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News

Newcastle Disease Infects Northern Birds

Newcastle Disease Infects Northern BirdsObserve your chickens for symptoms of Newcastle disease, and implement biosecurity measures to keep them safe. Observe your chickens for symptoms of Newcastle disease, and implement biosecurity measures to keep them safe. By Rebecca MumawNewcastle disease, backyard chickens, backyard flock, birds, wild birds, healthy chickensA virulent form of the viral Newcastle disease has swept through areas of Minnesota and the Wisconsin peninsula, leaving thousands of pelicans, cormorants and gulls dead in its path and threatening the health of small-farm flocks. newsSeptember 28, 2010

Chickens
Courtesy Stock.XCHNG
Practice biosecurity measures on your small farm to keep your chickens safe from illnesses like Newcastle disease.

Cool breezes and fall-like weather aren’t the only things blowing down from the North this time of year. A virulent form of the viral Newcastle disease has swept through areas of Minnesota and the Wisconsin peninsula, leaving thousands of pelicans, cormorants and gulls dead in its path and threatening the health of small-farm flocks.

Virulent Newcastle disease is not normally present in the United States. Cormorants commonly carry a nonpathogenic form of Newcastle disease that remains dormant in the birds. This recent strain of the virus, however, is more infectious, causing death in wild birds and posing a threat to poultry keepers in the region. The cormorants will soon begin their fall migration and carry with them the potential to infect wild and domestic birds along the way.

Robert Ehlenfeldt, DVM, Wisconsin State Veterinarian, recently expressed his concern that backyard chicken keepers keep their birds away from wild waterfowl.

“The problem with Newcastle this year, as it has been in the past, at least in the Midwest, has been with waterfowl. We have had no reports of problems in poultry flocks,” says Ehlenfeldt. “Nonetheless, small flock owners should always try to keep their birds away from wildlife, especially waterfowl.”

Newcastle Disease Symptoms
Newcastle virus primarily affects the nervous system but can also affect other systems in the body. Symptoms in poultry may include:

  • sudden death
  • depression
  • loss of appetite
  • decreased egg production
  • coughing and gasping
  • green, watery diarrhea
  • twisted neck, drooping wings or paralysis
  • swelling of the head and neck

Newcastle Disease Transmission
Newcastle is contagious among birds and can be spread by contact with sick birds and contaminated objects, such as feed, water equipment and human clothing. The virus can survive as long as 12 months in chicken houses and chicken feces. Fortunately, most methods of cleaning, including common disinfectants, sunlight and fumigants can help kill the disease.

Newcastle Disease Prevention
Taking biosecurity measures is important in protecting your small-farm chickens from Newcastle disease contamination. Here are some tips for keeping your flock safe:

  • Purchase only healthy chickens from reputable sources.
  • Isolate newly purchased chickens for at least three weeks to be sure they’re healthy before introducing them to your flock.
  • Always wash vehicles, clothes and equipment that have come in contact with other poultry.
  • Keep chicken feeders, waterers, and other equipment clean and disinfected.
  • Keep chicken feeders and waterers covered to prevent contamination by wild birds.
  • Limit access to your chickens by other poultry owners.

Newcastle Disease Treatment
There is no treatment for the virulent strain of Newcastle disease, and infected poultry flocks must be humanely euthanized. This may be particularly difficult for small-flock owners who have considerable investment in their chickens and depend on the income from the eggs and meat. All chicken keepers have a responsibility to help stop the spread of a virulent and highly contagious disease that could result in millions of dollars in damage to other poultry farmers in their area.

Public Health Concerns
Fortunately, Newcastle disease does not pose a threat to human health. Eggs and meat from infected birds are safe to eat; however, people working in close proximity with infected birds may develop a mild conjunctivitis or pinkeye.

 

Categories
Animals

How To Train Young Herding Dogs

Sheep dog sitting beside shepherd
iStock/Thinkstock

Training a young herding dog is an exciting and nerve-racking experience. It’s hard to believe that such a clumsy, comical little pup will ever become a useful partner in your livestock operation. But when you see that young dog transform into an intense, quivering bundle of concentration as it turns on to stock for the first time, I guarantee your heart will leap.

