The Naive Gardener

A Call to Arms

2011-08-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

Last week, I finally watched "Food, Inc." When I cracked open my Netflix, I had no idea that this movie would very literally change my life.

Food, Inc. opened my eyes to the horror show that is our commercial food industry. Consider these facts:

70 percent of our food is genetically modified, yet there are no regulations requiring genetically modified foods to be labeled.
Four multinational companies control meat production in our country. The conditions our cows, pigs and chickens are raised in is horrific. I won't mention the conditions workers are subject to.
We're breeding "super" chickens, using a mix of antibiotics and steroids. What once took 90 days to grow, can now be accomplished in 40 days. What that means for the average consumer is that they are eating meat that is pumped full of antibiotics. That's not good for you.
Cows are being fed corn, which is not part of their normal diet. Cows that are fed corn tend to have higher levels of e coli in their stomachs. Grass fed beef is a better choice, as its a part of a cow's natural diet.
A company is proudly marketing a safer meat that is treated with ammonia. Ammonia.

Before watching Food, Inc., I thought I was doing a lot of things right. I have two raised beds that are growing tomatoes, peppers, onions and rhubarb. I have pots of basil, oregano and parsley. I am part of a community share at Tait Farms, a local organic farm. I supplement my garden and my share by purchasing fruits and sweet corn at Harner Farms, another local farm.

What I realized after watching this movie is that there is so much more that I need to be doing. I am resistant to a lot of antibiotics, as a result of a nasty bout with tonsilitis in college and too many cases of sinusitis to count. As a result, I try to take antibiotics only in a worst case scenario. Little did I know that I'm consuming meat with antibiotics in it every time I purchase meat from the grocery store.

I'm allergic to wheat, which means that I consume a lot of corn. Corn can be genetically modified, though I would never know, since there are no labeling requirements. That's scary.

In the last week, I've started educating myself about how to make better food choices and about how I can help affect positive change to educate others about the dangers in our food industry. I've reached out to friends with knowledge of the food industry to ask for help in finding the right resources; I downloaded an app to my iphone that helps me figure out which foods in the grocery store are from genetically modified sources; and I've compiled a reading list of foodie books to help me learn all I can about the food industry, the slow foods movement and genetically modified foods. First up on my reading list is "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" which has inspired me to try to overhaul my diet to eat only items that are in season. This will be more difficult as the seasons change, since State College doesn't have the nicest climate.

Welcome Home, Old Friend

2011-07-25T19:07:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with a wheat allergy and told that I had to stop eating wheat. That proved to be easier said than done, as wheat is in everything.

One of the things that suddenly made my forbidden list was beer. Pre-diagnosis, I was a beer lover. In my world, there was nothing finer than a nice oatmeal stout or a hearty dark beer with lots of complicated notes. I loved my beer dark and bold.

Post diagnosis, I was devastated. Sure, I enjoy wine and some liquor (mainly vodka when mixed in a martini), but nothing could hold a candle to a beer. What would I order when I walked into a bar? What would I drink at tailgate? My tailgate standard, Yuengling Lager, my constant football companion since I discovered it my junior year of college, was suddenly ripped out of my life. I felt like an old friend had suddenly moved away, without so much as a proper goodbye.

I have spent the last two years exploring the good (Greens), the bad (Redbridge) and the not so ugly (Woodchuck) of gluten free beverages. I spent $42 a case on halfway decent gluten free beer (Bards) for football season. My pricey beer soon became known around the tailgate as "funny beer" and the roadtrip to the Alabama game earned the unofficial moniker, "the No Funny Beer Left Behind Tour."

I did this funny dance at every bar I went to. It started with, "do you have gluten free beer?", which was followed by, "um, you know like Redbridge or Bards?", which quickly morphed to, "do you have Woodchuck?" or, in an act of desperation, "a vodka cranberry with lime is fine, then. Do you have that?" I felt like a castoff and I hated it. While my friends enjoyed their beers, I silently sulked into whatever gluten free option was placed in front of me (and let me add, there is only so much Woodchuck this girl can drink).

Three weeks ago, I received a text from a friend. She said, "We have Yuengling Lager on tap. Its made from corn, so you can drink it." It was like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into one text message. I think I may have gotten a little shaky, as I texted back to confirm the source of the information.

It turns out that another friend had just been diagnosed with a wheat allergy. His nutritionist told him that Yuengling is made from corn and contains no wheat. A quick check of the Yuengling website confirmed the happy news. My old friend was suddenly back in my life.

I had my first Lager in a very long time the following day. It tasted like home, which sounds odd, I know. I took a sip and suddenly had flashbacks to college, to football games and to Christmases with my cousins. (I swear I'm not some crazy alcoholic. I just attach memories to food and beverages).

