Today's Harvest - New System Preview

I dont have much time, but here is my harvest for today.

This is also my new rockwool slab and leach tray. I will be hooking this up to the nutrient runoff pipes soon. I ran out of time this weekend to really work on the greenhouse. I placed the 2 okra and 1 beefsteak tomato plants in the slab. Hopefully they will latch into the slab to gain better support soon.

Camera MIA - But Big things happning in the garden

I've been quite busy lately and my camera is somewhere around here. Im more of a visual person, so I rather blog with pics+. Today I wont be having any personal pics.

My plants are getting huge and starting to produce. The weather has been a little strange, but hanging in there. I've thought of a new system for the greenhouse and I'm going with the rockwool slab leach recirculation drip system.

The 5 & 3.5 gallon dutch bucket (swc) system doesnt seem to be working out like I thought. The plants are going great now, but the maintence and water/nutrients are starting to be a pain. I believe I found an easier, cleaner setup.

I will be using 3-4 leaching trays in the greenhouse, using rockwool slabs. I have a few options to go with, but I think Im going to go with each tray having their own pump and smaller reservoir. This way I can group curtain plants based on their needs. (Each bench in the green house will have a tray. The middle bench possibly 2 trays.)

Money is a major factor, so the upfront cost is a little higher, but it should be lower in the long run. (Filling 3.5 gallon buckets of perlite, multiple that by 8-14 buckets. Thats a lot of money!) The slabs are about 7$ a piece and you can grow 3-5 plants per slab (depending on the type and variety of plant). The trays are about 16$ a piece - with fittings, but they can bet used with many types of mediums (perlite, hydron rock, rockwool, coco, etc) - so 4 will run about 60$.

I got my current buckets (5/3.5 gallons) from a local Publix. I was actually surprised how many buckets they would give me, rather than throwing them away. I ended up with about 20+. I will now use these buckets a swc dirt planters (green beans, tomatoes, herbs, anything). So these containers will not be going to waste. Just serving a different purpose. I have a lot of fresh worm tea and castings in my bin that need a good, dirt home. This will start the micro's to work in the soil to produce a healthy root system - in theory.

I will report back, hopefully tomorrow, with more news and updates.

Have a good night   **WARNING - NOT PROOF READ- TOOOOO TIRED AND NEED REST - WILL EDIT TOMORROW***

Hydroponic Cucumber Harvest

Common Sense Declines - Common Checimals Inclines.

Its sad that we relay on government agencies to protect us from harmful chemicals, when they let so many go untested and labeled as "safe".

We use some of the same items, day after day, with a mix of toxic ingredients and think nothing of it (deodorant, perfume, fragrances, high fructose syrup, industrialized food, etc..etc...  . No wonder cancer is becoming a norm. What ever happened to preventative care? It seems like common sense.

But having commen sense is not so common today with all types of chemical mixtures out there. Chemicals are the only "common" thing in "common sense".

Some of these items we were brought up thinking were safe, like many things, only to find out they are not. No wonder so many people have some type of disorder, disease or learning disability. Chemicals are everywhere!

How many do you have in your house? How many have their lids on tight and not open? How many have you stepped on and dragged onto your carpet, maybe for your baby to suck on? The possibilities are endless. Do you think these companies think of this shit?

Fucking sickening how long this has gone on and how it continues. The government knows whats up, but ....  we will have to see...

Over reaction is not the solution. Analyze your lifestyle and move at the speed you feel fit.

make a change.... they WILL listen.
... protect YOUR family... dont be a future statistic!

Green: Color or Common Sense?

Many people are talking about green this, green that. Why wasn't this basic, self-sufficient technology created long ago? It only makes sense to me that living off the land, or what is provided for you, not only will be the cheaper route, but simpler.

Green doesnt have to be non-fun. Many green technologies actually appeal to humans. Who would have thought? Something so complex, but so natural - Gardening, water conservation, power generation, etc..etc.

We are basically setting ourselves up for anarchy. Most families are dependent on EVERYTHING. Meaning they buy everything they consume. What would happen if a major event struck the earth? ANARCHY. No power, no stores, no gas... no nothing! In the case of this event, I will have my house lined with family members, ordered to shoot on site to anyone that approaches aggressively.Why? Because its a good possibility that we will be the ONLY people within at least a few square blocks with fresh food. Now that's a lot of people. I know it sounds sick, but its a possibility and I shall have the guns to back us up.

