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
123 - Kickin' It Back Up
February 23, 2012 16:00 - 15 minutes - 18 MBEnough of the winter lull. Spring is arriving, and we need to get busy. We need to update the orchard database, start seeds, mulch young trees, and dispatch those varmints on Veg Hill
122 - A Culture of Poison
February 16, 2012 16:00 - 21 minutes - 25 MBWe’ve just spent some time with conscientious Alabama fruit and vegetable growers. It’s striking and depressing how much poison they use in growing our food. Today’s podcast finishes with the approach we take here at Longleaf Breeze
121 - Critters in the Garden
February 09, 2012 21:00 - 16 minutes - 23.3 MBDealing with critters has been a challenge from the initial deer devastation of the summer of 2009 straight through to today. We understand we can't protect against all damage from wild animals; we're just trying to protect as much as possible
120 - Preparing the Forest for a Scary Future
February 02, 2012 23:00 - 21 minutes - 29.3 MBWe talked in December about how we’re changing the way we grow fruits and vegetables in response to climate change. Today we deal with how we’re preparing the forest that covers most of our farm and how to reduce our need for petroleum
119 - Let's Talk Brassicas
January 27, 2012 01:00 - 24 minutes - 28.6 MBBrassicas are the heart of our fall veg. Collards, kale, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi, and that scrumptious cauliflower. They’re cold hardy and grow straight through the winter in central Alabama
118 - All About Seed
January 19, 2012 14:00 - 20 minutes - 23.4 MBIt’s winter, but our focus is on seed. We’ve saved seed for the first time this year, we’re buying lots of seed too. We’ll start seed in flats, but we hope we’ll do a better job this year tracking them through production
117 - Orchard and Fruit Update
January 12, 2012 15:00 - 19 minutes - 22.3 MBIt will be time soon enough to prune our fruit trees. Right now we’re focused on planting. The big fruit initiative for 2012 is blueberries. Also, our plans for strawberries, olives, pomegranates, figs, peaches, a muscadine, and a persimmon
116 - Looking Back, Looking Forward
January 05, 2012 22:00 - 19 minutes - 22.3 MBFor 2011 we wanted to expand the orchard, get to know our neighbors, and sell our city house. How did we do? For 2012, we want to finish the lodge, begin tracking off-farm expenses, reach out to the neighbors, start raising chickens, and save more seed
115 - Eating What We Own
December 29, 2011 19:00 - 20 minutes - 23.5 MBWe’re moving toward subsistence with our food supply. Each year we find ourselves buying less from off the farm. This year, it’s veg, a mix of canned, fresh, and mostly frozen, with a regular assist from the root cellar. Maybe meat next year?
114 - Proud to Wish You "Happy Holidays"
December 22, 2011 20:00 - 9 minutes - 10.8 MBWe’re three days from Christmas, a special day indeed for us Christians. We’re also aware of others for whom other days are the special ones. Here’s to embracing, not just tolerating, our differences.
113 - Real Books Will Matter Again
December 15, 2011 15:00 - 17 minutes - 19.3 MBWe're all addicted to information 24/7 from the Internet; today we explore why that's about to change (hint: peak oil, climate change, overpopulation), and how we're preparing to deal with it at Longleaf Breeze by building up our library
112 - Farming in a Hotter World
December 09, 2011 00:00 - 25 minutes - 28.9 MBWe farmers can see global warming in hotter summers, fewer gentle soaking rains, changing crop dates, and unprecedented weather events. To cope, we’re trellising the orchard, using drip irrigation, saving seed, and growing all year
111 - Emerald Mountain Garden Club
December 01, 2011 15:00 - 28 minutes - 32.2 MBAmanda and I made our first presentation as Master Gardeners this week, to the Emerald Mountain Garden Club near Wetumpka; we talked about organic growing and simple living. Go to Longleaf Breeze to follow along with the PowerPoint slides.
110 - Giving Thanks
November 24, 2011 11:00 - 19 minutes - 22.1 MBIt's an annual ritual for us to use this week’s podcast to reflect on the many ways in which we are blessed. We are thankful for our health, for our farm, for our family, for our church, and for the many other blessings that make life so fun
109 - Why Are Cover Crops So Difficult?
November 18, 2011 00:00 - 19 minutes - 22.5 MBCover crops are critical to the health of our soil. So why is it so hard for us to make them a priority? Also: completion of the fire pit, dismantling the trellis on Veg Hill, and scoping out a new trail on the west side
108 - Reclaiming Our Lives, Reclaiming the Farm
November 11, 2011 00:00 - 15 minutes - 18 MBWe're looking at Adrian’s wedding in the rear view mirror and couldn't be prouder. The bride and groom were beautiful, the wedding was relaxed and fun, and we've got great leftovers to enjoy. Now it's time for us to return our attention to the farm
107 - The Big W
November 04, 2011 01:00 - 17 minutes - 20.4 MBWe’re in high gear now for our daughter’s wedding two days away. Today’s podcast includes our preparations, the efficiency with which we’re making them, the insights we’re gaining as we work, and the impact of all this on the farm
106 - Young Future Farmers
October 27, 2011 15:00 - 36 minutes - 41.7 MBWe had a great visit this weekend with students from the New College at the University of Alabama talking about farming. This extended length podcast is our conversation with them, in which Amanda and I answered their questions. What fun!
