THREE SISTERS

[Arielle]

How are you applying the vanilla/water mix? And where, topically to bare skin?

Apply by pouring a sm amt in palm of hand and rub on bare skin.

We found we needed it when planting the corn in the wooded area with the winter squash.

 

[Arielle]

I was reading about Yellow Bantam corn, (I think written by Ruth Stout). She saved her seed every year, and until the year her crop got wiped out, her stalks were reaching 7 feet in height. Case in point = the value of saving seed for more than one year. That way you have the previous year's seed to fall back on if you loose a crop. Now, please don't do it like I do! Label your seed so you'll know variety and YEAR, before putting it into storage. By saving the best of your seed every year, you will eventually end up with a sub strain of a variety that will excel with your particular gardening conditions.

LOL, we all have the best of intentions!!!!!!

I took my kids to the drive in to night- hence I"m still winding down-- and I was on edge realizing that I still need to do more to discover which varieiteis will do well here long term and time maybe against us. Capt AMerica kept me thinking of Syria and Egypt and the need to be self suficient . Sorry dont mean to be morbid; just worried because while the economy is supples to be improving, I'm not seeing it; certainly DH's earnings have not increased and if anything our purchasing power hsd deminished. I so see the 3 sisters as the best direction for our land.

 

[lazy gardener]

I hear you regarding the state of the world. I am working on getting my yard set up to provide as much of our sustenance as I can. This includes gardening for veggies, addition of blueberries and raspberries in the last 2 years, chickens started last year. I have someone coming in 2 weeks to clear about an acre of land.

This will allow room to plant the 2 cherries, apricot, 2 elderberries, 2 Siberian Pea shrubs which have been sitting in pots. Will put in more fruit trees and comfrey next spring.

Also, on the bucket list, but not yet worked on are: solar food dryer, and aquaponics on a VERY small scale. Thinking long and hard about rabbits.

In the mean time, I see the world happenings as fulfilment of Bible prophesy, and, while doing what I can to take care of my family, my ultimate trust is in God to take care of my every need.

 

[Arielle]

I hear you regarding the state of the world. I am working on getting my yard set up to provide as much of our sustenance as I can. This includes gardening for veggies, addition of blueberries and raspberries in the last 2 years, chickens started last year. I have someone coming in 2 weeks to clear about an acre of land.

This will allow room to plant the 2 cherries, apricot, 2 elderberries, 2 Siberian Pea shrubs which have been sitting in pots. Will put in more fruit trees and comfrey next spring.

Also, on the bucket list, but not yet worked on are: solar food dryer, and aquaponics on a VERY small scale. Thinking long and hard about rabbits.

In the mean time, I see the world happenings as fulfilment of Bible prophesy, and, while doing what I can to take care of my family, my ultimate trust is in God to take care of my every need.

Siberian Pea shrubs-- never heard of that one-- cool.

I have lots in pots too waiting to go in by winter and wont see fruit for years to come on some.

THe solar food dryer is DEFINITELY my cup of tea-- I just cant see using electricity to dry food. THough I have wondered how the wood stove could be used but its use doesnt co-inside witht he fruit season. DO you have instructions for a solar model ??

After watching Capt America last night, I am definitely struggling with the where the world leaders are taking us. I think I need to go back into my hole and not know. lol Actually I cant do that, the geni is out of the bottle . . . .God may have good intentions but dang we humans are screwing up things.

 

[lazy gardener]

No, I don't have plans, but there are some neat designs on the net. I have several storm windows/doors that would work wonderfully. Most of them are based on a heat collector shallow box with the interior painted black, glass over that. Some have baffles. The box is angled to collect the most sun, and the cool air enters the bottom, rises up through the box, exits the top and into the dryer box where you put your food. That box is screened well to keep insects from entering. I think a really efficient design would include a solar powered fan in the dryer box to channel air from bottom to top where it would then exit.

 

[Arielle]

INteresting design. I found a design as a science project that was an oven using a pizza box and the lniing was foil. I have comtemplated the two interioir and wonder at the effects. The latter is mean as a high temp oven to cook, perhaps that is the diff.

 

[Fluffnpuff]

Since the primary purpose until recent years was to store food until the next year I can see why the corn quickly convert sugars to starch. Now if only we had recipes for these OLD varieties to take advantage of these unique qualities.

I found this recipe for atole on youtube that uses blue hopi corn

Back on the topic of the nutrition of heirloom vs conventional here is a mother earth news on cornbread made from a red corn vs store bought yellow
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/whole-grain-corn-nutrition.aspx#axzz39TYHfJ7S

 

[Fluffnpuff]

Back to 3 sisters tho, the feed corn I planted was called painted mountain from RockyMountainCorn.com. It's supposed to be a great storer and heritage too. A week ago (just before I left for a week)

In regards to its short nature, here is a picture of my mature painted mountain stalks on the right next to the 10-12 foot high row of bloody butcher on the left

 

[Chipper Chicken]

WOW!! THAT IS SHORT!!!! I definitely don't feel bad now, lol. Thank you! Yippee good tho, means It still has potential to produce for me.

 

[Arielle]

Thanks for the links with blue corn!!!

THe two corns side by side are like the movie "Twins"