Not Enough for Frosty but Still a Pain

This morning we woke up to a few inches of wet heavy snow. It melted around noon but it is still very cold. Occasional breaks in the clouds brought some much needed warmth.  The sun boosts my spirits as I long for warm summer days.

 This gnarly piece of wood was given to me by Grandma and Grandpa.

 This gives you an idea of the cold we experienced this morning.  I think we should get some warmer weather this next week. After Lynne and I returned from shopping Jim and Richie were up in the Orchard working on their pumpkin hills.  

 In the video we are setting up the little mini greenhouses to warm the soil before planting the pumpkins.  It was suggested by the Utah Pumpkin Club to warm your soil for about a week before planting. 

 Richie came up with the lid idea.  He took an old garden hose and used some ties to attach the plastic.  I thought it was a great idea.  I have seen some use wood or PVC pipe. 

 Here is our finished product.  We put a piece of wood on top but will find a rock to place on it in hopes to keep the lid on during wind storms.  There is also a stake driven into the ground on the back side that is attached to the hoop.  I think we will add one more stake for support.  This week we plan on planting our pumpkins and starting the long gourd seeds. 

When Will It Stop

Lately the weather has been a monster.  The wind has opened its jaws wide on my hoop house and delivered multiple smack downs.  Despite its brutal attacks inside the hoop house its warm and humid plants are growing and I have been pollinating tomatoes. So far we have been blessed with hoop house protection.

Garden Update ...Greenhouse

Spring cannot come soon enough for our family.  Snow and cold is just not our cup of tea.  Rich has been growing many different tomatoes and other vegetables I cannot even pronounce. 

  This year Rich wanted to grow some Heirloom varieties.  After a few months of growing baby tomatoes in our front room, he now has some ready to plant in his new hoop house. 

Here is his beloved beet.  As you know, he is the proclaimed President of the Utah Beet Growers Association or commonly called Beet Nation.

Rich has wanted to have a green house for many years now.  We have researched many different options and sizes and decided that we should build what is called a hoop house so he could start planting some of his tomatoes.

As we were working on pruning the fruit trees, Rich looked over and said that we needed to move the boat, and then he just stared at the covering that had been protecting the boat. We decided to use the blue tarp for the boat and use the portable garage for the greenhouse.  He asked me if I thought we could convert that into a green house, then we could cover a good portion of the garden area.  

It will be brilliant, if the wind does not blow it over or rip the plastic.  Only time will tell.



 We went to work with this design, and with a lot of heavy clear plastic, removal of a few of the posts in the frame, roto tilling the ground, and some muscle.  Now we have one huge green house in our back yard! Nice thing is we can take it down in June and turn it back into a shade tent.

Richie brings his little babies into the greenhouse.

 Rich and Richie have spent an amazing amount of time out in their little creation.  We now have approximately 35 tomatoes in the ground and some beets that have leaves bigger than the end of the growing season.


One at a time their Heirloom tomatoes get special treatment.  

 They still have more to plant but this is a good start.

We also have planted onions, peas, radishes, Brussel sprouts, and more beets in the ground.  The new plant of our garden this year is called kohlrabi. It is a weird shaped, cabbage like thing that Rich just thinks look so cool, we have to grow some!

Rich has put a heater inside to keep it warm enough during to cold nights.  This has worked really well thus far.  Last night we had another huge storm with wind gusts that made us think it might just fly away or rip apart!  We woke up to it still in one piece but covered in 6 inches of snow!  This is a lot of work, causes much stress and anxiety, but if this all works out, Rich will have tomatoes, beets....able to eat two months earlier than any other year!

Good job guys! you have worked really hard for this!

Lynne

"I Can't Belive I Did That"

A few days ago I had one of those "I can't believe I did that" moments.  Most of you know for the last couple of years I have been struggling with short term memory loss and cerebral processing speed.  Doctors have given me a couple of medications to help with this in hopes to maintain or improve my situation.  My latest medication is a patch that delivers medicine through the skin.  The drug enters the blood stream and is delivered to the target (brain) without going through the digestive system.  This is important as some of these drugs can tax the liver.  So I have been instructed to put on the patch daily before going to bed. 

Lynne usually puts on what we call my back patch. This medication also helps with hair removal when dislodging the patch.  Lynne finds my previous days patch and violently removes it with a grin on her face.  Needless to say my back is looking kind of patchy.... sorry I should not have given you this image.  Last week Lynne was feeling under the weather so I had to remove and stick on my own patches.   I thought I was doing a good job until I found 4 patches on my body.... Ha!  I could not believe it.  I can't even remember to apply and remove a sticker properly. The other night I was watching a commercial on TV about this medication and after touting the benefits of this "great" drug they stated that death has resulted from patients wearing multiple patches.... oops.   Lynne is feeling better now so I should be getting an appropriate amount of medication.  "I can't believe I did that....."

