Planning Next Year's Garden During a January Winter Storm

I use writing as a means of organizing my thoughts; that is to say, some of my writing is in order to process my thoughts and discover what I know, rather than sharing what I already understand. Today is such a post. Last January, I was in the middle of teaching full-time, having come out of retirement at the request of my former school district to teach for one year, 4th Grade. Therefore, in the spring of 2024 I was pretty busy and pretty tired. I did manage to get some early vegetables planted, but I didn't engage in any early-season planting, utilizing season extending techniques such as row covers.

Here I am now, though, in the first week of January 2025. It's dawn and apt to snow today. I'm sitting by my woodstove, processing all the garden seed and materials research I've engaged in over the last couple of days. For our garden, my wife and I have always had to balance gardening utility with garden aesthetics because our garden space is not hidden behind a fence in a backyard. There aren't backyards with high fences where we live, due to the plan of our development and home owners' association covenants. Therefore, I've always striven to make our vegetable garden not only productive but also eye-pleasing. It hasn't been too difficult, and over the growing seasons, we've had many strollers pass by our garden and ooh and aah at our veggies.

I do tend to approach my kitchen garden more with the "micro-farm" philosophy than with the "seeds-to-weeds" philosophy, though. I enjoy the planning and maintaining just as much as the harvest. I also believe that a garden that includes cold frames, row covers, and that utilizes three-dimensional gardening (up and not just along) can still be beautiful. Researching and also considering aesthetics are key to maximizing garden beauty because then the garden displays both the beauty of the vegetables and the creativity and knowledge of the gardener.

Therefore, now that I've reminded myself of several big ideas, it's time to look at specifics.

South Garage Cold Frame

I built a cold frame about fifteen years ago, and it's currently situated a the south side of the garage. This is a good location, which is one of the warmest garden areas on our property. I plan to re-build the frame to strengthen it and then to use it for early food production. We always get our first eating out of that space--arugula and dwarf kale, but I want to try to get produce from that spot even earlier this year--perhaps three weeks earlier. This will be my first building project of the winter.

Starting Plants from Seeds Early

Starting plants early from seeds is something I want to try this year--in a small way. The closest I've come to this is early broadcast seeding the cold frame on the south side of the garage and then digging up and transplanting those plants later in the season in one of my raised beds. That has worked fairly well. However, I'd like to try starting plants in seedling trays. I haven't had a lot of success when doing this. I think I have a good place to start seedlings--on the large planter on the southeast corner of our house. In the twenty years we've lived in our house, we've never used this planter. (There is another on the northeast corner of our house.) I'd like to build a covered frame for the planter to heat that area, and hopefully I'll be able to start some plants in that space. 

An online photo of a cold frame  

Cold Frames for the North Garden

Building two permanent cold frames next to the sidewalk will provide more early- and late-season produce, mostly kale. Our original mini-greenhouse in the front yard used to produce kale up to mid-December. We tore that down because it needed rebuilding and we decided to focus our gardening efforts on our north garden. With smaller and less obtrusive cold frames in the north garden, aesthetically constructed, we should be able to harvest greens for 9+ months of the year. I plan to use wood, a vegetable-based wood sealer, and polycarbonate panels to facilitate this. A tricky part of this construction is that I want to be able to also use the frames with shade cloth during the heat of the summer. This means I'll have to be able to easily remove some of the panels and replace them with shade cloth. I've got some ideas, but I'll need to work my way through the construction. Most cold frames don't also double as shade-protected structures.

Row cover example

Floating Row Covers

On a small area of one raised bed, I'd like to experiment with floating row cover cloth, a diaphanous, milky gardening cloth that protects plants from cold (a bit) and insects. If I could has green bean seedlings started early and then transplant them to a bed protected with floating row covers, then maybe I could get a jump on green beans . . . tomatoes, too! However, these plants also respond to soil temperature, needing warm soil to be healthy. I'm willing to experiment, though! This cloth can also be used inside a cold frame to provide an extra layer of protection.

