Picking
admin
As We Fish and Farm

I came to Newfoundland for the first time just over four years ago. I can still vividly recall taking the ferry across from Nova Scotia in the late winter, listening to the groaning sounds of the ice around the boat. Within two months of arriving I made my first trip to Bonne Bay, a remote fjord on the west coast of the island. I went to learn about the food system and fisheries in the region as part of a PhD program I was beginning at Memorial University that fall.

As We Fish and Farm
Picking, Planting, Preparing
Andreae C
My front yard grocery store
My front yard grocery store
Events, Picking, Planting
Costa Kasimos
Bits and Pieces: Along the Shore

Spectacular vistas, whales breaching, ice bergs floating by, and a foragers paradise. We are blessed with many wilderness areas that offer abundant edible plants. I rarely go on a hike without stopping to have a little taste of this or that. In this post, I will touch upon some of the edibles currently available in our wonderful wilderness.

Bits and Pieces: Along the Shore
Planting
Matthew Middleton
Growing In A Potato Box

Thanks to the listing from Seeds of Diversity, I was able to locate a gentleman in Newfoundland who has a great deal of experience growing a wide variety of potatoes here. Last week, I recieved by my set of samples from George, and here's what my benefactor told me about the varieties:

Red Dutch: A very dry, yellow flesh red from Holland in the 1940’s. An excellent potato. Late maturing.

Northern White: A white flesh variety, from Quebec apparently, from the early 1900’s. Very high yield. Good taste.

Growing In A Potato Box
Planting
Rick Kelly
Harvest Times

EEk! Sorry everyone - I missed September entirely. Oh well, at least I have a lot to say about the garden.

As you may remember, I've been growing my first real attempt at a garden this year, with a 12x4 foot raised bed. Last time I wrote I was complaining about the water ban, but that's certainly not a problem anymore! I've harvested just about everything now (a little less then I was hoping). What remains is to pick the carrots, beets, and turnip, and to prepare the garden for the winter.

Harvest Times

Planting

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Opportunity for Community Gardeners

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Opportunity for Community Gardeners

FSN Teleconference: Community Garden Season Extension

When: Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Time: 12:00 - 1:00 p.m. Island time (11:30 p.m. - 12:30 p.m. Labrador time)

Keynote Speaker: Ross Traverse

With our short growing season and cool climate, many gardeners find themselves stuck on what to grow and how to get more from their gardens. This teleconference is a great opportunity for community garden organizers and participants to learn from an experienced Newfoundland gardener and horticultural consultant, Ross Traverse.

Starting Seeds

Starting Seeds

Ok, time to get our hands dirty! Yes, even with all that snow out there, you can start planting. While it's a bit early for us, there are some plants that need a long time to get ready for growing outdoors in our climate. As well, you can start seeds for things that you'd like to keep indoors during colder weather. For example, an indoor planter would be ideal for year-round fresh herbs or hot peppers.

To start your seeds indoors, you'll need a few basic supplies

Choosing Seeds and Deciding What To Grow

Choosing Seeds and Deciding What To Grow

Now that you've decided how you want to grow, it's time to address the what. My first piece of advice for those just starting out is to think about what you like to eat now. There's no point in growing a bunch of stuff that you don't want to eat, otherwise it'll just rot in the ground or in your fridge. There's no rule that says you have to grow a bunch of different things - if the only vegetables you like are peas & carrots, then just grow peas & carrots! Another piece of advice is to start out with vegetables that have a reputation for being easy to grow. Anything that gets grown by children in kindergarten is fair game: Carrots, radishes, beans, peas and squash are all really easy to grow, and generally don't need to be started indoors. If you're feeling adventurous, pick up one or two packets of something you've never had before. You never know, you might just discover a new favourite!

How (and what and why) does your garden grow?

How (and what and why) does your garden grow?

Despite all this snow, I'm already in garden planning mode. The first thing that needs to happen is to think about what your goals are, and the best way to achieve them. Here are a few topics to consider, and some of the reasons I have:

FUN: Most of the reasons below are pretty serious, so I thought I'd start with this one. As the founders of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream say, "If it's not fun, why do it?" I think it's exciting to plant a little seed in some dirt, and watch it become a plant that can help sustain someone's life. Plus, it's fun to play in the dirt! That's why kids like doing it!