Another Odd Winter in the Ohio Valley

Yesterday was sunny and warm. Today was mild. Thursday is calling for snow. It hasn't really felt like autumn for more than a few random days. Nonetheless, I still choose coffee and snuggly sweaters to keep me in the mood for cold weather. I don't mind the plummeting temps as long as I can stay warm and focus on planning for the Spring. I have turned my mom into a crafting monster. I finally have someone around me who is as crazy about making everything that you can. We learned to knit and crochet together and it seems to have opened the floodgates. I love it. We are even planning to help each other in the garden this year. Yay for moms!

Making steps

So as I said before in my last post, I was beginning my journey to finding my niche in the farming world. This is where I will be going on Saturday: http://semonin.com/PropertyDetail.aspx?PropertyDetail=1187362&PropertyItem=0&PropertyIdx=1&tab=6&RecordType=180&0110_exc=1187362&5020_order=ascending&9375=1&AgoraItems=10&AgoraPage=1
Its small and most wouldn't consider this much of an opportunity, but I had a vision when I saw this place. I'm a sucker for a fixer-upper. There is just so much potential there. The house is in need of much repair which means I can have it fixed up as I'm fixing it. New houses gag me. I want to design and paint and remodel myself. There isn't much room for creativity in a brand new house. Plus, $10 says that little old rundown country home has more charm and character in its garage that a newer house has in its entirety! And, as much as I wanted to be an "urban farmer" and raise city chickens, I want to be able to experience lots of different aspects of farm life. So, please say a little prayer that I can sell my current house!

Hey...a girl can dream, can't she?!? :-)

What is a farm girl to do?

I love October. I love Fall. The baking, snuggling in the chilly air, and fun things like Halloween make the upcoming winter not seem so unbearable. Unfortunately, when my garden is dormant, my mind is wild. And by wild, I mean, chickens, bees, rabbits, new plants, bigger beds, new beds, and goats. Yes, I said it, goats. My hubby and I took our little one up to a local orchard and farm last weekend for a hay ride, pumpkin picking, and cider drinking. While there, of course we checked out the kids' area where you could feed chickens, a few goats, and a resident pot-bellied pig. Which brings me to my current predictament...the dream turned desire turned wishful think turned ACHE to live on a farm. I have a driving force in me that hurts because I want to be on a farm so badly. I thought this city gardening was fun and I guess rather chic for awhile. Urban farming is what they called it. I have enough land to do some serious farming damage and I really don't give a flying hoot what the neighbors think. What scares me is that people in the city are sometimes ruthless and I am reluctant to expose vulnerable animals to what could happen. I don't know when or how or where, but it must happen. So, right here, right now, I begin my plan. My heart needs this. For the record though, I don't know what I would do with goats.

and I grew these!

New Ideas and old pics

One of the most peaceful looking flowers I have ever seen.




Ever seen anything so proud to just be what its supposed to be?

I'm making seed packets for myself and friends of my most successful flower and veggie adventures from this year. Just some pics from the flowers around the yard that I plan to regenerate next year! I really loved my flower adventures this year. I think I could get as addicted to flowers as I am veggies. Most folks say they don't serve a purpose as veggies do, but they make me happy just by looking at them so thats enough for me!

Fall and sadness

Never is it more apparent to me where I should be than when I'm spending a beautiful Friday afternoon inside a dirty building at work rather than in my garden that is in dire need of maintenance. I was slightly productive this weekend. I managed to weed most of the beds and planted some lettuces for fall. I found a pretty large pumpkin that I'm hoping is going to turn white. I've got tons of little Baby Boos (mini white pumpkins) and a Sugar Baby pumpkin. I was hoping for a bigger turn out. The pumpkins are going to get their very own plot next year because they kind of took over everything. I've already started planning the layout for next year and the expansions. (sorry Hubby, more boxes, more digging)

-More space for pumpkins
-More tomato plants
-More cucumber plants
-Different variety of green beans (yucky)
-Adding some new herbs (going to try some teas)
-Spaghetti squash did awesome but had a few problems (troubleshooting and solutions added later)
-Potatoes NOT recommended for my small raised beds. I had a great yield, but I think I can do better in open groundrather than confined in beds. (12lbs of reds, 10 lbs russets, 10 lbs yukon golds) I'm also going to try a few new varieties. http://www.potatogarden.com
-My onions are also going to get a new home. 2010 will have a few new varieties but I will definitely plant less. I'm still trying to give those things away even after freezing about 5 lbs worth of chopped onions.

This year was great for experimenting. I had fun watching new things grow and trying to learn what not to do next year to help the things that didn't grow get a better start. Hopefully my chickens will help me do a little composting and insect control. Don't tell Hubby, but I was thinking of adding a few bunnies as well.

