Longleaf Breeze
274 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 9 years ago - ★★★ - 3 ratingsWeekly update from two subsistence organic farmers in the deep South
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Episodes
173 - Growing Plans
February 21, 2013 16:00 - 19 minutes - 21.9 MBAmanda's pulling fall veg and planting new, the orchard is full of firewood pallets and four new golden kiwis, and we're in the middle of major work on driveways and landscaping. And today we debut our new music!
172 - Getting Started Growing Food
February 14, 2013 14:00 - 36 minutes - 41.9 MBLots of information on the essentials for growing food, good choices for the new gardener (hint: tomatoes are not on the list), organic weed control and organic pest control. We finish with some advantages and disadvantages of using raised beds.
171 - Putting Firewood By
February 07, 2013 07:00 - 18 minutes - 21.5 MBWe are dangerously late preparing firewood for next winter. How we got behind, how we’ve addressed it, what we’ve learned about different kinds of wood, and what we’re doing to deal with the too-short seasoning period.
170 - Food Storage Part 2
January 31, 2013 11:00 - 23 minutes - 27.3 MBLast week we explained how and why we’re storing less food than we thought we would. This week we share what we’ve learned about how to store food effectively and economically. We talk about canning, freezing, drying, and using the root cellar.
169 - Food Storage Part 1
January 24, 2013 13:00 - 14 minutes - 16.6 MBFood storage is a constant issue for subsistence farmers. For us, the best way to “store” vegetables during the winter is on Veg Hill where Mother Nature keeps them fresh and crisp at using no energy but photosynthesis from the sun
168 - Seasonal Affective "Disorder"
January 17, 2013 23:00 - 16 minutes - 19.1 MBIt’s winter here, and both Amanda and I are feeling less energetic, sleeping more, working less. Is this Seasonal Affective Disorder, or is it just a normal, healthy response to the change in the amount and duration of sunlight reaching us?
167 - First Report on the Lodge
January 10, 2013 15:00 - 19 minutes - 22.7 MBWe've been using the lodge at Longleaf Breeze for several months now and offer today a first report on how it's performing for large gatherings, for overnight guests, and for energy conversation. Most all the news is good
166 - What Are Our Must Haves?
January 04, 2013 00:00 - 21 minutes - 24.9 MBPV power is expensive, so we must use it in tiny amounts if we can. We don’t need the air conditioning, of course, and we do need a ceiling fan and basic lighting. But what about the deep freeze? The microwave? Amanda’s coffeepot? It’s tender
165 - Looking Back, Looking Forward
December 27, 2012 15:00 - 19 minutes - 22.5 MBIt's that time when we turn our attention each year to the goals we set for the past year. As promised, we turn an unflinching eye toward the goals we set for 2012 (hint: we get 50%) and articulate our goals for 2013
164 - Holiday Greetings from Longleaf Breeze
December 21, 2012 17:00 - 14 minutes - 16.7 MBIt's our first Christmas in the lodge, and the Farmer-in-Chief is eager to show it off. This time of year the forest is beautiful for walking, because most of the hardwoods have dropped their leaves, and the woods are more open for viewing
163 - Producing, Not Just Consuming
December 14, 2012 02:00 - 24 minutes - 28.5 MBAmanda and I ponder this week the steps we’re taking to make ourselves more resilient and less subject to the money economy. We look at the basic human needs of air, water, food, shelter, clothing, and what we loosely call entertainment
162 - December Update
December 06, 2012 09:00 - 21 minutes - 24.1 MBIt’s December in Elmore County, and the weather is way too delightful. Some fruit trees are budding, and one of our poor LSU Blacks has produced a futile December fig. We may need to approach the seasons differently in response to climate change
161 - The Raised Beds Are Ready; Now What?
November 29, 2012 23:00 - 20 minutes - 23.1 MBOur primary goal this fall has been to convert Veg Hill to raised beds. This week we cover what we've already planted and where, what we plan to do next, and how the raised beds fit in with our philosophy of 12-month production
160 - Giving Thanks
November 23, 2012 00:00 - 18 minutes - 21.7 MBIt's that time again, when we pause to express our thanks for all our many blessings. By now you know the drill, so there's not much more we need to say
159 - So You Want To Go Solar - Part 2
November 16, 2012 08:00 - 23 minutes - 26.6 MBThis week we shift our focus to indirect solar. We talk about the best way to lay the groundwork for PV, the cost of a PV installation, where to put the panels, and what to expect from them. We also share some good news about how long panels last
158 - So You Want To Go Solar - Part 1
November 08, 2012 13:00 - 19 minutes - 22 MBEverybody asks us if we have solar panels. No, but we hope to install them soon. This podcast and its sequel next week talk about the challenges and opportunities of using PV. First we need to do everything we can to shrink our energy use
157 - Why Don't More of Us Heat with Wood?