Shade Frames

"Shade frames" like cold frames except that their purpose is not to heat the growing area but to shade and cool plants and to also protect them from insects. Last year was the worst year I've ever had for growing kale. I tore down two shade frames because I felt they were too tall and also not pretty enough to keep them as permanent structures. I would just spray my kale and chard more often, I told myself. However, the cabbage moths were just too many and too hungry. Even with organic pesticides, I didn't want to spray that much. Also, nature forcibly reminded me that the late summer sun was too much for chard and kale, so I ended up with two beds of sun- and insect-decimated plants that I eventually just pulled and composted. Usually over summers, spanakopita with kale and chard is a common meal for us, but last year that was not the case. In order to effectively grow kale and chard, I will need to construct shade frames. These will be the third structures I build, later in the spring, after the cold weather has passed. 

Electric fence, solar lower left-hand corner

Electric Fence

Finally, something we initiated last year for our garden was an electric fence wire surrounding our north garden. Our north garden is just across the road from a REAP large field that is planted with native grasses. It is frequented by deer that either hang out in the field or use it as a by-way to get from one bedding area to another. We've had as many as seven deer at one time in our garden. We utilized netting and chicken wire to keep the deer out, with some success. However, the netting and chicken wire was just plain ugly. Using the single electric wire was extremely effective for deer control. Our habit was to turn the wire on just before going to bed and then turning the wire off first thing in the morning. The unit was powered by a small solar panel. Quite a handy little unit. After a while, the deer learned that the garden was off limits, and on nights that we forgot to turn on the fencing wire, we didn't have any problems. We plan to use an electric fence wire again this year; however, the permanent cold frames next to our sidewalk will be outside the wire, providing us with easy access. 

Well, I think I've gathered and organized my thoughts regarding my overall gardening plan this year. As always, weather will play its part! Part of my motivation for gardening is not just being to eat fresh organic food. I'm also encouraged by the knowledge that getting out in the garden is good for health. It provides what Dan Buettner, Blue Zones founder, describes as a wide range of easy and natural motion, not to mention getting out in nature and getting our hands in the soil. Well, enough philosophizing! I think I'll spend some more time putting together my order for seeds. I'm looking forward to walking out into the garden, picking some vegetables, and then cooking them ten minutes later. Now that's fresh!

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Bike Riding on Ice: Winter on my Wahoo Smart Bike

I wake up at dawn to the expected reality of freezing rain and all around us--walkways, lawn, and road--a solid sheet of ice. Icicles hang from the gutters and from the fence, thin knives of ice, slowly growing in the misting freeze of rain. As I view the frigid December dawn, I smile and decide it's a perfect time to ride my bicycle--my indoor exercise bicycle, that is, a Wahoo Kickr Shift smart exercise bicycle.

Concerned about the lack of opportunity to exercise during the winter, I had originally considered buying a membership at the local gym. There I could walk the indoor track, lift weights, and exercise on a variety of machines. However, I still would have to dress and go outdoors to get to the gym. My wife and I decided to invest in a treadmill . . . and then the salesman at the shop said, "There's something else I'd like to show you, since I know you like to bike." And, of course, ka-ching, I am now the proud owner of a smart bike, a "smart bike" being a bicycle than can be linked to a cycling app that simulates elevation changes (necessitating shifting) and different environments, such as beach, mountain, or city rides. 

I ride alone in my room, but I also ride with dozens of other riders from all around the world. My first experience on riding with other virtual riders was having a rider from Germany (a little German flag beside the rider's name), pass me in a flash and say a short string of German, ending with the word "grandpa." I only understood the grandpa part, but I'm hoping the rider said, "Don't give up, grandpa!" rather than "Get off the road, grandpa!" Almost all the riders are much faster than I am, but I keep myself undiscouraged by maintaining the fantasy that all the riders are half a century younger than I am.

Zwift allows me to engage in rides in different environments with different levels of difficulty. Not all rides are available to me--some are too difficult. I guess I have to prove I can do them, which is nice actually, so I don't engage in rides that are overwhelming. So far I've ridden through London, Richmond (Virginia, I think?), and on various rides through Watopia, which is a fictional land with Mayan ruins, volcano rides, and rides through desert, forest, along the ocean, and through mountains. I find the visuals, sounds, and the need to shift keeps me occupied. Also, riding with others is fun. I try sometimes to keep up and pace with other riders. Also, sometimes I've also turned on the TV and streamed a movie or show. These possibilities are much more fun than just staring at a wall.

