BeeCharmer’s Buzz

You know, I write this blog for fun but it’s easy to run out of things to write about. I mean really it’s hard to stay entertaining for any amount of sustained time. I mean I could bore you all with stories of sustainability, tips to keep your garden healthy using organic techniques- things to do with all those damn plastic bags we collect (besides just not taking them- which is actually the right thing to do). But I don’t think that’s why people come to this blog- for green lectures. This Blog is for fun and silliness and the occasional breakdown. Not everyone is a green geek. Not everyone is a sustainatician (yes it’s a word, I made it up in 1972- so don’t try to take credit for it)

So I am thinking about starting another blog. One devoted to that which  I spend an incredible amount of time researching and that I love. It’s so geeky I am embarrassed for myself.  I don’t think I am the only one on the Internet that digs this stuff.

I am trying to come up with names, something catchy, something that could stick. Maybe something with a lesbian reference- but absolutely not a requirement. I want everyone to be welcome and at home- homo or no homo- you know? Hehe long rhyme.

I just registered Greengeek.wordpress.com., KellyGreen.wordpress.com was gone, which is too bad because as a child I always wished my name was Kelly Green. If you have any other ideas or comments about the new blog please feel free to share.

I collect seeds like some women collect shoes and purses. I don’t even set a seed buying budget. I have even counted pennies to buy a pack I really wanted. Seed packets can be found in most utility drawers in the house. There are a couple in my underwear drawer (I don’t know why). I have shoe boxes filled with seeds. Some are over 5 years old.

I started my seed wish list today (while waiting at the SS office) and realized I probably have most of the seeds I need for the year scattered around the house. When I got home I started an inventory. The list was 3 pages long. But some are really old, so I went to this sight ( http://growingtaste.com/storage.shtml ) and determined which were still viable. Some were iffy.

Tonight me and the kiddos put together our own germination test for a lot of the iffy ones. We counted out 10 seeds of each variety and wrapped them in a moist paper towel. We then put them in individual zip lock bags. Over the next couple days I will keep them moist and in a warm safe place. I will check them in a few days to see if any have started sprouting.  The carrots may take up to 10 days.

After 2 weeks we’ll count how many of each sprouted. That will give us a germination %. I figure we can deal with any that are above a 70% germination rate.

Hopefully they are all viable, so I don’t have to replace them. I hope this ends up leaving me more money to buy exotic seeds like bitter melon, gourds and red cukes. Oh and I really want a kaffir lime tree for yummy Thai dishes. Man are they expensive.

Which one of you  blogholes mentioned worm composting? Was it you, RSG? Lelo? who was it?

I have now logged about 14 hours into researching the subject, complete with plans for Honey to build me a worm house.

Do you know how much trouble you are getting me into? Honey’s build list is as long as my arm. I am also having trouble sleeping, dreaming of worms and compost all night. Geek moment. Yes I know.  I can’t help it.

Please, No more interesting blogs about green living, sustainable agriculture or interesting food plants. I am afraid my head will explode.

I will of course continue my vermiculture research, because it is way cool.

Oh and check this out. Thinking it may be a winner in the cool weather garden.

romanesco broccoli

P.S. Blogholes= cool chicks 

Campus

There are some (usually West-siders) who call the town I was born, raised and still live in, th Dry Sh*ties. I assume the name comes from #1- We live in a desert and #2 because our town is so small there is very little to do unless you are Mormon, Catholic, you like to hunt and fish or a hard-core alcoholic. Some of those things go hand-in-hand, I suppose.And #3 it rhymes with our real name.

I for one appreciate the vast expanses of open views and the warm dry climate. I also think the native vegetation is beautiful. It’s not like Seattle or  Portland. It has it’s own kind of beauty. Sagebrush and bunch grass can be very beautiful. We also have several 2 beautiful rivers that run through the area, the mighty Columbia River and the not so mighty, but just as beautiful Yakima River.

Today it snowed. Almost 2 inches in about 4 hours. I can’t believe there wasn’t a snow delay at the kids’ school or mine. Usually if it’s raining too hard school delays. I just wanted to show you all how beautiful the desert can be.

 View out one of my classroom windows.

    view outside of dining area on campus.                     

My poor pathetic yard. We have put this all in from bare dirt and weeds over the course of 3 summers. Still there is much to do.

See, the desert isn’t that bad.

I picked up this year’s seed catalogs out at the farm (my mother’s place) this weekend. I love my seed catalogs. Not only are they fun to read and look at they become great reference material as time goes by. Last year I ordered “Black Tula” tomato seeds from a company I cannot remember, and wouldn’t you know it, it was the one catalog that thrown out last year! None of the 6 seed catalogs I’ve read so far this year have had Black Tula tomato seeds. I  am stressing about this a little- enough that I don’t want to look for them online, only to find that there was a massive crop failure this year at the only seed grower of my beloved tomato.

As I gain the courage to do the google search, let me tell you about this tomato.  Fruit grows to be  8-10 ounce, lightly ribbed, round, reddish orange with large greenish black  shoulders. Fruits have a beautiful heirloom look to them.  The best part is the flavor- smokey, salty, tomatoey goodness. Noone in this house could get over how delicious they were. But we only got a handful last year as we put in just a few plants in a new garden spot. I guess the sun wasn’t as good as I thought and/or I didn’t ammend the sandy soil enough before planting.  This year I was planning on planting as many plants as I can at the farm at least 10 or 12 and introducing them at market.

Wish me luck.