About “ME”

     I first became interested in organic gardening in the late 1960’s!  Ever since grade school, I was facinated by growing things. As early as first grade, my teacher would save milk cartons, cut them in half, fill them with soil, and have each student plant a couple of bean seeds.  We were responsible for watering them and putting them on the window ledge for sunlight. I was amazed how plants could actually come from these tiny little seeds.
     As a teen, my dad always had a vegetable garden in our back yard, as most Italian family’s in my

     In the 70’s, we ran into hard times financially here on Long Island, and I decided to move my family to upstate New York.  I bought a 110 year old farmhouse on a few acres of land, with the idea that we could become self-sufficient by growing and raising most of our own food, canning, freezing, and heating with wood.  We did so successfully and organically, for 10-years. We raised chickens for eggs & meat, turkeys, rabbits, pigs, beef cows, and planted about 3/4 of an acre for our own use.  We heated entirely with wood, hunted deer & wild turkey and were about as self-sufficient as a family can be today.
     During this period, I read every book I could find of organic gardening & farming, homesteading and animal husbandry, experimented, and learned.  I also found out that I had a knack for writing, and tried my hand at articles which I submitted to national magazines. Much to my surprise, the article I wrote were accepted for national publication, and requests for additional articles came frequently. At the end of this 10year period, my marriage broke up for reasons other than our rural lifestyle, and I moved back to Long Island where I raised my two children by myself.
    

     Within a few years, I remarried a wonderful women with 3 children of her own, who owned a nice home with a large yard. This women was my gift from God and is my best friend. We still live in the same home where I maintain a nice organic garden consisting of 6 raised beds, foundation plantings and fruit trees. While self-employed as a print broker and graphic designer ( www.ThePrintBroker.net /  www.shilohgraphics.com ) I still have a passion for organic gardening. My surburan neighbors from on keeping chickens, turkeys, pigs and cows in my backyard, so to keep peace with my neighbors and wife, no livestock today!
     It is my hope and desire to use this blog share what I have learned over the years from experience and reading with all who come this way, and to provide a forum for you to ask questions and share your own experiences and stories.
     In addition, as I approach retirement age, I think it would be great if I could obtain some income from this site from advertising and doing garden consulting locally.  Many blessings,

Ron