Healthy soil and sustainable growing

[Liz <liz@allslash.org>]

At 12:36 PM 9/16/2007, you wrote:

> "Both have tapped into public concern about the carbon footprint of food
> and
> how it is produced. 'Celebrity chefs have done a lot to encourage people to
> start growing their own vegetables and herbs through the large number of
> cookery shows on television,' Knowles said. 'Food traceability is another
> key factor; more and more people want to know where their food comes from
> and that it is free from pesticides.' "

This is good news, and I hope it translates to more interest on this 
side of the pond. I have 29 acres, so growing things in pots on the 
kitchen windowsill is not a necessity (though I do have herbs growing 
there--much easier to snip some chives if the pot is at hand). But a 
couple of years ago I spent one year house-sitting for someone in an 
apartment with only a 6 x 8 foot balcony for growing space. We had 
tomatoes and cucumbers on trellises, squash in pots hanging over the 
rail, pole beans and peas growing up the rainwater downspouts (though 
I had to move those because the landlord was concerned that the 
heavily laden plants would pull the downspouts off the wall!), and 
lettuce in more planters on the rail. I was very fortunate to be on 
the east-facing side of the building, but even if the orientation had 
been less ideal, I could have had greens and herbs and probably beans 
too. You can grow much more than city people usually think is 
possible, even without an allotment.

Time to get out there and plant some winter greens.

Liz in SW VA
http://life-as-a-spectator-sport.com