When the Grocery Bill Gets Too High...part 4 of 4



In this final segment of growing your own produce to offset grocery bills, I have chosen some wonderful fruiting trees, shrubbery, and vines that are easy to grow and whose fruit tastes great and is packed with nutrition. Where the majority of the plants listed below will show little if any fruit the first year in your garden, all of the plants I have chosen are hardy and long lasting; once established, they will grace your garden with tasty fruit for years.

1) Saskatoon -

A member of the rose family and cousin to such ornamentals as cotoneaster and mayday trees, saskatoons are hardy plants that are native to the prairies. Along with delicious fruit, plants are ornamental and look great in the landscape, providing visual interest all year long: pretty white flowers in spring, glossy green foliage throughout summer, vivid orange/red hues in fall, and strong branches to catch snow in winter. Top varietal picks for a residential lot are Honeywood (3m x 2m, late season producer, large berries), Northline (the most dwarf of the edible saskatoons at 2m x 2m, mid-season producer, large fruit), Thiessen (columnar form of 3m x 1.5m, mid-late season producer, medium-sized berries), and Smokey (semi-columnar form of 3m x 2m, mid-late season producer, medium-sized berries).

2) Cherry - Evans, Ranier, Romeo and Juliet, Carmine Jewel, Nanking -The list of edible prunus plants that grow well in our area is quite extensive. Sour cherries (i.e. Evans, Ranier, Romeo and Juliet, Carmine Jewel) are known for their prairie-hardiness, large-sized cherries, heavy fruit production, and reliability. Generally used for baking and jams/jellies, these fruits have a mildy tart taste when eaten fresh. Plant size varies with individual cultural conditions in the gardener's back yard: full sun with plenty of wind protection and winter snow cover will see the plant growing approximately 3.5m x 3m; full sun with little or no protection will spur the plant to remain in a smaller size, usually 2-3m x 2m. Nanking cherries are a wonderful alternative for those that enjoy a sweeter tasting cherry. Fruit is quite small (a bit smaller than a dime) but is very sweet and is produced in hoards. This is a very ornamental plant for residential yards: growing 3m x 3.5m, it is literally covered with beautiful white blooms first thing in the spring, before foliage is produced by the plant.

3) Gooseberry and Currant -

Underutilized in the local landscape, gooseberries and currants are a wonderful addition to any edible garden. Both belonging to the ribes genus, these plants have similar growth habits of 1.25m x 1.25m and thrive in our somewhat poor prairie soil. Red Lake currants (also known simply as red currants) are arguably the most reliable producer of the currants, with a large abundance of juicy red fruit that matures in the heat of July. Berries are excellent both fresh and in baking or jams/jellies. When choosing a gooseberry, Pixwell or Poorman varieties are generally recognized as favorites among prairie gardeners because they boast the  most flavor of the gooseberries, have beautiful fall color, and are vary low maintenance. Fruit ripens in late July.

4) Raspberry -

Would any garden be truly complete without a raspberry patch? Great for hiding compost piles, well heads, dog runs, and even neighbors (!), raspberries require very little care, are reliable producers, and are great for reconditioning poor soil and reducing erosion. Along with the gold standard Boyne variety, there are now a few other interesting varieties on the market, such as Fall Gold and Black raspberry. For maximum production, remove 25% of the raspberry canes each spring by trimming 1/4 of your berry patch to ground level. Most varieties grow approximately 1.25m x 1.25m.

5) Cranberry -

Unbeknownst to most gardeners, there is an edible cranberry that we can grow in the

prairies! Not for the faint of heart, Wentworth cranberry is a large shrub of 3m x 3m that produces large panicles of white blooms in the spring and then substantial amounts of large red fruit in late summer. Whereas most plants of the cranberry family can be grown in sun or shade, Wentworth requires full sun. Ammend soil with ample peat moss for best plant health and fruit production. Fall foliage is a deep burgundy-red color.

6) Kiwi -

Yes I said it - kiwi. This vining plant is surprisingly easy to grow in our climate. Choose the Issai variety for best results, as it is self-fertile and as a result doesn't require a partner to reproduce. Growing to a height of 3-5m, this plant requires full sun to produce it's 3" long, delicious fruit.

7) Grape -

Even though we prairie gardeners often have a bit of an (ahem) insecurity issue with our short growing season, we really should be celebrating: cool nights and warm days make the tastiest grapes. The two varieties that are best suited to our weather are Valiant and Frontenac. Try growing one of each, in close proximity, for best fruit production. Make sure to get these plants in a sunny, protected spot in the garden; once established, grapes are extremely long-lived plants.

