Longleaf Breeze

073 - Watching the Farm Wake Up from Winter

March 09, 2011 15:00 - 20 minutes - 23.9 MB

The trees are budding, the broccoli is having another go of it, and the sleepy brussels sprouts are now pouring it on. The cabbage is looking great too, but what's that critter that's eating on it before we can? Also: the dumbest bluebird in history

072 - Subsistence Farming After Peak Oil

March 02, 2011 10:00 - 20 minutes - 23.5 MB

We know oil will cost more. Will it be available at all? Will the electric grid be reliable? Will economic activity collapse? Law and order? How will we attend to basic human needs like water, food, shelter, and relationships? Can we say anything good?

071 - The Trees are Planted, but We're Not Finished

February 23, 2011 14:00 - 20 minutes - 24 MB

We’ve planted 84 trees. Next up: erosion control and orchard floor, trellis lines, deer fence, drip irrigation, mulch, and pruning. Also: start of spring planting on Veg Hill, another new trail, Japanese Maple grafting party, and all about soil blocks

070 - Planting 74 Fruit Trees!

February 16, 2011 14:00 - 20 minutes - 23.9 MB

We're in full scale planting mode, 19 trees yesterday, hoping for even more today. High-density organic orcharding, using a flared auger, hitting a water line, designing drip irrigation for an orchard, planting strawberries, deer fence, and pumpkin soup

069 - Holding On To Our Orchard for Dear Life

February 10, 2011 00:00 - 19 minutes - 22.7 MB

The rain cut deep rivers in our new orchard expansion. But we won't panic. We have a plan. Also: progress on a grow light for starting seed and a visit with Mallory Kelley, our extension agent, plotting future trails, and developing a new work platform

068 - The Orchard Expansion Gets Real

February 02, 2011 14:00 - 20 minutes - 23.5 MB

My brother Dave Gray and his bulldozer were active for only about seven hours this weekend, but that's all it took for him to push out all the stumps, clean out an area below the orchard, and contour the orchard to cut down on erosion

067 - Debriefing on Southern SAWG

January 26, 2011 14:00 - 20 minutes - 23.4 MB

We love our visit each year to SSAWG. Each year, though, it's less dramatic, more subtle. These are mostly commercial farmers, not into subsistence as we are, so we have to be careful to choose our programs carefully. But so many young people!

066 - Heating with a Wood Stove

January 19, 2011 14:00 - 25 minutes - 28.8 MB

We love heating with a wood stove, because it’s efficient. comfortable, and economical. But there are disadvantages, and we talk about them too. We finish with our guesses about who should not depend on a wood stove for heating their home

065 - How Much Land Do You Need?

January 12, 2011 15:00 - 21 minutes - 24.3 MB

We look at the question two ways: (1) how much do we want to have? and (2) how much land do we really need? We do like wandering around in the forest. But what we really need is a lot less. Also: the joys of staying simple and resilient

064 - The Orchard Expansion is Underway!

January 05, 2011 15:00 - 20 minutes - 23.4 MB

Our decision to remove stumps turned out to be more difficult than you might think. All about cutting down all those lovely trees, what to do with the firewood and mulch, and whether we'll be able to plant any trees this year. Also, compost in waiting

063 - What We're Expecting in 2011

December 29, 2010 17:00 - 19 minutes - 22.3 MB

We look back on our first full year living on the farm and what has surprised us about our new life. Then we look forward to 2011, the projects, the challenges, and the dreams. We want to do a better job reaching out to our neighbors.

062 - A Merry UnChristmas at the Farm

December 22, 2010 12:00 - 23 minutes - 27 MB

We have contrasting reactions to our decision not to decorate for Christmas this year. All about drip irrigation: cost to install and run, improvement in growing performance, plans for the future, and what we did right and wrong with drip irrigation

061 - God Bless Fall Veg!

December 15, 2010 16:00 - 18 minutes - 20.9 MB

Fall veg grows slowly, but muscles through a 15 degree freeze. Also: Do we need row cover after all? Cleaning up the microclimate bed, farewell to Master Gardener classes, good to be walking again, and Lee's preparation for deer hunting.

