Chicken Training Ground

Red Hens

I have had so much fun with my backyard chickens and my rabbit. The pure joy they bring me constantly makes me think of God’s reaction to us.

My red hens softly clucking and scratching are a comforting background noise when I'm in the garden.
I was planting my onions, when I heard a rather excited clucking. I looked up to see one of the chickens walking up and down the fence of their pen—on the outside!
She was looking for a way to get back into her captivity. I marveled.

Not Again!

I walked out to my garden a few days later to find two of my four red hens outside their cage. I heard the soft clucking sounds before I saw them. They were happily scratching around the compost pile.
I could see their path--a scratched indention on the ground here, then a few feet away another and then another.

As if they could talk, I asked, “What do you think you’re doing over here? How did you get out, anyway?”
Their clucking got louder. They started scratching harder and flapping their wings all excited. As I was wondering how to get them back into the pen they started coming to me. If I could have understood them, would I have heard, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry” Or would they have said, “She flew the coop first?”

I don’t know, but I simply opened the way and they went in without any more help from me like they were so glad to get back home.
I stood watching and thinking, “Yeah, we all need boundaries.” They had fun in unknown lands, but given a little encouragement, their own coop was best.

Do we do that with God? We know His boundaries are best. We know we belong in His keeping where He feeds and shelters us. We can also know that our loving Provider will usher us back to safety when we go astray.

I never thought I’d like to be like a chicken, but, Lord God, make me always willing to come back into Your loving care. Amen.

Preparing for Harvest -- time of Advent

This is advent, a time of waiting, a time of preparing.  It’s been over 2000 years since the birth of our savior yet we still set aside time to contemplate the coming of holiness born into our world—no longer something other, but a baby that demanded touch and care.

I am in awe of the invitation to ‘handle God in the body of a child.’ I am in awe of the invitation to eat with the child grown into the man. I am in awe at the patience of God. Year after year He re-invites us to all the humanness of Jesus, our savior.

Christmas is a yearly reminder of the greatest gift of all, of the unexpected ways of God, and the hope of just as unlikely a rescue in our own circumstances. Christmas is the beginning of the story of God’s love lived within humanity. 

I’m praying you have moments of overwhelming wonder at so great a love.

How does this relate to Garden Revelations?

I began thinking about winter as a time of waiting—a time of preparing the earth for the coming seed-sowing and harvest. The parallels seemed so right, but gardening seems of such small importance next to the birth of Jesus. 

Join me as we follow the thought through. 

In winter we prepare our soil and we wait. 

Winter garden -- waiting

            We prepare our hearts to re-receive the gift of Jesus.

           

In the winter we plan for the seeds and plants for our garden

            We wait and hope for the seeds of understanding from the Holy Spirit.

Same garden--Summer arrival --squash, corn & tomatoes

In the winter we dream of the harvest, forgetting time and energy limitations.

We dream of perfection, forgetting the tough love needed in the weeding process.

           

But as we prepare, we know so much depends on the weather. God alone controls the weather. Will adequate rain come? Will late freezes destroy? Will winds and hail wreak havoc? Will life circumstances allow us the time to care for what we plant? Only God knows the answers.

            In the joy and hope and love we anticipate the garden to come, accepting the peace and security that we and everything we attempt is in God’s hands.

Vegetable Planting Chart

The following chart is a combinations of charts borrowed from the TX Extention agency and a variety of other information added. 

The amount of seeds or plants suggested seems to be much larger than you would need if the seeds are the standard germination. It could be that they are allowing for over planting by at least twice or three times what you need so that you can later thin the plants and not waste time re-planting where there are gaps.

Also, I plant my rows in the minimum distance. Use the larger distance if you till to control weeds. I mulch to control weeds. I also plant double rows like beds.

This is a good start.

