Mid-October Garden

October is often wet here in our valley, and finally the weather is starting to cool off, so I face the challenge of the lure of hibernation: I'd rather not garden in the rain!

But if I can be strong, get on my rain gear, and take a daily tour of my garden, I find many simple things to do, without getting too muddy!

The best tip I've read in any permaculture blog Is this: Be consistent with 15-minutes a day, year round. I try to take a 15-minute walk through my garden each day, and I alternate the front and back gardens so I don't feel rushed.

The consistency of the 15-minute daily visit keeps me connected to my garden even when I don't accomplish much. I notice the changes of the season, and how many bees I have. As Amy from 10-Acre Farm says, "It helps me to enjoy 'being' in the garden, rather than always focusing on the 'doing'."

Agenda:

1. October harvest

2. Save seeds

3. October garden care and bedding down

4. Fall planting

5. Raspberry pruning and thinning

6. Wildlife garden

Mid-September Garden and End of Ghost Month

The September garden is cooler and calmer. We have had some rainy days to refresh the green, and I can relax with the watering. This is the time to begin a little garden clean-up, and prepare for winter.

Today is also the last day of Hungry Ghost month. On the last day of the seventh lunar month, before the next new moon, the gates of hell close up again. Asians celebrate this day in a variety of ways - they might burn paper money and clothing again, and taoist monks might chant to drive the ghosts away or release them; and the Toucheng Ghost Grappling Competition is held in Yilan's Toucheng Township in Taiwan(!)

 

Today:

1. Release my hungry ghosts

2. September garden tasks

3. Garden clean up and winterizing

4. Freeze tomatoes

5. Make a floating lantern

Paitishem

The Zoroastrian community honors the six seasons of the year by celebrating six Gahambars; the word gahambar means "proper season". Each of these six festivals is celebrated for five days, and each honors one of the six material creations: The heaven, water, earth, flora, fauna and man.

Paitishem is the third Gahambar, celebrating the creation of the earth, the end of summer, and the harvesting of crops. It takes place each year from September 12th through the 16th.

Agenda:

1. Recite prayers
2. Make Iranian soup
3. Harvest and preserve

Early August Garden

Summer is a season with three distinct phases in my valley, and August is clearly Mid-summer. It's often very hot and very dry, but the days are noticeably shorter. It's time to think about the winter garden.

Agenda:

1. August harvest

2. Preserving garlic

3. Onion Chutney

4. August garden tasks

5. Prepare for the winter garden

6. August planting

7. Prune my raspberries

July Garden

July is hot in our valley - hotter than I enjoy. We are experiencing 100+º weather for the next week (which is nothing compared to other parts of the world but more than we are generally used to.)

Luckily, we still have cool mornings. Most big garden projects have been completed, the yard is blooming with lots of flowers, and we have dragonflies, a few butterflies, and all sizes of bees. It's too late to plant most summer veggies, and too early to start fall crops, so my focus is on garden care - watering, weeding, mulching - and on HARVEST.

Agenda:

1. July harvest

2. July tasks

3. Drying peas

4. July planting tips

Summer Solstice

The season is turning. Today the sun exerts its maximum energy on our part of the earth; the powers of outward expression are at their greatest, and the powers of inner contemplation are at their lowest.

And of course, just as we reach the point of maximum yang energy, yin energy is reborn and begins to gain strength: The next days will each be a little shorter again, until the winter solstice in December.

Agenda:

1. Make a New Solar Disk

2. Harvest herbs

3. Make Kanelbuller (Swedish Cinnamon buns)

4. Make flower crowns

5. Build a Solstice Fire

The June Garden

Serviceberry with berries!

The June garden is pure abundance. It's too late to start most summer veggies now in my valley, and too early to start fall crops, so my focus is on garden care - watering, weeding, mulching - and on HARVEST.

Agenda:
1. June harvest
2. June planting

3. June tasks

4. Phenology journal

Winter Garden

My winter garden is alive and well. It's feeding my ducks, and wild birds, as well as other insects and animals I can't see, and providing us with a handful of greens and beets.

My main focus in January is to plan the next season's garden, and take care of the nature that continues to live here. As always, I'd rather not go into the garden in the rain and the mud, but if I can be strong, get on my rain gear, and take a short daily tour of my garden, I find many simple things to do, without getting too muddy.

The best tip I've read in any permaculture blog is: Be consistent with 15-minutes a day, year round. I try to take a 15-minute walk through my garden each day, and I alternate the front and back gardens so I don't feel rushed. The consistency of the 15-minute daily visit keeps me connected to my garden even when I don't accomplish much.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Serviceberry"

2. January harvest

3. Garden plans

4. January tasks

5. Prune the Grape

The October Garden

October is often wet here in our valley, and finally the weather is starting to cool off, so I face the challenge of the lure of hibernation: I'd rather not garden in the rain!

But if I can be strong, get on my rain gear, and take a daily tour of my garden, I find many simple things to do, without getting too muddy. The best tip I've read in any permaculture blog Is this: Be consistent with 15-minutes a day, year round.

I try to take a 15-minute walk through my garden each day, and I alternate the front and back gardens so I don't feel rushed. The consistency of the 15-minute daily visit keeps me connected to my garden even when I don't accomplish much. I notice the changes of the season, and how many bees I still have. As Amy from 10-Acre Farm says, "It helps me to enjoy 'being' in the garden, rather than always focusing on the 'doing'."

