I converted my dad.

[Kyle@theWintertime]

My dad and I have disagreed on homesteading and heritage-anything for a while now. When he asked me what a heritage breed whatever is, I explained that they are great for a niche but not used by big commercial factory farms; his reaction was, if they aren't good for commercial factory farms, they are inferior and should be allowed to go extinct. :roll: Same for produce...if it isn't in the grocery store, it isn't worth having.

So a week or so ago, I was headed to the farmer's market. My dad said he wanted tomatoes.

AWESOME. I BOUGHT HIM...TOMATOES. :twisted:

I got the craziest looking heritage tomato I could find...it was TWO POUNDS, looked like a red/yellow/green pumpkin on acid, and the lady who sold it to me said it was EXCELLENT for slicing and eating on sandwiches which is how my dad prefers to eat tomatoes.

My dad was skeptical of the HUGEmato. Even more so when I tossed it on my new postage scale and it was, as said, two whole POUNDS.

But it's a tomato, and he likes tomatoes...so he sliced it and ate it on a burger.

HE CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT THE HUGEMATO!!!

He keeps saying things like "This has so much better flavor than the grocery store tomatoes!" and "It's almost all flesh, not pulp and seeds, it doesn't make the bun/bread/whatever soggy!"

Suddenly...he understands that heritage breeds and seeds have a VERY good purpose. And can be BETTER than grocery breeds/brands/produce. Now he's asking about heritage livestock...as well as other produce.

But the real victory came the other night when my dad walked in and said "I looked up how to save seeds. I think we should save seeds from this wonderful huge tomato and plant some next year. So we can have lots of these."

And later: "You know, if we save the seeds and grow them ourselves, it's like we're getting FOOD FOR FREE."

AT LAST, he understands!!!! :lol: And it's opened up all sorts of discussions...he's now EAGER for me to cull some rabbits so he can try some fancy new recipes, for example.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

WOOT!

It is such a pity that we have all been brainwashed into thinking store bought is better.

A number of years ago, we were at a party and after having a slice of this amazing cake baked by the hostess, one young lady complimented *cough* the hostess by exclaiming "Wow! This is almost as good as store bought!"

 

[Marinea]

That sounds like maybe a Brandywine tomato...ugliest tomatoes I have ever seen, but unbeaten for flavor.

Tomato seed saving is easy. Be sure to put the dried seeds in the freezer for next year.

Oh, ask your dad what his favorite veggies are. I would be glad to send some seeds y'all's way.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

WOOT!

It is such a pity that we have all been brainwashed into thinking store bought is better.

A number of years ago, we were at a party and after having a slice of this amazing cake baked by the hostess, one young lady complimented *cough* the hostess by exclaiming "Wow! This is almost as good as store bought!"

OMG, I'd have verbally slapped that lady!!! :evil:

Though to date my best compliment ever was on my first sweet potato pie...I made a bunch of pies (both sweet and savory) for a fall harvest party, and honestly I didn't want to deal with a from-scratch pumpkin pie so I tried my hand at sweet potatoes, and one guy came over...ate a slice, and said "This is the best sweet potato pie I've ever eaten!!! Where did you buy it?" :lol:

The sad part is pies are the easiest thing in the world to make, yet everyone is always amazed when I make pies. :shock: Then again, I've been told cakes are "easy" from a baking-oriented friend of mine, yet mine never come out right, LOL!!!

That sounds like maybe a Brandywine tomato...ugliest tomatoes I have ever seen, but unbeaten for flavor.

Tomato seed saving is easy. Be sure to put the dried seeds in the freezer for next year.

Oh, ask your dad what his favorite veggies are. I would be glad to send some seeds y'all's way.

I think you may be right...it is a hideous mutant looking thing, LOL, but it IS delicious. I'm not fond of tomatoes on burgers or sandwiches, and even I like this kind!!!

Thanks for the freezer tip, my dad's article on seed saving didn't have any info on how to STORE them. So we're in the dark on that, LOL!!!

I know how he likes squashes...but we don't have much garden space for them.

 

[dayna]

I love to eat those just plain! I grow "wild" tomatoes here in Hawaii. We have a type of wild one that just kind of grows like crazy. I find plants all over the place and move them to my garden and have year round fruit. I've had one plant for over a year and it's still producing.

I'm so glad your dad is getting on the yummy food bandwagon!

 

[MaggieJ]

How super, Kyle, that you won your father over to the "heritage" side! There'll be no stopping him now!

 

[Marinea]

I know how he likes squashes...but we don't have much garden space for them.

The bottom two shelves of my freezer are seeds. All of our seeds are frozen from year to year. I think the oldest seed we have germinated was four years in the freezer.