Vegetable	seeds or plants per 100 feet	Distance between rows (in.)	Distance between plants (in.)	Height of crop (feet)	Spring planting relative to frost-free date	Fall planting weeks before first freeze date	Days to Harvest	Length of Harvest -days	Yield per 100 feet	Optimum Soil tempera-ture  for planting	Family
Asparagus	1oz seed --66 plants	36-48	18	5	before 4-6 weeks	not recom-mentded	730 days - (2nd year)	60	30 lb	65-80°	Lily
Beans, Lima pole	1/4 lb seed	36-48	12-18	6	after 1-4 weeks	14-16 weeks	75-85	40	50 lb shelled	65-85°	Leguminosae
Beans, Lima-bush	1/2 lb seed	30-36	3-4	1.5	after 1-4 weeks	8-10 weeks	65-80	14	25 lb shelled	65-85°	Leguminosae
Beans, Shelling	1/2 lb seeds	30-36	4-6	2	after 1-4 weeks	not recom-mentded	90-120	N/A	100 lb	65-85°	Leguminosae
Beans, snap-bush	1/2 lb seed	30-36	3-4	1.5	after 1-4 weeks	8-10 weeks	45-60	14	120 lb	60-85°	Leguminosae
Beans, snap--pole	1/2 lb seed	36-48	4-6	6	after 1-4 weeks	14-16 weeks	60-70	30	150 lb	65-85°	Leguminosae
Beets	1 oz seed	14-25	2	1.5	before 4-6 weeks	8-10 weeks	50-60	30	150 lb	50-75°	Goosefoot
Broccoli	1/4 oz seed	24-36	14-24	3	before 4-6 weeks	10-16 weeks	60-80	40	100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
brussels Sprouts	1-4 oz seed	21-36	14-24	2	before 4-6 weeks	10-14 weeks	90-100	21	75 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Cabbaage	1/4 oz seed	24-36	14-24	1.5	before 4-6 weeks	10-16 weeks	60-90	40	150 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Cabbage-chinese	1/4 oz seed	18-30	7-12	1.5	before 4-6 weeks	12-14 weeks	65-70	21	80 heads	55-75°	Brasica
Carrot	1/2 oz seed	14-24	2	1	before 4-6 weeks	12-14 weeks	70-80	21	100 lb	55-80°	Umbelliferae
Cauliflower	1/4 oz seed	24-36	14-24	3	not recom-mended	10-16 weeks	70-90	14	100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Chard, Swiss	2 oz seed	18-30	6	1.5	before 2-6 weeks	12-16 weeks	45-55	40	75 lb	50-75°	Goose-foot
Collard	1/4 oz seed	18--36	6-12-	2	before 2-6 weeks	8-12 weeks	50-80	60	100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Corn--sweet	3-4 oz seeds	24-36	9-12	6	after 1-6 weeks	12-14 weeks	70-90	10	10 doz	60-85°	Umbelliferae
Cucumber	1/2 oz seed	48-72	8-12	1	after 1-6 weeks	10-12 weeks	50-70	30	120 lb	65-90°	Cucurbita
Eggplant	1/2 oz seed	30-26	18-24	3	after 2-6 weeks	12-16 weeks	80-90	90	100 lb	75-90°	nightshade
Garlic	1 lb	14-26	2-4	1	not recom-mended	4-6 weeks	140-150	N/A	40 lb	N/A Fall  planting	Lily
