May can be a busy month in the vegetable garden. It can also be a very satisfying period that always includes lots of sowing and planting – providing the weather gods are on your side.
The month is an ideal time to start a long list of crops. The soil is warm and moist enough to sow directly, young vegetable plants started indoors can be planted out once the risk of frost has passed, while heat-loving vegetables can be started undercover.
I have always found May an exciting period in the vegetable garden, but it can feel like a balancing act. You juggle planting vegetables, sowing seeds, watching out for pesky slugs that can nibble young plants, and battling weeds as they appear. It can be busy, but it is enjoyable as the plot starts to surge with life again for the new season.
(Image credit: Getty Images/Nosyrevy)
What vegetables are best to plant in May?
kitchen garden. Many vegetables to plant in April can still be sown this month.
Sowing the likes of leeks, kale, broccoli, zucchini and cauliflower can still be on a spring gardening checklist for May, while crops such as beets, carrots, radishes, and more, can be succession planted to give you long harvests. On top of those outlined above, here are 7 more fantastic crops you can plant in your vegetable garden in May.
1. Corn
(Image credit: Freedomnaruk / Shutterstock)
Where you plant corn in May will depend on your climate and US hardiness zone. You can sow corn indoors two weeks before your last frost date, which may mean starting seeds in a greenhouse or warm windowsill for some growers this month.
Corn started indoors should be planted into large modules or individual small pots to be planted out once the risk of frost has passed. If you live in a warmer climate corn can be started outdoors once the temperature remains consistently above 60°F – any colder and corn will struggle to germinate.
When growing corn, plant them out in a square formation to help with wind pollination and guarantee you the best harvest of corn.
You can see the range of corn seeds available at Burpee
Module Trays
As well as French beans, black beans and soybeans can be sown outdoors in May if you fancy trying a more unusual legume crop. Adding a nitrogen-fixing inoculant when planting beans can help give you stronger plants and soaking beans in water ahead of time can boost germination rates.
Mycorrhizal Fungi Inoculant
Growing kohlrabi is increasing in popularity as the swollen stems, which can be purple, green, or white, can be eaten raw or cooked. Sow the seeds thinly into drills, keep well-watered, and thin the seedlings to 8-12 inches apart as they develop.
The young seedlings will need to be protected from slugs and snails, they are liable to eat the shoots as they pop through the ground.
Discover the range of kohlrabi seeds available at True Leaf Market.
4. Peas
(Image credit: Alamy/ John Richmond)
There are different types of peas to grow, there are types to shell and mangetout or sugar snap pea varieties where you eat the pods too.
To grow peas, you can start plants indoors to get a head start or sow peas directly into the ground once the soil has warmed and the frosts over. Do not sow peas if the soil temperature is below 45°F as they won’t germinate in cold and damp ground.
All types of peas can be sown outdoors in May. Sow them 1-2 inches deep and 2-3 inches apart – depending on the size of the variety – in rows at least 12 inches apart. Keep the soil moist, but not too soggy as this risks the peas rotting, and get your supports in place quickly after planting.
You can see the range of pea seeds to sow at True Leaf Market.
5. Pumpkin
(Image credit: Getty Images/Trudie Davidson)
If you want to grow pumpkins this year, then May is the last window to plant pumpkins to give them enough time to develop.
As part of planning a greenhouse in spring, pumpkin seeds can be planted in individual pots indoors to grow and plant out in June. Or pumpkin seeds can be planted outdoors in the second half of May, at least two or three weeks after the last frost and the soil has warmed to 70°F.
There is a great range of pumpkins to grow, whether to display at Halloween or use in recipes, and there is always the option to try and grow a giant pumpkin – though you will want to start the seeds indoors quickly at the start of the month to give the pumpkin time to develop to a monster size. As well as pumpkins, May is also a great time to start growing squash from seed and plant zucchini.
