# Yard to table



## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

So, how many of the brotherhood derive pleasure from growing their own vegetables or raise chickens for eggs, pigeons for squab, etc.?


----------



## cellochris (Dec 14, 2015)

If I could, I would. I grew up with a friend whose family raised chickens. Someday!


----------



## Chouan (Nov 11, 2009)

I grow my own tomatoes, in season of course, and a selection of herbs; thyme, marjoram, sage, parsley, mint, rosemary, bay, basil, garlic, chives. My tomato plants have just given up the last of this year's crop.


----------



## Shaver (May 2, 2012)

In the halcyon days of my youth when I resided deep in the West Yorkshire countryside, in a quaint village called Clifford (property to the left with land backing on to the field with trees, middle bottom) we grew a wide variety of root and cruciferous vegetables, operated a substantial tomato greenhouse, and tended a chicken enclosure of around 15 laying hens - happy days.

My current city apartment living allows for just the opportunity to grow chives, basil etc on the windowsill but I still take the pleasure from even this comparatively meagre range of fresh homegrown ingredients


----------



## Dhaller (Jan 20, 2008)

We grow some herbs, like basil and shiso.

My current main house is on a fairly sunny hill (we bought for the view), and has rather rocky soil; it's a bit "Mediterranean". We've considered planting fig trees on the side of one hill, but never quite have gotten around to it. We plan on buying a new house next year, and one of our priorities is setting up a box garden (if that's the word - sort of a series of ground-level boxes with various crops rotated seasonally).

We live "intown", and do have some urban-garden enthusiast friends who have quite productive vertical gardens, sort of walls into which crops are planted. Interesting stuff.

DH


----------



## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

I have seen some serious vertical gardens and for the city dweller have to say that they really are the way to go. Out here in the suburbs of Portland, OR, I am waiting for March. But before it arrives I must build five more raised beds. At that point I should have the ability to grow a year's vegetables, including dry beans. I do love dry beans. in a year or so i'll build a greenhouse both for the orchids I so adore and for winter Mediterranean vegetables. Throw in the local seafood and some wild game and I should be independent, except for flour and chocolate.


----------



## Dcr5468 (Jul 11, 2015)

I despise gardening, however I am fortunate to have a father with a life long passion for growing fruits and vegetables. I get citrus, creole tomatoes, sweet corn, eggplant, squash, okra, Mirliton, and more in quantity...as do friends and family. A large portion also goes to a nearby assisted living facility as well as the food bank.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


----------



## DougN (Feb 6, 2016)

We grow our own herbs and vegetables. Tomatoes, various types of peppers, squashes, sometimes corn, etc. during the summer. Cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, etc. in the winter.


----------



## ran23 (Dec 11, 2014)

I wish I had covered raised beds for Winter. In the Spring I grow Opo, tomatoes and Japanese/Filipino Eggplant.


----------



## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

Growing up, pretty much all the vegetables we ate were grown in the family garden, many of them canned by my mom for out of season consumption. Most of the meat on our table came from central Pennsylvania's streams and woodlands. Looking back, I wish I could turn back the calendar and do it all over again.


----------



## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

That's kind of my goal. I think I just got permission to bow-hunt for geese on a friend's property next September and the poodle wants to be a bird dog. This is getting promising, though I will need to put in five more raised beds. Covering them this winter wouldn't have done much good given how much snow we got. But that's a rare occurrence so I suspect that next winter there will be plenty of cabbage to make various flavors of sauerkraut out of. Spicy, garlic sauerkraut on a hot roll with aioli and a fat Italian sausage. Legendary sandwich!


----------



## eagle2250 (Mar 24, 2006)

^^
Back in the day it was more of a necessity, these days it's more of a hobby (we occasionally buy fruit and vegetables in bulk and do some canning just to reassure ourselves that we can still do it and largely live off the land, should such become necessary!). Be assured, feral hog does not taste anywhere near as good as the domestic pork, purchased in the Patrick AFB Commissary! LOL.


----------



## Oldsarge (Feb 20, 2011)

Nope, those feral piggies need braising with lots of seasoning. Tough and strongly flavored they be. I know. I've shot a fair number of them. However, I must add that hot smoke cooking them does wonders and makes them very popular with sixth graders on Cro-Magnon Day.


----------

