Category Archives: CLASSES

Successful Seed Planting class handouts

For those of you who attended the class I taught last night at the Seed Library in Southside Library, Santa Fe, thanks for coming! All 58 of you! And thanks to the Santa Fe Extension Master Gardener for putting this class on. Even if you couldn’t attend the class, you may find the handouts useful.

Don’t forget you can pick up seeds at the Seed Library at Southside Library starting MARCH 25.This will be in lieu of the various seed booths around town.

Below are the handouts as pdfs so you can print them in case you need them.

SEED STARTING SOURCES

soil temperatures for veggie seeds

Seed-Starting Calculator-2023

COOL SEASON:WARM SEASON CROPS

SEED STARTING BASICS

Home Grown New Mexico class/events

Some of you may know I’m the chairperson for Home Grown New Mexico, a non-profit organization that is all about becoming more sustainable in our lives. We offer classes and events every year for members and non-members. I want to post this for my gardening friends as they may be interested in these classes. If you are not a member, you may consider joining Home Grown NM as there are significant discounts for the events for members. These are not zoom classes but outdoor classes held around the Santa Fe area. Click on the links below for registering. To find out what else Home Grown NM has been up to, go to their website and scroll around to see what we’ve done in the past. It is a great resource.

2022 CLASS/EVENT SCHEDULE-Below are the classes/events schedule for 2022 with detailed info on each class and REGISTRATION through EVENTBRITE.  SCROLL DOWN FOR LATEST EVENTS!

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MARCH

Tuesday, March 22nd
2 pm to 4 pm
Home Grown New Mexico Seed Exchange-one day only-FREE

WE ARE BACK! This year we have rented the Railyard Conservancy room behind SITE Santa Fe for one day only, across the street from the Farmers Market. It will be inside the room and also outside the room. !0 people at a time will be allowed to enter the room but you can look at the outside tables with seeds also while you wait to get in. The garage doors will be open for air circulation. Masks required. If you are looking for free seeds for your vegetable or flower garden or have seeds to share, start this new gardening season with us at the Santa Fe Seed Exchange. Please bring any seeds you may have to share. It is not necessary but helps keep our seed supply going. Please identify any seeds you are sharing.

Location: Railyard Park classroom 701 Callejon (behind SITE Santa Fe) off Paseo de Peralta • Santa Fe
Fee: FREE for everyone! No sign up-Just show up!

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soil class photo

JUNE

Sunday, June 5th
10 am to 12 pm

Healthy Soils Class

Learn how soil stewardship can increase soil nutrients and increase carbon capture in your backyard-Outside class

Isabelle Jenniches is co-founder of the New Mexico Healthy Soil Working Group, a grassroots alliance that formed in 2018 to pass the state’s Healthy Soil Act. The group’s mission is to support land managers in soil health stewardship while creating favorable government policy and raising active awareness in civil society.

In conversation with long-time gardener Alessandra Haines, Isabelle will demonstrate implementation of the 6 soil health principles in the home garden. We will discuss the many benefits of soil health, including increased water infiltration and retention, greater nutrient density of produce, and improved resilience to the effects of climate change and drought. Masks required.

Instructor: Isabelle Jenniches
Location: 52 Mansion (Alessandra & Steve Haine’s house) • Santa Fe
Fee: $5 for members/$20 for non-members-to become a member and save money for all our events go to our membership page and pay first before registering

REGISTER HERE 

Space is limited to 25 people

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mozzarella

Sunday, June 12th
10 am to 12 pm

Cheesemaking Class-Mozzarella

Learn how to make mozzarella with cow’s milk. Hands-on class.

Mozzarella originally came from southern Italy and was traditionally made from Italian buffalo milk but here in the US we usually use cow’s milk to make mozzarella. Making mozzarella at home seems intimidating, but you won’t believe how easy it is. Once you give it a try, you’ll want to make mozzarella for everything from Caprese salads to pizzas. Come learn how to make mozzarella with Diane! Outside class. Masks required.

Instructor: Diane Pratt
Location: Alessandra and Steve Haines house-52 Mansion Drive • Santa Fe
Fee: $10 for members and $20 non-members-to become a member and save money for all our events go to our membership page and pay first before registering

REGISTER HERE
Space is limited to 10 people

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JULY

Sunday, July 31st
10 am-12 pm

PIZZA  in the yard with maestro Michael Warren

Michael will fire up his home built wood burning pizza oven as well as commercial portable propane pizza ovens and discuss the ins and outs of baking a stellar pie.