Jack O Lantern Pumpkin
The crop is best sown directly into the soil in mid-spring and mid-to-late May can be an ideal time to plant rutabaga in many climates. Seeds want to be sown very thinly around half an inch deep in rows spaced 15-18 inches apart and thinned as they develop to nine inches apart.
Rutabaga needs consistently moist soil, so pay attention to when to water plants and keep the soil moist in the summer as irregular irrigation can cause the root to split. The crop can take six months to develop to full size, they can be harvested from late summer onwards and mature bulbs are 4-6 inches in diameter.
A classic variety to grow is ‘American Purple Top’ and you can get these rutabaga seeds at True Leaf Market. It produces large roots in around 90 days that are purple and yellow and the flesh is yellow.
7. Spring onions
(Image credit: Getty Images/Wokephoto17)
Spring onions and green onions are very fast-growing vegetables that take less than eight weeks to go from sowing to harvesting.
These alliums are grown for the stems – and some types for small bulbs – to be used in salads, stir-fries, and seasoning. They need little space, are ideal for successional sowing every three weeks, and can be grown between other crops. They are also great for companion planting and, for example, I sow them alongside my carrots to protect them from the dreaded carrot fly.
The seeds of spring onions should be sown directly into the soil and planted thinly in drills that are under an inch deep. Thin the spring onions as they develop till they are ultimately around 2 inches apart and you can even eat the thinned seedlings. ‘White Lisbon’ is a hugely popular variety to grow and you can get this variety of spring onion seeds at Ferry-Morse.
FAQs
Can you plant tomato seeds in May?
If you plan on growing tomatoes but have not sown your seeds yet, early May can be the last chance to plant them. Pick a fast-growing type of tomato, cherry types ripen the fastest and bush varieties produce fruit faster than cordon or vine tomatoes.
A variety such as Tomato ‘Baby Boomer’ available at Burpee would be ideal for sowing at the start of May. It will be best to start seeds in a greenhouse or on a warm windowsill to give them a good start in a warm and protected environment.
If you started vegetable seeds indoors and plan to put them outside into the ground this month, always harden off seedlings. It acclimatizes them to life outdoors and prevents their growth from stalling when planted outside. You can harden off plants simply by putting them outside during the day and back undercover in a greenhouse or cold frame at night for a couple of weeks.
Source: homesandgardens.com
Urban homesteading: Creating sustainability in the city limits
In recent years, urban neighborhoods have witnessed a growing trend toward homesteading, a practice traditionally associated with rural settings. While true homesteading may conjure images of vast expanses of land and boundless freedom, modern urban dwellers are redefining the concept by maximizing the potential of their limited spaces.
In Kingsport, this trend is evident in the transformation of front yards into flourishing vegetable gardens, the presence of goats and chickens in backyard spaces, and the incorporation of edible landscaping into the urban environment. Rain collection barrels and compost stations, once reserved for rural farms, are now becoming common sights at city homes.
Source: timesnews.net
FDA finally publishes ag-water rule for produce farming operations
After more than a decade of discussion, the Food and Drug Administration has published a final rule for certain agricultural water used in the production of produce.
The new rule was mandated by the 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act.
The FDA says the new rule reflects science and information gleaned from several produce-related outbreaks. The rule specifically addresses potential impacts on water from adjacent and nearby land, which includes the presence of animal feedlots. Such feedlots have been implicated in outbreaks from fresh produce. However, the FDA does not have the authority to go into feedlots during investigations of foodborne illness outbreaks.
The produce industry has had ample time and opportunity to provide input into the final rule, which has been years in the making.
Although it is called the final rule on agricultural water, the rule does not address water used for harvest and post-harvest water, such as that used to wash produce before it is shipped. Such water is used heavily in the production of leafy greens, especially those that are pre-cut and used in packaged salads.
The rule only covers pre-harvest water such as that used to irrigate crops. It does not cover water used in the production of sprouts, which is covered by a separate rule in the Food Safety Modernization Act.
