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roaddude.bsky.social
Road
@roaddude.bsky.social
540 followers 560 following 600 posts
Photog/Writer/Artist/Cook
Maine Coast

- Well versed in slow travel, off grid, & back country life
- Gardening Geek, Woodworker
- #TheMicrofarm
- #GetOutside

Wherever you go, whatever you do,
#LeaveItBetterThanYouFoundIt
Posts Replies Media Videos
roaddude.bsky.social
One of my favorite night sky images, shot in the Chihuahuan Desert. This is a single frame image, no stacking or double exposure, all done in camera and on-site.

Those are 12-14' tall Giant Spanish Dagger Yuccas, side lit by a semi-tractor as it turned a bend.

#AlphabetChallenge #WeekNforNights
Night sky shot of the Milky Way and its galactic center with planet Jupiter, arching over giant 12-14' tall Spanish Dagger Yuccas, lit from the side, in the Chihuahuan Desert. © 2019 roaddude.com
September 30, 2025 at 1:12 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
Heya Alyse, nice to see you! The greenhouse plastic is att'd to long strips of wood, tho not fastened to the bed. Then bungeed over the top near each hoop. I can lift it a little or a lot, stays in place, or raise both sides for warm days. I use horse manure & grass clippings, and black milk jugs.
Long tall raised garden beds with hoop covering. Long tall raised bed with hoops and garden cloth raised on one side. Long tall raised bed with hoops and garden cloth raised on both sides. Inside view under hoops and garden fabric down long garden bed with the fabric raised on both sides.
September 29, 2025 at 4:39 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
I devised a simple jig for bending the metal conduit into the desired radius. Also figured a quick easy, sturdy, way to attach them to my raised beds. If anyone is interested, I'll post up more about that process as I have time.

Have I told ya how much I love my #SanityGarden here on #theMicrofarm?
A particle board jig with screws in an arch on which a 10' piece of metal conduit is being bent into an arch before cutting to length.
September 29, 2025 at 2:34 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
All of which should, hopefully, extend my growing season so that the second heads of cabbage (which grow from the stalk after main head is harvested) and my 2nd plantings of beans etc have better chance to mature.

All great fun experimenting with for fresh wholesome food for #theMicrofarm table. 3/
Vermont cranberry beans, volunteer squash, and marigolds in a raised garden bed. 2nd growth green cabbage after 1st head harvested
September 29, 2025 at 2:30 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
Prepping #theMicrofarm 's 3 tall raised garden beds for cold weather. I bent & installed 1/2" EMT conduit in 1/2 hoops to support UV resistant greenhouse cover. Inside that will be last year's red Pex hoops supporting IRAD greenhouse cover, creating double-walled protection. 1/

#SanityGarden
Photo of a long, angled, view of three tall, 12' long, raised garden beds with new conduit semi-circular hoops installed, ready for UV-resistant greenhouse cover. Along the rails of the closest tall bed is an assortment of colorful red, yellow, and green vegetables just harvested and sitting in morning sun. To the left are three low raised garden beds supporting a tall walk-through arch of cattle panel fencing.
September 29, 2025 at 2:12 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
We've been picking away at it all summer...nothing quite like walking out the door to your own garden for basil, onion, cukes, carrots, tomatoes and so much more. I adore collard greens and have fun trying 'em different ways.

This is from today, of how well they're doing. Come and grab some!
Lush full planting of tall, bright green Champion Collard Greens in a tall redwood and metal raised garden bed.
September 17, 2025 at 1:33 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
Have I told you how much I love our vegetable garden?

I've started 2nd plantings of rutabaga, red and golden beets, beans, cabbage, and 3 types cukes. Time to get new metal hoops made and cover 'em up before first freeze.

Collards, tomatoes, & peppers all still strong.

#theMicrofarm #SanityGarden
photo of a row of colorful just-picked vegetables resting on the flat top board around the edge of a tall raised garden bed. It includes a few types of tomatoes, delicata and carnival winter squash, patty pan summer squash, and several peppers of various types. In the foreground are several 2nd crop rutabaga tops growing in the raised bed and a red-handled pair of garden snips. In the background are two lower raised garden beds full of marigolds red and yellow and tomato plants.
September 17, 2025 at 12:55 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
Using one photo already on your phone, what is the announcement tomorrow at 2?

