#5To use the bola, grasp the middle length of cordage by the weighted end, twirl the bola over your head a few times, and then release it in a throwing motion in the direction of the target. Make no mistake, it takes practice to be able to hit a stationary, much less moving, target.

COLD FRAME

A cold frame is basically a type of greenhouse. In fact, traditionally they were built alongside a greenhouse and used to harden off seedlings that had been started in the larger structure. Today, many people use cold frames to extend the growing season, particularly in the colder northern climes.

This is one project where I truly can’t give you exact, step-by-step instructions because the cold frame is largely dependent upon the materials available. Many people use an old window obtained from either their own or another homeowner’s remodeling project. Alternatively, you could fashion together a window using clear plastic like Lexan.

MATERIALS

Window

Lumber

Weather-resistant screws

Insulation, such as small bales of straw (optional)

#1The basic idea here is to build a box with a clear lid, ideally angled toward the sun. In the United States, this means the lid would face the south. The lid allows the sun’s energy to heat up the inside of the box, and angling the lid helps gather more of that energy. Plus, an angled lid lets rain slide off.

#2Some people go so far as to add some insulation to the outside of the box, such as small bales of straw. It is important, though, to make sure you open the lid when the weather is nice to allow for air flow.

#3Most cold frames are built so the lid is hinged, making it easy to open and close. This isn’t a necessity, though, and you could simply build a box and rest the window on top of it.

#4It stands to reason that your cold frame box can be no larger than the available window or other clear lid you have. The box itself should be built using weather-resistant wood, such as cedar, if possible. Most cold frames don’t have a bottom on them and are just built directly on the ground. That being the case, it is important to protect the wood from moisture if it isn’t naturally resistant. I don’t like using treated lumber for projects that will contain things I may be eating at some point. If you don’t have or cannot afford cedar, you can paint the wood to protect it from the elements.

#5Use weatherproof screws; otherwise, you may find your cold frame is falling apart within a year or less.

#6As for height of the box, 1 or 2 feet should be sufficient. Any higher and you’re wasting energy by just heating air instead of plants and soil.

SEED TAPE

Seed tape is a great tool for increasing the efficiency of your gardening efforts. You can buy seed tape, of course. But you can produce the same thing for far cheaper if you’re willing to put in just a bit of time and effort. There are two distinct advantages to using seed tape in the garden. First, it largely eliminates the need for thinning as seedlings come up. Second, many seeds, such as lettuce and carrots, are extremely small. So small, in fact, that you almost can’t help over-seeding the area. Seed tape allows you to conserve your supply, which could be vitally important in any sort of extreme, long-term crisis.

MATERIALS

1 packet of seeds

Toilet paper

Ruler

Marker

Flour

Water

Toothpick or small twig

Tweezers

#1Look at the back of your seed packet or consult another source to find out how far apart your seeds are supposed to be planted. Roll out a few feet of toilet paper on a table and fold it in half lengthwise. You’ll be placing your seeds on half of that strip.

#2Use the ruler and marker to make a dot where each seed will be placed. Here, we’re using carrot seeds, which should be planted 1 inch apart.

#3Next, you’ll make your glue using the flour and water. Mix them at a ratio of two parts flour, one part water. You won’t need much, maybe 2 tablespoons of flour and 1 of water.

#4Use a toothpick or small twig to place a small dot of glue on the marks you made on the toilet paper. Then, use the tweezers to pick up and drop a single seed onto each spot of glue.

#5Alternatively, you could dip the toothpick in the glue, use it to pick up a seed, then wipe the glue and seed on the toilet paper.

#6When you get to the end of the toilet paper, place a few drops of glue at both ends of the paper, then fold it over to seal the seeds inside. Let this sit out for a few hours or overnight so the glue can dry completely.

#7To use, dig a small trench in your garden to the prescribed depth, lay down the seed tape, and cover it with soil. Tamp down the soil a bit to make sure everything stays in place. Water regularly and soon you’ll have seedlings breaking through, all properly spaced without any thinning required.

GROWING FOOD FROM KITCHEN SCRAPS

As a general rule of thumb, we as a society throw away a lot of stuff, don’t we? Now granted, many of us make diligent use of compost bins so a fair amount of the organic “trash” is reused. But, did you know you can sort of skip a step and grow food directly from some of your kitchen scraps?

There are literally dozens of fruits and vegetables that can be grown from scraps. I’m only going to talk about a handful of them here. If this is something that interests you, get online and do some research to find more things you can grow.

Please note, it is always best to seek out and purchase heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables whenever possible. Many of the fruits and veggies sold today are actually hybrids. Because of this, the seeds and such won’t necessarily grow true. In fact, they might not grow at all. Think of heirloom varieties as being pure-blooded and hybrids as mutts. In this case, unlike with dogs, mutts are bad.

ROMAINE LETTUCE

Cut or tear the stalks so as to leave a stump about 2 inches high from the bottom. Poke three toothpicks into the bottom of the stump or stalk to make sort of a tripod shape. Place the stalk into a bowl or glass and fill with water to about halfway up the stalk. The stalk should be resting on the toothpicks. Put the bowl or glass on a windowsill or some other location that gets plenty of sunshine. Within just a few days, you’ll see new growth starting at the top. Dump out the water and add fresh every day. Once the roots begin to develop, remove the toothpicks and transfer the plant to either a pot or right into the garden.