Your 2024 Garden

[JacinLarkwell]

I do have one bed I could probably use though for that. I forgot about it. I had planned to try Mongolian Giant sunflowers in it, but it could probably be used for corn.

 

[gtaus]

They also use manure as fertilizer (STINKS!), which they get from their cows.

It was called "Sunshine Fertilizer" back when I was a kid. We still had a few farmers that raised livestock as well as growing crops. I never really minded the smell of cow manure. I always considered it the smell of a working farm. Don't see many of those old-time family farmers anymore where I grew up. Now, they are all agri-businessmen growing one money crop, no animals, and using tons of chemical fertilizers on the land.

In some ways, I think I practice more farming skills and methods than the young guys today out on the big farms. I compost almost all my organics on my property, raise chickens for fresh eggs, use their manure in my chicken run compost to feed my garden beds, and grow some food for the family. It works for me on a small scale, but I'm sure you could not make a living at it.

 

[Iluveggers]

It was called "Sunshine Fertilizer" back when I was a kid. We still had a few farmers that raised livestock as well as growing crops. I never really minded the smell of cow manure. I always considered it the smell of a working farm. Don't see many of those old-time family farmers anymore where I grew up. Now, they are all agri-businessmen growing one money crop, no animals, and using tons of chemical fertilizers on the land.

In some ways, I think I practice more farming skills and methods than the young guys today out on the big farms. I compost almost all my organics on my property, raise chickens for fresh eggs, use their manure in my chicken run compost to feed my garden beds, and grow some food for the family. It works for me on a small scale, but I'm sure you could not make a living at it.

We are fortunate enough to have a couple regenerative farms within driving distance. Since I haven’t had much success with winter growing (may eventually build a small greenhouse or cold frame), I can place a weekly order with them for greens, beets, herbs, and a few other winter crops. Love supporting them!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

We are fortunate enough to have a couple regenerative farms within driving distance. Since I haven’t had much success with winter growing (may eventually build a small greenhouse or cold frame), I can place a weekly order with them for greens, beets, herbs, and a few other winter crops. Love supporting them!

That's neat

 

[fuzzi]

Okay. I use a lot of totes and planning to get some pools too this year for gardening, so I would MUCH rather trellis as many as I can.

I used cattle panels to make trellises. Worked great!

How to do it video is here:

 

[fuzzi]

It was called "Sunshine Fertilizer" back when I was a kid. We still had a few farmers that raised livestock as well as growing crops. I never really minded the smell of cow manure. I always considered it the smell of a working farm. Don't see many of those old-time family farmers anymore where I grew up. Now, they are all agri-businessmen growing one money crop, no animals, and using tons of chemical fertilizers on the land.

In some ways, I think I practice more farming skills and methods than the young guys today out on the big farms. I compost almost all my organics on my property, raise chickens for fresh eggs, use their manure in my chicken run compost to feed my garden beds, and grow some food for the family. It works for me on a small scale, but I'm sure you could not make a living at it.

I grew up in a rural area of Connecticut. There were a lot of farms around us, especially dairy farms. We always could tell when the farmers were spreading manure on their fields. I actually like the sweetish smell of cow manure, and when I am nearby it reminds me of my childhood.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

I grew up in a rural area of Connecticut. There were a lot of farms around us, especially dairy farms. We always could tell when the farmers were spreading manure on their fields. I actually like the sweetish smell of cow manure, and when I am nearby it reminds me of my childhood.

I'm the same way with the sugar beet factories. Absolutely love the smell of them, mainly for the nostalgia

 

[gtaus]

I used cattle panels to make trellises. Worked great!

Love those trellises from cattle panels. So easy to bend over and you are basically done. I bet they will last a lifetime as well. Thanks for all those pictures.

As another option for @JacinLarkwell , I'll show what I did this past year with some salvaged lumber and pallet wood and a stretch of leftover fencing wire I had laying around the backyard....

Because I had the pallet wood and wire on hand, that trellis cost was FREE to me. So, I used what I had.

Here is a picture of the raised bed gardens later in the fall. You can see how the bitter melon filled out the trellis on the sides and top...

If you are making a trellis for totes or kiddie pools, you might not be able to bend a cattle panel to the size or space you need. If you have some pallet wood or salvaged lumber and some fencing, you can customize the size of your trellis.

There are lots of other options as well, such as a single sided straight trellis like this...

That might work better for a small tote garden.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Love those trellises from cattle panels. So easy to bend over and you are basically done. I bet they will last a lifetime as well. Thanks for all those pictures.

As another option for @JacinLarkwell , I'll show what I did this past year with some salvaged lumber and pallet wood and a stretch of leftover fencing wire I had laying around the backyard....

View attachment 3711699

Because I had the pallet wood and wire on hand, that trellis cost was FREE to me. So, I used what I had.

Here is a picture of the raised bed gardens later in the fall. You can see how the bitter melon filled out the trellis on the sides and top...

View attachment 3711701

If you are making a trellis for totes or kiddie pools, you might not be able to bend a cattle panel to the size or space you need. If you have some pallet wood or salvaged lumber and some fencing, you can customize the size of your trellis.

There are lots of other options as well, such as a single sided straight trellis like this...

View attachment 3711702

That might work better for a small tote garden.

I have some cage fencing that I'm planning to use. It's too large gapped for my chicken pens, but not as large and unweilding as cattle panels are either

 

[JacinLarkwell]

It came!