Ready... Aim... FIRE!

 

My fiance is a flamer; that is, he likes to throw flames with our new weeding torch. Actually, "likes" is too casual of a word. He LOVES throwing flames with our torch, much like most men are instinctually drawn to fire. He grinned the whole time while torching the weeds. Perhaps, it was because it was gloriously faster than using a hoe or a weed eater, or maybe he has a pyro inside him.

Flaming the weeds is an experiment much like everything else. We talked to a farmer in Springfield, Mo that was successfully using a torch for weed suppression. So, I found a torch for $15.99 at a local hardware store and planned to use the bbq grill propane tank as the power source. I loved how the flame torch  advertised that it was: "An environmentally safe way to eliminate weeds organically. It's an organic weed killer! No expensive chemicals, no dangerous threats to our environment."

We had to we wait several weeks to hook everything up because the weekend winds seemed to be at a consistent speed of 90 mph. We wanted to kill the weeds and not catch the whole farm on fire. Smoky the Bear finally gave us the green light this weekend because the winds had died down. 

When we took the torch out of the box to hook it up, I saw that the torch was a lot bigger than I expected. It was not going to be able to do the precision weeding I had in mind. Unfortunately, it would probably char our plants if we got within 5 feet of them. It looked like it would be great to kill large areas of weeds only, so that is exactly what Damian did...I turned on the faucet and grabbed the hose - just in case!

Damian is firing it up

Getting two rows ready for garlic by flame weeding

Smoldering rows by our cabbages

Flames killing the weeds

Lettuce Be Healthy. Eat More Leafy Greens.

Romaine lettuce leaf lit from behind

We are getting ready to harvest about 140 heads of lettuce and 60 pac choi and I want to do a little more investigation about the health benefits of these leafy greens. Whenever I think of leafy greens, I assume they have to be good for me because THEY ARE GREEN!  However, I want to know HOW they benefit my overall daily health.

Romaine, red leaf lettuces, and pac choi are packed with the following nutrients:

• Vitamin C - reduces your risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. Vitamin C helps the body make collagen too; collagen is a major component of cartilage that aids in joint flexibility, may reduce your risk of arthritis, and keeps your skin and hair healthy and beautiful. Lastly, vitamin C aids in the prevention of the oxidation of cholesterol, which can reduce risk of stroke and heart attack.
• Beta-carotene/vitamin A- contributes to the growth and repair of the body's tissues. 
•  Potassium - helps lower high blood pressure, which can contribute to heart disease, and protects against osteoporosis.
• Fiber - Helps aid in digestion, helps satisfy your appetite to prevent overeating, and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It can also help to temper blood-sugar swings by slowing the absorption of carbohydrates into your bloodstream after meals.
• Folic Acid - helps keep blood vessels healthy and clear, which also reduces the risk of heart attacks and stroke. Also plays an important role in cell maintenance and repair.
• Vitamin K - used by your body to regulate blood clots, essential in forming various bone proteins necessary for bone formation and repair, and contains anti-inflammatory properties.
• Folate- can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease and memory loss. Folate also contributes to the production of serotonin, which may help ward off depression and improve mood.
  

Another fascinating fact is that a one cup serving of romaine lettuce can provide you with 82% of your daily value of vitamin A, 60% of vitamin K, 19% vitamin C and 16% folate. This is an amazing amount of nutrients in just one small cup of lettuce.

Our lettuces are growing big

We have already enjoyed fresh salads

And added lettuces to our sandwiches

There will be a super salad eating extravaganza!

Our Fall crop is looking great! We planted most of our crop in early September & we are so  happy  to all of the beautiful greens  growing. Fall in St. Louis means that temperatures fluctuate greatly and  evenings are a little chilly, but these plants do not seem to mind at all.

We have about 140 lettuces thriving right now.  We have romaine, red leaf, and iceberg varieties. I have already done a taste test on some of the baby leaves and they are delicous. The super salad eating extravaganza will hopefully start in early November!

We are also noticing that Pac Choi, a type of Chinese cabbage that I did not know much about earlier this year, are amazing plants. With almost 100% germination rate and transplant growth, we are expecting about 60 fully grown Pac Choi in late October.

Our sugar snap peas, carrots, beets, and broccoli are also looking great. Unfortunately, we had some transplant casualities  in the cauliflower and cabbage rows. I think I may have been too rough with some of the delicate transplant roots when planting, but I am not sure. It is really curious when you use the exact same method, dirt, and amount of water on each plant and  some thrive while others shrivel up and don't make it. I can't figure it out yet. My mother told me that I planted in the wrong astrological sign. :)

Check out the pictures of the beautiful growth at our farm.

Damian planting more lettuce

Red Leaf Lettuce

Pac Choi and broccoli growing in our rows



Pac Choi





Pac Choi is huge