Finally catching up on updates after a busy summer of gardening. We've changed the name of our group to reflect what we are really about!
oday was another great meeting! Everyone is feeling the joy of the bounty. The Community garden is ready to have the fence strung; poles are set and ready to go. The one bed we have is also ready. They talked about putting in some garlic today. We got the name down and we are now known as “Friendly Backyard Family Farming!” We will have our next meeting Saturday December 3 at 11 a. m. so mark your calendar. We had a couple new people today welcome Karn and Rusty, thanks for joining us. The mushrooms are coming on. Rusty talked about forging another way to meet the need, and is on track with sustainability, great information and great fun, visiting with our friendly backyard farmers!!!! We are on track to being what this country needs more of, stand up people who aren’t afraid of playing in the dirt.
Here is the list of needs
1. Chicken wire
2. Hardware cloth for the bottom of the beds.
3. Water barrels
4. Solid wood fencing
5. Pallets for a compost bin….. or a working plastic compost bin
6. Hand tools, a rake, shovel, hoe
7. Hoses
8. Wheel barrel
9. Green house materials woven polyester, clips, plastic.
Call Ruth at the Presbyterian Church office to leave a message 541-247-7351 a brief description of what it is that you have to drop off and she will arrange to meet you there.
Again Thanks for coming
Happy Family Farming!!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Friday, July 1, 2011
Gardening tips!
Sorry it's been so long since a blog has appeared. Life has gotten a bit hectic!
My greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and carrots are going great guns, the kale keeps getting ahead of me and we've eaten quite a few artichokes. The beans and corn were coming up beautifully, until the little chicks found a way from the chicken yard into the garden. They find the smallest holes, I swear! So my weekend will be spent replanting seeds, but that's an okay way to spend a holiday weekend.
Remember our next meeting is on July 9th at 11 am.
Here's a couple great links to help you out in the garden.
Earth Friendly Ways to Kill Weeds
Summer Gardening Questions Answered
My greenhouse tomatoes, peppers and carrots are going great guns, the kale keeps getting ahead of me and we've eaten quite a few artichokes. The beans and corn were coming up beautifully, until the little chicks found a way from the chicken yard into the garden. They find the smallest holes, I swear! So my weekend will be spent replanting seeds, but that's an okay way to spend a holiday weekend.
Remember our next meeting is on July 9th at 11 am.
Here's a couple great links to help you out in the garden.
Earth Friendly Ways to Kill Weeds
Summer Gardening Questions Answered
Monday, May 16, 2011
Worm Bin!
Driftwood School in Port Orford did a worm bin project to teach students about the importance of composting.
It started with a small rubbermaid-type container and graduated to a larger project, with some bins available for sale.
Hooray for the kids and a big thank-you to the adults who are helping teach the kids the importance of composting in gardening.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Meeting Reminder and Garden Thoughts!
Just a reminder that our next meeting is Saturday, May 7th at 1 pm (changed this month due to a schedule conflict) at the Curry Public Library!
From member Ruth Dixon: I have finally started getting busy on gardening stuff. Our garden area is still too water-logged to plant, but with my husband's help, we have re-done one established area and created a new one.
This is the new bed, created pretty much entirely out of "scavenged" materials (the brick were given to us, as were the poles and cup hooks to hold the deer fencing in place). The deer fencing was saved from an old project, and most of the "filler" was collected from my livestock. The picture doesn't show the deer fencing and posts, sorry. I did purchase a couple bags of soil to mix in.
We transformed our old tomato plot into a enclosed bed using more of the above scavenged materials.
I haven't done much in the green house lately, as it has recently been transformed into a nursery. That will change tomorrow as we will be down to one calf and will move him down with the large livestock.
What have you done for your garden plans? Have you made anything using scavenged or recycled materials?
From member Ruth Dixon: I have finally started getting busy on gardening stuff. Our garden area is still too water-logged to plant, but with my husband's help, we have re-done one established area and created a new one.
This is the new bed, created pretty much entirely out of "scavenged" materials (the brick were given to us, as were the poles and cup hooks to hold the deer fencing in place). The deer fencing was saved from an old project, and most of the "filler" was collected from my livestock. The picture doesn't show the deer fencing and posts, sorry. I did purchase a couple bags of soil to mix in.
We transformed our old tomato plot into a enclosed bed using more of the above scavenged materials.
I haven't done much in the green house lately, as it has recently been transformed into a nursery. That will change tomorrow as we will be down to one calf and will move him down with the large livestock.
What have you done for your garden plans? Have you made anything using scavenged or recycled materials?
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Spring has sprung!
