Podcasts about brassicas

You don't need to spray a bunch of pesticides to control pests in your garden. Long before the invention of chemical sprays, nature had a way of protecting itself from predators, and we can take notes!   All you need to do to control pests is plant 3 different types of plants in and around your garden space:

Welcome to an in-depth exploration of Richard's gardening plans for 2025, as shared on the Veg Grower Podcast. Richard, an experienced gardener, offers a wealth of knowledge on crop rotation, successional sowing, and garden layout. This blog post will break down each of his tips in detail, providing actionable advice and thorough explanations to help you optimize your vegetable garden for the upcoming year. The Importance of Planning Richard emphasizes the critical role of planning in gardening, especially when faced with challenging weather conditions. By organizing your garden layout and crop rotation plans, you can ensure a continuous supply of vegetables throughout the year. Here are some key takeaways from Richard's approach: Crop Rotation Crop rotation is essential for maintaining soil health and maximizing productivity. Richard uses both a paper sketch and a digital tool called Veg Plotter to keep track of his garden layout and crop rotation plans. This dual approach allows him to have a reference in his shed while also having access to his plans on his phone or computer. Benefits of Crop Rotation: Prevents Soil Depletion: Different crops have varying nutrient requirements. Rotating crops helps prevent the depletion of specific nutrients in the soil. Reduces Pest and Disease Pressure: Many pests and diseases are crop-specific. Rotating crops can break the life cycle of these pests and reduce their impact. Improves Soil Structure: Different crops have different root structures, which can help improve soil structure and aeration. Richard's Crop Rotation Strategy: First Early Potatoes to Leeks: After harvesting first early potatoes, Richard plants leeks in the same bed. This method keeps the garden productive year-round. Brassicas After Potatoes: Richard plants brassicas in the beds where he harvested potatoes, ensuring a steady supply of cabbages and other brassicas. Garlic and Onions: Beds previously used for peas and beans are planted with garlic and onions, continuing a successful tradition. Successional Sowing Successional sowing involves planting certain crops at intervals to ensure a continuous supply throughout the year. This technique is particularly effective for quick-growing crops but can also apply to slower-growing varieties. Richard's Successional Sowing Schedule: Daily: Microgreens Weekly: Radishes and spinach Fortnightly: Headed lettuce, rocket, peas, kohlrabi, and turnips Every Three Weeks: Salad leaves, carrots, beetroot, spring onions, mustard, and French beans Monthly: Cabbage and cauliflower Garden Layout Richard's garden layout consists of several beds designated for specific crops. He provides a virtual tour of his garden, detailing the crops he plans to grow in each bed. Patio Area: Small Veggie Pod: Dedicated to growing herbs. Medium Veggie Pod: Used for salad crops like spinach and loose-leaf lettuce. Large Veggie Pod: Successful for root crops such as beetroots and carrots. Main Kitchen Garden: Bed 1: Carrots and celery transitioning to cucumbers and squash. Bed 2: Peas and beans transitioning to garlic and onions. Bed 3: Brassicas transitioning to peas and beans. Bed 4: Spring brassicas remaining dedicated to brassicas. Medium-Sized Beds: Bed 1: Runner beans. Bed 2: Cannellini beans. Bed 3: Rhubarb. Smaller Beds: Bed 1: Dahlias. Bed 2: Carrots. Bed 3: Asparagus. Companion Planting Richard incorporates companion planting to deter pests and enhance the garden's biodiversity. He plans to use nasturtiums and marigolds, which are known to attract beneficial insects and repel harmful pests. Greenhouse Management Richard's greenhouse is an essential part of his gardening strategy. He is implementing an autopilot watering system to simplify plant care and plans to grow cucumbers, melons, tomatoes, peppers, chilies,

Dr Frank Campion joins us on this week's OviCast as we discuss grazing management on forage brassicas. Frank discusses yields and why you should do a feed budget for the crop. We then discuss intakes, utilisation and the factors that influence it. Frank also explains fencing, crop allocation and managing in wet conditions and he has advice for managing the crop in frosty conditions. We finish up discussing the transition of the crop with finishing lambs and pregnant ewes.For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast

LISTEN BACK: On this week's show, Keith spoke to Thomas Moloney, DLF, about covering Brassicas and event, Shane Murphy about the Aberdeen Angus Association event, and Peter Comer, Teagasc, about the Water Quality Event. Keith also covered the Dairy Women Ireland event.

Hey Neighbor! Brassicas are our favorite fall staple! If you haven't had time to start your brassica seeds, we've got you covered. From the nutrient-packed broccoli to the versatile collards, we will be diving into all the benefits and tips for growing these varieties. Get Dirty and Let's Garden Together!

On this Episode Tristen and Jared discussed a little bit of everything, Brassicas, Cereal Grains, Broadcast rates, poor man plots and Mock Scrapes! As Always we appreciate the feedback and feel free to reach out anytime with questions.

In this episode of the Veg Grower Podcast, host Richard takes listeners on a detailed tour of his allotment, divided into two sections, 1-28A and 1-28B. He discusses the current state of his crops, including broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbages, and the challenges posed by pests like slugs and pigeons. Richard also shares his experiences with weed management, crop rotation, and his West Kent five pod hydroponic growing system. He emphasizes the importance of regular maintenance and offers practical gardening tips, aiming to inspire listeners to grow their own food despite the inevitable challenges. Bullet points Overview of the allotment layout (sections 1-28A and 1-28B) Current state of various crops, including broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbages Challenges faced with pests, particularly slugs, snails, and birds Weed management and maintenance issues in the allotment Experiences with specific plants, such as gooseberries, parsnips, and leeks Updates on greenhouse gardening, including tomatoes, sweet peppers, and aubergines Discussion of the West Kent five pod hydroponic growing system Importance of crop rotation and planting strategies Personal anecdotes and reflections on gardening challenges and successes Time stamps Introduction to the Allotment Tour (00:00:07) Richard introduces the episode and plans to take listeners on a tour of his allotment. Overview of Allotment Layout (00:01:19) Richard describes the layout of his allotment, divided into two halves, 1-28A and 1-28B. Challenges with Neighbors (00:02:20) Richard discusses issues with overgrown weeds from neighboring plots affecting his fruit bushes. Police Incident on Allotment (00:03:23) Richard recounts a troubling incident involving hidden kitchen knives found among his plants. Weeds and Maintenance Issues (00:04:22) Richard shares concerns about the lack of maintenance from neighbors and its impact on his plot. Raised Beds and Crop Failures (00:05:24) Richard talks about his raised beds and the struggles with slugs and snails destroying his crops. Hugelkultur Bed Update (00:06:29) Richard explains his hugelkultur bed and the failure of peas and butternut squash due to pests. Garlic and Squash Bed (00:07:27) Richard updates on garlic removal and the survival of new squash plants despite pest issues. Onions and Cucumber Growth (00:08:25) Richard discusses the growth of his onions and successful cucumber plants in the allotment. Sweet Corn and Tomato Progress (00:09:25) Richard shares the slow growth of sweet corn and the status of his tomato plants. Shed and Compost Area (00:10:21) Richard mentions his metal shed and composting efforts, including plans for a new bed. Autumn Raspberry Bed Challenges (00:11:19) Richard describes the weed issues in his autumn raspberry bed and plans for winter care. Transition to Bottom Half of Allotment (00:12:24) Richard prepares to move on to discuss the bottom half of his allotment, 1-28B. Apple Tree and Asparagus Update (00:14:22) Richard talks about the apple tree's growth and the recovery of his asparagus plants. Rhubarb and Globe Artichokes (00:15:46) Richard shares updates on his thriving rhubarb plants and the status of globe artichokes. Plans for Elder Tree and New Planting (00:16:45) Richard discusses plans to remove an elder tree and potential new plantings along the boundary. Potato Beds Overview (00:17:40) Richard describes his potato beds, including challenges with blight and different potato varieties. Harvesting Potatoes and Brassicas (00:19:51) Richard updates on the harvesting of potatoes and the introduction of brussels sprout plants. Broccoli Harvest (00:20:54) Richard discusses his successful broccoli harvest and the overall performance of brassicas this season. Turnip Seeds (00:21:59) He mentions sowing turnip seeds to ensure a winter harvest, despite not being a fan of turnips. Celeriac Issues (00:22:40) Richard talks about his celeriac plants bolting and the decision to remove them.

In this episode, Elaine and Julia dive into the excitement of their recent adventures and garden updates. Discover how Julia caught a man fondling her melons in the polytunnel and what his wife had to say about it. Elaine and Julia also share their experiences with netting fruit bushes to protect them from birds and discuss the challenges of growing brassicas in unpredictable weather. And don't miss out on the fun stories from their talks and raffle prizes, including the much-coveted horse muck delivery! If you enjoy the Plotcast and would like to leave us a support us to keep going - head to https://ko-fi.com/thepottyplotters Follow us @pottyplotters on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter  Get in touch: naughtycorner@pottyplotters.uk A podcast for help with your allotment or gardening.

