THE OPTIMISTIC FARMER-August 2024
- theoptimisticfarme
- Aug 1, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 5, 2024
2024 August Edition
Tall and (Small) Tales from the Great Basin of Northeast Nevada
Plants as art?? Why not, pictured above are some red lettuce plants going to seed surrounded by a zucchini plant about to take off…a grape plant is on the far right. When most people think of art they think of a painting or sculpture, when gardeners think about art they think about a peony paired with alyssum!
The clematis (L) and artichoke in bloom (R) pictured below are just off the charts masterpieces! They would make even the Mona Lisa blush!
News from the garden
August can be considered the beginning of the harvest season, usually lasting a couple months or so, the abundance from the work done in spring and summer may come and smack you in the face! Good thing you can find a lot of recipes and things to do with peppers, zucchini, and tomatoes online!!! You know, just in case!!
Innovations and Ideas
Limited on space for planting? Check out this nifty idea, this simple wood frame holds twelve 5-gallon buckets! Add some wheels and a drip water system and you will be ready to roll for next season!
Inner Work
Since we are on the subject of abundance, take some time this month and notice abundance! Cultivating an abundance mindset can be as productive as cultivating a garden. Below are some seeds you can plant to achieve an abundance mindset:
· Appreciate what you do have
· Look for the win-win
· Hang out with others who practice gratitude
· Train your mind to look for possibilities
· Smile, it will make people wonder what you are up to…
Plants in Science:
With school starting soon there may be a Science Fair or Invention Convention in your future, if so, this looks like a fun experiment! What could be more exciting than testing the theory on whether plants and vegetation help in filtering out impurities in water?
All three containers are filled with soil, in one container add live plants, the one below looks like some sort of grass, but any living plant would probably do the trick. The second container dried leaves, twigs, and other typical mulching debris are added and the third container only has the soil.
When adding water try to use a watering can in order to simulate rain. As the water drains and is caught take note on the condition of the water as it flows through and out of each container…
Below are some plants that have been used to filter water:
Cattails
Pine trees
Water lilies
Iris
Bamboo (see pic below)
Coconut shells
Last, but not least: Ginger and Tumeric
Ginger and Turmeric, may be the Grace Kelly and Fred Astair of the plant world, it is rumored that a shot of ginger and turmeric will help improve vitality, your immune system and your dance moves! Ok, maybe not the dance moves!
Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties and ginger is loaded with immune-boosting goodness. Also, you can grow both ginger and turmeric!!! Ok maybe not outside in this neck of the woods, but plant in a container that you bring indoors during the cold months and you may just get a crop!! You can try planting from the rhizomes you buy at the store, however they may be treated with product to inhibit reproduction, rhizomes for planting can also be ordered online. To plant, cut the rhizomes making sure each piece has a knob, which is the part that will eventually bud. Once cut, leave them in the sun for a day and then place them in a dark airy space like a cupboard for a month or so until they begin to shoot! Think potatoes you store too long! Once the rhizomes are showing shoots it is time to plant. Below is a turmeric plant in a container and ginger rhizomes ready for planting!
Below is a quick recipe for a ginger and turmeric shot you can use to kick start your day!
1/3 cup ginger
1/3 cup turmeric
1/2 of a green apple
1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup of lemon juice
Peel ginger, turmeric and add all ingredients to a blender and blend! Add a bit of honey if you want it a little sweeter. This should make about 5-6 shots!
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