Lavender Fields Forever

Here is a common story across the U.S.:  I live in a small town that has been traditionally agricultural. Since the late 1800s, we were one of the most productive farming communities in the Pacific Northwest.  Our rich alluvial soils were regionally famous. We exported fruits, vegetables, grains, livestock, and fibers, and we were the most successful producers of dairy products in the state.

Then came the 60s and 70s. People caught on to what a paradise it was. Land was cheap. The population exploded, property values and taxes skyrocketed, and with the growth of mega-ag farms and economic changes, agricultural production costs went up while prices for commodities went down. Many of our old-time family farms, unable to survive economic pressures, were sold to developers.

Today – nearly 75% of our farmland has been lost.  Of our 500 dairies, only 2 remain. Yes, only two.

Saving the farmland has been a real challenge. One way is to support the local farmer (BUY LOCAL!).

Another is to support organizations such as Friends of the Fields, which is a nonprofit that is committed to preserving farms and farming in our region.

And a third is to adapt to change.

Enter Agritourism – that alternative farming enterprise that blends farming with tourism, education, and just having a great time.

Most people think of pumpkin patches and corn mazes, which have sprouted up all over the country.  In Sequim, it’s lavender.

In July, our community turns into one big party in purple. Great music, locally grown food, wine and cheese …. mmmm …. it’s all about the sensations: see, hear, feel, taste, and smell.  And though we might get invaded by 30,000 people, they’re all here for a good time, to spend a little money, to kick back, relax, and smell the lavender.

So it might not be traditional farming, but it is agriculture all the same. It has raised awareness of the importance of farming in our community. It has given our community a tremendous economic boost and has brought us together.

I’m curious – is agritourism or other forms of alternative farming helping to save agriculture in your community?

Want to know more about the Sequim Lavender Festival? Click here.

See more photos and  visit my regular blog  here.

Thanks for visiting!

First Garlic Harvest ‘09

Yikes! I don’t know about everyone else, but harvest time came nearly 2 weeks early this year! Usually I plant around Halloween with the idea that a later sowing will delay the harvest until after the 4th of July holiday. This year, however, the plants fooled me.

I can only figure it’s the weather. We have had one of the driest seasons in 116 years, including two periods of scorching heat (by our standards). The drought, combined with frequent winds strong enough to blow chairs off our deck, have made keeping on top of watering especially tricky this year.

Watering is such a balancing act. The garlic needs good drainage; too wet a soil (and other damp conditions) invite molds and fungi. Too dry, however, and the bulbs shrivel and wilt in our choking, clay-based soil. Mulch can help conserve moisture; but it also keeps the plants a bit too cool, provides a safe haven for insects and rodents, and encourages fungal growth. And then there’s the advice not to water the last few weeks before harvest, assuming you know when that is. We hit a hot spell late June – to water or not to water? Last year, the molds wiped out a lot of my crop. I didn’t want to take a chance.

And so I bit my nails as I watched the plants, obviously a bit stressed, as their bottom leaves browned and they neared the end of their life cycle. I could only think that if it is true that flavors intensify under adverse growing conditions, my garlic is bound to be particularly strong this year.

When to harvest is a bit more art than science. We all like to say that when we don’t really know what we’re doing, even though we’ve been doing it for years and years. But the fact is, the bulb can increase a lot during its last month. Harvest too early? Wimpy bulbs. Too late? No storage value; earwigs and other bugs move in. Better a little early than late.

Sometimes there is only one way to tell: test a few. “Green” (i.e., uncured) garlic is delightfully mellow. Gently cooked, it spreads on a crumpet like soft butter…and if that isn’t reason enough to test whether its “ready,” I don’t know what is!

Dig the bulbs when the bottom leaves die off but a few green ones remain. Sometimes, though, with the tips yellowed and the bottom leaves brown, and if the plant is looking pretty dry, you start thinking that harvesting is an act of mercy. Just do it.

And now that I am finally getting them out of the ground, what do we get? RAIN! Lots of it.

Aaaggh! Will the dreaded mold and fungus return? I don’t know. I will do my best to chase them off with good air circulation. And wait.

In the meantime, the plants that remain are breathing a sigh of relief, and I have to admit, that rain feels mighty good.

Gardening is like that. So many little things along the way can derail the whole project. You tackle it like it’s all under control, but in the end, you realize nothing is in your control. And you just appreciate it for what it is.

(more about our garlic & other backyard garden musings at http://barbolian.com)

Garden Fireworks

An Angelica plant seems to be exploding in celebration! Happy Independence Day everyone!

Rainwater Collection System

Latest news from the Barbolian back acre: we’ve just installed our first rainwater collection system.

It is hard to believe that water quantity might be an issue in the rainy Pacific Northwest, but here in Sequim, it is becoming contentious as the requirements of wildlife and agriculture clash with the demands of an ever-increasing population. Water, or rather, lack thereof, could well be the most effective growth management tool in our region.

This is hardly the forum to delve deeply into watershed management, the effects of climate change, and balancing the needs of humans and salmon, but residents here recently got a rude awakening when the Department of Ecology notified us of pending water restrictions on new developments.

