SEGMENT: LAND & GARDEN
Patricia Johnson>ISM Interviews A-L>ISM Interviews A-L, Segment 25
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- LAND
- Visited Illinois and a friend in Mossback, IL. Fell in love with the driftless area of NW Illinois. Met husband through a friend. Walked through the woods and talked with him about his building a house. She wanted to be in a rural area, a farmhouse, and live outside. Never thought she wanted to move back where it is cold. But Michael wanted to be outside, also. She enjoys the garden, building a home.
- GARDEN
- Has three gardens; has perennial flowers, fruits, and vegetables (things are overwintering now, and reseeding). Bought six acres strip and 25 acres meadow with pond. Has a sunny garden there. Michael tills, constructs fences and arbors. She plants and tends it. Way to contribute to the economy of the family. When first came there, grocery stores had few vegetables. She grows organic peppers, beans, potatoes, onions, garlic, alliums, tomatoes, beets, greens, herbs, broccoli. She has 50 garden books, a journal, and talked to people to learn gardening. Uses Seed Savers Exchange. Have to learn your land. She has high clay land. Put sand and hay mulch on it. Use soaker hoses. Doesn't grow corn because not enough sunlight.