Catching Cricket

We have a little Pomeranian named Cricket. She is a cute little dog that gets scared easily and is kind of an air head of a dog. Well the other day, I was driving to work, and I noticed this little orange furr ball crossing our main street. I saw Cricket running across this busy street. I quickly made a u-turn and headed back to pick her up. I pulled next to her, opened the passenger door and called her name. She ran to my car, jumped in, barked and jumped back out. I was getting frustrated cause I could not catch her, so I decided to call Heather who was home to tell her where her dog was, and that she was acting scared and wouldn't let me catch her. Heather laughed and said, "Mom, Cricket is in my lap right now and I have just given her a bath... I looked over that the little dog I was trying to catch, and realize that I am trying to kidnap someone else's little Pomeranian! Looking back and laughing, I can't believe that I was able to get it in my car for that short time while it was running all over. So embarrassing!

Beet IT

Well my quest for the giant beet has been an interesting experiment in genetic diversity and optimal environmental conditions.  On both fronts I will continue to look for the best I can provide my team (Grandpa G., Jim, and Richie).  All of the latest botanical psychology has been used to ensure the Beet IT Nation (green and red)  is success this season.  Yesterday was the first day I exposed the beet team to a needed and intense part of their training, REAL light.... straight from the source it self.  Nothing can take the place of direct leaf to sun contact throughout the season.  It is the Beets first experience and as a team and we hope no injuries come from the ever intense competitive nature between these two abiotic and biotic forces of nature. Time will only tell as this epic battle unfolds over the course of the season.  Early participants were ordered from Baker Seeds in Dec. and have been slowly working for this very day.  We still have some participants in embryo that will join the team later this month.  Training will be direct sowing and require no transplants or media shock.  Only another championship will satisfy this group of dedicated botanical athletes.  This newly created sport (yes you read right, a sport because they call bowling, golf and curling a sport why not beet growing) has a budding group of enthusiasts and we are banking on endorsements and T.V. coverage later this fall. Let me introduce you to a few of the real champions and their coaches below. These images were taken during media day 2011.  We have a few big time beets that are still undergoing contact negotiation, they want a better spot in the garden... go figure.

I am on the left and am the Head coach of this crew.  When my beets start giving me flack I have them read my shirt.  

Richie's (bottom right) job is to pump up the crowd and get those beets growing.

Jimmy (top right) brings calmness and zen to the coaching staff.  I am confident in these two coaches and expect big beets.

 Beet Nations Athletic Director Sir Richard I (above) is arriving later this spring to monitor our progress.  He has been called the BEET Whisperer by many who know him.  Opponents tremble while his beet teams reach their true genetic potential.

More to come in a few weeks, until then...grow um big.

Coach Glassford

Happy Valentines

This year I enjoyed a Valentines breakfast and a lemon tree.  Yes you read correctly.  Lynne bought me a lemon tree so she can have zesty fresh lemon bars.  I grew up with a lemon tree in our front yard and remember fresh lemonade and tart desserts. I am a little nervous about keeping the lemon tree healthy and productive. 

 

 Ok see if you can guess who had what meal for Valentines breakfast.  You can choose from the following breakfast diners.  These names are in order from oldest (wisest and most decrepit) to youngest: Papa G.,  Momma G., Jimmy, Rachel, Heather, Richie.  Good luck!

I hope you all had a wonderful Valentines.... if it was not as good as you planned... better luck next year.

Dwight Kurt Schrute III has nothing on Richard Havloch Glassford II

What do Dwight and I have in common.... the love of BEETS.  Yes I said BEETS.  A portion of my life's attention has been directed towards the development of the largest beet known to man.  I speak of a table beet or what some call beet root, not sugar beets. I will post my success and failures as I chase the elusive world record beet.  Family renowned beet expert Richard Glassford Sr. (my beloved father) is my beet root confidant. Both Grandma and Grandpa G. have been growing quality beet roots.  You can check out Grandpa G's family record on our main blog page.  

 Beet seeds are a compound seed, made of many connected little seeds.  These seeds are some of my Detroit Red line.  I have some large ones still in the ground that I am saving for seed production. We are carefully selecting only the big ones.

  If you look closely you can see how the multiple seeds are clustered together.  It is easy to see in the top seed.

It is no secret that this is the year of the giant beet.  Many of us are working on the perfect culture to maximize our beets genetic potential. We planted some of our beet seeds two weeks ago.  This is one of our seedlings.  Just think... this could be a world champion.... or maybe just dinner. 

 You can see the seed attached to the top of a leaf.  All three seedlings in view came from one seed cluster.  I culled each little peat pot to one plant.  Last night we enjoyed the little culled beet greens on our salad... tasty!

 Did you Know That

* Scientific name is Beta vulgaris

* Native to the Mediterranean

* Leaves thought to been eaten before written history, how did they figure this out?

* French chefs polularies beets in the 1800's

* Beet powder used as a coloring agent in food and clothing

* Many colors of beet root:  red, white green, pink, purple

* Some have beautiful tree ring like patterns in the root... go ahead give a root a cut and check it out.