“(The final rule) represents an important step toward enhancing the safety of produce. The revised requirements are intended to enhance public health by improving the safety of water used in produce cultivation. The revisions are also designed to be practical across various agricultural water systems, uses, and practices, while remaining adaptable to future advancements in agricultural water quality science,” according to FDA’s announcement of the final rule.
The final rule replaces certain pre-harvest agricultural water requirements for covered produce, other than sprouts, in the 2015 produce safety rule with requirements for systems-based agricultural water assessments to determine and guide appropriate measures to minimize potential risks associated with pre-harvest agricultural water. Specifically, this rule:
- Establishes requirements for agricultural water assessments that evaluate a variety of factors that are key determinants of contamination risks associated with pre-harvest agricultural water. This includes an evaluation of the water system, water use practices, crop characteristics, environmental conditions, potential impacts on water from adjacent and nearby land, and other relevant factors.
- Includes testing pre-harvest agricultural water as part of an assessment in certain circumstances.
- Requires farms to implement effective mitigation measures within specific timeframes based on findings from their assessments. Hazards related to certain activities associated with adjacent and nearby land uses are subject to expedited mitigation.
- Adds new options for mitigation measures, providing farms with additional flexibility in responding to findings from their pre-harvest agricultural water assessments.
Under the new rule, farms are required to conduct assessments of their pre-harvest agricultural water once a year, and whenever a significant change occurs, to identify any conditions likely to introduce known or reasonably foreseeable hazards into or onto covered produce or food contact surfaces.
Farming operations have a long time to implement changes necessary to meet the requirements of the new rule. Compliance dates for the rule are as follows:
- For very small farms: 2 years, 9 months after the effective date of the final rule;
- For small farms: 1 year, 9 months after the effective date of the final rule; and
- For all other farms: 9 months after the effective date of the final rule
Even though industry has been provided with the opportunity to give input into the writing of the rule, the FDA says it is “committed to taking an ‘educate before and while we regulate’ approach to supporting compliance.”
Along with the rule, the FDA also released a number of fact sheets, including one that provides an overview of agriculture water assessments and mitigation measures, and another that offers more details on factors for conducting these assessments.
(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News,click here)
Source: foodsafetynews.com
Epic Gardening Founder on the Magic of Homesteading: “It’s to Become Just a Bit More Self-Sufficient” (Exclusive)
“The goal is just to get you going, and once you hit one target, you start on the next.”
Humans and their ancestors have lived off the land in some sense since their initial evolution. Almost all humans took on hunter-gatherer roles — a “subsistence lifestyle,” as per National Geographic — starting about 2 million years ago (with Africa’s early hominins) until about 12,000 years ago.
The Neolithic Revolution ultimately killed hunter-gatherer living, as humans settled into farming villages. This led to the Bronze Age and the Iron Age, which birthed new technologies and trade, as per History.
Article continues below advertisement
As per Psychology Today and New Food, we’re seeing a possible transition into the Fifth Industrial Revolution and the Fourth Agricultural Revolution, respectively. While AI robots, “smart” technology, and biotechnology have led to a slew of positives, mass production, factory farming, and the transportation of goods have contributed to air, soil, and water pollution, waste, deforestation, and greenhouse gas emissions — not to mention the death of self-sufficiency.
However, modern homesteading is allowing people — including Epic Gardening CEO and founder Kevin Espiritu — to reconnect with the earth and reclaim independence.
Article continues below advertisement
Green Matters spoke exclusively with self-taught gardener, author, and homesteader Kevin Espiritu about his “epic urban homestead,” the goals of homesteading, and how his sustainable self-sufficiency saves him money.
What is homesteading?
In the U.S., homesteading connects back to the Homesteading Act of 1862. This act allowed 270 million acres of public land to be distributed to private American citizens. To officially hold a 160-acre parcel of said land, citizens had to be at least 21 years old or the “head of a household” and pay a filing fee, as per the National Park Service. Acquiring this land came with much work, as homesteaders had to “live on the land, build a home, make improvements, and farm.”
