Jimmy Cracked Corn

October 30, 2009

When we go to Mammoth Caves National Park in Kentucky

Filed under: vegetable gardening — Jimmy Cracked-Corn @ 7:24 am

My wife has made it clear after a trip down into Missouri’s Marvel Cave this year that she has very little desire to go into any more caves, ever again. This might become a boys-only trip for the 3 of us. I guess we can handle that, if need be.

When we do make this trip, I intend to make an evening side-trip to Lexington to see a live performance/broadcast of The WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour.

I would like for this trip to be in late spring/early summer (after school is done for the year) of 2011.

October 21, 2009

Stock up on canning lids

Filed under: vegetable gardening — Jimmy Cracked-Corn @ 3:53 pm
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“Every time I went to the grocery store (actually at least 75% of the time) I picked up a little box of 1 dozen lids.”

How I did it: Every time I went to the grocery store (actually at least 75% of the time) I picked up a little box of 1 dozen lids. Over the course of a year I didn’t notice the expense because a dozen lids costs less than $2.00. I now have one year’s worth of lids (about 24 dozen) stocked away. Now if there is a single-year shortage of canning lids for any reason, I can feel impervious to the shortage.

Lessons & tips: There is only ONE FACTORY in the USA making canning lids.  Am I the only one worried about this?

It took me 1 year.

It made me comfortable

October 17, 2009

Bed Loft In Progress

Filed under: vegetable gardening — Jimmy Cracked-Corn @ 9:07 am

Bed Loft In Progress, otherwise known as BLIP. I got a lot cut and put together yesterday between about 1:00 and 8:00 p.m. The loft is basically complete up in his room, but it still needs a few shelves, a ladder, several support diagonals and the whole things needs to be sanded. I’m not looking forward to cleaning up a carpeted room after sanding, but it has to be done. Pictures when I’m able to call it done.

October 16, 2009

I have wood

Filed under: vegetable gardening — Jimmy Cracked-Corn @ 12:03 pm

The lumber is in a pile in my garage. I have been making, checking, triple checking measurements and plans for a couple hours now. I’m about to change my saw blade and make the first cuts. I haven’t ever notched boards before, especially without a router. Wish me luck.

October 15, 2009

Tomorrow!

Filed under: vegetable gardening — Jimmy Cracked-Corn @ 12:30 pm

I have been promising to build my son a loft for his bed for over a year now. He is having trouble doing his homework in the common areas of the house where we’re bustling around trying to cook the evening meal, so he needs a desk in his room.  A good place for a desk is under his bed loft.

I’ll start this project in the morning! I have the whole day off work Friday, so I might even get it done in one day.

I’m custom-building this myself from nice lumber. Should I put the loft completely together in the garage, to check it for fit, then take it apart again and reassemble it in his room, or should I just cut most of my pieces and put it together ONCE, in place?

August 26, 2009

Pole bean reseeding itself

Filed under: life happens, seed saving, vegetable gardening — Jimmy Cracked-Corn @ 6:48 am
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Pole bean reseeding

Pole bean reseeding

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One bunch of pole beans at the community garden weighed down their corn stalk poles so much that they bent over and touched the ground. They got moist enough after some rains that this happened. Very beautiful effect.

August 24, 2009

Jimmy Cracked Corn

Filed under: seed saving, vegetable gardening — Jimmy Cracked-Corn @ 6:05 pm
Mirai sweet corn, dried

Mirai sweet corn, dried

Seeds for another year

Seeds for another year

When I opened the packet of Mirai sweet corn seeds this spring, I thought I had gotten a bad pack. Each seed was wrinkled and flat and completely unlike any other corn I had planted or seen while dry.

It was a hybrid, so I don't know what I'll get next year.

It was a hybrid, so I don't know what I'll get next year.

Surprisingly, it grew. Very nicely too. I have to say, Mirai sweet corn was the most delicious sweet corn I have ever tasted.

How tasty was it, you ask?

So sweet that I ate every ear without butter or salt. So sweet that I ate some of it raw. So sweet that it was actually difficult to cook with…the leftovers would be too sweet to eat. It might as well be grown as a sugar crop.

Mirai produced small ears of corn on short 5 or 6 foot stalks. Most stalks had two ears of corn. This one ear of corn yielded about a half-pint of seeds. Supposedly hybrids don’t come true from seeds. I’ll have to try.

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Whatever happened to the pole bean teepee?

Filed under: DIY, future plans, vegetable gardening — Jimmy Cracked-Corn @ 12:20 pm

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Whatever happened to the pole bean teepee, you ask?

The pole bean teepee did not “fill out” the way I had hoped it would. In hindsight, I would say that I was too rushed to put it up and I didn’t prepare the seed bed well enough.  I did nothing more than strip off a 4 inch wide swath of sod, place seeds in the trench and then cover them with bagged compost. The grass and weeds were the victors of this fight for life.  Some beans grew, but they definitely did not thrive.

I think I’ll try it again next year.  Help me remember. :)

August 21, 2009

Green Thumb Mama Potluck

Filed under: vegetable gardening — Jimmy Cracked-Corn @ 9:05 am

I Joined the Potluck!

Scoot on over to Green Thumb Mama’s Potluck Friday post.  I contributed a recipe pair that I helped develop for an Amateur Chef competition.  My partner and I won with the contest with our fresh farmer’s market sweet corn fritter and tomato sandwiches, fresh salsa and peach empanadas.

August 12, 2009

Best friends and giant tomatoes

Filed under: life happens, vegetable gardening — Jimmy Cracked-Corn @ 8:29 pm
M & S have been inseparable summer 2009

M & S have been inseparable summer 2009

M & S

M & S

They had lost interest in picking green beans.

They had lost interest in picking green beans.

Far more fun to explore the weeds and junk

Far more fun to explore the weeds and junk

To be that curious again...

To be that curious again...

Or even a fraction as innocent. *sigh*

Or even a fraction as innocent. *sigh*

A bit later they came inside to see how big this tomato was.

A bit later they came inside to see how big this tomato was.

M. & S. pose with the scales

M. & S. pose with the scales

1.9 pounds

1.9 pounds / 870 grams

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