Fortunately for the Barbolian homestead, we are grandfathered in, having purchased rights to the irrigation ditch along with our home. Being on the ditch is a real advantage; however, every once in awhile, particularly in September when things are getting really dry, without warning, it shuts down. Sometimes completely. Shut-downs are based on river levels; there must be adequate water for the salmon runs.

I agree with that. So what to do?

We can switch to our well, but at that time of year, our well water is also getting low, and we start finding small grains of sediment in our tap water. Not good.

We’re not talking about watering fancy lawns here. We’re talking about keeping plants alive that we have nurtured since the beginning of spring. We’re talking about food that feeds our families. Let it all dry up right when it’s time to harvest? No way!

A rainwater collection system just makes sense.

We have an advantage: a metal roof on our barn provides a lot of surface area. A phenomenal amount of rain drains off, and other than a little debris, it is relatively clean.

For less than $250, including hardware, we used a simple adapter to connect the downspout from one side of the roof to a 275-gallon storage tank with a spigot near the bottom. (Ok – so it’s still a little funky – but we are thankful for Ziplock Ties and plumbers’ tape inventions! We will refine the setup as we test the system.) Interestingly enough, our local Co-Op provides the cheapest system around. You can connect a series of 50-gallon barrels, but the 275-gallon system costs a whole lot less. We didn’t find anything close to it online.

We built a foundation for it with some old pumice-block bricks, which elevates it enough to increase the water pressure.

This system is long overdue! It is simple and effective. It may not provide all the water we need, but it will definitely help us through the dry spells. We want to set up another one for the other side of the roof.

Water is our most valuable resource. Even with access to the irrigation ditches or other water supplies, if more home owners do what they can both to conserve water and collect their own, more water will be left for other uses.

So – How exciting! Here we’ve been so tired of all this wind and rain and sleet and snow we’ve had lately, and now, we just can’t wait for those heavy clouds to cut loose!

Spring Cleaning in the Garlic Beds!

Garlic is up! Time to get weeding!

Ok, folks, spring is officially here, and there is no time to lose!

Barbolian Garlic Status Report: The garlic is growing strong! Better than strong: these sprouts look like my best crop ever! All that work that went into building the beds has really paid off!

Of course, alongside the garlic, the weeds. With longer days and warmer temps, they are already taking off and robbing the garlic of all those nutrients I carefully worked into the soil.

Garlic does not compete well with weeds. The garlic may be strong, but the weeds want to take over the world. We must not let them get that first stranglehold. The war begins, quietly.

The weeds are thick on the southern sides, testimony to the benefits of a raised bed and a southern exposure. Over the winter, they have served their purpose, holding the soil in place during heavy rains and strong winds. But now they must go. The beds keep the soil soft. Weeding is labor-intensive, but easy. I toss them into the paths between the beds, let them dry out for a few days, and then till them into the soil. Usually just turning them over with a shovel is enough, but I have a little tiller if I want to fire it up. I am finding more and more that the tiller isn’t that much faster, and it comes at a cost, but that discussion should be saved for a different post.

Next, I will help the garlic be strong in the face of adversity. I will support its drive to reproduce. (And then I will eat its delectable young.)

For now, it is primarily a leafy plant. The more it grows now, the more reserves it will have later for making bulbs. After eradicating the weeds, I will be side-dressing the garlic with a little blood meal to give it a nitrogen boost. Over the next few weeks, I will also periodically spray the plants with diluted seaweed and fish fertilizer, but will minimize any nitrogen fixes once the bulb formation starts.

Fortunately, the garlic pretty much holds it own at the moment, which leaves time for all the other spring chores: starting seeds, getting the veggie garden in shape, tilling in the green manure, doing any last-minute pruning, cleaning out the dead debris so plants can breathe – and tragic site: picking up all those branches that broke off the big fir tree after that recent heavy snow!

Ah, but that first daffodil! It is our assurance that warmer days are ahead (it’s still so freakin’ cold!). If I work hard, I stay warm. A little effort now will pay off big-time later. Visions of garlic sauce over pasta keep me going. Heavy on the garlic, please.

Welcome Back Garlic!

January and February can be a real mixture of weather, and here in the Pacific Northwest, we are no exception. The rain and snow this year for us were a statistician’s dream.  Even without extremes, storms regularly blow in off the west coast, with winds strong enough to break trees, while other afternoons can be deceivingly warm with the promise of spring.

Then the nights freeze solid again, glare ice coats the roadways, and thick frost ices every nook and crevice.

It might be a time for us to hunker down inside, but there is a lot going on in the garlic patch out back. Tender garlic shoots are bravely poking through the soil. Look closely! I DO SEE GREEN!!!

They seem so exposed – so vulnerable. I did not mulch. There is no snow cover for protection….

I encourage them to be strong.

Stay tuned….

Garlic is Harvested and Curing!

Hooray! The garlic is harvested and is now 2 weeks into the curing process.

What do 1300 bulbs of hanging garlic look like?

Granted, by some standards, that is not a lot. But for me – and for many who buy a few bulbs now and then – it’s like, wow – over one thousand bulbs!

