Gardening Tips, Tent Cities

"How did you learn to do that?" I hear those words all the time from my family, friends, and even random strangers when they learn I'm about to can a big batch of homegrown produce. That statement is usually followed up with something like, "I'd love to learn how to do that, but... isn't it hard?"

It's a common misconception that preserving your own food is a complicated, mysterious process that only the truly domestic can understand. Just say the word "canning" and most people conjure up images of old women in shapeless housedresses, huddled over stoves in hot August kitchens. Most people think canning and food preservation techniques are quaint, old-fashioned practices that have no place in our modern world. After all, we have big-box food stores now. Who needs to can anything? I have to hide a smile when I hear these falsehoods. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

For starters, food preservation is not complicated. Once you learn how to do it, it's a skill you'll have for the rest of your life. I learned how to can about six summers ago, out of a desire to learn "the old ways" coupled with a real financial need. My husband's work hours were cut to a bare minimum, and I was a stay-at-home mom to three kids under the age of four. I needed to find a way to pinch pennies and make our food budget stretch.

Now I can, freeze, and preserve food for the sheer pleasure of knowing I'm storing up healthy food for my family. I can tell you from experience that there's nothing better than garden-grown green beans, corn, and tomatoes in the dead of winter. I just walk to my very own "secret basement supermarket," pull a jar or two off the shelf, and we're eating like royalty.

If you haven't mastered the art of food preservation, there's never been a better time to take the plunge. Don't be fooled by what you hear on the news. The economy is not rebounding ... and it may not for a long time to come. Food prices continue to push higher and higher, and the next big food crisis could bloom from any number of lurking threats. Will your pantry save you when the grocery store shelves are empty?

How to create your own "secret basement supermarket"

Setting the economy aside for a moment, there are plenty of other reasons to learn how to preserve food. Putting up your own food is, without a doubt, one of the best things you can do for your wallet and your health. When you learn the art of home food preservation, you'll have your own store in your pantry or basement. The food you preserve yourself will be far superior to anything you can buy. It will taste better, and chances are it will be more nutrient-dense than anything you can buy. And it's free of all those chemicals and preservatives that can damage your health over time.

Food preservation methods like canning, freezing, and dehydrating are quickly becoming lost arts in our "hurry up" modern society. If your grandmother taught you, or if you have a mentor you can turn to, you are truly blessed. But even if you don't, no worries ... you can still learn this practical art. I know, because I did it myself.

Things my grandmother never taught me

Armed with nothing but the Internet, I taught myself how to can foods for my family. Remember, canning isn't a difficult, mysterious, or magical process. It's actually quite simple ... if you can follow a few simple directions, you can preserve your own food.

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How fortunate we are to have a head start on becoming self sufficient to the point where we can best utilize our resources and not end up out in the street ..."

And then watch this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F94f_Ycsjs&feature=related

Gardening Helps:Drip Irrigation

Jun 27th, 2011

by Chantal DeYoe/Off the Grid

A drip irrigation system can be as simple or as involved as you’d like it to be.

Regardless of the complexity, just about any source of water will suffice: the outdoor spigot, a well, ponds or rivers, and rainwater. You will, however, need to consider two very important components of water quality for any source of water you use: contaminants and debris, including organic matter.

Contaminants are microorganisms such as viruses, parasites, and bacteria; excessive amounts of chemical elements such as iron and chlorine; and chemical compounds that are present due to run-off from farm and industrial settings.

Any previously unused water source should be tested for contaminants. Your local extension office or health department can provide you with a good source for water testing. In the event that serious contaminants are discovered, you will need to deal with those prior to utilizing the water source for anything.

Debris is simply larger pieces of material that can be filtered out. Sand and algae are common and must be dealt with for a drip irrigation system to function properly on a long-term basis.

Filters come in a variety of styles. The simple screen filter is fine when you are using a clean water source, but if you are using dirty water, such as any kind of surface source, you will want a media filter. The media filter passes the water through a medium, usually sand, in order to remove debris. Another type of filter, the disk, is a cross between the screen and media and removes both debris and organic matter. The cartridge filter is a variation of the other types and is usually replaced rather than cleaned. Finally, you can use a centrifugal filter if you have a lot of sand in your water.

When using the simple screen filter, a two-part system can be quite effective in removing the majority of debris from dirtier water sources. Locate one filter between the water source and the holding tank, and locate the second filter between the holding tank and your drip irrigation system. Use at least 120 mesh for the first filter and 200 mesh for the second, as a finer mesh filter for the second spot will improve filtration and also remove any algae that may have formed inside the tank. You should also check the number of microns the mesh filters out. It can vary, depending on the size of the wire used. Make sure you are getting filtration to 80-100 microns for the 200 mesh filter.

No matter what source of water you use, you will need to be able to move it from that source to your plants. If you use a municipal water supply, you will be able to hook your system directly to a spigot, a main water supply, or a converted sprinkler system. A well can function the same way.

If, however, you pull water from a natural body such as a pond, river, or lake, you will need to include a pumping system in your set up. This is also true when you use a holding tank or cistern. Very rarely will gravity suffice as a pumping mechanism for a drip irrigation system, no matter what the elevation of the holding tank. Pumps come in a variety of styles, sizes, and qualities, so this aspect of your system will require some research to determine what will work best for your needs. You can also check out solar-powered options.

While gravity cannot be depended on for the sum total of the pressure needed for your system, it is helpful to locate your holding tank at a somewhat higher elevation than your irrigated land if possible. It should also be on stable, level ground.

Once you’ve determined your water source, chosen a holding tank set-up, and researched pumping options, it’s time to lay out the system itself. It consists of two parts: drip zone assembly and drip tubing. The drip zone assembly consists of all the components that prepare your water source for application. The drip tubing is the mechanism that applies the water to your plants.

Within the drip zone assembly you will first have a controller for automatic operation. This piece of equipment turns the system on and off at set intervals. You can choose to operate the system manually if you like, but your system will conserve water most efficiently when the timing and duration of water application is carefully controlled.

Next comes the backflow prevention device, which is necessary if contamination of your water source is a concern. The backflow prevention device keeps contaminated water from “flowing back”into your main drinking water source, such as that provided by a municipal water company or a well.

If you choose to use irrigation-based fertilizer, that application device comes next. Then comes your filter. (In a two-part filter system, this would be the second filter.) And finally comes the pressure regulator. The pressure regulator converts high pressure water from your source to the lower pressure water required for your system. This is particularly important for municipal sources where the water pressure may be anywhere from 40 to 80 PSI (pounds per square inch). For well and surface water sources, you will need to determine the water pressure coming from your pump. Most drip irrigation systems operate between 20 and 30 PSI.

When planning your drip tubing layout, you will need to consider the types, layouts, and water requirements of your plants; soil type; linear footage requirements; and water supply. Water application occurs through emitters at each plant, or section of plants, depending your soil type. It is possible to have too many emitters, thus reducing your pressure at the end of the line. In addition, no single line should run more than 200 feet for the same reason. And finally, you will not be able to exceed your water supply, so plan your system to operate within the ability of your pump, holding tank, and source to supply your watering needs.

Whether you buy a kit or design your own, a drip irrigation system can improve your watering system.

Here are a couple of options:

http://www.misterlandscaper.com/

http://www.irrigro.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=58