3-in-1 plants anyone? You don't need to wait for your Brassicas to fully mature before harvesting pieces of the plant to enjoy. Epic Gardening Shop Homepage: https://growepic.co/3VC3f2ABotanical Interests Shop Homepage: https://growepic.co/4bc7SGoBook Collection Page: https://growepic.co/3ximaY9EG Homesteading Book: https://growepic.co/3KT9k5DLearn More: Do Regrowing Food Scraps Hacks Actually Work?Connect With Linda Ly:Author and blogger Linda Ly started writing about gardening, garden-to-table recipes, and outdoor adventures on Garden Betty in 2010. Since then, her stories, tutorials, and free resources have attracted 5 million visitors per year from around the world. Linda has written several cookbooks, including The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook, and has appeared in Time, Food & Wine, HGTV Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post.The No-Waste Vegetable CookbookInstagramFacebookEmail ListYouTubeLazy Gardening AcademyShop the StoreAs an exclusive for listeners, use code THEBEET for 5% off your entire order on our store, featuring our flagship Birdies Raised Beds. These are the original metal raised beds, lasting up to 5-10x longer than wooden beds, are ethically made in Australia, and have a customizable modular design. Get Our BooksLooking for a beginner's guide to growing food in small spaces? Kevin's book, Field Guide to Urban Gardening, explains the core, essential information that you'll need to grow plants, no matter where you live!He also wrote Grow Bag Gardening to provide you with specialized knowledge that can bring you success when growing in fabric pots.Preorder Kevin's newest book Epic Homesteading if you are looking to turn your home into a thriving homestead! Order signed copies of Kevin's books, plus more of his favorite titles in our store.More ResourcesLooking for more information? Follow us:Our BlogYouTube (Including The Beet Podcast,  Epic Homesteading and Jacques in the Garden and Botanical Interest )Instagram (Including Epic Homesteading, Jacques)PinterestTikTokFacebookFacebook GroupDiscord Server

Many gardeners grow Brassica family veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale. I also like to experiment with two other Brassicas: kohlrabi and rapini. Kohlrabi looks a bit like a space satellite. It's low growing and forms an edible, handball sized, swollen stem near the soil surface. That's the part you eat. It was discovered in the 16th century and is popular in Europe. The classic varieties, such as 'Quickstar', are green. I like growing the purple colored, 'Kohlibri' and the white skinned, 'Beas'. There are some varieties, such as 'Superschmelz', that can grow 14 inches across. That's a lot of kohlrabi to eat! The flavor of kohlrabi is like a slightly sweet turnip and I eat it raw in dips or roast it with root crops. Plant now and stagger your plantings or you'll get lots of kohlrabi all maturing at once. Once harvested the plant is destroyed. Another unusual Brassica is broccoli raab or rapini. This leafy vegetable hails from the Mediterranean region and from China. The name means “little turnip” in Italian. Like kohlrabi, it's related to turnips, but has a small, broccoli-like head and the leaves and small stems are cooked and eaten as well. The flavor can be slightly bitter, and very robust. I like it steamed, roasted, grilled and sauteed. It's great with pasta or with potatoes. Rapini grows best in cool temperatures, so now is the time to start growing it. It only takes 45 days after seeding to harvest the young plants. Thin plants to 8 inches apart and harvest before the flowers bolt for the mildest flavor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I might take a moment to thank our listeners for joining us each week and for the lovely feedback you give us.Each message is welcomed and helps us to write the stories you'd like us to tell. Please keep your emails coming. Building this gardening community is heartwarming and very fulfilling. You are appreciated.In this weeks episode we talk to Charlotte from Kings Seeds. A family-owned small business, run with expertise and passion. We've discovered our values align well with Charlotte and her team. We both aim to bring encouragement and support to home gardeners.Charlotte gives us a few suggestions as to what seeds we can start both in the vegetable and flower garden, some of her favourite flowers, and we have a competition for you. A Seasonal Gift basket that Kings Seeds have put together for us. Be sure to listen and enter.Also, Kings Seeds are offering a $20 gift voucher every week.Our vegetable of the week is the humble onion - fairly easy to grow and much appreciated in most home-cooked meals. Discover how you can feed your onions so they, in turn, can feed you.It's Autumn Equinox today 20th March, at precisely 4.06pm - What is the Autumn Equinox? and how can you celebrate this special event? Tea of the week Rose, Lavender, and Cardamom, a relaxing tea.Sow and plant until 22nd then cultivate your soil, add lots of lovely nutrients to replenish those that have fed your summer vegetables.Time to plant Brassicas, Brussels Sprouts, Kale, Broccoli.Cauliflower, Celery, lettuce, silverbeet, snow peas on your windowsill, and the last sowing of Spring onions for the season.Book of the week - The Allergy-Fighting Garden, how to create a garden for those who suffer with allergiesVictoria from Cromwell asked how we care for herbs over winter…Glossary - Evapotranspiration, the process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere.Be sure to enjoy your garden tasks and reap the many rewards.Happy gardeningAli and JenSupport the showYou can contact us at coach@yourgardencoach.nz Please follow our Instagram page @yourgardencoach_nz where we regularly upload interesting gardening tips Our website is under construction, as you know good things take time.Keep a lookout for http://yourgardencoach.nz We hope you enjoy our podcast, designed for gardeners in the Central Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand - but not exclusively. Join us from wherever you happen to be and simply check the title of the podcast. e.g. Spring Ep1. to fit in with the season in your location.

If you want your garden to feed you through winter, now's the time to get prepping. Brassicas like Broccoli need three months to grow, so need to be planted, and it's a perfect time to make compost with all your late summer garden waste Organic gardener Kath Irvine from Edible Backyard joins Susie with tips and tricks for both small and large gardens. Plus she'll answer your questions.

Dry conditions? Honestly, watering yourself silly is always an expensive exercise (especially in Wellington! Bottles of water are at least a dollar each…).  Protect your soil from evaporation by chucking a heap of mulch in between your plants; I've just finished my firewood stash and the smaller branches are chippered into big bags of mulch.  Timing is everything. Water tanks next to the house? Maybe now is a good idea to invest in some tanks, connected to your guttering, just saying…  Raspberries: If you have harvested your spring-fruiting raspberries, they need pruning now. Get down on your hands and knees and prune off all the old “canes”; It's easy to see which are old, brown canes with yellow old leaves and which ones are the new, fresh ones that will fruit for you next year.  Raspberries also have this habit of producing heaps of runners and canes far, far away from the original bed! Either mow them down of translocate these new runners to a new row. They'll survive that easily if done now, while the soil is warm.  Add some fertiliser and everybody's happy for next spring!  Note: autumn raspberries still have a crop to go!!!  Mid-summer is also the time to prune your plums when they have been harvested. I tend to do that now, with the summer heat still here. When you do it in late autumn or winter, the cooler, wetter weather can cause quite a few problems with diseases.  Remember: stonefruit bears its fruit on young wood, but the European plums (such as prunes, Damson, and Greengage) tend to fruit heavily on 3–4-year-old branches. In our garden the Damson and Greengage are our jam work horses, so they can be shortened back to the well-established branches.  Japanese plums tend to fruit on new wood, which means you can't be as ruthless; Think ahead!!  Vegies to sow/buy/plant: most of the winter crops:  Prepare your patches – compost, dig-over, make friable with a fork  Carrots in really good, stone-free soil. Well-drained and easy to penetrate for the roots (no forks in the carrots); Seed tape!  Swedes and beetroots – again, well-drained soils that don't stay wet too long (roots can rot in stagnant water  Leeks – yep always a good winter vegetable, start while soil is warm (good germination)  All the Brassicas can be sown or planted now, whatever you like; Caulies, Broccolinis, cabbages etc, etc. Protect from white butterfly larvae (still very prolific in the warm weather) – use “Success” (Yates) or fine netting that doesn't let the mother whites onto the leaf surface.    LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Christmas Day special programme is devoted to the Brussels sprout, with some incredible women for whom they're playing a key role in their working lives. As a nation we eat more sprouts than any other country in Europe but it's a vegetable that, like marmite, divides opinion. Originally from the Middle East, they came to Europe as an export of the Roman Empire. We hear how they became known as Brussels sprouts with the head of the Royal Horticultural Society Clare Matterson and the food historian Dr Sue Bailey. Plant pathologist Dr Lauren Chappell and the brassica research expert Dr Rachel Wells explain how sprouts are being engineered to taste sweeter and withstand climate change. Nutritionist Charlotte Hunter says the phytoestrogens in these mini cabbages mean women should be eating more of them. And for ideas about how to cook your sprouts, chef and broadcaster Andi Oliver and her daughter Miquita are on hand, as well as the chef Rosalind Rathouse.Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lisa Jenkinson Studio Manager Neva Missirian

On this week's OviCast we're joined by post-graduate student, Mark Dolan, to discuss different aspects of management of forage brassicas.  Mark gives us some background to some of the work he has been involved in using forage brassicas to finish store lambs.  We discuss yields of the different crops, utilisation rates and the factors that influence them and how they have adapted management during periods of poor weather conditions.  We finish up discussing lamb kill out on the crops and the impact of regular drafting on grazing days.  For more episodes from the OviCast podcast, visit the show page at:https://www.teagasc.ie/animals/sheep/ovicast-sheep-podcast 

The widespread use of fake evidence in planning applications from livestock farms may have led to increased water pollution in Northern Ireland, including the toxic blue-green algae we reported on this summer in Lough Neagh. That's according to the Belfast based investigative journalism network, The Detail. Since 2015 farmers in Northern Ireland wanting to build new sheds to house livestock like pigs and poultry have had to submit soil samples to show their land will be able to absorb the extra animal waste, or slurry, without it running off into rivers and causing pollution. The Detail's investigation says that the Northern Ireland Environment Agency found that between 2015 and 2022, 87 percent of those samples - that's more than a hundred - were fabricated or doctored to get around planning regulations. After weeks of heavy rainfall, we join one farmer trying to harvest sprouts in a quagmire. And presenter, Caz, braves the cold water to meet a group of swimmers as they travel from "source to sea" along the River Eden in Cumbria. Presented by Caz Graham Produced for BBC Audio in Bristol by Heather Simons

Dig into this podcast episode that includes comfort food cooking with brassica vegetables, insights into both native and non-native viburnums, and helpful information on various types of garden shovels, Annie Scibienski, a Master Gardener Volunteer, starts us off with a new From Patch to Plate segment about cooking with cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli. Awaken your taste buds with her descriptions of recipes involving these popular vegetable varieties. Viburnums are a very admired and fast-growing flowering landscape shrubs or small trees with a large number of cultivars available. Bloom times span from early spring through June, followed by attractive fruit and great fall foliage. However, not all viburnums are created equal. Learn about the differences between the native and non-native species from Master Gardener Tim Kennelty on Good Plant/Bad Plant. Have you ever stopped to think about what a groundbreaking invention the shovel is?  Annie Scibienski returns with a discussion about different types of shovels on The Grateful Shed. The shovel, spade, and trowel are featured with descriptions of the benefits of each type and their uses in the garden. We hope you find some interesting bits of new knowledge on this episode of Nature Calls: Conversations from the Hudson Valley. Hosts: Tim Kennelty and Jean Thomas Guests: Tim Kennelty and Annie Scibienski Photo by: Tim Kennelty Production Support: Linda Aydlett, Teresa Golden and Annie Scibienski Resources

October's Harvest of the Month is Brassicas! 