I hope to end the winter in much better shape than usual by being able to bicycle regularly without having to worry about falling on slippery roads and breaking a bone. I've also made myself a promise that if in the afternoon I want to watch a little TV, I'll watch it while walking on the treadmill. When good weather arrives in the spring, I plan at this time to cancel my Zwift membership and just ride my real bike on real roads and trails here in SE Iowa. We'll see, though. I might still want to get some concentrated exercise on the indoor smart bike. Right now, though, all I have to do is ride, no matter what the weather. Not such a bad thing, hmmm?

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I Ask Google's Gemini AI to Write 250 Words About the Benefits of Tiny Camper Trailers

Image from Investopedia

Artificial Intelligence is the talk of the town nowadays, so when Google's Gemini AI app icon appears on my Chromebook, I decided to try it out. I asked Gemini the following question: "In about 250 words, write about the benefits of recreational camping with a tiny trailer." The response is below.

Tiny travel trailers, also known as teardrop trailers, are becoming increasingly popular among campers for several reasons. Here's why they might be a better choice than larger travel trailers:

• Maneuverability: Tiny trailers are much easier to maneuver and park, especially in tight campgrounds or urban areas. This makes them ideal for those who want to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations. 

• Fuel Efficiency: Towing a smaller trailer significantly reduces fuel consumption, saving you money on gas and increasing your travel range. 

• Lower Cost: Tiny trailers are generally more affordable to purchase and maintain than larger RVs. This makes them a great option for budget-conscious campers. 

• Minimalist Lifestyle: Tiny trailers promote a minimalist lifestyle, encouraging you to pack lightly and focus on the essentials. This can lead to a more peaceful and stress-free camping experience. 

• Easier Setup: Setting up a tiny trailer is quick and easy, often requiring minimal effort. This means more time enjoying the outdoors and less time fussing with camp setup. 

• Unique Camping Experience: Tiny trailers offer a unique and adventurous camping experience. They allow you to explore remote areas and immerse yourself in nature without sacrificing comfort.

While larger travel trailers offer more amenities and space, tiny trailers provide a more flexible, affordable, and eco-friendly camping option. If you're looking for a hassle-free and enjoyable camping experience, a tiny travel trailer might be the perfect choice for you.

The article also provided highlighted content that included additional quoted information from five other websites, providing links to the original websites. All in all, the short article was an impressive, concise compilation of information. The article was organized well, its grammar and punctuation were according to standards, and based on my six years of tiny trailer research, the information was accurate.

So the question is--what's lacking? I've thought about this a bit, off and on for a few days until I could get time to write this article. I think that what was lacking was human experience. The article was written in an objective, technical writing style, and there's nothing wrong with that. However, the lack of a human being behind the writing was evident to me. I didn't feel any life experience behind the information.

The interesting thing is that Gemini said that if I wasn't satisfied with the result to include further instructions or even examples of the writing style I was looking for. I didn't take the time to do that, and in future experiments, I will take more interaction time to see what results I achieve.

As a tiny trailer camping blogger, I can say that the AI article included material that I've included in articles I've written--essential information on the basic question of why to camp in a tiny trailer. If I had allotted myself the time to interact with Gemini to attempt a more personal writing style, could I have achieved that? That's something that I hope to report back on sometime.

As a career writing teacher, I found this AI exercise interesting. This computing capability is not going to go away. I believe as a research and writing aid, AI writing composition is here to stay. As writing teachers, I think the task will be to teach writing as a learning tool. That old writing truism that we write not to just share what we know but also to discover what we know is applicable to AI writing. Having AI write for us is not a process that will lead us to moments of self-revelation; it will not clarify our thinking or lead us through stages of understanding on a subject like writing can do. Writing as self-expression, whether it be creative or informative, will always be highly personal. This will be an angle for teaching writing--what's inside that craves to be shared?