There is absolutely nothing like the power of a herding dog’s natural instinct to work. That’s why it’s heartbreaking when your pup doesn’t turn out the way you hoped. If you don’t start its training right, that dog could become a liability.

Keeping a Watchful Eye

First, keep your puppy away from dangerous or counterproductive situations. Avoid any contact between your young dog and livestock unless it’s under your supervision. It’s fine to get a pup used to being around your animals while you’re doing chores, as long as you can keep it safe and out of trouble.

It’s too easy for the dog to escape and get at the stock if you’re not attentive, and the result could be a disaster. Either the dog will get hurt and become fearful, or it will think it’s OK to harass or injure your stock.

Dog Training Age

Border collie herding sheep
iStock/Thinkstock

Begin training your dog only when it’s mature enough to withstand the physical and cognitive rigors of training—usually 10 to 12 months old, though it depends on the individual dog. If you’re having problems early on, don’t get mad at the dog. You may need to wait a few weeks until it’s more mature.

Signaling Your Dog

Before you start training on stock, have a solid recall on your dog. If you can’t call it off when it’s chasing your sheep through a fence toward the highway or hanging by its teeth from a calf’s ear, you’re in trouble.

A young dog is so excited when it first starts working stock that it may not listen, but a stern command that it’s been well-trained to obey will eventually get through to its crazed brain.  Some people also train their dog to lie down on command (essential to stopping or calming the dog and livestock) before training begins, but asking it to lie down on the kitchen floor versus out in the pen with sheep racing by yields wildly different results.

Training Time

sheep dog herding demonstration
iStock/Thinkstock

When introducing your young dog to the farm, use calm livestock that are used to being worked by dogs. Four to 10 yearlings that are already “dog broke” are a good choice, because an older ewe or cow might challenge a young dog and make it fearful.

Many trainers use a round pen where the stock can’t get wedged in a corner, or they block off the corners in a square pen with panels. Some people work in an open pasture with a mature dog on hand to bring the sheep back before the pup chases them into the next county. Wherever you decide to start, try to set up an area where you can have some control over both the dog and the stock.

You may want to tie a long, thin rope to your dog’s collar so you can walk it up to your stock in a controlled manner and guide it around the stock if it shows any sign of wanting to head right into the middle of them. Once you see that the dog will circle your stock, you can let it go and be able to snag the rope and catch him later if he’s in trouble or about to collapse with exhaustion but doesn’t want to quit.

Don’t expect much from your dog in the beginning.  Don’t say anything; don’t correct it. Use a calm, encouraging voice.  Make it fun!  You want to keep those early lessons stress-free and reinforce the pup’s desire to work.

Each dog matures and handles pressure at a different rate, so wait a few weeks to resume lessons if it shows fear or a lack of interest, is easily distracted, or chases the stock indiscriminately. (Note: If the young dog is eating sheep poop or taking a bathroom break, it probably means it’s nervous.)

A dog that is ready for training should have enough instinct to circle the stock and respond to your body language.  If you step in front of the dog as it circles clockwise, it should change direction and circle in the opposite direction. Using the dog’s natural instinct to circle and react to the movement of both you and the stock is what all the early lessons are based on. It should be fun but productive. Dogs have a great way of signaling whether they’re serious or not—if their tails are up, they’re playing. If their tails are down, they’re thinking. Once you see that tail go down, you’ll know the pup recognizes that it has a purpose for interacting with your livestock.

The pressures of training quickly exhaust a young dog. End your session if the dog shows signs of stress, fatigue or inattention. That’s when it misbehaves and learns bad habits. Short, sweet lessons are the best for the dog’s early training. Above all, be patient. Work on a single skill at a time, and have it solid before progressing to the next.  If the dog isn’t progressing the way you’d like, it’s usually the fault of the trainer—not the dog!

Advanced Dog Training

It takes time and commitment to train a good stock dog. If you plan to train the dog yourself, be aware that it’s easy to make major mistakes with a young dog. It could turn the dog off of herding forever. Do your research and educate yourself. If you are new to working with young dogs, get help from a respected trainer. You want to do the best for your dog. The joy of working in partnership with a good working stock dog and the invaluable assistance they will give you in managing livestock is well worth it.