In this episode I talk about my short (thank God) brassica food plot season. All no-till. Most shortest and successful brassica season. I then explain the new market I've stumbled into mainly cattle producers. I talk about bringing my dad's Paul Knox Dbltree, Lick Creek mix into the cattle world. However, greatly modified to allow certain aspects to produce more tonnage and some diversity.

After a damp and cool July, we look forward to a productive, colourful yet relaxed August. Dig It's Peter Brown and Chris Day provide a round-up of the month's gardening what's on's, a look at the stories making the gardening headlines and a round-up of those essential gardening tasks.What's on2 - 6th August: RHS Hyde Hall Flower Show, Chelmsford, Essex.4 - 13th August: Shropshire Petal Fields, Newport, Shropshire.11 – 12th August: Shrewsbury Flower Show, The Quarry Shrewsbury.12 – 13th August: The Great Comp Summer Show, Platt near Sevenoaks, Kent.17 – 20th August: Southport Flower Show, Victoria Park, Southport.18 – 20th August: RHS Garden Rosemoor Flower Show, Great Torrington, Devon.Until 13 September: RHS Garden Wisley. A new exhibition Growing Up in the Garden, showcasing the way children use gardens as a place to connect with and explore the natural world.NEWS First King's birthday honours for landscaper and designer Tom Stuart-Smith (OBE) and Kew's Director of Gardens Richard Barley (MBE).Renowned rosarian Michael Marriott awarded the Dean Hole Medal by Colin Squire, chairman of The Rose Society UK.Top accolade the Brickell Award went to Adrian Young's National Collection of 900 Saxifraga as part of Plant Heritage's Hampton Court display.Carol Klein named the RHS's 'Iconic Horticultural Hero' for 2023 and Carol's comments about the lack of female representation on Gardeners' World.Hemlock warning: the deadly plant found in UK gardens.Rare pink grasshopper spotted in North Wales.Use of peat is falling according to latest HTA report.Scottish farmers lead research to revive lost linen industry.Salisbury City Council scraps hanging baskets and sparks division.Top plants named at HTA Plant Show - Curcuma ‘Skyline' overall winner. Other winners include Agapanthus Orientalis ‘Black Jack,' Ball Colegrave Ltd's Dahlia ‘Dalina® Maxi Starburst Pink' and Fatsia Japonica ‘Camouflage.'Dig It Top Five Roses: 1. ‘The Queen Elizabeth II', 2. ‘With Love', 3. ‘Cutie Pie', 4. ‘Precious Ruby' and 5. ‘Mary Berry'.Plant mentions: Plant seed potatoes for Christmas, Leeks, Brassicas and Spinach. Sow Basil, Marjoram, Borage, Chives, Coriander, and Dill. Propagate lavender and rosemary. Divide Chives. Propagate and plant new strawberry runners including ‘Cambridge Favourite,' ‘Elsanta,' and ‘Honeoye.' Continue sowing early-flowering biennials - like honesty and wallflowers. Sow Cress and compact sunflowers with the children.Product mentions: Bamboo canes, Garden twine (Jute). Plant feeds - Tomorite, Doff fertilisers. Miracle Gro, Phostrogen, Seaweed Extract, Westland Tomato Food and Comfrey tea.Our thanks to Chiltern Music Therapy for providing the music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3-in-1 plants anyone? You don't need to wait for your Brassicas to fully mature before harvesting pieces of the plant to enjoy. Connect With Linda Ly: Author and blogger Linda Ly started writing about gardening, garden-to-table recipes, and outdoor adventures on Garden Betty in 2010. Since then, her stories, tutorials, and free resources have attracted 5 million visitors per year from around the world. Linda has written several cookbooks, including The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook, and has appeared in Time, Food & Wine, HGTV Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post. The No-Waste Vegetable Cookbook Instagram Facebook Email List YouTube Lazy Gardening Academy Buy Birdies Garden Beds Use code EPICPODCAST for 5% off your first order of Birdies metal raised garden beds, the best metal raised beds in the world. They last 5-10x longer than wooden beds, come in multiple heights and dimensions, and look absolutely amazing. Click here to shop Birdies Garden Beds Buy My Book My book, Field Guide to Urban Gardening, is a beginners guide to growing food in small spaces, covering 6 different methods and offering rock-solid fundamental gardening knowledge: Order on Amazon Order a signed copy Follow Epic Gardening YouTube Instagram Pinterest Facebook Facebook Group

On today's episode some tips and tricks for making sure those pesky pests aren't eating all of your hard work when growing beautiful brassicas.

In our latest episode, Ken Rundle talks to Tom Decamp, Yara's Area Manager and Field Vegetable Specialist to discuss Brassicas, challenging weather conditions, and tips on fertiliser selections and application timings.

Habitat Podcast #231 - Albert Tomechko is back to join Jared Van Hees on all things Fall food plots with Vitalize Seed. We cover: Not giving up on Spring Plots Fall Mix - Carbon Load new changes NEW PRODUCT from Vitalize Seed Seed Coating & Seeding Rates Food Plot planting methods High quality diverse mix Planting brassicas and grains at the same time and more! FALL SEED --> Vitalize Seed https://bit.ly/vitalizeseed ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ NEW - Down Burst Seeders - https://bit.ly/downburstseeders 10% code: HP10 Exodus Trail Cameras - Use Code: HP - https://exodusoutdoorgear.com/discount/HP ACRES.CO - New Partner! Vitalize Seed Food Plot Seed - https://bit.ly/vitalizeseed Morse Nursery - http://bit.ly/MorseTrees 10% off w/code: HABITAT10 LAND PLAN Property Consultations – HP Land Plans: LAND PLANS Leave us a review for a FREE DECAL - https://apple.co/2uhoqOO First Lite --> https://bit.ly/3EDbG6P Vitalize Seed GIFT CARDS--> https://bit.ly/vitalizeseed Packer Maxx - http://bit.ly/PACKERMAXX $25 off with code: HPC25 Morse Nursery Tree Dealer Pricing – info@habitatpodcast.com YOUTUBE - Habitat Podcast Email us: info@habitatpodcast.com Michigan Whitetail Pursuit - http://bit.ly/MWpursuit habitat management / deer habitat / food plots / hinge cut / food plot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join me for a discussion of what to do to catch up on your spring gardening, exciting spring forage, update on the incubation project.  Featured Event: June 24 Poultry Processing Workshop at the Holler Homestead https://www.livingfreeintennessee.com/product/poultry-processing-workshop-ticket/ Sponsor number 1: Permies.com - PTJ, https://wheaton-labs.com/permaculture-tech/?f=496 BOGO Sponsor number 2: EMP Shield, https://www.empshield.com/ Use coupon code LFTN for 25% off Forage Red clover (Harvesting recommendation game) Vetch Wild rose petals Dandelion flower Last chance on watercress for awhile (Flavor is quite peppery) Livestock Keeping an eye on the sheep with the spring rains More baby rabbits due - and our space challenge Incubator project update Goats and garden weeds Still no bresse babies… Harvest meals Spring greens and mouth feel Holler Stew goulasch style Grow These 3 peas! Strawberries are off the charts, too many to eat Brassicas look good (finger's crossed) Catching up on the garden when you are behind Worm castings Comfrey Harvest 1.0 Planting more fodder trees propagated from the first round Holler Neighbors/Community Quiet week Infrastructure Major leaps forward on fencing at the holler Hipcamp is open: https://www.hipcamp.com/en-US/land/tennessee-holler-homestead-woodsy-retreat-wz6h7zqd/sites/356763?shareid=ef2kmtjouc Water calming efforts Finances Auctioned off things to buy a zero turn mower - not sure how that went yet Make it a great week! GUYS! Don't forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift! Community Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up Holler Roast Coffee Harvest Right Affiliate Link