This will be a hands on experience featuring various dough formulas including heritage grains. Freshly made sauces and toppings will be discussed.  Practice shaping, topping, baking and eating pizza!

Instructor: Michael Warren
Location: 747 Old Las Vegas Hwy
Fee: $5 for members/$20 for non-members-to become a member and save money for all our events go to our membership page and pay first before registering

REGISTER HERE
Space is limited to 10 people

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MEDICINAL HERBS

AUGUST

Sunday, August 14th
10 am to 12 pm

Easy to Grow Medicinal Plants for Local Gardens

Join herbalist Dara Saville for this discussion on easily cultivated medicinal plants suited for our climate. We’ll discuss growing conditions, harvesting, and uses for a selection of common healing plants that may already be growing in your garden.

Instructor: Dara Saville (Author of The Ecology of Herbal Medicine)
Location: 56 Coyote Crossing • Santa Fe
Fee: $5, for members/$20 for non-members-to become a member and save money for all our events go to our membership page and pay first before registering

REGISTER HERE

Space is limited to 20 people

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geodome7-1

Sunday, August 28th

First tour 10 am to 11 am-10 people only
Second tour 11 am to 12 pm-10 people only

Luz do Sol Aquaponic Greenhouse Geodome Tour

“Luz do Sol” is a 42-foot geodesic dome in which an Agua Fria neighborhood community is experimenting with growing its own food in a closed-loop aquaponic system.

The dome encloses a 4,000-gallon fish tank and reservoirs for growing plants. The only input is fish food. The water is continuously recycled. The water, enriched with fish waste, is used to feed the plants hydroponically. Up to 18 member households receive weekly harvests of vegetables year-round. Luz do Sol is an experiment in water conservation and self-sufficiency that is fascinating to see.

Tour: Due to COVID, there will be 2 tours in the geodome- one starts at 10 am/second tour starts 11 am with 10 people for each tour. Sign up for only one tour.
Location: 5005 Aqua Fria Park Rd • Santa Fe
Fee: $5, for members/$20 for non-members-to become a member and save money for all our events go to our membership page and pay first before registering

REGISTER HERE

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SEPTEMBER

Sunday, September 11th
10 am to 12 pm

Heritage Grain Flour Tortillas

Gather up with the Rio Grande Grain team to explore heritage and ancient wholegrain flour tortillas.

We will work with several varieties of heritage and ancient grains including locally grown Sonoran White Wheat, Khorasan (Kamut) and Einkorn. We will also look at various shortening options ranging from olive oil to high quality animal fats. This class will be hands on and everyone will have the opportunity to make and cook tortillas.

Instructors: Rio Grande Grain team
Location: Alessandra and Steve Haines house-52 Mansion Drive • Santa Fe
Fee: $5 for members/$20 for non-members-to become a member and save money for all our events go to our membership page and pay first before registering

REGISTER HERE

Space is limited to 15 people

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SEED SAVING 2

Sunday, September 25th
12 noon to 2 pm

How to Save Your Seeds

Join Master Gardener & Certified Seed School Teacher Diane Pratt in learning about seed saving.

In this workshop, you’ll learn the advantages of locally adapted seeds and how they offer resilience to climate change, how to get started saving seeds, which vegetable seeds are easiest to save, how to know when seeds are ready to collect, and how to store them. Plus, techniques for determining the viability of seeds & why we can’t save seeds from hybrid varieties.

Instructor: Diane Pratt
Location: 56 Coyote Crossing • Santa Fe
Fee: $5 to members/$20 for non-members-to become a member and save money for all our events go to our membership page and pay first before registering

REGISTER HERE

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OCTOBER

Sunday, Oct 2nd
10am to 12 pm

Edible Plant Walking Tour Showing Permaculture Methods

Join Reese Baker on an edible plant walking tour at his property

Come see what is new on Reese’s property! The Bakers live on a small residential lot in central Santa Fe, and every square inch of which is packed to its potential, producing an abundance of fresh fruit, flowers, veggies, berries, and nuts incorporating many Permaculture designs. Perhaps this is due to the fact that Reese owns and manages The Rain Catcher Inc, a full service design/build landscaping company.

Rainwater is collected in above and below ground storage tanks and used for irrigation. Gray water from the house is channeled through Zuni bowls to fruit trees and a constructed wetland that filters the water from their washing machine filling a small pond where beautiful fish swim among vigorous water plants.

