blockhill - forest garden experience & education

North Canterbury

Shitake Harvest

Shitake Harvest

September 09, 2019
Finally, after several years of waiting, shitake mushrooms are sprouting from the logs. I inoculated these fresh willow logs using the wooden dowel method and kept them in a damp shady location, checking periodically but as time went by and nothing happened, the logs inadvertently dried out and I assumed it was a failure. I ended up partially burying the logs as part of some minor earth works near a small pond. Surprise when month later mushrooms began popping. So harvested and ate.
  fungi  harvest 
Last of the apples

Last of the apples

Details   The last 2 apple trees are now ready for picking. For some reason, these are some of the cleanest apples we have had this year.

Both of these trees have been improved with supporting / companion plants such as bulbs, foxgloves, lupins and strawberries.
Date   May 18, 2011
Tags     Apples  harvest 
A hint of garlic

A hint of garlic

Details   It's high summer, we've passed the longest day and our garlic had been in the ground for 7 months.

This represents about 40-50% of the crop and is the first time we have grown garlic at our place.
Date   December 27, 2011
Tags     garlic  summer  harvest 
Black Turtle Beans

Black Turtle Beans

Four months ago I planted a small handful of beans in an area of about six square meters.

Now they are ready to pick and I have gathered in at least 30 - 40 times what I planted.

This has got to be one of the best and easy to measure returns on effort expended.
March 20, 2011
Harvesting Potatoes

Harvesting Potatoes

I have been digging potatoes, clearing ground for winter improvements and mulching.

6 of the bigger plants that had been in since late September (209 days) resulted in this assortment of spuds, drying inside before going into storage.
April 25, 2011