Archive for August 21, 2010
Grow Your Own – Lurking Beneath The Foliage
by John Weckerle
Today's Harvest
Vegetable gardeners always wonder what’s going on while they’re on vacation. We had our good friend, Russ, watering while we were gone, and the beds came through with flying colors. Well, mostly one color – green – but we’re sure our readers get the picture. In fact, the foliage had developed to the point that several zucchini were hiding in Bed 3 well enough to grow to extra-large status (forearm length in two cases). Growing zucchini large is generally not recommended, as they taste better at about medium size. Bed 1 gave us another three green bell peppers this morning. Eggplants are still relatively small. There is also a mountain of kale and a good bit of chard in Bed 1, so we’ll definitely be eating our greens this week. Hmm… Zucchini, yellow squash, kale, bell peppers; some of this could be the beginning of another batch of wyngette soup.
As for Bed 2, tomatoes are still small and green, and it looks as if we’re losing one (but only one as far as we can see) to blossom end rot. We may yet get some out of the deal. Bed 2 is also home to the winter squash, and we can see an acorn squash and two spaghetti squashes hiding in there already. The parsley’s looking good, as are all the other herbs over in Bed 1.
Next year, we’re thinking of doing something different and creating Bed 4, which would be a more traditional double-dug raised bed. This would allow for a greater rooting depth for crops like tomatoes and eggplant.
Edgewood Chamber On The Lam?
by John Weckerle
The local newspapers are abuzz this week with news and commentary on the recent move on the part of the Edgewood Chamber of Commerce to – well, move.
At the heart of the issue are expressions of concern from a number of sources, including NM-Central.com, that the Edgewood Chamber has been perhaps more involved in politics than some might consider appropriate. Much of the current brouhaha seems to revolve around recent concerns associated with a “meet and greet” function for Republican candidates – Jim Smith and Tom Mullins – running for State Representative and Congress, respectively. Some current and past Town officials have expressed reservations regarding these functions, suggesting that the Edgewood Chamber’s actions in this arena, and actually conducting events supporting those candidates in office space provided by the Town, represent a de facto endorsement of the candidates by an organization that is receiving public funding in the form of free office space. One of the candidates counters that the Chamber announced a “meet and greet” event for his opponent. A local Tea Party activist and Chamber booster alleges violations of the Chamber’s First Amendment rights. A person or persons unknown attach a not-too-recently deceased skunk to the Town office with what appears to be 50 tubes of Krazy Glue. Panic ensues.
Only some of this is true (the skunk part and mass hysteria aren’t), but there’s much more to the story(ies)… »» Edgewood Chamber On The Lam?