Shine on Harvest Moon

All the beans and tomato seeds have finally dried to perfection for next year’s planting, several days ahead of the appropriate Harvest Moon.  For reference, moldy fermented tomato pulp is about the worst smell in the world, but after rinsing and drying, it is all worth it.

I catalogued their photos as I went, looked up their varietal names at Tomato Growers Supply Company (dangerous place if you love tomatoes!!), and bought some small envelopes at the local art supply store.  Here, friends, is next year’s hopeful crop so far…

Along with these, I have sent out my requests to several wonderful seed catalogues, including Seed Savers Exchange, ElDorado  and Seeds of Change.  They should be arriving any day now and will make for some great winter (I feel guilty to even use that word in San Diego) planning for next year’s garden.

Blue and I have received our first friendly offer to co-op from a friend living in a small apartment in Mission Valley, so we have already seemingly embarked on our first crop share too.  This will come in very handy for those times when we plan to take a couple days vacation and need a cooperative farm-sitter… and vice versa for our buddies.

Our current planning has us looking into a 100-150 square foot area in the back yard where we would like to place our crops.  For the rest of the yard, we hope to borrow a roto-tiller and purchase or trade for some rich and beautiful amended soil from a friend in the business of Community Supported Agriculture, Jack Ford, our friend at TAJ Farms.  Jack has a wonderful livestock and dairy CSA in Valley Center and provides the most wonderful chicken, turkey, lamb, rabbit and pork you have ever laid eyes on.  The animals are all free range and humanely raised on all organic agriculture grown right on the farm.  Eggs and dairy, the best I have ever tasted.  Look him up and tell him we sent you, and watch for upcoming presentations of his on humane urban farming and agriculture in our community.

More to come soon on our plans for the yard and garden, including soil amendment, rain water collection, composting, and our final mapping out of space and how we intend to rip it all up and get it all ready!