My helper for today...

Starting the seeds for tomatoes, peppers, squash, zucchini, and cucumbers.

Our seeds came up quick (2-5 days) with the exception of the peppers. Those took almost 10 days.

J wanted to help plant in the garden this morning. We managed to get a couple more areas tilled and rowed up for squash, zucchini, and cucumbers. He helped me plant those in the proper areas. He also put in the Roma Bush beans. We ended up with almost two full rows of those. I like roma's in soup and stews. They hold up well. I plan to put some in the freezer, dehydrate some and can the rest.

We still have to row the rest of the garden, put up trellises for the climbing plants, plant the merigolds all around (trying to help with the bug problem) and lay the landscape timbers around the main garden to help denote the edges for mowing around.

We still have Kentucky Wonder beans, canteloupe, pumpkins, winter squash, tomatoes and bell peppers to plant. The kids are hoping that our pumpkins do well so they can sell them this fall at the end of the drive. They won't go in the ground for a couple more weeks though. I told them that if they help and we have excess, then they are welcome to set up a sign and table out front to sell it and keep the money.

We shall see how it goes.

Yes he is learning to use the tiller. He did a good job and it helped that the ground is much softer than previous years.


Pushing the Roma's in...

Buy Locally!!!!

Well after having yet another nasty, mealy, store bought, supposedly 'Vine-ripened' tomato, I'm done! I am soooo ready for summer to get here so I can get some real ones. That tomato was so bad, I ended up throwing it to the chickens...chickens will eat just about anything. Of course they devoured it like they were starving...like I hadn't just fed them less than 30 minutes ago. I swear they have hollow legs or something.

I popped back onto this site Local Harvest. They have listings of farms, CSA's, farmer's markets, etc in your area with a listing of the goods many places offer. Driving an hour for some tasty organic/naturally raised beef is so worth it. Besides, for my kids, since we homeschool, taking a drive out to someone else's farm is just another field trip!

Since I'm not planning to put a garden in this year due to some other plans we hope to have going and being that the garden area is currently being occupied by the Hereford calf, I was on there looking for a place that sells organic produce. I found a local farm nearby and can't wait to head down their way later on this summer.

Buying locally is great! Your assured to get fresh produce, you can see how it's been grown, your supporting local business and making new friends...what could be better than that. You'll be eating better too. I'd like to start selling the lambs we've started raising. I only have two ewes, but they have given me a wonderful start! We also found that we love lamb home grown...that store bought stuff is way too strong for my tastes and who knows what's in it unless you buy organic, which can cost you a bit, but I still recommend buying the best you can. After all you are what you eat.......