8) Apple -

Johnny Appleseed loved the high-light and hot summers of the prairies, and so do apple trees. With over a dozen great varieties of apples to choose from, picking an apple tree to grow in your yard should be based upon both the fruit the tree produces as well as the aesthetics of the apple tree itself. For small yards, choose a dwarf variety (Goodland, Norland, Haralson, etc all come in dwarf forms) or a crabapple (Dolgo is the best producer of the crabapples.) For larger yards, choose Norkent, Norland, Parkland, Goodland, Heyer 12, and Hardy Mac for early varieties (fruit ripe in July/August), and Zestar, September Ruby, and Parkland for later varieties (fruit ripe in August/September.)

Growing your own produce is fun, healthy, and easy on the pocketbook. Over the course of the past month, we have learned that there is a veritable cornucopia of edible plants that prairie gardeners can grow with success. Armed with a bit of information and a desire to improve your family's health (both physically and financially), anyone with a modicum of space and sunlight in his/her yard can become an urban farmer! Yeehaw!

 

When the Grocery Bill Gets Too High...part 3 of 4

   This week, stretching your dollars gets easier by getting the kids involved in gardening! Growing your own "kid friendly" fruits and veggies will not only save on the grocery bill, it is a fun way to get your children active outdoors and to introduce to them the concept of agricultural sustainability. Where the list of choices for easy to grow, low maintenance produce for our area is immense, I have narrowed down the line-up to a few of the foods my own kids love to grow and eat. 

1) Crucifers - Broccoli and Cauliflower

 Well its true: sometimes what you don't know won't hurt you. I have this great children's CD that I used to play in the car when my kids were younger called "Cats Night Out" by Graham Walker. In it, Walker sings about a hungry pig named Priscilla who has so much of an affinity for flowers that she eats them "all the time." Our kids would squirm and squeal in uproarious laughter at the notion of anyone eating flowers. I never had the heart to tell them that the crowns of their favorite veggies - broccoli and cauliflower - were precisely that (I think I was just glad they would eat them!)

Very nutritious and easy to grow, both cauliflower and broccoli can be seeded directly into the garden or started indoors in April and then moved out when the threat of frost has passed. Coronado Crown and Green Magic are the most popular varieties of broccoli for serving fresh or freezing. Growing 18-24in high, they boast large, uniform flower heads that mature approximately 60 days from seeding. Early Snowball is the most sought after Cauliflower variety. Very vigorous and reliable, Early Snowball produces clusters of dense white flower heads approximately 50 days from seeding. This variety is also very tolerant of cool weather and is delicious served raw or cooked; blanche lightly before freezing.

2) Legumes - Beans and Peas
 Not only good for you, beans and peas are good for the earth, too. Belonging to the legume family, these fruits (yes they are acually fruit, as the seed is stored inside the pod) have the interesting ability to absorb nitrogen gas out of the air and then, with the help of beneficial soil bacteria, convert it to a form the plant can use, storing the nitrogen in their root nodules. Legumes are widely recognized for their soil-rejuvenating properties; cyclically planting legumes in your garden will help to revitalize soil health; always use a soil innoculant when seeding as your output (i.e. fruit produced) will be greatly enhanced.
  Kids love growing peas and beans because the seed is relatively large and easy for small hands to manipulate, plants grow quickly and in vines, the flowers tend to be delicate and lightly scented, and the fruit is delicious and ready to eat off of the vine. The most popular variety of beans for kids is Scarlet Runner. Think Jack in the Beanstalk with these plants: quickly growing 2m tall and higher, Scarlet Runner beans will produce huge 20-25cm long bean pods that are quite delicious. Wax beans are also easy to grow and quite sweet when eaten fresh. Typically maturing in 50-55 days, wax beans produce several stringless, meaty pods that "snap" when you bend them.
  There are a myriad of pea varieties that are great for our area, such as Green Arrow (heavy producing, super sweet, 55-60 days to maturity, vigorous and disease resistant) and Lincoln Homesteader (very productive, sweet, heat tolerant, disease resistant, 60-70 days to maturity, great for cooking). The most popular pea varieties for young apprentice gardeners, however, are the edible pod series, particularly the Sugar Snap variety, which grows vigorously, is disease resistant, and matures in 70-75 days. Featuring crisp, delicious pods that can be eaten in their entirety, kids love to spend hours out in the garden, eating these fruits right off of the vine. If any of the pods actually make it into the house, they are also wonderful cooked and freeze well.   

3) Carrots - Arguably the easiest vegetable to convince a child to eat, carrots are very easy to grow as well! Where traditional varieties such as Red Cored Danvers (65-80 days to maturity, long and sweet roots, great for cooking and freezing) and Scarlet Nantes (60-70 days to maturity, succulent bright orange French variety, great fresh or cooked) are the top picks for adult gardeners, kids really love Chantenay carrots. Also known as "baby" carrots, Chantenays are quick to mature (50-55 days), are uniformly textured (i.e. don't have as much of a differentiated core as other varieties do), and are quick to prepare: just rinse with cold water and enjoy!