A few days after that, I traveled to Hershey for the Motley Crue/Poison concert. We stopped at the YP (Your Place) in Hershey for dinner and pre show drinks. The reality of the return of my old friend was magnified at the exact moment that I could just order a beer. No explanation of what a gluten free beer is, no consternation at the lack of options, no silent sulking. Just regular ordering, like everyone around me. I felt normal and it felt great.

Since finding out that Yuengling uses corn in its mix, I've become a tad obsessed with checking every beer I can think of for wheat (thank god for the internet). I emailed the Straub people, who confirmed they only use cornflakes in their mix and that there is no wheat in it. I promptly ordered a Straub a few nights after hearing back from them. I also confirmed that Rolling Rock uses rice and corn in their mix and that it does not include wheat. Let's hear it for the PA beers (well, in the case of Rolling Rock, the pseudo PA beer) for being a wheat free girl's friend.

I Am Foodie, Hear Me Roar

2011-07-08T14:39:00.000-07:00

Ten years ago, when I moved to State College, I did not know how to cook. I ate microwave meals and the occasional bag of popcorn for dinner. I looked at food as sustenance - nothing more, nothing less.
Then I started dating an Italian guy. He taught me to cook. He patiently ate my creations and suggested ways to improve my technique. I started watching the Food Network and discovered my local farmers market.
As the years went by, my love of food grew. I started a garden, became a Top Chef junkie and downloaded the Epicurious app onto my Iphone. I enjoy reading recipes and have a subscription to Southern Living just for that reason. Without me realizing it, food had become a passion.
Two years ago, I was diagnosed with a wheat allergy, which forced me to completely change my lifestyle. Real bread, pasta and beer were off the table. I had to rethink recipes that required flour and read every food label to ensure that there wasn't wheat lurking in my food. (Hint: there is wheat in just about everything - soup, Twizzlers, some kinds of soy sauce, etc.) I was forced to be obsessed with the things that were going into my mouth. I am obsessed with the slow food movement and with putting as much whole foods into my diet as possible.
I joined a community share this spring. I stop every Friday after work and enjoy picking out my veggies for the week. I have two raised beds, a strawberry pot, pots of basil and assorted veggies growing in my yard. I took a cooking class at a conference and came home more energized than ever about cooking.
Cooking gives me the same joy that gardening does - it is comforting and calming all at the same time. I love trying new recipes and creating dishes for my friends. I hosted the first annual Julia Child Night this past winter. I take pictures of my food.
The girl 10 years ago never would have envisioned the day when her food bill would be more than her bar tab.
I am a foodie.

Invasion!

2010-06-21T19:00:00.000-07:00

Now that my star turn in "Mrs. McThing" (ha!) has ended, I can update you on all the good things I've been up to in my Oasis.

It started in April, when I power washed, primed and repainted my trellis. All told that took a week. I truly couldn't not have accomplished it without help from a friend, who patiently endured me splattering primer everywhere (my hair, my flip flops, a chair). I'm a messy painter!
After that was done, I turned my attention to building my raised bed. I purchased a kit made from recycled plastic. I figured it would be a piece of cake to put together.

Yeah, not so much.

Had the kit come with pre-drilled holes, I would have had no trouble putting the brackets on. Unfortunately, it did not. After nearly breaking my electric screwdriver, I called in the calvary (or in my case, a friend with a big drill) to help. In 5 minutes, he had the brackets attached.
With the brackets in, I was able to lay out and construct the bed. I filled it with a mix of dirt from the garden area and a bag of compost from State College Borough's compost facility.

Once it was built, I planted peppers (two green pepper plants and another variety), rhubarb, onions and lettuce. I supplemented the raised bed with three tomato plants that I put in pots (I had the blight last year, so I figured it was better to put them in pots this year), basil, dill, an unidentified herb I picked up at the Linden Hall Garden Club Plant Sale for $.50 and mint that I'm growing in a container in my house.

I finished all of this at about the same time that rehearsals started for my play. I was quite content to move into growing mode - watering, weeding, excitedly monitoring plants for signs of growth.

Then it happened - a groundhog invasion.

Punxsutawney Phil's evil twin brothers took up residence under my shed. They feasted daily on my lettuce. They dug holes everywhere. When I caught them moving toward the Oasis, I knew it was time to take serious action.

I called in the Crazy Township Neighbor (CTN), who assured me he had much practice in catching these pesky rodents. I didn't want them to die, but I did want them out of my yard. Make no mistake - Punxsutawney Phil is HEAVILY drugged on Groundhog Day. Real groundhogs are horribly mean little creatures. The thought of trapping them on my own and then transporting a hissing, mean animal in my car was less than pleasing.

