Urban Farm School

The forsythia is blooming, bulbs have poked their heads through the soil, and the chives are reaching for the sky.  Although it looks as though spring has sprung remember one simple thing:  it is FEBRUARY in the Pacific Northwest, anything can happen and usually does in regards to the weather.
 
If seeds are burning a hole in your pocket there are a few things you can do to curb that all out planting desire while still protecting your soil and saving yourself time and money when it decides to freeze, sleet, or snow again this winter.

• Is your soil ready?  Test your soil for plantability, when you put your shovel into the ground does it stick like glue?  when you take a handful of soil is it like gooey playdoh?  if so, your soil is NOT READY!  If you choose to till or plant large amounts of space at this time you will be damaging the health of your soil, creating greater compaction, disrupting the intricate web of micro- and macro-organisms, as well as the beneficial mycorrhiza you’ve allowed to build through the winter.
• Bareroot trees and shrubs are in stores and nurseries and this is a great time to plant apples, pears, plums, blueberries, raspberry canes, and the like.  Bareroot trees and shrubs planted during this time of year benefit from the cool weather inhibiting bud growth while the wet soil encourages root development.  When planting add compost to the soil as well as bone meal which aids root development and kelp meal which decreases plant stress during transplanting.
• Prepare for native bees.  The Pacific Northwest region boasts more than 450 species of native bees.  The most common for the backyard gardener is the Mason Bee.  Plan for these bees now as they will be emerging during February and March.  Mason bees are 100x more efficient at pollinating than honeybees, are less susceptible to diseases, and work even during cold and wet weather.  Washougal resident Sherian Wright has recently published a book on these fascintating bees that will be available at the Backyard Birdshop.
• Planting early greens. If you just can’t wait to plant try winter greens, lettuces, and scallions in a protected area of your garden, under row covers, or in a cold-frame.  They key is to disrupt your soil as little as possible, provide as much sunlight as available, protect from cold evenings, and be prepared for slugs.  

It is that time of year when the seed catalogs have piled up and they beckon from the sidetable. With the seed catalogs comes all the possibilities of the new year and the new garden. It is the opportunity to dream of striped tomatoes, speckled lettuces, and red and white ringed beets.

It is also the time to start planning the garden. Beware the lure of the seed catalog, $2.00 here and $3.oo there quickly adds up to a mountain of seeds and no place to put them. Here are a few tips when starting your seed list for this year that will save you time, money, and will better focus your garden for the year ahead.

* Sort through your seeds from last year removing empty packages and those that have gotten moist. Keep in mind that most seed is viable for 3-10 years when stored properly.
* Write a list of what you like to eat and in what quantities.
* Draw a basic garden plan or review your plan from last year; start rotating your crops and dedicating spaces to certain vegetables allowing you to know how much seed you will need.
* Ask yourself some basic questions while looking through the catalogs – How often do you eat salads and greens? Are root vegetables a must? What do you plan on canning, freezing, and drying? How much squash do you really need?
* Know your seed skill level. It is easy to get frustrated when you start seeds with the greatest of intentions but have lackluster results. Easy seeds to start in the ground for spring include lettuces and greens, radishes, peas, cilantro, and green onions. The most common tricky germinators are parsnips and woody herbs such as lavender and rosemary.
* Order regional seeds if you can. Most large seed companies are based in the Mid-west and their seeds’ germination times, yields, and maturity rates have all been tested for that climate and soil. Regional seeds are tested in your area with similar weather, pest, and soil conditions.
* Order seeds with friends. You can buy larger quantities at a lower price and pay only one shipping fee.
* Take a Garden Planning class or schedule a consultation. We are here to help when it comes to figuring out what goes where, how to maximize the space you have, and keep the maintenance at a minimum.

January and February are a great time to take the time and plan your garden. By taking a few hours during the dark days of winter when fresh tomatoes are nothing but a memory coming out of a jar you will save yourself time, energy, and money in the coming gardening months. Knowing what you are going to plant, in what quantity, and where allows you to prepare the garden and yourself appropriately.

Although giving of oneself is a year-round endeavor this is the season that it is most celebrated. With recent economic events people are once again relying more upon their creativity than their credit cards so here are a few thoughts on affordable giving for that experienced or novice gardener on your gift list.

Seed Tape for Spring Planting cut two-inch wide strips of newspaper, using flour and water glue, adhere seeds to the strip of paper at required spacing, let dry completely, roll and tie with a ribbon or twine, add a tag with seed name and planting instructions.

Herbs are one of the most expensive food products to purchase in a grocery store. Peruse your local nursery or box store for thyme, rosemary, sage, lavender and other herbs that are often discounted this time of year and can be planted in cold weather conditions. Grab a plantable bamboo pot to create a complete herb garden.

