Winter Approaches

Since the last blog entry, our work continues. We are beginning to put the farms to rest for the winter by pulling out the dying plants and cutting them up to put in the various compost bins. We continue to save seeds and harvest. For example, on 10/1, we harvested:

Kale- 1lb. 5 oz.
Collards- 2 lbs. 4 oz.
Eggplant- 4 lbs. 2 oz.
Peppers- 4 oz.
Tomatoes- 3 lbs. 13 oz.

However, as of 11/15, most of the plants that are done producing have been pulled out of the ground. So both farms are almost bare. Both the work wormbin and Stacey's home wombin have been harvested. We took a trip to the New York Botanical Garden on 10/22 and had our 3rd annual Harvest Festival on 10/29. Finally, Natalie and Stacey have done 3 workshops on composting with the residents of the E. 111 St. residence and will do 3 workshops on composting with the residents of the Morris Ave. residence over the nest 3 weeks.

Harvest Festival

(Stacey, Carolin, Roosevelt, Tara, Joyce, Roberto & Natalie)

(Stacey, Carolin, Pat, Tara, Joyce, Roberto & Natalie)

(Stacey, Carolin, Natalie, Tara, Joyce & Roberto)

(Stacey, Carolin, Natalie, Tara, Joyce & Roberto)

Harvest Festival

(Preserved seeds from this season)

(Close-up of picture in collage made by Pat C.)

(Scrapbook and collage made by Pat C.)

(Cheese puffs that Pat C. made)

(A set table)

Trip to the NYBG

(Carved pumpkins on sticks)

(Assortment of flowers)

(Giant pumpkin on display)

(Another giant pumpkin on display)

(Group photo with giant pumpkin)

Trip to the NYBG

(Some type of rock)

(Stacey, Tara, Johnny, Carolin, Joyce & Natalie)

(Large tree)

(Fallen leaves that are changing colors)

(Horticulture team walking into the NYBG)

October farm pics

(2 of my 4 parakeets)

(Closeup of worms in wormbin)

October farm pics

(Shredded newspaper used as bedding in wormbin)

(Closeup of worm compost)

(The wormbin)

(Kale sprouting on 3rd tier)

(View from the bottom tier up)

October farm pics

(Kale beginning to sprout)

(Bell peppers)

(Second tier of tomatoes and basil)

(Collard greens)

(View from the top tier down)

October farm pics

(Basil)

(An opening sunflower head)

(Inside the new rotating compost bin)

(The new rotating compost bin)

(Closeup of hummingbird mix)

October farm pics

(Growing hummingbird mix)

(Dead/dying sunflower heads)

(Growing cherry tomatoes)

(Growing rhubarb chard & kale)

(Growing tomatoes)

October farm pics

(Growing garlic)

(Growing eggplant)

(Growing bell peppers)

(Growing marigold/calendula)

(Morris the cat, who lives at the Morris Ave. site)

Fall is almost here

Since the last blog entry we have harvested collard greens, rhubarb chard, cherry tomatoes, tomatoes, hot pepper, eggplant, kale, blue corn, cucumbers, basil, zucchini, white squash, spaghetti squash, radishes, carrots, sage, oregano and parsley. We have decided to practice seed saving. So far, we have saved tomato, cucumber, radish, kale, blue corn, black-eyed peas, mustard green and sunflower seeds. An example of how much we harvest:
On 8/30/2010, at the Morris Ave. Farm, we harvested-
Collards- 1 lb. 1 oz.
Eggplant- 5 lbs. 6 oz.
Green Peppers- 1 lb. 7 oz.
Cherry Tomatoes- 1 lb. 1 oz.
Tomatoes- 2 lb. 8 oz.
We have done much staking and re-staking to bamboo sticks of tomato and eggplant plants that grew heavy and were leaning over. We have cut back many dead/dying/diseased leaves on the squash and sunflower plants. People from the Horticultural Society of NY visited and asked if we had any requests for next season. Natalie requested a portable greenhouse, an outdoor tool shed and maybe chickens. Natalie and some of the workers have been able to finally sell some of our produce at the La Familia Verde Farmers Market in the Bronx. Natalie says it was successful. Someone even requested green tomatoes, which we have a lot of. As late season crops we planted kale, red Russian kale, lettuce and squash. In terms of culinary activities, we made a vegetable soup with homemade garlic bread and Natalie stir fried kale with cherry tomatoes. Both were very good. We began preparing the wormbins to be harvested. Finally, we bought new compost bins. They are the kind that you rotate manually. We began putting organic matter in the one at Morris Ave. It has been another productive season at My Urban Farms.

More August farm pics

(Closeup of bee enjoying the sunflower)

More August farm pics

(Bolted cilantro)

(Growing top tier)

(Black eyed Susans)

(Sunflower with many stems)

(A bee enjoying the sunflower)