Browse Category: YouTube

HARVESTING: Ox Heart Carrots

June 10, 2018. More often than not, I grow for the fun of seeing plants like these ‘Ox Heart’ carrots. The larger carrots weigh around 20 ounces (a little over a pound.) Carrots make good edible landscaping plants. Especially when the goal is seed saving. They can grown as ornamentals and in the process frees gardening space for other crops. Carrots are also fun to harvest and I got to share the fun with our oldest. Large harvest like these are rare for us these days as we have turned our focus onto very small and super fresh harvests. These ‘ox heart’ carrots were pulled to grow something else. We will be sharing this abundance with our rabbit, tortoises, and ducks (from carrot top to carrot bottom. The actual carrot itself will be given as treats.)

This carrot is one of the easiest carrots to grow– easy in terms of getting a straight and filled out looking carrot. As imagined, the flavor becomes more mild as they get bigger. This flavor profile makes them ideal for stewing and dishes that incorporate a lot of seasoning. While probably not a great one for the kitchen, they are excellent in permaculture soil breaking applications. ‘Ox heart’ carrots may be grown in compacted soil as a way to naturally loosen soil.

Special acknowledgement to Owen for his fine camera work in one of the scenes.

Zone 10b / San Gabriel Valley / Los Angeles / Southern California / USA

Music: Dan Lebowitz, “Parkside.”
E’s Jammy Jams, “Shine on Harvest Moon”

2018 Tomato Growing: Ep2 A Little Tomato Drama

Video production is another hobby in the many list of hobbies that I wanted to get into. This is meant to be a fun video documenting the real life challenges that many gardeners experience.

On the last gardening outing, one tomato plant in particular looked a little thirsty. It was very strange as it should not be. A closer inspection revealed a desiccated trunk. Worst of all, it was the tomato that I had looked forward to the most– the Weissbehaarte heirloom sweet tomato. Luckily there is a back up plant. It was only a matter of digging it out of the ground and moving it. The back up plant was only transplanted a couple of days ago; leaving little concern that its roots would be disturbed.

As far as to what caused the original plant to be damage is anyone’s guess. I could not put my finger between: pill bugs gnawing the trunk, a furry animal or cat trampling the plant, the strong winds from a couple of days ago, or one of the kids accidentally knocking into it.

Zone 10b / San Gabriel Valley / Los Angeles / Southern California / USA

Music:
Doug Maxwell, “It Happens”
Quincas Moreira, “Bongo Madness”
Rondo Brothers, “Bravado”

2018 Tomato Growing: Ep1 Kick Off Episode

A video series for tomato fans. Follow along our year of tomato growing for 2018.

In this episode: An overview of the growing year. This is the year we finally satisfy our sweet cherry tomato curiosity by growing three varieties, Suncherry Extra Sweet (h), Sun Gold (h), & Weissbehaarte.

Additional new varieties: Black Vernissage, Golden Jubilee, Copia, Druzba, Kelloggs Breakfast, Principe Borghese, (semi-new) San Marzano.

Repeat varieties: Roma, Cherokee Purple, and Green Zebra

Music: Dan Lebowitz, “Lazy Afternoon Sun”

Zone 10b / San Gabriel Valley / Los Angeles / Southern California / USA

Crazy About Citrus | Ep01 Receiving Bud Wood + Rainwater Ranch Visit

“Crazy About Citrus” is a series chronicling our connection with citrus.

In this episode:
As an avid citrus collector, we will reach a point where it is necessary to attempt to acquire the skill of grafting plants. The reason for this is that more varieties of citrus exists in bud wood form than can be purchased as trees. In order to add rare citrus varieties to our collection we must now try our hand at grafting. Today we receive bud wood from the Citrus Clonal Protection Program. Because of the Huanglongbing disease that is terminal to citrus trees, it is necessary to acquire bud wood from certified sources as a measure to contain the spread of the disease.

Part 2: In January my family and I went on a road trip and visited with family in northern California. While planning our trip, we were invited onto a farm by the good folks that I had gotten to know through social media. These folks happen to be citrus growers. There are a few clips from that wonderful visit. Special thanks to @rainwater_ranch.
https://www.instagram.com/rainwater_ranch/

Music: Dan Lebowitz, “Blue Creek Trail”

Harvest for Lunch — January 10th, 2017

Another demonstration video of a garden in action. In the late morning we head to our garden to forage for shallots, green onions, bok choy, cilantro, and ‘French Breakfast’ radishes. While not a large harvest, it is just enough to provide nourishment.

Thanks, Leif, for Seeds + My Fav Seed Companies

January is when many gardeners are perusing seed catalogs. In this video, I share my favorite seed companies and what I like about each.

https://www.botanicalinterests.com/
http://www.kitazawaseed.com/
http://tradewindsfruit.com/
http://www.rareseeds.com/

But first, I want to thank Leif, a regular viewer, for sending us a special package of seeds for us to grow out together. Leif, Thank you for your thoughtful and generous gift. Much appreciated.

Christmas Tree Recycling + Blueberry Bush Transplant

The clearance section is a fun place to shop. More often than not the plants found there turn out to be gems. Like the one found back in Fall of 2013. It was when we scored a ‘Sunshine Blue’ blueberry bush on clearance for 8 bucks. Ever since, the bush has produced and produced.

Now comes the nerve wrecking moment when we finally set it in the ground.

NED Gardens Across America — Finale

The finale to our participation in the Gardens Across America Project– a seed saving / seed awareness project. For the project we were able to send back seeds of: ‘Powder Star’ pole bean, ‘Kirlangic’ or ‘Tiger’ melon, ‘Abigail’s Coffee’ okra, and ‘Yixuan Sweet’ watermelon.

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