CTN set up his wooden trap, filling it with carrots, peanut butter crackers and lettuce. Every day, I checked the trap. Most days CTN showed up in my yard in the wee morning hours to check the trap. I was beginning to think I was going to need some kind of CTN extraction plan.
After 3 weeks, CTN lost interest. Some animal was stuck in the trap for a while, but it managed to chew its way out. I moved the lettuce to a window box planter and hung it for my trellis. It hasn't grown (a big bummer), but the groundhogs seemed to have disappeared for now. CTN has gone back to only bugging me at work, thankfully.

Rebirth in the Oasis

2010-04-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

"The most noteworthy thing about gardeners is that they are always optimistic, always enterprising and never satisfied. They always look forward to doing better than they have everdone before." - Vita Sackville-West

One of my friends posted the above quote on my facebook page. This could truly be the quote of the spring, as I am working very hard to take the Oasis to the next level.

In the coming days, I will be installing raised garden beds, painting my trellis and planting, planting, planting. Stay tuned for pictures and details!

In addition to the projects listed above, I installed a rock border along my front flower bed. I literally used the rocks in my cellar (that the old homeowner dug out of the garden area). There are still rocks left, though maybe not enough to create the same border in the backyard.

Spring has sprung on Hemlock Street!

My Grand Ideas...

2009-08-12T17:30:00.000-07:00

Once again, I have been a delinquent blogger! I can not promise things will get any better, as I realized yesterday that I have three free weekends left until October 24th. But, on the bright side, 24 days to Penn State football!!!

The garden has done really well! My onions are huge and are so sweet. My basil is growing like mad. I'm going to dry some, freeze some and also make a ton of pesto to freeze. Thanks to Patti for the great pesto recipe! I've been told that if I keep pinching it back, my basil will blossom well into the fall. If you have basil needs, please let me know. I'm happy to share my bounty!

Late tomato blight hit our community garden in Boalsburg. So far, I have not had any problems. It is a horrible year for tomatoes - they love hot weather; we've had a ton of rain and have only hit 90 a few times this summer. My fingers are crossed that I'll be able to get some tomatoes from my plants.

I have one big project that I want to complete before the end of August. I'm not giving away details now, but I will take some before and after pictures, so you all can see my handiwork. Fingers crossed that it will all work out!

Lastly, allow me to make a shameless plug for the movie, "Julie and Julia." What a great movie! I highly recommend it. I plan to spend my winter cooking some of the recipes in Julia Child's famous cookbook. My mom is bring up the "Joy of Cooking" for me in late August, so I'm going to try a few of those, too.

Until next time, enjoy the fresh bounty of summer vegetables at your local farmer's market. Remember: eat local!

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

2009-06-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

My sister reminded me last weekend that I have been a bad blogger! I'm so sorry. I was so busy with my play and then the start of the summer. I'll be a better blogger from now on. I promise.

We have had a ton of rain this spring/summer. I seriously feel like I live in Seattle! The one up side to the rain? My onions are going to be the size of softballs! I was in the garden the other day and noticed how tall they are. The best part? They still have about another 2 weeks to go. I may have to consider entering them in a contest!

So far I've enjoyed broccoli, mesclun mix and red leaf lettuce out of the garden. I recently planted leeks, a banana pepper plant, basil and two tomato plants. The one tomato plant has a small little tomato on it. The banana pepper plant has a few small peppers growing on them and the leeks are growing like mad (which doesn't surprise me one bit, since leeks are in the same family as onions and they love, love, love the rain). I am going to pick up some more basil to plant in pots, since the one I planted isn't doing so hot.

I have to sing the praises of the black landscape fabric. It has made my life so much easier. I do need to weed out the back part of the garden that I didn't plant and cover that in fabric as well. I encourage anyone who wants to garden, but who doesn't have a lot of time to worry about weeding to invest in the fabric. Its well worth the $10 I paid for each roll.

Until next time, happy gardening!

And We're Back.....

2009-05-03T17:58:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my blog and to the garden!! I am pleased to say I am taking all of the knowledge I've gained over the last year and applying it in this year's garden.

I've consulted a lot of gardening friends about how to cut down on weeds. I decided to try the landscape fabric and straw technique. I bought two rolls of fabric and put it down yesterday before I put my veggies in. The idea is that the fabric will help cut off the supply of sun to the weeds. Here's hoping it works!

Yesterday, I visited Tait Farms, a wonderful farm in Boalsburg, and purchased a load of veggies to plant. I bought onions (only one container this year!), lettuce (two kinds), bok choy and broccoli. I'll put peppers and tomatoes in after Memorial Day, when the soil temperature is at a consistent 70 degrees and more conducive to growing them. I also plan to plant herbs in pots after Memorial Day.

