Garden Rotation

Most farmers know the value of rotating their crops, but sometimes we gardeners forget that crop rotation is just as important in our gardens! Several years ago, I clipped out an article from the extension office that described crop rotation in simple terms. I'll share some of what I learned here!

First, why is it important to rotate crops? Planting the same crops at the same place every year can allow a build up of disease and insect pests in the soil. When insects emerge from the soil in the spring, hopefully they will be discouraged if their host plant is not readily available. Each crop also has it's own nutritional requirements. Locating your crops in a different area of the garden can help avoid depleting your soil of specific nutrients. Some plants actually add to the soil and assist the plants grown the following year.

Crop rotation is not difficult. Garden plants can be separated into four groups which share similar needs. By dividing your garden into four plots, you can rotate through the four groups. The goal is to allow three years before replanting any of the members of the same group in a bed.

Group 1 - Tomato/Potato
tomato, potato, pepper

Group 2 - Greens
cabbage, broccoli, lettuce, cauliflower

Group 3 - Legumes
peas, beans

Group 4 - Corn/Squash
corn, squash, cucumbers, pumpkins

Onions, carrots, beets and radishes may be planted among any group.

That is the ideal! Since we don't live in an ideal world, our plans will probably need to be adapted! For me, the challenge comes because 1) my garden doesn't divide evenly in four groups as I have far more corn then broccoli! and 2) I like to do successive plantings such as following some late potatoes after I pull out my peas!

Still, this guide gives me something to work toward! I am most particular about not planting tomatoes and potatoes at the same places since I have had problems with blight in the past. Also, since corn is a heavy feeder, I like to follow corn by peas to help add back to the soil. It isn't hard to remember that the tomatoes were in the middle of the garden last year, so this year I'll place them in the back of the garden, and next year put them right in front!

If you have the space, you could evenly divide your garden into four plots. When one plot isn't completely filled by that year's crop, you can fill in with a "green manure" cover crop. I've already written about how much we like to use buckwheat - and there are many other cover crop choices! Most of us don't have the luxury of extra gardening space, but if you do, or you can extend your garden a little bigger to make this system work, you may find it beneficial!

I've only touched on the very basics of crop rotation! What has worked for you?

Make It Yourself - Ricotta Cheese

This week, a friend asked if I had ever made cottage cheese, and if I'd share the recipe, if I had!

Hmmm.... I wasn't sure I wanted to admit that cheese making, too, is one of my interests! But, since I was asked, and since I probably lost any reputation of being “normal” back when I shared how to make pasta and that I love cloth diapers, what more can I lose!

I haven't actually made cottage cheese but I have made ricotta which, I think, is similar. Anyone know what really is the difference between ricotta and cottage cheese?

Though I'm interested in cheese making and read a little about it, I have little personal experience. The biggest reason I haven't made more attempts is that I don't have an unlimited supply of milk. My parents generously give us fresh raw milk but we don't live real close and I often need to ration our milk until our next visit.

In my experience with cheese making, at least half of the milk is lost in whey, which I haven't found a real good use for yet. We talk about someday (meaning many years from now!) having a family cow but until then (if then) I doubt I'll become a regular cheese maker! But since I know some of those reading this are farm wives, maybe this recipe can be useful to you!

Even if cheese making is not your goal, if you want a fun project to share with your children, this would be a great choice! Watching liquid milk transform before your eyes into curds and whey is near miraculous and a great science experiment!

This recipe, unlike most cheeses, contains no rennet or cheese cultures and only uses common household ingredients and supplies. So, give it a try – even it is just to brag that you made cheese!


Whole Milk Ricotta

Heat 2 Quart of milk to 200 degrees
Add 3 T white vinegar. Bring temperature back to 200 degrees.

Remove from heat. Cover. Rest for 15 minutes.
Curds should separate right away. Line colander with a very fine cheesecloth or pillowcase.

Drain for an hour or more.
Break up cheese and salt to taste. (¼ to ½ tsp)
Enjoy! Keeps for 1 week in the refrigerator.

