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GARDENING THOUGHTS AND FAREWELL
"Information does not exist by itself. Connected with it is
the consciousness of all those who understand it, perceive it or
originate it... Your consciousness attracts the consciousness
that is already connected with the material ... Information,
then, becomes new and is reborn as it is interpreted through a
new consciousness..."
Seth, The Nature of Personal Reality by Jane Roberts
In our minds as in our gardens. No matter how many times someone
else has considered an idea, no matter how often someone else has
planted a seed, when the thought comes to us, when we plant the
seed, it is unique and new. Even if we ourselves have done it
many times before. And we are connected with all those through
all times who do the same. So if no one else in the neighborhood
is growing a garden as you do (or planting a garden at all),
saving seeds, planting salsify or woad, eating what they grow, it
does not matter. You are connected into a vast network of fellow
gardeners just by planting that seed or dreaming of that garden.
So, does that make me feel any better about saying farewell via
the pages of the Northern Seeds News? Not really. But I like the
thought (the one above not the leaving), the feeling put into
words, of connectedness to gardeners and seed savers of all ages,
through all ages. Including the very real, practical
connectedness with like minded folks through seed exchanges. And
newsletters.
But things change. Last year we (Steve and 1) changed our
homestead and businesses name from Grass Valley to ManyTracks.
The name came when I was thinking, and maybe fretting, about the
many directions our lives were going. All fun (usually) and
lively living and learning, but too often all at the same time.
While we agree with the fox and Wendell Barry - "Be like the
fox who makes more tracks than necessary, some in the wrong
direction" (Manifesto - The Mad Farmers Liberation Front),
there were limits. We weren't going in the wrong direction, just
too many different ones.
A long way around to say this is going to be the last issue of
Northern Seeds News, for now at least. It is not an easy
decision, and I will miss the direct connection. Our group has
never been big in number but it has always been big in
enthusiasm. For doing, for gardening, for sharing. That, of
course, will not change. And since many, maybe most, of you
subscribe to Countryside maybe we will continue to meet up
through the pages of J. D. Belanger's publication. And at
workshops and gardening events and seed ordering groups. And in
our gardens and in our gardening dreams.
I'll continue to write. In fact, that is one of the directions
taking up a great deal of our time. We are in the process of
publishing a book I have been working on for many years, a novel,
"The Last Lamp". We hope to have it out by spring. And
I am in the midst of another book, a mainly non-fiction one
called "Homesteading Adventures with JJ and ChickB". I
hope to get the first draft done before the rush of spring, when
the computers become quiet and the muscles do a lot of
complaining. And I still owe Countryside and J.D. Belanger some
articles for the ads he ran for Northern Seeds News. Not to
mention the continued correspondence with the many gardening
friends who live not near by. The Newsletter is ending but the
gardening is certainly not.
And on to that gardening. It is time to set the pencil and paper
aside (OK, the keyboard and computer) and get into some heavy
planning and dreaming for this year's garden. There are seeds to
sort, seeds to order, seeds to share, seeds to start sprouting in
warm out of the way spots (soon to grow to every available warm
sunny spot - that's what windows are there for right?). Most of
our gardens are cozy under a particularly thick blanket of snow
this year but we can still imagine the earth underneath. Although
I can't imagine what weather surprises Mother Nature is going to
share with us this coming growing season. I'd rather take it as
it comes, enjoying the garden-friendly ones and accepting the
challenges of the disadvantaging turns. At least there is always
beauty.
My gardening stops during the winter, except for an occasional
harvest of some hardy parsley, swiss chard and Johnny-Jump-Ups
out in the cold greenhouse. Though even that has stopped now. A
week of -20s & -30s with highs often not reaching zero took
its toll and it's looking pretty droopy out there. But as it
warms they'll grow again and we'll get a few more harvests yet.
Then they'll start going to seed and it'll be time to make room
for the ever expanding seedling troops. But that's for later. For
now the planning keeps my gardening self happy, warm and active.
Or is that the woodstove and firewood doing that?
It's also a good time to get into the workshop and construct or
invent tools and gizmos and equipment and flats and whatnots for
our gardening ease or fun. Rectangular wooden flats for seedlings
take up less space than pots and I find are easier to manage for
moisture. And a simple bench just for potting is nice if you can
find a spot for it. A wooden rake is great for moving mulch
without ripping apart plant leaves. A planting/marking gizmo
tailored to your needs and garden would be a nice gift for
yourself and fellow family gardeners. And don't forget the solar
dryer. And solar oven while you're at it! And you thought winter
was only for dreaming. But wouldn't it be nice to make these
things before the spring rush? It's a nice theory anyway. But at
least if you draw out plans now it will make the job easier if
you decide not to build until you're buried in the happy chaos of
outdoor gardening.
