I’ve been dying to plant vegetables the past few months. But with the weather just getting nice and my little farm (pic.’s to come!) still a bit too soggy, I’ve held off. I cover cropped fava beans, peas, and alfalfa, as well as spread about a pound of wildflower seed there… but this barely satiated my appetite to truly – VEG!

Soooooo, I decided to build (and when I say “I” I clearly mean Dustin) a little veggie box of my own, just to tide me over.

Ingredients:

4, 2×12′s cut to 6′

4, 2×12′s cut to 4′

4, 4×4′s cut to 27″

Plywood

Douglas Fir (I did not use Redwood or Trex since this will probably go to the farm after the season and I did not want to spend a million dollars. Read: Impulse purchase.)

18 p nails

Tattooed man to do the work.

The end result was a beautiful little box just for me!

2010 New Year’s Resolution: Boycott Chemical & GMO Foods, Eat Organically

Organic foods, especially raw or non-processed, contain higher levels of beta carotene, vitamins C, D and E, health-promoting polyphenols, cancer-fighting antioxidants, flavonoids that help ward off heart disease, essential fatty acids, and essential minerals.

“On the average, organic food is 25% more nutritious in terms of vitamins and minerals than products derived from industrial agriculture. Since on the average, organic food’s shelf price is only 20% higher than chemical food, this makes it actually cheaper, gram for gram, than chemical food, even ignoring the astronomical hidden costs (damage to health, climate, environment, and government subsidies) of industrial food production. Levels of antioxidants in milk from organic cattle are between 50% and 80% higher than normal milk. Organic wheat, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage, onions and lettuce have between 20% and 40% more nutrients than non-organic foods.”

For more info and to jump start your resolution, check out www.organicconsumers.org

Read more:

(This is the first of many in my “Plants Feel Pain” diatribe. Stay Tuned!)

70% of the processed food we eat is genetically modified. The coffee you drink at Starbucks. The meat you eat almost anywhere. And almost 90% of what you buy from Safeway – including gum, toothpaste, and diapers. For more info watch this movie.

Get ready to cry and barf at the same time.

Leafy Greens -

Lettuce
Chard
Kale
Cabbage
Arugula
Spinach

These can all be planted now and in successions until November. You may not get your last crop due to the weather, but if you do you’ll be happy you planted it. Sow seeds or plant plugs every two – three weeks.

Root Crops -

Carrots
Garlic
Shallots
Onions
Potatoes
Beets
Radish

If you are shooting for potatoes, get them in the ground right now, and you’ll have potatoes for Thanksgiving. Carrots can be planted now for about three successions – re-planted every two weeks. Garlic can be planted now and then another crop in November – same with shallots. Onions can be planted in successions for the next few months. Careful on the watering with all of these come October….

Legumes -

Beans
Peas

These can be planted in successions now until about November. The later season beans may not taste as good, but will still be very healthy to eat. The fall peas are wonderful and much sweeter than in the summer.

Everything Else -

Brussel Sprouts
Leeks
Cucumber

**Also try anything you want…. melons and tomatoes and corn are much too late, but I always tell people to try it, may get a little crop by thanksgiving. Comment if you have any questions… Jenn