Uhh, we're not sure but have mixed feelings about finding out...
Handsome, playful and goofy black & white dog stands with his front paws on the edge of a black coffee table, on which is an all black cat sitting on his haunches, his front paws out in front. Both dog and cat are looking straight at the viewer as if their mock battle was interrupted unexpectedly. – iPhone photo, 25/0901
September 2, 2025 at 1:00 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
You bet, and thank you, Jaime – I took it in the early days of the pandemic and posted it with these thoughts.
September 2, 2025 at 10:52 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
It's a black & white world with these pets, for sure. Our other cat is all black and white, and it can be rather striking among the color of our rooms to see them all at the same time.
A fluffy black & white feline, comfortable atop a stuffed wing-armed chair in the glow of afternoon light from a window. Several potted plants sit on a table and one hangs from the top of the window frame. The images evokes a very calm and peaceful afternoon.
September 2, 2025 at 10:25 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
Morning Ritual

These two weren't expecting me, evidently. An every morning ritual, the cat bats the dog about the head with both paws in rapid fashion & the dog bobs and weaves, lunging in with nips and nibbles. A chase then generally ensues, sliding and skittering across old floors.

#theMicrofarm
Handsome, playful and goofy black & white dog stands with his front paws on the edge of a black coffee table, on which is an all black cat sitting on his haunches, his front paws out in front. Both dog and cat are looking straight at the viewer as if their mock battle was interrupted unexpectedly.
September 1, 2025 at 5:19 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
We shall see! Last winter's experiment was seeing how low hoops over the tall beds would stand up over winter. Learned a lot.
Image of three long, tall, raised garden beds with hoop coverings lit from within on two of the beds. Light frosting of snow on the ground next to the beds. Image of tall raised garden bed in winter with plastic pipe supported hoop covering beginning to malform from repeated snow loads. The raised bed railings and ground around are covered in snow.
August 28, 2025 at 3:35 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
G'morning, Erin – thank you! It's a pleasure to tend, keeps me sane and our bellies full.
That's General Beauregard, a very smart big goofball of a dog. Keeps me on the run, for sure.
Hope you're finding ways to keep sane out there in AZ land.
Tall black & white canine sitting, looking at the viewer with a tilted head and questioning look.
August 28, 2025 at 2:22 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
Going Vertical

Dusk in the #SanityGarden at #theMicrfarm with L-M-R views of the walk-through arched trellis that goes back about 20 feet. Going vertical with even sweet potato vines (far L in 1st image) helps me maximize what little footprint we have. Huge success.

When all the squash & tomato...
Photo of 3/4 view from left, at dusk, of short raised garden beds made of redwood-stained lumber and corrugated roofing metal with arched wire trellises, lush green climbing vegetable vines, and a double row of solar-powered LED lights attached along the top of the arched trellis. Photo of straight-on view, at dusk, ng down between two short raised garden beds made of redwood-stained lumber and corrugated roofing metal with arched wire trellises, lush green climbing vegetable vines, and a double row of solar-powered LED lights attached along the top of the arched trellis. The left raised bed looks slightly higher because the ground slopes up to the left. Photo of 3/4 view from right, at dusk, of short raised garden beds made of redwood-stained lumber and corrugated roofing metal with tall arched wire trellises, lush green climbing vegetable vines, multiple clusters of Sungold Cherry Tomatoes, hanging planters with nasturtiums, and a double row of solar-powered LED lights attached along the top of the arched trellis. In the lower right corner of the image is a black and white canine looking back to his left.
August 27, 2025 at 11:12 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
... #theMicrofarm, have I told you how much I love my gardens?

They are, truly, keeping me sane in these trying times. I'm up before 1st light this time of year to go out & check things, & both of us check the gardens before we go in the house when we get home from somewhere. ... 4/

#GetOutside
Photo of view looking back between several low raised garden beds or redwood colored frames surrounding galvanized aluminum tin, with arched trellises, lush vegetable growth, and a hanging basket of struggling nasturtiums.
August 25, 2025 at 2:41 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
WAITING FOR JACK
Vermont Cranberry Dry Beans. . . anyone ever try them?

Though I planted these late as a fall crop & don't know if they'll mature before hard frost, I'm excited to have them in the #SanityGarden here on #theMicrofarm.