4) Lettuce - The four most popular types of lettuce are butterhead, crisphead, loose leaf, and romaine. Whereas butterhead and crisphead form crunchy, spherical heads, Romaine (also known as Cos lettuce) and leaf lettuce form elongated and smaller hearts.  Iceberg is the most popular choice for crisphead lettuce: crunchy and mildly sweet, it is great served fresh in salads, sandwiches, tacos, wraps, etc. Butterhead features softer leaves with more texture and density than crisphead; Buttercrunch variety is the favorite among prairie gardeners as it is more tolerant of poor soil. Romaine is the piece de resistance of ceasar salad chefs worldwide. Boasting the highest nutrient content, romaine lettuce has relatively good shelf life. For those that like a leafy lettuce but would prefer a milder taste than traditional Romaine, try the Grand Rapids loose leaf variety; along with a sweeter finish, it is quick to mature and produces heavily.

5) Watermelon - When we ask our kids what they would like to grow in the garden, their first response is watermelons! Easy to grow, watermelons should be started indoors in early April and then set out when the threat of frost has passed. Moon and Stars is a great variety for kids, as it grows quickly, producing large 4kg fruit in less than three months from seeding.  Kids may also be interested to know that Moon and Stars is one of the oldest watermelon varieties; so old in fact, that it has been flagged as an heirloom plant. Flesh is deliciously sweet and red. I keep wondering if there is a way to grow napkins...

   Kids - the world is just full of them. The United Nations estimate that the global population under 15 is now approaching 26.3%, or 2.1 billion. Issues ranging from overcrowding, hunger, and poverty, to environmental degradation, non-renewable resource depletion, and power imbalances all face the world's youngsters. But all is not lost; as the global population explosion plateaus, opportunities that are present for the world's kids are also improving, due largely to the technological advances that have taken a canonic position in our time. Better education, advanced agricultural practices, freer flow of information...the list of pluses for our kids just goes on and on; this coming-of-age population is positioned to become a powerhouse of the world, and in all spheres - economically, socially, politically, and culturally. With such an important future ahead of them, and with so much to learn, why not take a few minutes out of your week to help train these young minds about the living world around us? Playing in the dirt and discovering the wonderful worlds of horticulture and biology are perfect learning opportunities; development of our youth is arguably the single-most important task our world societies face. As Walt Disney once said, "Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children"!

When the Grocery Bill Gets Too High...part 2 of 4

  Last week we started looking at ways to economize on ballooning grocery bills, primarily by raising some fruit and vegetables in your own back yard; tomatoes and potatoes were highlighted. This week, we examine two more great sets of plants, each chosen for its health benefits, ease-of-care, and prairie suitability.

3) Leafy vegetables - Beet tops (and roots), Spinach, Swiss Chard
Gaining levels of recognition daily, beets, spinach, and chard all belong to the chenopod plant family. While still not fully understood, chenopod plants are proving to be extremely beneficial to (among other things) the human nervous system, aiding in the maintenance and rehabilitation of relevant structures such as sense organs. High in Vitamins K, A, and C, chenopod plants also possess significant antioxidants and betalains, which aid in cell rejuvenation and detoxification, all the while minimizing inflammatory response.
 Spinach - look for varieties that give heavy yields and are slow to bolt (i.e. the stems stay firm and crispy; the plant does not go to seed.) Bloomsdale variety is known for this; in addition, it is tolerant of less than optimal weather conditions such as the cool nights we experience throughout the growing season. Combine it with mandarin orange pieces, strawberry slices, almonds, and raspberry vinaigrette for a delicious and healthful salad. Add it to your favorite lasagna recipe for a healthy punch of nutrients and flavorful texture. Steam it and mix it with fresh cream cheese for a party dip with bread pieces...the list of great recipes using spinach goes on and on. Far from the nose-wrinkling lore of old, spinach is great tasting and great for you; Popeye was on to something good!
 Swiss Chard is a favorable alternative for those that find spinach to be too flavorful or bitter. But not only is it milder in taste, research has shown that swiss chard contains syringic acid, a compound proven to help regulate blood sugar levels.  There are several varieties to choose from. Want a swiss chard that you can enjoy fresh or steamed? Try Fordhook Giant, which has tender yellow-white stems and thick crinkly foliage that is tender enough to eat raw and that still keeps its texture and flavor when cooked. Fordhook Giant also freezes well. Don't have much space? Try the aesthetically pleasing Bright Lights cultivar, which features stem colors of white, yellow, and red. In addition to a wonderful texture and taste, it is a gorgeous foliage addition to any flowerpot or bed!
Closely related to swiss chard, beets are colorful, tasty vegetables that can be eaten in their entirety. Braise leaves with butter and vinegar for a fancy addition to beef or spiced pork; boil the roots and serve warm or let cool and mix into salad. There are a few high producing, weather tolerant varieties that are great for the prairies, such as Detroit Dark Red (heirloom variety, reaches maturity in late summer, cylindrical root) and Early Globe (spherical root, reaches maturity in early summer.) It is interesting to note that the majority of beet seeds are called multi-germ, meaning that a single seed will produce several beet plants. As a result, a 10m long row of beet seedlings can produce 10kg of produce!
 To keep your crisper full all season, succession seed your leafy chenopod vegetables every two weeks from May through late July; beets should be sown shortly after the last heavy frost of the early spring. Maybe Juan Ponce de Leon actually discovered a chenopod patch when he first toured Florida!