We grow a wonderful yellow scalloped squash. It is a summer squash, and is delicious. The plants don't get huge, and I would be happy to send your dad (and you) some seeds. PM me your address. Ooh, I'll add the purple flat italian onion seeds and you can make a delicious dish from those two things.

 

[Heritage Homestead]

:clap2: Good Job!

 

[DogCatMom]

Your dad may be unaware, then, that the in-store varieties of tomatoes (esp. tomatoes) were developed for their ability to withstand transportation and storage. Not for taste; not at all! And certainly not for color, density, or much else.

Pretty much the same with other varieties of produce: developed for transportation and storage qualities. For taste, yumminess, etc., the heirloom varieties are *almost* always better. (There are some modern hybrids that gardeners like, but these hybrids aren't found in stores very often.)

Somewhere out there is a book on how to save seeds from regular dinner fruits and veggies. Unfortunately, I can't remember its correct name right now. Grump.

Re. not having "much room" for squashes: Trellising is very useful. Also referred to as "vertical gardening," the use of trellises--some of which have been made from scratch out of concrete reinforcing wire (CRW)--has made it possible for cantaloupes, butternut squash, and other small-to-medium melons and winter squash to be grown in small spaces. The individual fruits are put into "slings" made from (ahem) worn-out pantyhose--probably in short supply at your house!--or carefully cut chunks of old T-shirts to cradle the fruits as they grow and not overstress the vines. The slings/cradles are attached directly to the trellis. I haven't read any reports of successful growth of pumpkins, Hubbard squashes, or large watermelons on trellises yet, though. Maybe this could work for y'all?

Re. storing seeds: Suzanne Ashworth, the author of Seed to Seed: Seed Saving and Growing Techniques for Vegetable Gardeners, recommends storing seeds in an air-tight container (glass or metal) in a root cellar. Failing that, she recommends drying the seeds to 8% moisture content (she provides quick tests for the 8% criterion), sealing them into an air-tight container, and freezing them. She continues: "If the seeds are not thoroughly dry, however, the excess moisture expands when frozen and will rupture the cell walls" (p. 29). Seeds properly kept in frozen storage will retain their viability ten times as long as they would otherwise, but she hedges this statement with a number of caveats.

For the sheer beauty of their catalogues, I'd like to recommend that you take a look at Baker Creek (http://www.rareseeds.com) and Seed Savers Exchange (http://www.seedsavers.org). Not necessarily for purcha$ing the seeds, but to open your dad's eyes to the many yummy possibilities! Of course, you could just take him back to the farmer's market for more of the same and save those seeds! That's a nice, low-cost way to start out.

I'm so glad your dad has Seen The Light! Wearing another hat, I'm a moderator on a gardening forum...which you've probably already figured out from this post! :lol:

Well done, and "well yum"!

 

[Peach]

We've been loving our heritage seed tomatoes I only was able to get 2 squash because my cucumbers,zucchini,and squash caught some mold with all the rain and little sun that they finally just didn't make it The spinach I planted was excellent too! I'm finding out slowly but surely what works here but everyone prefers them to the store bought. Glad to hear your dad is opening his horizons <br /><br />__________ Fri Sep 06, 2013 2:46 pm __________<br /><br />We've been loving our heritage seed tomatoes I only was able to get 2 squash because my cucumbers,zucchini,and squash caught some mold with all the rain and little sun that they finally just didn't make it The spinach I planted was excellent too! I'm finding out slowly but surely what works here but everyone prefers them to the store bought. Glad to hear your dad is opening his horizons

 

[PSFAngoras]

He he he... Another convert!

My hubby was the same way. Should have seen the look in his face when he first tried rabbit. He was confused, because these cute fluffy little things couldn't possibly taste good, right? Now he treats them like little walking steaks. It's so funny! I don't even look at them at them like that until they're hanging at the processing station!

 

[Miss M]

Too funny about your dad!!!

Trellising squash is the way to go, Kyle, like DogCatMom said! You can plant them 2 feet apart, rather than 6!

The trellis can be T-posts, cattle panels, SFG trellising (electrical conduit in upside-down U, fit over rebar pounded into the ground, with nylon trellis mesh), 2"x2" with a point cut on one end (easy, I've done it myself), etc.

You can tie the plants to the T-posts or 2"x2" or whatever directly, or put nylon trellis between them (wouldn't recommend for wood stakes, too much stress).

For summer squash and zucchini and other squash picked small, you don't even need to support the fruits.

You can also cut off all leaves below developing fruit.

The only disadvantages to this method are:

More labor-intensive, as you must tie them up or weave them through trellis frequently.

