Grand Rapids Lettuce

Like the bok choy, I have planted this plant in both hydropots and soil. It has almost the same growth requirements as the bok choy does. Unlike the bok choy, the lettuce does much better in the hydroponic planters than it does. Both soil and hydroponic planters are viable means of growing. It matures in ~50 days and takes up the same size. Leaves from these plants are softer than other lettuce varieties and also very tasty; use them on sandwiches, tacos, salads, or even eat raw.

One strategy with this plant is to sow a bunch of seeds in close proximity (I use a 2 gallon bucket for this). Let the lettuce grow until the leaves are about 3-4 inches long, then harvest the baby leaves. With proper watering/fertilizing, you'll have a new crop of "mini-lettuce" ready to eat in 3-4 days.

Spring Planting 2013

It's that time of the year. I finally get some warmth and sunshine. Out with the old crops and in with the new. Let's take a look at what each of the bins will be planted with.

Left side of balcony currently

Bicycle BBQ - How to not fry tortillas

My friends and I started a tradition called the bicycle BBQ; that is, we find some wood, strap it to a bike, ride to the beach, and cook delicious food.  We push the limits of what is acceptable to cook in a fire pit.  Some examples of things we've cooked are steamed root vegetables, bean soup, and enfrijoladas.  The last of which has video evidence:

I think seeing how the oil caught fire in the pan may have given me confidence that I could use that energy to melt metal.

Anyhow, the other day I went on a bicycle BBQ by myself which gave me the opportunity to completely document the process.

Fluid mechanics in practice: Adding irrigation pipe to my planters

I've learned so much about flow in a pipe this quarter (hopefully), so its time to test out an old idea from the corn bin. I planned to install some sort of cheap below ground irrigation to make watering the plants easier. I bought some pre-cut 2 foot sections of 1/2" pipe and some fittings from the hardware store, about $5 per bin.

Simple PVC pipe

I plan to place the pipe about 3 inches below the surface of the soil, shallow enough to irrigate roots, but deep enough to not disturb the plant on the surface.

The next batch: Hard Apple Cider

Stocking up on juice

I asked my friends if I should brew red wine (from concord grape juice/concentrate) or hard apple cider (from apple juice). I think its obvious which one we both wanted. The grocery store had 64 oz bottles of Mott's Apple Juice on sale for $1.50 each if you were to purchase more than 4. So its time to make a 4 gallon batch (8 jugs). The recipe I will be using is:

Hard Apple Cider (from apple juice)

• 4 Gallons Apple Juice
• 10 cups white or brown sugar (approximately 4 lbs)
• 1 cup of raisins, reconstituted (simmered in water for a short while)
• Lalvin EC 1118 yeast