Article continues below advertisement
Article continues below advertisement
Espiritu personally feels modern homesteading is about becoming “just a bit more self-sufficient, just a bit more of a producer than a consumer,” he tells Green Matters exclusively via email. “This doesn’t mean you need to live off your land exclusively, only to decide on a target and work from there. Maybe you want to capture more rainwater, or put solar panels up and use less electricity from the grid, et cetera. This doesn’t necessarily need to be gardening; maybe you just want eggs.”
The Field Guide to Urban Gardening author tells us that farming video games from his youth, like Stardew Valley, Harvest Moon, and SimFarm inspired him to prioritize self-sufficiency.
Espiritu’s first video on his Epic Homesteading YouTube channel was posted on June 14, 2020, marking the start of his California-based modern homesteading journey.
Article continues below advertisement
Homesteading for beginners: Starting over stifling.
In 2022, Homesteaders of America found that aspiring homesteaders were apprehensive for two leading reasons: Finances and lack of space/land.
Espiritu didn’t have that mentality, as he revealed in a February 2024 episode of Epic Gardening’s podcast The Beet that he “mentally called” his former front yard urban garden a homestead.
Article continues below advertisement
“People just think, ‘I can’t get started because I live in an XYZ. I only have a balcony. I have a townhouse. I have no space,'” he says in the podcast episode. “I literally lived off my garden in that small front yard with some bartering, fishing, and foraging for a full month. And that was maybe a couple hundred square feet.”
Espiritu’s vision for modern homesteading in America is about evaluating the unique qualities, limitations, and advantages of your area and just getting started.
After getting a shed, Espiritu focused on energy, as San Diego is rich in sunlight. He swiftly purchased and installed solar panels on his house, knowing he’d make the money back, so to speak, after about five or six years.
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither was Espiritu’s epic homestead. His greywater systems, for example, were slowly added to his washing machine and both his indoor and outdoor showers over the course of years. Today, his suburban citrus orchard and artichoke patch thrive on greywater.
Article continues below advertisement
Lauren Miller of The Miller Acres also believes homesteading begins with where you are and what you have.
“You don’t even have to have a garden! The first thing that I canned was strawberry jam made from berries from Aldi!” she wrote. Learning to can, dehydrate, and pickle produce helped her cut down on waste and explore self-sufficiency.
Dozens of homesteading blogs tell aspiring homesteaders the same thing: Start small!
Article continues below advertisement
What is urban homesteading?
Though there’s not one set urban homesteading definition, Carly MacQuarrie of The Little Green Shoot wrote that it typically involves “growing your own food, to whatever degree possible, in the city.” The 2023 blog post also mentions scratch cooking, preserving harvests, and “[creating] clever space saving solutions.”
Though Espiritu’s “high-tech urban homestead” is in the city of San Diego, he’s not cramped for space like apartment homesteaders. According to the official description for his 2024 book Epic Homesteading, Espiritu’s urban homestead is located on “a modest urban lot.”
Article continues below advertisement
We asked him how his homestead is both a sustainable and money-saving project.
“I capture 7,000 gallons of rainwater at a minimum per year. Almost all of the electricity is generated from the solar panels on the roof; sometimes there’s a bill, but it’s pretty rare,” Espiritu tells us. “I grow all the produce I need unless it’s truly out of season. … As I have 25 fruit trees, I rarely need to buy fruit. And I never buy eggs from the grocery store because the hens produce more than enough.”
Article continues below advertisement
As for “how” to start urban homesteading, MacQuarrie maintained that “if you are already growing, cooking, and preserving your own food in the city or suburbs,” you’re doing it.
For people who don’t know where to start, she recommended composting and setting up a worm bin, growing mushrooms (via an indoor growing kit) and herbs (she believes they’re “one of the easiest things to grow”), and eventually learning to can and dehydrate food you’ve either grown yourself or foraged.
Article continues below advertisement
What are the best and worst U.S. states for homesteading?
