Gardening Like a Ninja - Interview with author Angela England

We are so excited to present to all our awesome readers Angela England, homesteader, small biz guru, blogger, green thumb and book writer! She just released her new book, Gardening Like a Ninja, which is basically a must-have for all urban dwellers, landscape enthusiasts, or foodies!

In this book, Angela addresses an issue that I think a LOT of people run into, especially in the city - aesthetics of having a food garden. She shows us in very real way not only how to make your space look beautiful while sneaking in edible plants, but also talks about how to do so in a variety of spaces, big and small. There are wonderful before and after photos, as well as illustrations of how and what to plant in the little side yard or your blasé front lawn. It also features original water color illustrations in Part 2 which are done by the incredible illustrator Wendy Piersall. See her lovely work at http://www.wendypiersall.com.

We were very fortunate to get to ask her some questions about her new book, and here is what we learned!

Ashley from Fiberton: Hi Angela! Thanks so much for chatting with us! We LOVE the new book, Gardening Like a Ninja! I know you talk about it in your forward, but can you tell our readers a little about how this book came to be?

Angela: When I wrote Backyard Farming on an Acre (More or Less) I wanted to show people that they could start producing their own food in even the smallest of garden spaces. One of the sub-sections in one of the gardening chapters talked about edible landscaping and I used the phrase, "Now you're gardening like a ninja!" My publisher loved it and recommended that I pull that topic out as a stand alone book. As more and more readers gave me the feedback "I love the idea of homesteading but my HOA won't let me." or "I'm renting so I can't keep a veggie garden but my landlords will allow general landscaping - tips?" I realized that there is a true need for this book.

Ashley: How long have you been gardening/homesteading? What inspired you to share your knowledge?

Angela: I began a journey towards self-sufficiency when I married my husband. The more we researched what was available for our children the more we realized we really wanted to have a better say over the food we were feeding our kids. Which for us meant producing a great deal of it ourselves! I love when I sit down to a meal of salad, steak, and potatoes and everything on the plate came from our home. As I began talking to other beginners and dreamers I realized that many of them felt if you didn't grow up in that lifestyle, there was nothing you could do. But that simple isn't true! I didn't learn how to grow veggies of my own until I married and pregnant with my first child! And I'm quite the most dis-organized person I know...if I can do it, anyone can do it.

Ashley: Even though I am no longer a city dweller, I still love the idea of making my garden space Secret Garden-esque, which is what I feel like when I read through your book. (I also remember having to deal with making a nice looking yard when I was in the city.) I think your book gives us all the tools to tackle these kinds of projects, but that must have taken quite a bit of time and research. What was the most challenging thing you encountered working on this project? 

 
Angela: It actually took a higher level of research to write this just-under-200 page Edible Landscaping guide than it did to write the 430 page Backyard Farming book. When I was working on this book there were several challenges that I had to keep in mind. 1. Climates and Zones - I live in Oklahoma so the plants I am most familiar with are the plants that grow in my gardening zone. However, I grew up in California so I know there are many plants available to garden ninja that extend far beyond my own zone. I made it a point to include example gardens from a variety of zones and growing conditions so you'll see everything from a tropical porch with lush citrus trees, to a gorgeous New England style home that has a much colder climate to deal with. It was important to me that ANYONE be able to open this book and find a plant relevant to their area.
2. Edible Landscaping Rockstars - Not every edible plant is really a great choice for an edible landscape. So when I make suggestions, say about climbing beans up a trellis to add a vertical accent, I wanted to offer ideas for which beans. Many beans are perfectly edible but plain green pods and plain green vines with plain green leaves. Nothing particular special. However, some varieties have pale white or yellow pods that would shimmer in the sunlight. Others have burgundy tones through the stems, leaves and pods. Others are variegated and spotted and speckled. So that research and talking with nursery owners and plant breeding companies to find specific plant recommendations took a tremendous amount of time and research.
3. Photos - As I said I like in Oklahoma. We don't have a wet enough climate for some of the beautiful coastal garden looks and we don't have a warm enough climate for some of the amazing tropical plants available in zones 8 or 9. So I had to source photos of plants I didn't have or couldn't fine the perfect photo of and that took some time as well.

Ashley: And what was the most interesting thing you learned while doing your research?