Gardening Books you can never go wrong with books, look on Amazon.com, visit Powell’s Books or your local used book or thrift store, gardening books are everywhere! A few favourites: The Encyclopedia of Country Living by Carla Emery, Straight Ahead Organic by Shepard Ogden, Botany for Gardeners by Brian Capon, any of the Rodale Organic Pest and Disease Control Books.

Donate your time, expertise, or materials to beginning gardeners, school gardens, or mentor programs in your community. People are ready to learn and are just looking for a little support.

Give Education for a gift that lasts a lifetime. Urban Farm School is offering Gift Certificates for regular classes or consultations for 2010 in any denomination. Give one class for $15, a workshop for $40, a garden or canning consultation for $50, or a punchcard of 6 classes for the price of 5. Please, note that Gift Certificates are redeemable through December 2010 and are good for regular classes or consultations only and can not be used for Parks and Recreation supported classes.

It has been an interesting year for Urban Farm School with the celebration of our first year, the departure of Co-owner Toree Hiebert, and the continued economic instability in our region but because of the support of everyday citizens, Urban Farm School is entering 2010 excited, offering new classes, and creating new partnerships to better serve local gardeners. It is with deepest gratitude that we give thanks for your support and interest in urban farming in Clark County and we wish you a safe and happy holiday season.

. . . the holidays that is. the cool weather, rains, and shorter days always bring about the sense of hibernation, slowing down, spending more time with family and friends. the pantry is stocked, the potatoes nestled in their bins, squash glaring brightly in the dim light of the basement, and jars upon jars of canned summer sitting on the shelves.

when devising your holiday gift list look to your bounty and hard-work this summer. A homemade jar of jam with fresh baked bread or muffins is always a welcome treat and is affordable, fast, and a reflection of your hard-work and time. when giving homemade gifts to friends and family there are a few pointers to assure the comfort of everyone.
* Label your jars with:
– contents
– date canned
– how it was processed (i.e. waterbath canned, 10 minutes)
– storage recommendations

Making gifts is a wonderful way to build your community and have a great time, especially with family. We hope you can join us for our annual wreath-making party, an opportunity to spend time with friends and family, learn the basics of how to make your own wreath and bows as well as help your community. We will be collecting canned foods for the North Clark County Food Bank at both our wreath parties this year. Bring five cans of food and get $5 off your workshop fee. In addition, Urban Farm School will match each donation. All materials are included in the workshop fee. We hope to see you there.

Saturday, November 21, 10:00am to Noon
Saturday, November 21, 6:00 to 8:00pm
NW Nursery Outlet, 12503 NE 72nd Ave. Vancouver 98686
Registration: 360-852-3728, prepayment required.
Fee: $20, $5 will be refunded at the time of the class with donation of five canned food items.
Both classes still have openings but please call today as space is limited.

Sometimes all you need to hear is that it can be done.

Maggie started coming to UFS classes in early 2008; a quiet student, intense, and focused. After a few classes we found that Maggie was also a long-time educator in the public school system and a gardener in her own right. Following is a brief walk through her garden this year after taking our classes and the transformation that took place from backyard garden to food garden with aesthetic wow-power. In sharing these images, it is our hope that you can find the motivation this time of year to take care of your garden so that it can be healthier and happier next year.

You can do it. With a little knowledge, a goal, and a desire to grow healthy food for your family your backyard, front yard, parking strip, or patio can transform just as Maggie’s did. Thank you Maggie for taking the time to share your garden with us all.

It is the end of summer, the depths of harvesting, tomatoes in our region are just hitting their stride with the abundance that accompanies them: salsa, plum and stewed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, and soups. It is easy to get burned out this time of year, throw your hands up and declare a truce with the garden bounty. YOU WILL PREVAIL! Many this time of year are starting to take the garden down, preparing for autumn and winter. If you have preserved, donated, and shared all you want start preparing your garden for it’s winter’s slumber.

This is a critical time of year in any garden when it is easy to let things fall by the wayside. It is critical to nip disease and pest issues in the bud NOW instead of letting them overwinter and appear in force once again in the spring. Taking the time to prepare your soil now will save you many headaches next year.

Although early autumn is a busy time of year for us all ~ school, autumn sports, last vacations, remember your garden in your priority list as well. We are offering a bevy of seasonally appropriate classes to help you on your way to a healthier and happier garden.