I love to eat this cheese just as it is or in recipes such as lasagna. I have read that to make it more like bought cottage cheese, just add cream to the cheese to the consistency that you prefer.
(By the way, if you are looking for a good cooking thermometer, I highly recommend this one from Polder. I use it constantly! It even includes a timer and clock. My favorite feature is the programmable temperature. An alarm sounds when it reaches a certain minimum or maximum temperature! Ideal for cooks like me who tend to get distracted, walk away from the stove and forget what I'm heating!)

Hope you try cheese making! I'd love to hear your experience with this recipe! And if any of you are experienced cheese makers – I'd love to hear from you!

Through Child's Eyes - Grass Friends

I love sharing simple projects with my children, especially when it involves enjoying nature and observing the world around us! Here is a simple project we've done the past two winters! A great way to bring a little "green" to your home!

You will need:
Styrofoam or paper cup
potting soil
grass seed (possibly other seeds would work, but grass is what I had easily available)

Draw a face on the cup.
Dampen potting soil.
Fill cup with potting soil.
Generously sprinkle seed on soil.
Cover seed lightly with potting soil.
Sit on a sunny window sill and watch grow!

This year, our grass did not grow very thickly. Either we didn't plant enough seeds, covered the seeds too thickly or the seed was too old. The children still had fun with it but wasn't as great as last year when their grass friends hair grew thick and long! They had fun giving them hair cuts and even tried tying pony tails!

Give it a try! And I would love to hear about the projects your children enjoy!

Mail Order Chicks

Our chicks arrived today!

Last Monday, we had some very low temperatures and I started to worry that we were completely bonkers to order chicks this early! But, a week later, we are having balmy spring like weather! But that has not kept me from worrying about our chicks! After years of wanting our own chicks and months spent researching different chicken breeds, I sure did not want anything to happen to them before they even arrived! Last night I even dreamed that I went to the post office for a box of dead chicks!

But, as usual, worry is vain! We received the anticipated call from the post office a little after 8:00 and by 9:00, we had brought our little babies home! I'm not sure who was more excited, me or the children! We could hear the chirping even before the post lady brought our box to the window! Now, that is a good sign! On the way home, my daughter said that they were chirping too loud! Their chirping was quite shrill but with food and water, it changed to a quiet contented tone.

Looking at the box they arrived in, I did wonder how they arrived the whole way from Iowa! Of course, it had to have air holes and appeared rather drafty for a newborn! We had ordered from Murray McMurray Hatchery who has done this for years, so I assume they know what they are doing! Only one chick didn't survive the trip, but since the hatchery had given us two extra chicks, we still have more then we ordered!

Our chicks first home is in a box in the basement with a heat lamp. I want to keep my eye on them these first weeks before they move to the chicken house. As I placed each chick in the box, I dipped it's beak in their water. Soon they were all drinking water and eating feed like any youngster that has been on a long trip!

I wrote about choosing chicken breeds earlier. Of course, I don't know what our final opinion of these breeds will be, but I do know now they have to be the cutest chicks ever! By looking at photos, I think I've positively identified them.
Partridge Rock
Black Australorp
Speckled Sussex

McMurray's sends a free "mystery" chick of some rare or exotic variety. There is one chick that is speckled around it's head which I assume is our mystery chick. It will be fun to see what it grows into and try to identify the breed!
I haven't accomplished much today! The children love watching and holding the chicks, but the almost two year old is far to rough to be left with them unattended! If we can survive the next few weeks with no casualties, it may be a miracle!

Signs of Spring!

Forsythia blooms on the kitchen table, (forced branches brought indoors several weeks ago)
new baby chicks,
the first crocus,

and yesterday, our daughter spotted the first robin!

I know we may have more winter weather ahead, but today when listening to the birds sing while hanging laundry out on the line, it sure felt like spring had truly arrived!

Here's an idea I read somewhere that I am hoping to start this year. Make a "Spring First's List". On a piece of paper, list all the signs of spring you can think of (first dandelion, robin, honey bee, road kill groundhog?) When that item is spotted, date and sign it. Keep the list for coming years. Help encourage alertness in your children and enjoy comparing the coming of spring in various years!

