I want to welcome all of the new subscribers to my blog who signed up at last week’s Dutchess County Fair. I usually have a new blog every couple of weeks and I got a bunch of new ideas from talking with folks at the Fair which you’ll see coming out in the future. I also make smaller posts on my Facebook page with greater frequency so check me out there.
Right now is a great time to set up your gardens for next year. This is especially true if you plan to follow Lasagna Gardening principles because starting now will allow the bottom layers to start composting this year, giving you a nutritional leg up on next year’s garden. Even if you don’t get your beds set up until late Fall (I installed 2 last November) you’re still ahead of the game because you’ll be able to plant as soon as the ground thaws next year.
Dutchess County Fairgrounds Manure Pile
If you don’t have enough material for beds you are installing, and you live near the Dutchess County Fairgrounds, a good source for the bottom layer is the huge pile of the animal bedding from the Fair. Unfortunately, after the next 2-3 weeks it will be carted away because of some silly local regulation.
The grounds are usually open when there’s no event in progress and you can just go in and pick up what you need. The Mulberry Street entrance is the one that is open most commonly. I do warn you there will be plenty of flies, so putting the manure in the back of pickup or sealed containers will be more pleasant than in back of your car. It took three weeks for my car to stop attracting flies last year.
Route to Dutchess County Fairgrounds Manure Pile
If you don’t live near the Fairgrounds or get there too late, check out local horse Farms or any other farm you can find near you that raises animals. Theree are a lot of them here in the Hudson Valley and you can often both fresh manure and the aged, composted manure you’ll need for the top layer.
There was a lot of interest in the Food Preservation classes I’m teaching this fall so if you are interested in taking one of them you should probably sign up soon. If you do get closed out of the classes I can also teach classes anywhere where you can provide me a sink as I have all of the other equipment I need. You can check out my Classes & Events page for all my scheduled classes and instructions on how to arrange for a private class for yourself and perhaps your friends and neighbors.
Remember it’s not too late to plant veggies for Fall harvest. Any leafy green is fine to start now, even from seed, and if you have a cold frame or use row covers you can plant even into October. I was harvesting into December last year.
Growing Broccoli- December 2009
Until next time, Happy Harvesting
