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livingontheland - Re: [Livingontheland] DIET FOR A DEAD PLANET

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Subject: Healthy soil and sustainable growing

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  • From: "TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>
  • To: emitch@att.net, livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Livingontheland] DIET FOR A DEAD PLANET
  • Date: Fri, 09 Mar 2007 21:07:17 -0700


Never been asked that before, but I'll bite. Perhaps others haven't told
you what to grow because we each decide for ourselves and we have to learn
from our successes and disappointments. Our climates and tastes differ,
naturally. For example, you say you want the Three Sisters, but I wouldn't.


There are ways to cut down your choices to a short list. A lot of writers
recommend growing what you already like to eat. That said, you have to
limit yourself to what works for your climate and growing season (unless
you greenhouse or use other protections), and also work within your time
and resources. Many writers urge people to start small. Many vegetables
have short and long season varieties, and some are earlier or later
maturing. You can google any vegetable online for characteristics of any
variety. You first grow for yourself; then branch out to grow for market if
you can, and if that's where you want to go.

If you haven't gardened for food before there's a learning curve, and as
the old saying goes, there is no royal road to learning. If you want
something to bridge the gap between gardening and eating, try this one:
Cooking From The Garden by Rosalind
Creasy.http://www.bookfinder.com/search/?ac=sl&st=sl&qi=xEolyFA4nZnbGOffPafJ
bvtdleI_4672638537_1:2:2
It's not particularly organic or the best way of growing to my thinking but
it's a very big book, if you have time to ferret out the answers you want.
The last section is An Encyclopedia of Superior Vegetables. It includes
effort rankings, how to grow, pests and diseases, container varieties,
harvesting, seed saving, preserving, and varieties. It has sketches of
gardeners like Peter Chan, Kent Whealy, John Jeavons, and Renee Shepherd.
Alice Waters said, "An abundance of beautiful photographs and delicious
recipes illustrate Rosalind Creasy's creative contribution to the marriage
of cooking and gardening".

Bring those questions. If I don't know, I'll say so, and probably someone
else does.

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 3/9/2007 at 5:37 PM E. E. Mitchamore Jr wrote:

>Ok, there are already enough books (at least 30 years worth) detailing
>the failings of our agricultural system. I don't expect this one to have
>any more impact than the others.
>
>At another level, although there are plenty of books about how to garden
>(or farm), there still isn't much to bridge the gap between gardening and
>eating. In other words, if you're already convinced, what, precisely,
>should you grow to feed, first your family, then others?
>
>For any given area, there must be crops that give the most nutrition.
>Surely someone can tell me what open-pollinated species and varieties to
>grow without me spending 10 years learning the hard way. By way of
>example; I want to grow the Three Sisters (corn, beans, squash), so I
>asked at The Natural Gardener, Austin's best nursery. The lady working in
>the seed department had grown many of the varieties there, but had never
>heard of the Three Sisters. I also asked online: One reply, and only
>about corn (samples, but no name). I don't understand: I'm convinced and
>I know how to grow stuff, but I can't find out WHAT to grow. "Everything"
>is not an option I can pursue.
>
>E. E. "Mitch" Mitchamore
>www.hillcountrynatives.biz
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: TradingPostPaul
> To: livingontheland@lists.ibiblio.org ;
>OWL-OldWaysLiving@yahoogroups.com ; aelewis@provide.net
> Sent: Friday, March 09, 2007 1:06 PM
> Subject: [Livingontheland] DIET FOR A DEAD PLANET
>







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