They have developed a ‘food forest’ landscape where most of their annual vegetable garden is intermixed with perennials-many of which are native to Northern New Mexico.  All this, plus five happy hens in a homemade coop of recycled materials. A great example of what one can accomplish in a small, city lot!  You will be inspired.

Tour: Reese Baker
Location: 2053 Cam Lado • Santa Fe
Fee: $5 to members/$20 for non-members-to become a member and save money for all our events go to our membership page and pay first before registering

REGISTER HERE

Organic Pest Control in the Vegetable Garden class

Sunday, July 22th—
12 noon to 2 pm

Organic Pest Control in the Vegetable Garden
What’s bugging you? Come find out what’s currently eating your crops besides you and how to deal with them organically!

Instructor: Jannine Cabossel/The Tomato Lady
Location: Jannine’s mini-farm:
56 Coyote Crossing • Santa Fe
Fee: FREE

Please sign up here:
CLICK AND REGISTER Eventbrite 

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PRESENTED BY HOME GROWN NEW MEXICO
http://homegrownnewmexico.org

2018 Tomato Growing 101 Class

Sungold tomatoes
Virginia Sweet tomato inside
Costuluto Genevese tomato
Get more tomatoes!
Lemon Boy tomato
starting tomatoes
Indigo Rose tomatoes
The Tomato Lady
Tomato Lady’s mini-farm

Not much time left before the first class!

TOMATO GROWING 101-Season Long Course—starts Mar 25-Aug 5

Do you want to learn how to grow great heirloom tomatoes organically from start to finish? Think of the money you can save by learning to grow your own heirloom tomatoes from seed. Plus you can try new varieties that are not sold in the nurseries.

These hands-on classes will emphasis learning how to grow tomatoes successfully throughout the season. Participants will learn how to grow tomatoes from their seeds, what starting mix to use, what soil to transplant in, how to handle the delicate seedlings when transplanting up, how to produce sturdy plants. Lighting systems will be discussed and your seedlings will stay under lights at my farm under my care until time to plant outside when you will take your plants home to plant outside in your garden.

All planting materials, seeds, soil, amendments and pots supplied while growing them at the farm. Class participants will get a workbook with printed material added at each class to help them be successful throughout this growing season and as a reference for years to come. Students will get hands-on experience by planting to gain confidence and will come back to learn how to prune them, make compost tea, how to identify diseases and pests and how to control them.

Participants must sign up for all classes at once. Course payable at sign up for a total of $150. Class size is limited-10 students max. This takes a commitment. No partial classes.

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To register for the class is an easy two-step process:

1. Fill out the CONTACT FORM below and hit the submit button. Then to pay:

2. TO PAY: click the PAY PAL button (below the contact form). You don’t need to have a paypal account.  They will process credit cards too.

Step 1: Fill out this CONTACT FORM:

Name(required)
(required)
Phone(required)

Step 2: TO PAY: Purchase all 6 classes for $150 here

Buy Now Button
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HERE IS A PDF OF THE SCHEDULE BELOW. PUT THIS SCHEDULE IN YOUR CALENDAR AND PRINT IT SO YOUR DON’T FORGET!

2018_TOMATO GROWING 101 CLASS SCHEDULE

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Review the class schedule:

2018 TOMATO GROWING 101 CLASS SCHEDULE

Section 1
HANDS-ON LEARNING OF HOW TO START TOMATO SEEDS/CARING OF THE YOUNG SEEDLINGS AND TRANSPLANTING UP/PREPARING SOIL IN GARDEN

Class 1 
Sunday, March 25nd—10 am to 12 noon

Learn how and why to plant tomato seeds/how to pick your varieties, what soil medium to use, learn about germination troubles and how to avoid them/hands-on planting your seeds

Class 2
Sunday, April 15th—10 am to 12 noon

Transplanting up to 4” pots/changing the type of soil, adding amendments for great the sturdiest stems, how to deal with transplant shock and learning how to maintain your plants.

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Section 2
LEARN HOW TO TRANSPLANT THE TOMATO PLANTS OUTSIDE IN THE GARDEN /LEARNING ABOUT SOIL AMENDMENTS/TAKING YOUR PLANTS HOME

Class 3
Sunday, May 6th—10 am to 12 noon

Participants will learn how to transplant their tomato plants out in the garden, how to prepare planting hole and what amendments to add when planting for better growth of tomatoes. Discussion and demo of how to use wall-of-waters (WOW) and how to set them up properly. After learning how to do all this, students will take home their plants to be planted in their own garden.