Categories
Farm Management

20 Tips for Safer Farming

Healthy cow
Maintain the health of your livestock to prevent them from acting agressively.

If you think farm safety is someone else’s problem, you’re right. It was Bill’s and Angie’s problems when the tractors they were driving crushed them. It was Roger’s problem when he got wrapped around a PTO shaft, and it was my problem when I leapt over a fence barely ahead of an angry sow.

These are just a few of the people I know who have had problems related to farm safety. It isn’t that we were careless. Like most farm accidents, they occurred during everyday activities. The fact is farming and farms are dangerous. There are hazards literally everywhere you look.

Safety hazards shouldn’t deter your from you farm or from moving to one. However, thinking about safety and making it a part of everything you do on your farm is important. Make your farm a safer place, and you’ll be able to thrive on it.  Here are 20 farm-safety tips for you to consider:

Farm Buildings and Grounds

  • Perform a safety check of buildings and grounds for obvious fire hazards and hazardous materials.
  • Store farm chemicals securely where kids and animals can’t access them. Then make a list of the chemicals for firefighters in the event of a fire on your property.
  • Keep weeds and grasses trimmed so tractor and ATV drivers won’t run into hidden obstacles and holes that can cause the vehicle to overturn.
  • Maintain clean and neat work areas with tools stored out of the way.
  • Establish a safety boundary around gas and diesel fuel tanks and other flammable substances.

Personal Farm Safety

  • Don’t wear loose clothing around equipment or work areas.
  • Use safety equipment the way it was intended. That means appropriate gloves, hearing protection and safety eyewear, not to mention face masks and respirators when working in dusty conditions.
  • Always have a helper nearby when entering grain bins, breeding pens or other high-risk areas.
  • Discuss safety concerns with children as you explain safe handling and operating procedures. Practice what you preach, and they will practice it, too.

Tractors and Implements

  • Keep tractor roll-over protection structures in place. If you have a tractor without one, get it installed today … and while you’re at it, buckle your seat belt.
  • Prohibit riders on tractor fenders, hitches, attachments or implements.
  • Shield all PTO-powered equipment drive shafts, and keep kids at a distance from them.
  • Never start or run gas or diesel engines in an enclosed area without being assured of good ventilation.
  • Outfit tractors and farm trucks with fire extinguishers and first aid kits.
  • Never exit a tractor or truck without placing it in park or engaging the emergency brakes.
  • Never leave running power equipment unattended.
  • Check and maintain equipment, especially hydraulic hoses and electrical cables showing cracks or other signs of wear.

Livestock

  • Keep animals in good health. An animal in pain and discomfort can react aggressively.
  • Treat farm animals with respect. If understand their behavior, you’ll be ready for their actions.
  • Take extra care with farm animals at breeding and birthing, and you won’t have to outrun a sow like I did.
Categories
News

Newcastle Disease Infects Northern Birds

Chickens
Courtesy Stock.XCHNG
Practice biosecurity measures on your small farm to keep your chickens safe from illnesses like Newcastle disease.

Cool breezes and fall-like weather aren’t the only things blowing down from the North this time of year. A virulent form of the viral Newcastle disease has swept through areas of Minnesota and the Wisconsin peninsula, leaving thousands of pelicans, cormorants and gulls dead in its path and threatening the health of small-farm flocks.

Virulent Newcastle disease is not normally present in the United States. Cormorants commonly carry a nonpathogenic form of Newcastle disease that remains dormant in the birds. This recent strain of the virus, however, is more infectious, causing death in wild birds and posing a threat to poultry keepers in the region. The cormorants will soon begin their fall migration and carry with them the potential to infect wild and domestic birds along the way.

Robert Ehlenfeldt, DVM, Wisconsin State Veterinarian, recently expressed his concern that backyard chicken keepers keep their birds away from wild waterfowl.

“The problem with Newcastle this year, as it has been in the past, at least in the Midwest, has been with waterfowl. We have had no reports of problems in poultry flocks,” says Ehlenfeldt. “Nonetheless, small flock owners should always try to keep their birds away from wildlife, especially waterfowl.”

