The End of Summer is Here

Looking back at the September posts of the past, the garden seems to take center stage.  Since my move to Joy Road, the garden has not had the same place in my heart and in my life. Why does it jump back into my psyche at this time of year?  There could be a multitude of reasons for this but I think that September is the overall Garden Month.  Not only are flowers in abundance but the fruits and vegetables are fantastic.  Sonoma County is a great place to live for many reasons but the growing conditions and the overall weather are a huge part of all those reasons.

So last week I had a total Sonoma County snack.  Sitting by myself with the remnants of a cold, I was craving some great tastes after a week of no taste buds.  Luckily for me I had local artisan goat cheese with a hint of jalapeno.  Add to that some local, ultra ripe figs and a glass of zinfandel.  Okay, it might have been the week of canned soup but this meal was a Sonoma County feast.  The freshness of the ingredients and the melding of flavors is what eating is all about in modern cuisine.  I hit the jackpot!

The growing season has been strange this year.  Call it Global Warming – Call it Confused Weather – Call it Random Temperatures.  I waited until today to harvest my first zucchini while there is an abundant harvest of eggplant.   There are lots of cucumbers and nice zippy peppers.

So it is the end of summer.  I have cleaned up my patio, weeded the flowerbeds and started a new compost  bin.  The next few weeks will be the harvest of the year.  I plan to eat well and make the best of these last weeks of warmth and sunshine.  So happy to be in Sonoma County.

 

 

Indian Summer in Sonoma County

Pears at Farr Eden

Summer has finally arrived.  But is it really summer?  I have the burning desire to go out and prep for the coming days of warmth and growth.  Alas, is that the best thing for my roses when we could be into winter in six weeks?

September is always a warm month.  I remember as a child getting those new school clothes and not being able to wear them the first month of school because we had the Indian Summer heat wave.  At least one aspect of the weather is staying constant.

Raspberries Off the Vine

The raspberries have finally come in just in the last week or so and there is an abundant crop of blackberries.

I look around my garden and see that it is suffering from the move from ground, to pots, to ground (this last done at the most inappropriate time).  I am thankful for this current summer weather that will allow the roots to recover before the colder, shorter days set in.  What does one do to help their plants in this situation?

Last week I spread some compost that had been in the compost area before I even moved to this property.  I sprayed some Miracle Gro on the little bit of foliage I have and drenched the soil with what was left over in the sprayer.  I have kept things watered.  I have spent my energy on clearing weeds and cleaning up the fallen leaves that are full of fungi.  It is so much like spring that I have removed aphids from new buds.

I will not have any blooms for the upcoming NCNH Rose Show.  That was determined when I failed to keep up my compost tea spraying and went through weeks of minimal watering due to a heavy work schedule.  That is okay.  I will be working the registration area and will not have a moment to enter anything even if I had great roses.  I only have less than a dozen bushes now—and as admitted, they are not in show shape.

However, I have a miniature called Ty that is in full bloom of small yellow roses.  I was given this plant at an NCNH conference quite a few years ago.  I stuck it in a pot with one of those micro-mini roses that are sold at Trader Joe’s.  This red rose was a gift from a friend and I wanted to see if I could get it to rebloom instead of just throwing it away like I had so many others before it.  Behold, this pot of two roses that I gave little hope to ever surviving has provided me with more blossoms and therefore, more joy, than others that have had great expectation.

Another NCNH gift rose is Ribbons and Roses.  It is not in the ARS Handbook so I don’t know for certain but it looks like a mini on a few steroids.  It has lacked in care as my other roses but does not have a sign of blackspot or any other fungus.  It is yellow and has bloomed beautifully all summer.  And then there is my Jean Kenneally that keeps blooming even without many leaves.  These minis have become my lifeline through the trauma of moving and re-establishment.  I was never a cultivator of minis.  All but a couple that I have ever owned have been gifts. (I do miss my Coffee Bean that I purchased and left at my old garden.)  I am looking forward to the talk this month at the Rose Society meeting by Rose Gilardi on minis and minifloras.  Minis may need to become my new specialty.

Abundant Harvest

For some reason the rest of the garden has done well.  I have more (and larger) zucchini than I can handle.  I left a hanging begonia out over the winter and it has surprised me with a spectacular bloom this summer.

 

Something has been working while I have been away!