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Section 3
THEY’RE IN THE GROUND, NOW WHAT?
THE NEXT STEPS FOR TOMATO GROWING SUCCESS

Class 4
Sunday, June 3th—10 am to 12 noon

HANDS-ON: Participants will learn how and when to remove wall of waters, how to control leafhoppers, learn about tomato cages-what works and doesn’t work, saving water by mulching and using a drip system, using organic fertilizers, using row cover as protection.

Class 5
Sunday, July 15—10 am to 12 noon

Removing row cover. Trimming and pruning your tomato plants, the pros and cons of sucker control and how to remove them. Learn to make compost tea. Identifying beginning problems, which organic fungicides and insecticides to use as the season goes on if needed.

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Section 4
MAINTAINING YOUR PLANTS-PRUNING TECHNIQUES, IDENTIFYING AND CONTROLLING DISEASES AND PESTS AND HARVESTING

Class 6
Sunday, August 5th—10 am to 12 noon

Participants will continue learning how to maintain their plants, more pruning techniques, harvest techniques, and identify tomato diseases and pests and how to control them organically.

TOMATO GROWING 101 CLASS

Costuluto Genevese tomato
Tomato Lady’s mini-farm

Ok folks, the Tomato Lady (that’s me) has decided to teach a comprehensive course for all the tomato lovers who want to be successful at growing their own tomatoes here in the greater Santa Fe area. Interested? Read on.

TOMATO GROWING 101-Season Long Course

Do you want to learn how to grow great heirloom tomatoes organically from start to finish? Think of the money you can save by learning to grow your own heirloom tomatoes from seed. Plus you can try new varieties that are not sold in the nurseries.

These hands-on classes will emphasis learning how to grow tomatoes successfully throughout the whole season. Participants will learn how to grow tomatoes from their seeds, what starting mix to use, what soil to transplant in, how to handle the delicate seedlings when transplanting up, how to produce sturdy plants. Lighting systems will be discussed and your seedlings will stay under lights at my farm under my care until time to plant outside when you will take your plants home to plant outside in your garden.

All planting materials, seeds, soil, amendments and pots supplied while growing them at the farm. Class participants will get a workbook with printed material added at each class to help them be successful throughout the growing season. Students will get experience with actual planting to gain confidence and will come back to learn how to prune them, how to identify diseases and pests and how to control them.

Participants must sign up for all classes at once. Course payable at signup for a total of $150. Class size is limited-10 students max. This takes a commitment. No partial classes.

____________________________________________

To register for the class is an easy two-step process:

1. Fill out the CONTACT FORM below and hit the submit button. Then to pay:

2. TO PAY: click the PAY PAL button (below the contact form). You don’t need to have a paypal account.  They will process credit cards too.

Step 1: Fill out this CONTACT FORM:

Step 2: TO PAY: Purchase all 7 classes for $150 here

Buy Now Button
____________________________________________

HERE IS A PDF OF THE SCHEDULE BELOW. PUT THIS SCHEDULE IN YOUR CALENDAR AND PRINT IT SO YOUR DON’T FORGET!

tomato-growing-101-class-schedule

____________________________________________

REVIEW CLASS SCHEDULE

Section 1
HANDS-ON LEARNING OF HOW TO START TOMATO SEEDS/CARING OF THE YOUNG SEEDLINGS AND TRANSPLANTING UP/PREPARING SOIL IN GARDEN

Class 1    
Wednesday, March 22nd—10am to 12 noon

Learn how and why to plant tomato seeds/how to pick your varieties, what soil medium to use, learn about germination troubles and how to avoid them/plant your seeds

Class 2
Wednesday, April 5th—10 am to 12 noon

Transplanting up to 2” pots/changing the type of soil, adding amendments for great growth and how to deal with transplant shock and learning how to maintain your plants.

Class 3
Wednesday, April 19th—10 am to 12 noon

Learn about transplanting up to the next stage of growth-up to 4” pots, how to transplant to get the best sturdiest stems, additional amendments you can use and how to maintain your plants.

