Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["mobius" <mobius@mainestream.us>]

I'm at the very bottom of the hill on this learning curve.  This was my third year gardening and the first I got any produce to speak of.  I've been working on soil amendments and composting using what I have learned from groups like this one (primarily this one).

We have chickens, so that helps.  I mulch everything with gleaned hay from a neighbors operation, he raises buffalo.

 

I had some corn, winter squash and tomatoes that just went wild this year.  Unfortunately, most of the tomatoes started coming in too late.  Okra too, I got some but most ended up freezing before it ripened.

 

The winter squash did real well but it ended up crawling all over everything (tomatoes and beans) and trying to knock them down.

 

I'm not trying to grow for market, only to feed family of 6 (soon 7).  I can see I need to develop some sort of plan but I barely now enough to even begin.  I think a more permanent structure for tomatoes an beans to grow on is on the agenda for next year.  I need to try and train the winter squash to radiate out of the garden (it's round) and not attack the tomatoes, if that's even possible. 

 

My flint corn did real well and looks great hanging in braids.  I parch it for trail snacks.  If I get more of it next year I hope to use it in traditional recipes. 

 

The newest garden gets morning and evening shade so I need to figure out what to put in there that will have a chance.  The soil isn't much in it yet but my compost pile is the biggest yet so I have high hopes for next year.

 

I thought I'd speak up.  I like Mitch's idea about planning hints and I'm sure there are many folks here on the bottom of the curve, like me, who also lurk and learn.  We can use all the help we can get.

 

Fred
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MOLON LABE