Crop Rotation

The garden bed layout is finished, with some pretty significant changes from last year. I had begun with Eliot Coleman's crop rotation as a starting point last year, which was good, but definitely needed some tweaking this year. Here it is:

Those are our nine beds, left to right. The pile in the upper left corner are 2 herbs I won't be including in the raised beds and 3 veggies that took over the garden last year. I hope to find a permanent home for some rosemary bushes in the landscaping (perhaps by the front door?) and somewhere open for the candy roaster pumpkin and zucchino to sprawl and thrive. The marigold and nasturtium I will intersperse throughout the garden, along with some other flowering plants along the fence to attract beneficial insects. (Come here, little ladybugs!) Perhaps some frogs will find a home there too.

I'm sticking with the same varieties as last year for the most part. I was very happy with pretty much everything, and what I was disappointed in had more to do with my error than a poor seed choice. Plus, I have some of almost everything left. There are only a few things we still need to purchase, but I've heard rumor the Family Tree garden center carries a good selection of heirloom seeds, including Baker Creek seeds. I'll give a review after we visit...

I merely dabbled in beneficial flower plantings (or companion planting) last year, and I hope to expand that this year. I have lantana down the driveway side of the garden, and I am going to put red trumpet vine and morning glories on the corner fence posts. The list is long, so I'm just going to pick ones that visually appeal to me. Another option is to choose some bait plants. These intentionally attract an insect you have a problem controlling in your area. For instance, larkspur (or delphinium) attracts Japanese beetles and is poisonous, so they die. (Warning: fatal to humans too, as are many beautiful and beneficial plants, so choose carefully in regard to small children or animals.)

I'm way behind on starting my seeds, but I'm trying to schedule that in for this week. As I walked to the mailbox today, my second-year asparagus was standing thin and tall to greet me. A long-term investment that I am looking forward to reaping in a year or two. I am tentatively planning on dropping some more asparagus seeds in the bed, as it doesn't seem to be taking up as much room as I initially thought. A well-maintained bed can be harvested for over 20 years, and can also be dug up and moved if necessary, in between seasons.

As a final note regarding my bed layout, sweet potatoes and potatoes are not good companion plants, so I have them separated. I also spaced out veggies of the same family in case I don't have to rearrange my bed layout too much next year.

The Beds are Ready

We all worked in the garden this Saturday, getting it ready for spring planting. Such fun! Especially since this is the first year that the boys could actually be out there with us :) I've made my list of what I'll actually plant, and I'm ready to start my seedlings! Starting some varieties indoors will definitely be a big benefit, (like, maybe I'll actually have some celery this year?) and should give us some hardier plants.

Seed trays are expensive if you want to do any quantity of seedlings (plus, I'm cheap), so I've come up with some practically free alternatives. I started saving my egg cartons awhile ago because I realized they were a perfect size for starter seeds. The 12-18 size is also a great way to separate varieties. I came across this tutorial for toilet roll seed starters that I was thought was super cute, especially if you need something sturdier. (I'd have to save all year to have enough, but still worth sharing.)

You can spend a fortune on handy gardening tools, but thinking creatively can stretch your dollars far. I'm currently brainstorming ideas for a cheap trellising system for my vining zucchini this year. It was one of my most productive plants (although nothing came close to the okra extravaganza) last year, but it took over the garden. Literally. So, it clearly needs a sprawling home this year outside the garden. It looked rather like the Hulk riding a tricycle on the 'trellis' I had last year. Although, the tomatoes, beans and cukes were quite happy with it.

We're hoping to add some fruit to the garden this year, even if we don't get much harvest yet. I have some melons seeds that should be fun to try, and also some berry bushes are in the plan.

Baby veggie pix coming soon!

Granola Bars

There are lots of granola bar recipes floating around out there, and every time I came across one, I wanted to try it. I finally got around to it yesterday - and they're delicious! I used Ina Garten's recipe this time. It could easily be adapted for different flavors. It was super easy, and the boys love it. It actually made quite a bit too. The recipe says to wait several hours before cutting, but next time I will cut right away because some of the crispier edges just crumbled. I plan on using the crumbs when we're done with the bag for a yummy bowl of cereal.

A Young Gardener

Seed catalogs have been arriving in droves since before Christmas...and I am elated. I'm not big on cold weather, Georgia winters are about all I can stand. . I mean, I know God created winter too, and I try to see the positive in the season. I love the cozy fires, the hot drinks, the big fluffy sweaters, the occasional snow…but they’re just the good side I try to focus on while I’m freezing my rear end off. I love the fall harvest, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and they get me through the first couple cold months because of all the fun hustle and bustle. But then January rolls around, and for years I’ve just muddled through those chilly quiet months looking forward to April. Well, now that I’m vegetable gardening, I have found my ray of hope…seed catalogs and garden planning!

