Harvesting left overs from my fall farming by the window.

Trying to be ready for spring farming by mixing boiled soy beans to recycle soil, which my old friend organic farmer suggested. Will try to harvest as mush as possible for my daily life. 秋野菜の残りを収穫、春の窓際農園の準備を始める。土リサイクルの為に、茹で大豆を土に混ぜてみた。古い友人鹿児島の有機農場古澤さん、いつも色々教えてくれて有難う!今年も出来るだけの自給自足目指す。

Corn salad, daikon, beets from left.

Corn salad, daikon, beets from left.

How could this side hole be made? My usual enemy squirrel? こんな横穴なぜ出来る? いつもの敵、りす?

How could this side hole be made? My usual enemy squirrel? こんな横穴なぜ出来る? いつもの敵、りす?

Summer harvest

Oh, this is my long term luxury pleasure, organic farming, out of the window of NYC apartment during summer. Since I am from Tokyo originally, farming was not something very close to me and never interested before I move to NYC. My Italian landlord used to give me bags of harvest such as tomatoes, cucumbers, grapes and more from their large back yard every summer. Home grown tomatoes taste like fruits and so good. Squirrels are always my enemy.

Several days ago, mini tomatoes, medium tomatoes and Shiso Japanese basil.

Several days ago, mini tomatoes, medium tomatoes and Shiso Japanese basil.

This morning, more tomatoes and a nigauri/bitter cucumber that Eiko and Ken brought me a baby plant that amazes me how fast and powerfully grows since last month.

This morning, more tomatoes and a nigauri/bitter cucumber that Eiko and Ken brought me a baby plant that amazes me how fast and powerfully grows since last month.

東京にいた頃は植物育てる事に興味は無かってけれど、イタリア人の大家が、毎夏ほぼ毎日裏庭でバーベキューして、トマト、きゅうり、葡萄を育て、たまに袋いっぱいのそれらをくれて、そんなのを見ながら自分でもやる様になった。育児で忙しかった時期を除いて、nyのアパート窓外のオーガニックファーミングは、私にとってとっても贅沢な楽しみだ。実益も当然兼ねたいし、シソ等はどこでも手に入る訳じゃ無いし、限られたスペース本気で使ってる。来年はきゅうりも作りたいな🥒。肥料はミミズのウンコ。敵はリス。今年は、大声出して棒でつついたら来なくなった。

Chiharu is blooming.

I usually grow edible plants. Named this miniature rose, in apricot pink, as Chiharu. Chiharu/智陽 is name of my old friend who studied at the same art school in Tokyo and a great base player at the band, KureKure that we are in. We have not seen after art school time, reunited in FB long after, and I learned he was fighting over cancer. He passed away recently. I have learned that he was enjoying taking care of roses, in variety of colors of many kinds in his yard. I loved photos of Chiharu that he was wearing pink pajama, shirts or pants. I wanted to grow rose in my out of window farm and to name it Chiharu.  

Who knows me long and well surprised as I grow inedible plant. I wanted to spend good amount of time to find a nice pink color I like and remind of him from it. It is so wired and funny but  I did not know I would be diagnosed as cancer then.  

IMAGE.JPG

智陽/ちはるが咲いた。窓際有機農業始めて20年以上、食用ばかり育てて来た。私を良く知る友人は、花、それも薔薇?って、私らしくない植物に驚いた。私だってそう思うからね。東京の美大時代、一緒のバンド「クレクレ」で4年間ベースを弾いてた智陽。最近fbで再会した時は、もう体調悪そうで、ピンクのパジャマで病室でギター弾いてた。ピンクのシャツ着て、ピンクのパンツでライブ出たり。ピンクの智陽似合ってて良いなと思った。こないだ癌で死んでしまったけど。その後智陽が庭で色んな種類の薔薇を大切に育ててた事が分かり、私も薔薇を育ててみようかなと思ったんだ。智陽って名前をつけてね。あ、直ぐ枯らしちゃうかも。。。とは思ったけど、ま、それはそれで良い。と、お気楽に。仕事でNYC中出掛ける中、花屋見かける度にミニチュアローズ探して、でもまだシーズン早過ぎで。なかなか気に入る私の智陽色が見つからず。ハーレム125街で店頭横で発見。$15。悪くない! この時、私は自分が肺癌と診断されるとは思っていなかった。あはは。 リスが敵だけど、取り敢えず再開花。嬉しい。気張らず、お気楽に智陽を育てていくよ。