Dawn

Posts Tagged ‘butternut squash’

Year of the Peach

Tuesday, September 13th, 2011

Many things distinguish this year, but I think on balance it will have to go down as the Year of the Peach.

Peaches and butternut squash

Here are a few, along with a few butternut squash, from this morning’s harvest.

Autumn

Friday, October 8th, 2010

It’s that time of year again. Leaves are starting to change colour, nights are getting chillier, rains are starting to fall, and it’s time for things like curried butternut squash soup (from our latest harvest) and chestnuts (from our trees) roasted on the stovetop as the nights draw in …

Butternut squash harvested from the quinta

(more…)

Vegetable lessons

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

It was my initial intention to concentrate on our energy generation and building renovation this year, but the temptation to get started on growing our own food was irresistible and we dug over part of a couple of terraces in the Spring to create some temporary beds and plant a few vegetables.

The long-term plan is to create raised vegetable beds in a no-dig, minimal-rotation system of cultivation based on well mixed companion planting amongst the (eventual) forest garden, but the thick mat of nettle and bramble roots, mint and dock meant that initially the ground needed to be dug over to remove these very persistent plants and give the vegetables a chance. (The soil we’ve dug so far is good and deep, but needs a lot more organic matter and life in it. Very few worms.) We also opted for the conventional rows of vegetables, mainly for speed and convenience at this early stage. At least it would give us the chance to observe what works and what doesn’t.

Vegetable beds on the yurt terrace

Yurt vegetable beds

(more…)