I learned a lot last year, if nothing else, how little I really know. It seems the more I read and learn, the more I realize I have to learn! I love the quote from Thomas Jefferson, “Though an old man, I am but a young gardener.” Such a true statement. There are so many things to learn about all the different types of plants and the relationships between them. I devoured many gardening books and perused countless websites last year, hoping to narrow my margin of error. I’m sure it helped, but experience is a wonderful teacher.

This year I want to plant more of some things, and less of others. (How many cucumbers and okra can one family eat?!) I definitely want more squash and tomatoes. I tried to simplify my crop rotation by having one bed for everything with the intention of just shifting one over every year. But I feel a little more comfortable this year trying to plan successions for all year and using each bed more than once, thereby achieving more yield. I’m putting the grain on hold for now. I really want to try it, but until I have a mill, I don’t see the point. We also barely had enough green beans to eat, let alone put up or dry. I also see how much work drying would have been! Besides, dried beans are that expensive J

I’m also doing some seedlings early indoors this year too. I didn’t have time last year, so I just tried everything from seed outdoors. Generally, the advice I found in The Vegetable Gardener's Bible to be true. (I love this book!) If he recommended starting from seed outdoors, mine did wonderfully. Those he suggested starting indoors and transplanting didn’t do as well. Celery, which he said could be very difficult to grow, didn’t come at all! I planted over 200 seeds…so I guess that’s accurate.

The seed catalogs have so many wonderful varieties, it’s incredibly difficult to narrow down. I thought I was conservative last year, but I believe I still had too many varieties. I didn’t consider the chances of cross-pollination, and I ended up with over half of my ridiculously abundant cucumber crop to be inedible. The peppers were slow to come up, so the harvest was low, plus I don’t know what crossed. The English peas would be a lot of work for little reward. I probably won’t do them again this year.

As I make my selections and arrangements, I’ll be sure to share my plans. Now to drool over my catalogs…

Oh, want some in your mailbox? Check out these sites and request a catalog!

Sow True Seed

Southern Exposure Seed Exchange

Seed Savers Exchange

Abundant Life Seeds

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds

Tomato Growers

R.H. Shumway's

Johnny's Selected Seeds

Kitchen Garden Seeds

To Please the ONE

Why do we try so hard to please everyone? I suppose everyone's not like that, I mean, my husband isn't. He can shake off judgement with seemingly little effort when he's confident he's doing what he feels is best. But me, no. Sadly, I am not that confident. I do care. I want to somehow right it, I question myself, think over what was said. Perhaps I'm wrong? Maybe I'm the one who just doesn't get it? How can they think that of me? Do they not know me at all? Did I do something? I'm not even sure what I did...all incessant questions and analyzing to discover the root...so I can fix it. 
I know that I am often wrong, but I know I'm not too. And that's where self-preservation kicks in. I am not wrong, they are wrong! That is not how that should have been handled! How dare they be so judgemental! Who are we to judge? God is set as judge, not us. Then, of course, am I not judging? We each do as we see fit, some with more arrogance than others. I do not feel jilted any less that one willing retaliate - I just keep those thoughts in my head out of courtesy. But, they're there all the same are they not? Am I not judging for judgment? Oh, the irony. Resenting those who are (sometimes) fellow believers for sinning.
And I know, I truly do know, that pleasing Him, the One whose opinion of me matters not most, but only, is what I should really care about. Not to recklessly live without concern for hurt, but to love without bounds. To see past the attack and wounds of this world that might cause me to lose focus, recede, and not be transparent for fear. One of my favorite quotes is from Mother Teresa, "When you love until there's no more hurt, there can be no more hurt, only love." God's love just doesn't make sense in our worldly terms. The world tells us to defend our rights (of which we have none in the Kingdom) and the love of God lays down all those rights. And yet, if we stopped fighting to defend ourselves (whether outwardly or by retreating inward), we would find ourselves more at peace with others than we have ever known.

