Tuesday 13 May 2014

Gardening For the Enthusiastic if Not-So-Green Thumb

Are you one of those avid, super organized gardeners that starts their planning in January, leafing through seed catalogues or sourcing out on line what to plant this year?  Me neither!  In fact, I don't get around to thinking about the garden until I can at least see it.  Buried under a mountain of snow from November to March (and this year most of April) stirs not a single iota of interest in the garden but, once visible, there is a definite itch earning to be scratched.  This year, it took forever for Spring to arrive; here it is, the middle of May and the ground is still on the chilly side. There are certain crops, such as carrots and peas, that don't mind a little cool weather and, let's face it, nothing will be poking through the soil for 10 - 20 days at any rate.

Some folks like to take a very scientific approach to gardening, measuring soil PH and adding nutrients accordingly. 
There are others that find the nearest load of rotted manure which not only come high in nutrients but in weeds.  I'm far to lazy for that.  Being in an area of hard clays has advantages and disadvantages.  I don't have to do any irrigation but, by the same token, I do occasionally add a bit of peat moss and have, for the last couple of years, composted everything in sight.  When we are cleaning up grass, leaves and debris, we take every bit of it and work it into the soil.  In our previous home,  we used grass clippings and straw for mulch, which not only cuts down on the weeding and the need for outdoor watering but eventually breaks down and fortifies the soil.

Throughout the summer, I dig trenches between the rows and bury all of my kitchen waste -- vegetable and fruit peelings, seeds, pits, and sometimes even the odd bits of paper products.  It doesn't take long for the leavings to disappear and you might even be surprised what grows from your compost.  Last year, I harvested a half dozen hills of potatoes, 30+ spaghetti squash and a tomato.  And this spring I found a half dozen green onions.   This fall, we purchased one of those large  rotating composting barrels and built it on a stand so that I can simply wheel my cart under it and dump the compost.  Considering the severity and the length of this past winter, it did amazingly well and I'm guessing it should be ready for the garden in early fall.  I try not to remove anything from the garden but the produce itself.  All the rest, such as carrot tops, onion peels, roots, etc. can be spread in a thin top layer to promote drying, after which it can be worked back into the soil.  It has taken a few years but our soil is finally beginning to show the results of our labour.  Not only are we getting some decent crops, the soil is much lighter, making it far easier to work in.

I only keep a few practical rules when it comes to laying out the garden.  First, run the rows north to south to make the best use of the sunshine and, second, put the tallest crops on the north end of the garden.  For ease of maintenance, place bush crops, such as beans and peas between two skinny rows, such as carrots, onions and radish.  Exactly how you plant your garden has much to do with personal preference and space.  My old aunt had a tiny garden plot in the city.  Every weed was hand picked and disposed of so that, after a few years, they had a virtually maintenance free garden.  Cauliflower and broccoli were carefully interspersed within rows of carrots and onions to maximize space.  I am much less organized and I like to mix things up a bit.  I love the look of rhubarb, with is massive veiny leaves planted in one of my shrub beds, along with a few daylilies.  I use chives and herbs as a border plantings.  

If you have the space, there is no better way to grow a garden than in the ground if for no other reason that it vastly reduces the amount of maintenance requirements but container gardening is getting more and more popular, especially if squeezed for space.  For most folks, that conjures up visions of multiple traditional plant pots and boxes but it doesn't have to be.  Last year, a friend recycled old livestock water troughs to create a raised bed garden. 

Some apartment dwellers have found creative ways to maximize space, using old shipping pallets.   While I haven't quite wrapped my head around how it all stays vertical, it certainly looks cool.  Another idea is to cut the bottoms off of pop bottles, and string them together along an old curtain rod.  Not only does this allow the container to drain, it's a smart use of water.

We often hear a lot about pest control but, honestly, I haven't found this to be problematic.  I keep an eye out for unhealthy leaves and when I see them, I remove them, not only from the plant but from the garden altogether.  The concept of companion planting is also part of the arsenal of natural pest control.  Marigolds garlic are my garden's best friends.  I also have a patch of raspberries and a couple of nanking cherry trees.  While I sometimes have to fight the birds for the fruit, I never fight the birds for the bugs. . . I'm thinking it's not a bad trade-off.

At the end of the day, while the garden is a bit of added work, it's also very satisfying work.  While I have no desire to become my mother, planting far and beyond anything we could possibly consume, spending copious hours in the kitchen canning and freezing, I am proud to say that our produce keeps us going well into the winter we finished off the last of those those volunteer spaghetti squash only a month or so ago.  Every year, I learn a wee bit more.  Last year's lessons was not to plant everything at once. . . all the peas and beans to pick at the same time was more than I wanted to do.  The big epiphany was recollecting that my mom always planted these at about 2 week intervals.  Smart woman! 

I'm off to throw in a few seeds.  If you have any tidbits of knowledge to share, I'm all ears!

Resources:
http://www.usagardener.com/breaking_ground/how_to_make_good_soil.php
http://www.gardenguides.com/98846-organic-vegetable-garden-pest-control.html



Monday 5 May 2014

HooDoo We Love? East Coulee Spring Festival!