060 - Living in a Tiny Space

December 08, 2010 15:00 - 22 minutes - 25.6 MB

We talk frankly about the advantages and disadvantages of downsizing our residence, about what works in its design and what we would do differently today. We also describe the ways we keep it warm in the winter and cool in the summer

059 - Are We Really Hunters?

December 01, 2010 15:00 - 20 minutes - 23.5 MB

Why we’ve changed from our suburban squeamishness, deer hunting as harvest rather than sport, and how we hope to use the meat. Also: “Amanda Oakley” ready to go with her gun, our all-day cookfest, and the problems of shopping for seed

058 - Giving Thanks

November 24, 2010 15:00 - 19 minutes - 22.1 MB

We say thanks for our blessings: the farm, the deer fence, health, family, friends, technology, and the chance to keep learning. Also: grieving over the end of Master Gardener, dismantling the garden, mulch, cute brussels sprouts, and armadillo trouble

057 - Unwrapping the Fall Veg

November 18, 2010 00:00 - 19 minutes - 22.3 MB

We’ve been watching through the row cover, but now the bugs are down, so we pulled the row cover Sunday. Also: spreading pelletized lime is simple, breaking in a new smoker, and celebrating our one year anniversary living at Longleaf Breeze.

056 - What a Difference One Night Makes!

November 11, 2010 00:00 - 20 minutes - 23.9 MB

All it took was one night of freezing temperatures to lay waste to most of our summer veg. Some of the survivors surprised us: the okra is still hangin’ in there, as is the sunn hemp. Also: sweet potato harvest and liming the soil.

055 - Post Mortem On Our First Summer

November 03, 2010 15:00 - 20 minutes - 23.4 MB

Our original strategy for surviving without air conditioning, and why it failed. What we did instead. What we would do differently. More Planting even now. Reprieve from the frost for veg and unfortunately for grasshoppers. Our first hailstorm.

054 - HACKED!

October 28, 2010 00:00 - 17 minutes - 19.9 MB

No, Amanda wasn't stuck in London needing money wired to her, but it was a long day. How we're recovering, and what we've learned. Also: baby shower on the farm, 10,000 hours, thirsty compost, and the critter inside the deer fence

0053 - Happy Birthday to Us!

October 20, 2010 11:00 - 21 minutes - 24.9 MB

We celebrate our first anniversary reflecting on what has changed and what has not. We kept our three principles and commitment to organic subsistence farming. But the barn became home, the orchard got bigger, and Amanda became the Farmer-in-Chief

0052 - Acid, Acid, Acid!

October 13, 2010 23:00 - 19 minutes - 22.8 MB

Our soil is highly acidic, so what can we do? Also: winter squash, sunn hemp, planning the orchard expansion, and planning for resilient energy/water flow without a reliable electrical grid.

0051 - Pondering Persimmons

October 06, 2010 23:00 - 20 minutes - 23.1 MB

Who eats persimmons? On purpose? But after tasting a well-grown Oriental persimmon, we have a whole new outlook. Also, compost update, learning why our southern soils are less fertile, growing something year-round, and soil testing

0050 - Advice from Other Farmers

September 29, 2010 15:00 - 19 minutes - 22.6 MB

Woo-hoo! Our 50th podcast! We're grateful for advice from a young farmer and an old one. Also: dumpster diving for cardboard, finishing the compost, whacking at kudzu, first taste of fall, good food going to the landfill, and updating the database.

049 - Row Cover for Fall Vegetables

September 22, 2010 20:00 - 19 minutes - 22.8 MB

The row cover is saving our fall veg from the grasshoppers. None of the fall veg need pollination, so we can set up a barrier keeping out all insects. Also: our sunn hemp scare, where to expand the orchard and what to plant

048 - All About Compost

September 15, 2010 14:00 - 20 minutes - 23.8 MB

It's simpler than most people think, EVERYBODY should be composting, how we do it, keeping the pile moist, row covers on Row 6, workshops and workdays, "South Orchard" expansion?