Angela: It was really interesting to me how many of the common plants that are now used primarily as landscape plants were originally developed as edibles. Hostas, for example, had been grown for their spring shoots. Now, of course, they are a staple in the shade garden landscape. Recapturing some of that lost knowledge was one of the coolest things to me about writing this book.

Ashley: We hear you are planning on doing a course to accompany the book. Can you tell us more about this?

Angela: Lots of times what I hear from readers is that they want a way to connect beyond the book. That's why I developed this course, to guide people through how to get started. The course will walk people through four units, each with three lessons, and really delve more in depth in some of the areas I didn't have room for in the book. For example how to do a simple soil test at home to determine your soil's composition. Unit four is probably my favorite because I walk people through the EXACT process I used to develop the seven original garden design plans that they find in the book. I develop a bonus plan - a full-sun front border - and as I build the plan I show step-by-step how it's done. They see how to draw the plants, even if you aren't an artist. The simple tools I use that you probably already have in your own (no pricey software required!). And at the end they get an exclusive full-color illustration from Wendy, just like the designs in the book!

Ashley: We know you are always busy working on new projects. Anything else you want to share with our readers?

Angela: Only that Untrained Housewife will be developing a new, free course this summer called Embrace the Journey to help people get over their fears of developing a more intentional and self-sufficient lifestyle. It will be totally free and I will announce it on my newsletter which they can sign up for here: http://untrainedhousewife.com/newsletter

Ashley: Thank you so much for taking time our of your busy schedule to share your book with our readers! We are super excited and can't wait to get our copy!

For all our readers, you can order your own copy of the book and/or the course here on Amazon!

Playing in dirt and prepping for winter-

It is most definitely Fall!  It has finally started to cool off, and it feels like it is time to begin chores to ready ourselves for the winter.  In our area, we hope the winter will bring more rain than usual, hopefully with a little help from El Nino.  That means weatherproofing, planting, etc.

Our friends at Vicarious Ranch have been in need of help to prepare for the rains, and I have been happy to help.  It has been a great deal of fun to play in the dirt, see all the farm animals, and learn more about the workings of farm life.  My part in the project involved fertilizing and mulching each tree, and then spreading compost down the rows between the trees. Then Mike came in with the tractor to till up the very hard earth and mix in the compost so they can plant peas as a cover crop.  I learned much about fruiting trees, as well as some of the timing involved in planting in our area. 

I am a helper!

At Vicarious Ranch, they are conserving water as much as is possible.  By mulching, water as allowed better absorption into the soil with less evaporation.  The cover crop will be watered by the rains and what the trees don't use.  And in turn, these peas will replace much needed nitrogen into the soil and can also be used as food for people and their animals.  Like these wooly pigs!  I couldn't help taking some pictures of the piglets...

Here at Fiberton, we are taking all the cues and pointers we can from our friends at Vicarious.  It has been inspiring to see what they are working on (as well as getting actual experience) and I am hoping to get our few beds readied for the winter and add a few more.  I would love to plant more of the greens that both myself and the rabbits love for the winter, and use this winter as an opportunity to learn our local growing season better.  

Speaking of the rabbits, this week Penny and Rory got their 3 month trims.  Look at this before and after!

Super fluffy Penny! 

Ok...so not a great haircut, but look how much smaller she looks!

This is a typical 'after grooming' scene.  I'm a bunny barber!

Sadly, Penny has taken a bit ill.  One of the things that angora rabbits can get is fur block or wool block.  Her trim was much needed not only to get the fiber off her for us to spin, but also because as it gets longer, the fur gets harder for them to pass and clogs their digestive tract.  Today I am starting her on some higher powered enzymes that can be found in papaya (papain) and pineapple (bromelain).  I usually give them some pineapple juice in their water to help maintain their digestive health, but Penny is at a point where eating and drinking are difficult for her, so we will be going with a strong enzymatic supplement mixed into a nutritional drink (the suggestion we have read about is using Ensure) and feeding it to her with a dropper, and keeping her on hay and greens.  Hopefully we will have her out of the woods asap.  More on her status soon!

What are you doing to prepare for winter?

Ash

The Dance of Homesteading and Running Your Own Business (and how I learned to love them both)

Today has been a great example of the dance of homesteading and working from home.  For the first couple of months or so, I struggled with this.  I felt as though I needed to be working solely on the business, and doing the housework, keeping up the house and the animals were all taking away from that.  But recently, as I reexamined what it was that I had hoped to achieve with the business, I realized that one of the things I wanted most was self sufficiency, creating a homestead in our little slice of the world.  And to do that, I needed to also focus on how much money I can save by being at home, which creates a more self sufficient and environmentally friendly household.