If you get squash vine borers, it is excessively difficult to save the affected plant, as you do not have any secondary rooting points. Saving the plant involves slicing vertically into the stalk to remove borers, and preferably squirting DE into the plant in several sections with a baby nasal aspirator.

 

[Tegan]

I know how he likes squashes...but we don't have much garden space for them.

Hang them in buckets and "trellis" them down to the ground. We're going to do this next year, I've grown them in buckets before and they did wonderful. You don't even have to have them growing out of the bottom of the bucket, just from the top is fine, let them trail over the edge of the bucket and then you can run wires or poles along side the bucket and trellis them to the ground that way.

 

[DogCatMom]

Too funny about your dad!!!

If you get squash vine borers, it is excessively difficult to save the affected plant, as you do not have any secondary rooting points. Saving the plant involves slicing vertically into the stalk to remove borers, and preferably squirting DE into the plant in several sections with a baby nasal aspirator.

Injecting BT (bacillus thuringiensis) also works, according to reports from those who've managed to beat the horrible SVBs. They're not out here (yet?) in California, but we've got all sorts of fun to make up for them. :roll:

My raised beds (SFG style) were made from scavenged materials, mostly. Got 'em on Freecycle.org, a great source of materials! DH thought it was useless, but after Bed #4 was put together, he thought there might be something to it....kinda like Kyle's dad!

 

[skysthelimit]

Good job Kyle. We've been on this cucumber kick for mnths now. A store bought cucumber has nothing on the rabbit manure grown cukes from my yard. I am determined too save seeds this year. These were grown from seed and did twice as god as the seedlin transplants I bought.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I love to eat those just plain! I grow "wild" tomatoes here in Hawaii. We have a type of wild one that just kind of grows like crazy. I find plants all over the place and move them to my garden and have year round fruit. I've had one plant for over a year and it's still producing.

I'm so glad your dad is getting on the yummy food bandwagon!

Wild tomatoes sound awesome!!!!

How super, Kyle, that you won your father over to the "heritage" side! There'll be no stopping him now!

He's already planning how we'll grow them next year...our soil ISN'T, it's all just sand...so we're gonna grow them in big pots full of black soil and rabbit poops.

I know how he likes squashes...but we don't have much garden space for them.

The bottom two shelves of my freezer are seeds. All of our seeds are frozen from year to year. I think the oldest seed we have germinated was four years in the freezer.

We grow a wonderful yellow scalloped squash. It is a summer squash, and is delicious. The plants don't get huge, and I would be happy to send your dad (and you) some seeds. PM me your address. Ooh, I'll add the purple flat italian onion seeds and you can make a delicious dish from those two things.

OMG cool!!! The squash sounds divine. I loathe onions but my dad LOVES THEM. Puts them in and on everything. Thanks!!!

Your dad may be unaware, then, that the in-store varieties of tomatoes (esp. tomatoes) were developed for their ability to withstand transportation and storage. Not for taste; not at all! And certainly not for color, density, or much else.

My dad has been googling it and talking to our farmer friend, and he has been thoroughly schooled. It's amazing to see him researching produce!!!

Re. not having "much room" for squashes: Trellising is very useful. Also referred to as "vertical gardening," the use of trellises--some of which have been made from scratch out of concrete reinforcing wire (CRW)--has made it possible for cantaloupes, butternut squash, and other small-to-medium melons and winter squash to be grown in small spaces. The individual fruits are put into "slings" made from (ahem) worn-out pantyhose--probably in short supply at your house!--or carefully cut chunks of old T-shirts to cradle the fruits as they grow and not overstress the vines. The slings/cradles are attached directly to the trellis. I haven't read any reports of successful growth of pumpkins, Hubbard squashes, or large watermelons on trellises yet, though. Maybe this could work for y'all?

I don't know if it would work for us...we live so close to the big lake most nights I fall asleep to crashing waves...which sounds cool and all until you look at our growing space. Yellow sand has no nutrients and it drains ULTRA-fast so they are always dry...and most of our yard is old-growth trees and HEAVY shade. I can swing a few summer squash but I doubt we could put a trellis anywhere where it would get any sun...plus summer squash can be grown in a big pot full of black soil.

Gardening here sucks though. My dad works miracles with his garden. :lol:

For the sheer beauty of their catalogues, I'd like to recommend that you take a look at Baker Creek (http://www.rareseeds.com) and Seed Savers Exchange (http://www.seedsavers.org). Not necessarily for purcha$ing the seeds, but to open your dad's eyes to the many yummy possibilities! Of course, you could just take him back to the farmer's market for more of the same and save those seeds! That's a nice, low-cost way to start out.

