The Selling of the Soul

Jericho Mile · Jun 7, 2013

This thread will document rebellion to the Process, seeking faith in a challenging micro climate, how gardening/food has changed my life, and assorted other things..relevant to designing my own diet...for how I live...and what I do

The body...the temple..the vessel...the feeding of

It's the 7th of June...frost is still very much a threat. Yeah...the days may be hot...the nights can drop drastic. I'm gambling some non frost tolerant plants..here and there..but keeping reserves in a hothouse

Transplanted some pepper plants last night...put them in 3gal smarties with Happy Frog as the medium. Started indoors..from seed..kept in little squares for the last 1.5 months (hothouse)

* seeds came from Baker Creek (I've used these folks since '07..happy with their service and defiance)

Line up :

Cayenne long thin
Ozark Giant
Chinese Five Color
Purple Jalapeno
Sweet Chocolate
Corno Di Toro Giallo

Some will be grown in pots...some in the ground..however it goes

** garlic harvests are starting to come in. Grew 9 or so varieties. Planted last october/november

*** the last few pages of A World on a String thread has pix of some recent harvests..garlic and whatnot...

I'll be back to fill in the blanks....roll on

unclefishstick · Jun 7, 2013

only my first season gardening but it still cracks me up that the pot garden takes 1/4 the time the veggies and flower gardens take....something about the difference between "growing weed" and "pulling weeds"....

Jericho Mile · Jun 7, 2013

Emergency Transplant

Emergency Transplant

Out working...then came home to find that..the 2 bush style zucchini plants (3rd generation seeds) I'd recently sunk into the ground..were near death...wilted..obviously needing water

while back...I had started a handful of the zucchini seeds in each 1gal Root Pouches...in the hothouse...my intentions for using cloth pots...was to eliminate the plants from being stunted from being root bound..and..

that all worked out well..but I didn't bother removing them from those pouches..when I transplanted into the ground. Yes...the roots did come through the cloth..and into the ground soil..yet..they didn't do it fast enough...so you see.. that was an issue..especially on this hot day

Fuck man. Soaked them with the house...dug them up (after they revived a bit)...opened the holes up more...added #4 chunk perlite..grabbed a couple 1 gal anti-gopher cages...and hurriedly peeled the squash out of their skins...and sunk them in the cages/holes

They look like shit. I think they will revive to health/vigor...but I won't wait on them more than a week. If they are slowed..I'll reload the holes with something else...pumpkins or melons..or something

* battlefield medic kind of shit. Down in the mud and muck..pounding on chests...live motherfucker...Live

** Gophers. I must put forth a lot of effort in keeping those thingys in check. No joke...ground squirrels and gophers...no mercy...them or me...we don't get along...though one season I tried (they just fucked me over anyway)...totally caddy shack

Jericho Mile · Jun 7, 2013

unclefishstick said:
only my first season gardening but it still cracks me up that the pot garden takes 1/4 the time the veggies and flower gardens take....something about the difference between "growing weed" and "pulling weeds"....

It never ends...the seasons keep coming..the canopy changes...and there is always something needing something

Jericho Mile · Jun 8, 2013

Ground Swell

Ground Swell

Upcoming waves of non frost tolerant plants...in their house of keep

Looking at a clean drop in...that's what I want...then..then...the summer season..be not so short. patience...diligence...sending out probing plants..keeping up on the weather...keep everyone happy in..well rooted pots...chores you know?

Many of the tomatoes are starting to put out flower clusters. Hit the right beat...should be a smooth transition

When do I hit it..full commitment? Soon..man..soon...mid June. The wife leaves for 3 wks...I'm running the mountains...everyday she ain't here...and planting and planting and harvesting and harvesting

Pulsar · Jun 8, 2013

Absolutely love Happy Frog. Have been running it for years. I found Ocean Forest to be too acidic, and side by side results didn't even compare to the Frog. It's outstanding for seedlings as well. Nice thread

Jericho Mile · Jun 8, 2013

Pulsar said:
Absolutely love Happy Frog. Have been running it for years. I found Ocean Forest to be too acidic, and side by side results didn't even compare to the Frog. It's outstanding for seedlings as well. Nice thread

I've had no problems with using the Frog...definitely better than the cheaper brands. With other brands..I've found myself adding amendments and extra perlite...but I use Frog straight out of the bag..only adding teas or top layers of castings/compost (depending on how long plants are in the containers)

* I have a few tubs of composting worms. The worms I ordered back in February (Uncle Jim's Worm Farm)...ordered 1000...kept them indoors until it warmed up...then started splitting the populations to create others. They double their populations in but...a few months

** Most my veggies are grown/amended in compost I make either in my worm farms or in pits I dig into the ground. I always have compost pits going...and collect bagged up leaves, pine needles, grass, and cardboard wherever I can (many of my neighbors bag their stuff up for the trash man...so I just swing by and load it up..if it's a good haul. I go to a local market for cardboard if I need to).....but anyways....

