All of the tomatoes and peppers we . . . → Read More: Tomato Plants for sale (and peppers, too!) 2012]]> We will be selling tomato and pepper plants again this year. We wanted to give everyone an early heads up on which varieties we will be seeding out so you can make your gardening decisions now. Already have peas, broccoli, onions, carrots, lettuce and potatoes in the ground!

All of the tomatoes and peppers we are growing this year are heirlooms. Almost all of them were ordered from Seed Savers Exchange. This is a group whose sole purpose is to “save North America’s diverse, but endangered, garden heritage for future generations by building a network of people committed to collecting, conserving and sharing heirloom seeds and plants, while educating people about the value of genetic and cultural diversity.”

Also, we are seeding these out in containers that we hand-fold from recycled newspaper. Not only does this recycle it also keeps you from disturbing the roots when you plant. It’s a win-win. See how they are made here.

Plants are $1.50 each. Orders of 10+ plants are $1.00 each.

Tomatoes Available

Opalka (30+ plants available)

(Solanum lycopersicum) (aka Polish Torpedo) Given to Carolyn Male by coworker Carl Swidorski, who said the seed originated in Poland circa 1900. Part of SSE’s 1997 Polish Collection. Phenomenal set of 3″ by 6″ red paste tomatoes on vigorous wispy vines. Excellent flavor and very few seeds make this a perfect processing tomato. Fruits hold well on the vine. Indeterminate, 85 days from transplant.

Federle (30 plants available)

(Solanum lycopersicum) Introduced to SSE in 1991 by R. W. Richardson of New York. Original seed obtained through a swap with a West Virginia gardener. Productive plants loaded with 7″ long red paste tomatoes. Rich full flavor and few seeds. Excellent for processing, especially good for salsa. Indeterminate, 85 days from transplant.

Amish Paste (30 plants available)

(Solanum lycopersicum) First listed in the 1987 SSE Yearbook by Thane Earl of Whitewater, Wisconsin. Commercialized by Tom Hauch of Heirloom Seeds, who acquired it from the Amish near Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Bright red 8-12 ounce fruits vary in shape from oxheart to rounded plum. Delicious flesh is juicy and meaty, excellent for sauce or fresh eating. One of Slow Food USA’s Ark of Taste varieties. Indeterminate, 85 days from transplant.

Italian Heirloom (35 plants available)

(Solanum lycopersicum) Outstanding heirloom from Italy. Plants are loaded with red fruits weighing over a pound. One of the most productive varieties we have grown at Heritage Farm. Excellent full tomato flavor. Ideal for slicing and canning—very little waste and easy to peel. Indeterminate, 70-80 days from transplant.

Hillbilly Potato Leaf (40+ plants available)

(Solanum lycopersicum) From Ohio SSE member Jerry Lee Bosner. Absolutely gorgeous bicolor beefsteak tomato, great for slicing. Beautiful yellow 1 pound fruits are streaked with red on the blossom end. Sweet and juicy. Heavy producer. Indeterminate, 85 days from transplant.

Peppers

Bull Nose Bell (40 plants available)

(Capsicum annuum) Grown at Monticello by Thomas Jefferson and listed in 1863 by Fearing Burr. Crisp fruits ripen from green to red with an excellent flavor. Productive, sturdy plants. 55-80 days from transplant. SWEET

The book is very thorough and full of all of the appropriate facts. There is no doubt that everything is well covered. My main issue with the . . . → Read More: Pershing by John Perry]]> I enjoy reading history and have enjoyed several books in the past about great military leaders. While not a bad book Pershing, by John Perry, did not capture my attention.

The book is very thorough and full of all of the appropriate facts. There is no doubt that everything is well covered. My main issue with the book is that it does not really flow. The writing seems choppy.

If you enjoy military biographies you will most likely find this book worthwhile. While not as enduring as some other books in this same genre it does deliver on the details.

I have to say upfront that I don’t listen to much radio and therefore don’t know a lot about Rick and Bubba. I’ve . . . → Read More: We Be Big – The Review]]> We Be Big: The Mostly True Story of How Two Kids from Calhoun County, Alabama, Became Rick and Bubba was a decent read. I enjoy biographies and decided to give this one a try.

I have to say upfront that I don’t listen to much radio and therefore don’t know a lot about Rick and Bubba. I’ve heard of them and have heard parts of their shows but that’s about it. I do read a lot and know what grabs my attention and overall this is a 3 out of 5.