November 01, 2012 08:00 - 24 minutes - 28.1 MBWe love using our Regency F1100 wood stove, but our friends don’t get it. Today we describe each objection or reservation we’ve heard about using a wood stove and respond to each one
156 - Our Faith and Subsistence Farming
October 25, 2012 14:00 - 19 minutes - 22.8 MBOur faith fits in with and drives our farming. Our God is defined more by love than judgement, more mother than king. Yet conservative Christians often resonate with what we’re doing at Longleaf Breeze as much as anyone, sometimes more
155 - Guilty Pleasures
October 19, 2012 16:00 - 21 minutes - 24.1 MBAir trips to CA, seedless red grapes flown in from overseas, picking up Chinese for supper, driving 45 minutes each way to play the dulcimer, running that fuel-hungry bush hog, they’re all ways we continue to enjoy the wonders of fossil fuels
154 - Sustainable Landscaping
October 11, 2012 12:00 - 21 minutes - 24.6 MBDuring these 5 years at Longleaf Breeze we have almost ignored how the farm looks. Now it is time to think about it. But we know it must be low cost and low maintenance to make any sense. Amanda is beginning a training regimen in landscape design
153 - What a Difference a Driveway Makes
October 04, 2012 16:00 - 19 minutes - 22.8 MBOur first driveway just followed an old logging road. It traveled up a too-steep incline, took a hard left, then down a gentle slope to the lodge. We now have a shorter, nearly flat entrance that should be far easier to maintain without fossil fuels
152 - What We've Learned About Building Soil
September 27, 2012 12:00 - 18 minutes - 20.7 MBIn the South we normally have a really low percentage of organic matter, because the soil is active all year. We’ve learned to keep our organic matter rich by keeping something growing on it all year too. Cover crops and lots of compost are the key
151 - Veg Hill 2.0
September 20, 2012 14:00 - 20 minutes - 23.6 MBWe’re converting Veg Hill to almost all raised beds. This should help us control weeds better, land should look spiffier too. The main disadvantages are the cost of the beds and their tendency to dry out, especially in the first year
150 - The Fruits of 2012
September 13, 2012 14:00 - 20 minutes - 23.2 MBWhen the muscadines are done in a few days, our fruit season will be over. We’re pleased with the blueberries, muscadines, and figs. Our blackberries aren’t sweet enough. Still waiting for persimmons, apples, pears, and pomegranates
149 - Transitioning to the Fall
September 06, 2012 23:00 - 15 minutes - 18.2 MBOur big agenda this fall will be the "Veg Hill Reboot," a sort of "do-over” for the vegetable garden. This is the brainchild of the Farmer-in-Chief, who' hoping it will bring the weeds back to a level at which she can control them
148 - Becoming Farmers Again
August 30, 2012 22:00 - 20 minutes - 23.2 MBWe hope all the distractions that have pulled us from the farm this summer are behind us now. On Veg Hill, it’s about weeds and keeping up with the okra. In the orchard, we have big, succulent muscadines. And Lee’s been busy bush hogging the trails
147 - Making a Clothesline Work for You
August 23, 2012 07:00 - 20 minutes - 23.2 MBInstalling a stout, generous clothesline was the right decision for us. Ours is quiet, it saves energy, and it never breaks down. Whether it’s the right call for you will depend on the space available, your tastes, and your daytime schedule
146 - The Lodge Is Open
August 10, 2012 00:00 - 20 minutes - 23.9 MBAfter two years of planning and a year of construction, we’re ready to call the lodge more or less complete. Today we talk about how we’re already using it, what we’re already learning about it, and what work still remains
145 - Slowing Down the Electric Meter
August 03, 2012 00:00 - 21 minutes - 24.1 MBWe use simple strategies at Longleaf Breeze to keep our electric bills down. Changing light bulbs and turning off lights helps, but the big savings come from using as little air conditioning as possible and avoiding the dryer
144 - First Fruits
July 26, 2012 11:00 - 14 minutes - 16.7 MBThree years after we planted our first fruit trees, we’re finally seeing fruit we can enjoy eating. This is our first production year for blueberries and muscadines. The figs, apples, and pears are isolated. Still no persimmon, olive, or pomegranate
143 - Presentation To Master Gardeners on Resilience
July 19, 2012 21:00 - 38 minutes - 43.9 MBWe spoke about resilience Tuesday to the Central Alabama Master Gardeners Association. Today’s podcast is a summary of that presentation. We cover our work to grow more of our own food, to use as little energy as possible, and to increase redundancy
142 - Gearing Up for One-Armed Farming
July 12, 2012 23:00 - 19 minutes - 22.1 MBOur lives changed instantly when Lee’s accident left his left arm hanging limply by his side. We’re hoping for full recovery, but meanwhile we keep the farm producing by lowering our standards, handing tasks to Amanda, and calling on friends for help
141 - Producing Through the Heat of the Summer
July 06, 2012 00:00 - 22 minutes - 26.2 MBThis is our "second summer" when nearly everything but the okra slows down on Veg Hill. Today we cover what has already shut down, what's still producing well, and what's still on deck for later. We end with strategies for getting through this.