Today we have the pleasure of welcoming Jan van der Heide to the podcast. He is the Northeast Market Manager for Bejo Seeds, a Dutch vegetable seed company that has breeding stations and distribution all over the world.Jan has a depth of knowledge about brassicas, and we've been getting a lot of contact lately here at Growing for Market about how to avoid the many disorders that can cause broccoli and cauliflower to grow poorly. Now, if you are a brassica grower, you are probably all too familiar with the symptoms of messed-up broccoli and cauliflower: examples include tiny, unmarketable heads that formed prematurely, properly sized but poorly formed crowns, crowns that have some beads that are starting to open and flower when other beads are still undersized, and a seemingly unlimited range of other disorders that reduce yield and marketability in brassica crops.Broccoli and cauliflower are very sensitive to the wrong climatic conditions, which is why over 90% of the broccoli consumed in the USA is grown in coastal California, where the conditions are particularly good for broccoli. Though because, by definition, local, direct-market vegetable growers cannot all be in California, nor are all areas of California equally great for broccoli, direct market growers need to figure out how to grow in a range of climates.Jan, however, is based in a region that is much less naturally kind to broccoli: the Northeast US, where unpredictable weather and wide temperature fluctuations can make getting a good broccoli crop difficult. In fact, Bejo is working with Cornell University and other collaborators in what is called the Eastern Broccoli Project in order to identify varieties that will do well with the variable weather east of the Mississippi. We discuss everything from scheduling to variety selection to similar crops that can be grown instead of broccoli, in order to meet customer demand without putting too much risk on the grower.In Shop Talk with Neversink Farm @neversinkfarm we chat about new tools, old tools, how they can benefit your farm and tips to use them successfully with Conor Crickmore of Neversink Tools, which manufactures tools for farmers.In this episode of Shop Talk, we discuss tray dibblers, why Conor dibbles all his flats, and the advantages of a good dibbler. We talk about why he doesn't cover his flats after seeding, and how this helps him get flats out of the germinator when the seed has just cracked, before the shoot has any chance to get leggy, and how a good dibbler can also be used to pop seedlings out of a flat.Thanks to our collaborator on this podcast Neversink Farm. They make this podcast free to everyone with their generous support. For tools designed and made by farmers, check out www.NeversinkTools.com Connect With Guest:Email: j.vanderheide@bejoseeds.comWebsite: www.bejoseeds.com www.bejo.com Download A FREE Magazine Issue:Go To Growing For Market Magazine: www.GrowingForMarket.com 

Join me for an update from the Holler Homestead. Friends leaving the farm, new arrivals, winter returns 1.0, and more. Featured Event: SquatchFest June 21-25: https://foodforestfarms.com/store/p125/TheSquatchFEST_-_Solstice_Celebration_June_21-25_2023.html Today's Sponsor: The Homestead Consultant TheHomesteadConsultant.com In today's chaotic world there is a major disconnect between our land, our food and our community. At The Homestead Consultant, we believe that the solution to bridging these gaps starts in the individual home. By taking practical steps toward food production, land restoration, independent education and rational preparedness we can begin to restore these disconnects. That is where The Homestead Consultant comes in. We will work closely with you to evaluate your property with your unique goals, vision and resources in mind. Using a restorative,  permaculture lens we will help you design a holistic and actionable gameplan to help make your homesteading dreams a reality. Our sincere desire is to see all of our clients become more connected and resilient! Find out more about our services by visiting our website at TheHomesteadConsultant.com  LFTN listeners get a special offer of a free 20 minute initial phone consultation. Just send an email with the subject LFTN Consult to TheHomesteadConsultant@gmail.com with a brief description of the homesteading topic you would like to discuss and we will respond to you with available time slots.   Forage Watercress, dead nettle, stinging nettle, chick weed Morels and other mushrooms Ramps are up Pea shoots and other early spring greens A word on the frost Livestock Lady Pig and LB are leaving the Holler Homestead Rabbit 2 is making a nest about 5 days later than we expected - this is why you wait a week to be sure Sheep moving to the barn in advance of SRF to making things easier for the farm sitters - can do this because the grass is back Getting ready for chicks in two weeks Rats are a renewed problem Grow Seedlings are doing well Brassicas made it through the freeze just fine Rosemary and lavender is still with us Strawberries are blooming  Holler Neighbors/Community BIIIG help on the kitchen redo (See thumbnail) Infrastructure Holler Roost Pump House Update  Finances Sold some lamb in the network Make it a great week! GUYS! Don't forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift! Community Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up Holler Roast Coffee Harvest Right Affiliate Link

Support balancing female hormones with brassica vegetables as part of your food plan. To help you choose natural plant foods to support your mid-life symptoms we are going to give you a snap-shot of … Boosting Brassicas for Hormonal Health … we'll talk about:· Why Brassicas are supportive of health, especially hormonal health· How you can maximise their nutritional properties to get the best from them· Ideas for your food planIf you would like to find out more about our Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Programme please book a FREE Discovery CallBook your place on our next FREE TRAINING: Learn all about our Healthy Woman Healthy Runner Method.You can choose either 12 noon or at 6pm (BST), whichever best suits your lifestyle. Book for 12 noon GMT, 19:00 AWST, 21:00 ACST HEREBook for 18:00 GMT, 13:00 ET, 10:00 PT HEREWe love podcasting but we love being with you LIVE even more so we can't wait to meet you in our ZOOM ROOM! SHOW NOTES (01:38)Brassicas - people either love them or hate them as they sometimes have a slightly bitter taste. There's lots you can do to make them palatable and easy to include in your food plan, and it's worth it as there are so many health benefits from eating them. (04:13)Nutrient Value of Brassicas include Vitamin C, K, A, B9 (folate) as well as being rich sources of potassium and phosphorus and contains smaller amounts of calcium, magnesium iron and zinc.Brassicas are a good source of FIBRE which is important for the digestive system and will help you have regular bowel movements which is important for many reasons but will help with the elimination of excess hormones.The Brassicas – An Undervalued Nutritional and Health Beneficial Plant Family a joint publication from The James Hutton Institute, Dundee and Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh. At the end of the pdf you'll find some tables which list nutrient content of the different vegetables in this category.(06:09)What is it about brassica vegetables that is known to be supportive for hormone balance?(07:05)How to maximise the nutritional properties of brassicas with preparation and cooking methods.(08:54)Should we buy fresh or frozen?(10:48)Should we be concerned about packaged brassica vegetables and how should we store them at home?(12:50)How to cook brassicas to preserve nutrient status.(15:05)Introducing the HEALTHY WOMAN HEALTHY RUNNER PROGRAMME and an invitation to book a free DISCOVERY CALL.(18:10)Food tips on how to add brassicas into your food plan. We share ideas for raw and cooked dishes: soups, salads, and side dishes. We and talk about goitrogens in brassicas and the potential impact on thyroid health.(21:27)SOUP TIPAny soup can be enhanced by adding some shredded greens like kale or broccoli or maybe tender stem. Add just before serving so the brassica vegetables are gently cooked.(21:58)SALAD IDEASUse a base of...

Looking out for seasonal troubles  Some of us had a rubbish summer – wind and water and wholesale destruction.  It's really hard to give suitable advice as each situation is different.  The only thing I can say is: protect your valuable top-soil, as that is the most important part of your garden.  Mulch what you've got and add more organic materials to allow the beneficial creatures to thrive.  Plant your winter crops when you have the time and inclination to do so: Brassicas and good root crops. Don't give up!  For those of us that have had a drought: we may have broken that problem over the past weeks or so. But temperatures have been relatively high and the dry conditions have turned a lot more moist:  Mildew is amongst us.  That white cover on the leaves on a range of plants (roses, pumpkins, oak leaves, grapes, you name it). It's caused by a fungus that loves warm day time temperatures, followed by cooler evening temperatures – it causes a layer of dew on the leaves and rust spores love that very much.  Prevention: spray some copper/sulphur fungicide on the leaves on a regular basis; it literally creates a barrier for the spores to become active.  Plants that are already “hammered” by mildew may need a heavier, “systemic” fungicidal spray to contain the fungus  Spider mites adore the late-summer heat. They have slowly increased their numbers, built fine webs on susceptible host plants and are reproducing like there's no tomorrow.  Organic control can be achieved via Yates' fatty acid spray (NatraSoap) … that stuff works on tiny critters with a sensitive skin; alternative: Neem Oil or Conqueror Oil.  Repeat sprays recommended. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is a cultivar? Then Vikram shares about a bad plant and Steve has a hot take about a popular nut. Finally, a rabbit hole on ornamental trees and who is Bradford anyway?Show Notes!Cultivar on WikipediaWhat are Brassicas, Exactly?Bradford Pear Has Many AssetsThe Rise and Fall of the Ornamental Callery Pear TreeThe stinky scourge of suburbiaNorth Carolina's Bradford Pear Bounty ProgramWater and Power: A California Heist - Disney+ Link'Like sending bees to war': the deadly truth behind your almond milk obsessionWater-indexed benefits and impacts of California almondsThe Other Side of Almonds: A Light Carbon FootprintThe Planthropology PodcastThe Texas Tech Horticultural Gardens and Greenhouse ComplexSupport rootbound

Mike and Tim go over the new products for 2023 along reintroduce Liquid Courage. These products are like nothing else we have in the lineup. You aren't going to want to miss them. Mother Load - MotherLoad™ is a special Bean and Pea Mix designed to provide high levels of protein rich, heat tolerant and drought tolerant food for your deer all Spring, Summer and Fall.Hall Pass - Hall Pass™ is a special mix of Grains, Legumes and Brassicas, planted late Summer to offer incredible, long-lasting green forage all Fall and Winter.Dirty Deeds - Dirty Deeds™ Soil Conditioner is a humic-based solution sprayed onto the soil to help planters optimize their soil condition to aid in growing the perfect food plot!Liquid Courage - Liquid Courage™ Foliar Fertilizer is designed to be sprayed directly on the plants in your food plot to help maximize growth and forage production - allowing your property to hold and feed more deer.For everything, Domain Outdoor be sure to check us out. https://linktr.ee/domainoutdoorTo catch the full episodes of Beers N Bucks check it out where ever you listen to podcasts. https://beersnbucksporcast.buzzsprout.comSponsored By Hop & Barrel Breweryhttps://www.facebook.com/hopandbarrelbrewing/https://www.instagram.com/hopandbarrel/?hl=en

It may not feel like you can plant and grow much in wintertime, in comparison to the abundance of other seasons. But gardeners in colder climates can still dream, plan, and even cultivate cold-hardy crops. In this episode, Dr. Jeanne Osnas gives us a deep-dive into brassicas, including how to grow them and how to eat them. This is the first of several seasonal crop profile podcast episodes we'll be sharing this year, and we hope you can harvest some helpful tips to apply in your garden. To see more podcasts, visit our Mother Earth News and Friends page. Check out the MOTHER EARTH NEWS Bookstore for more resources to help you achieve your health and farming goals. Go to the MOTHER EARTH NEWS FAIR page for webinar and courses on everything from gardening to livestock management. 