While at Tait's, I was able to enjoy their open house and try some yummy local food. I wound up buying a hunk of sharp cheddar cheese made by a local farmer in Millheim. I am a sucker for good cheese and aspire to someday make my own. I probably need to find someone with a cow first, but I'll work on that.

I am really excited at how popular gardening has become. We started a community garden program in the Township. We sold over 20 plots with very little effort. The best part is that some of the gardeners are people who live in apartments and therefore wouldn't have a way to grow their own food. Its great to see a push toward sustainability and healthy living. I really hope this fad sticks.

In addition to my garden, I've been busy getting the yard in shape. Last year, I was totally overwhelmed by the flower beds and the yard. This year, I've decided to tackle things in chunks. I've focused on the Oasis first. I planted the "gutter" of the trellis (which is really a planter) with some pretty flowers. I also redid the bottom of the trellis - I added more stones and ripped out the cheap plastic border. In its place, I made a border out of the rocks that the old homeowner picked from the garden and stored in my cellar. I got over my fear of the cellar and harvested a ton of rocks. I still have a ton, so if anyone needs rocks, please let me know!

I'm in a play, so the next three weeks are incredibly busy. Expect more posts once my turn as Mandi McCoy is over.

Until then, happy gardening!

We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Programming....

2008-11-04T20:09:00.000-08:00

In 1992, I turned 18. Because Pennsylvania's primary was in May, I was able to vote in both the primary and the general election.

I remember how excited I was to be a voter and how seriously I took my responsibility. I can still remember sitting cross legged on the family room floor, the League of Women Voters Voter's Guide spread out before me, pen and paper in hand. I carefully read each candidate's positions and made a list of who I would vote for.

I believe I voted in a car dealership. My friend Taissia accompanied me to the polls. She was still 17, so she was very excited to watch her friend cast her first ballot. I voted for Bill Clinton.

After I graduated from high school, I prepared for college and kept a keen eye on the presidential race. I've always been a political junkie (I was a Jerry Brown supporter at one time). I watched the Democratic National Convention and felt inspired by Clinton and Gore. I even wrote a letter to the editor of the Harrisburg Patriot News, explaining why my ballot would be cast for Clinton and Gore. My parents, though they didn't agree with my political ideology (I'm much more liberal than the rest of my family), proudly cut my letter out of the paper and ran off copies to show to family and friends.

I started college at Penn State's main campus in August. George Bush made a campaign stop on Old Main lawn. I stood next to a man dressed as a chicken and booed loudly, even though I was nowhere near Presiden Bush. My roommate managed to get in the front of the crowd; she held up the Clinton Gore sign she smuggled in. After the rally, we hung it proudly in our room.

Since I coudn't travel home to Hershey to cast my ballot, my parents secured an absentee ballot for me. I sent my roommate out of our room (the ballot said it was to be filled out in secret, after all) and cast my ballot for Bill Clinton and Al Gore. I was energized and engaged, a voter in my first presidential election. I would remember this moment for the rest of my life.

On election night, we gathered in a floormate's room, popcorn and soda in hand. We were ready to ring in a new era. We could literally feel the world changing. As the results came in, we saw hope, we saw potential for our future.

Fast forward to this year. My hair is grayer, my chosen path a life in public service. I saw Barack Obama speak on Old Main lawn. I waited in line for 2 hours to gain a spot near the front. I was inspired by his message of change, his message of hope. He touched me in a way no candidate had done since Bill Clinton and Al Gore reached me as an 18 year old. I once again had hope for my country.

Today, I waited in line for 30 minutes to cast my ballot for Barack Obama and Joe Biden. As I did when I was 18, I cast my ballot for hope and inspiration.

Tonight, I sit here with tears in my eyes and our country again at a crossroads. I can see change coming, change that is so desparately needed. I see a country that will once again unite to take care of its own, to right its ship.

I wonder if there is another 18 year old who has been touched by Barack Obama in the way Bill Clinton reached me. To those newly-energized voters, I offer my congratulations. You voted in your first presidential election. Its a moment in time that will stay with you forever.

I Am My Own Person

2008-08-10T18:31:00.000-07:00

I was talking to someone about my garden this evening. I told this person that I planned on letting the front of the garden go to weeds for the remainder of the summer, now that the onions and the lettuce were done. I am going to just focus on hoeing and weeding the back of the garden, where my tomatoes and the watermelon plant are growing. I also told this person I planned on planting garlic this fall. I love garlic, so I'm excited to have it ready for use in the spring!