* Most of the beets grown commercially end up in a can

* Grandma and Grandpa G. prefer beets pickled

* Beets are an important part of the Eastern European diet

* Swiss chard is closely related to beets

 * Beet greens are better for you than beet roots

* Beets are a power food containing anti cancer properties

* One of the only crops you can eat the leaves and roots

* Eat too many beets and you might see your urine or stool (pooh) turn pink or red, beeturia

* People with kidney or gall stones should avoid beets (oxalates)

* There are many modern varieties of beets, Red Ace is the most commonly planted

* Beets can be used to make homemade wine... interesting!

* A cup of beets is about 75 calories

* Ancient Greeks and Romans enjoyed beets...they really liked them

* Sugar beets are about 20% sugar and beetroot (table beets the red ones you normally eat) are around 10% sugar

* If you like spinach you should like beet greens

I have been putting my little beet babies under lights for a few hours every night.  During the day they are placed next to a south facing window. The leaves you see are called cotyledons or seed leaves.  Some of them are starting to get their true leaves.

What people say about beets (at least those that are living with us)

Richie "its the way to a woman's heart"

Heather " the bigger they get the nastier they taste"

Lynne "it turns everything pink"

Big Rich " Grandpa is the beet master... he knows them like the back of his hand...grandpa makes the beets happy with lots of water

Jim "baby beet leaves taste great"

Rachel "Daddy gave me . 50 cents to try my first beet... I was bribed" 

If you read this post please let us know what you think of beets. 

As you can tell, by prematurely planting my red beets,  I am slightly excited to start our garden.  We got our second shipment of vegetable seeds this past week.  Here are a few of the new varieties we are growing this year.  I am expecting two more shipments and we are going to buy a few plants from the local nursery. It will be Lynne's goal to keep me out of the local nurseries.  Last year Richie and I would sneak off and go buy some plants.  Spring is a wonderful thing.  If you want a little bit of spring, plant some beets in a pot and stick it next to the window.  You can grow some fabulous greens and maybe have a few beet roots for supper.  

Happy Birthday Derek

This past week we celebrated Derek's first birthday.  He had a great time with his presents and cake.  He is one of the happiest little kids. We have a few images of the party. 

 

 Father and son working as a team to blow out the candle.

 

 Derek chilling, smiling at all his fans. He was the star of the evening.

As he sucks off the sweet frosting I think he bit his little finger.

 

See the little red spot on his finger.  I think it is an owey from an accidental finger bite.  

 

He likes to use this foot.  The little guy his quite creative with his feet.  Maybe we have another soccer player on our hands.   

His first big grab of cake.

 It took him a little to start eating the cake but once he realized it tasted good, he was in it to win it.

 He was a clean cake eater.  Our kids were a serious mess. 

 I don't think Derek has eaten many sweet things but you can see he is not taking the little bite, chew and chew philosophy.

 Yummy...

Lynne and I found an interesting little troll like alien droid like stuffed creature.  It is so strange we had to buy it for Derek (Heather had shown it to Lynne earlier, I think she wanted one too).  Derek was very intrigued by the circular mouth and the carp like action it creates when you squeeze the "things" mid section.

Derek pulling his finger out of the carp-like mouth.  I love the inquisitive look on his face. 

As Jessica squeezes the thorax of the creature it makes the sound of a thousand aliens from galaxies beyond. 

We also got him an orange ball.  The little guy really likes playing with things that roll or bounce.  The ball is like a big super ball it can really bounce.  In this image he is throwing me the ball. 

He loves to play catch. 

Pick a boo!

Happy Birthday Derek.  We look forward to many years of fun with this little guy. 

Gone For A Season

I started this experiment on June 1st. One of my main goals was to grow a beard vertically and horizontally larger than my Dad grew his beard. I think I have succeeded even though grandma G. questions my success. I challenge Richie to do the same. Years from now I might try a longer fungal mass in hopes to secure the the longest beard ever grown by a Glassford. 

The above image was taken minutes before partial removal. One of the main problems I experienced with my long facial hair was eating and drinking. It was a hassle to say the least. Another would be people stare and give you a puzzled look. It is kind of a "what the heck" look. 

A benefit would be saving money on shaving supplies.... yes it is expensive to shave. You also get the nod from other endowed facial growers. There is a brotherhood among those who dare to put down the razor.

Lynne said on many occasions.... I want my husband back. I did not marry a biker, homeless person, convict or crazy person. I saw this look many times this growing season. 

Even though Lynne greatly disliked my experiment she was a trooper... thank you Lynne.

I would also like to thank Heather for taking the images for us.  She is quite the little photographer.

Well I have have had my facial experiment for 7 months, and Christmas day I started exposing my face to the elements.  It took a few days with a goatee before I could shave off most of the hair.  Currently I am supporting what you now see and will shave all of it within a month. I would like to thank my mother and father for providing me with the genetic abilities to grow a beard for without I would have been for every wondering.... what it would be like to have more hair on my face than on the top of my head.