How do you grow it?

If you haven't checked out my friends, click this link: http://gardens.multifaithjourneys.org/

Check this out. My friend suggested it.

http://www.gardeners.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Gardeners-Site/default/Page-ShowSimple?cid=7914

It's cold out there!

Just as it's supposed to be.
I took a little time to inspect the beds on the urban farm.
Well, black raspberries are coming back. . .so is oregano. The tulips are up. And well it's time for a new book case raised bed. And doggone it, if I couldn't find the plans I made on paper. Thank goodness for the blog.

Yep, I said that!  And that's hip!

Seedlings of faith

And so it begins. . .

Grow Your Own! Make Your Own!

Not so Urban Farm?  How about Yarn?

Some folks don't have their own urban farm, but that does not make them any less hip. In fact some people's urban farm is not a farm at all. . . . 

HUF, you say,  you've lost it!  What are you talking about?

Well, (sits in rocking chair, starts chewing urban straw) sit for a spell and I'll spin you a yarn about this not so urban farm and a brave woman willing to take risks don't be deceived, though her name really fits.

HUF:What do you grow on your urban farm?

Misfityarns:

I spin my own yarn out of wool fiber mostly. I used to belong to a fiber CSA through Juniper Moon Fiber Farm  and it was a lot of fun reading the blog and keeping up with the animals. Even though I do not belong to the fiber CSA anymore, I try to buy for small farms.

HUF: How do you feel about growing what you grow?

Misfityarns:

I enjoy spinning my own yarn very much. It gives me a sense of accomplishment and creativity. I enjoy trying to figure out knitting projects that will go with a particular pattern. One of my goals this year is to knit more projects with my handspun yarn.

HUF:Do you ever feel a sense of inspiration from growing what you grow?

Misfityarns: 

Yes. Just like I said in the last question, I am learning to pair up knitting patterns with yarn I spin. It’s fun to go through the yarns I spin and remember what I was thinking when I spun or dyed that particular yarn.

HUF:What does growing your own inspire you to do?

Misfityarns: 

be more creative with my knitting or dyeing. When spinning my own yarn, I can experiment with colors or experiment with different knitting projects.
Have you ever felt a sense of self sufficiency from growing what you grow?

Misfityarns: 

Sometimes. It’s fun to be able to make a yarn you want, however I still rely on commercial yarns to get me through most patterns or stuff I knit. As I said, I want to start using my own handspun yarns more and it will lead me more a sense of self sufficiency with yarn.

HUF:Does that sense of self-sufficient sense lead you to want make thing? If so, what do you make?

Misfityarns: 

Yes, it inspires me to try to use my handspun yarns in different patterns. For now, I make scarves, wraps, gloves and other smaller items.

HUF:How do you make it?

Misfityarns: 

I knit them.

HUF:Does it matter how you get the supplies to make it? Why or why not?

Misfityarns:

 Yes, I try to buy fiber from smaller farms and not commercial places. I like to buy fiber unwashed and process it myself. And I like to patron those smaller farms if I can over and over. I think it is important to support smaller farms so you know where the fiber is coming from.

HUF:What would you say to folks to encourage them to make their own?

Misfityarns: 

Just go for it. Often times when I wanted to do something and I hesitated, I chickened out. But when I just delved into something and learned, I was braver and take more risks. Just do what you want to do and don’t look back.

HUF: Delve in, learn, and don't look back! Thanks Misfityarns. That's really hip!

How does she plan it?

After years of working in non-profit organization and attending the neighborhood gardening workshops, I learned a thing or two. Plus, I'm an avid reader who likes to give the words on the page a reality check.  So here's two things I learned:

1. Newspaper mulch suppresses weeds and

2. squarefoot gardening allows you to grow more in a small space.

I took these two ideas and put them together and what did I get?  Squarefoot newspaper mulching!

Here's an example.  Take some of the newspaper that lacks any pretty pictures or bright colors.  You just want the black and white facts of the news paper. Cut that newspaper in a  1 foot by 1 foot square.  You could make several of these 1 foot by 1 foot or  you could make them bigger.

Now here's where you have to put your thinking cap on. If Mel tells you that 16 carrot seeds can go in 1 square foot then you must fold that paper so that you get 16 squares.

Take the square foot newspaper, fold it in half, fold the half in half and keep folding until when you unfold it you get 16 squares.  It seems like this is hard, but it really isn't.  If I get out my web cam, I can show you this, but for right now just fold til you get 16 squares.

In each of those 16 square, 1 carrot can grow.  Make a whole in each center square or just poke one whole in the  folded newspaper.You might want to put a couple in the square just to be sure that the seed sprouts. Listen to Mel, he knows what he's talking about.

So what I am doing here is using the newspaper to mark the square foot instead of using the string and wood to mark off the square foot in the garden.  I don't know if it is more accurate or not. I just know that this works for me.

I plan for the Spring, Summer  and Fall. I've thought hard about doing winter, but I just haven't had the heart to farm in the winter.  Maybe this year?  Who knows?

So I have a plan where I use the technique I just told you about and add in some crop rotation. It may seem like a lot of work but this is urban farming and it is serious. So here's my plan:

Spring

Summer and Fall

So remember, people don't plan to fail ,but they do fail to plan. Plan it. Do it! But don't do it  because I said so, do it because it's hip!