Newcastle Disease Symptoms
Newcastle virus primarily affects the nervous system but can also affect other systems in the body. Symptoms in poultry may include:

  • sudden death
  • depression
  • loss of appetite
  • decreased egg production
  • coughing and gasping
  • green, watery diarrhea
  • twisted neck, drooping wings or paralysis
  • swelling of the head and neck

Newcastle Disease Transmission
Newcastle is contagious among birds and can be spread by contact with sick birds and contaminated objects, such as feed, water equipment and human clothing. The virus can survive as long as 12 months in chicken houses and chicken feces. Fortunately, most methods of cleaning, including common disinfectants, sunlight and fumigants can help kill the disease.

Newcastle Disease Prevention
Taking biosecurity measures is important in protecting your small-farm chickens from Newcastle disease contamination. Here are some tips for keeping your flock safe:

  • Purchase only healthy chickens from reputable sources.
  • Isolate newly purchased chickens for at least three weeks to be sure they’re healthy before introducing them to your flock.
  • Always wash vehicles, clothes and equipment that have come in contact with other poultry.
  • Keep chicken feeders, waterers, and other equipment clean and disinfected.
  • Keep chicken feeders and waterers covered to prevent contamination by wild birds.
  • Limit access to your chickens by other poultry owners.

Newcastle Disease Treatment
There is no treatment for the virulent strain of Newcastle disease, and infected poultry flocks must be humanely euthanized. This may be particularly difficult for small-flock owners who have considerable investment in their chickens and depend on the income from the eggs and meat. All chicken keepers have a responsibility to help stop the spread of a virulent and highly contagious disease that could result in millions of dollars in damage to other poultry farmers in their area.

Public Health Concerns
Fortunately, Newcastle disease does not pose a threat to human health. Eggs and meat from infected birds are safe to eat; however, people working in close proximity with infected birds may develop a mild conjunctivitis or pinkeye.

Categories
Animals

Ticked Off – Part 1

Lone star tick
Courtesy the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Lone star ticks carry diseases that can make you very sick. Make sure you always check for ticks on you and your animals.

Lots of lone star ticks live on our farm. Sometimes they get on us animals and on our Mom and Dad. Mom says ticks are part of living in the country. But they’re dangerous, too!

Last week, Dad thought he had flu. Really bad flu that gave him a blinding headache, horrible muscle pains and chills. (He slept with three wool blankets on the bed one night) After three days of that, Mom insisted he go see his doctor. She was worried because Dad was so weak. The doctor took his temperature (102.8 degrees F) and some blood tests and sent him straight to the hospital where they put him in the intensive care unit. The hospital doctors said he got there just in time before his vital organs started shutting down.

Dad has a tick-borne illness, either ehrlichiosis or Rocky Mountain spotted fever; they don’t know which because his blood work isn’t back. The good thing is that all tick-borne diseases found in North America like ehrlichiosis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, STARI (southern tick-associated rash illness), bebesiosis, tularemia  and Lyme disease are treated with the same drugs, so they could treat Dad without knowing exactly what he had.

This was really scary, so we want to tell you this: If you live in tick country (and that’s most of the United States) and you have serious “flu” symptoms for more than a day or two, go see your doctor right away! Mom and Dad have picked off thousands, maybe millions of attached ticks over the years, so they’ve become kind of complacent. Don’t do that! We animals need our Moms and Dad to take care of us and we don’t want anything to happen to you. Dad is going to be OK, but only because he got treatment in time. He almost died!

We’ll talk more about ticks next week but for now, be careful and watch out for ticks. Fall is one of the times they’re really active. Please don’t become a near-statistic like our dad!

« More Mondays with Martok »

Categories
Urban Farming

Rooster Chivalry

Rooster and hen

Courtesy Audrey Pavia

Mr. Mabel the rooster escorts one of his hens around the urban farm.

Whoever said chivalry is dead never spent any time around roosters. Sometimes I just can’t get over how gracious and doting roosters are with their hens.

At my urban farm, Mr. Mabel is the top roo (beating out his brother Mr. Molly, at least this year). Mr. Mabel deserves to be the guy in charge because nothing is as important to that rooster as his five hens.

