The value of journaling

Thomas Jefferson kept very concise records of all the garden and farming work performed at Monticello, his home in Virginia.  They have been published as The Garden and Farm Books of Thomas Jefferson published by Fulcrum Publishing in 1987.  They are a rare insight to farming methods of centuries ago.  He kept very extensive details on farming and his experiments with different techniques on fruit trees, vegetables, flowers, etc...  This book is a great addition to any garden library, although out of print there are copies to be found reasonably.

This book was the catalyst I needed to start keeping my garden journal.  I got my hands on a beautiful, hard-bound, 10 year journal from Lee Valley and have been using it since 2009.  It has been a valuable resource to see my thoughts on different plantings I made, set-backs, weather patterns, etc...  It even includes planning pages to draw my garden as it evolves over the years.

My goal with the journal, this year, is to more accurately track my harvests so I can begin to see how my efforts are panning out.  Looking back a year or two has been insightful and helpful as I plan my plantings this year.  I have noticed that although it seems this past winter was worse then most other years, it was only slightly colder then the past 3 years and has actually been a little warmer sooner.

Gulland Broadfork

I had been debating for a long time the prospect of gettng rid of my tiller and getting a broadfork.  After taking a horticulture class at the Ohio State Extension last fall, I settled the matter in my head and decided this tool was the correct path for my micro-farm.

In that class we talked about the damage a tiller can do to the soil and more importantly to the micro-organisms in that soil that are necessary for a strong garden.  Tillers can literally destroy the diversity that exists in soil making it essentially infertile.  The other drawback to a tiller is the hardpan that is created in the garden bed at just below the max tiller depth.  That constant, revolving motion by the tines creates a compacted sub-soil layer that cannot be penetrated by plant roots.  In mordern agriculture, special equipment is needed to break up this hard pan, in the garden it can be a dramatic setback.

A broadfork is a tool that when used in a garden does very little soil damage, adds aeration, loosens the dirt for maximum root growth, and most importantly does not create a hard pan. It is an old tool dating back several centuries. 

I have been studying older methods of growing and this tool will be the centerpiece of my new, old revival.  The fork I chose was hand made at Gulland Forge (I've linked to Larry's site above) and I received it last week.

I cannot wait to get started in the garden with this wonderful tool.  First up is the new pumpkin patch, if the ground would ever dry out.

Gathering the supplies

This year we are trying something new by building 2 complete, seperate squash patches.  I am typically a raised bed gardener, constructing tons of 4 x 8 raised beds in every available spot.  The problem with squash is that the vines run all over everything making it difficult to effectively work other beds.

We have planned to take one complete section of garden that normally houses 13 beds, side to side, and turn it into a traditional row garden where we esclusively plant pumpkins.  This older area is seperate from the new main garden by a fence and grape vines.  I intend to broadfork the area level, run biodegradable mulch the entire length and then plant the pumpkins in line.  I am also purchasing enough floating row cover for the entire length.

That is the plan for pumpkins (we love to can pumpkin pickles and pie mix), however, I intend to build a new section near the garage for butternut, and vegetable spaghetti.  My intention is to go vertical at this space, running the vines up a slanted chicken wire frame.  This will keep the vines off the ground, shorten the space need for the crop, and utilize a spot that has been barren since we purchased the place.

This new treatment of vine crops should allow for a greater yield in the main garden, as we can work the beds much more easily.

I have been diligently gathering supplies for these new projects plus I have a few more plans that will need various items.  I want to keep this year's garden out of the budget as much as possible.  I have been selling a ton of my library on eBay to fund most of the purchases.  I am a big history buff with a respectable Civil War library that I have decided to sell.  So far, I have made every purchase on my supply list with eBay funds.  This is allowing me to keep some big projects on the books.  These projects include: drainage, stone walk-ways, a new, large herb garden, work on the kitchen garden, and more.