Heirloom or Hybrid, Seeds or Transplants

How Does My Garden Grow? - Part 3
What to Plant: Seeds or Transplants, Heirloom or Hybrid

The garden beds have been built and composted (Part 1), and the planting layout of the garden has been determined (Part 2). The next big question I faced in my garden planning was whether to grow from seeds or buy transplants, and whether to grow heirloom or hybrid vegetables.  Being a newbie to vegetable gardening, I had a lot to learn and a lot of places to turn to for answers.  

What's the difference between heirloom and hybrid?  What's involved in growing from seeds?  These were questions I had, and I spent the winter reading on these topics.  I'm no expert, obviously, and I don't want to try to rewrite what others have written so thoroughly.  I found Chris McLaughlin's book, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Heirloom Vegetables, to be very helpful.  I also found a good article at the Garden Frugal.  Here's my own take on heirloom vs. hybrid and starting from seed vs. buying transplants:

Raised Bed Gardening with Compost Sandwiches

How Does My Garden Grow? - Part 1
Composting Raised Beds

I've never had a garden.  I've had flower beds, and I've planted a few tomato, pepper, and zucchini plants before.  But I've never had a full-fledged garden.  So I decided I would like to develop a Kitchen Garden where I could grow some herbs and vegetables. This is all new to me, so I have a lot to learn.  It's a good thing I have a friend who is a Master Gardener and knows this stuff!

Announcing a new Ebook: From Farm to Table Through the Year

I LOVE this book (even if I wasn't in it . . . but I am!)

Subscribe to Maple Grove by email to receive a free copy of Farm to Table Through the Year.  è

My friend, Gretchen Carlson, from The Backyard Farming Connection worked diligently over the last several months collaborating with 11 fellow writers, gardeners and cooks to create "Farm to Table" that is being released on Thursday, March 14, 2013.  Gretchen is a firm believer that the best food comes from fresh local ingredients, and this ebook is a reflection of her passion.

"Farm to Table" is a culinary and gardening journey through the 12 months of the year with growing tips, first hand growing information, recipes, and photos to inspire you in your own backyard and in your kitchen this year. I am so honored and blessed that Gretchen invited me to be one of the contributing writers for this project, and I am offering a free digital copy of the book as a thank you for subscribing to follow Maple Grove by Email.

Free Download:

To get your free digital copy, just enter your email address in the subscription box in the top right column of this page.  (If you've subscribed to follow Maple Grove by email before, please enter your email address again to receive your free copy of Farm to Table.)

Thanks for visiting the Maple Grove blog, and I hope to see you again real soon!  ~Katie

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Maple Grove Published in "Must Love Chickens"

Maple Grove published in "Must Love Chickens"

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Plowing with Pigs - Something (and Much) for Everybody

Plowing with Pigs and Other Creative, Low-Budget Homesteading Solutions
by Oscar H. Will III & Karen K. Will
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: New Society (January, 2013)
ISBN: 978-0-86571-717-6

When I first read the title of this book, Plowing with Pigs I wasn't sure it would be the right read for me.  I don't have pigs, and I don't intend to have pigs.  But the subtitle, and Other Creative, Low-Budget Homesteading Solutions, told me to take a look. I'm glad I did!

Authors Oscar and Karen Will combine their knowledge and experience in homesteading, farming, gardening, resourcing and cooking with their creative writing skills to inspire the reader to "make better use of readily available renewable resources" and strive for a simpler, healthier lifestyle.

Like many people who consider themselves modern homesteaders, I crave a way of life that more closely resembles that of our grandparents and great-grandparents who lived closer to the land, raising animals and food that is healthy and untainted by the modern practices of using chemicals and genetically modifying our food sources.

Plowing With Pigs gives us a look at the past when farm animals were not raised in restrictive enclosures but were valued as hard working farm hands who "thrive at doing what comes quite naturally to them," and "are among the most likely to partner with you on the labor required around your place."  

This easy read provides very practical insights and instructions for making use of your property elements and resources for the "creation of sturdy fences, structures and tools that will benefit your place and your pocketbook."

Plowing With Pigs also includes several chapters on how to grow and harvest crops and then turn them into forage for your animals or food for your table.  The authors' conviction and detailed information makes it possible to envision "a society that values do-it-yourself skills" as they "encourage you to try the methods that make sense in your particular setting rather than blindly following some list of rules from some expert."

The concluding section of the book, "Home(stead) as a Production Center" contains  some heartwarming chapters on cooking from scratch (including lots of great recipes), upgrading your kitchen on a budget, and how to run a home-based food business. From the first chapter to the last, the Wills remind us that "recycling is the name of the game on the homestead, so don't overlook anything."

I was delightfully enthralled by Plowing With Pigs for its nostalgic look at the past, practical, useful information on "how to" be a homesteader today, and the wide gamut of topics that were covered in an easy-to-read, interesting and very instructional format.  It has something (and much) for everybody!  

Maple Sugaring Season

You know that spring is just around the corner when you see the sap buckets hanging on the maple trees.  The fields and trees are still brown and bare, but the air is getting warmer. In late February and early March there is a very short season when the temperatures are above freezing in the daytime and below freezing at night. That is when the sugar sap starts flowing; it is harvest time in the maple groves of the northeastern United States.