047 - Pear Preserves

September 08, 2010 16:00 - 21 minutes - 24.1 MB

Up late last night, but it's done! 50 pears, roughly 2 1/2 gallons. Also, what makes our preserves different, is a water bath needed for canning?, fall veg review, cutting down sunn hemp, refreshing the orchard, settling an argument about Lee's tea

046 - Looking Forward to Fall

September 02, 2010 20:00 - 20 minutes - 23.3 MB

We can already begin to sense how near fall is on brisk mornings, the effect of fall on Veg Hill, firewood prep and passive solar changes, additions to Row 6, our first Master Gardener class, picking pears, compost tea

045 - Beginning Master Gardener Classes

August 26, 2010 14:00 - 20 minutes - 23 MB

For our ignorance about growing things, the Master Gardener program is just the thing. Classes, service requirement, the Master Gardener hotline, role of organic. Harvesting sweet potatoes, muscadine trellis redo, easy way to freeze tomatoes

044 - Trellises, Trellises

August 19, 2010 16:00 - 21 minutes - 24.8 MB

Trellising the easy (and cheap) way, when to do it, trellising tomatoes that won't grow, retrofitting the muscadine trellis. Also, using air conditioning, reorganizing our storage, enjoying books again, drip extension, using plastic to kill weeds

043 - Organizing for a Coherent Farm Life

August 12, 2010 23:00 - 19 minutes - 21.9 MB

Living more simply, avoiding accumulating things we don't need, using rolling shelves. Also, waiting too long to down trees, regular routine with the clothesline, hardening off veg for the fall, first sign of fall purple hull peas

042 - Thank God for Okra

August 05, 2010 14:00 - 21 minutes - 24.4 MB

When the south's brutal heat punishes our other veg, the okra just keeps coming. Better keep it well picked! Also, squash bugs, the height of melon season, superstar sunn hemp, coping with the heat, and the extension of the drip irrigation system

041 - Fall Garden Prep Time

July 30, 2010 02:00 - 17 minutes - 20.4 MB

Counting on fewer bug problems, seed starting in the heat, cutting sunn hemp on Row 6, clear plastic to kill weeds, carving out a season to rest, great report on our wood stove inspection

040 - Master Gardener, Here We Come!

July 22, 2010 15:00 - 20 minutes - 24 MB

Maybe rejection was a good thing; now we'll be able to put the info in context. Also, time away from the farm, seed starting, variation in soil fertility on Veg Hill, first use of the clothesline, soaker hoses failing, replacing drip irrigation filter

039 - Surviving Without Air Conditioning

July 15, 2010 14:00 - 21 minutes - 24.4 MB

Arguing about the dehumidifier, design of the pole barn, "closing up the envelope," staying hydrated, getting used to it, poorly peach tree, Lee is a bush hogging fool, variation in soil quality on Veg Hill, maggots in the compost

038 - Cover Crops at the Crossroads

July 08, 2010 16:00 - 21 minutes - 24.9 MB

The sunn hemp is doing well; now what to plant on the west side? Cowpeas? Daikon radishes? Rye? Also: no wheat for bread flour in Alabama, blackeye peas, corn, tomatoes, melons, eggplant, edamame, and erosion control; problem with drip irrigation

037 - Can We Grow Enough Food?

July 01, 2010 14:00 - 21 minutes - 24.1 MB

shouldn't we be growing all the veg we need during the summer? Also: Veg Hill update, nasty storm on Sunday, a new tomato trellis, coping with humidity, drip irrigation lines moving around, ready to call the Horse Pal a success

036 - Let's Talk Weeds

June 24, 2010 20:00 - 20 minutes - 23.3 MB

Should we leave them alone? Pull them by hand? Use the weeding hoe? Also: firewood report, first use of the Wallenstein BX42 chipper, Hortense the solar owl scarecrow, sunn hemp update

035 - We Love Drip Irrigation!

June 17, 2010 14:00 - 21 minutes - 24.7 MB

System is in, installing drip irrigation, effect of drip irrigation on sunn hemp, clogged drip irrigation filter, or very own Horse Pal, one last gasp at corn

034 - Blueberries for Breakfast

June 10, 2010 10:00 - 19 minutes - 22.5 MB

Never expected blueberries the first year, progress on drip irrigation system, next up: installing drip tape, chipper and firewood waiting, poor man's tomato trellis, using junk fence for bean trellis, progress with corn, farewell to the romaine lettuce

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