At our last meeting at the Curry Public Library (who we'd like to thank for letting us gather there to discuss manure, seeds, dirt and so much more) everyone shared what they'd been up to garden-wise. Boy, what a diversified group we have and it's wonderful. From an energetic young man building a "cob" greenhouse to a member collecting kelp for container gardening to a lady who loves to weed, there is so much going on.
Some popular reading material was shared and the books "Backyard Homestead" by Carleen Madigan and "Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades" by Steve Solomon were both recommended highly by members. Curry Public Library has "Growing Vegetables..." and can request "Backyard..." from the Brookings Public Library.
Members are going to help get some composted manure to Edna Riley's garden (for those of you who don't know her, Edna is an incredible lady who has gardened for years, preserved fruits and vegetables (she's a Master Food Preserver)and is just a wonderful woman.) If you can help with this, let us know and we'll be in touch. We are hoping to do it during the week.
On May 1st (May Day, so appropriate) there will be a work party at Anita's Garden at the Curry Public Library, starting mid-day. Please come help and bring gloves...
Some of our members have some upcoming projects they'd like help with. Susan Golay wants to build raised beds in her backyard and is willing to trade green horse manure. She has some boards, but needs more and would like her beds to be made of "re-used" materials. You can reach Susan by Email
Speaking of green manure, Ruth Dixon has green horse and sheep manure "ripe" for the picking. Contact her via Email or call her at 541-373-0554 for directions and to set up a time. She'll provide the pitchfork.
Please Email us with pictures of your gardening projects, ideas or info that you'd like to share. We also now have a facebook page for those who are interested. Find it at Fog Bank Fresh Foods and become "friends". Regular e-mails will still go out to every one, and we may put together a phone tree for those who don't have internet access.
Happy Spring, everyone!
Some popular reading material was shared and the books "Backyard Homestead" by Carleen Madigan and "Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades" by Steve Solomon were both recommended highly by members. Curry Public Library has "Growing Vegetables..." and can request "Backyard..." from the Brookings Public Library.
Members are going to help get some composted manure to Edna Riley's garden (for those of you who don't know her, Edna is an incredible lady who has gardened for years, preserved fruits and vegetables (she's a Master Food Preserver)and is just a wonderful woman.) If you can help with this, let us know and we'll be in touch. We are hoping to do it during the week.
On May 1st (May Day, so appropriate) there will be a work party at Anita's Garden at the Curry Public Library, starting mid-day. Please come help and bring gloves...
Some of our members have some upcoming projects they'd like help with. Susan Golay wants to build raised beds in her backyard and is willing to trade green horse manure. She has some boards, but needs more and would like her beds to be made of "re-used" materials. You can reach Susan by Email
Speaking of green manure, Ruth Dixon has green horse and sheep manure "ripe" for the picking. Contact her via Email or call her at 541-373-0554 for directions and to set up a time. She'll provide the pitchfork.
Please Email us with pictures of your gardening projects, ideas or info that you'd like to share. We also now have a facebook page for those who are interested. Find it at Fog Bank Fresh Foods and become "friends". Regular e-mails will still go out to every one, and we may put together a phone tree for those who don't have internet access.
Happy Spring, everyone!
Friday, March 25, 2011
Fog Bank Fresh Foods Seed/plant exchange!
Hey everyone! Remember that the first Saturday of the month is when we meet! Join us at the Curry County Library at 11 am on April 2nd, 2011. Bring some seeds and/or starts and plants to share with other members. Maybe you'll find that special plant you've been looking for!
Can't wait to see you there!
Can't wait to see you there!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Another member's story!
Hello fellow fresh fooders... (I don't think that's a word?)
I live on 5 acres up the south bank of the Rogue River... Our land is the original homestead site of my great-great grandparents cabin. We were lucky enough to be able to buy it. We are trying to use it much the same ways as their diaries tell me they did.
We have a large garden where I grow carrots, beans, cabbage, squash, corn, herbs, tomatoes and lots of other veggies. We also have blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, artichokes, etc. The orchard that was here when my grandparents lived here still produces apples, pears and plums. We've added some other trees, including a walnut tree.
We have chickens and sell farm-fresh eggs (or as I call 'em, fresh-picked). We also have mini-rex rabbits that give us great manure for the greenhouse. My daughter is in 4-H and this year started her sheep breeding project for market lambs and she raises two pigs, one for auction and one for our freezer.
I recently decided to make my hobbies pay off in the form of a small home business and am looking forward to seeing how much I can do with our small farm. It's a lot of work, but it's never boring. There's nothing better than picking a apple off the tree and munching on it out in the orchard, or gathering the warm eggs from the nests, taking care to avoid that cranky hen.
