Race Car Driver, Organic Gardener

For Jeff Gordon, it’s not all about dodging 10 car pile-ups and gunning for the checkered flag. Just like a lot of us, the NASCAR driver wanted an organic garden so he and his family could eat better quality produce that they grew themselves.

We made four 2.5’x5’x 12” high, raised beds using Western Red Cedar 4”x4” timbers and installed them in a sunny nook behind the kids’ playhouse.

We planted an assortment of leafy green varieties like spinach and bibb lettuce, as well as popular summer favorites like green beans, tomatoes and radishes. The family’s personal chef regularly harvests produce from the garden for use in creative, healthy meals.

Rooftop Gardening with the Cole Family

“We tried putting a garden in the backyard, last year, but it didn’t grow very well”, explained Alicia, pointing to the railroad ties down below. Weeds had overtaken the raised bed which sat in a shaded alcove in the backyard.

“And we had a hard time keeping the dogs out of it too”, she laughed, pointing to the two German Shepherds pacing around the backyard.

“So I thought why not put a garden on the roof?”

"As a physician, I definitely think that good food is linked to good health", explains Alicia. " I want my kids to not only know where food comes from but eat healthy, home-grown vegetables (and keep me out of the grocery stores on busy week day work days!).  I am excited about growingcarrots, garlic, lettuces and leafy greens in the cooler seasons. In the meantime, I should have a bumper crop of zuchinni this summer!"

The flat roof area on the back of the Coles' home was plenty big enough for a garden. It had a convenient access door, a load bearing wall underneath that could support the Ringling Brothers Circus, and nearby downspouts where they could harvest rainwater.

In order to minimize heat, the Coles had the existing black roof replaced with new cooler white roofing material. Before installing the raised beds and rain barrel, we placed a layer of durable so-slip material that’s specially designed to prevent tears in the waterproof membrane caused by objects and foot traffic.

Two 4’x6’ Kitchen Garden style raised beds fit perfectly over that burly load bearing wall, and according to Alicia the 80 gallon rain barrel is already earning its keep.

The summer vegetable varieties that the family planted are loving all that new sunlight and they’re just fine with those German Shepherds staying way down on the ground below.

I Must Garden and I Must Have it Too

Deer, gopher, squirrel, or swarms of gnats, whichever one takes the starring role in your gardening nightmare will soon have to search for another REM cycle to crash this season. Gardens are starting even earlier this year which means more opportunities for these natural nuisances to make a smorgasbord of your garden. And don't get me started on the insect population that waltzed its way into 2012.

So, short of building a 10 foot fence or loading a pistol, what is the distressed gardener to do? One needn't look further than our trusty state of North Carolina. Just up the road in Durham proper, is a small company called I Must Garden that makes a variety of animal and insect repellents for use on your lawn and garden that are guaranteed to stifle the pursuits of these enterprising creatures.

I Must Garden is a company that was started by a home-gardener who was dissatisfied with the animal repellent products available on the market. She wanted a product that didn't come up short on results and didn't have a laundry list of harmful chemicals she wouldn't risk putting on her edibles or exposing her family to. So, like any clever gardener, she cooked up her own. Her alternative was I Must Garden.  Products that are made with common organic ingredients and natural ingredients you could easily find in your kitchen or grocery store. Not that you'd want to mist your children with it before they brave the wild, but it is completely harmless.

Their environmentally-friendly ingredients include quite a lyrical list of botanical oils like rosemary, citronella, cinnamon, lemongrass, and mint. Their ingredients reflect what animals and pests would ordinarily avoid in nature. Wouldn't you want to be able to put your backyard on that list of things pests avoid in nature? It may sound impossible, but you could soon find yourself singing the Hallelujah chorus strutting past your tomatoes.

Considering what a great investment backyard garden can be, to have a guarantee that it won't be terrorized and you won't lose sleep over it this summer is priceless... Well actually more like $13 depending on the size of the container.

I Must Garden prefers to limit their supply to independent Lawn and Garden stores like Renfrow's Hardware and Blackhawk Hardware here in Charlotte. That way they know their customers will be getting the individual attention and personal service they deserve. Another reason I Must Garden is just plain awesome, in case you weren't quite convinced.

We couldn't help ourselves either. I Must Garden is the brand we choose to keep pests out with no fuss, no splinters, and no firearms.

Clean and Green Festival Turns Five

Got plans on May 19th? Driving all over town in your Suburban trying to find the lowest gas prices before driving to the Beach or mountains? Consider sticking around  for the 5^th annual Clean and Green Festival.

 It's a free event, compliments of the Mecklenburg County Parks & Recreation, and conveniently located on the newest portion of the Little Sugar Creek Greenway, Elizabeth Park.