After I finish telling this person all of this, she says that since the garden is so much work, I should just plant grass in that area of my yard and be done with it. When I told her I intended to plant my garden again next year, she made some comment about how I wasn't really serious about gardening and that I shouldn't bother.

I AM 1,000 PERCENT SERIOUS ABOUT MY GARDEN!!!!!

I have found gardening to be a great way to relieve stress. I get great joy out of using my own two hands to grown my own food. I get great satisfaction from eating the veggies from my garden.

I can't understand why this person can't just be supportive of my gardening endeavors. This is not an altogether new thing for me. When I was in 5th grade, I somehow got a packet of carrot seeds. I planted the carrot seeds at the edge of our backyard, near the creek that ran behind our house. Needless to say, the carrots did not grow. When I lived in my apartment, I grew tomatoes in a pot. I have always wanted to grow my own food (and make my own cheese, but alas I need a cow for that).

This has become a passion for me. Its a lot of work, but it is very rewarding to me. I am already trying to figure out how to cut down on the weeds for next year. I'm also trying to plan exactly what I want to plant (I'm thinking cucumbers and zucchinis in addition to the tomatoes and onions). And I'm planning on planting my basil and other fresh herbs in small pots that I can keep in the kitchen during the winter. I just love fresh basil and can't imagine going back!

The best thing about every person on this planet is that we are all individuals. I am my own person. I happen to enjoy gardening.

Itchy and Scratchy

2008-08-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

I managed to pick up a nasty case of poison ivy. Apparently, it is growing in my front flower bed. I weeded the bed with my bare hands (dumb, I know) a week ago. I noticed these bumps, but thought nothing of it. On Thursday, the itching was unbearable and the bumps were starting to look like blisters. Having never had poison before, I consulted with a few people on my softball team and at work, who confirmed my suspicion.

The itching was terrible Thursday night. I finally sought help online. I tried just about everything, until I fell upon the best cure for the itching: a hair dryer. I turn the hair dryer on and aim it at my blisters. It produces this odd feeling of pleasure and pain, then kills the need to itch for hours at a time.

I went to the doctor on Friday, after I discovered the poison had spread to my face, neck and legs. I was given a prescription for some steriod cream and told I would have to get a shot if the cream didn't work. The doctor was not amused with my hair dryer technique and yelled at me for putting rubbing alcohol on my spots, as this will result in giving me excezma. Yum.

I'm hopeful that I've turned a corner, as the spots on my bad arm aren't nearly as bad as they were yesterday. The poison spread again to my chest, but I'm hoping that changing my towels after every shower will stop that.

Needless to say, I can't do any gardening until the poison clears up. I did tie some stakes around my tomato plants (I have 7 with tomatoes on them). I also noticed that my watermelon has little flowers on it. This apparently means that in another month or so, I will have watermelons. Yeah!

The motherload of onions are done. If anyone wants onions, please let me know. I have so many!

Localvore

2008-07-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

I have become a localvore. For those that are not familiar with the term, a localvore is someone who tries to eat as much food as they possibly can from local sources. I have been buying all of my produce from Harner Farms, a local farmers market that has the best produce around. Its open all week and is about 5 miles from my house. The food they sell is either grown on their farm or grown regionally and brought in for sale.

Today, I purchased a basket of peaches, a basket of string beans, two tomatos and a basket of blueberries for $12. At the grocery store, I would have paid $.99 a pound for peaches that were grown, picked and shipped from Georgia. How can they still be fresh after such a long trip?

Last week, I bought blueberries and cherries. Both were bursting with flavor. I'm excited to try the peaches. They were grown at the farm and look and smell fantastic!

I was telling the nice woman at Harners that I am using the market as a way to supplement what I'm growing in my own garden. She was very interested in hearing about what is growing in my garden. That's the other nice thing about being a localvore - my dollars are supporting the farm and the friendly employees like this woman.

I wonder what I will do in the late fall/winter, when there isn't any local produce to be found. I'm thinking about freezing some of the blueberries. I may also try to buy some extra peaches and can them for use over the winter. I will have to do some research into all of this, since I'm going to find it very hard to go back!

I'm off to pick an onion from my garden for my salad. I had the first onion out of my garden last week. It was yummy - very sweet and full of flavor. I had to buy lettuce at the grocery store, since the heat and dry weather has really stunted the growth of my lettuce. I may have to look into grow a few different varieties that tolerate the heat well next year.

Have a great week and remember: go local! Support your local growers and producers!

So That's What That Is For....

2008-07-04T18:52:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad blogger - sorry!

I was really stressed about my ghetto garden full of weeds. Two weeks ago, I went online and googled how to control weeds in a garden. To my surprise and delight, it recommended using your hoe to rid your garden of the pesky weeds. I'm so happy my mom bought me my hoe!