Are you prepared? All technology that has been created, can be undone.

You can be brainwashed, or simply live a healthy life. But simplicity doesn't equal profits for companies, thus, our generation will be reffered to as the generation of "lab rats" and ignorance in the history books. (So sad we know this, but it still continues)

We are more of a self-destruction society, than a self-sufficient one. But Im no God, and I have done many of the things I speak of. But its time for change. When I did them things, I was unaware of my impact. Now that I'm aware, its time for a change and the change is happening everywhere.

It's going to start with YOU first. What you buy, when you buy it and how much you buy. But we will tell the industry that we demand change. The all American dollar is more important than all American health with these corporations, so my dollar WILL count.

There is no need to place blame on anyone. We all know what that leads to, a circle of blame.... and that gets us no where! We all know that our food system is messed up beyond belief. But if we dont buy, they HAVE TO CHANGE. We have brought this fate upon ourselves, so its time to change it.

I know Im asking alot, but I'm not wealthy either. Even if you start with a head of lettuce, that's something and maybe more to someone else.

Every country experiences some type of economic boom, in our case... many all at once. That doesnt mean its "OK". It's time to slow down, enjoy life, love your love ones and do what you do best, BE YOU!

Wouldn't that be something? I know that future generations will consider our time in history a foolish one, but we HAVE TO CHANGE so that this future generation exists to tell these stories.



The key is to start small and do what works for you. As your life goes on, you will find more sufficient ways of handling situations.

God Bless.

The Matrix: A Bee Reality

 Studies have proven that the population of bees has declined dramatically, but why do you care? First off, bees  pollinate 90% of major production crops. But still... that doesnt really mean anything to you, in your every day life. WRONG. Without pollination, you dont have fruit/vegetables, which could equal starvation. The pollination that does occur is from human or wind aid, and is not as successful.

Cell phone radiation has been linked to this decline. You can find the article here.

Doesnt this sound like the movie "The Matrix" where communication signals are EVERYWHERE, thus effecting the bees communication systems?

Seed Germination - Germinating Beans - Tomato Clones & Grafting

Im getting some plants ready for late summer & fall. I wanted to start more, but I will continue this weekend.
I started some seeds last week, mostly new tomatoes I ordered from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. They have many varieties fit to grow here in the south. So far, Im very pleased with this seed company. Fast shipping, I added seeds to my order after checkout through email with no problems & a pretty quick response, affordable prices and great 100% germination rates. I have only bought store seeds in the past, but you can really tell higher quality with smaller companies like this.

Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato

60 days (Indeterminate) [From seed collected in the wild near Hidalgo in eastern Mexico.] Plants bear loads of intensely sweet and flavorful small, deep red cherry tomatoes. Plants are vigorous, disease-resistant, and sprawling. 5/8" to 3/4" fruits borne in clusters of 7-13. Favorite at our 2007 festival! Pkt (0.08g)

Sprawling vines. Our 2007 seed crop reached 10' long; a greenhouse grower told us that hers reached 17' long! Seed takes a few days longer to germinate than other tomato varieties.

Note: as with Matt's Wild Cherry, seeds for this variety may take a few days longer to germinate relative to other tomatoes.

Suyo Long Asian Cucumber 

60 days. {pm} Widely adapted and tolerant of hot weather, this is a sweet-flavored, "burpless" cucumber from China. Use for pickling or slicing. Repeated trials of this variety have shown it to be exceptionally hardy, productive and fine-flavored even under adverse conditions. Recommended as an early, main season and late season variety for the southeast. Widely adapted and very dependable in hot, humid climates. Pkt.

"Hands down the best slicing or eat straight out of hand cuke I've ever had. If this variety is properly trellised, it will yield gorgeous long straight beautiful cucumbers. Do not grow this variety if you do not intend to trellis it as you will likely not get many usable fruits." -Cricket Rakita

Mini Orange Tomato

66 days. (Indeterminate) Medium length vines produce an abundance of miniature orange tomatoes, 1-1/2" in diameter. A distinctive feature of 'Mini Orange' is its bright orange color. Mix this variety with red, yellow and green cherry tomatoes to make attractive salads. Flavor is mild and slightly tangy. Firm fruits offer good resistance to fruit worm. Ripens from green to yellow to orange. Recommended especially for the hot southern areas where night temperatures above 70oF shut down fruit set in large fruited varieties.