*** I don't use any slaughterhouse/animal byproducts (shit, blood meal, bone meal, egg shells)....pretty much vegan composting. I do like using rock dusts...I really think that's the way to go

Jericho Mile · Jun 8, 2013

Warm morning....45 at sunrise...all systems go

Warm morning....45 at sunrise...all systems go

Here's what my back bed is looking like

* the bed is several years old. It has 1/4" galvanized hardware cloth fence stapled into the bottom...to prevent gophers from getting in. I dry docked it 2 winters ago...repaired 7 holes...where the little shits had worked their way in...took them a bunch of years..but they did it.

** the medium is heavily modified and is constantly being fed

*** 1/2 the bed has garlic planted...but that will be getting harvested soon...and then the medium will be amended and replanted with summer stuff

**** the other 1/2 was planted the 1st week of April....been through many frosts...and is made up of swiss chards, golden beets, Arugula, lettuces, peas, and spinach

Here's some more protected beds of garlic...with one box already harvested and drying

I like using beds....because I can protect them easier. I can plant in protected beds and only have to worry about birds...for the most part. If the gophers/squirrels/birds/bugs aren't bad enough...there are my dogs. My dogs have no concept of what gardens are for

* I put in the extra work to safeguard my plants. It fucking blows to spend tons of time with plants..only..to come out one day...and see them destroyed by critters. I've had many heartbreaks...after a while...you accept what needs to be done.

** I do trap, shoot, flood, club, spear.....gophers and ground squirrels...hate doing it...but they don't respect you any other way. It sucks...but watching your shit get destroyed...sucks worse

*** currently under assault from Gold Finches...had to net over my chards...little bastards rip leaves apart. Even netted...they will still find ways to breach their way in. serious pain in the ass

Jericho Mile · Jun 10, 2013

Broadleaf Czech Garlic

Broadleaf Czech Garlic

This variety was planted last October

I do a lot of gardening at dusk...during this time of the year. Mornings are still too chilly (to be comfortable)...but I find the evening transition about perfect working conditions...even if I end up having to wear a headlamp.

The bats are out..erratically buzzing above the garden bed..picking off whatever insects..that have the misfortune of blipping their radars...the temps start slipping from blazing hot..to air conditioning-like comfort...the dry air....not as dry..allowing irrigation water to coat...and soak down...everything goes lush

* Harvested the patch of Czech Broadleaf (Seed Savers Exchange..who obtained them from Gatersleben Seed Bank)..as the sun disappeared behind the ridges...high as hell...on fresh harvested Mox Mox

Big, heavy bulbs...of a hotter garlic...bountiful harvest...I'll keep the best for fall planting...consume, gift, and sell the rest.

** Garlic is easy to grow...a fine example of a crop that over winters with grace. I'd implore upon any garlic lover...to get your shit together...and grow your own

*** We juice here...much of what is grown..is geared for the juicer

Jericho Mile · Jun 10, 2013

A Bag of Music Garlic

A Bag of Music Garlic

An Italian variety

Planted in November. These didn't do as well as I want...and I'm thinking it was because they didn't like their location. The quality of the fruit will still be topnotch..it's just the grow I'm not completely happy with

* These (and a few other varieties) were grown straight in the ground..with no gopher caging. I've not had gophers go for my garlic...but just yesterday...I had to quick harvest onions..because I had an onion eater gopher in the patch...going to town.

It's cool though...I needed that space for tomatoes...and I know..eventually this gopher..like all gophers...will get greedy..and make a critical mistake. A lot like peeps...gophers are

Jericho Mile · Jun 14, 2013

Clearing the House

Clearing the House

Mid June...the hothouse is getting emptied..batches of tomatoes..batches of peppers...finding their way into their final holes

^ should pull the cover off in the next few days...and have all that is here...somewhere else. The footprint of the hothouse will be planted with Moneymaker tomatoes..which will be trained into the frame.

* Sunday starts the 2.5 week training binge. Only did two runs this week..one of 10 and one of 7 (heat runs)..in order to rest..but keep loose for what's to come.

The distances and the consecutive days...the challenges of staying hydrated enough....being able to rehydrate fast enough..to keep legs churning. Lots of salads/greens...lots of beans..lots of Chia seeds..lots of lemons..lots of Buckwheat/Flax..lots and lots of water

** Garlic harvest is strewn everywhere....

Biosynthesis · Jun 15, 2013

Just found your thread. Great greenery skills. Excellent to see you persevere and adapt to the less than ideal climate your area can throw at you. Cheers!

Jericho Mile · Jun 15, 2013

Biosynthesis said:
Just found your thread. Great greenery skills. Excellent to see you persevere and adapt to the less than ideal climate your area can throw at you. Cheers!

Thanks dude...I've been following your thread...couple/few weeks now. Enjoying the show.

