Learning, so much learning

Yesterday was my first horticulture class at the Kerr Center for Sustainable Agriculture. Back in November I found out I was lucky enough to be chosen to participate in their first ever Beginning Farmers program. There are two tracks - Horticulture and Livestock. It is a year long program, and we 'graduate' in October.

I learned so much. My head is full and tired (I drove to Poteau, OK and back in the same day). We learned about Organic Certification...what a process! Biointensive and bioextensive methods of farming. Different methods of starting transplants; many different types of cover crops; and compost, compost, compost. Below are some photo highlights of the day; next time I'll have to bring my real camera.

 Beautiful southeast Oklahoma.

 Compost Trace Mineral Amendment - going to have to mix up some of this for our compost!

 Radish as cover crop. This particular type of radish is related to a Daikon radish.

Bio-extensive method of cover crops at a large scale. There are 4 plots at almost a half-acre each. They test many different types of cover crops, methods of cutting and are moving more and more to the no-till method of gardening. The no till method involves cutting the cover crop, leaving it in place and then planting transplants. The 'green' material acts as mulch and food for the transplants, and keeps out weeds. These plots were amazing! So much beneficial insect life - bumble bees, honey bees, and the heartiest ladybugs (and their larvae) I've ever seen.

Compost, compost, compost.  This pile is made up of just sweet potato clippings (mulched with a mower) and corn stalks. The middle of the pile was nearly 70 degrees!

Biochar Reactor. We're going to learn a lot more about this, and see it in action next month at the Resilient Farmer Workshop.

Bio-extensive method scaled down to our 'urban farm' size. We've been playing around with the bio-extensive method of cover crops, and intend to do more of this in the future.

George Kuepper demonstrating how to do a soil test.

Inside the greenhouse - giant tubs of Comfrey, Stinging Nettle and Horseradish. They use the Comfrey and Stinging Nettle to make a fermented plant juice.

I didn't get any photos of the transplant starting session. It was late, I was tired, and in a daze. We got to use a soil blocker, and paper potmaker. And they very generously shared some heirloom peppers, tomato, and eggplant seeds with all of us.

Expansion and Experiments

We're taking over my folks backyard...slowly. It's just down the street and they're willing...as long as, according to my dad, we don't make it an obstacle course to mow. We have ordered two Paw Paw trees to plant in their backyard. Are planning to expand the raised bed area the previous owners left behind as well as try a keyhole bed. We decided to get working on the keyhole bed today.

Awhile back we attended a free course at OSU/OKC on season extension methods. We learned about low tunnels, hoop houses and greenhouses. We decided to try a low tunnel on one of our raised beds. I'm not sure why the photos got all jumbly...blogger is not cooperating. Hopefully you get the idea - we planted some cool weather crops, we bent some EMT (metal tubes), stuck them in the ground, attached a purlin, covered the whole thing in agribond (special fabric that lets in light and moisture while keeping things warmer). The photo from the inside was from a few weeks back, things have grown some since then.

Sunberries!

Oh how we love the sunberries. They are sort of like a blueberry, but with more of an explosion of sunshine in your mouth. They are incredibly delicate and most all of what we get off of the one plant gets picked and eaten in the yard.

We recently got a ton of rain and the temps have cooled enough that the plant is really producing. By really producing I mean a small bowl's worth. I have plans of growing many, many more sunberry plants next year. Visions of sunberry jam.

Número Uno

The main reason I put so much effort in to growing our own food and making good, real food is our son. Don't get me wrong, growing things, gardening, connecting with nature and the change of seasons has always been a part of my life. I remember my grandpa's garden full of radishes, tomatoes, cukes and plums. While my mom has always had more of an eye for aesthetics and landscape design, less emphasis on food. Honestly, it was these two peoples' influences that drew me to landscape architecture.

Over time my focus has come to center on food security, organic production and permaculture. Our bit of land has become a testing ground in combining design aesthetics and food production.

super-mini apple orchard

We are always wanting to increase our fruit production and recently planted three apple trees using the high density planting method. Right now they are surrounded by our volunteer sunflowers, making it a little hard to see the trees. In our tree triangle we planted Arkansas Black, Golden Delicious and Granny Smith apple varieties. If the high density planting method is successful I'm thinking we'll have to do the same for cherries - a favorite of mine and the little person.

Adventures in Lacto-Fermentation, and Petitions

Trying out some lacto-fermentation methods of preservation.

Also trying out a petition for Norman Chickens.

chickens!

WE WANT CHICKENS!

As the law stands we cannot meet the distance requirements for keeping chickens on our normal sized suburban lot. We just sent the following letter to our councilperson and Mayor.

Mayor Rosenthal,

We are long time Norman residents and homeowners in Ward 8. We are writing to ask for your consideration in changing the zoning code in regards to chickens. While chickens are technically allowed in any zoning district, according to Section 3-501, it is virtually impossible to meet the following distance requirements on a typical suburban lot:

(3) Such animals maintained on single-family, two-family and multi-family districts are not permitted closer than:

[a]Twenty-five (25) feet to a lot line upon which is situated an inhabited dwelling, nor

[b] One hundred (100) feet to any dwelling other than the owner's

There are numerous benefits to keeping chickens. They are vigorous eaters of pests such as mosquito, grubs, and flies. They provide great, high-quality fertilizer. They dispose of weeds and kitchen scraps that otherwise might end up in the landfill. Chickens provide an affordable source of protein that is often of higher quality than store-bought eggs. They can be a way for families to achieve more food security . Last but not least, chickens are fun, friendly pets with educational value for children about where food comes from. Roosters are not necessary for egg production, and without roosters present hens are much quieter.

We researched 14 cities similar in size and population and with a university (please see attached table); many allow chickens and with less restrictive distance requirements than Norman. Twenty-five feet from adjacent structures is the most common distance in these peer cities. Many of these cities limit the number of hens and most do not allow roosters. Several have requirements that chicken coops be maintained and kept clean. We would ask you to please consider revisions to Norman’s ordinance, reducing the distance requirements for the keeping of chickens. We would welcome any additional clarification you think necessary such as, prohibiting roosters, coop maintenance, number of hens, etc.

If we may be of further assistance, or if we need to come before City Council, please let us know.

Here's the table referenced in the letter:

If you too would like to contact your councilperson or Norman's Mayor regarding chickens their contact information is here http://www.ci.norman.ok.us/content/city-council and here http://www.ci.norman.ok.us/content/mayor