HomeGrownVegetables

Since the high heat is in place here in South-East Texas there is not much in the garden that is thriving, other than watermelon and corn,see the last post!  So today I thought I would get another compost pile going, it’s really easy the way I do it , so come check it out!

The first thing I did was to build a cage out of Red Brand Goat Fence, you can use what ever you have around your place, we just had some extra.  I took a 10 foot piece and connected the ends to make a cylinder, it works perfect for contaning the pile.  I put this cylinder in an out of the way place , its gonna be there a while, and start gathering my materials.  Since I live on the farm out here materials are easy to come by. I use mostly old hay that has gotten wet, and bales that fell apart around the haystack, plus grass clippings from mowing around the house. We also have an abundance of chicken, cow and donkey manure around here so that is a key ingredient as well.

Old Hay

Let’s Assemble!

With the materials gathered up I first put down a layer of hay, 1 to 2 feet deep, then water it down with the water hose , it will compact down quite a bit.

1st Layer of Hay

The next layer is a layer of grass clippings, I used about 2 full bags from the mower for the grass layer it works out to about 5 to six inch layers.

Bag From The Mower Full Of Clippings.

Layer Of Grass Clippings

After the grass goes on I dump in about two five-gallon bucket fulls of chicken manure over the grass layer and then wet it down, it helps to keep the dust down as well as adds to the needed moisture in the pile.

Five gallon Bucket of Chicken Manure.

From there it just goes layer upon layer , just like lasagna!  I put about five layers on this pile and will keep the water going on for a few more days, as you add water you will see the pile begin to compact down.   After a few weeks you can turn the pile over a couple of times to get the air moving again, this will speed up your compost, or you can just let it set and it will still work, it will just take longer.

Almost Done

So there you have it, started compost pile ready to cook.  You can continue to add kitchen waste, more grass clipping, fall leaves, whatever  just make sure you keep the pile moist and it will do fine.    Check back in a few weeks and I’ll update how this particular pile is going!

Thanks for stopping by!

Corn in a raised bed

With the triple digit temps we have had for the past month and some odd days most of the garden is looking a little weak, but not the corn …or the watermelon for that matter!!

Watermelon Patch

The cucumbers have run their course , the tomoatoes are slow to bloom in this heat , but these two , they just keep on truckin.  The corn stands at least six feet tall, and the WM has covered abour a 10×10 area from one single mound of about 4 seeds.   The corn has put out tassle and the melon are small but growing bigger by the day, cant wait for some fresh corn and a lage slice of watermelon.

Sorry I’ve been away, had a computer blowout and the heat isn’t doing anything for the garden.
We have had triple digit heat here in my are for at least two-weeks now, probably more but that’s my estimate! As for the computer , im back up and rolling strong with a new 64bit machine, so far I love it. So Till next time , stay cool!

If you have ever thought about a market garden for a little side money or as an actual business venture then I would suggest this book to you.
This book doesn’t tell you how to grow vegetables, It highlights several people who have started a successful market garden, most on less than an acre.

Some of the other topics covered are membership gardens , community supported agriculture, farmers markets and and even selling vegetables on the side of the road from a card table.

In the first chapter the author guides you through the steps he took to make $36,000 from his back yard using tools he had laying around the house.      Throughout the book he sprinkles in stories of regular folks and their success stories.  One example tells of a couple in Maine who made $25,000 off a rocky hillside selling vegetables and cut flowers.

As I said earlier , this book wont tell you how to grow the crops, but it will spark your imagination, and maybe you will open up that next niche market!

Now try to stay cool out there!

Jon