As my beds are being cleared of old plants and I prepare for Fall and Winter, I'm a little sad, but also very excited for next year. I'm planning on some shut-in time with my knitting needles and scrapbooks and daydreams of chickens.

Farm City by Novella Carpenter

A friend got me this book for my birthday and I haven't put it down since. Reading about urban farming makes what I have look like a real farm . Carpenter managed to keep bees, chickens, rabbits, 2 pigs, turkeys, ducks, and as she puts it "two monkeys" in a small apartment and an abandoned concrete lot across the alley. Along with making me appreciate the space that I have to work with, reading this book has opened up the potential for, and I'm sorry if I offend anyone, the idea of raising animals for more than just companionship and a few eggs. When I first started venturing off into the idea of having my own chickens the only things I thought of were eggs and compost. Novella vividly paints a relationship between animals and humans as it was intended; to raise animals, to respect their life, and to be thankful for their gifts. Once upon a time, knowing my food would have seemed morbid and I wanted no part of picturing my fried chicken's former life of clucking around a yard, pecking at worms and dust. Fast food, grocery stores, and any other modern "conveniences" have cut us off from the reality that what we eat was alive. We have no connection to how those animals lived. Were they confined in tiny cages? Or, were they roaming free and allowed to be cows or chickens or pigs before they became our nourishment? At least with my chickens, I can ensure they will live as chickens should with sunshine and scratching dirt and chasing grasshoppers. This book reminded me of the waste and carelessness of our convenient world. I find myself avoiding as much as I possibly can at the grocery store if I can make it myself or buy it at my Saturday farmers' markets. The more books I read about homesteading, the more ashamed of myself for living the way that I did for so long. By leaps and bounds or by baby steps and caution, I will become more self reliant. I will provide for my family. I will show my daughter the beauty and rewards of growing your own food.

Late Summer Blues

I miss the mornings in early Spring, watching the baby plants relaxing in the morning sunshine, stretching what seemed like inches by that night. I miss drinking my coffee and reading a good book for awhile before it was time to go to work. And, by the way, I am a terrible blogger. My lapse in posts is ridonkulous. I'm going to work on that. But I miss the newness of Spring. This winter I'm going to plan some big changes for my garden. Here are a few pics from the past month...

Lord have mercy!

No posts in June. Shame on me. Busy stuff at work. Crazy stuff at home. Addy needs a break. Enter vacation...Just left work for the last time at least for the next week. Instantly my mind has gone into "vacation to-do list" mode. You'd be amazed how quickly I can fill a notebook with wishful thinkings of cleaning out the garage or reorganizing the office. But, alas, I promise to spend at least one day of this vacation alone and just being thankful and mindful of what I've got. The garden is getting out of control with weeds. I had no idea that squash vines could travel as far as they do. Seriously...ten feet guys??? Is that necessary for only one little squash?

Anyhoo...some pictures from June

Early June (note that the *volunteers* are only about 4ft tall)

I love the little tendrils on the squash vines. My lettuces are taking over. I let them bolt because I like their flowers.

Potato flowers

Empty yard just beggin to be dug up! You just wait till next year.

I've got rocks! Hubby finished shoveling out the rocks for me. Thanks, Hubby!

So do you ever just have those days where you can breathe and everything feels nice? After several failed attempts at knitting, I was finally able to learn this weekend, which I know is just knitting, but I am ECSTATIC!!!! I've got a good foot long something going on. I'm considering this practice so I'm just gonna keep going until my little ball of yarn is finished. On top of that, I made bread from scratch tonight and got to beat the dickens out of some dough. Repressed aggression...taken care of! Knitting, bread making, the garden is doing well, and my rugrat is learning tons of new words everyday! This is going to be a good week.

The last of the babies waiting to be planted.


Lettuces 4 weeks ago, 3 weeks ago, and today!


My first "volunteers" and Mr. Twisty!

Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life

So I just got finished with a new book. "Made from Scratch" by Jenna Woginrich is AMAZING! Its all about how to make small changes in your life to live more sustainably. Her story hit me right in the gut. It gave me the courage to make the decision to get chickens! I have been pondering for awhile now and doing some research, but Jenna's book really breaks it down for me. She even includes resources to do anything and everything. I've spent my entire life feeling like the odd one out. I've always enjoyed nature and making things. I figure if someone made it then why can't I. I never considered why I was like that, but now that I think about it, being connected to what I came from, learning to take care of myself from the land, it feels wonderful. Everything today comes pre-made, pre-packaged, pre-cooked. You can itemize and pick out every detail of anything these days with the click of a button. What happens when its all gone? What happens when there are no more instant mashed potatoes?

