Avocado Toast with Tomatoes

A comfort food of mine is avocado toast. It can be versatile, you can add anything you like on it and it’s so yummy.

Lately, I have been on this kick of putting sliced tomatoes on mine.

Get your avocados and sliced bread out and enjoy some yummy toast.

1 sliced sourdough bread

Vegan butter

1 quarter large avocado (more or less)

Sliced grape tomatoes (or any kind of tomatoes you like)

Toast the bread. Place once toasted spread on some vegan butter, the. Avocado and top with sliced tomatoes. Enjoy!

Natures Pest Control

Beneficial nematodes are helpful organisms targeting soil-dwelling insect pests like grubs, weevils, fleas, and larvae. They are microscopic, soil dwelling and serve as a natural pest control. This friendly alternative is environmentally safe are microscopic worm like organisms that occur naturally in soil.

To help control unwanted insects, beneficial nematodes are sprayed in the Spring and Fall when the soil temperatures range between 55 degrees F and 85 degrees F. Once applied to soil, they seek out insect hosts, entering through body openings or directly penetrating the exoskeleton. Once they are inside, they release symbiotic bacteria that kill the pest within 24-48 hours.

There are many benefits to using beneficial nematodes:

Environmentally friendly

Safe for people and animals

Effective pest control

Sustainability naturally keeping pest populations down

Safe for beneficial insects

Easy to apply

No resistance

Cost effective

With beneficial nematodes I know they are safe around us, our dogs, horses and wildlife.  It is important to us to be environmentally friendly and use organic products on our property.  I spray our whole property.

Where to buy?  I buy ours online from Arbico Organics but there are many other online stores. You can also pick up at a garden supply store near you. If preferred fruit m Arbico, the beneficial nematodes must be kept in the refrigerator once received and applied within two weeks of receiving.   There are a variety of beneficial nematodes and this site does a good job listing what insects they each attack.  We apply their Triple Threat product

Happy organic gardening, pest free!

Fall/Winter Fruit Trees

The last couple years my fruit trees have been neglected. They are overgrown and the fruits are full of spots (a few pics below). Starting this fall, I will begin getting my fruit trees healthier next seasons crop.

Here is a month by month for Fall/Winter to prepare for the Spring/Summer tasks.

October

• Harvesting: harvest the remaining fruits

• Post-Harvest Cleanup: Remove any fallen fruit and leaves, bag them up and have Waste Management take them away to ensure any infected leaves and fruits are off the property.

• Pruning: Do some light pruning and remove damaged or broken branches.

November

• Clean around the trunks and replace the old mulch with a new 3 to 4 inch layer of hay (not touching the trunk)

• Irrigation: Water before the ground freezes.

• Setup bird feeders in the trees to attract birds to clean up insects

December

• Check for pests

January/February

• Prune the trees while they are dormant. I will remove the dead and/or diseased branches and crossing limbs to improve air circulation and allow sunlight to flow through.

• Check for signs of overwintering pests and/or diseases and remove any infected wood.

•Spray the entire trees with all season horticultural oil in 40 degrees or above weather.

These tasks will keep me busy through the Fall and Winter. Spring and Summer still to come. Stay tuned…

Organic Homesteading

It is time to look at our organic homesteading lifestyle centered on growing our own food focusing on a plant-based diet. Our approach is to work in harmony with nature, cultivating fruits, vegetables and herbs without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides. This also means making the most of what the earth provides, reducing waste, and embracing a self-sufficient lifestyle by using sustainable and eco-friendly methods.

Whether you have a small piece of property, tons of acres or a suburban garden organic homesteading allows you to nourish your body while contributing to a healthier planet.

I will be focusing on getting our fruit trees healthier and determining what winter vegetables we want to plant.

This is all a learning process and some fruit and vegetables could take years to have healthy crops, but I am in it for the long haul and excited to see my plants flourish as I learn more about gardening.