It's November! What should you be doing in the garden this month? Is there anything to even be doing? Let's talk gardening in November, based on your zone you may need a more ardent winterizing strategy than others. You should always know your hardiness zone! Find it here at Hoss University. The Basics of Gardening In November - for every zone Bring tender plants inside, and cover vulnerable plants (remember to take off when the threat of frost passes so they do not overheat) Clean out annual vegetables and flowers. Some may harbor disease, pests, and funguses. Many bacteria and pest eggs can overwinter in debris, and they will take over your healthy plants once spring arrives. Remove weeds: Like plants, weeds left in the garden through winter can host many pests eggs, and pathogens. Soil Test: Nutrients: Lime, Potassium, Phosphorus, Nitrogen Amend your soil for Spring: Manure, compost, and organic fertilizers Plant Cover Crops: Helps prevent soil erosion, break up compacted areas, increase levels of organic matter, add nutrients Replenish Mulch: Helps regulate soil temperatures and moisture, and protects crops from frost, added mulch breaks down, and incorporates fresh organic material into the soil. Tarp Clean and Sharpen Tools: Shut off irrigation systems when a freeze is indicated Zone 9 The weather is mild in USDA plant hardiness zone 9, and gardeners can grow nearly any delicious vegetable without the worry of hard winter freezes. All of November: Still plant your cold crops: Brassicas(transplants), Direct seed Spinach, Mustard, Turnips, Carrots, Beets, Radishes, Rutabagas, English Peas, lettuce, Kohlrabi, Kale, Strawberries, Elephant Garlic, Onion Starts, Plant till the end of November. USDA Zone 8 First of November: Still plant your cold crops: Brassicas(transplants), Direct seed Spinach, Mustard, Turnips, Carrots, Beets, Radishes, Rutabagas, English Peas, lettuce, Kohlrabi, Kale, Strawberries, Elephant Garlic, Onion Starts, Plant till end of November. Cover Crops Zone 7 Cole crops like Brussels sprouts, cabbage, broccoli, collards, and kale are made sweeter by frost so harvest them as long as possible. You can also use a cold frame or put up a low tunnel to extend the season. Last chance to plant garlic! Be ready with blankets/ floating row cover fabric for covering lettuce and other half-hardy crops during the first hard freeze. The end of the month should be consistently cold enough to start applying a 2-4” layer of protective mulch Zone 6 First of November sow seeds directly outdoors for spinach, and Swiss Chard.  Winterize irrigation systems, Frost protection material on hand. Product of the Week Onion Plants Watch the Complete Show on YouTube Below: https://youtu.be/AOFcgGiZMIc

Uh, Julie left work early, went to the garden center, bought some plants. A lot of broccoli, actually--too much, considering things. Out in the garden, discovered root-knot nematodes--the remedy might be actually be in the flat of broc. SERENDIPITY??? Miracle from the Universe?! She don't know. Why would she know?! But there's some biology that justifies the purchase, even if that came after the fact. SPONSOR OFFER Save 15% on COVER CROP SEEDS at TrueLeafMarket.com using promo code PH15. Offer expires 12.31.22 Some restrictions apply.

It's time to start thinking about your fall garden! Time is quickly approaching, you need to be planning your fall garden now! Be sure to check out the latest Row By Row Episode to get all the details. Planning Your Fall Garden Now By Zone Zone 9 - Here's What You Need To Be Planning In Your Fall Garden Now: Continue planting flowers and cover crops! You can plant fall corn until the end of August, you should also be getting ready for fall planting of Brassicas. Between September 15th - September 30th, start your "short day" onion seed. Zone 8 If you are in Zone 8, it's now time to plant fall sweet corn and start your first planting of Cabbage and Brussel Sprouts in trays. September 1st is a good time to plant your 2nd round of Brassicas. Zinnias, sunflowers, and cover crops (ex. Buckwheat, Sorghum Sudan Grass, Kodiak Brown Mustard) can also be planted again around September 1st. Planting your onion seed between September 1st - September 15th is your optimal time. Be sure to plant short-day onions for your zone. Zone 7 - Planning Your Fall Garden Start first planting Cabbage and Brussel Sprouts in trays, you can plan to plant another round of brassicas around September 1st. You can also plant more zinnias, sunflowers, and cover crops at that time! Cover crops such as Buckwheat, Sorghum Sudan Grass, and Kodiak Brown Mustard. Zone 6 Zone 6, it is your time to plant beans, English peas, Collards, Turnips, Mustards, Beets, and Radishes. Around September 1st start your cool season cover crops! Product of the Week Tomatoes Broccoli Watch the Complete Show on YouTube Below: https://youtu.be/I6qx5oQJIJA

The week before Tim's wedding the guys decide to launch a new product. With rising fertilizer costs and planting season around the corner its a great time to launch Liquid Courage. Mike and Tim also dive into Tim's hunting property and lay out the plan for the year.IQUID COURAGE™ FOLIAR FERTILIZER IS A CONCENTRATED FERTILIZER SOLUTION DESIGNED TO OPTIMIZE PLANT GROWTH, ENHANCE NUTRIENT UPTAKE AND MAXIMIZE FORAGE PRODUCTION. LIQUID COURAGE™ IS A FERTILIZER NUTRIENT SOLUTION DESIGNED FOR FOLIAR APPLICATION (SPRAYED ONTO PLANTS AND ABSORBED THROUGH LEAVES AND STEM) AND MUST BE DILUTED IN WATER BEFORE USE. LIQUID COURAGE™ IS RECOMMENDED AS A SUPPLEMENT TO A FERTILIZER PROGRAM AND ALSO CONTAINS SEVERAL STRAINS OF BENEFICIAL SOIL MICROBES AND MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI. APPLICATION OF THE COMPONENTS FOUND IN LIQUID COURAGE™ HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO OPTIMIZE NUTRIENT CONDITIONS FOR PLANT GROWTH CONTRIBUTING TO BETTER OVERALL PLANT SIZE AND YIELD. LIQUID COURAGE™ CAN BE SPRAYED ON ALL DOMAIN OUTDOOR FOOD PLOT PRODUCTS AND IS GREAT FOR CLOVERS, BRASSICAS, GRAINS, SOYBEANS AND CORN!THE RECOMMENDED APPLICATION RATE IS 32 OZ. OF LIQUID COURAGE™ PER 1 ACRE WITH A MINIMUM OF 5 GALLONS PER ACRE TOTAL SOLUTION. SPRAY EARLY IN THE DAY, PREFERABLY BEFORE THE TEMPERATURE RISES ABOVE 80 DEGREES. ONE POUND OF TABLE SUGAR CAN BE ADDED PER ACRE TO YOUR SPRAY TANK WHEN APPLYING LIQUID COURAGE™. DO NOT APPLY THIS PRODUCT WHEN PLANTS ARE UNDER SEVERE STRESS.INCREASES NUTRIENT UPTAKEINCREASES YIELD POTENTIALFEEDS BENEFICIAL MICROBESINCREASES PLANT GROWTH AND QUALITYINCREASES ROOT DEVELOPMENTLIQUID COURAGE™ IS COMPATIBLE WITH MOST HERBICIDES , FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES; HOWEVER, A JAR TEST IS RECOMMENDED BEFORE TANK-MIXING AND APPLICATION, ESPECIALLY WHEN USING MULTIPLE CHEMICALS.1 JUG (1/2 GAL. - 64 OZ.) = COVERS UP TO 2 ACREShttps://www.domainoutdoor.com/foodplotseedmineralandattractant/liquid-courage-7-17-4-foliar-fertilizerhttps://www.domainoutdoor.comhttps://www.instagram.com/domain_outdoor_llc/https://www.facebook.com/domainoutdoorllchttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe7NJvvaiQ6tzeCi2P9nB5w/videos