Lots and lots of talk about how hard they’ve worked, food, and how they have always broken the rules. I’m sure that’s all true. They have obviously worked very hard and their fans must be pretty rabid. I’m sure their radio show must be a hoot but the book is not. It’s not bad. I actually enjoyed reading it but it just didn’t grab me.

I recently read a biography of the great acoustic guitar player Tony Rice called “Tony Rice – Still Inside”. It was written in a way that really got into the life of who Tony Rice was and what makes him tick. You could read that book and have a good insight into the career of Tony Rice. It’s a read again book.

“We Be Big” did not grab me in the same way. I know more about Rick and Bubba but I didn’t walk away feeling like I really knew them.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

All of the tomatoes and peppers we are growing this year are . . . → Read More: Tomato Plants For Sale (and peppers, too)!]]> We will be selling tomato and pepper plants again this year. We wanted to give everyone an early heads up on which varieties we will be seeding out so you can make your gardening decisions now. It won’t be long before we are planting lettuce!

All of the tomatoes and peppers we are growing this year are heirlooms. Almost all of them were ordered from Seed Savers Exchange. This is a group whose sole purpose is to “save North America’s diverse, but endangered, garden heritage for future generations by building a network of people committed to collecting, conserving and sharing heirloom seeds and plants, while educating people about the value of genetic and cultural diversity.”

Plants are $1.50 each. Orders of 10+ plants are $1.00 each.

Tomatoes Available

Opalka (125+ plants available)

(Solanum lycopersicum) (aka Polish Torpedo) Given to Carolyn Male by coworker Carl Swidorski, who said the seed originated in Poland circa 1900. Part of SSE’s 1997 Polish Collection. Phenomenal set of 3″ by 6″ red paste tomatoes on vigorous wispy vines. Excellent flavor and very few seeds make this a perfect processing tomato. Fruits hold well on the vine. Indeterminate, 85 days from transplant.

German Pink (125+ plants available)

(Solanum lycopersicum) One of the two original Bavarian heirlooms from Diane Ott Whealy’s family that started SSE. Potato leaf plants produce large 1-2 pound fruits. Meaty flesh with few seeds, very little cracking or blossom scars. Full sweet flavor. Excellent for canning, freezing and slicing. Indeterminate, 85 days from transplant.

John Baer (20 plants available)

(Solanum lycopersicum) (aka Bonny Best) From the Bonny group of tomatoes that includes Chalk’s Early Jewel. Introduced in 1914 by J. Bolgiano and Son of Baltimore. Bright red, meaty, smooth fruits with very good flavor. Once a leading canning variety, also great for fresh eating. Heavy producer. Indeterminate, 60-80 days from transplant.

Matt’s Wild Cherry (20 plants available)

Genetically linked to wild Mexican tomatoes from the state of Hidago. A TomatoFest “favorite” tomato. Our organic tomato seeds produce a tall, vigorous, rangy, indeterminate, regular-leaf tomato plant with thousands of 1/2 -inch red cherry tomatoes, borne in clusters. Fruits have a very sweet, delicious taste. Like snacking on candy. This tomato variety that should do well in cooler growing regions as it appears to have some frost resistance. Great for sprinkling these “jewels” into a salad.

Black Krim (20 plants available)

(aka Black Crimson and Black Crim) Originally from the Isle of Krim on the Black Sea in the former Soviet Union. This rare, and outstanding tomato yields 3-4″ slightly flattened dark-red (mahogany-colored) slightly maroon, beefsteak tomatoes with deep green shoulders. Green gel around seeds. Fantastic, intense, slightly salty taste (which is great for those not wanting to add salt to their tomatoes).

Black Krim is one of my best black tomatoes. Also suitable for container/patio garden. Perfect choice for slicing, salads and cooking.

Peppers

Orange Bell (15+ plants available)

(Capsicum annuum) The best tasting orange bell pepper we have grown. Given to SSE by member Alex Heklar in 1989. Blocky 4″ bell peppers have thick walls and excellent flavor. Heavy yielding. Can also be eaten green. 90 days from transplant. Sweet.

Tollies Sweet Pepper (15+ plants available)

(Capsicum annuum) Sweet Italian heirloom named for Phil Tolli. Large, dependable yields of 5″ long scarlet-red peppers. This is one of our all-around favorites for fresh eating, frying, and canning recipes. Great added to tomato sauces. 75-85 days from transplant.