We named our place Hope, Joy and Faith Farm after our three beautiful daughters, and because that is what we get by enjoying the fruits of our labors! Come on out and visit sometime!
Ruth Dixon
I live on 5 acres up the south bank of the Rogue River... Our land is the original homestead site of my great-great grandparents cabin. We were lucky enough to be able to buy it. We are trying to use it much the same ways as their diaries tell me they did.
We have a large garden where I grow carrots, beans, cabbage, squash, corn, herbs, tomatoes and lots of other veggies. We also have blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, rhubarb, artichokes, etc. The orchard that was here when my grandparents lived here still produces apples, pears and plums. We've added some other trees, including a walnut tree.
We have chickens and sell farm-fresh eggs (or as I call 'em, fresh-picked). We also have mini-rex rabbits that give us great manure for the greenhouse. My daughter is in 4-H and this year started her sheep breeding project for market lambs and she raises two pigs, one for auction and one for our freezer.
I recently decided to make my hobbies pay off in the form of a small home business and am looking forward to seeing how much I can do with our small farm. It's a lot of work, but it's never boring. There's nothing better than picking a apple off the tree and munching on it out in the orchard, or gathering the warm eggs from the nests, taking care to avoid that cranky hen.
We named our place Hope, Joy and Faith Farm after our three beautiful daughters, and because that is what we get by enjoying the fruits of our labors! Come on out and visit sometime!
Ruth Dixon
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
George and Donna share their garden!
George and I are in a leisurely process of moving to Gold Beach, so we
currently have two homes with raised-bed gardens: one in Ashland and the
other 5 miles up the Rogue. Last year I raised only the tomatoes,
peppers and eggplant in Ashland. The rest did well on the Rogue with
the exception of the winter squash and cucumbers. The winter garden
near Gold Beach of root and cole veggies did and is still doing great.
I would like some advice on carrots which are being eaten by a critter I
don’t recognize.
After taking the Master Gardener course in Jackson County, I spent ten
years filling 2 green houses each spring with tomato and pepper
seedlings with a group that then donated surplus plants.
When we are ready, we might like to host one of Fog Bank’s shared-work
days to convert a well-positioned garden shed into a green house.
One more question. One of our hens in Ashland, Broodha, keeps trying
for that virgin birth. Any suggestions for discouraging her?
currently have two homes with raised-bed gardens: one in Ashland and the
other 5 miles up the Rogue. Last year I raised only the tomatoes,
peppers and eggplant in Ashland. The rest did well on the Rogue with
the exception of the winter squash and cucumbers. The winter garden
near Gold Beach of root and cole veggies did and is still doing great.
I would like some advice on carrots which are being eaten by a critter I
don’t recognize.
After taking the Master Gardener course in Jackson County, I spent ten
years filling 2 green houses each spring with tomato and pepper
seedlings with a group that then donated surplus plants.
When we are ready, we might like to host one of Fog Bank’s shared-work
days to convert a well-positioned garden shed into a green house.
One more question. One of our hens in Ashland, Broodha, keeps trying
for that virgin birth. Any suggestions for discouraging her?
Saturday, March 5, 2011
We begin to brainstorm!
Fog Bank Fresh Foods is a group of people of all ages who are interested in local, fresh foods! Everyone is welcome, from the backyard gardener, to small or big farms, to folks who just want to be involved in living and eating healthier foods.
We met today at Curry Public Library to discuss some of the things we are interested in. Some of the things mentioned were a community garden (the Presbyterian Church has space they would like to develop using grant money, so a grant writer is needed to help start the process), seed-sharing, growing organically and work-parties to help individual members with big projects.
A decision was made to make a contact list of phone numbers and e-mails, along with developing this blog. The next meeting will be the first Saturday in April, the 2nd, at 11 am at the Curry Public Library. Members are encouraged to bring seeds and/or starts to share with others.
Tell your friends about this great new group and come to the next meeting!
We met today at Curry Public Library to discuss some of the things we are interested in. Some of the things mentioned were a community garden (the Presbyterian Church has space they would like to develop using grant money, so a grant writer is needed to help start the process), seed-sharing, growing organically and work-parties to help individual members with big projects.
A decision was made to make a contact list of phone numbers and e-mails, along with developing this blog. The next meeting will be the first Saturday in April, the 2nd, at 11 am at the Curry Public Library. Members are encouraged to bring seeds and/or starts to share with others.
Tell your friends about this great new group and come to the next meeting!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)