Interview Summary   So I've been an admirer of your work for a number of years now and really perceive of you as a pioneer doing important community-rooted work. So let's start with grounding this conversation for our listeners. Would you share your thoughts on problems with the current food system?   Sure. I think there are multiple problems with the current food system. Beginning with that, we have great inequities within the food system because of the existing inequality in American society, based on economic standing and based on so-called race. And, to some extent, based on geographies - some people have great access to highly nutritious food. Others don't have so many opportunities. So, for example, in the city of Detroit, where I live, we have a few grocery stores; in fact, we actually have about 70 grocery stores. But most of those are independent smaller stores that don't offer the robust selection that we see from national stores. So the problem in Detroit is twofold: 1) that is the lack of stores, and 2) even if the store exists a few miles from you, if you don't have an automobile, you still don't have access. So these are just a couple of examples.   So we have great inequity in the food system that impacts the health of communities. The second major problem with the food system is that workers within the food system are really exploited and not paid fair wages. So we have food that is subsidized in a sense; subsidized by the exploitations of farmworkers and people working in meatpacking plants and what have you. And so, even though most people would, I suspect, think that they're paying a high price for food, the reality is we're not really paying the actual value of food. And we're externalizing some of those costs.   The third problem with the food system is the environmental degradation that it causes. The industrial food system that produces the majority of food in American society is heavily dependent upon pesticides and herbicides, dependent upon huge amounts of water, huge machinery, and the use of diesel fuels. Farms have to be huge farms for them to survive. And so there are all kinds of problems this causes for the environment, both the runoff of the pesticides and the herbicides into the water systems. And the creation of dead zones - problems created by herding cattle and pigs into small areas and trying to process the waste from that. And the system is not sustainable. We simply can't continue to feed the Earth's population using the same kinds of methods that have been used for the last 60 years or so. So those are three of the major problems with the food system. There are many others as well.   When you think about a system so embedded in the American economy and so embedded in the way we've constructed racial barriers and inequities in our country, it's hard to think that you could produce big change in this. And people, when they think big changes might automatically think about big government top-down Washington or state-driven initiatives and things like that. I'm sure there's a role for those things, and I've worked on some things, but there's also tremendous room for local ingenuity. And very often, I know, at least in the public health arena, what starts locally becomes national before long. And that's really where the innovation begins. And that's exactly what you've done. So let's shift now and talk about some of the work that you're doing. I know that you've done crowdfunding campaigns to help black farmers buy land in Detroit and advocated for urban farming, local food, and local growers, particularly during the pandemic. So what are your current efforts?   First of all, I agree with your framing that as we think about how we change the food system - looking at a top-down approach becomes very difficult. There's been a number of efforts to make a Farm Bill that is more just than equitable. But I don't know that we've seen really significant systems-wide changes due to the Farm Bill. But we can do these things on the local level that create examples of the larger change that can come about. And it can help to shift people's consciousness about how they perceive and relate to the food system.   So we've been doing some of that work in the City of Detroit via the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network for the last 15 years or so. I'll start with the effort you just mentioned - the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund. Urban agriculture will not place rural agriculture, but it certainly can supplement it. Urban agriculture grows food closer to where we have population density centers and thus requires less burning of carbon to transport food long distances. When people eat food in closer proximity time-wise to the time it was harvested, they're going to get food that is better for them and has more nutrients. So we don't think that urban farming will replace rural farming. We believe that urban farming is a good supplement, and there are some things that we can grow in urban areas, such as Brassicas, collard greens, kale, tomato, and all kinds of things. But we're not likely to see wheat fields, and we're not likely to see herds of cattle in the city of Detroit.   We've been working with the Detroit Black Farmers Land Fund, which is really an initiative coordinated by three organizations in Detroit: our organization, the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, Oakland Avenue Urban Farm, and a group called Keep Growing Detroit. And so, we've come together to jointly administer this fund. So far, we've given away more than $70,000 to about 40 Detroit farmers who have been trying to buy land. Just as in rural areas, obtaining land can often be very difficult for farmers, particularly in a city like Detroit, where we see a tremendous amount of gentrification. Wealthy folks are coming in, buying huge tracts of land, and driving property values up. And so farmers in Detroit often have a hard time owning the land that they're farming on or finding land even that they can purchase to farm on. So the Detroit Black Farmers Land Fund is an effort to assist Detroit's black farmers in obtaining land. This year, it's altered slightly, and grants were also given to building infrastructure. So it's one thing to have an acre of land in a city or two acres or whatever the case may be. But, still, you also need infrastructure on that land, hoop houses, fencing, water, and all kinds of things that allow you to grow food robustly. So that's one of the things that we're very excited about. The second anniversary of the Detroit Black Farmer Land Fund is coming up in June of this year. So I'm looking for that continuing to expand. Also, that effort has inspired other folks in other parts of the country. Particularly in Michigan, where we see in the neighboring county, Washtenaw County Black Farmer Land Fund, which, of course, is influenced by the work they saw happening here in Detroit.   The second thing that we do and perhaps that our organization's best known for is that we operate D-Town Farm, a seven-acre farm in a city-owned park in the city of Detroit where we grow more than 40 different fruits, vegetables, and herbs. And probably more important than the amount of food that we produce, we're planting seeds in the consciousness of Detroiters about the role that urban agriculture can play as we rethink what the city of Detroit can be and as we rethink how we improve public health. So at D-Town Farm, we do lots of tours for school groups, university groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, who are being exposed to urban agriculture often for the first time. And they're able to see the techniques that we use and can hear the ideas that drive the work we do at the farm. We do large-scale composting. Soil health is the most important factor in making sure that we have nutrient-dense food. So we do large-scale composting to regenerate the nutrients in the soil at our farm. We also have three hoop houses that we use for season extensions. We also have public events at D-Town Farm, designed to get children and families to come to the farm who might not necessarily be ready to volunteer and put their hands in the soil, but who are interested in being outdoors and learning about the possibilities of urban agriculture. So we have a number of events throughout the year, such as something in April we call the Bio Blip, where students from the University of Michigan who are studying in the School of Natural Resources come out and bring magnifying glasses, microscopes, specimen bags. They lead a group of about 100 children. They identify all the fauna, flora, and fungi at the farm. And it's wonderful, by the way, to see children from the city out at the farm, reconnecting with nature. We have a harvest festival every fall where we have close to 1,000 people who visit the farm. We have workshops, speakers, food demonstrations, tours of the farms, live music, a farmer's market, and all kinds of things that can expose the public to the great potential of urban agriculture.   We also have a youth program called the Food Warriors Youth Development Program that functions at two sites in Detroit. One site is a church, and that site functions on Saturday mornings and is open to any children in the city of Detroit between the ages of seven and 12. The second site is the school site on the east side of Detroit, and that program is only open to students who are enrolled at the school and it functions as an afterschool program. So at both sites, we have raised beds. And we teach the children how to build those raised beds, how to cultivate the food, and how to harvest the food. Then they also learn about food justice concepts. Our organization thinks that our culture is very important. And that African American people have gone through a process caused by our enslavement that has intentionally disconnected us from our traditional culture. We think it's very important that we reconnect children of African descent with traditional African cultural concepts. As well as giving them an understanding of the role that African Americans have played in the development of agriculture.   And then the third major thing that we're doing is the Detroit Food Commons, a new 31,000-square-foot building that we're building on Woodward Avenue, the main street of Detroit. It's about a $20 million project. The Detroit Food Commons will house the Detroit People's Food Co-op, a cooperatively owned grocery store, which we also initiated. Although we initiated and continue to influence it, it's an independent body with its own board. And that board regulates what will happen inside that grocery store. The first floor will be the cooperative grocery store. Still, we'll have four shared youth kitchens on the second floor of the building, about a 3,000-square-foot community meeting space, and office space for the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network. So again, we're looking forward to the opening of this in June of 2023, and we think want to be a game-changer in Detroit on several levels. One, it is a cooperatively owned business that pushes back against the gentrification that we're seeing in Detroit, where generally, very wealthy white men lead all of the development that we see happening in Detroit. And then we're supposed to see that as progress because we can walk into these edifices that wealthy white men have created and spend our money there where the community has really no ownership. And there's very little circulation of wealth within our community. The cooperative ownership of the grocery store, on the other hand, does provide for ownership by community members. We currently have 1,437 member-owners of the Detroit People's Food Co-op. That's one reason it's important, the cooperative ownership structure and how that pushes back against the typical style of development that we see happening in Detroit. It will also be a game-changer, though, because of the neighborhood that we're building in, which is called the North End. It has a tremendous lack of access to high-quality food. And so it's going to provide high quality, often locally-grown food for residents of that community and Detroiters in general. There's a vast number of people who live in the suburbs north of Detroit who work in Detroit and leave the city each day, driving down Woodward Avenue. We're also hoping that an audience will shop at the Detroit People's Food Co-op before going back to their homes in the suburbs. The third way it will be a game-changer is to provide a consistent retail outlet on a scale that was previously unavailable for local growers. And so, we are very much conscious of our role in helping to catalyze the urban agriculture movement by providing this consistent retail outlet.   Malik, that's a jaw-dropping array of things you and others in Detroit are doing, and I can't tell you how inspirational it is. Let me bring up one in particular, and it has to do with your focus on youth. Given your background as an elementary school principal, I could see why that would be a focus for you. But you could see how involving youth in this would help address the issue of getting people interested in farming and interested in other parts of the supply chain. As I imagine as the Commons comes online, youth being involved in that might give them ideas for becoming food-related entrepreneurs. The space that you have upstairs could be used for youth to develop ideas and for new businesses and things like that. I could imagine inspiring a whole new generation of people to think about these food-related activities as a viable career path, and I'm just wondering, have you seen signs of that so far?   Since we started 15 years ago, we've seen a tremendous interest on the part of young people in being involved in the food system. We have something in Detroit, for example, called the Detroit Food Academy, which is a nonprofit that trains people for jobs within the food system. They learn a wide array of fields and areas within the food system where there are employment possibilities. We have a number of farms in Detroit that are encouraging children to anticipate those farms. We have some children, in fact, who have created value-added products that they're selling at various fairs and the farmers' markets throughout the city of Detroit. So yeah, we do see an increasing interest. Part of what we're setting out to do is first to help people think about the food system because the average person, people who aren't food activists, don't even use that term, the food system. That's not how they think about food. They're thinking about, "I'm going to the grocery store to buy what I want. I'm going to cook dinner, and I hope I like the way it tastes," and that's the kind of framing the average person has about food. So part of what we're trying to do with both children and adults is getting them to think about this broader system that provides food and all of the kind of steps in it from the seeds to the planting of those seeds, the cultivation of the crops, the processing of crops, the aggregation of crops, the distribution, the retail level, the post-consumer level. We want people to think about all of that and then think about how they begin to develop agency within it so that they don't just see themselves as subjects that this more powerful system is acting upon, but they see themselves as having the agency to actually shape that food system as it impacts their community. And so that's part of what we've been trying to do with the work of the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, working in a number of areas both in policy and farming, in retail, trying to get people to really conceptualize what this food system is and that they have the right and the responsibility to help shape how that food system impacts them. So, yeah, we're seeing interest by youth, and we are hoping that the kitchens on the second floor will inspire not just youth entrepreneurs but also adult entrepreneurs. And there are a number of people in Detroit who participate in what we call the shadow economy, people who are making money in ways that are outside of the laws of the society. For example, you have a number of people who are preparing chicken dinners and fish dinners or perhaps soups and cakes and selling them. The kitchens on the second floor of the Detroit Food Commons allow those entrepreneurs to go from being underground shadow economy food entrepreneurs to actually coming into the legitimate legal economy by having a licensed kitchen where they can prepare their foods. So we are definitely looking to stimulate the local food economy both for children and adults.   Let's talk a bit more about that. So in some of your beginning comments, you mentioned low wages as one of the fundamental problems in the food system. Are you hopeful that this series of activities will provide better pay opportunities for people?   I'm hopeful, but I also want to acknowledge that it's a very difficult problem. And even as we look at the Detroit People Food Co-op and how to make that cash flow positively, as we look at the performance and all of the expenses, the wages that we're scheduling to pay employees are certainly not what we would like to pay. And so we're strategizing on how with very thin margins in the grocery industry, we can be fairer and just to the workers who will work in that store, but this is not a unique problem that we have. In fact, I would say that the major dilemma facing the food movement in American society is figuring out how we pay workers within the food system a fair and just wage while, at the same time, we make sure that we have food that is available and affordable to everyone in society, regardless of their race, income, or geography. It's a very difficult nut to crack, and I'm not absolutely positive that it can be done within the current economic system, but it's certainly something that we have to strive for and that we have to strategize on. I don't think there's an easy answer to that, but it's the question that we have to constantly put in front of us. For me, the obvious answer, though, is that we have to marry the struggle for food justice with the struggle to eliminate poverty. The answer to this problem is not cheap food per se. The answer to the problem is paying the true value of food but making sure that everyone has the income which is necessary to buy high-quality food.   Let me ask about the importance of community ownership of these things. So let's just say hypothetically that all the activities that you're talking out were being put in place from Washington or the state of Michigan, let's say, as opposed to a very community-involved effort. What's the symbolism of that, and what difference do you think it makes in the way people think about these things?   Well, I think it makes a huge difference, and again, part of what we're trying to instill in people is a sense of agency. I think it's true to say that in American society in general and in Detroit in particular, people have been locked into a lethargy where they think that people who are more powerful are in charge of structuring their lives, that the educational system is responsible for teaching our children, for example, and that doctors are responsible for maintaining our health. And in many ways, we've ceded responsibility for our own lives to these forces that we perceive as being more powerful and particularly in a place like Detroit, where, over the last 20 years or so, we've had the imposition of what the state of Michigan calls emergency managers. The largest or most well-known in the position of the emergency manager was in Detroit just before the city declared bankruptcy. The governor essentially suspended the powers of all of the elected officials and appointed one individual who was the emergency manager of Detroit. These powers superseded all the powers of the elected officials, so essentially, democracy was put into a coma in the city of Detroit. So I'm saying that in a situation that both intentionally disempowers people and also where people cede responsibility because they perceive these more powerful forces as being more qualified to run the systems that impact our lives, people have given up; in many cases, their agency over defining not just the food system that impacts their lives but defining all of the systems that impact their life. And so we're very concerned about developing a sense of community self-determination that every community first decides what their own goals and aspirations are and then decides how they reach that as opposed to external forces coming in and dictating to communities how they should move and develop, and so that's really at the core of what we're doing. So having these community-based projects that mobilize community members and ignite within them this sense of agency both within the food system, and then we're hoping that also as people see that we can exert control over the food system, they begin to look at other aspects of their lives as well and how we can, as a community, begin to exert control over those things. So having said all that, that's not to say that state and federal governments don't have the responsibility of behaving in a way that facilitates justice, equity, and access to high-quality food for all of their citizens. Still, I certainly don't think that we should put the majority of our efforts into that and that we shouldn't wait until those governmental entities act to make things better. We have the right and the responsibility to act on our own behalf while, at the same time, pressuring and urging the government to act in a responsible way.   That makes perfect sense. And I'd imagine another virtue of the community ownership part of this is that the initial innovation breeds more innovation because more and more people think that they can have the agency that you're talking about, come up with new and creative ideas. So I could imagine this building on itself over the years.   Yes, absolutely. I think that mobilizing people to solve their own problems certainly stems from innovation. The challenge is that often, very creative, innovative people in communities like the community I live in don't have the resources to implement those innovations. So we have to always look at that side of the equation also. How do we better resource communities so that the people who have the lived experience and who are most impacted, and who have this tremendous creativity, have the resources that are necessary to bring these ideas to scale, so they have a larger impact?   Bio: Malik Yakini has been involved in the Black liberation movement throughout his adult life. His resume includes more than 20 years as principal of a K-8 African-centered school in Detroit along with founding the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network, which works to build self-reliance, food security, and justice in Detroit's Black community. His connection to food work began about 20 years ago, when he began gardening on a small plot of land at his Detroit home to ensure he had access to fresh food. With few full-scale grocery stores in urban neighborhoods and just one national chain located in Detroit, Yakini saw the need to expand this work to community gardens and to teach young people to get their hands dirty. In 1999, he developed a food security curriculum as principal of Nsoroma Institute, an African-centered school that operated in Detroit from 1989 to 2014.  