According to World Population Review‘s 2024 data, Montana, North Dakota, Colorado, Nebraska, and Oklahoma are the states with the most homesteads. As of this writing, Montana comes out on top with 151,600 homesteads.
On the other end of the spectrum, Indiana-based homesteader Harold Thornbro of Redemption Permaculture at The Small Town Homestead believes that New Jersey, New York, Alaska, California, Connecticut, Nevada, and Hawaii are the worst U.S. states for homesteading, his reasons being poor climate, limiting local laws, land costs, and urbanization.
Educational blogs, books, and shows to help you become a knowledgable modern homesteader.
Find homesteading inspiration and sustainable, slow living knowledge via these …
Blogs/Brands:
Books:
Shows:
Source: greenmatters.com
Pork Company Criticizes EATS Act Inclusion in House Farm Bill Framework
Niman Ranch Expresses Disappointment in Attempt to Roll Back Animal Welfare Progress, Independent Family Farmer Economic Opportunity
WESTMINSTER, Colo., May 02, 2024–(BUSINESS WIRE)–House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., released the outline of a new farm bill Wednesday that includes language based off the highly controversial Ending Agricultural Trade Suppression (EATS) Act, with the goal of rolling back California’s Proposition 12 (Prop 12) and other farm animal protection laws like it across the country. Prop 12 bans the use of gestation crates for pork production on farms in California as well as the in-state sale of certain fresh pork products that do not meet these gestation crate-free standards.
Niman Ranch General Manager Chris Oliviero released the following statement:
“The inclusion of the provision mirroring the EATS Act in the House Agriculture Committee’s draft farm bill framework is a blow to animal welfare, smaller scale independent family hog farmers and pork companies like Niman Ranch that are committed to crate-free production practices and others that have made the necessary preparations to comply with California’s Proposition 12.
“The language is a gift to large-scale pork production companies with the goal of rolling back Proposition 12 and other similar state laws banning the sale of products from animals raised in cages and crates. The conventional pork industry has been unsuccessfully fighting Prop 12 since its passage in 2018. They lost in the court of public opinion when the law was approved with broad support among California voters, they lost in the courts—all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court declaring the law constitutional just last year—and now they are attempting a Hail Mary Pass with this overreaching legislative act that takes away states’ rights and farmer’s economic opportunity.
“Don’t believe the industry spin. Prop 12 does not force any pork company or out of state farm to convert their operation or sell into California. The argument that Prop 12 will hurt small farmers is counter to our experience as a company. In fact, over the last 40 years, the conventional industry’s focus on scale has forced out the very same small farmers they are purporting to protect. In Iowa alone, the number of pigs in the state has increased 83% since 1987, while the number of hog farms has declined 86%. In the pursuit of cheap meat, the industry has lost sight of basic consumer expectations for animal welfare, with smaller scale family farmers committed to higher animal welfare paying the price.
“Niman Ranch’s network of over 500 independent family hog farms prove every day that crate-free production is not only possible, but it can also be profitable and ultimately more pleasant for pig and farmer alike.
“I hope policymakers in the House and Senate see through the smoke and mirrors and stand up for farm families that have invested in Prop 12 compliance, higher animal welfare production and their rural farming communities.”
About Niman Ranch
Niman Ranch is a community of over 600 independent family farmers and ranchers who raise pork, beef and lamb traditionally, humanely and sustainably to deliver the Finest-Tasting Meat in the World®. Niman Ranch is the largest farmer and rancher network in North America to be Certified Humane®. The protein of choice for America’s most celebrated chefs, Niman Ranch is also the premier option for discerning home cooks looking for meats Raised with Care®, with no antibiotics or added hormones—ever.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240502641545/en/
Contacts
Alicia LaPorte
Niman Ranch
Communications Director
860-869-9788, alicia.laporte@nimanranch.com
Source: finance.yahoo.com
Everything to Know About Homesteading (and Why It’s All Over TikTok)
You may have learned about homesteading after seeing people show off their large garden plots or adorable chicken coops as they talk up the benefits of “living off the land” on TikTok or Instagram. And while this practice was once something that was reserved for people living in more rural areas, or people who didn’t have the resources to run to the store to pick up necessities, several factors — including the rising price of food — have made it more popular.
