Posts Tagged: gardening
Increase your food security, plant a fruit tree now!
I was struck the other day, when hearing about the world-wide soaring cost of foods, that we are incredibly lucky to live in California where food is so readily available to us. I was listening to this news on the radio as I was returning from my weekly trek to the grocery store and farmers market loaded with wonderful local whole fruits and vegetables of really high quality. I felt so fortunate and thankful at that moment that I could buy everything I wanted or pick what I wanted from my winter garden or my fruit laden citrus trees.You can increase your own food security by planting food in your own garden . . . and you can start by planting a fruit tree now. February is the time that you can plant what are known as “bare-root” fruit trees, grapevines and berries. Fruit trees are now widely available at local nurseries or through mail order websites and catalogs.
Pick a tree fruit variety that you really love and something that you can’t purchase easily from the market. For me, this would be some of the more fragile freestone peaches such as Rio Oso Gem, or JH Hale. Or, you might pick a space saving self-pollenating variety of cherry such as Stella.
I always think great apricots are difficult to purchase in the markets so planting an apricot makes sense . . . they are relatively pest free, mostly self-fruitful and make beautiful landscape trees. My favorite apricot varieties include Patterson, Tilton and Harcot.
Just a note though, not all fruit varieties will grow in all climate zones. If you live in the San Joaquin or Sacramento valleys, then you are in luck because these are the primary stone fruit growing zones of California. If you live in the inland valleys of the coastal range, or in the foothill regions of the Sierras, you can grow most fruit varieties as well. If you are, however, on the coast or in Southern California, you may want to pick varieties that are "low chill." For information on the best varieties for your climate zone go UC's California Backyard Orchard website.
By keeping the fruit tree short, it is easier to harvest, deal with pest issues and cover with nets if you have a squirrel problem. For more information on how to prune a fruit bush or other fruit tree training systems, the UC Cooperative Extension Office in Sacramento County has an excellent horticulture note.
If you are unsure of how to choose, plant or care for your fruit trees, grapevines or berry bushes, there is a UC Master Gardener nearby who can answer your questions. Click here to find your local Master Gardener program.
UC expert shares history of urban ag
A Los Angeles Times reporter zeroed in on remarks made by the director of UC Cooperative Extension in Ventura County, Rose Hayden-Smith, at a conference marking the opening of a new urban garden in San Marino.
Hayden-Smith, a history expert, was quoted in the second paragraph of the story and her name was mentioned five times as a source of historical information about growing food in urban spaces.
It's a present-day craze, but Hayden-Smith said it is not new.
- Ancient Romans tended rooftop gardens
- Early Americans grew food in Boston Common
- Vacant urban areas have been used as gardens for more than a century
"We're just going back and claiming our heritage," Hayden-Smith was quoted.
She encourages the resurrection of the U.S. "Victory Garden" movement to alleviate social problems like food insecurity and obesity. Recently, she said, military leaders expressed concern about the future of the armed services in light of potential recruits' weight issues.
"Let's have the Pentagon pop some bucks for school lunch," she said to enthusiastic applause, according to LA Times reporter Mary McVean.
A feast grows in Baldwin Park
The Baldwin Park Community Garden sits in the shadow of the San Bernardino Freeway in Eastern Los Angeles County. As the cars rush by, an effective and innovative community garden grows. A unique public-private partnership has made this garden possible to benefit the community and local children.
The garden, which is approximately a quarter acre in size, has both school and community plots. The land and financial support are provided by Kaiser Permanente. The City of Baldwin Park helps to maintain the garden. The Baldwin Park Unified School District uses the garden to engage fourth graders from four classrooms at two elementary schools in hands-on nutrition education through a project called “The Moveable Feast.”
The Moveable Feast conducts in-garden nutrition lessons, each of which includes an easy, healthy recipe using garden produce. Each month’s nutrition lesson ties into cultural and community awareness. For example, as the recession deepened, Moveable Feast Director Linda Hahn wanted lessons to tie in with the growing problem of hunger in the community. She had students prepare two “Rainbow Pita Pocket Sandwiches,” one for themselves, and one for a person in need. Hahn worked with the local food bank to distribute the extra sandwiches.
The garden activities have had a measurable impact on the kids. A survey of the students suggested that 87 percent eat more fruits and vegetables after having participated in the garden.
We receive many requests from teachers, community members and others who are interested in starting gardens. Our Common Ground Garden Program at UC Cooperative Extension in Los Angeles provides printed resources, and sometimes the support of UC Master Gardener volunteers.
Over the years, we've seen many projects succeed, and also many projects that come and go. The Baldwin Park Garden is a great example and seems to have three key ingredients that help to ensure and sustain its success:
- Institutional support. Three entities, Kaiser Permanente, the City of Baldwin Park, and the Baldwin Park Unified School District are deeply invested in this project, and support it either financially or through significant in-kind contributions.