Until Spring

Well, both our chickens are gone now. One died a few weeks ago and we have no idea why. We watched the other one thinking maybe they were sick, but she seemed to be fine. She stayed in the hen house for two days though. :( She also started molting and stopped laying eggs. Apparently molting is normal for this time of year, although why their feathers thin when it's getting cold, I don't know! So Thelma is no longer with us. We decided to find an adoptive home for Louise because I thought she might be lonely all winter alone. We do want more chickens, but I don't think getting chicks right now is a good idea. So, we're waiting until spring and we'll try again. Louise is now among a medium-sized flock of other Rhode Island Reds and will hopefully find herself at home soon, free-ranging on the large property.

Sigh. I miss them though. Every morning I go open the back door blinds and peek out to check on them only to remember they're not there. I also really miss the eggs! I had to start buying eggs this week again - bummer. But hopefully we'll get our yard re-fenced the way we'd like and our chicks in the spring will have a nice range for hunting bugs and other chicken goodies.

Plus, the sooner the yard is re-fenced and partitioned, the sooner I can let my two little monkeys run around outside without worrying. Right now, I always fear they'll run in two opposite directions! They stare out the back window at the swing set and ask now. It would be nice to let them run off some energy - that's for sure!

Things have been busy, but it seems they always are. When one thing ends, something else replaces it. I've decided it's just my season of life and I'll have to deal with it. On a positive note, it has helped me learn better about prioritizing, and what is really worth the time sacrifice. Some things just aren't worth the energy compared to the money I save - lol!

We never got a chance to plant a fall garden, so I'm disappointed about that. The beds needed to be tilled and there just weren't enough free weekends. I can't really work out in the yard during the week anymore because the boys won't let me! We took the play-yard down, which has been nice, but it's also meant there is nowhere safe for the munchkins to be contained. But, once they were learning to climb out, it was time...

I did take some time over the last 2 months to collect pinecones and sweetgum balls to use as fall/winter decor, which has been fun. The last of our okra dried lovely, so I saved it too for decorating. When we put up the Christmas tree, we're not doing all the glass ornaments this year. We're just doing lights and I'm going to put pinecones and other natural elements on it so the boys don't get in too much trouble. :) I think it will be pretty...I'll try and include some pictures when it's up.

And now it's feeding time at the zoo...

A little of this, a little of that

Just so you know, I'm okay. Since my last post warned I might get pulled under the garden vines, only to be followed by months of silence, I thought I'd let you know that right off the bat. Things haven't really been crazier than normal I suppose, and I have plenty to talk about, so I have no reason for being bloggy quiet other than I just didn't make the time. But anyway...

We have 2 chickens! Thelma and Louise. They are wonderful and each lay an egg a day, which is plenty when I'm not baking for market. I still haven't figured out what breed they are though. Here's Jacob talking to them. Caleb was unsure about the new squatters...he kept his distance. We have a new larger home planned for them in the next week or so.

I've still been busy cleaning house and simplifying, which has been so satisfying. I would pick something up, think it was still possible I would use it, and then realize I hadn't in 5 years, or 8, or 11. Ridiculous. So I got rid of it. But, of course the inevitable happens and I discover an actual need for it the next week. At first this might seem like a reason to slow down, but I refuse to let one or two incidents be an excuse to remain bogged down with stuff. This journey has been so amazing in the spiritual effect it has had on me. I want to be the best steward of what God has given me and my family, and responsibly take care of and appreciate our things. However, I refuse to live in fear that if I donate something I have no current use for, that I may happen to need it one day. I think I am being a better steward by not surrounding myself with things so numerous I can't keep up with them. I need to actually be able to find something when I do happen to need it. I'm enjoying this season very much.

On a completely different note, I baked some amazing chocolate toffee cookies yesterday. I think they may be my new fave. (At least for a few months. I'm so fickle with my baking.)

Oh! And something very exciting for our family! I am officially a Pampered Chef consultant! I love their products and have been using them for years, and well, we could use the money. I don't know why it never occurred to me before now, but I'll just consider it God's providential timing. We're going to give it a few months and see how it goes. Hopefully it will be amazingly perfect for our little family, but if not, at least we're showing God we're not burying our talent and actually trying to work and be profitable. So, if you are at all interested in booking a show, contact me! I would be happy to help you earn some free and discounted product for you home. (Or possibly help you get some great deals on Christmas presents?) I'm really looking forward to this venture.

Those are some big things in the last few months here on our home front. The market is done for the year, and I think I'm glad to be taking a break. My garden seems to be making a rally, however. I have green tomatoes and a fresh round of okra coming in...we'll see what happens there. I also have some carrots that aren't quite ready for harvest too. It's possible I have forgotten some other large event, but I have 2-year-olds, and by 5 o'clock, I'm pretty tired. Hence, the 'break' where I sit here and blog for the first time in months.