If you think homesteading is something you might want to check out, Mary Woita, homesteader and blogger at Boots & Hooves Homestead, has good news for you: Unlike the homesteaders of yore, modern growers don’t need acres of land or livestock to get started. In fact, beginning your homesteading adventure can be as simple as adding a few tomato plants in the garden.
Check out what Woita has to say about this lifestyle below.
What Is Homesteading?
Homesteading is the practice of becoming self-sufficient when it comes to you and your family’s needs, including food and basic care items. That can look different from homestead to homestead, depending on what you’re capable of doing on your own.
Some examples include growing your own food, raising chickens for eggs and/or meat, canning fruits and veggies so that you can continue to have fresh produce over the winter, making your own soaps, processing livestock (rabbits are a popular “meat animal” for smaller plots of land), and so much more.
How to Start Homesteading
Woita knows firsthand how hard it can be to start your homesteading adventure from scratch, as she learned everything she knows after leaving the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles for Nebraska for work. It was there that she says she met her “cowboy” husband, who taught her all about living off the land. Because of this, she says it’s important to know your limits when you’re first getting started.
“I always encourage beginner homesteaders to build skills slowly over time,” she says. “Start with small changes and processes like raising a few chickens and starting a small garden.” From there, Woita says you can begin to add more things to your homestead, growing your self-sufficiency as your knowledge base grows. “Each year, learn a new skill or two and continue to build upon each of these skills.”
In short, you don’t want to start with a field of produce and a coop full of chickens, but instead with a few key crops and a hen or two. This will keep you from getting overwhelmed while you learn about homesteading, allowing you to increase the size of your homestead at a manageable pace.
Does Homesteading Save Money?
Once your homestead is established, Woita says it really can help keep your finances in check. “It can save money if you plan properly, learn to barter, live frugally, repurpose, reuse, etc.”
Learning to start your garden from seed can save you even more money, she says, as you don’t need to pay extra to purchase those pre-established plants. If you learn how to harvest and store those seeds, you can avoid having to head to the store at all.
Foraging is another way Woita says you can save money. Foraging — which involves scouring natural areas for wild food like dandelion leaves, mushrooms, and more — can be done just about anywhere. In fact, there’s a whole urban foraging movement, wherein people living in cities and larger developments turn to the small stretches of natural land around them to try and rustle up those foraging favorites. You can forage on your own land, or talk to neighbors about checking out their property (that’s part of the bartering Woita mentioned earlier).
Just make sure you’re knowledgeable or have a foraging guide that can help you discern healthy plants and veggies from poisonous ones. No beginner should forage on their own. Even foraging with limited knowledge can be dangerous, so be aware.
Is Homesteading Worth It?
Just like with anything else, there are a few pros and cons to the process. Woita says that sometimes people get discouraged with homesteading because they take on too much too soon, making them feel overwhelmed. Additionally, thanks to the popularity of homesteading on social media, Woita says there’s a lot of risk of feeling like you’re failing when you compare yourself to other more established homesteaders — especially those larger accounts where they seem to be able to do it all while also holding down a full-time job and raising kids.
“Don’t allow overwhelm or comparison to creep in,” Woita says. “While it is really wise to learn from others with experience, it is also important to learn from mistakes made.”
And she says that there will be plenty of learning opportunities for beginners. “Humility, resilience, and adaptability are super important traits to learn to develop as a homesteader.”
That being said, she believes that the pros outweigh the cons, as homesteading can offer you financial freedom, the ability to live a healthier lifestyle — not only by getting more active while you’re working your garden, but also because you’ll be eating more fresh and non-processed foods — and reap some of the benefits of living a more simplistic life.
Source: yahoo.com