# In The Garden



## cog41 (Mar 21, 2013)

Don't know if this is the right place for this thread since one could find himself having a spiritual experience in the garden as I do, or like Thomas Jefferson, find himself developing a great deal of one's personal philosophy while digging and planting in the dirt.
How many of you brethren plant and raise a an annual vegetable garden? Raise fruits or nuts from trees?
Your tools of choice: Tiller, tractor or something lighter due to raised beds?
Organic or non organic? Maybe a little of both.
Square foot, vertical or traditional rows?
Natural or chemical Insecticides or pesticides?
Do you or your wife do the canning? 
Are you a seed saver? 

I'm always open to different methods and ideas of growing, preserving and maybe a making a little profit.


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## Teergear67 (Mar 21, 2013)

I don't raise my own, but I do a lot of canning. Jams, pickles, apples.. I really should grow some of my own to save on buying.


William R Teer Sr


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## Brent Heilman (Mar 22, 2013)

I have an herb garden that I keep up and a raised bed vegetable garden. I also have blackberries, elderberries, and a couple of pecan trees. Right now I am getting ready to plant most of my stuff. The only thing that is in the herb garden is rosemary and some chives that are starting to come back. I don't go strictly organic but I do use some pesticides to control the crazy amounts of grasshoppers I tend to get. I find it a very relaxing hobby and it saves on grocery bills to boot.


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## cog41 (Mar 22, 2013)

This year we intend to do lots of canning n preserving.
in the past we just eat the fresh stuff n keep going.
Last year the daughter started an herb gardening and intends to double it's size this year.


Built a greenhouse but have yet to put on the plastic.


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## widows son (Mar 24, 2013)

I do it all. Tilling, planting, pruning, clipping, raising, harvesting and processing(preserving/jarring).  It really is a special experience raising plants. Tranquility is the result. When your raise plants, your putting your love and care into the plant just like raising a child. Watching nature do what she does is truly amazing, and its easy to drown out all the nonsense and complication that we have in our lives. Plants aren't political. Plants aren't religious. Plants aren't capitalists. Plants just want grow. Nature just wants to thrive and when are told to inquire about the mysteries of nature and science as Craftsmen, what better medium to observe that than gardening? Just my two cents.


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## cog41 (Mar 25, 2013)

Amen Widow's Son, Amen.


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## cog41 (Mar 29, 2013)

After Easter the gardening dirt business gets really serious.


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## Brent Heilman (Mar 29, 2013)

cog41 said:


> After Easter the gardening dirt business gets really serious.



I agree with you there. I have the ground ready to go. My seeds that I have started are ready to be transplanted. I am definitely ready to get going. Right now I am looking for a passion flower vine. Hopefully, tomorrow I will finally get one.


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## cog41 (Mar 30, 2013)

Brent Heilman said:


> I agree with you there. I have the ground ready to go. My seeds that I have started are ready to be transplanted. I am definitely ready to get going. Right now I am looking for a passion flower vine. Hopefully, tomorrow I will finally get one.




Brother that's diversity for sure. 

Good luck.


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## Brent Heilman (Apr 1, 2013)

Thanks I will need all the luck I can get. Still searching for the Passion Flower.


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## jwhoff (Apr 1, 2013)

Careful there my brother!

There are variations of the Passion Flower that produce thorns which are problematic to the heart ... and pocketbook!

:sneaky2:


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## Brent Heilman (Apr 1, 2013)

I guess I am a glutton for punishment. I am always game to try things. I am really just getting into the gardening thing so it is trial and error. Heavy emphasis on the error.


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## widows son (Apr 2, 2013)

I always start my plants a month or two on a window sill before I get the garden ready for cultivation. Tomatoes, hot and mild peppers and herbs.


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## dfreybur (Apr 3, 2013)

cog41 said:


> Don't know if this is the right place for this thread since one could find himself having a spiritual experience in the garden as I do, or like Thomas Jefferson, find himself developing a great deal of one's personal philosophy while digging and planting in the dirt.



I have had such experiences but they have been specific enough I've posted about them on a church forum not on a lodge forum.  Working in the soil with retaining wall blocks as well as with plants.  Something about the combination of physical exercise and quiet helped put my into a deeper more contemplative state of mind.



> How many of you brethren plant and raise a an annual vegetable garden? Raise fruits or nuts from trees?



Herbs, tomatoes, peppers, a few small citrus trees currently.  Small scale.



> Do you or your wife do the canning?



Does home brewing count as canning?  :laugh:  We tend to fill a cupboard with canned fruit so it lasts 2-3 years so we only can fruit every 2-3 years.  Pickles a bit more often.


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## cog41 (Apr 4, 2013)

Brother Freyburger it appears you have experienced some traveling about the country. Were you able to till the soil in those places?

I would certainly include the home brewing as part of the "canning" or "bottling" part of the program. My kinfolks in Alabama provide an occasional "jar" at family reunions. A product of agricultural and chemical processing indeed. 

Yes, there are many goals one can set to achieve from gardening and not all them are tasty solids.

This week has been pretty wet and cold in my area of East Texas. Unable to accomplish much but the rain is a blessing.