Mr. Mabel spends much of his day looking for good stuff to eat. Not for himself, mind you, but for his girls. If he comes upon some grubs in the dirt or if I toss out a piece of fruit on the lawn, he summons the ladies like only a rooster can: by dipping his head and making a distinct clucking sound that is only used for such an occasion. The hens know exactly what this means, and they come running from every direction to see what their man has found for them.

This ritual is particularly impressive on the rare occasions when I bring home a container of mealworms. I sit down on the ground and call Mr. Mabel, who runs over, sees that a mealworm feast is about to occur, and begins to call his harem. When they come running, he feeds them, taking each mealworm from my hand and placing it in front of a hen. What’s so amazing is that he will hand out at least 10 mealworms to the girls before eating one himself. And I know how much he loves mealworms. But the ladies come first.

Mr. Mabel is also a guy you can count on in times of trouble. If I disturb one of the hens as she attempts to hatch an egg in the coop (not allowed—we don’t need any more chickens), the loud squawk of objection quickly gets the attention of Mr. Mabel. He comes running as fast as he can to see what is going on, and gets in my space. He doesn’t know what it is I’m doing to upset his lady, but it doesn’t matter. She’s in distress and he’s the man on the job.

Of course, all this gallant behavior comes with a price. When Mr. Mabel is in the mood for love, “no” is not an acceptable answer. The hens have learned that if they want first dibs at the mealworms and someone to rescue them when times are tough, they need to make it worth his while. And they do, with rarely a complaint.

Read more of City Stock »

Categories
News

Website Provides Pesticide Stewardship Information

Garden pests
Courtesy Stock.XCHNG
A new website provides information on controlling unwanted insects on your crops.

A new Pesticide Environmental Stewardship website, recently launched by the Center for Integrated Pest Management, was designed to assist people who apply, sell, store or dispose of pesticides; provide advice or training on pesticide use; or are involved in pesticide stewardship or regulation.

“Our ultimate goal is to cover the basic tenets that apply regardless of who you are, where you live or the pest you’re trying to control,” says Wayne Buhler of North Carolina State University, PES national coordinator and a Pesticide Safety Education Program coordinator for North Carolina. “There are fundamental principles and practices to be aware of, whether you are protecting agricultural crops, homegrown vegetables, a lawn or golf course. We hope that whenever the choice is made to use a pesticide, good stewardship practices will be followed.” 

The new website complements the work of county extension agents and state-level pesticide safety education programs. It covers a wide variety of stewardship topics, ranging from pesticide storage, handling and disposal to how to avoid drift, runoff and leaching during and after the pesticide application. Homeowners and those interested in integrated pest management can go straight to sections geared to their needs. 

“We know there is a wealth of expertise in the public and private sector regarding pesticide stewardship,” observes Ron Gardner of Cornell University, who helped develop the PES website.  “We look forward to a growing list of partners who will help us add value to current and future topics on the site.”

A pesticide resistance management topic is currently under development for the website. Future plans also include educational quizzes to reinforce important pesticide stewardship concepts and self-assessment tools to evaluate personal pesticide stewardship practices.

“Search the web for phrases like ‘pesticide stewardship and drift’ and you will get thousands of results,” says Carol Somody, senior stewardship manager for Syngenta Crop Protection and PES industry coordinator. “It can be quite overwhelming to someone who wants to start with the basics, and teaching the basics is the purpose of PES. It provides a much-needed entry point to essential pesticide-stewardship information.”

10 Tips from the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Website

The amount of information on the website may be overwhelming at first glance. Use these 10 tips as a warm up to entering a pesticide stewardship plan.

  1. Read the label before buying the pesticide.
  2. Buy only the amount of pesticide needed for one season.
  3. As a general rule of thumb, the temperature inside the pesticide storage area should be between 40 degrees F and 100 degrees F.
  4. Calibrate equipment carefully to assure that the pesticide is applied at labeled rates. 
  5. Be aware of the current and probable future weather conditions in order to make the best pesticide application decisions to prevent drift.
  6. Locate the mixing and loading site away from wells, streams and lakes. 
  7. Never leave a tank while it is being filled and pay constant attention during filling to prevent overfilling and spilling of the pesticide on the ground.
  8. When you empty a container, allow it to drain into the spray tank for 10 seconds after it begins to drip.
  9. Remember that exceeding the label rate of pesticide application is a violation of the law.
  10. Follow the label each time you mix and use the pesticide, and follow the label when storing or disposing of the pesticide. Do not trust your memory.