Some writing in the future might be an amalgam of AI and individual writing. For instance, could I take the AI writing above, have Gemini tweak it some, and then take those efforts and include my own thinking and experience? Could I consider the AI writing just part of the drafting process? I suppose I could. Time might be an interesting factor to consider--how much time to provide the AI with specifics as opposed to just knocking it out myself. And if we're writing about something that we are emotionally invested in, that first impulse of creativity, whether fiction or non-fiction, is a key element in any creation. Turning it over to AI could lessen the sense of creative achievement.

I wonder if a sculptor drew some rough sketches, provided some written instructions and images from art history as examples, and then told the AI robot, "You knock out eighty percent of the statue, and then I'll finish the rest." Would the sense of achievement be the same? Would the sense of artistic ownership be the same? Is towing my little trailer with my pick-up the same adventure as pulling a Conestoga wagon or bike-packing or backpacking? They would all certainly be different experiences, same road, different experiences.

I'm not going to try to solve this big ideas, but I do think that considering consciousness is important. If we consider the three-in-on experience of knowing or perception--the knower; the process of knowing; and the object of knowing (the known), then the existence of AI certainly impacts the process of knowing or perception, if not the knower or the known. With 3-D printers, we can already copy objects or produce objects from specific instructions. However a totally revolutionary idea or creative artifact?

The creative process, be it whatever blend of intellect and emotion, is an organic process, one often begun without any clear goal, achievement, or artifact in mind. I'm not sure how our AI machines will fit into the very human process of learning and creating. I do know, though, after mulling over and writing about my reaction to this experiment with AI writing, that one thing has become clear to me: human intelligence and artificial intelligence are two separate beasts that are connected. As William Wordsworth so famously said in his poem "My Heart Leaps Up": "The Child is the father of the Man." Howsoever artificial intelligence is not a child whose heart will leap with a natural appreciation or reverence for nature's beauty, it is nonetheless at this time a machine that can perfectly write 250 accurately bland words about tiny trailer camping.

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The Fairfield Loop Trail Is Fully Open--3 Rides

The Fairfield Loop Trail is busy this October. Brown and black woolly caterpillars are diligently crossing the trail to get to the other side, and squirrels are combing the woods for nuts and seeds, pausing to gaze up at me, sometimes a black walnut clenched in their mouths as I cruise by on my bicycle. This week I've taken three rides that have included all or most of the Loop Trail, and fall colors are increasing, the reds of wild sumac beginning to blaze beneath the cooling autumn sun.

The Loop Trail is sixteen miles long, encircling Fairfield, Iowa, mostly composed of lime chip and gravel but including some cement pathways as it passes through town. On Thursday, my ride was eighteen miles, the extra two miles of riding consisting of a couple of errands, a bank deposit and some grocery shopping that I included on the ride. Friday's ride was twenty-one miles that included some road riding north of town and on the Libertyville Road. On Saturday, my twenty-three mile ride consisted of a twelve and a half mile ride on pavement northwest of town out to Libertyville, missing the industrial cement paths of the trail, and catching the Cedar View Trail at the 223rd Street trailhead off the Libertyville Road and then continuing back north of town on the Loop Trail. 

Note: the maximum speed was downhill on pavement, not the trail

All three rides were enjoyable on my new e-bike, which I bought this summer--an Aventon Level 2. As I've said before, and I'll say it again, e-bikes get rid of all hills and headwinds. Electric-assisted bicycle riding both giveth and taketh away. Riding my e-bike allows me to take longer rides more quickly with less strain, yet the electric assist also provides less conditioning opportunity. As our local bike guy says, "Electric bikes help you get in shape if you're out of shape, but if you're in shape, they make you lazy." I'm trying to ride that narrow trail between the good and bad, so my first two rides this week I stayed in the lowest assist level on the e-bike ("1" out of five levels) and consciously geared a little high on some of the longer inclines on the trail so that my legs had to work a bit more, Realistically, though, riding longer distances is what provides the exercise on the e-bike. For someone who doesn't ride much, the 18-23 mile distances I rode this week might seem like a lot, but really are pretty easy to knock off. The biggest challenge of three days of riding is getting my rear end toughened up! Today, any exercising I'll do will be chores and perhaps some working out with light weights.