Listeners may remember Meg Cowden of SeedtoFork.com from a previous episode on early seed starting.  She's back to talk about succession planting and her new book, Plant Grow Harvest Repeat (Timber Press, 2022).  Meg's book is filled with charts, plant lists, solid advice  and inspiration for any gardener who wants to grow an abundant food and fruit garden, with plenty of flowers as well. We talk about the importance of starting seeds over a longer stretch (always be sowing is Meg's mantra), learning garden lessons from the forests and prairies around us, managing soil health and insects, and ways to get the most from our food gardens through interplanting and other techniques. I also confess my absolute failure growing Brassicas, and Meg offers her secrets to growing huge harvests of broccoli, cabbage and more. Check out Grow it, Minnesota on Facebook or Instagram where I will be giving away a copy of Meg's book. More LinksModern Garden GuildFollow Meg on InstagramFollow Mary on InstagramMy Northern Garden webpage

Today is an update on the Holler Homestead for the week including plumbing, Cycy's healing, in-ground gardens, the GSD weekend and more.  Forage Mushrooms Could have radishes but we do not Dead nettle, stinging nettle, chick weed Wild lettuce, lettuce, sage Red sorrel Dandelion flower Food Storage/Pantry Removing this unless there is something of note that does not fit on Monday's show Livestock Pigs? Cycy 8 eggs a day from Ducks Rats in the coop Goat hijinks Baby chicks ordered What we did instead of grow/homestead Hot water heater turned blow out Pump House repair Fix kitchen sink leak (Plumbing all the time) - seedling starts suffered Grow Garden beds are in Post pig grasses Beets, radish and carrots seeded Brassicas in the AP Seeding throughout the weekend Holler Neighbors/Community GSD Infrastructure Outdoor shower framed Finances Pork sales Membership Plug Make it a great week! GUYS! Don't forget about the cookbook, Cook With What You Have by Nicole Sauce and Mama Sauce. It makes a great Christmas Gift! Community Mewe Group: https://mewe.com/join/lftn Telegram Group: https://t.me/LFTNGroup Odysee: https://odysee.com/$/invite/@livingfree:b Advisory Board The Booze Whisperer The Tactical Redneck Chef Brett Samantha the Savings Ninja Resources Membership Sign Up Holler Roast Coffee Harvest Right Affiliate Link

Welcome to the seventh episode of our Brassica Week super special. Each day this week we will be publishing a mini episode covering a specific cultivar of our most versatile vegetable species, Brassica Oleracea. In this seventh and final installment of our Brassica Week we have the mirror-verse Brassica family, Brassica Rappa. We cover the distinct vegetable species with its own variation of our well known brassicas, but from the brassica rappa plant. We quickly go over these unique counterparts as well as a few quick tips on growing them.   And finally, we wrap up our Brassica Mini series by talking about Brassicas in general as well as their place in the revolutionary's Garden. If you enjoy our show, please subscribe, leave a review, and if you can support us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/RevGarden   Today we would like to recommend the incredible orgnanizationCooperation Jackson. https://cooperationjackson.org/ You can find more info about our show, as well as a transcript of the episode at https://www.therevgarden.com/

Welcome to the seventh episode of our Brassica Week super special. Each day this week we will be publishing a mini episode covering a specific cultivar of our most versatile vegetable species, Brassica Oleracea. In this seventh and final installment of our Brassica Week we have the mirror-verse Brassica family, Brassica Rappa. We cover the distinct vegetable species with its own variation of our well known brassicas, but from the brassica rappa plant. We quickly go over these unique counterparts as well as a few quick tips on growing them. And finally, we wrap up our Brassica Mini series by talking about Brassicas in general as well as their place in the revolutionary's Garden. If you enjoy our show, please subscribe, leave a review, and if you can support us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/RevGarden Today we would like to recommend the incredible orgnanizationCooperation Jackson. https://cooperationjackson.org/ You can find more info about our show, as well as a transcript of the episode at https://www.therevgarden.com/