Last Monday I left for a weeklong visit with my sister.  I traveled to Cambria and picked her up and then we went to San Diego for a convention.  We stayed with a delightful woman in a B & B and I did not have internet access.  It was quite an experience as I am used to being on my computer most of the day.   The hits on this blog went down to ZERO after a week of no new posts!  Sorry, folks.  I am now back among the connected!

Before I left on Monday, I was cleaning up the kitchen and ran out to the compost pile with my wonderful stainless steel bucket that holds our kitchen waste.   As I noted the less than ambient temperature in the pile, I decided that I could not leave for a week without getting something going.  Just a couple of days before, I was asked if I layered my piles and kept them moist for the best environment for breaking down the pile.  My original response to the questions was “not really” and then I had to say “yes.”  So here I stood in my bathrobe, at my cold compost pile, with a bucket of kitchen waste.  What else could I do but turn the pile?  I have four bins.  One bin contains completely composted material that I have yet to use in my garden.  It will be used this fall.  The other three bins were in various stages of breakdown.  The second bin had very little material as I try to keep one bin as a holding spot for materials to build a perfect pile.  In the bottom of that bin was the grass clippings from the weekend and some kitchen refuse.  The fourth bin was the cold and in need of breaking down pile made up of oak leaves, kitchen garbage, rose clippings and some older grass cuttings.  I took my new pitchfork (a thoughtful birthday gift from Tom!) and began the process.  The edges of the pile went to the middle – the middle of the pile went to the edges.  Each 6 to 8 inches of height, I added water from the garden hose.  Air and water – the magic ingredients of a compost pile.  An hour later than expected, I started getting ready for my departure.

Four Bin Compost System – This system was made from pallets left on the side of the road by local businesses. Great recycling of materials.

When I put the thermometer back into the pile, the temperature was around 65 degrees.  Two days later, Tom reported that it was up to 125.  The highest reading was 133 and yesterday it was 130.   I am quite proud of the effectiveness of my technique.  Tom put in some of his whey from cheesemaking and lees from his winemaking on Thursday so I expect that it will keep the temperature up a bit longer than it would without these additives.  Yesterday we had rain which does not hinder the breakdown and may even enhance it since I have not added any water.   This morning the temperature is still 130.  The bin has dropped in height to about 60% of the original.  I expect that when I get home from being an active grandmother this coming week, I will have another bin of ready to use compost.  Call me weird – but this is so much fun!

The pear espalier which hides the compost bins from the view of garden visitors.

The 2009 Crush Has Begun

Vitex agnus-castus or Chaste Tree - The tree has wonderful purple spiked flower clusters that grow on new wood. This one needs to be pruned back some more but my green bin was full and it is too woody to break down in my home compost piles. The books state that vitex should be treated like a buddleia or crape myrtle to get maximum bloom. I think it needs a lot more cutting back than either of those species. In a few weeks, I will trim back the spent flowers and prepare it for winter and a wonderful 2010 summer bloom.

While I was chopping back an out-of-control vitex and playing with my compost pile yesterday, Tom and his Pool Ridge Winery gang were starting the 2009 crush.  It is amazing that we are already at that time of year.  Everywhere I turn, I see clusters of grapes waiting to be plucked from their vines and hauled to a winery.  People who are often traveling around the globe can be found at home in Sonoma County from late August to mid-October because they have to be here for harvest and the subsequent crush.  In fact, that was about all that was talked about at the birthday party we attended yesterday afternoon at the edge of a young chardonnay vineyard.  Well, all except the baby pictures that I had to take along.

Tom and his friends were making wine with sauvignon blanc grapes that come in earlier than most of the other varieties of the area.   The winegrowers at the party were discussing Brix of 19 to 22 with hopes that the weather remains mild and that we do not see rain or high temperatures for the next month.  What is a Brix?  Brix is a measure of the sugar in the grapes.  Sugar content translates to alcohol in the wine.  If the grape has a Brix of 20 at crush, the wine will have an 11% alcohol when ready to drink.  There has been a trend over the last decade to harvest reds at Brix of 25 to 27.5.  That means that they stay on the vine longer and are exposed to the whims of Mother Nature at this often unstable time of the year.  That puts every grower at risk which is not ever a positive prospect.

Picking at Tzabaco Rancho Vineyards in Dry Creek Valley

The wine grape market was another topic.  Tom is always looking for great grapes to make his wines.  Yesterday he was up at Dry Creek Valley at Tzabaco Rancho Vineyards.  In past years, he has had a difficult time finding grapes of the quality he wants because they are all sold to commercial wineries who buy large quantities.  While there are a few grape growers who hold back part of their crop to sell to the Tom Shulas of the world, most do not have the luxury to support the amateur winemaker.  This year is very different.  The economy has impacted the sale of high end wines and wineries are cutting back on grape purchases.   Some are asking to delay payment and others are just not taking grapes that they would have in the past.

