#SanityGarden
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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
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
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
Thanks, Suzette! The more use and longer seasons I can get from our #SanityGarden, the better.
August 28, 2025 at 2:17 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
...so I don't know about you, but I'm excited to be growing a good nutritious tried & true vintage New England bean that, in coming years with increasing prices for other protein sources, should serve us well. They're a great source of fiber and protein.
In other #SanityGarden news from. . . 3/
August 25, 2025 at 2:26 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
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
To distract from the always bad, sad, news: ONIONS!

Pulled early this morning from raised bed #1 in the #SanityGarden here on #theMicrofarm, approximately four dozen onions of various sizes & colors lay drying in the sun before going to the curing rack, then storage.

So good, so tasty. #GetOutside
Approximately four dozen just pulled onions of various sizes and colors lay on a grade bed drying in the sun before going to the curing rack. #GetOutside
August 11, 2025 at 7:13 PM
roaddude.bsky.social
Harvest from #theMicrofarm #SanityGarden, most all from just this morning, including:

cukes, patty pan squash, Poblano, Hungarian, & Jalafuego peppers, Sungold cherry tomatoes, Carnival squash, hybrid landrace squash, Golden Zucchini, collard & cabbage greens, green beans, yellow and red onions.
A colorful variety of just harvested produce on two wooden porch steps, including cukes, patty pan squash, Poblano, Hungarian, and Jalafuego peppers, Sungold cherry tomatoes, Carnival squash, hybrid landrace squash, Golden Zucchini, collard and cabbage greens, green beans, yellow and red onions.
August 9, 2025 at 7:31 PM