Strong & vigorous, they emerged two days after planting... 1/
The cotyledon from Maine co-op Fedco Seed's Vermont Cranberry Dry Bean sprout rises from dry grass mulch, reaching for the sky, strong and proud. Planted 8/15, emerged just two days later (!), I have hopes it and it's several fellow seedlings will mature before hard frost. This is an old New England staple, and though edible before dry by cooking via typical "green bean" methods, is usually harvested when the bean husk is thoroughly dry on the vine. It shells *very* easily, providing an abundance of wholesome speckled dry beans to use throughout the winter and to use for replanting come spring. Buy once, reap the harvest forever. Chock full of protein and great for the diet, strong and vigorous to grow, I'm tickled as hell to be growing these beans for my family and neighbors.
August 25, 2025 at 1:48 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
A Girl & Her Carrots

She sure loves her carrots and comes in with a huge wide smile wit bunches like this. These are Scarlet Nantes – very sweet when pulled at the right time.

She's a peas & carrots girl, for sure ad simply adores growing both.

#theMicrofarm #SanityGarden #Maine
Image of a woman from shoulders down, in green and orange, standing in an open doorway, arm around a huge bunch of freshly pulled bright orange carrots with even brighter lush bunch of greens sticking out the back.
August 21, 2025 at 2:16 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
I have my trusty Felco 310 garden snips, which have a sharp blade on one side and slightly toother blade on the other, and forget sometimes how easy they make a lot of gardening chores. They stay on my belt or within easy reach a good seven months a year, everywhere I go. Great tool.
August 20, 2025 at 4:39 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
We do love our gardens here on #theMicrofarm, all of 'em, though especially our growing vegetable garden spread.

Thanks, pretty good so far...hope you're having a good summer, too.
Somewhat of a bird's eye view of several handsome raised garden beds of redwood colored frames and roofing metal with a variety of vegetables growing and garden implements about.
August 20, 2025 at 12:43 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
Beet greens are the best, aren't they? Detroit Red Beets are usually a dependable seed and can be harvested from quarter size up to 3" or more in size. Loose soil, some amendments like a good compost, good sunshine, and you should be good.

Here's what I used for the quart of fermented beets:
A dozen or so freshly peeled crimson red beets with 2-3" of stems still on rest in a silver aluminum mixing bowl.
August 20, 2025 at 12:35 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
No, standard Ball leakproof plastic lids, better than metal for long term storage of fermented foods w/salty brines. I have a set of lids w/airlocks, tho the more I experiment w/fermenting, the more I see they're not always necessary. It's more about being exact with weight of produce and % of salt.
Chart showing Total Salt Concentration Chart for Bring-Fermented Vegetables, with 2% through 4% and what vegetables to use them with, with a 6 point explanation of how to find and use the various percentages.
August 20, 2025 at 12:11 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
From #theMicrofarm #SanityGarden.
5 jars of fermented goodness.

L>R: 1qt Beets w/carrot, garlic, & dill; 1qt Sweet Sauerkraut w/cabbage, carrot, & garlic; 3qt jar of Half-Sour Pickles, Brooklyn Deli-Style; 1qt of straight sauerkraut; 1qt of Half-Sour Pickles.

All from the garden!
#GetOutside
Five jars of colorful fermented vegetables on a wrought iron table with a rose pattern. From L to R: 1 qt of cubed Beets with grated carrot, garlic, and dill; 1 qt of Sweet Sauerkraut with cabbage, grated carrot, and garlic; 3qt jar with bail lid full of Half-Sour Pickles, Brooklyn Deli-Style; 1 qt of straight sauerkraut, 1 qt of Half-Sour Pickles. In the background are weather cedar shake shingles and a porch railing.
August 19, 2025 at 8:57 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
Heh, he comes from Louisiana royalty!
I might put a portrait of P.G.T Beauregard in his 'room.' You know, down at canine eye level. 🤪

Beau looks serious and stubborn like this, at times.
Black and white Civil War portrait of Gen PT Beauregard from Louisiana.
August 13, 2025 at 12:15 AM
roaddude.bsky.social
The dog we had, the Wingnut Doggo, succumbed to a sudden fast-growth tumor just over a year ago. You may know that, not sure.

Our new dog, General Pierre Gustave Toutant Beauregard, or Beau, Bobo, You Goofball, Whattadog, is fitting right in. He's a terrific help in the garden.

#theMicrofarm
August 12, 2025 at 11:02 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
#GetOutside
#LeaveItBetterThanYouFoundIt
A bright red watering can with rectangular decal that says "The Only Monarchs We Need" over an image of a Monarch Butterfly. In the background are a variety of perennials, yellow, white, crimson, and purple.
August 12, 2025 at 10:50 PM