On 1/18/2010 12:11 PM, Robert Kesterson wrote:
> On Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:51:56 -0600, Day, Wally <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> "Aye, there's the rub" with any kind of gardening in a cooler climate
>> (right on the border between zone 5 and zone 6). The window of
>> opportunity is narrow. Normally I can't safely plant outdoors until
>> late April/early May. Which means for *most* plants we get fresh stuff
>> July-early Sept. Most greens can be planted and harvested throughout
>> the summer (since they are just leaves), but getting two harvests for
>> much else is problematic.
>
> That's one place we can do things paleo man couldn't. You can extend the
> season pretty much year round, as long as you plan appropriately. I have
> a simple "hoop house" greenhouse (basically just a sheet of plastic
> supported by PVC ribs) that lets me grow things all winter, using
> nothing but the sun. I'm in zone 6, but there are people much further
> north using the concept (see the book "Four Season Harvest" for lots of
> details). I just planted a few things in mine last week, and they're
> starting to come up. The radishes are an inch tall already. :-)
>
> Using season extenders does result in me eating some things "out of
> season", but not terribly so. I can't grow tomatoes or peppers in there
> in winter, for example, but things that can tolerate frost and/or
> freezing will work just fine. But I don't sweat this too much, because I
> eat things from the grocery store that aren't in season all the time.
>
> If you want more detail, email me off the list (I don't want to get too
> far off topic on here) and I can send photos of my setup.
>
>> I have experimented a bit with indoor "gardening", but not very
>> seriously.
>
> Unless you have south-facing windows (or very bright artificial
> lighting), you probably won't have enough light for most vegetables.
>
> --
> Robert Kesterson
> [log in to unmask]

Paleo man didn't necessarily live where it snows or freezes but can be 
found in tropical climates where he had access to fresh "stuff" all year 
around.  I suspect that the closer to the tropics one lived, the higher 
percentage of carbs from gathering was eaten and eaten all year around.

-- 

Steve - [log in to unmask]

"The Problem with Socialism is that eventually you
run out of Other People's Money." --Margaret Thatcher