Monday, May 27, 2013

Garden Update


With the able assistance of Paul, Steve and Natasha, who did most of the work, the garden at Roshara is planted.  Our goal is to plant most of the garden—especially the more frost-fragile plants such as tomatoes around Memorial Day, and no earlier.

I usually try to have my potatoes in the ground by mid-April.  Not this year.  The garden was still snow-covered in April.  We planted them in early May and they are almost all up and growing well, all ten rows of them.  At that time I also planted radishes, onions, early sweet corn, lettuce, and beets.  All up and looking good.

Last Saturday we planted squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, zucchini, gourds, more sweet corn, some broom corn, and a half-row of sunflowers.  Got to add a little color to the project.

We set out the tomato plants I started back in April.  They look a bit small and scraggly but in a week or two, if all goes well, they will catch up with the fancy much taller, store-bought varieties.  We went overboard a bit this year setting out nearly 60 tomato plants.  Included in the 60 are 25 heirloom tomatoes—a special variety from the Isle of Man (Manx Marvel).  The seeds germinated well, the plants are vigorous,  but  I’ll withhold  saying more until I see and taste the tomatoes.  All told I think we have six different tomato varieties, with the hope that a least a couple of the varieties will produce well this year.

Saturday was also the day to set out the cabbage plants—both red and white—broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kohlrabi plants, all purchased at the Co-op store in Wild Rose.

We mulch all the tomato plants with a few inches of straw.  It’s a slow tedious job.  Paul drew the short stick for the job this year and completed it without complaint.  We also mulch all of the cabbage, broccoli , etc. plants.  The mulch keeps the weeds down and the moisture in.  And for the tomatoes, the mulch provides a bed for the ripe fruit as I do not stake or put racks around all my tomato plants.

Now, like I have done for every year since growing a garden, I wait to see what does well, what does less well, and what fails.  I have turned it all over to Mother Nature,  who is largely in charge from this point forward.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS:  One of the most difficult things we face in life is learning how to come out from behind ourselves.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  Interested in learning how to write your own stories?  Sign up for one of my upcoming one-day workshops that I am teaching at The Clearing in Door County.

Saturday, June 22, 9-4 (A few openings still left)

Saturday, November 3, 9-4

Contact The Clearing for further information and/or to sign up (www.theclearing.org).

(There will be a book signing at The Clearing on each of these Saturdays from 4-6:00 p.m. The public is invited.)

UPCOMING EVENTS:

June 4, Noon. Milwaukee Rotary Club. War Memorial Building. Limping Through Life.
June 6, 7:00 p.m. Dane County Genealogy. One Room Country Schools.
June 7, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Launch of LETTERS FROM HILLSIDE FARM and LIMPING THROUGH LIFE.
June 8, 11:00 -3:00 Book signing, Tri-County Thresheree, Plainfield
June 13, Writing Workshop, Fulcrum Publishing offices, Golden, CO.
June 20, 7:00 p.m. Wisconsin Rapids Public Library.  Limping Through Life
June 22, 9-4. Writing Workshop.  The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI.
June 25, 8:30-10:00.  Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison.  Homeless Book Club. Limping Through  Life.
June 29-30, Chicago. McCormick Place.  American Library Association Convention.  Letters From Hillside Farm.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD

DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.



Sunday, May 19, 2013

Three Days and Spring


Three days make such a difference. Ruth and I set out last Tuesday morning for a three-day mini-book tour—Trempealeau library (early afternoon and evening, Tuesday), Magers and Quinn Bookstore, Minneapolis (Wednesday evening), Chapter Two Bookstore, Hudson (Thursday noon).

The previous weekend had been windy and chilly.  More than that.  Right down cold, even saw some snow flurries when we worked in the garden last Saturday.  When we left Madison on Tuesday morning, the weather person promised a warmer day, and still a warmer day on Wednesday.

The weather person outdid herself.  Perhaps even overdid it as the temp rose to the high nineties in the Twin Cities and remained warm.

Now to the point of this tale.  Mother Nature has been hiding spring, keeping it under wraps, afraid to turn it loose for fear it might stick its nose out and have it frozen off.  But for the three days we were gone, old Mother Nature said it was time.  And I might add, about time. 

