Gettysburg
Last week we went on vacation to Washington D.C. We decided to go to Longwood Gardens on our way out and we stopped by Gettysburg on our way out.
The magnolia trees were in full bloom on in Pennsylvania. We have magnolias here in Ohio, but we often get cold weather when they’re budding so they’re not as pretty as they are out east.
The cemetery at Gettysburg is a somber yet beautiful place. It is filled with old trees that were planted to represent the states that lost men during that battle. I thought about this quote while we were walking around under the canopy of the very old trees, “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
Fought over the first three days of July 1863, the Battle of Gettysburg was one of the most critical battles of the Civil War having occurred at a time when the fate of the nation hung in the balance.
We were only there for an hour or so as the sun was setting. It is so amazing to think about the history of our country and what places like this represent. I’ve been to Gettysburg several times, and each time it’s very moving. I’m very thankful that places like this have been preserved.
Do you like to visit historical places like Gettysburg?
Share this:
Open Windows
It’s the perfect weather for open windows here at Chiot’s Run. There’s nothing better than enjoying the breeze blowing through the house and hearing the birds singing outside.
Some summers we can have our windows open all summer here in Ohio, other summers it’s hot and muggy and the air conditioner gets turned on. I’m hoping we have another cool summer this year so we can have the windows open all summer long, I love open window season!
Do you like open windows?
Share this:
Quote of the Day: Rachel Carson
“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.”
~ Rachel Carson
We truly do live in a beautiful world. You can find beauty in nature everywhere you look. We often think of flowers when we think about the beauty of nature, but what about the little things we often don’t even notice, like moss.
What kinds of things do you find most beautiful about the earth?
Share this:
Eating Locally
“China wants to be the main producer for the world. The implications are huge. Cheap Chinese labor will provide mountains of “bargain” lettuce to be shipped by freighter around the world. More and more, North American consumers will eat produce from distant places they will never visit, though they might easily have grown the vegetables in their own backyards. In fact, they might be eating that imported produce at exactly the same time that it’s growing just a few miles away. This is called “redundant trade”; consider, for example, the fact that international strawberry imports to California peak during that state’s strawberry season.
No region feeds itself anymore: we all stand in reference the same global food system. Wherever you may choose to go, the same trucks zip across the landscape filled with the same chicken nuggets or canned cream corn, and the fertile fields are turned into housing tracts. The lettuce was grown in Asia and came to port under a Panamanian flag of convenience. All is hidden and anonymous.”
-Plenty (Alisa Smith and J.B. Mackinnon)
It’s farmer’s market season in most of the country, ours opened today. Unfortunately I missed it because we were on our way back from Washington DC, that’s why the posting was sporadic this week (sorry). The internet at our hotel was less than perfect so it was difficult to get things uploaded. I’ll fill you in on the wonderful things we saw on vacation soon, and I can’t wait till next Saturday morning to head to the farmer’s market!
Are you excited for farmer’s market season?
Share this:
The Balance of Nature: Companion Planting
One way to keep you garden healthy and reduce insect problems is to use companion planting. There are plants that grow well together, plants that repel insects, plants that repel other plants, and plants that improve the soil. Probably the most well-known companion planting is the Three Sisters Garden. The best way to learn about all of these is to read a few books on it, my favorite is: Carrots Love Tomatoes.
Marigolds are one of those beneficial plants it seems everyone knows about. Marigolds also deter nematodes that attack potatoes & strawberries. They do this by producing a chemical in the roots, this chemical kills the nematodes when it goes into the soil. It is produced slowly so the marigolds must be grown all season long. Marigolds also help tomatoes produce better, they help deter the Mexican bean beetle, and they help deter weeds such as bindweed, ground elder, and ground ivy. The older heirloom varieties are considered the best.
Some plants attract beneficial insects to your gardens and some deter bad insects. For example: carrots suffer from the carrot fly and onions suffer from the onion fly. However, if you plant carrots and onions together the smell of each plant makes it so that neither insect attempts to lay their eggs on the other plant.
Another way that beneficial plants work in the garden is by improving the soil. It is well known that legumes add nitrogen to the soil, that’s why they can be used as a cover crop in your garden beds. Many of these plants accumulate minerals from the soil and these minerals are put back into the soil when you compost the plants. I keep 6 comfrey plants in my garden for this purpose. The leaves are cut several times each summer and used in the compost bins.
A few more examples of companion planting:
Plant garlic with roses to protect them from aphids & other pests.
Nasturtiums keep broccoli free of aphids.
Bush beans do well when planted with celery.
Pole beans do not do well with beets.
Carrots help peas grow better.
Castor beans and foxglove repel deer.
Geraniums repel cabbage worms.
One thing to remember about this and all organic methods is that they are not instant like chemical methods often are. They are however better for your garden in the long run. I’ve had great luck with marigolds in my garden beds and by growing basil and other herbs among my vegetables.
So what kinds of companion planting work for you?