 
Drumheller Valley HooDoos
Eric and I have just returned from this weekend's East Coulee Spring Fest and were, as always, humbled, not only by the calibre of talent but by the generosity of so many musicians, music lovers, music sponsors, and music patrons.  2014 marks the 20th anniversary of this wonderful event and over the years we've watched this grassroots volunteer fundraiser continue to grow and prosper.  We can't even begin to count the number of musicians we have been introduced to at the various venues, ranging in size from 25 - 250 seats but I can tell you, by the number of CDs we have collected, it's a lot!

Atlas Coal Mine
The East Coulee Spring Festival is a fundraiser supporting the local East Coulee School Museum and the Atlas Coal Mine.  Nestled along the bank of the Red Deer River just east of Drumheller, in the Canadian Badlands, East Coulee was once a prosperous community 3,800 strong.  In 1929, the community sprung up along the Canadian Pacific Railway to support the Atlas and Empire Coal mines.  In 1930 the school was constructed for grades 1 - 5 and, in 1934 it doubled in size.  Sadly, its fate is not unlike other communities in Alberta; when natural gas began replacing coal as the preferred choice of fuel in the 1950s, and mines began to close, so too did many of the businesses in East Coulee.  By the 1970's it was little more than a ghost town.   But in 1985, the East Coulee School Museum opened to commemorate the pioneers who lived, worked and contributed to the East Coulee community.  Now a designated National Historic Site, the neighbouring Atlas Coal Mine offers underground tours, a ride on a narrow gauge train, and other activities for the entire family, including a 'haunted coal mine' around Halloween.
The East Coulee Spring Festival was instigated by a local musician and geologist when the old community hall was replaced by a new one.  He saw the potential it had as a music venue.  We have been attending SpringFest for about 10 years and do our best to introduce others to it because we have yet to be disappointed. . . in the community, the venue, the talent, or the big hearts of those volunteers that work tirelessly to delivery a first class event.   Offering a full day of music in multiple venues means that even when the weather isn't great (like this year, as we watched giant snowflakes drift down from the sky) the show goes on within the comfort of the Community Hall, the School Museum and the East Coulee Hotel.  2014 saw no less than 44 different sets, from solo musicians to a 10-piece band, covering very genre, even bagpipes (and that's a first for us!).  Although traditionally running from noon to midnight on a given Saturday, the festival was extended to Sunday last year to make room for Harry  Manx; and Friday evening this year, for Valdy along with numerous other musicians.
We missed SpringFest's Friday night because there is another place we find great joy in and that is
Jasmine Whenham
the Last Chance Saloon, in the nearby hamlet of Wayne.  The Red Deer River Valley is a music-loving hub of activity and talent; not so many years ago, Wayne was the home to WayneFest.  From 2002 - 2007, a full roster of musicians played all weekend, for a nominal fee which included camping, a pitchfork supper and pancake breakfast.  Once again, all genres of music were presented.  But I was introduced to Wayne and the Last Chance long ago by a colleague who grew up in the Valley.  I was barely legal then; it was a flashback to the early 1900s then and it still is!  I think I enjoy it as much now as I did then! Every inch of wall space is adorned with relics from the past and a story to go along with it.  The Last Chance not only embodies a rich and vibrant past, it continues to have a future in the patronage of the locals as well as tourists.  It is, without a doubt, one of the friendliest little spots I know.  For the locals, it is truly the place where 'everybody knows your name' and while I do not fall into that category, I like being treated as if i were, even if it's just for a couple of hours on a single day of the year. 

Neil Gunhold
The Unforgettable Joe Nolan
Back to SpringFest.  Over the years, Eric and I have been introduced to some pretty fine musicians and every year our biggest challenge  is trying to decide who we are going to see.  It is somewhat of a consternation that there are 3 or 4 venues running simultaneously.  I never thought I would see the day that I was thankful for cell phones but I admit, our Blackberry Messenger gets well used at SpringFest. as we try to entice each other to watch one unforgettable musician or another.  When interests diverge, Eric is at one venue while I'm at another and there are years that we are literally two ships passing on the street for the better part of the day!  Each year we are thrilled to find a few returning favourites and pleasantly surprised when introduced to a new talent.  Some are seasoned performers while others are fresh to the festival scene and all seem not only happy to give of their time and boundless energy, in the hopes of cultivating new fans, but completely enjoy their day among friends, old and new.
 
Great Wooly Mammoth
Tyrell Museum

If you've never been, or it's been a few years since you visited the beautiful and diverse Badlands, I encourage you to do so.  The Tyrell Museum is, in itself, a world class facility that will leave you awestruck.  If you are close enough to make a daytrip, you might want to consider doing so before the tourist seasons gets into full swing as it becomes one very busy little place.  No visit is complete without stopping at the hoodoos or the Star Mine and each and every little hamlet along the road has something unique to offer.  If you are a music aficionado, plan your trip around SpringFest.  You won't regret it.

See you next year!

Sources:
http://ecsmuseum.ca/
http://www.atlascoalmine.ab.ca/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waynefest
http://www.ghosttowns.com/canada/alberta/wayne.html