- Meaningful youth involvement. Teachers and the school district, via the Moveable Feast, engage children in effective, measurable garden-based learning that’s tailored to the needs of the community.
- Promotion of the project to the community and key decision makers. The Moveable Feast has a “Guest Chef” program that brings in local leaders to see and participate in the garden. Student essay competitions, a garden cookbook and thank-you celebrations also help to promote and further engage the community in this endeavor.
For the kids, its success is very simple. As one student stated, "The garden is the best place I have gone since I entered fourth grade. It is the best garden in the world."
Rainbow Pita Sandwiches - RECIPE
A fourth-grade student reads her winning garden essay as Linda Hahn looks on.
Free information on food: Nutrition, food handling, safety, cooking, etc.
Mention that something is free and useful, and most of us will stop to take a look. And for good reason — the University of California has a number of websites that offer free information related to food.Take your time to peruse the sites listed below. There is some fascinating and very handy information to be had. Many of these sites also offer terrific publications at nominal prices, but this blog lists only those that are free . . . and we all love a bargain! Many more publications and programs are available than those listed below.
After looking at these lists, you never know when you’ll be inspired to pickle some olives or field dress a deer. As for me, my latest food craze is cheese-making. Two weeks ago I made goat cheese (chèvre, to be sure), and last weekend I made camembert and blue cheeses. Now I just have to be patient for two months while they ripen . . .
Bon appétit and healthful eating!
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources publications [link]
- Tomatoes: Safe methods to store, preserve, and enjoy [link]
- Olives: Safe methods for home pickling [link]
- Egg basics for the consumer: Packaging, storing, and nutritional information [link]
- Guidelines for food safety during short-term power outages: Consumer fact sheet [link]
- Key points of control and management for microbial food safety: Edible landscape [link]
- Safe handling of fruits and vegetables [link]
- Safe methods of canning vegetables [link]
- The healthy brown bag: 15 lunches for school-aged children [link]
Postharvest Technology Research and Information Center [link]
- Storing fresh fruits and vegetables at home – poster (first copy free) [link]
Fruit and Nut Research and Information Center [link]
- The Backyard Orchard – A plethora of publications on growing and harvesting in the home orchard [link]
Nutrition publications from UC Davis [link]
- Nutrition and health information sheets on everything from energy drinks to osteoporosis to anemia, and more [link]
- EatFit - An interactive web program to aid middle-school students in personal dietary analysis and "guided goal setting" [link]
- “Nutrition Perspectives” newsletter - Research-based information on ongoing nutrition and food-related programs [link]
- “Nutrition to Grow On” - A curriculum for grades four through six that offers teachers a direct link between the garden and nutrition education [link]
Food Safety Videos
- Take a look at these humorous — but serious — music videos on food safety by renowned food safety expert Dr. Carl Winter. Who knew that the Beatles’ classic “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” could morph into “You’d Better Wash Your Hands”? [link]
- More food safety music [link]
Cooperative Extension Offices [link]
- Many county offices have publications on food production that is specific to climatic or regional needs of that county.
Publication of the Day!
- Protecting food safety when shooting, field dressing, bringing a deer home, and cutting the carcass [link]
Make your vegetable garden gorgeous
Vegetable and fruit gardens are taking over American backyards and that is a really good thing. However, many gardeners are forgetting that their backyard should also be a place to enjoy in other ways and hence the food garden really should be a thing of beauty as well as productivity.I was at a garden in downtown Oakland not too long ago and the garden, while productive for being on a vacant lot, still looked somewhat like a vacant lot. You could tell there were veggies growing, chickens ran around and there were also goats on the lot but it wasn’t really a place of beauty. It looked more like a weedy lot with intermittent plots of veggies.
A beautiful vegetable garden is not difficult but it does take some planning. First, it is important to think about design. Create a garden that is pleasing to the eye with garden beds that are appropriate size for the space, and are repeated in the garden. Include walkways and paths that are clear cut and wide enough for equipment that you will use. Add elements that excite the eye such as an interesting trellis for your peas or a small bird
bath or other elements that create interest.Hide things that are not attractive with a trellis or with a screen of fruit trees. Everyone needs a place to stack up green garden refuse that needs to be chopped up for the compost pile.
Create space to sit and ponder your garden and rest in the shade. On a hot day out in the garden a little bench with some shade is a welcome respite.
Plan ahead so that you have open beds you can plant in August for your winter vegetables. So often we plant everything for summer and then August comes and we don’t have any room left for broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, onions and garlic.
Consider color as an added element to your garden. Flowers add not only blasts of color but they also enhance the beneficial insect population. Add color to your garden by painting raised beds with colorful designs.Add something quirky to your garden. Do you have an antique or rusted metal object that can be planted with trailing herbs or strawberries? How about hanging an old stained glass window on a tree branch or a fence. Even colorful bottles hung around the garden add interest and sound.
The key is to make your garden pleasing to the eye as well as the palate.
Pipe trellis.