The chapters cover seventeen different lies we have been told by the government. Napolitano goes into great detail giving multiple examples . . . → Read More: Lies The Government Told You]]> “Lies The Government Told You: Myth, Power, and Deception in American History” by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano was a very interesting read. For anyone who is a lover of the Constitution this is a must read.

The chapters cover seventeen different lies we have been told by the government. Napolitano goes into great detail giving multiple examples of how we have been lied to over and over again. Some of my favorite chapters were “The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms Shall Not be Infringed”, “The Federal Reserve Shall Be Controlled by Congress”, and “Everyone is Innocent Until Proven Guilty”. It is obvious from the given examples that our government has consistently been chipping away at our freedoms for a long time. Some of these examples go all the way back to the late 1700s!

I believe this book would be an interesting read for anyone. You may or may not agree with the premises given but I do believe he lays a great foundation for a strict interpretation of the Constitution. We should be a nation that is governed by it’s laws and not by the whims of our elected leaders.

“Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.” – Benjamin Franklin.

Chip Carving – Part 2

You can find the first part of this article here – Chip Carving – Part 1.

Sesame Street is a great kids program. I watched it as a kid and it’s still on TV from what I hear. Every show is sponsored by a letter and a number. It was a great way . . . → Read More: Woodcarving Article – Chip Carving Part 2]]>

Chip Carving – Part 2

You can find the first part of this article here – Chip Carving – Part 1.

Sesame Street is a great kids program. I watched it as a kid and it’s still on TV from what I hear. Every show is sponsored by a letter and a number. It was a great way to teach kids. Now I’m going to try that out on you. Today’s article is brought to you by the letter Q and the number 65. Why Q? Because its round with a cute tail. Why the number 65? Well, it’s a very important number in chip carving….

The Shadow Knows

Shadows are important in all kinds of artwork. Portraying them in painting is key, photographers are very careful to preserve them, and woodcarving is no different. Proper shadows play a big role in how our eyes interpret a carving. The design and the motifs you choose are important but if you do not execute your carving properly it will not grab the viewer’s eye.

It is very important to cut the chips consistently. This will give you a proper look over the whole project. The way to accomplish this is to always work in the same physical position and hold your knives in the same manner and position every time. As we’ve already discussed most chip carvers carve in their lap. That way they can keep a consistent position no matter where there are working.

My Slant on Angles

There is one way to produce great shadows in your chips and that is to cut your chips at the correct angle. To remove a chip you must make at least two cuts. When these cuts are made you will end up with a V shape in the wood. It’s the angle of this V that is most important.

The tendency for most folks is to make a cut that is too shallow with a cutting angle of about 45 degrees. This is understandable because it allows for a shallow cut and is therefore easier to get the chip out. The correct cutting angle is 65 degrees. This angle will cause you to go deeper to get the chip out and will result in a more desirable shadow.

Hold It!

The knife I am using has an indention on top for the index finger and an indention for the thumb closer to the blade across from the finger. Look at the picture to get an idea of how I am holding the knife. Keep your fingers and thumb in constant contact with the wood. This will give you stability while you cut and most importantly should help keep your skin intact. If you fingers are moving with the blade they can’t be cut. As soon as you use your thumb for leverage and your knife slips you’ll be reminded why seasoned woodcarvers carry Band-Aids.

Don’t forget to hold the blade at 65 degrees. If you notice that you are not holding the knife at the proper angle do not twist your hand or wrist. This would put your hand in an unnatural position and could cause fatigue. What you want to do is loosen your grip and turn the knife in your hand until you have the correct angle. Then properly grip the knife again. Dennis Moor calls this position 1 (picture on right) and says he uses it about 95% of the time.

Position 2 (picture on left) has the blade facing away from your person rather than toward you. Notice the thumb is on the back edge of the knife and the handle. The fingers should stay in contact with the wood for stability. It is more difficult to maintain the 65 degree angle with this position but position 2 is useful in certain instances: 1) when the wood starts to split on a cut you can turn the wood around and use this position to cut back to your other cut, 2) making the second cut of the triangle chip (you’ll learn about it in a later article), 3) when working in confined spaces.

Holding the Stab Knife

The stab knife can be held with the blade facing towards you are away from you. The grip is the same. It depends on how you want the cut in the wood. Once you grip it properly, position the point of the blade on the wood and push it in. This will give you an impression in the wood. Many embellishments are done with this technique. These will be discussed in a later article.