Section 2
LEARN HOW TO TRANSPLANT THE TOMATO PLANTS OUTSIDE IN THE GARDEN /LEARNING ABOUT SOIL AMENDMENTS/TAKING YOUR PLANTS HOME

Class 4
Wednesday, May 10th—10 am to 12 noon

Participants will learn how to transplant their tomato plants out in the garden, how to prepare planting hole and what amendments to add when planting for better growth of tomatoes. Discussion and demo of how to use wall-of-waters and how to set them up properly. After learning how to do all this, students will take home their plants to be planted in their own gardens.

Section 3
THEY’RE IN THE GROUND, NOW WHAT?
THE NEXT STEPS FOR TOMATO GROWING SUCCESS

Class 5    
Wednesday, June 7th—10 am to 12 noon 

Participants will learn how and when to remove wall of waters, how to control leafhoppers, learn about tomato cages-what works and doesn’t work, saving water by mulching, using organic fertilizers, using row cover as protection.

Class 6    
Wednesday, July 12— 10 am to 12 noon

Trimming and pruning your tomato plants, the pros and cons of sucker control and how to remove them. Learn to make compost tea. Identifying beginning problems, which organic fungicides and insecticides to use as the season goes on if needed.

Section 4
MAINTAINING YOUR PLANTS-PRUNING TECHNIQUES, IDENTIFYING AND CONTROLLING DISEASES AND PESTS AND HARVESTING

Class 7
Wednesday, August 9th—10 am to 12 noon

Participants will learn how to maintain their plants, pruning techniques,      harvest techniques, identify tomato diseases and pests and how to control them organically.

NEW! ‘Veggie Gardening 101’ radio show starts Jan 14

I’ll be on the Santa Fe Master Gardener’s Gardening Journal radio show with host Christine Salem twice a month now. My original show gives tips and advice about what to do in a vegetable garden each month as the gardening season progresses. This assumes you have an existing vegetable garden.

We are adding a Vegetable Gardening 101 show. It seems we have many people here in Santa Fe that either have never started a garden or haven’t had success here in our challenging garden area. Many want to be successful organically growing their own food and need help on where to start. So I will take us from the beginning through planning and building a garden, creating good soil, raised beds vs in-ground beds, starting seeds, transplanting plants, varieties that grow well for beginners and even harvesting tips. This will be more basic info but even advanced gardeners might benefit from some of the tips I’ll be giving.

Go here to listen to past radio show podcasts and pick up awesome information -https://giantveggiegardener.com/radio-show/

Here’s the rundown:

SHOW #1—my regular radio show-‘Monthly Veggie Garden Tips’

Where:  airs on KSFR 101.1 on the Garden Journal

When: on the last Saturday of each month

Time: from 10:00-10:30am

Topics: What to do in our gardens for each month, problems that arise and solutions

SHOW #2—my NEW radio show-‘Veggie Gardening 101′

Where: airs on KSFR 101.1 on the Garden Journal

When: on the 2nd Saturday of each month

Time: from 10:00-10:30am

Topics: Beginning vegetable gardening from start to finish and everywhere in between.

Organic Pesticide and Disease Control Class Review

class pests picToday I taught the Organic Pesticide class and added Disease Control too as we are or will  be dealing with pests and disease soon in the middle of the gardening season. The class was great and we had good comments from some of the attendees. I talked about what’s going on the our gardens now and what insect and disease controls we can implement. Attached is the pdf from the class for anyone who wants to know what I do.

ORGANIC PEST and DISEASE CONTROLS

Also attached is the pdf with photos of certain insects that may be attacking our plants now as well. This is in color so it would be a great reference for you to keep when you need to identify a bug you may think is a pest.

CLass pests pics

I recommended the book, Good Bug, Bad Bug for everyone to get which is a great ID book that will show which ones are good beneficial bugs and which ones we consider pests and what crops they attack.  I got mine at Amazon.

Good Bug Bad Bug book

Then we walked around the community garden and looked for plants that are being attacked or are sick and I showed everyone the plants so hopefully it will help them go back to their gardens and look at their plants and see what is going on.

Other than the heat, I thought the class was great. Thanks to all 20 of you that attended!

Organic Pesticide Control class-this Sunday July 10

I’m teaching a class on Organic Pest Controls this Sunday, July 10. I will ID some of the plants in the garden with damage and go over many organic methods and organic sprays we can use to control many bugs now attacking our vegetable plants. Below is the info provided by Milagro Community Garden which is hosting the event.

flea beetle damage

Can you guess which pest is attacking this plant? (see answer below)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHEN: SUNDAY JULY 10

WHERE: MILAGRO COMMUNITY GARDEN (Off Rodeo Road east of Sam’s Club-Turn north onto Legacy Court. Garden is behind the church, ‘Church of the Servant’, on corner)

TIME: 12-2:00 PM

Taught by Jannine Cabossel, Master Gardener and the Tomato Lady at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market.