I wish you happy planning, enjoyable gardening, fruitful harvests
and satisfying seed saving. And I hope your lives and those
around you are full of the creative seeds you've sown, grown,
harvested and shared. Thanks for being a part of Northern Seeds
News.
SEED ORDERING TIME
In case you don't have enough seed catalogues laying around yet,
or more specifically enough who offer the kind of seeds you are
looking for, peruse the list on the following page and get your
requests in the mail. Most of these companies are small, family
owned and worked, dedicated to preserving rare, endangered,
heirloom varieties. And worthy of our support.
When you find yourself growing and saving your own seeds you come
to a dilemma when seed ordering time comes. Your needs are few
and specific. You find one variety in one catalogue, you want a
few packets from another, and just what you've been looking for
in yet another. You want to support all of these independent seed
companies but the shipping costs are more than the packet of seed
you order.
A good solution comes from Jan and Jim: "We made group seed
orders with several friends. It was fun to get together and talk
gardens and we ordered from several catalogs so we could get 1-2
packets without paying shipping for each individual order. People
also exchanged seeds from last year." So round up your
catalogues, gather your gardening friends together and, well I
hardly need to say 'Have Fun'. With that combination there is
little chance that you won't.
Where did you get your garden seeds in 1748? In many parts of the
country you would have only what you saved yourself or traded for
from other other seed savers. But in the east coast cities you
would watch the newspapers for ads such as this in a Boston
paper: "Garden Seeds.-To be Sold, by Richard Francis,
Gardner, living at the sign of the black and white Harre at the
South end of Boston, fresh and new imported in the last ships
from London, all sorts of Garden Seeds, as folllows: Windsor,
Sandwich, and Hotspur BEANS; long Hotspur Ormats, & Hotspur
PEASE; early Dutch CABBAGES; Battersy, Sugar-loaf, large
CABBAGES; Imperial, Silesia, brown Dutch, & curl'd LETICE;
orange ONIONS; London LEEK; Short-top London, & SAndwidch
REDISHES; round-leaf SPINEGES; COLLEYFLOWERS, ENDE sallet; sweet
PARSLEY; & Parsley Dubet; Pepper-grass; & single white
mustard; CUCUMBERS; MUSMELLON; WATERMELLONS; and all sorts of the
best flower seeds."
Or in 1764: "Garden Seeds - Imported in the last ship from
London, and to be sold by Anna Johnson at her shop at the Head of
Black Harre Lane, leading up from Charlestown Ferry..."
And in Maryland in 1793: "Maximilian Henisler; Nursery Man
and Seeds Man, At his Plantation, on the Main Road to
Philadelphia, about a Mile and a Quarter from Baltimore-Town,
begs Leave to inform the Public, that he has on Hand, and fit for
Sale, a Variety of Kitchen-Garden and Flowwer Seeds of the best
kinds, and such as can be depended on..."
OPEN POLINATED SEED SOURCES and Cost for
Catalogue:
Garden City Seeds, 1324 Red Crow Rd, Victor, MT 59875. $1.
Prairie Grown Garden Seeds, Box 118, Cochin, SK S0M0L0. $1.
Ronniger's Seed Potatoes, Star Rt, Moyie Springs, ID 83845 .$2 .
Filaree Farm (garlic), Rt 2 Box 162, Okanogan, WA 98840. $2.
Fisher's Seeds, PO Box 236, Belgrade, MT 59714. $1.
Gleckler's Seedmen, Metamora, OH 43540. $1
Seeds Blum, Idaho City State, Boise, ID 83706. $3.
Abundant Life Seed, PO Box 772, Port Townsend, WA 98368. $2.
Good Seed Co., Star Rt Box 73A, Oroville, WA 98844. $2.
Ecology Action, 5798 Redgewood Rd, Willits, CA 95490. $2.
Fox Hollow Seed Co., PO Box 148, McGrann, PA 16236. $1.
Turtle Tree Seed, 5569 North Co Rd 29, Loveland, CO 80538. $1.
Lon J. Rombough (grapes), 13113 Ehlen Rd, Aurora, OR 97002. $ 1.