The Gripping End

In chip carving holding the blade properly is very important. Using correct grip and correct angle consistently will give you consistently good results. Chip carving is like any other endeavor – ‘perfect practice makes perfect’. If you practice sloppily your results will show it.

My goal in these articles is to give you a taste for chip carving and I hope I am doing it well. However, I do recommend finding a good book or video on the subject. Books and videos have room to give a lot more depth on the subject. My continued thanks to Dennis Moor for helping me along in this process.

Chip Carving Materials

Dennis Moor’s book is – Chip Carver’s Workbook: Teach Yourself with 7 Easy and Decorative Projects

Wayne Barton Knives – SET OF W.B. CHIP CARVING KNIVES

Two Cherries – Two Cherries 515-3303 Chip Carving Knives – 3 Piece Set

Flexcut – Flexcut Chip Carving Knife

Today I am talking about chip carving. This is something totally new for me as I have never chip carved in my life before starting this article. I thought it would be fun to start a new series about something I’m not as familiar with so we could learn together.

Since I am . . . → Read More: Woodcarving Article – Chip Carving Part 1]]> Chip Carving – Part 1

Today I am talking about chip carving. This is something totally new for me as I have never chip carved in my life before starting this article. I thought it would be fun to start a new series about something I’m not as familiar with so we could learn together.

Since I am a beginner in this area I decided to look to the experts. I have a book called Chip Carver’s Workbook: Teach Yourself with 7 Easy and Decorative Projects by Dennis Moor. I have been reading his book and will be relating a lot of his thoughts in this article. Dennis owns Chipping Away and is considered an expert in the field of chip carving. Also, since Dennis lives in Canada this article will have some innate international flair, don’t you know.

Chip Carving – WhatIzIt?

I’m going to take the definition straight from the book: “Chip carving is a style of woodcarving in which knives are used to remove selected “chips” of wood from the project in a single piece. Patterns can be free-form style or geometrically based with figures, such as triangles, circles, simple lines, and curves.”

You’ve probably seen this style of carving on wooden plates, bowls, and boxes. While these are very popular items to chip carve I have learned that, just like other styles of carving, you cannot assume anything. Chip carving can be applied to a limitless number of mediums. To the right you can see a chip carved cross from the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum.

Wood

Basswood seems to be the wood of choice to start out with. As we’ve discussed many times before basswood is the almost perfect carving wood. It fits chip carving very well, too. Butternut is also a universally accepted carving wood and chip carvers use it quite a bit as well.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t other woods that you might want carve. Don’t let your creativity be limited. Just make sure your wood choice works for your project. Some woods split more easily than others or may not hold details as well. Be informed about what you are doing and you’ll be ok.

He’s go a knife, or two, or three

Just like other areas of carving chip carving features a lot of knife work. Actually almost all chip carving is done with a knife. While Carving Magazine has featured an article about chip carving with gouges the traditional method still uses only knives.

Originally this was just two knives: the cutting knife and the stab knife. The use of these two knives comes from the Swiss. Using just these two tools they were able to develop an efficient chip carving method. Dennis has added a third knife to this classical set. It is a smaller version of the cutting knife and is ideal for those with smaller hands.

Other Stuff

Other items commonly used by chip carvers are drawing instruments, templates, and safety gear. The drawing instruments can be as simple as a pencil, T-square, and a bow compass. These allow the carver to lay out the project. Templates are very helpful for laying out borders. Other template items include plastic rulers (flexible), circle templates, and protractors. Any tools that help you design your project fall in this category.

Since most chip carving takes place in the lap of the carver and not on a table some type of leg protection is required. You should wear something like a leg apron or use a wooden tray to protect yourself from cuts.

As always you want to have very sharp tools. Sharp tools are safer than dull tools because they require less work to make the cut. This means you won’t be using as much force and are less likely to slip with the knife.

Another neat item that helps with chip carving is practice blocks. These are blocks of wood that come stamped with patterns. You can use these blocks to practice your cuts. You can make your own blocks as well. This will allow you to practice laying out your project and then practice making the cuts!

Grand Finale

Chip carving is an expressive art form that has unlimited applications. Chip carving can be the main focus of a piece or it can be used as an accent. It is easy to find the needed tools and is inexpensive to begin. My wife, who does not carve, said it is the first kind of carving she has thought she would enjoy. That’s a pretty good testimony if you ask me. Keep those chips flying!

This article originally appeared in Carving Magazine.