This was supposed to be a smaller year. We knew we were moving, so I scaled the garden back. Fewer beds, less pressure, more of a wind-down than a full push. And then the garden, apparently, did not get the memo.
This week I walked the ranch one more time and made a list: things we got right, things we’d do differently, and what we’re bringing with us to the new 16-acre farm. Here’s the honest version.
Nobody plans to move in the middle of harvest season.Strategic Planning
And yet, here we are: three weeks out from our move date, and the garden is fuller than I anticipated. After 10 years on our 160-acre ranch in the central interior of BC, we’re relocating to a smaller 16-acre farm, and I need a plan for every single crop still growing out there.
I planted 600 cloves of garlic last October and pulled them out of the ground this week. I am not going to pretend that was not emotional, because this particular harvest carries more weight than usual. This garlic is not just for our kitchen. It is the seed stock for next year’s crop at our new farm, the first tangible step toward the farm store I have been working toward for years.
When we decided to move our family off our 160-acre ranch in central BC, the thing that worried me most was not packing the house or selling the equipment. It was the garden.
Six years of perennial plants. Haskaps that fruit before anything else in the yard. Comfrey that feeds the apple trees without being asked. Raspberries that have taken over in the best possible way. Plants we chose carefully for our cold climate and that took years to establish.
There was no way I was leaving all of it behind.
In this guide, we will break down the step-by-step method for infusing carrier oils. We will also calculate reliable wax-to-oil ratios to craft a shelf-stable comfrey salve right on your kitchen counter.
If there is one thing that has changed my brassica game more than anything else, it is getting the bug netting on before I even see the first cabbage moth of the season. Not after. Before.
Some weeks the garden gets your full attention. Other weeks, life is loud and your motivation is somewhere else entirely. This June has been one of those weeks for me.
Transitioning plants from a cozy indoor grow room to the harsh outdoor elements requires careful planning. Indoors, seedlings are protected from wind, heavy rains, and intense UV rays. If you move them outside too quickly, the shock can easily kill them.
In this guide, we will cover the practical strategies I use to structure my main crop garden. We will discuss exactly where to place specific plants, how to manage pests and slopes, and why you might want to stop growing certain vegetables altogether.