Sandwich Buns

Our favorite roll recipe for sandwiches! I've also made this recipe for small dinner rolls as well! I usually double the recipe in my Bosch mixer. I also use at least half whole wheat flour and add a little vital gluten.

1 cup very warm water
1 cup warm milk
1 egg
2 T butter
1/4 cup sugar
3 cup flour (plus more later)
1/2 T salt
2 T yeast

Mix all ingredients until well combined. Begin adding MORE flour, 1 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms. Don't add any more flour then necessary or the dough will be heavy. Knead for 5 minutes with bread hook or by hand. Turn onto greased counter and divide dough into four parts. Cover and allow dough to rest for 20 minutes. Roll dough to ¾ inch thick and cut with large biscuit cutter. Place on greased baking sheet. Brush with beaten egg or milk and sprinkle with sesame seeds if desired. Allow to rise until double, usually about an hour. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Frayed Baby Quilt

One of the things I most look forward to during pregnancy is making a baby quilt for the new little one! Baby quilts are such fun! They are small quick projects that give me an opportunity to use soft cuddly fabrics.

I just completed the quilt for our expected spring baby and am thrilled with the result. I used a pattern from the book Frayed-Edge Fun which I borrowed from my sis-in-law. This pattern has been making it's rounds at our church and I think I'm the fifth lady to use it! I had the advantage of gaining tips from the others' experience. I found the directions in the book hard to follow at some points! Or maybe I'm just slow to figure things out. Since I believe the book is now out of print, I thought I would share how I made this quilt, just in case you have a baby quilt in your future! It is not a difficult quilt, though a few times I did long for some simple squares instead of all those circles!

1. Choosing fabrics
Soft brushed cottons or cotton flannels work best for this quilt as the seams are frayed to result in a cuddly quilt. You can choose two fabrics, one for the top and one for the bottom, or as many as six different fabrics, three for the top and three for the bottom. The bottom fabrics will show on the top of the quilt. I had trouble finding matching flannels and chose to use only four different fabrics. If you want to make assembly easier on yourself, choose fabrics that are NOT directional. Somehow, all my fabrics ended up having a direction to them (plaids, stripes, etc) which certainly complicated matters but neither were they impossible to work with. However many fabrics you choose, if you have a combined total of about eight yards, you should have plenty. Unless you want to extend this quilt to a larger size.

2. Cutting
Make a 7 inch circle to use as a pattern. I layered my top and bottom fabrics together, wrong sides together, marked and cut the two fabrics at the same time. Cut 25 circles for the center, 24 circles for the inner border, and 28 circles for the outer border.

3. Sewing Circles
Holding your front and back circles together, stitch a 3/8 seam completely around the edges.

4. Marking
Make a 4 1/4 inch square to use as a pattern. Trace the pattern in the center of your circles. The points of the square should just touch the stitching in step three. This line will be your stitching line to sew the circles together into strips. I only marked every other circle.
5. Sewing Rows
Sew the circles together along the marked line.
6. Sewing Flaps
Fold the "flaps" of the circles over the circle. Stitch the flaps down following the stitching line you created when sewing the circles together in step 3. It is much easier to sew the first flaps down one row at a time, before sewing the rows together.

7. Sewing Rows
Sew the rows together following the straight line you traced in step 4. I stitched through the seam allowances and folded flaps. It won't be noticed in the finished quilt.

8. Final Flap Stitching
Smooth the flaps down and beginning at one end, stitch the flaps down following a figure eight pattern down the row. Do the same to the opposite side. I left the outer edges open to create a scallop.
9. Clipping
Clip all seam allowances about every 1/4 inch being careful not to clip through the seam itself.
I like how sewing down the flaps results in a nice quilted pattern on the back of the quilt.

10. Washing and Drying
Almost done! Place the quilt in the washer and dryer to fluff up the seams allowances! The result: a super cuddly quilt for a new baby!