Author: Jeff Poppen

Written by Jeff Poppen Tuesday, April 26, 2011 The light green of spring usually brightens me up, but I must admit to a sadness. Among other things, my friend “Crazy Owl” died. You may have met him, gray old fellow with a long beard. He was born in 1927, a long time ago. His family…

Written 10/28/10 Dad had a table at the end of the driveway where we offered vegetables for sale. A shoebox collected the money that folk would leave when they go their corn, beans or whatever. It was the honor system. When questioned about people taking without paying, Dad just shrugged his shoulders and said they…

Successively sowing summer squash seeds surely secures a supply of squash and a successful season. We start in May and two months later planted the last three rows. Little ones are sprouting up as the old ones bite the dust. There are many kinds of summer squash, but none as early and prolific as Early…

Pole bean need to be staked. We’re growing two varieties this year, Kentucky Wonder and the Purple Variety that Ed and Margaret gave us many years ago. I like picking pole beans because I don’t like the bending over that bush beans require. Along the garden’s deer fence is a good place to grow them….

Summertime in Tennessee brings forth the favorite fruits of the earth. Tomatoes and swee corn quickly follow on the heels of beans, squash and cucumbers, and the melons are swelling. So what am I doing out in the garden with lettuce and cabbage seed? We are planting the fall garden, now, during the middle of…

A great crop of garlic graces the garden shed. Tied in bunches and hung from nails in the rafters, it creates quit a sensation. Although the sight is on to behold, especially for garlic lovers, the aroma really stands out. Each clove of garlic, sown in the fall, makes a bulb. They are planted six…

By July, we try to hang up the hoes and make much use of mulch. The benefits of mulching are similar to hoeing; it controls weeds and conserves moisture. But mulch has the added asset of bringing carbon into the garden. In June, I like to see clean rows of vegetables. The summer crops like…

Farms are for people. Soils, plants and animals all play their role in agriculture, but the human social aspect is at the heart of it. The farm offers a safe place to live in freedom, experience nature and develop responsibility. The welfare system which takes care of some people’s needs was not necessary in a…