A few pointers to get you started:
* if it is diseased or infested with pests, out it goes
* pick up and dispose of fallen/rotting fruit and veg
* mulch or cover crop your beds to keep the microorganisms happy and healthy through the winter

Hope to see you at an upcoming class! Check out Upcoming Events for full details and locations.
Basic Seed Saving, Thursday, September 10, 6pm
Family Bat Night, Friday, September 11, 6:30pm
Lawn to Food: Converting Lawn to Growing Space,
Thursday, September 17, 6pm
Basic Composting, Thursday, September 24, 6:30pm
Putting the Garden to Bed, Thursday, October 1, 6pm
Planning Next Year’s Garden, Thursday, October 8, 6:30pm

We are also offering in-home Canning Consultations for those that need a little help or just want to walk through the steps with a Certified Master Food Preserver. Check out the Consultations page for more details.

Please, visit Toree’s Garden Journal this month for her farewell letter; the link is under Blogroll on the sidebar. It is a lovely, bittersweet letter that fully encompasses the passion that Toree holds for all things in life.

Check out Urban Farm School in the premiere edition of Urban Farm Magazine, pages 28, 29, and 31 We’re also in the August edition of Northbank Magazine, pages 22-24 both available August 25! Enough of that, let’s talk canning!

We’re in high canning and preservation season, a much anticipated season, an opportunity to celebrate the bounty of the garden and save it for the year to come. For many, canning and preservation is a time of anxiety and frustration. Urban Farm School offers Canning Consultations for those looking for extra help this time of year; we come to you at your convenience, walk you through the steps in your own kitchen, discuss safety, answer your questions, and quell your canning fears. Check out Consultations/Tutorials for more information.

The tomatoes are coming in by the bushel, Stupice, Manitoba, Garden Peach and I am jubilant about the bounty that is before me – salsas, tomato soup, tomato sauce and juice, spaghetti sauce, and all other great things tomatoes add to our dreary winter lives. Garden tomatoes are one of those wonderful things that bring summer with them the moment you open the jar.

As you begin canning tomatoes this year keep in mind that many of the new varieties and those bought at commercial grocery stores and farm stands no longer have a high enough acid content to make them safe when preserving. Never fear! there is a simple solution: add lemon juice! When canning tomatoes add 2 TBL of BOTTLED lemon juice per quart/ 1TBL of lemon juice per pint to raise the acidity. Using bottled lemon juice is critical as it has a tested and stable acidity content whereas fresh lemons’ acidity varies.

Salsa is a different matter in the world of tomatoes. Throwing pepper, onions, and tomatoes together for the evening doesn’t mean it is safe to preserve. It is crititcal to use an approved recipe with balanced amounts of peppers, onions, and tomatoes WITH an acid, vinegar or lemon/lime juice to preserve a safe product. Listed below is an approved (and delicious!) recipe from WSU Extension:

Tomato Salsa
4 C. peeled, cored, chopped tomatoes
2 C. seeded, chopped long green chiles
1/2 C. seeded, chopped jalapeno peppers
3/4 C. chopped onions
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 C. vinegar (5% acidity)
1 tsp. ground cumin (optional)
1 TBL. oregano leaves (optional)
1 TBL. fresh cilantro (optional)
1 1/2 tsp salt

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, bring to boil, reduce heat, simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust rings and lids. Boiling waterbath can 15 minutes at 0-1,000ft elevation.

When canning anything remember to follow an approved recipe, the National Center for Home Food Preservation, University of Georgia http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/ has great recipes that have tested as does WSU Extension, http://clark.wsu.edu/family/factsheets.html. WSU also has a “Food Safety” Hotline for all your canning, freezing, and food safety questions, 397-6060 ext. 5366, Monday through Friday, 10am to 4pm.

Have a great canning summer and bring on the tomatoes!

I love this time of year! The garden is booming and the first real opportunities to save food for the winter are presenting themselves daily, berries for jam, jelly, syrups, and pie fillings, greens for freezing, cabbage for sauerkraut, broccoli for freezing and cauliflower for pickling and freezing. LOVE IT! The first potatoes are being dug and cured (and roasted on the BBQ) while the greens and herbs continue to make fresh, tender salads.

There is nothing better than the satisfaction of harvesting this time of year for fresh eating but even better is saving food for those dreary winter evenings when July-harvested broccoli livens a rice dish or bright red strawberry tops fresh-baked bread.

July is hopping with classes! We’re introducing our canning primers, an opportunity for people to take a small step towards greater food independence and an answer to that moment when you’re standing in the garden asking yourself “what am I going to do with all this food?” We are happy to provide safety, materials, and how-to education as well as a hands-on class where we will walk you step by step through the canning process and you will take home your work! We provide the jars, rings, lids, and fruit or vegetable for the class, all you do is show up with an apron and an eagerness to learn.

