This is our farm. We bought it in June of 2005 and immediately started to work on it. It has taken the last two years to build out YourGardenShow and we have been mostly in front of computers as opposed to in front of plants, but that is going to change this year! Welcome all Grow it Forward participants and thank you for your help.
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| This week around the farm Mar 16, 2012 | |
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| Pomodori secchi sotto olio Mar 13, 2012 | ||
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This is a technique I learned from my next door neighbor Rita, she of the build-it-yourself compost maker fame. It's how to preserve sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil. I got my tomatoes from a huge market in Rome but intend to grow and dry my own this year. I've seen some recipes say you can dry the tomatoes in the oven but I can't... ...see more |
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As my wife and I used to joke, she was management and I was labor. I'll ask my neighbors how they dry their tomatoes as I know they did it last year. I'm lucky because I can source them already dried... (more) |
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Things look great there! How was Easter? Any garden produce on the table? I hope you are enjoying spring; after a very warm start it's back to normal seasonal temps here. Good for the peas, spinach and let... (more) |
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It's going great. No produce yet but there is lots growing both in the garden and in the greenhouse. It was a good Easter too. It's cold and windy here today but luckily no frost forecast. |
| Another sure sign of Spring Mar 08, 2012 | ||
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Around our neck of the woods, everyone is out cutting back their grape vines. This is my next door neighbor Antonio doing it. It's amazing how much they get cut back every year but always come back with such gusto. I looked around on the web this morning for grape trimming techniques and there was a lot of differing opinions... ...see more |
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Boy, the Ramos family sure could use the always full jug. You may have seen my pictures where we use our wine bottles for edging, because we have no rocks on our sandy land. |
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I am going to try to move 2 of my vines this year, they are in an area where the yard stays really wet, and I don't think its good for them - last year we lost all the grapes to a fungal black rot. =... (more) |
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Oh my , Tom. Italy... My dream place. Maybe I have read too many books and fell in love with too many movies. : ) I am most excited to follow you along in your gardening. I have had the most terr... (more) |
| Rita's new composter! Mar 06, 2012 | ||
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My next door neighbor Rita called me down yesterday to show off her invention, a composter. Where she got the idea I don't know, but she had a local metal worker here make it out of a plastic barrel she got somewhere and his added framework. To say she is proud of it is an understatement :-) |
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This is great...I have been looking at commercial ones... |
| Planting Cypress trees Mar 03, 2012 | ||
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Today we planted three Cypress Trees at the bottom of the road to our house. Tradition holds that landlords plant one cypress tree by their gate to greet the traveler and welcome them for a drink. Two cypress trees mean the traveler is welcome for a drink and something to eat. Three cypress trees mean the traveler is welcome... ...see more |
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Liz...when do you sleep? :-) I'm glad to see you entered the Grow if Forward contest. It's so gratifying to see all the new members on the site and the variety of the gardens in the top 25 is... (more) |
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I couldn't sleep because it is SO windy and noisy, but at least we're not having the storm activity that they had south of us yesterday. I wanted to check to see if I could get into the "add planting" fea... (more) |
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Sorry you're having problems Liz. Are you using Internet Explorer by chance? That for some reason is not working with the Add Planting feature. Chrome or Firefox works well though I am told. Maria is takin... (more) |
| Welcome one and all! Mar 03, 2012 | |||||
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| Tree Grafting Progress Mar 01, 2012 | ||
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Here are some snaps of the progress of the Tree Grafts from last year. I am going to do another batch on Saturday and am hoping for 100% success (we had 70% success last year because we did it late). I also spoke with a farmer on the road today and he told me he has some unique prunes that I can had some twigs from so that's... ...see more |
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| What a Fruit Stand! Feb 29, 2012 | ||
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This morning I was out looking for an old trailer to fix up for the young couple (Katie and Alfredo) coming to the farm this summer to help with the garden and I ran across this amazing fruit stand. It's remarkable all the work they do to set it up and take it down everyday and it's so beautiful, I thought I'd snap a few photos.... ...see more |
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HOLEY MOLEY - PEPERONI! |
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I have some green Globe Artichokes started....I would sure like to see a picture of the leaves as they are growing. Wow what a beautiful market place! |
| Soil Testing Kit Feb 25, 2012 | ||
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I am going to be checking the pH of my soil and I got this kit from our friends at The National Gardening Association. Have any of you ever tested your soil or used this specific kit? Any tips? Thanks |
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I have not tested my soil ..I see your link
kit and I will order. Floresville is a "growing community". The far... (more) |
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Looks like Floreville has nice weather compared to the rest of the state. Does your proximity to the gulf make it cooler or more humid? Do you grow all year round? |
| A Trip to the Agri-garden Store Feb 24, 2012 | ||
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In anticipation of the upcoming planting season I went to our local farm center where they sell all measure of things for the farming community we are immersed in. I was fruit tree and seed shopping as I am going to get the greenhouse cleaned out after a particularly snowy end to the winter here in Umbria (most snowfall in 30... ...see more |
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It's clay soil and I bought a soil tester kit to see find the exact Ph. It's a ... (more) |
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No I had not heard that before! But I can sing the yellow rose of Texas! (But not very well!) |
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Great tom!i wish you good luck for the new gardening season. I bought myself two fruit trees and so I finally can start with my little paradise. |
| Getting ready to Grow it Forward! Feb 22, 2012 | |
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I have some ideas as well. I'll see how they work out and share as well. |
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Gentlemen start your seed warmers...HA HA loved that! Thanks for the laugh and great selection of seeds. |
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I can't wait to see those sunflowers! |
| Getting ready for next year Dec 17, 2011 | |
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| First leaves appear in our tree graft. Prunus armeniaca 'Wilson Delicious' Apr 15, 2011 | ||
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Care activities:
Grafted
Observed:
True leaves
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Very exciting!!! |
| Tree Grafting Apr 14, 2011 | |||||
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| Tree Grafting Apr 14, 2011 | |||||
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