105 - Growing Fall Vegetables in Alabama
October 20, 2011 17:00 - 21 minutes - 24.1 MBWe love growing vegetables in the fall in Alabama. It’s more pleasant to be outside in the fall, there are fewer problems with bugs and weeds, you can’t beat fresh vegetables in the wintertime, and we have less canning and freezing to do
104 - Sliding Gently into Fall
October 13, 2011 21:00 - 20 minutes - 23 MBThat blistering heat we talked about all summer seems gone now. Production is slowing down on Veg Hill, and we’re gearing up for the first frost. We’re enjoying more walks around the property these days, and the fall veg is coming on strong
103 - What To Do with All These Green Beans?
October 06, 2011 21:00 - 16 minutes - 20.5 MBSo many green beans. We describe our “second crop” of beans. There are still new beans coming on now, including rattlesnake and Kentucky Wonder, and the new blossoms offer the promise of even more to come if they can beat the frost
102 - All Things Orchard
September 29, 2011 16:00 - 21 minutes - 24.8 MBToday we focus on fruits and nuts in the orchard. The progress so far, the electric deer fence, orchard floor maintenance, the advantages and disadvantages of trellising fruit trees, and our plans for winter planting
101 - The Database Is Back!
September 21, 2011 15:00 - 25 minutes - 28.9 MBWe know how helpful the Longleaf Breeze Planting Database is to us, and we hope to others. We've neglected it, but we pledge to do better. This extra-length episode has a comprehensive report about the performance of Veg Hill over the summer
100 - Century!
September 14, 2011 21:00 - 19 minutes - 22.3 MBHard to believe we’ve been at this every week for just shy of two years. We remember where we are when we started, what has changed, and what we’ve learned. It’s remarkable how much of what we set out to do we’re actually doing or preparing to do
099 - Holidays on the Farm
September 07, 2011 15:00 - 20 minutes - 23.1 MBHolidays have a different feel to them now that we live on the farm. There’s no such thing as a holiday, or maybe every day is a holiday. We address holidays as “holy days,” and we talk about the way we use the Sabbath day here on the farm
098 - Cooking Weather
August 31, 2011 21:00 - 19 minutes - 22.5 MBWe bought our Sun Oven before we moved to Longleaf Breeze, thinking when we did that it would be a fun novelty. After we’ve settled into life as subsistence farmers, though, it’s become our main cooking tool
097 - Let's Move Thanksgiving!
August 24, 2011 15:00 - 20 minutes - 23.5 MBWe should move Thanksgiving to August, because our production is peaking. We're choked with peas, beans, tomatoes, okra, eggplant, and winter squash. We’re planning two big batches of soup, but that will only put a small dent in the supply
096 - They Grow Things Differently Out There
August 18, 2011 00:00 - 19 minutes - 22.7 MBWe’ve just returned from a week in California visiting our children and our grandchild. So much sunshine! There just aren’t anything like the bugs and fungi there that we have in central Alabama. But remember they're living and growing in a desert
095 - Pomp and Circumstance
August 10, 2011 07:00 - 21 minutes - 26.5 MBWe've now graduated as Master Gardeners. We're so proud! How has all we've learned changed the way we grow? Our plans for the future? Also: progress on the lodge, arguing about the refrigerator, and an orchard update
094 - Giving Food Away
August 03, 2011 15:00 - 19 minutes - 22.7 MBWe have far more food than we can use these days. Our philosophy is we eat what we want, store what we can, and give away the rest. Giving food away is our way of priming the gift economy, and we're already planning what we can give away in the future
093 - Why We Farm
July 27, 2011 20:00 - 21 minutes - 25.1 MBWe devote this week’s podcast to Amanda’s and Lee's slightly different motivations for being organic subsistence farmers and about how they converge on a shared philosophy of both farming and life
092 - All About Food
July 20, 2011 16:00 - 19 minutes - 22.7 MBWe're in the middle of a series of articles on long-term food strategy, Amanda's bringing in baskets of food each day, and we're giving food away to somebody every day. Great time to talk about food and how it all fits in with our three principles
091 - Suddenly Peas
July 14, 2011 02:00 - 14 minutes - 16.4 MBAfter four days away from the farm, the peas are everywhere! Also rattlesnake beans. Also: our 2nd June Gold peach is looking like a July gold. The muscadine race to the trellis line is basically done. Work on the pad for the lodge, and Oddie's setback
090 - Conversation with Adrian and Eli
July 06, 2011 11:00 - 21 minutes - 24.2 MBWhat a fun conversation with our daughter and announcer Adrian Lee Borden and her fiance Elion Olson! We talked about the use of the root cellar for wine storage, the shape of the orchard and the orchard expansion, and how many listeners we have
089 - Endings
June 29, 2011 14:00 - 19 minutes - 22.4 MBIt's the beginning of Summer; time to talk about endings. We talk about the end of blueberries and strawberries, we dream about the end of weeds, we talk about the end of 3/4" PVC pipe, and maybe the end of our buying artisan bread
088 - If Spring Was Summer, What will Summer Be?