We are also offering our ever-popular “Extending the Harvest” class Thursday, July 16 where we discuss planting and maintenance of food for harvest during the fall and winter. We are pleased to be partnering with Five Star Farms in Battle Ground who have been gracious enough to host this class. And we’ve gone plain batty for bats with a local bat expert to guide us through the wonderful world of bats and their importance for the environment Thursday, July 30. This class will be held at Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge, Carty Unit, so bring your walking shoes and mosquito repellent it will be a great family outing!

We love the summer months and the bounty of the garden and the promise of food in January and February that have the flavor of summer, saved by our own hands from our own soil. Remember, that if you have an over abundance of food that you can’t keep up with the area food banks and pantries always welcome fresh produce!

We would like to say THANKS HEAPS! to Bethany Vineyard, BiZi Farms, and Storeytree Farm CSA for hosting a wonderful local food field trip June 14. We had a van full of rising foodies and explored part of the county’s bounty.

We had wonderful one on one attention from the owners of all the farms and great wine tasting on the terrace at Bethany with lunch courtesy of A Dinner Together. Kendra purchased a bottle of Bethany’s Plum Wine that is to die for and in 25 years or so will be part of balsamic vinaigrette; it really doesn’t get much better.

Bill Zimmerman gave us a great hay ride into the fields and gave us the low down on his hot weather plant tips and tricks for tomatoes, peppers, and squash. Beautiful weather, a tractor, and fields and fields of food ~ it’s a wonderful thing.

Anne and Nelson Lawrence let us wander through their wonderful CSA, meeting the goats and chickens, wandering through the gardens, nibbling as we went. Saw the green house action and the new field addition (it’s a doozy!) while learning about natural fertilizer mixes, potato projects, and how to keep plastic mulch down in wind storms.

It was a wonderful afternoon full of good food, great wine and generous farmers. We look forward to seeing you all on the next field trip!

It’s time to take a tour!

Join us Sunday, June 14 for our Local Food Field Trip. We will be visiting Storytree Farm CSA, Bi-Zi Farms farm stand, Bethany Vineyards Winery, and Toree’s backyard farm. We are so excited about this event and the opportunity to share a little of the bounty that Clark County offers. We will be driving so you can enjoy the afternoon and a glass of wine or two with no worries. At each stop we will be taking a tour and learning a little about the farm itself and what part it takes in the local food community straight from the farmer’s mouths. Bring along your appetite as we will have a local snack prepared for you to eat at Bethany Vineyards to accompany your wine and be sure to bring your shopping bag to pick up some goodies for the week. This is a great event to share with friends or family, a great way to celebrate a graduation, birthday, or wedding.

We are thankful to all the farms for having us and for providing such a unique experience for Urban Farm School. We look forward to spending the afternoon with you all! Please, contact us soon to register as this is a limited space event! 360-907-5814 or urbanfarmschool@gmail.com. $50/person. Fee includes: transportations, snack, education, and tours.

A little snippet of the farms ~

Bethany Vineyards (www.bethanyvineyards.com) 
Located in Ridgefield, Washington, Bethany Vineyard and Winery combines the best traditions of winemaking with the nearly perfect growing climate of southwest Washington to produce a wine with distinct flavor and character. Their wines represent a careful selection of grapes, grown in small blocks, hand picked, and skillfully produced.  Bethany Vineyards celebrated it’s 6th year in May 2009 and hosts a summer concert series “Music in the Vines.”  Visit their site for details.
 

BiZi Farms (www.bizifarms.com) 
Bi-Zi Farms is a family owned and operated farm originally established by Gabrial Zimmerman in 1872 when he purchased 180 acres from Gottlieb Wagonblast.  The current owners are the 4th and 5th generations on the farm.  The Farmstand is open year-round and offers Clark County and Pacific Northwest crops such as strawberries, asparagus, berries, lettuce, herbs, flowers, apples, squash, pumpkins,  bread, eggs and a bevy of other in-season crops.
   

Storytree Farm CSA (www.storytreefarm.com)
Storytree Farm is a locally-owned and family operated CSA farm in the Pleasant Highlands neighborhood of Vancouver, Washington. Their mission is to grow fresh, tasty chemical-free vegetables, fruits & herbs using natural methods. They reject the use of GMO seed.  All of their shares are sold out for the 2009 season but visit their site for information about their annual tour, classes, and other on-farm events.

Toree’s Urban Farm
Take a peak into Toree’s urban farm in the Fircrest Neighborhood and what can be done on a subdivision lot. Chickens, fruiting trees and shrubs, and prolific vegetable garden are all featured in this amazing backyard setting. See what hard work and vision can do in three short years.