Lamson Woods at the Mint Blvd. trailhead

Yes, the Fairfield Loop Trail is now fully open! The last closure was the section of Lamson Woods that led to the underpass at Glasgow Road. Quite a bit of work was accomplished there, with a new cement trail laid beneath the new bridge, and plenty of erosion-control stone added beneath the bridge to keep the area safe during flooding conditions. The area has been closed for so long that I had forgotten what a nice stretch of woods that little section of Lamson Woods includes. For most of the summer, I was able to ride the wetlands section of Lamson Woods and then detour on Glasgow Road up to Chautauqua Park to catch the trail again. For part of the summer, parts of the trail were also closed temporarily as the trail and environs were spot-sprayed for invasive plant species. Now, though, the entire sixteen-mile route is open; however, be aware that because of the August and September lack of rain, there are cracks in the trail surface that can catch a tire, and there are also sections of the trail where the gravel is loose and a tire can slide out if you're not careful.

Even though the Aventon e-bike can zip right along at higher assist levels, I'm careful on the trail to not go too fast--for several reasons. One is that I don't want to crash and hurt myself. "Road rash" burns, and I have no desire to pick gravel out of my skinned knees and elbows, even though I carry a small first-aid kit. Loose gravel, cracks in the trail from the summer drought, animals skittering in front of you, and unexpected and perhaps leaf-covered tree roots on the trail can provide dangers for the bike rider, whether the bicycle is electrified or not. 

My trusty brass bell

A second reason I don't speed is that of politeness. When I'm around hikers on the trail, I always reduce my speed so I don't rudely and recklessly blast past them as they stroll along. I've bought a nice brass bicycle bell from Fairfield's bike shop, The Ride, so that when I come up on hikers from the rear, I can pleasantly let them know I'm approaching. Quite often, a single merry chime of the bell will result in the person being startled because they were listening to music with headphones or just drifting down the trail, not paying attention. The bell chime is better, though, that suddenly blasting (or even cruising) past the hiker, making them feel afraid they might be run over. As I pass a hiker after ringing my bike bell, I usually wave and say, "Didn't want to frighten you!" Any bicyclist can startle someone hiking the trail, but e-bikers have to be even more careful, I think, because people can unfairly think riders on e-bikes are a bunch of thoughtless speed demons, which in my opinion is inaccurate.

Cedar Creek on the Cedar View Trail

A third reason for not speeding on the trail, even if I'm completely alone as is often the case in the more remote sections of the trail that skirt the freeway, is that riding the trail is not only good exercise but is also good for our mental health. Sometimes I ride just for the exercise, and if I focus on my cadence and if I ride early on a weekday when I'm alone, I can ride the loop in a little less than an hour and a half. Usually, though, I complete the loop in around two hours, which allows me time to stop and snack, take some photographs, and sometimes to even get off and push to bike to savor special sections of the trail. A favorite section of the trail for me has been the wetlands section of Lamson Woods. The wildflowers, yellow and lavender; the honking of geese, the calling of the field birds; and the rich perfume of the wetland green-growing earth; blue water reflecting the blues of the sky--all this life in accord with nature is a balm to the soul, a reminder that there are larger rhythms of life which provide a stabilizing perspective to our daily challenges. Stopping to smell the flowers isn't just a cliche; it's a wellness intervention that tips my attitude in the direction of hope and regeneration.

the wetlands reservoir across the road from Walton Lake

We are so fortunate to live in our town and have the Loop Trail nearby. Riding my e-bike on the trail lets me ride the complete loop in the morning and to still have the time and energy to get on with my day. I plan to incorporate into my weekly schedule at least one trail ride per week with my standard, non-electric bike to provide myself with more exercise and also to remember the experience of riding completely self-sufficient on my own power and strength. I bought the e-bike this year because after a year of coming out of retirement and teaching full-time, I felt an e-bike would get me out riding more often and for longer distances. Who knows, though? I might over time, as I slide more fully into my second retirement, enjoy taking the entire morning and spending two and a half or three hours on the trail--just me, my own muscles, and nature. Right now, though, having the ability to exercise and ride the trail in a short enough time that allows for other activities during the day has been a good addition to my routine. Mostly, though, whether on my e-bike or non-electric bike, I've been enjoying getting out and away on the Fairfield Loop Trail and adjoining trails. There's a lot of beauty surrounding us, and taking the time to appreciate the beauty of nature is a healthy endeavor. Get out and enjoy the Fairfield Loop Trail, enjoy our city and county parks. There's a great deal of local beauty, even in our backyards, if only we will stop and notice.