4) Strawberries and Blueberries

 Current research has found that the more aggregate fruits and berries we eat, the better and longer we live. Increase your fiber, increase your vitamin uptake, fight off infection more vigorously, lower your blood pressure, increase your brain power...the list of benefits goes on and on with these fruits. And there is even more great news: they are easy to grow!

 Strawberries (technically known as "aggregate fruits" and not "berries," as their seeds are on the located on the outside of the fruit) tend to be separated into three main categories: Junebearing, day neutral, and everbearing. Junebearing strawberries have one primary producing period in the growing season (i.e. the month of June), during which time they produce large quantities of ample-sized fruit; canning and jam factories often use this type of strawberry. Everbearing strawberries produce 2-3 crops in a single growing season, but the fruit tends to be in smaller quantities than Junebearing. Day neutral strawberries produce throughout the entire growing season; the fruit, however, tends to be smaller and sweeter than Junebearing or everbearing types. The compact growth habit of day neutral strawberries makes them perfect for growing in a constrained space. Popular Junebearing varieties for our area are Kent (high yield, reliable producer,) Allstar (high yield, good for freezing,) and Honeoye (medium sized, high yield, firm fruit suitable for shipping.) Popular ever bearing varieties for the prairie region are Fort Laramie (large fruit, heavy producing,)  Hecker (sweet, small fruit), Quinault (mild-tasting, large fruit, often found in farmer's markets), and Tristar (large fruit, reliable producer, sweet). The most widely used day neutral strawberry in Canada is Seascape (medium sized fruit, conical shape, very sweet, good yield.) All strawberries are shallow rooted and as a result require frequent, light irrigation. Strawberries further tend to be a short lived perennial (usually around 3 years); in order to keep the production levels up in your strawberry patch, replace 30% of the crop every year.

 Blueberries are becoming increasingly popular in the diets of many due to the enormous health benefits they convey. Rich in anthocyanin antioxidants (this is what gives the berry its blue color; a single blueberry contains 15 different kinds), blueberries also posess high levels of vitamin A and C, are a good source of fiber, and contain potassium, iron, manganese, and other minerals. These berries have been shown to boost efficient brain function, lower the risk of heart disease, aid in digestive processes, and help to reduce the risk of cancer. The hardiest varieties of blueberries for the Calgary area are Northsky, Northcountry, Patriot, and Northland. All are crosses of highbush and lowbush blueberries and are hardy to winter temperatures of -30 degrees Celsius with 4-6inches of suitable ground cover such as snow or mulch. Whereas Northsky and Northcountry are very low growers (usually less than 1m in our area), Patriot and Northland grow marginally bigger (1.25-1.5m in our area.) Patriot is the earliest of the blueberries; all of the "North" varieties tend to be mid-season. All blueberries require acidic, peaty soil, so be sure to add two or three extra shovels full of peatmoss into the planting hole when first setting a new plant into the ground; follow up with a well-balanced fertilizer (i.e. 20-20-20 Ultimate by Plant Prod) twice a month from early May through late July.

   Evolution is an interesting phenomenon, both in the literal meaning of the word as well as cultural lexicon and jargon. Survival and evolution being closely linked to food supply, we as a species have learned to adapt to a wide variety of food sources in order to receive adequate nutrition; our population explosion across all continents is a testament to this. Although we may subsist on food that grows natively in our given ecological region, enjoying a breadth of culinary choices both locally and from abroad is a natural result of technological advances in the developed world. The problem that we are currently faced with has arisen due to inadequate supply for the unprecedented world demand, and the result is higher prices at the grocery store. So staggering is the problem, in fact, that it is estimated that close to 30% of household income in North America is now allocated to food (compare that to the 12% value that was the norm only a decade ago.) What does nature do when it encounters a problem? It evolves, and this is just what is happening to the cultural psyche in many communities. Instead of spending all of one's hard-earned money on groceries, the grass-roots movement that is sweeping many developed nations is to grow some of the household's food requirements. By simply growing 5% of the food you consume, an average household in North America can save approximately $1000 per annum. Team this with the unarguable fact that home-grown produce is measurably better for you, and the solution to the issue quickly arises - try growing some of your own!