Neptune Tomato

(vw1, fw1, fw2, bw, gls) 67 days. (Determinate) [Developed and released to SESE in 1999 by Dr. J. W. Scott at the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center at the U. of Florida.] An early to mid-season fresh market tomato specially bred for heat tolerance and resistance to bacteria wilt which is prevalent in the Southeast and Florida. Recommended for gardeners and market growers in hot, humid, rainy growing regions where it is difficult to grow tomatoes. 4-oz red fruits in clusters of 2-4 on short vines.

Mortgage Lifter VFN Tomato

83 days. (ab, asc, vw, fw1, rkn) (Indeterminate) An improved version of 'Radiator Charlie's Mortgage LifterTM' which has added disease resistance, more uniform fruit, ripening to red rather than pink-red. Fruit is large, 10-14 oz, not as large as the original 'Mortgage Lifter', but much more productive. It still deserves the 'Mortgage Lifter' reputation and is one of our most productive and reliable tomatoes. Continues to bear until frost. Pkt.

"This is an excellent variety for home or market use." -Cricket Rakita


Orange Bell Pepper 

Cal Wonder Orange Bell Pepper - Pack
Capsicum annuum
Tender Annual

Beautiful, glossy orange bell peppers with thick, sweet walls and 3-4 lobes. Productive plants provide good canopy cover, reducing pressure for sunscald.

DISEASE RESISTANCE ABBREVIATIONS:
ab = Alternaria (early blight)	fw2 = Fusarium wilt, race 2
asc = Alternaria stem canker	gw = Gray wall
an = Anthracnose	gls = Gray leaf spot
ber = Blossom end rot	lb = Late blight
bw = Bacteria wilt	nhr = Nail head rust
cf = Cat facing	rkn = Root knot nematode
clm = Cladosporium leaf mold	st = Stemphylium spot
cr = Crack resistance	sun = Sun scald
cs = Crease stem	tmv = Tobacco mosaic virus
fw1 = Fusarium wilt, race 1	vw = Verticillium wilt

DETERMINATE AND INDETERMINATE VARIETIES: Determinate varieties are short-vined plants that seldom need staking. Blossoms and fruit develop about the same time. Indeterminate varieties are long-vined plants that bear fruit continuously. These varieties should be caged or staked. Some varieties are semi- determinate.

I also decided to give the Dragon Tongue Pole Beans from Burpee another shot. Last time I tried and germinate the beans, they turned to mush. It is NOT recommended to germinate Beans in a Ready Rooter Starter...lol.

How to Germinate Beans 

1. Add the Beans to a damp, wet paper towel. Wrap them, pressing firmly.
2. Place them in a zip lock bag to hold in moisture.
3. Place in a warmer area for a few days and they should be ready.

I was thinking about trying these Beans hydroponically, but I will hold back. Beans will take over my greenhouse and I dont want that. I will try these outside in a well-aerated organic soil, mixed with worm castings. I plan on something like 1/3 perlite, 1/3 vermiculite, 1/3 soil for the medium. I will provide the nutrients in the medium, so I will only have to make sure its watered daily.

I know, I know... I'm growing Burpee Seeds.... a Monsanto  owned company. I bought these before the fact. I will ONLY invest in new seeds through smaller, environmental friendly owned companies. You should consider to do the same. Really..... think about it....

The sad part is that Monsanto bought Semini. So them "organic" seeds you just thought you bought from "xx" company.... yeah.... it's Monsanto at their same old games. But dont listen to me, its a known fact: http://us.seminis.com/products/hg_dealer.asp

They are out to own (patient) the most valuable thing in our lives, FOOD. Im really not even going to get into how bad Monsanto is for the environment and LIFE itself, but that is another book in itself. Just leave a comment if you dont know whats up and need some helpful, informative & credible sources.



Brandywine Tomato Clones - Grafting

I couldnt take it anymore. My Branywine wasnt producing for one reason or another and was getting too big, so I cut her down. I cut her at the base and took a couple clones and grafted it back. I know the grafting most likely will not work, but it's worth a shot.

The grafted tomatoes are already written off as goners - she looks so sad. I took some clones and used technflora's rooting gel. These should root within1-2 weeks. I will post when they do.

***Update***
The grafted plant didnt do so well in the summer heat. Also, the clones dried up a little and I threw them away. I need to build an area inside to place clones for a better environment.