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E-bike Review: Aventon Level 2

Aventon Level 2 with Brooks saddle

Now that enough summer has passed that I have ridden five hundred miles on my new e-bike, an Aventon Level 2, I feel I can confidently write a credible review of the bicycle. Up front and simply stated, the bike is a good value. The Level 2 has proven to by both durable and a comfortable ride.

Prior to buying the Level 2, I was considering buying a Gazelle 2024 Ultimate C380 HMB, a $5,000 bicycle manufactured in the Netherlands. I even test-rode the Ultimate, and it was a beautiful ride. I kept researching, though, and when I found out there was an Aventon dealership about three blocks from the Gazelle dealership, I decided to try out the Level. What I discovered was that the Level was an e-bike that handled well, had excellent online reviews, and was a third the price of the Gazelle. The Level also provided as a part of the $1,800 package a second battery, including free shipping. My final costs provided me a very ride-worthy e-bike and an excellent bicycle carrier strong enough for two e-bikes at half the cost of the Gazelle. However, it wasn't just the price that was my e-bike choice determiner. The Level 2 comes with a throttle (which I use rarely but is great to have when I need it), and it also can be programmed through the phone app so it will generate power up to twenty-eight miles per hour rather than twenty.

How the Level 2 Rides 

The Level 2 is my first e-bike, and one concern I considered when buying was weight. At a little over fifty pounds, the Level is much lighter than the Aventon Adventure, and about the same weight as the Gazelle Ultimate. I found the extra weight of the bike does make handling different. I can't just throw the e-bike around like I can a conventional bicycle. This is my first bike with front shocks, and I must say that the shocks cause less strain to my arms. This is especially true for me because I have two pins in my left elbow, which causes the elbow to tire more quickly. I most recently have changed out the saddle to a Terry Cite Gel and have also added a seat shock absorber; with the seat cut-out and the shock, the ride is much smoother. 

About seventy-five percent of my riding is on lime-chip trails. When the Level's tires eventually wear out, I will replace them with a more gravel-worthy tread, probably replacing the Kendas with Schwalbe treads. I find the current tires not as secure on gravel as I'd like. I've also found the kickstand sticks out a bit more than I like, and I have to adjust my foot position occasionally so my shoe doesn't tick the stand. 

The eight-speed shifting is adequate for the e-boost levels. I rarely move below gear 4; however, when I turn off electric support and just pedal by my own power, I'm in the bottom four gears and have to stand on the pedals for any hill beyond a mild incline. The bike can be ridden without the electric support, but it's a slog. It's pretty easy to bottom out those eight gears when riding downhill, but I don't have much desire to ride more than thirty miles per hour. Using the higher electric-assist levels, I can keep a good pace when on pavement, which is great when I'm just jumping on the bike for a trip to the store.

The battery holds up well. I ride most of the time in the lowest power assist level. (There are five.) At 150 pounds, I'm not real heavy, and I believe I could easily hit fifty miles on a battery charge and not drain the 500w battery. The farthest I've traveled in a single ride so far is a little over thirty miles, and I had a little less than half the battery charge remaining. If I were to take the second battery with me, I believe my rear end would give up long before the batteries would!

All in all, I'm pleased with my purchase of the Aventon Level 2. The bike doesn't come with a Gates belt drive like the Gazelle Ultimate, nor does it have the infinite gear range of the Gazelle transmission. However, for the price, I'm putting many miles on a bike that has other options that I'm glad to have, namely, the throttle and the second battery. The bike doesn't weigh too much and comes with all the extras a commuter bicycle needs: rack, fenders, and lights. I added a mirror, which I think is essential, and also a nice brass bell, which provides a happy sound so I can alert trail walkers who aren't paying attention. I might one day still buy myself a Gazelle, but for now I'm perfectly content with my Aventon. 

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