When we left home the big maple trees in our backyard were only hinting at leaves.  No sign of crabapple blossoms, plum blossoms, cherry blossoms, and only a few dandelions.  But on Thursday night when we returned— Mother Nature had turned it on and let it go and we had spring with all of its glory and grandeur. Trees are leafed, blossoms are everywhere, the grass is green and the birds are signing.

 It may only last a few days before summer sets in, but at least we experienced a taste of what spring in Wisconsin could be like the past few days.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Old Mother Nature is a fickle one.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  Interested in learning how to write your own stories?  Sign up for one of my upcoming one-day workshops that I am teaching at The Clearing in Door County.

Saturday, June 22, 9-4

Saturday, November 3, 9-4

Contact The Clearing for further information and/or to sign up (www.theclearing.org).

(There will be a book signing at The Clearing on each of these Saturdays from 4-6:00 p.m.)

UPCOMING EVENTS:

May 23, Richfield Historical Society, 7:00 p.m. Stories from the land.
June 4, Noon. Milwaukee Rotary Club. War Memorial Building. Limping Through Life.
June 6, 7:00 p.m. Dane County Genealogy. One Room Country Schools.
June 7, 6:30 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Launch of LETTERS FROM HILLSIDE FARM and LIMPING THROUGH LIFE.
June 8, 11:00 -3:00 Book signing, Tri-County Thresheree, Plainfield
June 20, 7:00 p.m. Wisconsin Rapids Public Library.  Limping Through Life
June 22, 9-4. Writing Workshop.  The Clearing, Ellison Bay, WI.
June 25, 8:30-10:00.  Bethel Lutheran Church, Madison.  Homeless Book Club. Limping Through  Life.
June 29-30, Chicago.  American Library Association Convention.  Letters From Hillside Farm.

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD

DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.


Sunday, May 12, 2013

Problem Squirrel


He came in the dark of the night.  Motive unknown.  To find something to eat?  To satisfy curiosity?  Or just because he was mean?

Last week I planted 25 store-bought strawberry plants in my specially designed, son-in-law-built, raised garden.  As I carefully dug little holes for each plant, and spaced them properly and at just the right depth, my head was filled with images of strawberries, lush red, delicious strawberries.

The next morning I walked out to inspect my little strawberry patch and saw the carnage.  Six strawberry plants dug up and scattered about.  Four strawberry plants missing.  My strawberry patch had been viciously attacked by an unknown critter, but I had a suspect in mind.  I had seen this gray squirrel with a short brown tail sneaking about—but I didn't think Brown Tail had the nerve to attack my new strawberry bed. I had caught him digging up pansy plants, digging up tulip bulbs—and Ruth even caught him red-pawed in broad daylight digging into my tomato plants that I was growing out before transplanting into my garden at the farm.

So Brown Tail became my prime suspect.  I developed a plan.  Off to the hardware stove I went to find some netting—the kind used to keep birds off fruit trees.  I carefully spread the netting over the strawberry plants.  Problem solved.  Brown Tail thwarted.

Nope.  Brown Tail too smart for this old farmer.  In the dark of the night, he crawled under the netting and dug up three more strawberry plants.  Now I have rocks holding down the netting and I am hoping the last few strawberry plants—that must be living in sheer terror, will survive the onslaught of this monster in their midst.

I will keep you posted.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Never underestimate the intelligence of supposedly dumb animals.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  Interested in learning how to write your own stories?  Sign up for one of my upcoming one-day workshops that I am teaching at The Clearing in Door County.

Saturday, June 22, 9-4

Saturday, November 3, 9-4

Contact The Clearing for further information and/or to sign up (www.theclearing.org).

(There will be a book signing at The Clearing on each of these Saturdays from 4-6:00 p.m.)

