All the Dirt on Gardening

Now that more people are enjoying the pleasure of growing a few vegetables, herbs and maybe a berry bush or two, there is renewed interest in having a few backyard chickens. Eggs from backyard poultry are lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, have more vitamin A, E, beta carotene and omega 3 fatty acids. The Walton Family of Muskogee has had chickens for 7-years. Charley Walton, age 15, is primarily responsible for taking care of them. “We buy pullets (chickens that are 20 weeks old) from someone who sells at the Farmer’s Market,” said Charley. “Chickens that age are already ready to lay and you don’t have to raise them from chicks.” The first step in deciding to raise chickens is making sure they are legal in your area. The Waltons live in the County but many families who live in towns and cities keep a few chickens as pets. Horticulturist Russell Studebaker has raised chickens all his life and has 5 Bantam chickens in his Tulsa backyard garden. “Select the breed ...

Quayside Publishing Group released a cool new book promising that anyone anywhere can grow fruit trees. Many of us in OK would challenge that assumption after losing so many fruit trees over the decades. But, one characteristic gardeners have in common is the endless desire to keep on trying. Whether you are an experienced gardener or not, there is a lot to learn about growing fruit trees in a state where Mother Nature is so fickle. This book is unique in its approach since the authors' goals are unusual.  One of the authors is Cem Akin, the executive director of the Fruit Tree Planting Foundation. Akin's bio says "Cem has created charitable programs and planted thousands of trees on five continents - in jungles, deserts, and in between." Jungles and deserts both? Intriguing. The other author is Leah Rottke, a landscape manger specializing in arboriculture. The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation is a big deal that most people have not heard about. The non-pro...