Bear Creek Nursery, PO Box 411, Northport, WA 99157. $2.
GARDENSHARE
Another thought on the bean mutants from Kathleen: "I've had
an increasing number of "surprise" beans the last few
years also. I'd been blaming it on the larger number of varieties
I've been planting close together, thought things were crossing.
But I'm also remembering that someone told me a few years ago
that beans were one of the crops most likely to be affected by
radiation due to ozone depletion - I wonder if that is what is
happening?? I've had similar experience to Larissa's: have found
black-seeded, vine-type plants in several of my fresh variety
beans. Planted those black seeds, and ended with 8- 10 different
colors, sizes, shapes. I'm trying to decide how many different
strains I can keep track of, grow out separately. Partly I'm
hoping to find a "cornfield" type bean that will grow
in the shade of corn, but be early enough to grow here and
un-vigorous enough to let the corn stand up!! I use the unripe
bean pods in fall for green shell beans - fast cooking bean soup
or succotash".
JOHN ASKIN'S PAPERS - 1774
Here is an excerpt from fur trader John Askin's Diary at Mackinac
in 1774 concerning plots at the Fort and at his farm some 3mi
away. I wonder at his sowing dates for various crops which I
don't plant until 2 to 4 weeks later. Though the waters of the
Great Lakes do temper the extremes somewhat it is still quite a
short season area. I think I shall do some early planting
experiments myself this year.
The following spring he didn't start planting potatoes until May
8 and May 15. Looking through his diary I would guess his
planting dates depended a great deal, just as it does for us
today, on other demands for his time and attention.
From "John Askin Papers, Vol 1, 1774":
April 16 The lake first broke up a little
April 19 I sett the first potatoes
April 22 I began to harrow my Ground at the farm, Sowed some
Pease at the farm
April 23 Mr Boyez Sewed Pease
April 26 The lake now passable in Boats
April 27 Sowed Buck Wheat at the farm & Set the first
potatoes there
April 28 Sowed Parsnips & Sett Potatoes at the farm; also
sowed Oates
April 29 Planted Onions for seed, also Beans Squash seed &
Cucumbers
April 30 Sowed onion & Spinage Seed
May 2 Began to plow, a very hard frost this night
May 4 Continued plowing & setting Potatoes
May 5 More potatoes Sett
May 6 Sowed Pease & sett potatoes several Showers of Snow
today
May 7 Sowed Oates & sett Potatoes
May 9 Plowed & Harrowed some Ground
May 10 Sowed the last Oats & Pease
May 11 Sett the last potatoes
May 18 Sowed Squases or pumkin Seed at the farm
May 23 Began to plant Indian Corn
May 28 Sowed Garden Pease, Beans, Clover & Rye grass
May 30 Planted potatoes
THOUGHTS FOR THE COMING SPRING
"The dayes begin to lengthen apace: the forward Gardens give
many a fine Sallet; and a nose-gay of violets is apresent for a
Lady: the Prime-Rose is now in his Prime, and the Trees begin to
bud, and the green spices (spikes) of grasse to peep out of the
earth. Now is Nature as it were waking out of her sleep.
"It is now time, honest Country-man, to make an end of
sowing of all sorts of small pulse. Graffe all sorts of
fruit-trees, and with young Plants and Syens (scions) replenish
your Nurcery. Cover the roots of all Trees that are bared, and
with fat and pregnant Earth lay them close and warme. If any
Trees grow barren, bore holes in the Rootes, and drive pins or
hard wedges of Oake wood therein; and that will produce
fruitfulnesse. Transplant all sort of Summer Flowers, especially
the Crown imperiall, Tulips, Hyacinths, and Narcissus of all
shapes and colours."
Fantasticks - Breton 1626, "Gleanings in Old Garden
Literature", W. C. Hazlitt, 1915
"When we travel in primitive parts of the world where
modern varieties occur at all, or didn't until quite recently, we
notice that there is n crop ever completely free of disease, but
there is no crop ever completely devastated by disease. Disease
and variety live in a kind of genetic balance with each other...
If we start to rely internationally on single varieties and if
genetic erosion continues unchecked, continent-wide famines may
be the result within a few years."
Dr. Erna Bennett, Genetic Resources Expert for the United
Nations, 1979 Seed Savers Exchange
Updated 3/29/97
Copyright © 1997 by Susan J. Robishaw
Web Site created by Steve Schmeck
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