A New Year, A New Farm

[southernmom]

So another project we have going on are fruit trees. I have been doing a lot of reading re: food forests and permaculture and having food growing that doesn't necessarily LOOK like food at first glance. I have a little bit of Jerusalem artichoke planted and a little cassava as well...stuff that I wouldn't necessarily eat every day but it's good to have. I also have a handful of moringa trees around that I started f-]\=]om seed-now those grow FAST and are touted as a great item to have around in starvation situations and they don't look like anything but a big ol tree.
We have about 4 established mulberry trees that have fruited GALLONS of berries. These trees are glorious wonders. I haven't had mulberries in years and eating them reminded me of many a spring sitting in my mulberry tree treehouse my grandfather built for me. It was in the middle of the field right at the well-and I'd sit up there and stuff myself and watch him tractor and plant for spring/early summer. It is a treat to have those trees here.
We also have a large fig tree, (my favorite fruit of all time) a large plum tree, pomegranate, and of course a half dozen various established citrus trees dotting the place.
So to add to the fruit we have planted: carambola (starfruit) two guavas, 3 more figs, mysore raspberry, 2 goji berries, 3 dragonfruit (they are just little cacti in the ground we will see what they do.) banana trees, papaya, and of course a persimmon. I've also got some clumping bamboo going, pigeon peas, comfrey, assorted annuals, some herbs, and a nice bed of sweet taters. etc.
Now instead of just planting these in perfect rows I have them sort of 'clumped in a little tighter grouping-enough to give them space but they will sort of all grow closely to make a little forest guild area. At their bases I have some pigeon peas and different herbs planted to help fix nitrogen and create a living forest, not just some trees hanging out all lonely.
I have so many other ideas and trees I am thinking about planting in order to create a seld sustaining little forest along with the annuals. I'm loving it here.

[W.Lynn]

The trees sound awesome. I know starfruit, some of the others aren't familiar though. All fruit, no nuts?

[southernmom]

The trees sound awesome. I know starfruit, some of the others aren't familiar though. All fruit, no nuts?

There is a pecan tree here that seems to have escaped the yearly webworm pecanopocalypse that seems to happen here in FL every spring/summer. So I'm gonna start babying it. (web worms are these worms that build huge cocoon webs that take over and dang near defoliate pecan trees here. And there's not much you can do other than cut them out)
I also am looking into chestnut trees-there is a variety that grows well. Also, while not a tree, we can grow peanuts.

[southernmom]

Mysore raspberry is a fruiting bush that does great here in FL, and it's a good substitute for raspberry which doesn't grow well, here. Goji berry bushes have little berries that are full of antioxidants and dry well. Guavas and Persimmons are great trees-those are sort of semi tropical fruits. I plan on planting the old sand pear variety (or pound pear-hard pears that are large and round and are better for canning-I loved them growing up) and a few peaches.
There are so many bizarre fruits that grow here.

[Tex]

There are so many bizarre fruits that grow here.

And the rest have moved there from somewhere up north.



Tex

[Dode]

I've enjoyed reading your journal..... great stuff here!

[dangerdan]

SM ..Happy for you ..

DD

[southernmom]

UGH.
So I talk to a lot of gardeners/farmers-and this by far has been the weirdest year in terms of production. Plants are withering and dying due to pesticide contamination of hay or pesticide drift from neighboring fields for one. The blight/fungus on tomatoes and squash has been unreal. Peas have just refused to grow or just don't produce anything.-replanting has been common this year. I was so excited after we did so well in the spring with the green beans and potatoes...but after that it all just went to hell.
Now I know there are less productive years and years where blight or insects thrive and seem worse-but I'm telling you this has been from almost everyone I talk to from different areas, from south florida all the way to north florida a lot of gardeners are just bewildered. Sure, there are some who have done ok regardless but not near as many have succeeded with a garden this year as even the year before. I just hope my fall and winter garden does better.
So it has been such a disappointing year...but on the up side our fruit trees have been great. We had more mulberries than we knew what to do with. We had figs and little plums and the trees that aren't fruiting yet have grown like crazy. So that is good.
I planted a couple florida cranberry (thai roselle) and they are as big as the guava trees.
Not giving up yet!

[Gwynmael]

Agreed!

[dangerdan]

There is a spray for tomato fungus ( I don't remember the name)
You must be proactive with it ,spray before fungus attacks .
keep bottom of plants clear of branches and leaves .
Spray when dry .
do not burn or compost infected plants ,send to landfill as spores just fly away when burnt .

Good luck and google the anti fungal spray



DD

[southernmom]

Thanks for the input
I have a friend who told me to sweeten the soil with a little lime and that discourages the fungus as well. We shall see-in the meantime I am trying some fall tomatoes in some containers.
I put some green beans, turnips, beets, collards, kale, mustard and carrots in the ground this past weekend. We thought we would try the front yard area with some square foot beds to see how they act. The herbs and fruit tree I have there are doing great with no sign of problems so we shall see.
I also meandered out and took a gander at the seminole pumpkin patch-they are now flowering which is awesome. I also have some sweet taters to dig. I am feeling a bit more upbeat about it all.
Anyone else getting ready to fall garden?

[southernmom]

I got little seedlings coming up!
Here's to hoping I can get those beets to grow. Never had a lot of luck with those. The turnips and radishes are all kinds of gorgeous. *skips off happily*

[southernmom]

Yet another update! Seems that we are destined to do well with chickens. We have a hoop coop but like to let the flock of about 25 (plus 2 bastard roosters) roam and free range during the day. They do really well this way and it cuts down on feed cost a little.
We get enough eggs to share with 2 other families as well which is awesome.
I do have a cool little chicken story. Got up on thanksgiving morning and meandered into the kitchen to start coffee when I hear my husband yell from the back porch to 'come here quick!' I run outside thinking the worst but nope....there was our best hen strutting around showing off 15 adorable day old chicks!!! She hadnt been around for a few weeks and had assumed the worst but nope...she was just hatching some babies! They are pretty big now and they free range along with the rest.

[southernmom]

Here is mama and her babies. OUt of 15, 13 survived. The cat got 2 of them. To keep them safe when hey were this small we secured them in a real simple pvc framed rectangle chicken tractor with mama hen. As I said, they roam now but wow is she a mighty protective mama!!! I will say that with all this free ranging we don't have any ticks or fleas or bugs in the yard! Our two silly dogs are flea free as well. A miracle in Florida. Usually they thrive in the sand.

hensandchicks.jpg

[southernmom]

As far as plants and such we have some greens growing and I tried my hand at asparagus beans (super long green beans) and they are pretty easy. We found some wild chayote growing all over the branch of an oak tree outside which seems to have been there for quite some time. So I didn't grow a super big fall garden but did experiment a little and threw some seeds in the ground for greens that have turned out pretty ok.
I have also been crafting a lot more-did some quilting, tunisian crochet, and just recently had the husband build me a huge 8 ft triloom that I had to drill over 600 tiny little holes and tap finishing nails into and hopefully today get it hung on the wall to play around with. I also got my hands on a very large drinking horn that i need to finish to make it safe to drink from. It was a great price so the scandinavian in me was pretty pleased all around!
Pics: first is the husband with the loom, then up close of nail spacing
loom.jpg

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