-jAABKdHvJv3IQ8duAs5J7CtesEVG91SYMVaEXIyP3T9MUNuvrCz-BPvDL/s1600/June2010+004.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493450715043123026" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx8cthXCiLcB8amLhuLEF02AR9_sq4qI-VNizowDiJclGMWlb1MZP4CvQ_x8vGe6lCaD4t9t39lvJA10yhVD-jAABKdHvJv3IQ8duAs5J7CtesEVG91SYMVaEXIyP3T9MUNuvrCz-BPvDL/s320/June2010+004.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div><br />One days harvest. I was actually stopped by a severe rainfall and came back the following week to pick the rest of them. I have 3 sweet cherry trees.Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6050263562442855710.post-72122847028319714742010-07-13T10:50:00.001-07:002010-07-13T10:52:41.731-07:00What have I been doing this summer<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnsaaOMDNILmDNd-UmKQvW27-KkraJynPq4mBJHttjb84DLS89l1TyAUKgGYx_jvz2NBHTj5TW6Ui5iD1AJnN4kkrXU-hbrNqtjs1vTORjsncO9NEa26Ge3qgMYqlOjZ2qXnaOkro9uoJ/s1600/June2010+016.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493449908344358066" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlnsaaOMDNILmDNd-UmKQvW27-KkraJynPq4mBJHttjb84DLS89l1TyAUKgGYx_jvz2NBHTj5TW6Ui5iD1AJnN4kkrXU-hbrNqtjs1vTORjsncO9NEa26Ge3qgMYqlOjZ2qXnaOkro9uoJ/s320/June2010+016.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div>This is a sorting table for my CSA. I started a small 14 member CSA with once a week deliveries. It has been lots of fun and more profitable than farmers markets. </div>Gardening Guru Goforthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14501099554507470678noreply@blogger.com1