Kale	1/8 oz	18-36	4-6	1	before 4-6 weeks	4-6 weeks	50-80	60	100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Kohlrabi	1/4 oz seed	14-24	4-6	1.5	before 2-6 weeks	12-16 weeks	55-75	14	75 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Lettuce	1/4-oz seed	18-24	2-3	1	before 6 weeks after -2 wk	8-10 weeks	30-80	21	50 lb	40-70°	Compositae
Muskmelon/ Cantaloupe	1/2 oz seed	60-96	24-36 or 3 to a hill	1	after 1-6 weeks	14-16 weeks	85-100	30	100 melons	70-85°	Cucurbita
Mustard	1/4 oz seed	14-24	6-12	1 1/2	after 1-6 weeks	10-16 weeks	30-40	30	100 lb	40-75°	Brasica
Okra	2 oz seed	36-42	12-24	6	after 2-6 weeks	12-16 weeks	55-65	90	100 lb	70-90°	Malva
Onion  (seed)	1 oz seed	14-24	2-3	1 1/2	before 6-8 weeks	8-10 weeks	90-120	N/A	100 lb	55-75°	Lily
Onion (plants)	400-600 plants	14-24	2-3	1 1/2	before 4-10 weeks	not recom-mentded	80-120	N/A	100 lb	N/A	Lily
Parsley	1/4 oz seed	14-24	2-4	1/2	before 1-6 weeks	6-16 weeks	70-90	90-365	30 lb	50-75°	Umbelliferae
Peas - Southern	1/2 lb seed	24-36	4-6	2 1/2	after 2-10 weeks	10-12 weeks	60-70	30	40 lb	40-75°	Leguminosae
Peas--English	1 lb seed	18-36	1	2	before 2-8 weeks	2-12 weeks	55-90	7	20 lb	40-75°	Leguminosae
Pepper	1/8 oz seed	30-36	18-24	3	after 1-8 weeks	12-16 weeks	60-90	90	60 lb	70-90°	Nightshade
Potato - Irish	6-10 lb seed potatoes	30-36	10-15	2	before 4-6 weeks	14-16 weeks	75-100	N/A	100 lb	N/A	nightshade
Potato - sweet	75-100 plants	36-48	12-16	1	after 2-8 weeks	not recom-mentded	100-130	N/A	100 lb	55-70°	Convolvul
Pumpkin	1/2 oz seed	60-96	36-48	1	after 1-4 weeks	12-14 weeks	75-100	N/A	100 lb	65-80°	Cucurbita
Radish	1 oz seed	14-24	1	1/2	before- 6 weeks after 4 weeks	1-8 weeks	25-40	N/A	100 bunches	45-80°	Brasica
Spinach	1 oz seed	14-24	3-4	1	before 1-8 weeks	2-16 weeks	40-60	40	3 bushels	45-70°	Goosefoot
Squash - summer	1 oz seed	36-60	18-36	3	after 1-4 weeks	12-15 weeks	50-60	40	150 lb	65-85°	Cucurbita
Squash - winter	1/2 oz seed	60-96	24-48	1	after 1-4 weeks	12-14 weeks	85-100	N/A	100 lb	65-85°	Cucurbita
Tomato, determinate	1-/8 oz seed or 25-30 plants	36-48	36-48	3-5	after 1-8 weeks	12-14 weeks	70-90	40	100 lb	70-90°	nightshade
Tomato, in-determinate	1/8 oz seed or 12-16 plants	36-72	6-8	4-6	after 1-8 weeks	12-14 weeks	60-90	60	150-200 lb	70-90°	nightshade
Turnip - greens	1/2 oz seed	14-24	2-3	1 1/2	before 2-6 weeks	2-12 weeks	30	40	50-100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Turnip - roots	1/2 oz seed	14-24	2-3	1 1/2	before 2-6 weeks	2-12 weeks	30-60	30	50-100 lb	55-75°	Brasica
Watermelon	1 oz seed	72-96	36-72	1	after 1-6 weeks	14-16 weeks	80-100	30	40 melons	70-85°	Cucurbita