UPCOMING EVENTS:

May 14, Trempealeau Library, 1:00 p.m. Trempealeau Fourth Graders and 7:00 p.m. for the community. Jerry Apps: A Farm Story. TV Show.
May 15, 7:00 p.m. Magers and Quinn Bookstore, Minneapolis.  Presentation and book signing. Limping Through Life and Letters from Hillside Farm.
May 16, 11-1:30 Chapter Two Bookstore, Hudson, WI.  Limping Through Life and Letters from Hillside Farm.
May 18, Dregne’s Scandanavian Gifts, Westby. 10:30-2:00, Book signing.
May 19, Books and Company, Oconomowoc. 2:00 p.m. Book signing.
May 23, Richfield Historical Society, 7:00 p.m. Stories from the land.
May 24-31, Colorado
June 4, Noon. Milwaukee Rotary Club. War Memorial Building. Limping Through Life.
June 6, 7:00 p.m. Dane County Genealogy. One Room Country Schools.
June 7, 7:00 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Launch of LETTERS FROM HILLSIDE FARM and LIMPING THROUGH LIFE.
June 8, 11:00 -3:00 Book signing, Tri-County Thresheree, Plainfield

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD

DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.


Sunday, May 05, 2013

Garden Season Begins


It didn't look like it would happen on Friday.  A steady cold rain at the farm, chilling, winter-like.  Temperature in the 40s.  The day I was supposed to start my garden. But water stood here and there and everywhere and there was little hope for gardening.

Brother Don and I put the plow on my tractor anyway. Gardeners like their farmer cousins always have hope.  But on a day like last Friday, when it was snowing across northern Wisconsin, and raining steadily at the farm, even hope was in short supply.

Saturday dawned partly cloudy, with no rain and rising temperatures.  After a book talk at the Plainfield Library, we returned to the cabin to bright sunshine and sixty degrees.  Steve and Natasha were there to help—truth be said, to do most of the work.  Steve plowed and disked the garden, and Natasha pulled the ancient wooden marker across the soft and drying soil, making the little grooves that told us where to plant.

By late Saturday afternoon we had planted ten rows of potatoes and two long rows of onions.  The gardening season at the Apps farm has officially started—about two weeks late compared to most years and a month late compared to last year.  But who wants to compare anything to last year?

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: In the woods in spring, the smells of late fall and spring collide.

STORIES FROM THE LAND:  Look for my twice-monthly column in THE COUNTRY TODAY newspaper.  The next one appears on May 8.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  Interested in learning how to write you own stories?  Sign up for one of my upcoming one-day workshops that I am teaching at The Clearing in Door County.

Saturday, June 22, 9-4

Saturday, November 3, 9-4

Contact The Clearing for further information and/or to sign up (www.theclearing.org).

(There will be a book signing at The Clearing on each of these Saturdays from 4-6:00 p.m.)


UPCOMING EVENTS:

May 8, 6:30 p.m., Wisconsin Historical Society Museum (Downtown Madison) Breweries of Wisconsin.  Dinner, need reservations.
May 9, Reedsburg Library, 7:00 p.m. Garden Wisdom.
May 14, Trempealeau Library, 1:00 p.m. Trempealeau Fourth Graders and 7:00 p.m. Jerry Apps: A Farm Story.
May 15, 7:00 p.m. Magers and Quinn Bookstore, Minneapolis.  Presentation and book signing.
May 16, 11-1:30 Chapter Two Bookstore, Hudson, WI,
May 18, Dregne’s Scandanavian Gifts, Westby. 10:30-2:00, Book signing.
May 19, Books and Company, Oconomowoc. 2:00 p.m. Book signing.
May 23, Richfield Historical Society, 7:00 p.m. Stories from the land.
May 24-31, Colorado
June 4, Noon. Milwaukee Rotary Club. War Memorial Building. Limping Through Life.
June 6, 7:00 p.m. Dane County Genealogy.
June 7, 7:00 p.m. Patterson Memorial Library, Wild Rose. Launch of LETTERS FROM HILLSIDE FARM and LIMPING THROUGH LIFE.
June 8, 11:00 -3:00 Book signing, Tri-County Thresheree, Plainfield

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN PURCHASING “JERRY APPS: A FARM STORY” DVD

DVD Jerry Apps: A Farm Story List $16.95 The Patterson’s price only $15.00 ($20.00 shipped)
Special Bundle Offer exclusively by the Patterson:
Tamarack River Ghost & Jerry Apps: A Farm Story – List $43.90
The Patterson’s Price Only $35.00 ($43.00 shipped)

Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division St. PO Box 305
Wild Rose, WI 54984

(All items are sold by the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library. They will accept checks or cash, they’re sorry but they don’t have any way to accept credit or debit cards, checks should be made out to the Friends of Patterson Memorial Library.