June 22, 2011 22:00 - 19 minutes - 22.7 MBOur normal rhythm of cool, wet Spring and dry, hot Summer is breaking down. Is this global weirding - climate change - or just an unusual year? If this is the new normal, how will we cope? Also, Lee's baking and Amanda's weed control
087 - Building Our Storm Shelter/Root Cellar
June 15, 2011 14:00 - 19 minutes - 22.3 MBThe deadly April storms made it seem more urgent that we prepare to be safe in a tornado. Our storm shelter and root cellar will be below the lodge and will be comparatively large, 12' x 16'. Also: our first peach, and the daily struggle with bugs
086 - Just Hangin' On
June 08, 2011 21:00 - 20 minutes - 23.3 MBIt's still Spring but feels like the middle of summer. Thanks to drip irrigation, our crops aren't dying, but they're not growing much either. And this is the time when we really need them to be putting on growth to prepare for the summer heat
085 - It's All Good
June 01, 2011 14:00 - 20 minutes - 23.1 MBThis edition is nothing but good news. We start with our daughter/announcer's engagement and move to drip irrigation, blackberry production, blueberry production, peaches, figs, firewood, muscadines, tomatoes, peppers, beans, ham radios, and dog training
084 - Cover Crops and Crop Rotation
May 25, 2011 13:00 - 18 minutes - 21.7 MBIn Alabama, cover crops are crucial, because we always need more organic matter in our soil. We haven’t been paying attention to cover crops, but we’re resolved to do better. Also: Amanda’s aches and pains and how we’re dealing with them
083 - Spring Planting
May 18, 2011 14:00 - 20 minutes - 22.9 MBAmanda has planted squash, zucchini, cucumbers, and melons. Along with the tomatoes she’s also planted eggplant and peppers. We have about 200 feet of okra in the ground. We need to trellis sweet potatoes, cucumbers, and 280 feet of beans
082 - Annual Progress Report
May 11, 2011 15:00 - 20 minutes - 23.4 MBHow are we doing on our twin goals of resiliency and a lighter footprint? We've used 30% of our allotted time; are we 30% finished? We look at shelter, food, water, and community
081 - We Mourn With Our State
May 04, 2011 16:00 - 20 minutes - 24 MBTwisters last week killed 236 people and caused untold property damage. Today we remember those who died. Also: delayed planting, orchard update, Lee’s fix on the Tractor, a dog joins our family, and Lee’s preparation for taking the ham radio exam
080 - About That Lodge . . .
April 28, 2011 02:00 - 20 minutes - 23.9 MBWe love living in our tiny apartment in the barn, but Amanda has a spiritual gift of hospitality and needs to entertain. We talk about the floor plan, the view, and the energy efficiency of the lodge, what excites Amanda about it, and what scares Lee
079 - Do We Really Need 80 Tomato Plants?
April 20, 2011 15:00 - 20 minutes - 23.2 MBAnd we have 20 more in pots! How did we lose control? We're reacting to last year's terrible harvest, and we still see this as a learning experience. This year we're preparing soil differently, planting differently, and watering differently
078 - Our Poor, Neglected Farm
April 13, 2011 15:00 - 19 minutes - 22 MBWe’re delighted to sell our house, but we've neglected the farm to do it. Weeds, late planting, unmulched fruit trees, incomplete soil prep. Gotta get that deer fence in now! We also describe the new construction we call "Phase II."
077 - Woulda' Coulda' Shoulda'
April 06, 2011 14:00 - 19 minutes - 22.3 MBThis is unnatural for us, but we devote this podcast to regret. What did we do wrong? Did we buy the right property? The right tractor? Hire the right contractors? Buy building materials from the right store? Should we have waited longer to do this?
076 - A Loving Dialogue About "Stuff"
March 30, 2011 11:00 - 18 minutes - 20.9 MBWe’ve just moved the last of our belongings from our suburban home. AFTER donating tons to the Salvation Army, we managed to fill up a 10 x 20 foot storage unit. So we’re thinking a lot these days about the stuff we own and can’t seem to let go
075 - Saying Goodbye To Our City Life
March 23, 2011 22:00 - 22 minutes - 25.5 MBWe're preparing our suburban home to sell it next week. We grieve about the city life we've left behind (friends, convenience, robust Internet service) and the things we'll miss the least (constant driving, too much shade for growing, heat pumps)
074 - Coping with (and Reveling in) Distractions
March 16, 2011 15:00 - 19 minutes - 21.7 MBWe’ve enjoyed the fun things we're doing with our dear family and friends, but how do we manage all those farm tasks we know need doing when we’re spending so much time away from the farm? Also: worrying less about precision, hardening off seedlings