There will be endless activities for kids and adults, all of which are free. Four hours of family fun outdoors, or four hours sitting in traffic while little Suzie and Tommy punch each other in the backseat. Your call.  If you're kids are over 4, you could even attend a Hands-on Learning Class while they are on a scavenger hunt or learning how to fly fish! That's right, your kid could be a fly fishing aficionado by 4pm on Saturday... Unlikely? Probably. But you'll never find out unless you go.

There will also be some great classes for adults that cover some of those topics that looked easy on the internet but fell flat in your backyard. Like that time you tried composting by throwing all your egg shells and banana peels in a container outside and nothing happened except the explosion of fruit flies whenever you peeked. Or that time you tried clean that carpet stain with vinegar and your room smelled like pickles for days. Two conundrums that could be turned into can-do's at the Clean and Green Festival.

Not only could you learn about finding the right ratio of “green” and “brown” in your compost, but also about safe, effective eco-friendly cleaning products that won't leave your friends wondering why your house smells like Mt. Olive. These subjects and more will be covered in the classes and the Hands-on Stations hosted by farmers. They occur in succession so you don't have to worry about choosing between two and missing out on some savory nuggets of knowledge.

For the tech-savvy, home improvement types there will be a classes on solar PV technology. You could even have a casual chat with a designer or environmental engineer! Excuse me, I just got a little starry-eyed. For hip-foodies and concerned consumers, you can learn all about eating organic vs non-organic and starting your own kitchen garden. And I know you've thought about chickens, now you just have to come.

 And what's a festival without food? You'll probably work up an appetite from all that excitement! You don't want to miss out on the fabulous food trucks or a tasty libations from three local beer vendors.

So, come join us, May 19^th  from 10am-4pm, in sharing an afternoon of good clean and green fun! Microfarm will be with the other farmers in the Hands-On Station. We'll have a really cool mobile chicken coop, organically grown heirloom seedlings, mushroom logs, an 80 gallon rain barrel, and a 3'x5' Kitchen Garden raised bed on display. I expect everyone who rides a 10-speed up to a four-door monster truck to be there.

Heirloom Seeds Never Broke

The battle rages on between these plants, each touting their desirable assets over the other. The Heirloom, a traditionalist, the Hybrid, a scientist, the GMO, a dog crossed with a toucan.

Who would you root for?

If you have to ask, you already have your answer. The convolution of the matter is a result of human nature’s constant obsession with tinkering. The only thing Hybrid seed companies and GMO producers are planting is a seed of doubt... Did something go horribly wrong with Heirloom seeds?  No. As a result, many kitchen gardeners or concern consumers find themselves in a cloud of confusion when standing in front of a seed display rack or vegetable display, respectively.

Heirloom seeds, as their name implies, have a history. Just like your grandfather’s heirloom harmonica or your great-grandmother’s recipe box, heirloom seeds were saved because of their legacy. Due to their superior taste and quality they were hand-picked and passed down, generation to generation. Sounds like a pretty reliable method of doing things if you ask me.

Another important aspect of Heirloom seeds is that they are open-pollinators which means they are pollinated by agents of nature such as insects, birds, and wind. Hybrids are not. Hybrid seeds and GMOs require a technician, a laboratory, and an operating table. Here is where human manipulation, as personified by Prometheus, arrives at the party uninvited. There’s no way that putting all these random parts and chemicals together is a “Healthy choice at a great price!”

Open-pollination is the magic behind  the wide variety of genetic traits present in Heirloom plants. This variety makes them flexible genetically, allowing them to better adapt and fit into local ecosystems. Overtime, productivity and resistance improve noticeably through organic means. GMOs flee at the mention of organic. Hybrids may claim to be organic, but how they came to be was anything but organic. Frankenstein’s monster was made from rotting animal flesh; does that make him an organic person? Ehh… Seed of doubt. Planted.

The truth is, if you’re going for real, unadulterated food, you won’t get that from Hybrid seeds and definitely not with fish-spiked tomatoes. Think about that the next time you make homemade tomato sauce. How did these tomatoes get so big? Why don’t they freeze? Thank you, computerized genetic sequencing and a special thanks to you, Mr. Alaskan Flounder, you’re genes have proven very useful.

So what would happen if we stopped using Heirloom seeds? First, genetic diversity would float like a lead balloon. Boom! Irish Potato Famine.  Second,  lab potatoes would be so pumped up they would develop a higher intelligence and biceps and zombies would be a worry of the past. 

So, here at Microfarm, we rest our case. We hope that you’ll join us in supporting and protecting the natural biodiversity and adaptability of Heirloom seeds. We offer a wide variety of Heirloom seedlings year-round as well as several other resources for gardeners of every level… Without the growth hormones or rotting animal flesh.