I spent 4.5 hours hoeing the garden (why does that still make me giggle? Sometimes I can be a 12 year old!). I was so pleased with the outcome - all the ghetto weeds were gone! It really made the excruciating pain I was in for the next two days worth it. I have never spent so much time on my heating pad in all the years I've had it! But, I learned my lesson. I now plan on hoeing once a week to keep the weeds under control and prevent another back breaking session.

So, the garden is now full of onions, lettuce, chives, tomatoes (3 kinds - grape, lemon yellows and jet something or others) and a watermelon. I planted the watermelon just to see if it will actually grown in our climate. In addition to the garden, I have two pots of basil (one is courtesy of Katie, who dropped 4 plants off to me), a pot of rosemary and a pot of mixed herbs.

I feel like I've been doing so much running around this summer and that I haven't fully been able to enjoy the Oasis. I plan on logging some hours out there tomorrow, if the weather cooperates. I did want to share a picture of the custom sign I had made at Memorial Day. Its very cute!

Lastly, I was at the beach last week with my family. Thank you to Katie for watering the garden while I was away. I didn't have to stress about my plants dying! And because we're so cute, here's a photo of my entire family taken on the front of our beach house.

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Ghetto Garden

2008-06-11T20:06:00.000-07:00

Its been a long time since my last post. Sorry - its been a little busy up here.

I did harvest my first lettuce last week. It was yummy! Tonight, I harvested more. I will definitely be sharing with my coworkers, since I have more lettuce right now than I could ever eat. I made a grilled shrimp and asparagus salad with homemade dijon dressing. It was really good.

Its so satisfying to be eating food that I grew myself. I love that I cultivated and grew the lettuce that is now filling my stomach. I am going to plant my tomatoes and peppers this weekend so hopefully later this summer I will be able to make a complete salad from my very own garden.

I've been mulching since last week. Its a long and tedious process. I am able to fit 5 bags of mulch in my car at a time. So far I've purchased 10 bags. I have 3 more to put down this week, then I'll be heading back to Lowes for more. I definitely will be getting a load from a landscaping business next year, as it will be a lot easier and probably a lot cheaper. I'm definitely skimping on the 3 inches of mulch you are supposed to put down. Since its my first year, I'm just happy to be getting it down.

I need to spend time weeding my ghetto garden. The weeding has really gotten away from me and I'm now growing weeds and grass amongst my food! I was feeling a tad overwhelmed tonight at all of the work that needs to be done out back, but after I took a little break and calmed myself, I figured I will just have to take everything one day at a time. If my garden doesn't look perfect in the first year, so be it. As long as the food grows and I remember to water, I'll be happy.

I must run. I'm quite tired from all of the work I did tonight. I can definitely say that mowing the lawn, mulching and gardening is a great workout! I will definitely be sore tomorrow, that's for sure.

I will post pictures soon, I promise! Until then, visualize a non-ghetto garden. That's what I'm hoping to get to!

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

2008-05-28T18:43:00.000-07:00

We will start with the good news: my onions, lettuce and chives are growing like weeds. Some of the lettuce may actually be ready for picking. How can you tell when lettuce is ready? A few heads are huge, so I feel like I could pick some leaves off and make myself a salad. I will have to do some research online about that.

The bad news: I keep hacking my one butterfly bush with the weed wacker by accident. The first time I did it, the bush rebounded nicely (I don't hack the entire thing, just some of the low hanging branches). I'm hoping it rebounds again. And, I promise to hand trim the grass around it from now on!

The ugly: my herbs. I either planted them too early or I got a bum batch. The only herb that is growing is the rosemary. The dill, parsley and basil all bit the dust. I was consulting with a friend over the weekend who suggested that I probably put them in too early, considering we had snow when I was away and some very cold nighttime temperatures throughout the month of May. I am not defeated - the herbs I bought at the Linden Hall Garden Club's plant sale are doing great (of course someone else planted them). I will get more basil and probably some dill and will try again later.

So, this weekend is all about weeding. My garden and my flower beds really need to be weeded in the worst way. I discovered that while I was mowing tonight. Here's a tip: don't try to weed and mow at the same time. Mowing is one of those activities that requires your undivided attention!

I bought a custom made sign at the Memorial Day festival that says "Welcome to the Oasis." I can't wait to hang it! I'm going to get the flowers for the gutter along the trellis this weekend. After I have it planted, I will post an updated picture of the Oasis. It is truly fabulous!

