November

November was a great month for me this year. It's not every year I get to harvest a deer, and a big buck at that. The deer of Missouri are very special to me and I thank God for them every deer season and especially if I get to harvest one. The benefits from this animal are incredible in my mind. I can't trust the store to provide me with meat like this. I love eating this venison and extras (that includes the wonderful organ meat) knowing what this animal ate and how it's pure and natural, like my organic garden. Can anybody say, deer sausage, deer jerky, or venison steak.














My brother Kevin help pull him into position for a field dressing.

















I all ways love this part because it feels like I'm a doctor doing surgery.



















The autopsy reveals the reason for death, one shot one kill. Sorry kids Bambi was a great sacrifice so that I may live and enjoy it's great and wonderful pure protein harvest.

October

Here once again is the winner of the #1 veggie of the year award Sucrine Du Berry!!! yeahhhh. In September I showed this squash on the vine, now here is the reason it won. The flesh is a wonderful tasting delight and the color is even more orange after being cooked.



















Here is the chicken coop I built over the month of October. I loved working on this project for me ole college friend Heather. When I heard she had chickens I was motivated to help her out just thinking of the possibility of the chance to get one fresh egg. With Heather and her family on a farm not but a couple miles to the west of were I live in Willard it made for a nice job. The coop is made entirely from recycled wood and a lot of it old barn oak, no joy to hammer nails in.


One day in October I was talking to my Aunt Arlene about trees I should plant in my back yard to replace my lost austrees and that the only one I could think of was pecan and pin oak. Arlene soon warned me of the reasons not to plant pecan trees, and that I would regret it, if I did plant those trees. Arlene soon came up with good idea that she could help me with. Why not plant fruit trees and name them Arlene and Bill. So that's what I did. And also plant some friends to help the other fruit trees fruit.


















Richard Apple and Rita Pear
















Bill Pear & Merry Cherry
















Barbara Apple


Arlene Cherry


After a Day of planting the Family met at Dads for a nice meal

Thank you guys for making a dream come true.
Love
Shawn

September

September was a good month for my fennel. One of my favorite herbs due to its plushness (is that a word) and very hearty growth, its November and its still growing like crazy. I didn't do much with it this year because it started small and I wanted to let it grow to harvest it's seeds. There was one weird thing I used the fennel for, get this, Pickles. You never know what pickled fennel will taste like. And that's why I'm avoiding opening it, can you imagine pickled lickerish.



















Now here is a heirloom melon called Anne Arundel. A pre 1800 American melon from the state of Maryland. This melon was grown by farmers in Anne Arundel county in Maryland. This great American heirloom nearly vanished in the last hundred years due to the people of Maryland being to lazy to plant it. Just kidding, calm down. This melon is famous because it was in many paintings of the famous Peale Family, who ever... that is? But thanks to William W. Weaver rediscovering the variety this great melon lives on in gardens abound.
















Ahh... now who couldn't love a big hand full of jalapenos, these are great just put them in any thing you stir fry.



















Spaghetti Squash have you ever ate anything so cool. A vege that you cook and it ends up looking like spaghetti the pasta. Split that bad boy down the middle throw a couple pads of butter and salt and pepper and you have a meal. And what a meal they grow bigger then footballs!



















Ahh... la Chair Délicieuse Merveilleuse!
My favorite this year. Sucrine Du Berry a winter squash. A very old and famous, traditional heirloom squash variety from the heart of France. I was so impressed by this heirloom that I give it my "Best Plant Out Of My Garden" award. This squash was impressive from the day it started growing, it even had to wait to be planted. I only have so much room in my garden so some plant have to wait to get a box. When my potatoes were finished and the box was ready I started the winter squash thinking it will be to hot for them to grow. No problem, the Sucrine Du Berry took off like a plant on compost crack. Then when I went to pick the winter squash there was a lot more then I expected and it blew my mind, squash heaven. Come to find out this plant is treat to eat as well. Another just cook it up any ole way. Any... Raw, chopped stir-fry, baked, eat the seeds, soup, skin on or off, shishkabob. What a nice vege. maybe I'll send you one.

Garden Haul 2009

Watch Out! it's Pickling Season. If you hold still to long you might be canned and end up in some sort of strange brine mixture.
And Yes I can not spell. Hey! it was hot outside.
















Turnips Love the Onion Bed.















The Japanese Cucumber is very productive. And Yes they will be a victim of canning.















My invention of the Cuc Cube was a great space saver.



















Another very productive plant, the Chinese Long Noodle bean.















My favorite haul is always the watermelon. The Georgia Rattle Snake, and that one was just a baby.

The Garden Matrix

Running a large scale garden is a lot of hard work at first. Then comes the long hot days and rain storms that make your work pay off with green.

This last months Tornado damage was rough on my yard and put me behind in garden work two weeks but that didn't stop anything from growing. Not in a long time have I experienced everything growing on schedule. From Asparagus to Zucchini the garden is now a plethora of wonderful taste and smells and colors.

I am excited this year about my tomatoes and other plant that will need support. The massive amount of nice straight sticks off my now dead Austrees has left me with plenty of working material for some nice looking trussing. 

I call this one pictured bellow my Tomato Matrix. I think it will work out. The truss system is simple just make two A-frames at both ends, jabbed into the dirt, and tie the rest of the support with some good ole hemp rope. As the plant grows you just weave in support sticks. It is surprisingly strong and has made it through one wind storm.

So save your sticks for the Matrix.     

After all these years of living in tornado alley, I finally was nipped by a small one. This is my first close call Tornado, it was an F1 with 85 mph winds. To me it was like a Tornado, Hurricane, Earthquake, and flood together. When the Austrees blew over their massive roots snapped and shook the house. From inside I thought the house was lifting off it's foundation. There was no Roar like a train but the house was shaking like I was in one. After the wind calmed down I went outside and found my trees flat, my neighbors fence down and shingles every were. The trees tipped over left massive holes. The ground sprung forth the locust. it was a sign.  

Big Clean Up.

Light filtered in Black

I like this one because it is simple, there is no show on, just light. This one was kinda Pink Floyd inspired. The rock band Pink Floyd used a lot of play of light in their album cover art. Actually my whole garden is PF inspired. Look at the album Momentary lapse of Reason, how the light absorbs into the beds. I want light to play in my garden and keep it simple. 

And it shall be done by thy.