I think it is engrained in us that we should work, pay bills, buy stuff, repeat.  And I knew deep down that was not what I wanted.  I wanted to break that cycle, which is where I thought starting my own business fit in.  The first steps were very hard.  Depending on just the hubby's income to live, still having bills to pay, and still very much getting caught up in the hustle and bustle and expectations that we should be making more to do stuff and buy stuff with.  And just the doubt that comes along with the slow growth that happens when you start any business.

I began to think about getting a part time job to supplement and I began to crunch the numbers.  Since we live a little outside of town a few things became apparent.  My being at home allowed me to make almost all our meals from scratch, which saves us a lot and keeps us healthier.  Us having one car cut down on expenses and gas, and if I had a job, too, we would, at the very least, have to pay more for gas, and at the most, would have another car to keep up, pay for and insure.

It started to dawn on me that part of what I love is being able to provide good meals, grow food (when the critters of the area aren't eating them), put food up for later, and generally take care of the homestead that we are building.

And it is a dance.  All this could easily be a full time job, so fitting the business in at the same time can be tough.  I'd say, in all honesty, that I can't give 100% to either.  But I think that is okay.  The business (or the vegetables) may grow a little slower, but I am building on a bigger vision.

And so, today has been a great example.  This morning I got the hubby off to work, then fed the animals, took the dog for a walk and watered the garden, including our new batch of greens I have planted in pots and have covered in wire.  (Humans 1, critters 0.)

After everyone else was taken care of, I started dough for some french loaves, and got the crockpot all ready for potato chowder, with several vegis from our CSA box from Talley Farms.

Then I set to work.  I have an exciting project we are doing with Birch Fabrics for this year's Quilt Market.  Only a littler spoilers...it is going to be a cozy quilt from some brand new Birch fabric.  But more on that soon.

At lunch time, I set to soaking some dried beans for future meals, and baked up that bread.  Then it was back to cutting fabric for work.

After the brain felt nice and melted from cutting as close to perfectly similar quilt pieces, I figured I'd share a few (or more...hehe) thoughts with you.

I hope for all of you starting something new in your life, you allow yourself the time to grow into it.  It is hard, and if you ever need to talk about it, don't hesitate in emailing me here or leaving a comment below.  But if you are anything like me, things will start to fall into place.  Believe me, it is still going to be hard.  But I am learning so much, and am finally starting to really enjoy the ride. (Well, except the dishes.)

Ash

Give a big welcome to Mountain Rose Herbs!

We are super excited to announce that Mountain Rose Herbs as our new affiliate!  When the hubby and I talked about whether or not we would have advertising on our blog, we realized that the only way we'd do it is if was with a company we really believed in and trusted.  And that, of course, matched our values.  I immediately thought of Mountain Rose Herbs.

Mountain Rose Herbs is back in good the ol' Eugene, OR area, where we moved from.  (And I am sure all of you from back home know a bit about them. But I am super stoked to introduce them to all those who have not checked them out yet!) I have had the pleasure of meeting some of the folks that work with them, and they are great.  I know they give to good causes, as well as do the right things for people and the environment in their sustainable business practices.  For example, I love this quote from their site:

"“The frog does not drink up the pond in which it lives.” From our commitment to Zero Waste, carpool program, eco-friendly packaging, and dedication to protecting wild plants, defending the Earth is paramount to who we are."

So what do they do? They make pretty much any herb or spice you can think of, essential oils and other aromatherapy goods, really cool health products (including bitters...mmm....) and much more.  Oh, and all you DIY'ers out there...check out their selection of ingredients like butters, carrier oils and beeswax and their neat containers to put it all in.  Oh, did I forget to say they have a crazy selection of teas, too?

So I bet you can guess how very excited I was to get the email back from them that we could join their affiliate program!  Here was the very company that I thought of when we talked about advertising....and we got them!

I hope you will click on any of our links and check them out.  If you are planning on making a purchase and you got to their website via one of our links, both Fiberton and Mtn Rose Herbs benefits.  Oh, and of course you do, too, by getting really quality products that are good for the earth and for you and your family.

Thanks so much!

Ash