Every day I read something that says this economy is turning around.  I experience the surge of activity in the real estate market.  I remain positive about the future.  All that said, until farmers can sell their crops and workers have jobs, the recession goes on.  With the abundance of grapes available for Pool Ridge Winery, I can just say “Let them drink wine!”

Farm Day at Preston of Dry Creek

For the last several years Preston of Dry Creek has hosted Farm Day for their wine club members.  We went last year with friends and had a fantastic time.  The day provided interesting activities that included a walk around the property with stops at the compost pile, the wheat field and the hedgerows designed to host beneficial insects.  The day was an inspiration for me to get composting and to modify some of my plantings to use less water and encourage the “good” insects to stick around.

Today was the 2009 Farm Day.  The day began with the most fantastic breakfast bread made with peaches and herbs.  Lou Preston, the force behind Preston of Dry Creek, is an accomplished baker who makes bread that is sold only at the winery.  At about 10:30, we gathered to hear what was on the agenda for the day – breakfast, some activities, wine, food, blue grass music and a lot of fun.  We were ready.

Lou Preston opening Farm Day 2009

Standing in front of a compost pile about 20 times the size of mine, Lou discussed the week-long program at Rudolf Steiner College where he learned the biodynamic practices that were first introduced in 1924 in a series of lectures by Rudolf Steiner.  He shared some of the additives that they now add to their compost pile at Preston to introduce microbes into the soil.   The temperature of their pile was 175 degrees F at the time I visited last year.  I was so impressed.  I am still impressed as I have yet to get over 120 degrees.  Of course, my pile is a tiny fraction of the Preston pile. 

Wow! 144 degrees!

The compost piles from a distance

After the compost was supplemented with Valerian tea and chamomile, oak bark, dandelion flowers, yarrow and other things that I do not remember which were aged in parts of an animal, the guests went to pursue a variety of activities offered.  Some went to blend Zinfandel, others to plant a vegetable garden, a small group went to thrash wheat (not sure if there was anyone who knew what they were doing who would volunteer to do this) and the majority of us went on the farm walk.  There was a group who just went back to the picnic tables and started tasting wine and ate some more bread.  They missed out on a great walk.  The stragglers, transported by golf carts and an overflowing pickup,  joined up with us on the walk. 

Solar panels in the fields

Faithful Sheepdog and Goats

The first stop of the walk was the goat pen with a ever observant Maremma Sheepdog.  The movable pen is around a couple of acres of olive trees.  Olive trees are sprinkled across the property and provide the oil for Preston of Dry Creek Olive Oil.  Again, this product is available at the winery and one of my favorites.  The goat pen can be moved from place to place through out the year to keep the weeds down.  During the winter months, the goats take care of the undergrowth in the vineyards.  They don’t eat the vines but do like to rub up against them which is one drawback of using livestock for keeping the weeds down.  We walked along the field that was once a vineyard but when the vines needed to be replaced, the land has returned to a field of clover with the help of goat droppings and irrigation.  Being along Dry Creek and over a large aquifer, water is abundant on this property.  The pump that feeds the irrigation is powered by the solar panels that are a dominate feature in the landscape.  So with all of the “old fashioned” techniques for gardening, there in the middle of it is two huge solar banks. 

Rye in the field

On we went to the wheat fields.  The bread making (which is completed in a wood-fired brick oven)  gave the desire to plant a variety of wheats.  Rye is doing the best of all but for the time being there is still a lot of flour being purchased at Preston. 

A small portion of the vegetable garden

The vegetable garden is rows of squash, peppers, cucumbers, potatoes and rows and rows of tomatoes.  Lou can’t seem to say no to the wide variety of seeds that he can order from seed exchanges.  He is talking about a “pick your own tomatoes” program as there ar so many.  Vegetables are regularly displayed on the porch of the tasting room for purchase at a modest price in comparison to the farmer’s markets.  

Apples in the Orchard

Heirloom apple trees shade the chickens who are enclosed by another transportable fence.  A new apple orchard is next to this established one.  Lou is predicting that these saplings will be mature apple trees in his lifetime.  That should be a pretty good bet as this is apple country.   The chickens are accompanied by two happy piglets – These are small pigs and have a long way to go before they become the main course for a wine club event. 

