Wednesday, September 1, 2010

More Montreat Men's Soccer




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Montreat Men's Soccer Gardens

Austin Shattuck is like a son to my husband Franklin
and I and he recently encouraged his soccer team to
come help at The Lord's Acre. Twenty-one strong and fit
guys showed up and did three days of work in two hours!!
They dug a bed, pulled out all the old pole beans, weeded
thistle, readied the potato field for cover cropping and more.
Thanks guys. We see it as a challenge to UNCA and any
other soccer team out there who wants to live up to
Montreat's garden record.

















The "destruction crew" pulls out pole beans.























This guy had been injured THAT day
and he still worked the entire time!
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Summertime Crops

We planted two varieties of edamame as an edible cover
crop and were blessed with an abundant harvest. Being a
legume, edamame takes nitrogen from the air and
"fixes" it in its roots, thus enriching the soil. Freesia
steamed them and took them to Food For Fairview to
familiarize folks with the unusual, yet high in protien, green
vegetable. Everyone who tried them, liked them and we plan
to grow more in 2011.
















Cucumbers: Marketmore and Suyo Longs, reach high
for every bit of available sunlight. Suyo Longs are an un-
usual, Asian variety that is long and snake-like and has
soft prickles. They are sweet and virtually burpless and
seedless.
















One of our many tomato varieties from Sister's Floribunda
nursery. These are Mountain Fresh, bred locally and very
disease resistant.
















Crimson okra is not only productive, it's an ornamental
show-off.
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Pink & Blue

We've planted summer alfalfa and oats in half the old
potato area. Both have a bluish hue to them, especially
in early morning.
















Volunteer cosmos come into their own on the flower border
now that the sunflowers have seen their glory days.
















Cleome, or spider-plant, finally survived the summer heat
wave and is taking off. It's a very old-timey flower that
is often seen in country gardens.
















A few muskmelons are filling out before colder weather hits.
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The Dew Is On The.....

Rake-head sports a raincoat in hopes it will be needed. Not
a cloud in the sky, though. We need rain.
















A bed of Brussels sprouts is just taking off. These will get
chest-high and become sweeter when kissed by frost.
















Purplette, a small, onion, is coming into
its own in this cooler weather.























We have a few cantaloupe and melon hills this year with
hopes of growing more in 2011. These Sugar Babies are
actually sporting "peach fuzz" that traps the morning dew.
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Fire & Ice

Jarrahdale & Kabocha winter squash, both from Johnny's
Selected Seeds, brightened our fields and now grace our drying
racks. Once cured, the baked flesh, is sweet and creamy and
is ready for use as a vegetable or in pies and pastries.
















Baby Pam was our third variety for 2010. A small pumpkin,
this one's no jack-0-lantern. It, too, has sweet, dark flesh for
those hearty autumn pies and puddings.

















View from underneath the drying rack.
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