Oooh! I'd like that! I'll suggest it to my dad...he loves catalogues. Plus it'd be awesome to see him research various varieties of produce and pick the ones he want to try!!!

We are for sure growing those big huge tomatoes though...but we forgot to pull seeds out and ate the last of it tonight. I can't hit the farmer's market tomorrow since I'll be at a show, but they are there on Tuesday so I'm TOTALLY going!!!!!

We've been loving our heritage seed tomatoes I only was able to get 2 squash because my cucumbers,zucchini,and squash caught some mold with all the rain and little sun that they finally just didn't make it The spinach I planted was excellent too! I'm finding out slowly but surely what works here but everyone prefers them to the store bought. Glad to hear your dad is opening his horizons

He thought it was silly and hilarious that I tried growing a few veggies at the house I'd been renting...I kept failing at spinach, lol!!! Now he's seeing the possibilities. :twisted:

He he he... Another convert!

My hubby was the same way. Should have seen the look in his face when he first tried rabbit. He was confused, because these cute fluffy little things couldn't possibly taste good, right? Now he treats them like little walking steaks. It's so funny! I don't even look at them at them like that until they're hanging at the processing station!

My dad had a traumatic event on his first (and LAST) rabbit hunt, so he's been adverse to slaughtering rabbits ever since...until I dispatched a rabbit when he happened to be home. No screaming, no suffering, no nothing...and so far he's been willing to eat it when I cook it, but the other day when I said I was going to cull my evil old doe, he declared he wanted to try stewing her!!! He's more and more interested in home-grown foods!

So odd he's new to this since he taught me to hunt and to butcher/eat what I kill; plus one of his best friends is a farmer. :lol:

Too funny about your dad!!!

Trellising squash is the way to go, Kyle, like DogCatMom said! You can plant them 2 feet apart, rather than 6!

The trellis can be T-posts, cattle panels, SFG trellising (electrical conduit in upside-down U, fit over rebar pounded into the ground, with nylon trellis mesh), 2"x2" with a point cut on one end (easy, I've done it myself), etc.

You can tie the plants to the T-posts or 2"x2" or whatever directly, or put nylon trellis between them (wouldn't recommend for wood stakes, too much stress).

For summer squash and zucchini and other squash picked small, you don't even need to support the fruits.

You can also cut off all leaves below developing fruit.

The only disadvantages to this method are:

More labor-intensive, as you must tie them up or weave them through trellis frequently.

If you get squash vine borers, it is excessively difficult to save the affected plant, as you do not have any secondary rooting points. Saving the plant involves slicing vertically into the stalk to remove borers, and preferably squirting DE into the plant in several sections with a baby nasal aspirator.

Yeah...I doubt large squashes are in this yard's future. However, I'm logging away this info for when I have my someday-farm.

I know how he likes squashes...but we don't have much garden space for them.

Hang them in buckets and "trellis" them down to the ground. We're going to do this next year, I've grown them in buckets before and they did wonderful. You don't even have to have them growing out of the bottom of the bucket, just from the top is fine, let them trail over the edge of the bucket and then you can run wires or poles along side the bucket and trellis them to the ground that way.

...wait. SERIOUSLY??? I...I might be able to swing that. :shock: Do you have any pictures? This...THIS might WORK!!!

Good job Kyle. We've been on this cucumber kick for mnths now. A store bought cucumber has nothing on the rabbit manure grown cukes from my yard. I am determined too save seeds this year. These were grown from seed and did twice as god as the seedlin transplants I bought.

I'm planning to start replacing our regular grocery store veggies with farmer's market veggies. :twisted: There's many people there who grow heritage foods almost exclusively, as well as grass-fed beef. :mrgreen:

 

[Miss M]

I'll suggest it to my dad...he loves catalogues. Plus it'd be awesome to see him research various varieties of produce and pick the ones he want to try!!!

In his current delicate state, if you put a seed catalog in front of him, he'll order enough seeds for a 5-acre plot! :twisted:

 

[skysthelimit]

I wish I could get some grass fed beef. I don't have room anywhere for a whole lamb, but I would like to find someone to go in with me on it.

 

[ladysown]

hmm.... my way of storing seeds from last years tomatoes is really simple.

I put them in the ground (have raised beds so they warm up early in the spring).. they sit there over the winter and then start growing in the spring.
I proceed to transplant them and voila... I have "hardened" veggies growing well in the garden.

works for me...might work for you too?

 

[trinityoaks]

A couple of ideas for you:

http://www.realfarmacy.com/6-vegetables ... w-indoors/

http://pinterest.com/pin/228628118553631517/