I'm burned out on planting right now...pushing hard to get all this stuff in the ground. It was under 40 degrees this morning...so flirting with disaster (at all times it seems)..but I need the space where the hothouse stands..and besides that...the tomatoes are getting cooked/starved/root bound in little squares...90 degrees during the day...the limits...there are no limits...but then...yes there are...nursing plants gets old

I'd guess...say...I've planted 30+ tomatoes and 15 peppers..in the last two days. had to build their homes....cage them up from the gophers...amend soils...it's a process...many of the plants are in old compost pits

and..the garlic is rolling in..multi tasking like a bastard

Jericho Mile · Jun 15, 2013

Fuck Me

Fuck Me

I don't have the heart to even go and check....this place totally blows for gardening

Even if everything survives today...it's predicted to be colder tonight. I'll throw in the towel for the season....as I don't have the time or motivation to replant

* to be positive though....it's a great place to grow indoors

** If non frost tolerant plants survive the freeze...they are still retarded for the next bunch of days. It's like everything stops...but time

*** 1000' below me....they grow year round...without greenhouses

unclefishstick · Jun 15, 2013

damn! maybe even a pox and double damn! fingers crossed man,im actually getting something of a break after a week of 100+ days,lost a bunch of plants in the landscaping maybe,i hacked them back to the ground so i will see if the come back since the hottest bit of summer is almost over....hopefully...

Jericho Mile · Jun 15, 2013

Saved by the Bell...

Saved by the Bell...

...you know...when a fighter is getting destroyed..has no answers..no defense left..will and heart are all that holds him up..then the bell saves him

all well and good...though..if there are any rounds left...the wounded fighter must face even more of a beating...there's nothing he can do really...but take that beating

Last night's sink....as I see it...is more than likely...a preview to tonight's hammering. I lost one plant last night...but another night of similar or lower temps...will drop many more..the damage is already inflicted..you see..it's a series in chaos...but even chaos has its tells

The casualty from last night was a Chadwick Cherry tomato...which had been planted in a 1gal cage..along with another Chadwick..doubled up (as often I do)

^ the other plant in the cage...is untouched (the fighter saved by the bell)...the fun in not ever totally knowing why: some plants make it...and some don't....well in this case...there is no fun.

* All my plants are grown from seed or bulb....so this dead Chadwick Cherry had over 2 months invested into it..started indoors..raised in a hothouse..and extinguished as it was beginning to fruit. It's a brutal reality...life I mean.

Weather is not mindless. That's very important to understand. Winds are not mindless. Fires are not mindless. Frost is not mindless. Moons and stars are not mindless. The only thing that is mindless..is me..and that's because I must manipulate my will

** Frost has cost me already: an apple harvest and a bountiful blackberry harvest....forget the grapes

But...I have lots of Garlic

^ Harvested a mixed patch of Inchelium Red and Silver White...last night...as the sun sunk under the ridge. Lots more patches to harvest...I'll pull in more tonight

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

I'm getting out of here..need a break. Going to go run some mountains...take on some abuse

Jericho Mile · Jun 16, 2013

Drivin' Down to the City

Drivin' Down to the City

Temps dropped to 30 on the back deck thermometer...so the backyard gardens...being down another 25'..were probably sitting in sub 30 degree temps. Generally...a 2-4 degree difference...from the gardens in the front yard.

Saved by the Bell...no more. I knew this Chadwick Cherry tomato..was not going to make it through another round. Took this picture...in the cold...just before it started to go black

I'm trying several varieties of Blackberry...but none are doing well this season. They get into flowering...then a cold night sets them back..burns their tips...burns their flowers to shit

Working through the garlic patches...get it pulled...get it dry...get it stored

* Taking the wife to the airport...kicks off the running binge. I'm planning to pace my way through the next 2.5 weeks...hitting as many trails as I can...consecutive days...putting in maximum effort runs...testing my recovery...testing my endurance...testing my ability to hydrate...testing my diet...testing my heart

summer vacation....run down the sun

Jericho Mile · Jun 17, 2013

Garlic Harvest Continued

Garlic Harvest Continued

with the coming of evening...I was able to get back to the garlic harvest

Samarkand (left) and Erik's German White (right)

Chesnok Red (left) and Siberian (right)

Where once was...stands of garlic...there is now clear cut space..to be toiled...and replanted with carrots, beets, salads/lettuces

* Hauled out several grocery bags of bulbs...bountiful harvest session

unclefishstick · Jun 17, 2013

watch those water levels,i have had some awful cramps from getting dehydrated lately...

Jericho Mile · Jun 17, 2013

unclefishstick said:
watch those water levels,i have had some awful cramps from getting dehydrated lately...

Hear you on that. The biggest challenge running consecutive days...in summer heat...is keeping up with the fluids. Seems that..I must always have a to be drinking...but it gets bothersome sometimes..because I'm constantly pissing. Have to get up in the middle of the night...or anytime I hear running water..well..pretty much like that

* I'll be pulling the top off the hothouse today or tomorrow...the freeze has killed some tomato plants (as I showed)...but those were in the backyard...the front yard (where most the tomato plants are) survived it ok....slowed..but very little burn.

The Selling of the Soul

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