How Long?

Each day, with the heat so early stealing the joy of being in the garden, my mind has turned to plans for the next season.  I’m reading and re-reading gardening books like a woman needy and alone might read novels of romance and rescue.

When the rains return, I will plant my garden in a new design; I will plant with the idea of beauty as well as produce; I will try new seed varieties. I daydream.

When the rains return…

            And I yearn for the beauty and bounty of the past.

I would grow squash just for their beauty.

An overview of years past

Raised bed last year

sweet potatoes mingle with the squash and basil goes to seed

How long, Lord? How long until the rain comes, until Your promises of Joel 2 is our reality.

I wondered who and why people in the scripture asked, “How long?” It’s a common question found in 25 books. God asks the question of us, and we ask of Him. 

But surprisingly to me, God asks us, “How long?” as often as we ask Him.

How long will you refuse to humble yourself, to believe in Me in spite of the miracles I perform, to keep My commands? How long will you treat Me with contempt, will you waver between two opinions, will you turn My glory into shame? How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?

Jesus asks, “Unbelieving generation, how long will I stay with you?”

When Jeremiah asked God how long will the land lie parched, and the grass in every field be withered? …”

God answered, “If you have run with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses?”  Jer. 12:4-6

In other words, “If you can’t trust me now, what are you going to do when things get worse?”

I don’t know if our weather, our economy, or our political chaos will worsen.  

What I do know is that I must plant my heart deep in the response, “I trust You beyond my understanding, my Savior, my Redeemer, and my Provider.”

And I return to my books and my daydreams of taking care of my little plot of land better with more beauty and more produce.

One of my favorite books is “The Resilient Gardener: Food Production and Self-Reliance in Uncertain Times by Carol Deppe. She describes every detail of gardening with an obvious love for the earth and the plants and a respect for both nature and the gardener.
                                       

She begins by elaborating on our uncertain times, from climate change or economic necessity, to health or time restraints. Then she moves quickly into the 33 Golden Rules of Gardening. These include support, experiment, and notice everything, giving us such inviting detail that every rule becomes a means to a satisfying experience.

The chapter, Labor and Exercise is about designing and organizing our gardening to encourage healthful exercise while at the same time minimizing total work, meaning unnecessary, inefficient, ‘unfun’ work, and the probability of injury.

Soil and Fertility offers not only the usual discussion about using legumes to fix
 nitrogen in the soil, but times when that doesn’t make sense. She offers many alternatives and lists ways to avoid wasting fertility. One subtitle is On Not Buying, with help on evaluating exactly what you need.

When reading her descriptions of the right potato or squash or bean, you’re mouth is watering for those tastes. Did you know there are pop-beans not only popcorn?

This book gives beginning gardeners a strong foundation and seasoned gardeners will relish it for all the extras they will glean.

Breed Your Own Vegetable Varieties: The Gardener's & Farmer's Guide to Plant Breeding & Seed Saving is another book I'm anxious to read by Carol Deppe.  

When God Gives You Rinds, Make Pickles!

My volunteer watermelon vines produced wonderful fruit with a variety of different sizes. One was 29.8 lbs.  I just call it a “30 pounder.”

  Even this heat-loving plant didn’t produce as many melons as I would have expected. Since they volunteered from last year’s volunteers, I have no idea what kind they are. When I opened them I was disappointed at how thick the white rind was.

It would have been perfect if I wanted to make “Watermelon Rind Pickles.” I didn’t consider it with the first harvest. Now I might.: 

Pickled Watermelon Rind

 

1 6-lb watermelon

6 c water

2 Tbs sea salt, divided

1 tsp pickling spice

3 1/3-inch slices fresh ginger

2 whole clove

2 whole allspice

1 3-inch cinnamon stick

1 1/4 c sugar

1 c white vinegar

 

Peel outer green layer from watermelon rind.

Cut rind into 1/2-inch pieces. Bring water and 5 tsp. salt to boil in large saucepan.

Add rind. Reduce heat and simmer 15 min. or until crisp-tender.

Drain rind and place in large bowl.

 

Tie up spices in cheesecloth and place in a saucepan.

Add 1 tsp salt, sugar and vinegar; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.

Pour hot vinegar mixture over rinds. Cool to room temp. Cover and chill 12 hours.

 

Strain liquid from rind mixture and bring to a boil.

Return rind pieces and spice bag to room-temp bowl and pour boiled liquid over them

Chill at least 8 hours before serving.

 

Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.----from Joanne Cheshier

I’m chagrined to realize how I’ve evaluated this gift from God.

I did nothing to make them grow except identify the vine and not pull it up. I’ve gotten five watermelons staggered so that we can eat and share before the next one must be harvested. And I’m bemoaning the size of the rind?!

I think I need to re-read my Bible, especially the part about learning to be content in all circumstances. (Philippians 4:11)