This Educational class was requested by members of the Milagro Community Garden. This class is also open to the Santa Fe Master Gardeners (they will earn 2 CE credits), Home Grown New Mexico members and the PUBLIC.

Please come and bring a hat, sunscreen, water, a folding chair and of course your questions. No need to sign up but should you have questions, email CAROLE at cowens505@comcast.net

ANSWER: The damage in the above photo was from the flea beetle!

Spring Garden Fair this Saturday!

If you are a gardener, you won’t want to miss this FREE event by the Santa Fe Master Gardener Association. There will be vendors, how-to  information, garden demos, displays, guest garden speakers, a giant plant sale, food and much more! Come kick off the garden seasoning with this great event! Tomorrow-Saturday May 7, from 9 am-3 pm at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds on Rodeo Rd.

SFMGA_SpringFair-Ad_0415_LocalFlavor_02.indd

Scarab larva grubs or cutworms?

scarab-beetle-larvaeI just got done with a my Growing Cool Season Crops class today and someone asked about those white grubs in the soil when they were turning it over. So I dug out this post I wrote in 2012 about what are those white grubs in the soil. I told the class I would put pictures up of the grubs and cutworms so you can know how to ID each of them. One is harmless and the other can be a real problem. Read on.

This time of year when you are adding amendments and turning your soil, you may notice some white fat grubs with brown heads. I noticed they were in soil that I heavily amended with horse manure and would freak out when I saw them. I took all of them (sometimes a lot) and give them to the chickens. I use to think were cutworms but they are not.

They are Scarab beetle larvae and will NOT harm your vegetable plants or vegetable roots. They are also known as the ‘dung beetle’ larvae. In fact they are beneficial because they help break down the manure by eating it, hence you will find them where you use manure. Just leave them alone as they are kind of like worms, adding nutrients to the soil as they process the manure. I have never seen any damage to vegetables but if they are in your lawn (what lawn?! LOL) they will eat grass-roots (but not vegetable roots).

cutworms

On the other hand, here is a picture of cutworms which are HARMFUL to your plants. They come out of the ground at night and chew the base of your transplant stem off leaving you with a decapitated plant (so to speak). They attack baby plant stems because they are tender. After the plants get older, they don’t bother them. If you see these, get rid of them.  I look for them in the soil around the hole I dig just before I put my transplants in the ground. But there is something else you can do to protect your plants.

You can protect your plant by putting a ‘cutworm collar’ around your newly planted transplants. I use a paper towel roll or toilet paper row  cut into 2 inch increments. I cut the tube lengthwise to get them around the plant stem and tape the cut seam.

Then I sink the tube about 1 inch into the soil. They won’t crawl up the tube. After your plants get a little older, take the tube off-they only like young stems. In this picture the collar is filled with dirt but I just leave the collar  on without filling it with dirt.

How to use my gardening website

apricot blossoms

Many people have contacted me about what’s going on in their vegetable and fruit gardens in the high desert of Santa Fe, New Mexico or in Zone 6a throughout the seasons and have particular questions. Feel free to write me but I want to go over how to use this website to your greatest advantage. Every few days I post something about what’s going on in the garden, or garden stuff I want to share. One way is to just go backwards (scroll down) and read them. But let’s say you have a question about growing tomatoes. You could go backwards which would take you forever as I have over 650 posts on various subjects (so far) but another faster way would be go over to the right hand column of this blog. From there:

Go down to ‘GARDEN TOPICS’ and scroll down to whatever interests you (in this case tomatoes) from starting tomatoes from seed, to garden hints, or all the way down to tomatoes in the vegetable section. That way you can cut out subjects that aren’t interesting for you. (What?)

Another thing I like in the right column is the ‘ARCHIVES’  section where you can read my posts for a particular month and even for a particular year. I use this a lot for myself as I look up when I planted something in previous years, or other info I want to review again for a particular month.