With temperatures across the whitetails range plunging and food sources depleting, we worry about deer herds being hungry and stressed. This week on the Gamekeepers podcast we talk about late season food plots, specifically Brassicas commonly known as turnips, rape, kale and radishes.  These unique cultivars have long been a workhorse component in the BioLogic food plot blends, and we explain why we have love them so much. Dr. Bronson Strickland from the MSU Deer Lab joins us to explain what they have learned through research.  Food plots are an important part of managing wildlife, and we give you some great information to help make better decisions. Listen, Learn and be a better Gamekeeper. Enjoy! Stay connected with GameKeepers: Instagram: @mossyoakgamekeepers Facebook: @GameKeepers Twitter: @MOGameKeepers YouTube: MossyOakGameKeepers Website: Mossy Oak GameKeeper Support the show (https://mossyoakgamekeeper.com/)

A chat with Christy Wilhelmi.  In This Garden Chat: You'll enjoy Christy Wilhelmi's contagious enthusiasm for the cooler planting seasons as she explains how to increase your chance of success by planting the right crop in the right season.  Christy covers it all, from the basics of what “in season” actually means, to the specifics of which crops do well in cooler temperatures.  Hear why fall is her favorite season and learn some clever tips and tricks for getting the most out of this underappreciated time of the year. On the last Tuesday every month we host The Urban Farm Garden Chats where Greg Peterson has a relaxed conversation in a Zoom room with a special guest to cover useful gardening topics, and they answer questions from the live listening audience. To join us for the next event, go to www.GardenChat.org or Click HERE to register for the Monthly Garden Chat with Live Q&A Our Special Guest:Christy Wilhelmi is founder of Gardenerd, the ultimate resource for garden nerds, where she publishes newsletters, her popular blog, top-ranked podcasts, and YouTube videos. She also specializes in small-space, organic vegetable garden design, consulting, and classes.  She is author of Gardening for Geeks (Fox Chapel Publishing), 400+ Tips for Organic Gardening Success (Amazon Digital), Grow Your Own Mini Fruit Garden published by our friends at Cool Springs Press, and her upcoming novel Garden Variety (William Morrow/Harper Collins) will be sprouting in April 2022. 

At this time of year, brassica crops are in the ground and approaching maturity, so this is a good time to think about nutrition options to improve quality at harvest.  In this episode, Ken Rundle talks to Tom Decamp, Yara's Field Vegetable Specialist to discuss top dressing options for brassica growers for targetting quality premiums with tips on fertiliser selection and timing of application.

We are excited to have Tracy Lee from Sakata Seeds back at Hoss HQ. With over 25 years of experience in the seed industry, Tracey has a wealth of knowledge of seed varieties of which she and Greg will discuss tonight! Insights on Varieties for Fall Planting: What are Brassicas? Broccoli, Kale, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, among many others, are just a few in the brassica family. Broccoli Tracy says " If you are hesitant at first, once you know what variety to purchase and what to look for then you will want to continue to grow broccoli. Broccoli is a very popular and big commercial crop, if you are growing or eating broccoli, there is a 75% chance it came from Sakata Seeds. "Green Magic Broccoli is one of the best varieties to start with if you are a beginner or wanting to have great success in your harvesting. This variety (unlike many varieties) isn't "too" specific, meaning it can be grown almost anywhere and in any climate. It is wildly adapted. It will be your best bet.", Tracy says. "Imperial Broccoli has a really strong root system and is one of the best as far as heat tolerance.", Tracy states. Greg suggests that if you are a beginner gardener or just new to growing broccoli, Imperial is the way to go. Cauliflower Cauliflower gets a bad reputation, it is one of the least grown crops in the home garden. "It can be a little more finicky than a lot of the other cold crops, it is a little more skeptical to heat damage and will bolt as soon as it gets warm. Frost does not improve cauliflower, you want to give it plenty of time to be able to develop ahead before your first frost.", Tracy says. To protect the color of your cauliflower, you can take a rubber band and pull the leaves up around the head when the head is about 3-4", the leaves will shade the head and protect the color of the head. Twister Cauliflower has a bright white head and how it got its name is from the leaves being able to fold up on its own and protect the head without having to rubber band those leaves yourself. It is also a variety that is only available to the home gardener that will do that. A "self-wrapper" variety. Collards Collards aren't picky when it comes to the weather, they are way more adaptable than other plants. Flash collards mature early, you can continue to cut back or "crop" this variety. "You will get a lot nicer, bigger, more uniform leaves with flash collards.", Tracy says. A fun fact on Flash Collard, this variety has become extremely popular for growing baby greens and microgreens indoors. Kale Kale is known as the "superfood." Interestingly, Kale is the most cold-hardy plant. It can tolerate temperatures down to zero degrees Fahrenheit and can withstand snow. Normally, Kale takes about 3 months to mature. The top 3 most popular varieties are Red Russian Kale, Lacinato Kale, and Blue Ridge Kale. Cabbage "Cabbage, in general, will take freezing temperatures but it can affect the texture of the cabbage head.", Tracy says. The Bobcat Cabbage variety is considered a "fresh market" cabbage because it doesn't have that stronger, sharper, or "old-fashion" cabbage taste but it is on the sweeter side. This variety has an extremely dense head. If you get a lot of rain, cabbage heads will split. China Star is Chinese cabbage. The best way to describe it to someone who has never tried it is "tastes like cabbage, feels like lettuce". It has the texture and the look of crisp, romaine lettuce. Joi Choi Chinese Cabbage is a Pok Choi, closely related to the China Star. This variety is very popular to grow and continuously cut the leaves early for salads. A very easy variety to grow and it has since become Sakata's #1 Pok Choi variety to grow and you will want to direct seed it. Kohlrabi Very popular in the mid-west, Kohlrabi (also known as German Turnip), with a taste very similar to a water chestnut. Kohlrabi varieties normally have quick maturity dates.

This Can You Dig It? episode features articles on Arkansas Black apples versus Black Diamond apples, a TikTok video featuring a no-tears way to dice onions, and questions about cabbage, cauliflower, and tomatoes. Did you know this is the start of Plastic Free July? Karin has taken the pledge for the month (and for life, really) to reduce her plastic use and invites you to do the same. Check out the link below. We've also got a new Facebook community! The Just Grow Something Gardening Friends group on Facebook is all new and we hope it will be a great way to connect new and experienced gardeners without any judgement and a way for folks to ask questions about and discuss issues in the food and ag space without any fear of retribution. Come check it out at the link below! Resources: Black Diamond Apples Cost at Least $7 Each—Here's Why TikTok Onion Hack https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/ Just Grow Something Gardening Friends Facebook Group Support this podcast by becoming a patron via Patreon: https://patreon.com/justgrowsomething --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/justgrowsomething/message

Its our 400th episodes and to celebrate I am running a little competition. I also have the latest from my plots and seeds to sow throughout June. Seeds to sow and tasks for June Straight away A lot of what I will sowing this month will be many salad crops such as lettuce, cut and come again salad leaves, spring onions, Pak choi and radishes Its also a good chance to sow root crops such as carrots, beetroot and turnips Peas and french beans can also be sown this month and this is a great way to keep getting more crops as this will provide us with peas and beans later in the season. Brassicas are definitely going to be sown this month especially to provide us with winter vegetables including for Christmas. This includes Cabbage's Cauliflowers kohl rabi kale, swedes turnips and late broccoli Then there's catch up crops so if you still need pumpkins, marrow courgettes then get sowing those right away. Finally Florence fennel which is traditionally sown after June the 21st in order to stop the plants from bolting other herbs such as coriander, parsley, basil, chervil and dill are also worth sowing before it gets to hot for them to germinate. Added to that I also have a few tasks to complete this month weeding and watering is certainly top of my list for this month as you would have heard in the diary section. It doesn't take long for nature to take over but added to that of we can mulch then mulch mulch and mulch away Birds will be looking to eat many of our fruits and brassicas so make sure nets are covering many of these crops in order to protect them. Earth up potatoes with compost, grass clippings or straw and feed tomatoes if flowers have started developing. Beans and peas will need supports to grow up so we need to build those and get them into place. Strawberry may well start potting out runners now. If they do pot them up so you can plant the baby plants elsewhere in the garden with plants that have cost us nothing Some of our fruit trees may well start shedding some of the immature fruits. Don't panic if this happens its normal its called the June drop and a tree doing this means it will put more energy into the fruit it does have and produce bigger crops. However we can help by removing a few or the fruits ourselves too. Finally asparagus season will soon be over and so feed with a good all round fertiliser and leave a few ferns to grow big. Come winter we will cop these down.

Join me in todays podcast where a listener has asked the question how long does it take to grow brassicas? I also share the latest from the plots.

Hello Gardeners, I'm Amanda McNulty with Clemson Extension and Making It Grow. When we were little, we started walking barefooted up and down our long, gravel driveway in February so when warm days came, our feet would be tough enough to easily forego shoes when we were outside playing. My father had to catch a white butterfly in the spring before he could let his feet breath freely. What he probably was looking for was a pest of our Brassica crops – the imported white cabbage moth. Although there is a native white checkered butterfly, it's a minor pests of garden grown Brassicas. But those imported white cabbage moths will eat your crop to the ground if you don't control them -- start scouting for them early. They arrived in the 1840's and quickly became a major pest of these important vegetables. Native or imported, Daddy got credit for either one.