Buhler’s colleagues in the Pesticide Safety Education Program from across the United States were instrumental in the development of PES, including Ron Gardner of Cornell University, Carol Ramsay of Washington State University, Jim Wilson of South Dakota State University and Fred Whitford of Purdue University. Other scientists in academia, extension, government and industry partnered with CIPM on the project, including members of the Weed Science Society of America, the Entomological Society of America and the American Phytopathological Society.  

 

Categories
Urban Farming

Building Environmental Literacy

Urban Farm

Courtesy Ben Laterell

Students in Portland, Ore., get to learn about installing gardens, cooking organically and selling at farmers’ markets thanks to a Classroom Earth grant.

Teachers across the country face similar challenges on a day-to-day basis, but what do teachers Remy Dou of Miami, Fla., James Lorenz of Minneapolis, and Tom McKenna of Portland, Ore., in particular, have in common?

All three are 2010 recipients of the National Environmental Education Foundation’s Classroom Earth National High School Challenge Grants.

Overall, 10 high school teachers across the country received the $4,000 grants to implement creative, thought-provoking lesson plans to increase environmental literacy for students in grades 9 through 12. These three urban educators are using their funds to explore topics such as aeroponic gardening, native ecology and gardening with a focus on the politics of food.
 
Classroom Earth, a five-year partnership between the NEEF and the Weather Channel, focuses on providing resources for educators to use in the classroom and empowering them to teach environmental education beyond middle school.

“Ultimately we want to improve the environmental literacy of students,” explains Bobby Cato, senior education project manager with NEEF. “In addition to the grants, we created a companion social network where high school students can apply for grants of their own, explore college programs focused on sustainability and apply for green jobs. At PlanetConnect.org, students can post their own videos and articles.”

Student-supported Agriculture

Founded in 1995, Oregon’s Portland YouthBuilders program supports low-income men and women ages 18 to 24 who have not completed high school. Students receive education, vocational training and leadership development. The organization supports youth who are committed to changing their lives to become self-sufficient, contributing members of the workforce and their community.

“With our Classroom Earth funding, we are planting a garden on the school grounds while involving the entire student population across all disciplines in learning about foods, techniques of organic gardening and composting,” explains McKenna, a PYB teacher.

Sid Klein, sustainability manager at PYB, says they began to develop a plan to apply for the grant after considering how the school could expose its student population to food in ways students have never considered.

“For most, food is an issue of survival,” Klein says. “Their experience is wondering where they will buy their next meal. They have a heavy dependence on food stamps and face food insecurity every day. We wanted to address food insecurity and to encourage deeper thinking about where their food comes from beyond the local gas station or food pantry.”

Lessons focus on where foods come from, the implications of how far food travels and who students are supporting through food-purchase decisions. Classes will also consider food production—the impact of how food is produced, the impact on who produces it and the impact on the environment.

Students will be engaged in the garden installation by figuring the garden’s dimensions, determining how space will be used and preparing the garden for planting. Students will be responsible for tending the garden and writing about their food experiences as the garden grows and matures.

Local chefs will be teaching PYB students to prepare organic meals, and students will create healthy meals, sharing recipes with one another and teaching one another about organic foods.

A cohort of students from PYB has already been working at urban farms in the Portland area. Each weekend, the students attend two area farmers’ markets, working with vendors and fielding shopper questions. At the end of each market day, they glean excess produce and bring it back to the school, where it is distributed among the students.

“Basically, we are running a free CSA,” Klein says. The installation of their own on-site garden will enable students to grow their own vegetables to supplement farmers’ market gleanings and provide abundant, fresh, organic produce for students and their families.

Applying for the Grant

NEEF anticipates launching the 2011 grant cycle this fall. To learn more about the grants, see grant awards and read past project descriptions, visit ClassroomEarth.org.

 

Categories
Urban Farming

The Crunchy Grape Harvest

Grapevine

Photo by Rick Gush

The grapes on my American Concord grapevine aren’t quite ripe yet.