Another section is called, ‘PAGES’ which you can access from the right column or on the top menus on the blog. I think this is a great resource as you can look up the page for catalogs I like to get, my garden plans for each year, my seed lists of what I’m planting that year, classes I may offer,  films I’ve made from my Youtube channel-giantveggiegardener, Santa Fe Extension Master Gardener’s radio show, ‘The Garden Journal’ where I talk about what to do in the vegetable garden each month. and even the about me page with info about me and this website (if you care to know!)

So next time it’s snowing or cold and windy outside this winter, take some time to catch up on what’s going on. I know I do!

Artisan Farm Tour-2014

It’s been a very busy summer for me. I’ve been preparing for my tour here on the property since spring. Nothing like having people over to get things done. I’ve had a punch list that I’ve chipped away at and finally got almost all of them done before last weekend when I had an educational tour for the Santa Fe Master Gardeners of my little Artisan Farm here in Santa Fe. Between the Home Grown Kitchen Garden & Coop Tour (different tour the week before) and my tour last weekend, I’ve pretty much been headless all summer. Now it’s all over and I can get back to a more normal pace. But wait, I’m getting ready to go to the SF Farmer’s Market! Always something. I guess I can rest in the winter! Here are some pictures of my Artisan Farm tour last weekend. The garden looks the best ever…

teepee
view of section 3b
view of garden
tomato forest
the crowd3
the crowd2
spears
the crowd arrives
tarbais beans
sea of sunflowers
rocks and bowls
old plow
view of section 3 in garden
outside greenhouse
red barn and KOKO
resting area
looking inside greenhouse
looking at garden plan
new bee garden by barn
inside greenhouse looking out2
jc in the garden
long shot of garden
native bee house
inside greenhouse looking out
in the garden
glass rocks and water bowls
Hun wee hamming it up
greenhouse
jc after it all-dirt tired
glass spears in strawberry patch
garden view
garden spears2
garden shot
garden shot 2
garden shed and old plough
garden entrance
flowers at entrance
first bee garden
favorite cucumber Poona Kheera
entrance
dragon eggs and nest in bean teepee
crowds walking around
closeup of sunflower blossom
closeup of spears
bee flags by entrance
birdhouse
chicken and duck flags
closeup of native bee house
BEAN TOWER
30 feet of grape vine!
2 attendees

2 exciting classes this weekend!

I’m involved with teaching 2 classes this weekend that should be terrific! Read on!

If you’d like to come to either or both,  please RSVP  at 505-983-9706 so I know how many ingredients to buy for the Jam class and number of handouts to run out for both classes. We won’t be confirming your RSVP– just know you’re in! Come to one or both!

FIRST CLASS

rain-barrelSaturday, July 19
Creating a Rain Barrel and Learn About Rain Catchment
Learn how to make your own rain barrel and learn all about rain catchment
Time: 10 am-1 pm
Instructor: Amanda Bramble/Jannine Cabossel
Location: Milagro Community Garden (Rodeo Road and Legacy behind church)
Presented with Milagro Community Garden at milagrogarden@yahoo.com
RSVP to 505-983-9706 or email: homegrownnewmexico1@gmail.com

Learn how to make your own rain barrel with this hands-on workshop. Amanda will cover the basic elements of rain collection systems including sizing and sitting your tank as well as keeping the water clean. We will also discuss accessories like tank gauges, first flush systems, and filters for DIY systems. Jannine will demonstrate making a rain barrel out of a 55 gallon drum. Amanda Bramble is the director of Ampersand Sustainable Learning Center in Cerrillos, NM (www.ampersandproject.org).

Class is free but we have a suggested $10 donation or become a 2014 Member for $35 and the following free: classes, potlucks and one ticket to the big tour on July 27th.

 

THE SECOND CLASS

jam photoSunday, July 20
‘Jamming Jam Class’
Jam Making Class
Time: 10am-1pm
Instructors: Jannine Cabossel/Duskin Jasper
Location: Whole Food’s Community Room (St. Francis location)
RSVP to 505-983-9706 or email: homegrownnewmexico1@gmail.com
(You will not be contacted back, we just need to know how many are coming for printing handouts and how much ingredients/jars to bring.)

In this preservation class, you will learn how to make and process jams with available seasonal fruit. The twist on this jam session is our emphasis will be on adding unusual ingredients to make unique artisan jams. We will hand out recipes. We will also go over basic canning processes. You’ll get a jar of jam to take home! Come jam with us!

Class is free but we have a suggested $10 donation or become a 2014 Member for $35 and the following free: classes, potlucks and one ticket to the big tour on July 27th.