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## dfreybur (Apr 4, 2013)

cog41 said:


> Brother Freyburger it appears you have experienced some traveling about the country. Were you able to till the soil in those places?



I grew up near Niagara Falls NYS and the family gardened annuals and perennials.  I settled in California LA metro long enough to garden decoratives, herbs and fruit.  Last week we went to Houston to get a specific type of decorative citrus tree that I'd grown found of in CA - Buddha's Hand Citron.  We settled in Illinois long enough to rework my front and back yards considerably.



> I would certainly include the home brewing as part of the "canning" or "bottling" part of the program. My kinfolks in Alabama provide an occasional "jar" at family reunions. A product of agricultural and chemical processing indeed.



In the states I've resided so far the laws don't even allow jacking (freeze concentration) without a commercial license.  So I've never done jacking.  Jacking beer to make a hopped weak whiskey comes out tasting nasty.  Not that it's ever happened.  Mead jack is delicious though.  Not that it's ever happened either.  Or words to that effect.  I stick with the brews that are not concentrated.  Ale and mead.



> This week has been pretty wet and cold in my area of East Texas. Unable to accomplish much but the rain is a blessing.



And how.  The planters on the deck are lusher now and the trees look noticeably better.


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## Brent Heilman (Apr 4, 2013)

After the last couple of days of 40Â° weather and rain I am really glad I didn't plant anything outside yet. Hopefully, this weekend I will get to it.


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## cog41 (Apr 27, 2013)

Finally have everything going our way, but the cool almost cold mornings and evenings seem to be keeping things from taking off. I know things will heat up soon enough but it's nice to watch the veggies do their thing. Now I have to finish spreading dirt and putting out 2 1/2 pallets of centipede grass. Not as fast as I used to be. I have certainly learned the art of pacing myself.


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## jwhoff (Apr 28, 2013)

That's a BIG TEN-4 Brother cog41!  

I'd say that is a fine art at the least.  The younger one discovers the art of pacing oneself the better off all of us are.  

To bad I had to get old and wore out before I glimpsed a clue.

Whatever!

If I had it all to do over again ...

















I would!  :sneaky2:


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## cog41 (Jun 4, 2013)

All is well in the garden. The occasional rains have kept everything nice and healthy. All the natural or manufactured synthetic "products" one may place in the garden can never take the place of good ol God given rain.

We've had lots of company and a busy schedule as of late, so time in the garden has certainly been my place of solitude.

Brother Brent, we planted a passion vine this year and it is going crazy.

Hope all you minnie and mighty farmers are doing well.


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## rpbrown (Jun 4, 2013)

cog41 said:


> Don't know if this is the right place for this thread since one could find himself having a spiritual experience in the garden as I do, or like Thomas Jefferson, find himself developing a great deal of one's personal philosophy while digging and planting in the dirt.
> How many of you brethren plant and raise a an annual vegetable garden? Raise fruits or nuts from trees? Vegtable and herbs
> Your tools of choice: Tiller, tractor or something lighter due to raised beds? small gas tiller
> Organic or non organic? Maybe a little of both. Organic only
> ...



We got into organics about 15 years agowhen our lawn was taken out by grub worms. We put out the pesticide that the local garden shop recommended and from that day until we detoxifed the yard 4 months later, our dog would not step foot in the yard. She did her business on the sidewalk. The day we detoxed out yard, she went out on the grass for the first time in 4 months. Now that we have grandkids, I dont wory about them picking something up and putting in their mouths.


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## travelinman76 (Jun 25, 2013)

Cool. I'm in Ohio and grew up with a both grandparents within walking distance of my house. Both were gardeners and now  37 and have 3 kids and we all love flower and veggie gardening. Just dove into blueberry bushes two years ago and this spring planted a grafted fruit tree with apricots, peaches, plum, and nectarines all on one root stock. I get it about the spirituality.  Best of luck with your 2013 crop. 


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## cog41 (Aug 23, 2013)

No fence around the garden, only got plenty of peppers and handful of beans. We lost almost everything to squirrels, rabbits and deer. It will soon be fall and their meat shall be my revenge. BrooHaha!


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## Brother Maples (Aug 23, 2013)

cog41 said:


> Don't know if this is the right place for this thread since one could find himself having a spiritual experience in the garden as I do, or like Thomas Jefferson, find himself developing a great deal of one's personal philosophy while digging and planting in the dirt.
> How many of you brethren plant and raise a an annual vegetable garden? Raise fruits or nuts from trees?
> Your tools of choice: Tiller, tractor or something lighter due to raised beds?
> Organic or non organic? Maybe a little of both.
> ...


 People think I'm nuts when I tell them I'm very familiar with a sharp-shooter...No tiller for me. However my garden is not very big, maybe 12x30. I have about 40+ tomatoes on the 13 plants right now. WE NEED RAIN!


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## cog41 (Aug 25, 2013)

We most certainly, most desperately, most definitely need Rain!


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## sgreg801 (Aug 25, 2013)

,;,; ;;

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## jwhoff (Aug 25, 2013)

Anyone know if olive trees will grow in Houston area?  Say 45 miles or so northwest of the bay.  My wife would like to give it a try.


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