Spinach and sharing

Spinach

The first spinach was picked today. Really it's just thinnings, but they are about as big as mature spinach. I am not very impressed. The lettuce seems easier to grow. Perhaps spinach is something that should be left to the local growers and just be purchased at the farmer's market each (and every) single time I go.

All this garden-fresh produce is educating me on the water demands of our food. The lettuce, spinach, and greens all require extensive washing to get out all dirt and grit. Think of those lettuce and spinach bags at the grocery store. Triple washed....in California. The water used to wash your spinach might have been transported by canals and pumps for 300 or 400 miles. Then that water usage is basically exported to Arkansas. By not buying spinach locally, you are letting big agribusiness take very subsidized water resources out of a state facing consumer restrictions. Some Wiki reading on "hidden" or "virtual" water.

Sharing

The first batch was for Gail (sp?), one of Kyle's colleagues. The second bunch is for my food systems doctoral friend Angie. A third bag (unseen) of prepped radishes goes to my friend Laura.

PS. I was wrong about the rain....it was 7 inches in just a two day weekend. Four day total is 8 inches....with more falling today. We have plenty of water hear....why should we export our water from California?

Hail and lemonade

This is the second time this week we got hail....much worse this time than last.

Some damage to lettuces and quite a bit to the onions. To turn these atmospheric lemons into lemonade I gathered all the broken onions and garlic leaves. These will cook up very nicely..and with great delicate allium flavor.

And several pounded radishes.

Where to put your compost pile

I am a compost convert...I am completely sold on the idea of closing the nutrient cycle of everything that grows and comes onto someones property. Of course apartment dwellers can't do this easily, but so many people live on suburban lots. There are lots of excuses why people don't compost and most of them are crappy ones. Basic knowledge shouldn't be one of those excuses. You can find all kinds of advice...everything from detailed scientific or pro-farmer experiences all the way down to average yokels like me. Here is one simple lesson.

Where to site your pile is a common question. Common pointers: not near trees (roots will suck nutrients), not in the shade (heat helps decomposition), close to your garden (for convenience). Sometimes they add "close to your kitchen." Well...guess where mine is? Not close to my kitchen. Look below:

All the way at the back of the lot near the corner of the neighbor's fence.

Do you know why they recommend putting it near the kitchen? Because this is what you collect to put in the pile:

Not exactly what you want lingering in your kitchen.

Now Northwest Arkansas has mild winters...but this one was extreme. We had four snows in a six week period. The first was the dusting above.

The second was several inches..okay, normal. And usually it melts off fast.

The third was a very decent snow by our standards. And some very cold weather to go along with it.

The fourth snow was 14 inches at our house. A record during my lifetime for Fayetteville. And BITTER COLD for days. (don't the raised beds look like shallow graves covered in snow?)

Well guess what happens when you don't want to trudge through knee high snow at 4 degrees?

PILEUP!!!!!

Lesson learned.