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...the Crew through the Winter
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"I'll be reading up on landscape design beside the fire at night and skiing on the Colorado slopes by day."
-Carly
"There's a great course on accounting for small businesses that I enrolled in--oh! and I'll be teaching myself Russian, too!"
-Julia
"Going to be hiking around the beautiful Catoctin Mountain Park and taking some courses in Landscape Construction and Horticulture to stay on top of the latest methods in the biz."
-Gavin
"I'm looking forward to some long bike rides with my brother in Florida and being my usual bookworm self--reading all about advanced perennial flower and herb propagation."
-Natalie
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"This Winter will be a mix of snowboarding in Vermont and studying up on Permaculture Design for Regional Planning with the folks over at Yestermorrow Design and Build School."
-Tanner
"I'm very excited to be speaking at the Food Tank's First Annual Summit on Jan 21st-22nd in DC about our work! I'll also be designing and building a custom composting system for L&C as well as creating a modular compost system to install for clients' home gardens."
-Morgan
"I'm looking forward to spending some quality time at home in Boston, MA this Winter--visiting old friends at farms I've worked at throughout New England-- helping out with Winter Vacation kids' eco-camps and attending the Bionutrient Food Association Conference in Vermont to learn about all things soil!"
-Megan
"I'll be in Miami, FLA helping out with the filming of a documentary on endangered coral reefs and the consequences of dredging in Biscay Bay...and working on some large-scale garden designs as well!"
-Meredith
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In the Garden...
taken from: theDigIn.com
...Common Questions
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Q: I know Garlic was planted this Fall; is it ready now?
A: Some crops are planted in late Fall with the intention of growing through the Winter into the Spring. These crops benefit from a semi-dormant period strengthening their root systems in order to prepare for healthy growing when the temps warm and sunlight begins increasing. Garlic is one of these crops. It may have sprouted through the mulch insulation--this is ok--let it be; the frost will kill back the shoot. In the Spring, pull back the mulch, weed, and feed the Garlic with high in Nitrogen fish emulsion mixture. Harvest the Garlic Scapes in the Spring to prevent the plant from taking energy away from precious bulb development. Dig up the new bulbs* (drying and saving some cloves for planting in Nov!), in July when the lower leaves have turned yellowish-brown and topped over. And enjoy the hard work of almost a whole Growing Season!
*Garlic is a biennial--meaning it takes two Growing Seasons to reach reproductive maturity and complete its life cycle. Harvest some bulbs the first year while leaving others in the soil and the following Summer, you'll be able to harvest much bigger fully formed bulbs!
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Q: What is Season Extension?
A: Season Extension is all about growing cold-hardy crops that can handle cold temps and produce a harvest while slow-growing in low levels of daylight. Farmers lend a helping-hand to such plants by growing in low-tunnels and building mini-greenhouse like structures to house crops. The idea is to capitalize on the sunshine while it's shining--amplifying its heat though transparent plastic and glass. It's important to remember to periodically allow air in and to deeply water close to the base of the plants.
You can also extend the Season without structures--simply by choosing crop varieties that are cold-hardy, mulching the topsoil around the plants, and covering with thick Remay. These crops also rather enjoy the chilly temps; they convert their starches into sugars making them taste sweeter! Your go-to's Season Extension all-stars are: Greens like Kale, Mach, Claytonia and Spinach and roots like Carrots, Parsnips and Turnips.
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...staying healthy & happy with Creamy Cauliflower Garlic Soup & Roasted Garlic!
Check out these savvy recipes on our Blog from healthy living guru Joanne Schneider
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Green Gatherings
GoodSoil Events Book Club
-discussing: Farmacology, featuring a Skype call from the author, Daphne Miller
When: Saturday January 31st, 9:00 AM - 10:15 AM
Where: Bus Boys & Poets 14th & V Street location DC
Rooting DC
- the central meeting ground for individuals and nonprofits looking to grow a healthier food system in the nation’s capital
When: Saturday, February 28th, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Where: Wilson High School 3950 Chesapeake Street NW, DC
Future Harvest Conference
-How-to workshops for farmers and food lovers alike, with workshops on everything from food photography to grafting apple trees
When: Thursday, January 15th-Saturday, January 17th, all day
Where: College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center
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