Temperature Changes and Snow in May

2008-05-18T16:33:00.000-07:00

This past week I was in Hershey for a conference. Before I left, I mowed the lawn and tended to all of my plants, veggies and herbs. I felt confident that things would be okay while I was gone, particularly since the forecast called for rain.

Imagine my shock when I woke up Monday morning and heard the temperature in State College was 35 degrees! I was so worried that my plants and herbs were stressed. I met up with our maintenance guys for lunch that day and they told me that Western Ferguson Township had snow. Snow?! in May?! Only in State College....

Thankfully, I returned home and all was well. My grass was ready to be cut and the flower beds definitely needed to be weeded, but other than that, everything seemed to have fared pretty well.

There are some new additions to the Oasis and the garden. I attended the Linden Hall Garden Club's Plant Sale before leaving town. What a hoot! The ladies bring any and every kind of plant imaginable from their homes and auction them off. Bidding starts at $.25. I made out like a bandit - for $9, I came home with a house plant (which I keep forgetting to water), two planters in cute hanging metal buckets that had peonies and other cute plants in them and a pot of herbs. I was so excited! The ladies will be selling pies at Memorial Day. I will definitely be contributing a few pies again this year as a way of saying thank you.

I also scored a new addition for the garden. Bruce, the chair of our parks and rec committee and a really great guy, stopped by and dropped off two chive plants that he dug out for me. They are great! The one is absolutely huge. I'm so excited to see them flower.

I have to say that gardening has been a huge learning experience for me. My onions were looking a little sad a few weeks ago. I mentioned this to one of my elected officials, who happens to grow the biggest onions in Boalsburg. He advised that the onions love water and hate weeds. A few days later, after some weeding, some watering and a lot of rain, the onions had perked right back up. Its nice to have some many people to lean on with my questions.

I'm off to Erie on Tuesday, back on Thursday. Here's hoping there is no snow in the forecast! I was going to put my tomatoes and peppers in this weekend, but I think I'll hold off another week to give the soil temperature time to rise. Tomatoes and peppers are really tempermental and like a warm soil (pretend I know what I'm talking about, okay?).

Have a happy Memorial Day! I will be in Boalsburg at our festival. When your town is the birthplace of Memorial Day, you really don't get the weekend to yourself. I don't mind, though, as I like to watch what happens in town. People on Main Street start sprucing up their porches and everyone seems to be throwing parties. Its nice to live in a place that takes so much pride in its heritage.

Spring Time

2008-05-06T17:32:00.000-07:00

Ahh, spring is finally here. Its such a new experience to be enjoying spring from the comfort of my own home. I really noticed when things started to bloom and was very excited to watch my spring flowers come up. Some of it was the thrill of the unknown - since I didn't plant these flowers, I had no idea what was actually going to come up. Some of it was the excitement at the end of winter. And a lot it was being able to watch my very own ecosystem bloom in front of my eyes.

Tonight, I mowed the lawn, trimmed and raked out the flowerbeds in the back. I grilled chicken and veggie kabobs and asparagus. Katie came for dinner and we ate in the Oasis. It was an awesome night. Tonight is one of those great State College nights - the daytime temperature was about 75, which means the night time temperature should be about 45. I'm sitting on my front porch for a change of pace, listening to the sounds of the peepers calling for their mates and the traffic on the bypass. It almost perfectly captures State College - we're in the country, yet we still have the hustle and bustle of a small city.

Don't get me wrong - its a heck of a lot of work having a house. The yard alone could keep me busy for days. But, I'm learning that I need to keep myself very organized. I'm lucky to only have one night meeting this week. So, tonight I'm focused on the yard. Tomorrow, I will clean. If I've played my cards right, I shouldn't need to mow again until after I return home from my conference in Hershey next week.

Its a new way of life for me. There is so much more responsibility than when I lived in an apartment. I want my house to look nice; I want my friends to want to hang out in the Oasis. I want to be able to enjoy the fruits of all of my hard work. This house was the biggest dream I ever dreamed and it came true. So, now I'm going to do my best to enjoy every minute of it; to discover the little things and to take time to appreciate the rebirth and renewal of the spring season.

Planting Fool

2008-05-03T05:23:00.000-07:00

I planted onions, two kinds of lettuce, dill, parsley, rosemary and basil last Friday. Here are some lessons I learned:

1. One pack of onions is not one plant, it is many tiny plants. Buying two packs doubles the amount of tiny plants. I will have the mother load of onions in about 60 days if they grow. Duke has offered onion recipes, but if anyone wants onions, let me know. I have two rows planted, which equals about 40 heads.
2. Gardening is hard work! My hamstrings were killing me for two days afterward. I'm either getting old or the weights I've been lifting at the gym are not doing me any good.
3. Four inches apart is actually a lot closer than you think.

