Podoll's deep mulch family garden

Our Deep-Mulch Garden System

     Our gardens utilize a thick layer of mulch between the rows; the mulch covers the soil in a 4-6 inch thick mat; our rows are spaced 3 feet apart.  This mulch system has many advantages in terms of soil quality. It creates a perfect environment for feeding the soil microbes and earthworms, leaving them undisturbed to do their soil building work.  Mulch also dramatically increases the amount of rainwater that enters the soil, reducing runoff and erosion.  The mulch protects the soil in the event of a hard driving rain.  AND mulch systems offer the user-friendly benefit of helping to control weeds!

Deep Mulch Gardening "How to?"

  

Pea row planted and trellised.

Much of last year's mulch layer has been decomposed; literally composted in place, adding fertility.  The mulched width between our rows is 3-4 feet.  The only weeding required is between the plants and next to the mulch!

To Plant

The mulch is separated with a pitchfork exposing 6-9" of black soil in the row that is to be planted.   Opening the rows a day or two before planting will help to warm the soil and speed germination.

Once the soil has warmed and you are ready to plant, tilt the blade of your hoe to a vertical position (perpendicular to the soil) or 45 degree angle (whichever you prefer); dig the row 3-6" deep (depending on what is to be planted).

 Smooth the seed bed after digging with a hay fork or the backside of a garden rake (turned tine side up) to gently break up larger aggregates and level the soil.  Plant as directed on your seed packets.  

FLASH SALE ON CULINARY GARLIC!

When its gone... its DONE!

Got Garlic? Garlic can help you power through the cold and flu season! AND we are offering a FLASH SALE on our culinary garlic!  For a limited time you can stock your pantry at a special price of $10 a pound. Garlic is a natural immune system booster that helps the body fight infection and viral attacks. In addition garlic provides a long list of health benefits due to its powerful antioxidant properties. Garlic contains a compound known as allicin, which helps lower cholesterol levels, prevent blood clotting, and has been shown to have anti-microbial and anti-cancer properties. Garlic is low in calories and high in nutrients, containing manganese, Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, selenium, and fiber. The best way to enjoy garlic's health benefits is to eat it raw, or close to raw. Temperatures above 140°F destroy allicin. Add garlic at the very end of the cooking process, after you’ve removed the heat source, to best preserve and enjoy its flavor and health benefits.  Eat well! Our best to you,  Theresa, Dan & Neil
SALE:Culinary Garlic! Bogatyr, Purple Stripe Garlic (Click to order! ) CERTIFIED ORGANIC-- BOGATYR (Marbled Purple Stripe/Hardneck)  5-7 cloves per bulb.  Bogatyr garlic originated in Moscow and is relatively rare. Beautiful marbled purple bulbs with easy to peel brown clove wrappers. It provides an initial spicy bite when raw but does not linger on the palate, making it ideal for recipes using raw cloves, such as pesto or hummus.  Fat cloves are well-suited to roasting with a pleasing garlic flavor. Also, well-suited to fresh eating, sauteing, stir-fries, pickling, and soup. This is a consistent and productive garlic that holds well in long-term storage. This variety will grow well in most regions of the United States.	SALE:Culinary Garlic! Georgian Crystal, Porcelain Garlic (Click to order!) CERTIFIED ORGANIC-- GEORGIAN CRYSTAL (Porcelain/Hardneck) 4-6 cloves per bulb. Great for salsas and pesto; just the right amount of bite, but not too spicy raw. White bulbs consist of big, easily-peeled cloves in pink and yellow wrappers. Classic roasting garlic, with a smooth buttery flavor and texture. Georgian Crystal is an extra oily garlic making it a healthy choice for its high allicin content: allicin is known to lower cholesterol and increase circulation, boosting the immune system. Well-suited to fresh eating, sauteing, stir-fries, pickling, and for inclusion in soups, pestos, hummus and any recipe calling for a clove of your favorite garlic.
Click here to visit our website! Copyright ©  2017 Prairie Road Organic Seed. All rights reserved. Prairie Road Organic Seed [th]e-Seed   Contact Us: 9824 79th ST SE, Fullerton, ND 58441 701-883-4416 dtpodoll@drtel.net Website: www.prairieroadorganic.co

Open Source Seed Initiative

...and you can help FREE THE SEED! READ ON! FREE THE SEED! We are celebrating the Open Source Seed Initiative (OSSI)! OSSI was created to "free the seed!" Inspired by the free and open source software movement, which provided alternatives to proprietary software, the goal of OSSI is ensuring that the genes contained by Open Source seeds can never be locked away by intellectual property rights. THE PROBLEM... So many varieties have been patented or otherwise protected by intellectual property rights, making them proprietary and off-limits.  This means all the genes they contain have been removed from the pool of breeding stock open to public plant breeders. Only a handful of companies control the vast majority of seed. Patenting and restrictive contracts are used to enhance the companies' power and control over seeds and in turn, the farmers and gardeners producing food. Add in the rapid corporate consolidation taking place in the seed industry...  Patented seed + consolidation = corporate control of seed. Seed Industry Structure, 1996 - 2013 Dr. Phil Howard, Michigan State University COMMITTED TO OPEN SOURCE  Seed Security = Food Security. By pledging the varieties we have bred on our farm as Open Source varieties, we, at Prairie Road Organic Seed, have committed them to a protected public commons, freed from enslavement to corporate interests and control. Learn more about OSSI, here!   DECLARING SEED INDEPENDENCE! The OSSI Pledge is a Declaration of Independence for the seed! Open Source seed is a critical tool, ensuring that public plant breeders have the genetic resources to continue developing new varieties. The OSSI Pledge asks breeders and stewards of crop varieties, like Prairie Road Organic Seed, to pledge to make their seeds available without restrictions on use, and to ask recipients of those seeds to make the same commitment.  The Pledge: You have the freedom to use these OSSI-Pledged seeds in any way you choose. In return, you pledge not to restrict others’ use of these seeds or their derivatives by patents or other means, and to include this pledge with any transfer of these seeds or their derivatives. We have been a proud partner of OSSI, participating in the development of the framework for Open Source seed. We strongly support the creation of a collection of Open Source varieties, connecting farmers and gardeners to seed companies and suppliers of Open Source seed, and informing, educating, engaging, and empowering citizens to make a difference and and to help FREE THE SEED!​ In support of OSSI, Prairie Road Organic Seed is proud to showcase our NEW Open Source Seed Collection! A portion of all sales of our Open Source seed varieties will be donated to the Open Source Seed Initiative to continue to expand the Open Source Seed Collection. ​ TAKE ACTION IT TAKES A COMMUNITY TO FREE THE SEED! By purchasing these or any other Open Source seeds from over 40 independent seed companies, you are supporting the OSSI Pledge and taking an active stand AGAINST corporate control of seed and FOR seed as a public commons. In his book, "Where Our Food Comes From," ethnobotanist, Gary Nahban, states, “It is the social, economic and political access to seed diversity at critical moments that can make or break a community’s means of achieving food security.” Now is a critical moment! And you have the power to make a difference! ​You can join us in supporting the Open Source Seed Initiative. You can FREE THE SEED by purchasing seed from the OSSI collection and by CLICKING HERE to make a tax-deductible donation! On behalf of the seed, we "THANK YOU!" Click here to download a printable mail order form of all of our seed offerings!