Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["TradingPostPaul" <tradingpost@riseup.net>]

Hey, if you need replacement seeds just holler. We're still loaded and
can't use it all. And we picked up more at the Seed Exchange up in northern
New Mexico the other day, all free. It was so remote up near the headwaters
of the Rio Grande, I figured it wouldn't be much. Wow, over 200 people,
lots of growers offering seed they produced. We left our own there and made
a haul! We've heard since that it was begun a few years back by a member of
Seed Savers. Anyway, veggies, herbs, flowers, specify.

Folks should stop and realize that horrid time can hit anyone, anytime,
without warning. Not just loss of jobs, but accidents, illness, kids
problems, marital difficulties, all the unexpected, can throw plans to the
wind. No guarantees. Lots of us are one paycheck away from disaster. Like
if I'm not careful enough with my knee brace I could end my garden plans
for this year, and maybe permanently. I take frequent breaks and pace
myself, and spread out big jobs over several days with easier stuff in
between. And with all the physical work we have to watch our backs. Once we
strain it too much it's all downhill from there, and your back is one thing
you don't take chances with. I know there are folks here to testify to
that. 

paul tradingpost@lobo.net

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

On 4/27/2007 at 8:06 AM Gloria Baikauskas wrote:

>Most of you won't know that our financial situation is horrid right
>now....but the reason for the post is just to say that when we pick up
>food from church charities most of the time the dairy products are all
>organic.  
>   
>  Yesterday we picked up organic yogurt, and organic milk......and
>whipping cream.  I am guessing the higher prices on it cause folks to buy
>the nonorganic dairy items.  
>   
>  Maybe that will change soon.  Maybe when most of the dairy is
>organic....or all of it.....they won't charge more for the privilege of
>eating/drinking organic food.  
>   
>  All of the crop failures are beginning to worry me in more ways than
>one.  I have planted beans.....the only thing I got in before the storms
>started hitting <from seed>....and they are coming up so slowly.  It is to
>the point that fairly soon they will not produce mature beans at the same
>time.  That means I would have to gather as I could, but I wouldn't get
>enough for one meal in one picking.  
>   
>  With luck the corn is going in today.....then more beans and some squash
>per the Three Sisters plantings.   The good thing is that with the
>lateness of my planting <corn should be in by Apr. 30th here> I haven't
>lost the baby corn plants to the storms like so many have.
>   
>  It is so hard to work through the weather to prepare the beds.  My
>biggest problem is the rye grass that must be pulled, not cropped and
>planting in the stubble.  Takes more time.  I am also now getting more
>Queen Anne's Lace than I would have liked.  
>   
>  Because of the way I have my land I get many volunteer trees in my beds.
> That means I also have to dig them out.  In the one area where the corn
>is going I dug out two in one place, and have 4 more to take out.  
>   
>  Anyway....scary spring this one.  
>   
>  Gloria, Texas
>
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