After my planting frenzy on Friday, my parents came up bright and early on Sunday to help with the rest of the yard. My mom was a raking and weeding fiend, which was a huge help. They brought my new lawn mower up so I could finally mow the ghetto lawn. I was so embarassed by my tall grass!

The new lawn mower is self propelled, which theoretically means it will be easier and faster for me to mow the lawn. Um, not so much when the grass rivals that found in a meadow. Oh and here's a tip: don't engage the self propelled thing when you are turning. Bad things will happen! (In my case, it was spinning around with the lawn mower a few times - awesome sight for the neighbors, I'm sure.)

After the yard was mowed and everything was suitably weeded and raked, we headed to Lowes. My mom decided I needed a hoe, a wheelbarrow, some shurbs, impatients, some other kind of flower and a gas grill. I thought my dad was going to shoot her as we were trying to fit everything into his SUV. Oh and can I just admit that I had a good chuckle carrying the hoe all over Lowes? In my head I kept thinking, "I'm the ho with the hoe, bitches!"

After we made it back to Boalsburg in one piece (and miraculously didn't manage to have anything fall out of the back of the SUV on 322), my mom and I started digging holes for the shrubs. My dad supervised from the Oasis, as we decided we had stressed him out enough for one day. My mom was doing the digging and just couldn't believe the amount of rocks we found. Um, meet Mount Nittany and Tussey Mountain. I'm pretty sure that the rocks in the soil are the result of Boalsburg once being a part of this mountain range.

Once everything was planted, my parents headed for home. A few days later, temperatures dipped down into the mid 30s. Fearing for my new children (the food growing in the garden), I set about moving my pots inside, covering the basil I planted in the garden with a bed sheet (conviently anchored by the rocks we dug out of my yard) and covering the impatients. I decided the best way to cover them would be to use blue plastic cups. It looked like I had some raging kegger and all the cups wound up in my flower bed!!

The Oasis is a very enjoyable experience now that all of the furniture is here. The gas grill is a welcomed addition. I now have the desire to grill everything in sight. I stocked up on meats yesterday at the grocery store and plan to make some kabobs tomorrow night for dinner. I'm saving the drunk chicken for when Laura and Court visit in June.

I'll post some pictures later, after my camera decides to cooperate.

Live from the Oasis

2008-04-17T17:11:00.000-07:00

I am live blogging from the Oasis (the back patio, for those playing the home version of this blog). Its nice to be able to sit outside, enjoying the sounds of my neighbors and the fresh night air. It looks like a full moon tonight, so that makes it even better. About the only one not happy about this is the Gato, who is staring forlornly out the back door, hoping I will forget he is an indoor cat and let him out for a bit. Sorry, Gato.

I don't have a lot of photos of the Oasis before, but I thought I would post one that I did find. This was taken last August, before I moved in. Today, I dug out my fire pit (thanks Framptons!), the chairs I bought at Lowes last year and the brand new copper party tub (who needs a cabana boy, when you have a copper tub to hold your drinks? (oh, wait....) I also hung the cool sun mom bought me at the Emporium of Cheap and Fun Stuff (its has a real name, I just have no clue what it actually is) when I was home at Easter. I have furniture to pick up from Wal Mart. Once I do that and get the trellis planted, the Oasis will be complete.

I'm debating what to plant in the trellis. Do I want pansies? Do pansies live all summer or are they more of a spring plant? I was also considering sunflowers? Decisions, decisions.

My goals for this weekend (besides tailgating at the Blue White game) is to get my butt to Lowes and get a wheelbarrow so I can then rake the errant leaves out of my flower beds. I also would like to get my herbs and some onions at Taits and get them in the ground (the soil report from Dave is that there are very few rocks, so it sounds like its ready to go). We have leaf pick up starting on the 28th and since I know the leaves are either composted at Taits or in the mountain, I feel confident putting the leaves I don't need for my compost bin at the curb for collection.

On a funny note, I took two composting classes while employed at PROP, yet I am pretty confident I don't know what I'm doing with the compost bin. It will be trial and error. Thankfully, Carl is the compost man and Patti is the composting guru, so they can give me some tips.

I must run. Its almost time for my tomato sandwich and homemade fries! Enjoy the nice weather!

Welcome

2008-04-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Welcome to the Naive Gardener. I am a new homeowner and this summer I will also become a first time gardener. I'm excited to grow my own food and transform my backyard into my oasis.
Join me on my journey from neophyte gardner to mistress of the backyard. I hope you enjoy the ride and will share your best gardening tips with me.
The garden has been rota-tilled (thanks, Dave!), so I'm ready to roll. Stay tuned for more updates as I start my onions, garlic and herbs this weekend.