Agenda:

1. October harvest

2. Save seeds

3. October garden care and bedding down

4. Fall planting

5. Raspberry pruning and thinning

Mid-September Garden

The September garden is cooler and calmer. The summer harvest is dwindling, and we have some rainy days to refresh the green. My fall planting is going well, and I can relax with the watering. This is the time to begin a little garden clean up, and preparing for winter.

Agenda: 

1. September garden tasks

2. Garden clean up and winterizing

3. September planting

4. Save seeds

5. Freeze tomatoes

Paitishem

The Zoroastrian community honors the six seasons of the year by celebrating six Gahambars; the word gahambar means "proper season". Each of these six festivals is celebrated for five days, and each honors one of the six material creations: The heaven, water, earth, flora, fauna and man.

Paitishem is the third Gahambar, celebrating the creation of the earth, the end of summer, and the harvesting of crops. It takes place each year from September 12th through the 16th.

1. Recite prayers
2. Make Iranian soup
3. Harvest and preserve

4. Read "The Power of Less"

5. Simplifying my week

New Harvest Moon

Tonight is the new moon. The Chinese call this eighth new moon the Harvest Moon, for obvious reasons.

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, set intentions, and initiate something new.

Agenda for today:
1. Journal queries

2. Choose a month theme

3. Set intentions

4. New moon altar and Harvest meditation 

5. Retreat Day plans

Late August Garden

Summer deluge from under our canopy

Now, at the end of August, the days are shorter, but still warm. We've had a lull in the heat, and no smoke, so I've been able to be outside regularly, for my 15 minutes of harvesting and puttering in the garden. I'm collecting tomatoes, cucumbers, raspberries, and duck eggs every day, and looking forward to peppers and beans soon. I especially enjoy it when one or the other my grandsons goes with me to pick tomatoes, collect eggs, and look at the sunflowers - it's the best kind of therapy.

Agenda: 

1. August garden tasks

2. August planting

3. Make fresh salsa (+ spicy tomato juice)

Early August Garden

August is the beginning of the end of summer in our garden. It's still often hot (sometimes very hot), but the days are noticeably shorter. It's time to think about the winter garden.

Agenda:

1. August harvest

2. Freezing and roasting onions

3. August garden tasks

4. Prepare for the winter garden

5. August planting

6. Prune my raspberries

The July Garden

July is hot in our valley - hotter than I enjoy. We are experiencing 100+º weather most of this week (which is nothing compared to other parts of the world but more than we are generally used to.)

Luckily, we still have cool mornings. Most big garden projects have been completed, the yard is blooming with lots of flowers, and we have dragonflies and all sizes of bees. It's too late to plant most summer veggies, and too early to start fall crops, so my focus is on garden care - watering, weeding, mulching - and on HARVEST.

Agenda:

1. July harvest

2. July tasks

3. Drying peas

4. July planting tips

First Week of Summer

This is the first full week of summer, when the days are long and time slows just a little. Even though we've been having summer-like days, it's full on us now! This transition is a big deal: I've found that if I celebrate the start of summer with enthusiasm, the rest of the summer becomes richer and more wonderful.

Agenda:

1. Read "Discover Inner Peace"

2. Plan a fun first week of summer

3. Harvest raspberries

Summer Solstice

The season is turning. Today the sun exerts its maximum energy on our part of the earth; the powers of outward expression are at their greatest, and the powers of inner contemplation are at their lowest.

And of course, just as we reach the point of maximum yang energy, yin energy is reborn and begins to gain strength: The next days will each be a little shorter again, until the winter solstice in December.

Agenda:

1. Make a New Solar Disk

2. Harvest herbs

3. Make Kanelbuller (Swedish Cinnamon buns)

4. Make flower crowns

5. Build a Solstice Fire

Early June Garden

The June garden is pure abundance. It's too late to start most summer veggies now in my valley, and too early to start fall crops, so my focus is on garden care - watering, weeding, mulching - and on HARVEST.

Agenda:
1. June harvest
2. June planting

3. June tasks

The October Garden

October is often wet here in our valley, and finally the weather is starting to cool off, so I face the challenge of the lure of hibernation: I'd rather not garden in the rain!

But if I can be strong, get on my rain gear, and take a daily tour of my garden, I find many simple things to do, without getting too muddy!

The best tip I've read in any permaculture blog Is this: Be consistent with 15-minutes a day, year round. I try to take a 15-minute walk through my garden each day, and I alternate the front and back gardens so I don't feel rushed. 

The consistency of the 15-minute daily visit keeps me connected to my garden even when I don't accomplish much. I notice the changes of the season, and how many bees I have. As Amy from 10-Acre Farm says, "It helps me to enjoy 'being' in the garden, rather than always focusing on the 'doing'."

Agenda:
1. October harvest

2. Save seeds

3. October garden care and bedding down

4. Fall planting

5. Raspberry pruning and thinning

Full Harvest Moon and Asia Moon Festivall

 

The full Harvest Moon rises this evening -- obliquely, close to the horizon -- and remains big and bright for a long time, giving extra light to harvesters. This moon is called Atchiutchutin, the After-Harvest moon, by the Kalapuya of our area, because the big harvest in our area comes earlier. We are enjoying the first weeks of the rainy season, a profound time of transition for me.

We are now at the peak of the strong-energy yang phase of the waxing moon, and will soon begin the quiet-energy yin time of the waning moon.

Today is also the start of Chung Ch’iu, the 3-day Mid-Autumn Moon Festival. It's a happy and beautiful Asian family celebration that comes each year at the time of the full moon in September or October.

Agenda for today:
1. Take a vision walk
2. Celebrate balance

3. Make moon cakes
4. Have a moon-viewing party