Homestead mailing list

[Clansgian AT wmconnect.com]

> >James, I so love to discover or to be occasionally reminded that you are 
> not
> a perfect homesteader. I mean that in a very nice way, in case it comes
> across wrong.

That perfect homesteader drivel comes from people not being used to a 
non-apologetic way of communicating.  All told, the failures greatly outweigh 
the 
successes, but for the most part, they are not enlightening.  The most common 
garden scenario is the hoe working in some planting or the other with the 
comment, "Screw that, that didn't work!"  Most of the things I fail at, most 
gardeners would have better sense than to try, or else it would not occur to 
them at 
all.

Most things aren't actually failures, though.  An idea is developed and then 
the results are evaluated along with the unforeseen consequences, and then 
sometimes the decision is just, "Nay, all told it isn't really worth it."

> 
> >Good to mull over. What don't you transplant? Thinking this is a smaller
> list for you.
> 

I'd put that in three lists:

1.  Always transplant

2.  Never transplant

3.  Sometimes transplant

 Always of course includes the usual tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and such, 
but also includes all the brassicas including kale.  It includes mustard, 
turnips, beets, leeks, onions, and probably some others.

Never transplant is carrots.

Sometimes transplant is everything else.  I grow some bean and corn seedlings 
for very early crops in pots and transplant them.  Sometimes squash, 
cucumbers, melons, and the like are started in pots sometimes not.  




> 
> Seeds are planted on the far side of the ridge (understood not on the trough
> side where you water or add compost)?\\

Seeds right on the top of the ridge, right on the crest.  With the hoe I make 
the ridges 2" high and 4" apart (or so).  Then I lay the handle of the hoe 
down on the top of the ridge to make a little depression.  In that I plant 
the 
seeds then crumble compost over it 1/4" or so.  The big drawback is drying 
out 
as even the slightly raised ridge is much more prone to dehydration.  In hot 
weather I rig up a shade cloth over it (made of the feed store fiber sacks) 
and 
water the troughs religiously.



James