The Amateur Farmer

The Secret Garden – Planning Phase

Posted on by Jean Campbell

I've got an idea for a complete transformation in this little tucked-away area. It's a mess, but there is potential! I just need to come up with a plan. Ahead, I see some relocating, repurposing, and a bit of investing. Here's What We've Got... A small, fenced area, divided by a sidewalk, with grass and plantings on either side. Left yard, sidewalk, right yard To the left are a couple of small camellias, a hydrangea, and a couple of azaleas. I've already moved these in from other... Continue reading

Food is Free Project

Posted on by Jean Campbell

I found this video tooling around on Facebook. No pun intended! :) I've already got two palettes so this project is on for fall. I'll work on building up some great soil while we overwinter, and we'll see how we do in spring. This year's garden was a bit of a bust. I broke my leg late in May, and as I am the main gardener of the family, the beds went terribly untended. Yes, come harvest time the pickin's were quite slim. There I go punning again! Had I built beds like these, I may have fared... Continue reading

Urban Waste – A Veritable Gold Mine!

Posted on by Jean Campbell

I recently happened upon this jewel and became so excited with the ideas it sparked, I couldn't wait to share it. It's a segment entitled "How to Compost in an Apartment" from a show called Chai with Lakshmi. What an inspiration! I'm stunned I've never thought of or run into the concept of container composting! I've let my "live garbage" container stay on the counter long enough that I should have gotten the idea with what I eventually tossed in the bin, but alas, I did not. As a big... Continue reading

It’s Not Just Friday. It’s Pole Bean Day.

Posted on by Jean Campbell

I try to gang all my meetings and errands together. I pick a date to get them all done. I assume I will not be able to do regular work on that particular day. This was supposed to be that day. But my first meeting ran over, bumping my second meeting out of the running—it was a lunch with a new user's group, so no one would even miss me. Cool. My afternoon meeting was canceled due to illness, and so I found myself at home with nothing planned or pressing. Part of me really wanted to blow... Continue reading