Labeled, finally.

So, you know all that farm stuff I do? The gardening, the canning, the hens, etc.? It has a name. It has a movement, actually, and it's not as "weird" as it used to be. I learned this at the low tunnel workshop I attended yesterday. When people ask me what I'm into, I can respond with "urban food production" and they'll...um...raise their eyebrow in a questioning look.  Okay, it's not the coolest name, but it's accurate and slowly gaining respect. It certainly elicits more respect than "I like to garden", which sounds like an old lady hobby ;) and can easily be misunderstood as a flowers and shrubbery kind of passion, which is not at ALL what I do (outside of red dahlias, of course).

So, I'm into urban food production.

Speaking of the workshop, it was loads of fun. I was glad to have my friend Susan there with me to bounce ideas and criticisms off of. We were clearly the youngest of the bunch, by a couple decades. The low tunnel itself was elegant and I learned quite a bit about construction and some nifty tools/hardware that will make my future in urban food production much more efficient and beautiful. I asked the instructor specifically about keeping squirrels out of my garden. He suggested I kill them.

Um...all of them? In the whole neighborhood? 

The tunnel he constructed in front of us has lots of potential, though. It looks simple enough to make it taller for sweet corn, and I could easily use a variety of covering materials to fit my gardening needs throughout the season. It's well-designed and sturdy. It's also affordable. So, will I make one? Certainly. Not sure exactly when, though. I've gotta tweak the design a bit and set up an experimental plot. Maybe Heidi can help me with that this summer :)

Growing fresh greens throughout the winter is an addictive idea. He grows kale, spinach, baby salad greens, and others all the way into February. It's tricky business, and there are several new considerations with mid-winter gardening, but if I could somehow manage to learn it...garden fresh salads and sauteed greens for winter holidays...*gasp*...real, slow, high quality food at the intersection of food and family/friends. Another dream come true.