Corn Debris

 

Corn debris surrounding Beds 1-2

Two years ago, we would not have tolerated throwing debris in the garden. Too messy! Why can't things be neat? Cleaned up? Shouldn't all plant debris be in the compost bin? 

What we have learned over the last year, is that as soon as you throw something on the ground, things want to live underneath it. Worms, bugs, bacteria, fungus. Water collects underneath and helps to keep the soil moist. And that is what we call mulch. 

Here are two pictures from fall 2013 when we thought that neat was good. Notice how grey and dry the soil is. I was about to turn over the soil in this area and had difficulty getting the garden fork into the ground.   

Grey Dry Hard

Kids - do not do this at home!

Digging is bad for soil structure. Do not dig! Do not rototill! Please read Teaming with Microbes by Lowenfels & Lewis.

Three Heritage Corn Varieties

Bloody Butcher, Mandan Bride, Black Aztec

We had mixed results with the heritage corn. Some people liked it, some hated it. Personally, I ate some good cobs with lots of flavour, particularly Bloody Butcher; but also some chewy, starchy ones. The operative words in the descriptions below are "flour" and "cornmeal". 

Bloody Butcher

Known in the U.S. since 1845; originally from Virginia. Plants grow to 12’ tall and have at least two ears per stalk; each ear is 8-12” long. Striking maroon and red-black kernels. Used for flour, cornmeal, or corn-on-the-cob when young. Good drought tolerance. Great for fall decorations. 100 – 110 days. (www.seedsavers.org) 

 

Mandan Bride

From the Mandan Indians of Minnesota and North Dakota. Extensive color range includes some attractive striped kernels. Use as a flower corn or for fall displays. Ears are 6-8” long on 6’ plants. 85 -90 days. (www.seedsavers.org)

Black Aztec

 Delicious sweet corn said to have been grown by the Aztecs 2,000 years ago. Introduced to the seed trade by James J. H. Gregory in 1864. Vigorous 6’ plants produce 8” ears that are white at milk stage and turn jet black when mature. Makes an excellent blue cornmeal. 70 -90 days. (www.seedsavers.org)

 

 

Harvest 2015

"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness" - John Keats - Ode to Autumn

Well, not quite autumn when we harvested on September 16, but you get the picture. Below is the truckload that Parks Canada took to Winnipeg Harvest. In total, 455.5 pounds:

In comparison to prior years:
       - 2013     265.0 pounds
       - 2014     501.0 pounds
       - 2015     455.5 pounds

We're down slightly from last year, BUT, last year, pumpkins were the major contributor to the weight. Winnipeg Harvest said the pumpkins get used as decorations. This year, we planted just a couple of pumpkin seeds, and were not at all successful.This year, potatoes make up the bulk of the weight: 293 pounds of the 455.5 total.

Some potato statistics:
   - we planted 75 pounds of potatoes (1 1/2 bags) 
   - eight beds of potatoes yielded 293 pounds (six bags), so 37 pounds per bed
   - each bed was planted with 22 potatoes (cut in half), almost two pounds per potato 

Rabbits and Traps

Hewwo! Acme Pest Contwol? Weww I have a pest I want contwolled. - Elmer Fudd - Looney Tunes

 

As above, we have tried the large trap for raccoons and skunks (one of our volunteers has had great success trapping  rabbits with this trap). Previously, we had tried the medium trap that is designed for rabbits and squirrels - however, we sense a rabbit reluctance to enter because of its smaller size.

Take a close look at the above picture and you will see the rabbit directly above the highest corner of the cage. I took the picture after I had almost stepped on the rabbit when I was removing the unsuccessful cage from the Produce Garden. The majority of the food we had placed inside and around the cage had been eaten - but - it appears the rabbit was too light weight to trip the metal plate that causes the doors to drop.  

I dumped the remaining bait back in the Produce Garden. Ten minutes later, I took the following picture:

He is very tame . . .

  . . . but not tame in enough to grab by the ears and drive him off the property!

Why, you wascally wabbit!

In gardening, there is always next year.

Precipitation

We are vastly ahead of rainfall from previous years.
This year 20 inches (500 mm). Last year 14 inches (350mm). In 1886, 11 inches (275mm).

I would be surprised if anything was harvested in 1886 given lack of rain and lack of modern water delivery.
See References for month end comparisons of temperature, precipitation and heat.