140 - If You Want To Help Organic Subsistence Farmers
June 20, 2012 00:00 - 32 minutes - 26.1 MBWe talk about why you should want to help organic subsistence farmers like us, and then on how you can do so. You could become one! And even if you can’t see yourself as a farmer, support your agricultural extension system
139 - What If We Were Doing This in the City?
June 14, 2012 15:00 - 22 minutes - 26.1 MBCould we adapt to the crushing changes coming if we still lived in the suburbs? We would build raised beds for food, keep laying hens for eggs and maybe meat rabbits too. We would need to make our house tolerable without the heat pump.
138 - Toward a Subsistence Diet
June 07, 2012 20:00 - 20 minutes - 23.3 MBMost Americans preparing food start with a recipe, and then we go buy the ingredients we need. At Longleaf Breeze we start with whatever’s lovely and in season. Then we try to figure out the best way to make it tasty and nutritious
137 - General Update
May 31, 2012 21:00 - 22 minutes - 26.1 MBWe talk blueberries, blackberries, persimmons, figs, muscadines, apples, pears, and even olives. Then we go to Veg Hill and reflect on tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, beans, peas, and cucumbers. So much to talk about, and so much to look forward to!
136 - Shifting Toward Perennials
May 25, 2012 01:00 - 19 minutes - 22.9 MBAs new farmers, we focused almost exclusively on annuals. As we do this more, we’re paying more attention to perennials that require less seeding and planting each year, like fruits, nuts, asparagus, and our favorite, self-seeding green beans
135 - Back, Community. Back!
May 17, 2012 23:00 - 18 minutes - 21.2 MBWe love the roles and relationships we’ve formed with our church and community, but lately we’ve neglected work on the farm to attend to all our commitments. We must stay engaged, but we also must be judicious about volunteering our time
134 - Annual Review Part 3 - No Allness Statements
May 10, 2012 19:00 - 19 minutes - 22.6 MBOur annual review ends with allness statements and the ease with which we avoid them. We consider and reject a handful we could be making. We finish with our quasi-principle of always learning, always teaching
133 - Annual Review Part 2 - Gotta Be Fun
May 03, 2012 21:00 - 19 minutes - 21.8 MBWe say our work needs to be fun while we’re doing it. At least for us: that means we can see the results of the work, and we care about those results. Lee’s work on the driveway qualifies, as does Amanda’s seed starting. Not so the weeding
132 - Annual Review Part 1 - Approaching Subsistence
April 26, 2012 17:00 - 23 minutes - 26.4 MBMother's Day is always time for our annual review, this year in three parts. Today it's all about approaching but never reaching subsistence. We look at fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, clothing, transportation, medicine, electricity, and tools
131 - Lupin Is Pretty Cool
April 20, 2012 00:00 - 20 minutes - 23 MBSunn hemp is a great summer cover crop, but what to plant in the winter? Today we share what we know about sweet lupin, which has worked well for us. We share what we did wrong in our planting, and we finish with whether you can eat the lupin beans
130 - About That Lodge . . .
April 12, 2012 20:00 - 19 minutes - 22.6 MBAmanda and I are getting more excited now as we watch the lodge we’ve dreamed of, argued about, and planned for take shape. We are far enough along now to share with you why we’re building it, what is informing its design, and how we hope to use it
129 - Transitioning Into Summertime
April 05, 2012 20:00 - 19 minutes - 22.2 MBAmanda describes her work on Veg Hill pulling the bolting collards and rescuing that lone kohlrabi left over from the fall. Lee talks about bush-hogging and taking down the magnificent cover crop of lupin and black oats on the orchard floor
128 - Chicken Dreams Morphing into Plans
March 29, 2012 18:00 - 19 minutes - 22.5 MBChickens make so much sense for subsistence farming. The manure, the soil fertility, and of course, the EGGS! As soon as we finish the lodge, we’ll build one chicken tractor and begin finding out whether we have what it takes
127 - Beginners No More
March 22, 2012 16:00 - 21 minutes - 24.1 MBWe’ve dropped the description of ourselves here as “BEGINNERS Learning Subsistence Farming.” We reflect on what we didn’t know when we started, on our chicken wire veg “cage,” and on the startling growth of our asparagus ferns
126 - Growing Fruit in a Hotter Orchard
March 15, 2012 20:00 - 20 minutes - 23.6 MBIf the planet is getting hotter - and we think it is - we will have fewer fruit chilling hours in the future. The muscadines, figs, and blueberries will be fine, as will most of the blackberries. The apples? The pears? Not so much
125 - Asparagus!
March 08, 2012 17:00 - 18 minutes - 21.2 MBOur friends make us jealous when they talk about their asparagus, so we planted our crowns this week! Asparagus tastes great, and it’s a perennial that needs remarkably little care once it’s established. It’s just a tad intimidating.
124 - What Happened To . . . ?
March 01, 2012 20:00 - 21 minutes - 24.2 MBSomething turns up missing around here nearly every day. Tools, the Spring veg Amanda planted, and those trees on our neighbor’s property sacrificed for the timber money. Good news, though: the missing daikon radish seeds turned up!