How to describe what it is like to step into a small room, surrounded by hanging garlic, and inhale the dense pungent aroma …

It makes you slip into visions of roasted bulbs, garlic bread, rich sauces, stir fries, pestos, tapenades ….

It’s enough to make one swoon ….

Do we have to wait?

No!

Indulge NOW!

* * *

(For more about our garlic, visit our commercial site at Barbolian Fields.)

Garlic Status – Summer Solstice ‘08

Despite the cold spring here in the Pacific Northwest, the garlic has been thriving! We got everything weeded over the weekend and thoroughly watered. You can almost feel them reaching upward, waiting for that promised sunshine!

As you can see from the photos, I planted the garlic rather densely in beds (4 rows/bed) this year, which has really facilitated the weeding, fertilizing, & watering tasks! The picture in the lower right quadrant shows 2 plots in the background that were recently tilled under — I had grown a green manure crop of a combination of clover, vetch, and ryegrass; I will be planting them again soon with more of the same; these will be garlic beds for next year and 2010. Yes, those are the Olympic Mountains in the background. Gorgeous morning!

Also pictured are the tall spikes, often called “spears” of the elephant garlic. The hardneck varieties send smaller shoots, called “scapes”; pictured are the tight-curling scapes of the rocambole hardnecks. I have been cutting these off (yes! you can have some if you are in the neighborhood!) and using them in pestos, salad dressings, & stir fries. They also add an unusual touch to floral arrangements. I am making some garlic hummus to bring to a barbecue this weekend, and am thinking about how the scapes might be quite beautiful pickled in a jar! Mmm!

I figure bulb harvesting is about a month or so away (a little late this year). I may get one more watering in, but will stop the water after that, which will help prevent molds and extend the shelf-life of the bulbs.

We might hit 70 today when the official summer starts at 4:30 today! That is welcome news for those of us who have been wearing sweatshirts all spring! Celebrate the solstice!

(visit my official garlic website at http://barbolian.com)

GARLIC SCALLIONS ARE HERE!

WOW! Is there anything like fresh green garlic to make you feel that spring has ARRIVED!?!

(Ok – the first crocus and daffodil might also elicit a bit of giddiness – but we don’t EAT those!)

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: THE GARLIC SCALLIONS ARE READY!

Today I went and picked an armful of mizuna – which, by the way, is such an extraordinary green – it’s purplish maroon blush on the topside of the leaves is absolutely beautiful, and its sharp hot, horseradish-like flavor when fresh clears the sinuses. Cooking, as with the garlic, mellows its flavor. Once planted, it seems to re-seed itself prolifically – which is fine, because “weeding” has never been more flavorful!

What could be a better combination than a few garlic scallions (have to test them, you know, to make sure they are ready!), some mizuna, and maybe a tad bit of sea salt, briskly sauteed in a little oil – hmmm…. Oh, dear fresh garlic, how I have missed you this last month! I just cannot break down and buy those 2-for-a-buck inferior bulb varieties that come from who-knows-where. The wait has been worth it! Note: these garlic scallions are from a mixture of gourmet varieties – there is simply no comparison with the “California Early” types grown commercially!

Garlic scallions – or “green garlic” – those tender little morsels before they mature into a pungent clove-divided bulb, spell spring in so many ways! Yes you can eat the shoots! And those garlic cloves that didn’t quite overwinter and have started to sprout? You can still plant them! Even a small pot will do. Crowded is ok. In a couple of months (maybe less), you, too, can be eating your own scallions right from the garden.

Other great ideas for garlic scallions: chopped fresh in salads, humus, pesto (who needs basil?) – or lightly cooked (throw it in at the last minute to not lose the flavor!) in eggs, with pasta, over seafood, in soups, on potatoes, with asparagus – or maybe mixed with leeks or chives and thrown in just about everything.

WANT SOME NOW??? My supplies disappear quickly (they are habit-forming!), but if you live on the Olympic Peninsula, Washington State, within reasonable distance of Sequim (gas prices are driving up the cost of food everywhere!), I am most willing to accommodate. Visit my main website at http://barbolian.com.

YES I am open to barter & trades!

Snow to Spring in One Week! Pacific Northwest Crazy Weather!

Ok – Mother Nature had her laugh last week. Enough already!

The garlic, always of strong stature and symbol of fortitude, survived unscathed, tips only slightly yellowed from the experience. Primroses, strawberries, and daffodils, too, though some bent under hail, managed to shake the icy crystals in the days that followed. At a little higher elevation, our cherry trees had not yet blossomed under the snow. I worried about the bees that might have been caught unaware in this pseudo-spring foolery. The winds whipped through here relentlessly, knocking over shelves in the greenhouse and spilling sprouts and summer hopes to the floor.

The winds died down, I filled the hummingbird feeder, and was surrounded within minutes, one even buzzing me as I hung it up.

And this week, lo and behold, a new spring! The cherry blossoms have opened, a frog enjoyed a spot of sunshine beneath the shadows of leaves.

Ahhhh, spring . . . how much more we appreciate it now!