The rooster a'struttin'

Where are the vineyards?  While vineyards are evident on the landscape, there are few vineyards near the buildings.  This is a farm but the number one product is wine.  Preston of Dry Creek has plenty of vineyards that provide the fruit for their wonderful varietal and blended wines. 

After a brisk walk through the Farm, we headed towards the picnic area.  Check out the meal in my next post.  This is a great spread.

Preston of Dry Creek

Keeping Fit with P90X

Yesterday we completed our third full round of P90X.   This is a real accomplishment that I am very proud of.  In May of 2008, Tom decided that we needed to get into shape.  He ordered a workout program, P90X, from an infomercial that he had seen on The Golf Channel.  The next thing I knew, I was getting up each day to a routine that included an hour to an hour and a half of stretching, jumping and push ups.  I had never done a real push up – ever!   Oh, and did I mention pull ups?  One round of P90X is 13 weeks of working out 6 days a week.  I really look forward to those rest days which were sorely needed (sorry about the poor pun!)  In addition to dropping two pant sizes, I can now turn my compost pile in a hour and have improved my health substantially.  Tom has lost almost 20 lbs and is looking great.  Life just keeps getting better.  We did one set of Slim in Six which is another workout program by Beachbody.  Our next program is Turbo Jam.  Thank you, Tony Horton (trainer extraordinaire and P90X founder) and Fran Patoskie (my Beachbody coach who is seen  in the May 18 post on wine tasting in Dry Creek Valley) for making such a huge improvement in my life.  The Beachbody leadership is dedicated to stamping out obesity and Type-2 diabetes.  Each program comes with a great meal plan that supports healthy bodies.  There is support through a coach system and on great message boards.  Anyone can benefit from these programs as I was overweight and totally out of shape.  If you want to get into the best shape of your life, go to my Beachbody website at www.sonoma-rose.com.   We are participating in a free exercise group here in Sebastopol.  Send me a message if you want to work out on a Tuesday evening with a fun group of people.

Composting for a Sustainable Garden

One of my favorite pastimes is to garden and this last year I became totally inspired by the composting that is done at Preston Winery.  Each Spring I mulch my flowerbeds prior to the weeds getting a good start and I was always bringing more and more mulch into the yard.  It was starting to pile up and roses where looking like they were planted in holes – which is not a good thing.  Preston Winery has a FARM DAY each July and I somewhat begrudgingly attended.  My thought was “I do not need a day of sitting around eating and drinking when I am trying to live a healthy life!”  Was I in for a surprise.  The FARM DAY was terrific.  We had a tour of the new creek bed plantings that were designed to establish a healthy ecosystem.  New hedgerows were planted to provide habitat for the beneficial insects and bugs.  Various crop rotations were being tested to support the grain being raised for making the breads available at the winery.  I had a fabulous time and will not complain again about going to any event there.  The best part of it was seeing their composting operation. 

Compost Bins at Preston Winery

After seeing this simple (but large) compost bin, I decided to learn more.  I attended a class by a local Master Gardener, George, who lives right in Forestville and learned quite a bit about the correct materials to compost and how to build a garden compost bin.  It was wonderful to learn that I did not need to buy anything.  The material most needed were loading pallets which can be picked up along the side of the road for free.  It was only a day or two before I saw pallets at Harmony Farm Supply on my way home for work.  My neighbor was out working in his front yard and I asked if he was going to be going to Sebastopol in his pickup soon.  He was planning on leaving in a few minutes for Harmony Farm Supply so he just picked me up 5 pallets.  I immediately built myself 2 bins and began composting.

George was not sure about my rose clippings because he does not have so many roses as I do.   I was not discouraged and I began composting rose clippings and oak leaves – two things that I have in abundance.  It was only a few weeks and I had rich, dark, wormy compost.  I needed more bins.  My son and his wife came to visit and they picked up four more pallets in the back of their pickup.  I now have four bins and am busy keeping them going.  My husband, Tom, makes cheeses at our home so I have a ready supply of whey which helps the composting process.  Here is my compost operation.

Compost Bin at the Shula’s

Two Compost Thermometers

                             Friends think that I am nuts but I asked for a compost thermometer for my birthday last year.  I got two.   I have them in the same bin for purposes of demonstration.   It is hard to see in this picture but it is about 90 degrees F which is a reasonable temperature for just having turned the pile a day or two ago.

As you can probably tell, I am very excited about my compost.  It is saving me money and hauling mulch from the driveway.