Gourds

I decided to try starting my gourd seeds indoors this year. I'm a horrible seed-starter, so I try to directly sow everything outside. Unfortunately, Wisconsin doesn't have the longest growing season, so I had to try something to extend the season. Before I did anything, though, I naturally got a gourd book at the library!


Gourds in Your Garden is the book I picked. It focuses on growing decorative gourds, big and small, and the luffa type gourds (which is what I'm growing.) If you're looking to grow pumpkins or other squashes, which are apparently sometimes referred to as gourds- I didn't know that!- this isn't the book. But there is tons of great information that was easily digested by a novice gourd-grower like me.

Armed with my new gourd knowledge, I soaked my seeds overnight (for two nights, accidentally. Oops!) and then planted them in an old food container with a clear lid. Then I put them in the window. Gourd seeds can take a long time to germinate, weeks sometimes, so I don't expect anything to happen soon. Just crossing my fingers and waiting for now.

Happy Farming!

Christmas, Canners and Cows!

Merry Christmas!!

One of my favorite gifts this year is my pressure canner from my mom. I've tried my hand at water bath canning- only once- and it went well, but for most veggies a pressure canner is required. I can't wait to try it out. My husband got me the accessory kit, which will make canning much easier!

I also finished a book I was reading called the Family Cow Handbook.

I enjoyed the book immensely, since it mostly centered around keeping a single cow on pasture, which is what we'd like to do. I enjoy reading all livestock books, but so many seem built around monoculture, large herds, and confinement barns, which is not at all how I'd like to raise my animals. It was great to read a book for the small homestead cow-keeper. The book was also full of different ways to use all of the milk a cow can provide. One bit of discordance I found, though, was that while the author promoted the drinking of raw milk, all of the recipes for cheese and yogurt required pasteurizing the milk. I don't know much about cheesemaking yet, but I know that yogurt can be made from raw milk. Here's a great recipe.

Happy Farming!