In the morning, before I even begin to think about work, I sit out in my garden picking tiny weeds, plucking away the caterpillars, and checking on my seedlings' progess. It fills my heart with joy that is almost choking. It makes me thankful for everything I've got. And now, my quest...urban chicken farmer!

Weekend Chores

Potato sprouts from last weekend and today. Same plant! Like 3 inches taller!

I live for Saturday mornings. This week has been especially nice weather and this Saturday has been no exception! I can't believe how much my little babies have grown this week...check out last weekend's post and look at these new pics. Sunshine makes everybody and everything so happy!

Tell me if you can tell the difference between the spaghetti squash and the zucchini because I sure can't!

Sophia helping Momma in the garden and playing in her new house.

2009 Seed List

(seedlings catching some rays)

Does anyone else feel overwhelmed by the 200 seeds that come in a pack? I mean, I feel very wasteful when it comes to starting from seed. This year I'm trying to find friends to donate baby plants to like they are free kittens! I figure everyone could use a pepper plant, a tomato plant, and maybe some onions! Anyhoo! Here is my list of wishful thinking for this year. And, since I can't stop buying seed packets, I'm sure there will be many revisions of this post.

(s)=saved from 2008 harvest

Veggies
-Zucchini
-Watermelon
-Spaghetti Squash
-Little Gem Bibb Lettuce
-Sweet Yellow Corn (s)
-Chocolate Bell Peppers (s)
-Banana Peppers (s)
-Jack-O-Lantern Pumpkins
-California Wonder Green Bell Peppers (s)
-Mini White Pumpkins (s)
-Calypso Beans (farmers market donation)
-Jelly Bean Tomatoes (cherry)
-Mesclun Salad Mix
-White onions
-Leaf Lettuce Mix
-Black Beauty Eggplant
-Better Boy Tomatoes
-KY Wonder Green Beans (pole)
-Yellow Onions (sets)
-Russet Potato (seed potato)
-Yukon Gold Potato (seed potato)
-Roma Tomatoes
-Poblano Peppers
-Lumina White Pumpkins
-Red Onion (sets)
- Tendergreen Beans (bush)

Herbs
-Parsley-Flat Leaf Italian
-Italian Basil
-Rosemary
-Sage
-Spearmint
-Garlic Chives
-Thyme
-Dill

Flowers
-Zinnias: White, Envy (green), Scarlet Queen, Giants Mix
-Nigellas Hot Fudge Sundae
-Sweet Peas Little Sweetheart Mix
-Cornflower Blue Boy
-Nasturium
-Alyssum Mulberry Mix
-Bachelor's Button
-Delphinium Pacific Mix
-Foxglove Excelsior
-Sunflowers: Apricot, Double Dandy, Girasol, Mammoth (s)
-Butterfly Mix
-Rannunculus (tubers)
-Dahlias Dinnerplate Mix (tubers)

-English Daisy

How adorable is this packet!

Backtracking and updating

My garden has come a long way from where it started and I want to share it's progress. Pictures are from the next addition of two more raised beds from 2008. My family made fun of me because I didn't plant that much of hardly anything and they said I wouldn't even get a dinner's worth of beans out of my plants. I called last year "practice" and plan on being able to can and freeze a considerable amount this year. :-)

P.S.

To those of you interested in growing banana peppers...one plant is enough to feed a small army. I swear I pulled off at least 100 peppers from two plants. Seriously, it was ridiculous. I had no clue. They ambushed me.

Where the magic began

I started off small. Two raised beds. Hubby got a new power drill and I put him to good use. A trip to Lowe's and an two hours later...one 4x6 bed and one 4x2 bed freshly filled with a nice organic dirt mixture ready for some vegetable invasions!

Step 1: What to plant?

These were my first plants to try out. The peppers and tomotoes were bought as plants. The beans and most of the lettuces were grown from seeds.

A. Banana peppers-Why? Hubby likes them, thats why!

B. Green peppers-they are great in everything

C. Tomatoes-again, they go with everything (mainly because my diet consists of spaghetti and chili as often as hubby will let me make it)

D. Green Beans (bush)

E. A few varieties of leaf lettuces

F. Various herbs that I picked up at local nurseries

Step 2: Where to plant?

My new raised beds, silly! No, of course, thats where, but where in the beds should they go? I just drew a little diagram of how things could be tucked in together to utilize the space and yield a nice harvest. As my first attempt at gardening, I was just happy things were still alive and didn't know a thing about companion planting or rotation gardening.

Step 3: PLANT THOSE BAD BOYS!

Oh yeah! Its game time! I loved coming home from the nurseries and digging little homes for my new plants. However, the real rush is when you plant seeds directly in the dirt and they sprout out into the sunshine. First time for me, I called my mom as soon as I saw their little leaves. You would have thought that I won the lottery.

Step 4: Maintenance

Weed and water accordingly!