Summary: Before I get started, I need to ask everyone about their thoughts on the numbering of the podcast episodes. Are they of any use to you any more? Or are they just a holdover from the days of the small iPods? Would your rather just see more detail in the title? I started labeling this way to enable some of the mp3 players to sort the episodes in order. But as I am now discovering, many listeners don't care for them, so I am trying to decide if you want me to keep it or toss it? What do you prefer? Wisconsin GardenerYouTube Channel I recently ears from Joey Baird and his wife on Facebook about their youtube channel. I took a look at it and discovered not only did I like what they were doing, but I already subscribed to their channel. I should have mentioned them before. The Wisconsin Vegetable Gardener, from Mequon, WI is with Joey Baird and his Wife where they share gardening tips and tricks like I do both here and on youtube, but also shares a lot of recycle and re-use tips for your garden too. The latest episode really gave me a "Duh" moment. Why didn't I think of that? Joey shows how you can make seed tape from toilet tissue, flour, water, and a small brush. Great tips Joey! In case you don't know what a seed tape is, it's a way you can buy seeds that are all on a strip of paper like tape, generally smaller hard to handle seeds like carrots. Instead of trowing lots more seeds than needed and later thinning them out, with a tape, you only plant what you should. Less thinning. With Joey's tip, you can make your own seed tape. Many other worthwhile tips on his channel too. www.youtube.com/user/WisVeggieGardeners Call from Rob in Missouri Rob called in from Missouri. Rob is not only starting a new garden this year, but also starting his own bee hive. Way to go, Rob! He asks how far away from the Fruit Orchard and Garden he needs to place the hive. I share with everyone my experiences with the suit orchards in California that have to pay to lease Bees every year and place them right in the orchards. Bottom Line: Place as near or as far as you like and the bees will still range outward from the garden or orchard. Of course, I defer this advice to my recommended source, Listener and Chef Mil Apostol at Urban Farm and Bee Hive. mil is a frequent poster on the blog and runs an unbelievable beekeeping resource web site. The W-O-R-D Organic Gardening System One of my favorite and highly recommended Gardening Books is Ed Smith's "The Vegetable Gardening Bible. Large Format, lots of colored photos and terrific advice, Ed has come up with what he called his WORD system of gardening. He tends a 1500 sq ft garden in Northern Vermont, and as he says, if he can garden successfully there, there is no reason you can't do the same. WORD System W-Wide O- Organic R- Raised D- Deep Soil New Garden Book - Disappointment I recently saw an announcement of a new Gardening book from Storey Publishing. The cover showed beautiful red tomatoes, someone staking a plant in the garden, etc, so I thought I would give it a try. I was disappointed. While the book is very simple as it says in the title, It was more of a typical suburban homeowners book, not so much for gardening. Why do I say that? Well, substantial amount of pages are devoted to buying a Chemical Fertilizer spreader, diseases of the laws Choosing Fungicides, Pesticides, and even a recommendation for Roundup. I strongly feel there is enough mis-advice and pressure on new gardeners to take the easy way out and just spray it do we really need another source telling beginners to buy a chemical for their every problem? There was a short section on Vegetable gardening, but thats not what bothered me about the book. I can give them some leeway there. It was the strong recommendation for all the chemicals and growing lawns that sent me over the edge. It's been well established that lawns are wasting water,