We’ve been eating the first few grapes in the last week, but the big harvest is still a week or two away, and the rainy days we’ve been getting in Liguria lately aren’t speeding things up. I suppose I could cut away a lot of the leaves, but I’m lazy and the year that I did run around and trim all the shading growth, the grapes didn’t really seem to be any better.

The vine is loaded with small bunches of grapes, but the vast majority are still not completely ripe. The slightly unripe grapes taste fine, sort of like a crunchy table grape, but once the grapes mature fully they become really sweet and the skunky flavor that I like becomes delightfully strong.

The grape is an American Concord, which is very common in this part of Italy. I get a kick out of the fact that this variety is often called French Dwarf around here, despite the fact that it is neither French nor dwarf. Our vine is perhaps 30 years old and sprawls across the lower part of the garden cliff.

I cut the grapevine’s spread down about 50 percent last fall, but it’s still quite vigorous. I estimate we’ll harvest about 500 small to medium bunches this year. Two years ago we had a huge grape harvest. We collected around 1,000 bunches, and some of those were really big.

The grape harvest will last about a month, during which we will eat grapes with just about every meal.  We’ll also give away a fair amount to friends and family. This is another crop with which I get to score points with my mother-in-law, as these are the same variety she remembers from her rustic childhood.

I have a friend who has a lot of this variety among his vineyards, and he mixes it with the other more classic wine grapes when he makes his wine.  His wine is pretty good and it doesn’t taste anything like the Concord grape wines I’ve tasted.

These grapes do have a lot of seeds. My wife often spits out the seeds when she eats them, but I just crunch the whole grapes seeds and all. I am sort of a goat, and don’t peel apples, kiwi or peaches when I eat them, but my wife always does.

In fact, I often make some raisins from our grapes. It’s not hot enough here to sun-dry the raisins, so I do it in the oven. With the oven at the lowest possible heat, I shuffle plates full of grapes in and out of the oven, leaving each plate inside for about 10 or 15 minutes. Then I let it cool for a half hour. In two days I can make 10 to 15 plates full of nice raisins. 

The last time I made grapes I produced almost two kilos. The flavor of these raisins is really sweet and strong, and I eat them like candy. Of course, the seeds are still in them, so most people say “Uh, these are sort of crunchy.” But being the goat that I am, I think they’re just swell. I really like to put them in with my granola, and there, the crunch just adds to the mix.

Read more of Rick’s Favorite Crops »

Categories
Crops & Gardening Urban Farming

Container Garden Ideas

Umbrella Garden Container
Photo by Jessica Walliser
Umbrella garden container

I was lucky enough last weekend to spend a day at the Cleveland Botanical Garden with my mother and a group of gardening friends. I have never been there before but was completely impressed with the gardens, especially the Children’s Garden and the Herb Garden. They have 10 acres there and make good use of incorporating plenty of useful ideas for homeowners looking to jazz up their landscape in a practical and accessible way. 

Boot garden container
Photo by Jessica Walliser
Boot garden container

I was bummed, though, that there was no dedicated Vegetable Garden there.  I would think that with the rising popularity of veggie gardens, among young and old alike, that they would somehow figure out a way to incorporate one. Perhaps it’s in the future plans. Despite not being introduced to some new veggie growing techniques and varieties, I did greatly enjoy the rest of the space, including their huge conservatory. 

Boot garden container
Photo by Jessica Walliser
Toilet garden container

The container plantings were by far my favorite aspect of the garden. They were gaudy and bold when they needed to be and subtle and soft when they didn’t. I got a lot of great ideas for unusual container plantings and even for unusual containers.  The photos I’ve posted are of some of the funky containers they use in their Children’s Garden. The umbrella just made me laugh and I have seen the boot idea done before but not with a colorful rain boot. The toilet, though, was a bit over the top! I do have one friend that has a very whimsical garden and has wanted a potty planter for a few years now. I’ll have to show him the picture to see exactly how over-whimsical it can be.

I also found the woodland garden to be lovely and peaceful.  Not a lot of color in it this time of year, but the plant selection was quite nice and the paths were meandering in all the right ways. Their hosta collection is superb, and I saw several plants that were completely new to me—and that’s always a good thing.    

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