For most of our farming lives, my husband Dan and I grew for a CSA, first our own and later a cooperative venture with seven other growers. This year, we turned the tables and became CSA members.Dan and I spent the summer in Petoskey, Michigan, without access to a vegetable garden of our own for […]
Impressions of a new CSA member Read More »
Matthiola incana is a cool-weather crop; for us in zone 6a, it gets too hot about mid-June and stock starts to bloom too short, even the varieties that are supposed to be more tolerant of warmer temperatures. All of ours are grown under cover in high tunnels with plantings both minimally heated and unheated. Florists
Stock: a valuable hoophouse crop Read More »
In the last issue of GFM, I wrote about using clovers as cover crops. If you are looking for a legume that can be sown several weeks later in the fall than clovers, Austrian winter peas could fit the bill. Like clovers, they will discourage weeds, add nitrogen and biomass to the soil and prevent
Austrian winter peas: last-chance cover crop Read More »
The next time your greenhouse or hoophouse needs a new covering, consider whether it would be smart to spend more for a special greenhouse film, instead of opting for the least expensive option of clear poly. An infrared/anti-condensate (IR/AC) film costs more than clear poly, but not a lot more — and should save you
Greenhouse upgrades save energy Read More »
If you drive through Ohio’s rural countryside you’re likely to pass some 19th century-era barns that were built through the collective labor of a community barn-raising. While the tradition is maintained by Ohio’s thriving Amish population, the concept of a community cooperative is enjoying a renaissance among the “English.” Yet this 21st century version of
Solar co-op trims installation costs Read More »
