Blog - Page 31 of 37 - Five Feline Farm

Spring Begins at Five Feline Farm

This past week Five Feline Farm hosted a booth at the Lake Land College Innovative Energy Conference. Keynote speaker Ed Begley, Jr. gave great information about living more sustainably by doing what you can. He suggested that every person can do something to conserve by taking just a few steps such as changing to LED lightbulbs or having a home energy audit.

So, what can we do at the Farm?

The goldfish pond uses two electric pumps during warm weather. One is a continuously running pump that powers the filter and waterfall. The other runs a few minutes a day to add water from the well. Plenty of sunshine is available in this area so a solar collector is the goal to power both pumps.

Shouldn’t be too hard. A little study, invest in materials, and the pond goes off the grid.

The next task will be to add some insulation to the greenhouse. The new greenhouse was built on a deck for a secure base that allows drainage. However, it also allows heat loss overnight. Insulation on the deck walls will curb some of this loss. Electricity will be installed so tender plants can stay warm enough overnight to survive. Perhaps next year, this will be converted to solar power for the auxiliary heat source.

With the promise of Spring, outdoor activities around the Farm kick into high gear. We are energized to complete those tasks we have only dreamed about through the long cold winter.

Five Feline Farm Spring task list:

-pick up downed branches in the woods that have fallen or broken during winter storms

-repair any structures that sustained winter damage

-establish new garden areas and install edgings

-run electricity for greenhouse heater

-install solar power to the goldfish pond pumps

-attend Indiana Flower and Patio Show

What spring tasks will you be doing?

Dormant Oil Spray

Like the rest of the Midwest, Five Feline Farm has experienced a brutal winter. Temperatures below zero much of the time, relentless snow and today there is sleet.

There is usually a window of opportunity in February when temperatures climb above freezing. The buds of the fruit trees begin to show signs of swelling but are not yet opening. This is the time to use a dormant oil spray to help prevent some of those pesky insects that tend to infect fruit trees.

The spray helps prevent fungi, mites, aphids and other diseases. It works by cutting off the air supply to insects or eggs that have been laid in the bark. Similarly it cuts off oxygen to pathogens that have attempted to infiltrate.

Dormant oil spray can be purchased but who knows what is in that bottle. Just like food (and fruit trees do produce food) if there are ingredients you can’t pronounce or your grandmother didn’t know, is it really something you want to spray on your trees? Here on the Farm we are trying to use as many natural products as viable. We are working to create an ecosystem that is sound, sustainable and chemical free where possible. Economical is also a good thing.

Spray each fruit tree coating the trunk and branches. A second treatment may be applied just before the buds start to open to ensure that all areas of the tree have been treated. This also helps to replace any of the spray that has been washed off in rain or snow.

Dormant Oil Spray

1 cup vegetable oil
2 Tbsp Dawn dish soap
1 gallon water

Mix oil and dish soap thoroughly in water. This may be doubled or tripled as needed. Pour into a pump sprayer.

Three Sisters

Five Feline Farm is planning a garden area on the south end of the property to showcase new crops as well as heritage varieties of familiar crops. In time, a garden shed, marked pathways and dedicated plant beds will be added. Visitors can expect to see this area expand and develop over the next two to three years. Each new variety will be planted in the most sustainable method available.

The central feature for 2014 will be a Three Sisters companion planting. You may recall this referred to in the last post. Three Sisters is an ancient method of companion planting corn, beans and squash. Some accounts or legends associated withThree Sisters suggest this is the method that was taught to the English settlers by the Native Americans. Each plant benefits the other. The products harvested then support a balanced diet for the gardener.

Varieties for the Three Sisters area at Five Feline Farm have been sourced from Native Seeds. Each reflects an ancient culture and are open pollinated.

Three Sisters begins with corn. The sturdy stalks provide a natural pole for the beans to climb. We will use two varieties of corn: Hopi Greasy Head and Mayo Tuxpeño. Both of these are “dent” corns to be dried and ground into cornmeal.

Pole beans are the second sister of the trio. Beans collect nitrogen from the air and impart it to the soil. Nitrogen is a critical nutrient for healthy corn development. In keeping with the Native American theme, Hopi Black Pinto beans are the variety of choice for this planting at the Farm. These beans can be picked and eaten green but also allowed to ripen and dry for long term storage.

The final sister in the planting is squash. We will be using Yellow Crookneck. The large leaves of squash vines shade the ground under the group acting as living mulch to conserve moisture and block weeds.

The Three Sisters are planted in a slight mound with a flattened top. The mound is approximately one foot high and four feet or so in diameter. Corn is started first and allowed to grow to about twelve inches before the beans are started. One week after beans, squash is planted.

Meanwhile as we dream of weather warm enough to start Three Sisters, early seed starting is beginning in the basement. Marigolds, heirloom tomatoes ranging from Cherokee Purple to Roma, peppers, tobacco and herbs will be poking through the germinating mix soon.

As you can see, planning for the growing season, dreaming of warmer weather and starting the garden plants indoors is how we address the winter doldrums here at Five Feline Farm. Post a comment to let us know how you are coping with the cold winter.

Don’t forget to watch the website for an opportunity to sign up for our newsletter for exclusive subscriber content about life at Five Feline Farm. Target release date is January 31, 2014.

Planning for the New Year

January 1, 2014. You wouldn’t think there is much to do on a hobby farm on January 1, but there is always some task underway here at Five Feline Farm.

This is the time of year we start planning the garden and any new plots that will be developed. Not only does this give us a jump start on the planting season, it chases away the doldrums of winter.

2014 will bring an expanded variety of flowers and vegetables in the main gardens. Tomatoes, peppers, onions, radishes, beans, kale, spinach and lettuce will be rounded out with amaranth, barley, oats, wheat, and buckwheat. Most of these seeds will be heirlooms and are already on order from Sustainable Seeds.

Some of the new plots under development will feature Native American corn varieties. Dent corns, Hopi Blue, black popcorn and a glass gem corn are among the possibilities.

Another new garden area will be planted as Three Sisters. For those of you unfamiliar with this native way of planting, let us explain. Corn anchors the planting providing a “pole” for climbing beans. Squash vines encircle the base blocking weeds and preserving soil moisture. This companion planting helps each of the crops thrive and adds to a healthy diet of the gardener.

Along with planning for the gardens comes planning for equipment.

This past summer we added a new and larger greenhouse to the Farm. Final tweaks are needed to make this a fully functioning space for tender plants. Even in the cold days of winter, we are getting to 80 plus degrees during the day but not holding any of this heat overnight. An insulating wrap around the base should help. In addition, we need to run an electrical line and outlet for the new heater. Between these two steps and tightening up some joints, the greenhouse will be up and running.

And who doesn’t want to just sit in a warm greenhouse enjoying the sunshine on a cold January day? As soon as we get a sunny day, we’ll pull out the lawn chairs and soak up some Vitamin D. Perk to having your own greenhouse.

The next major piece of equipment needed for the Farm is a towable tiller. As the planting beds expand throughout the property, a standard walk behind tiller will not be up to the task.

So the plans continue. Every step will be an improvement in this plot of land we call home.

What plans are you making for 2014? Drop us a line in the comments section and let us know what you will be doing this year.

In the upcoming weeks, watch for an opportunity to subscribe to our new email list and get a free gift.