The other night on our lazy way home from a wonderful farm dinner at Lone Hawk Farmsdown the street, the air was cool and fresh after the rain, and mosquito free. The lights from the Lyons cement plant to the north were visible across the pastures and, knowing that our community pulled together a few years ago and prevented them from burning millions of scrap tires in their kiln, they looked almost pretty.
I live in a beautiful part of the Front Range, where many small hay farms are still productive and, increasingly, small vegetable farms are springing up. Another local struggle is looming though; our small airport on the edge of town wants to expand to allow corporate jets to fly in. Officials say it’s “good for business.” I guess we’re about to find out if all the people who love the local farmers market also value the remaining farms, ranchettes, and wildliferich areas that surround the city.
Meanwhile, summer is zooming along. Belle Starr & Bill McDormand of Seeds Trust were just here. Lyons was the last stop on their inspiring Colorado Seed Saving Tour. Bill exhorted us to save our seeds, as all gardeners used to do, even if we don’t think we know what we’re doing.
You may have read some of the astonishing statistics about the loss of agricultural (not to mention native plant) diversity. For example, 96% of the commercial vegetable varieties available in 1903 in the U.S. are now extinct. All seeds used to be in the public domain in 1900. By 2006 86% were owned and patented and four companies now own 56%. The famed (and first ever) Russian seed bank is poised to be demolished for condos. Yipes!
So start saving seeds. As Bill pointed out, it was amateurs who developed our major food crops. Seeds Trust also holds an in-depth Seed School in northern AZ this fall so Bill can share 30 years of seed experience and knowledge. (See article on p. 3 with Seed School info at the end.)
Other topics in our Harvest issue include the construction of a new rock garden in Fort Collins by Kirk Fiesler, and Gardens in Schools, specifically the Garden to Table project in Boulder, by Wendy Underhill. Wendy and I visited Kathi Taylor’s Loveland garden a couple of months ago, which she also describes for you. David Salman, owner of High Country Gardens and Santa Fe Nurseries, writes on spring flowering perennial bulbs for our region, while Mikl Brawner discusses three colorful maple varieties for our Western climate. Niki Hayden tells you about her easiest garden food preserving strategies, and Gary Raham focuses on beetles, including some of the jewellike colors they exhibit. In his Q & A Kelly Grummons tells you how to deal with blister beetles (my suggestion – they defoliated two clematis vines plus anemones), and living windbreaks for gardens. And don’t forget to peruse our lengthy calendar of gardening related events and classes on page 12.
Last year we covered the new Paul Smith Children’s Village at Cheyenne Botanic Gardens and this spring, the Mordecai Children’s Garden at Denver Botanic Gardens. Both are now open and fabulous!
Finally, start preparing your vegetable garden this fall for next spring. Good soil is your most important asset and building it takes some time. Add compost and manure now to enliven and transform beds for next spring’s planting. Reclaim some of your lawn for a vegetable garden using a back-saving no till, sheet mulching or “Lasagna” method. Start soon. There are plenty of books and internet sites to show you details. Save your leaves and collect more for the garden. Water your beds this fall and mulch to keep moisture in.
Plant some spring bulbs – they’re easy. As Bill McDormand told me, beauty is sustainable. And don’t forget to water your trees a few times during the winter; at least give them a good soak before the ground freezes around Thanksgiving.
Our online version of the issue is available at www.coloradogardener.com. We’ll publish our Education Issue in early February, in time for distribution at ProGreen. Deadlines are in mid-late December and early January. Happy harvesting and seed saving!
Jane Shellenberger