Once again, we have broken a record here in Oklahoma. This March was the warmest one on record. It seems since we moved here we have experienced more weather records than I can recall. Last winter we broke records for the most snow, latest snow, something like the longest lasting snow and a couple of others I can't recall. Then this past summer we broke record after record for hot temperatures and little rain. And now this Month with spring coming so early. What's a girl to do? Well, Plant of course!
Warning!!! Garden talk coming! It's been awhile since I actually wrote anything here so.....I have a few things to catch you up on. We've been planting like crazy over the past month. We've also added two 50 foot rows for potato's and squash and the cucumbers next to the old foundation ruins.
and a 20 x40 corn patch.
The potato's are coming up pretty well but already we are having some bug problems. I've got a feeling we are going to be doing the Bug Battle all season. I had planted squash,pumpkins and cucumbers with almost zero germination, so I replanted it all yesterday.
Almost everything is coming up already and except for the squash and cucumbers, everything seems to be doing pretty well. I had to laugh when I realized just how many types of beans and peas we have out there. It's a good thing they are one of our favorite vegetables! We planted an entire 100 foot row of Black-eyed peas.
There are also two types of Kentucky Wonder green beans, one bush and one pole bean. There are four other types of beans out there as well as some sweet peas and purple hull peas. In the past we have grown things that we don't really like to eat much. I don't know why but it was just something to grow I guess. This year we are only planting things that we know we will eat. So no zucchini or eggplants grace our garden this year. We do have spinach, lettuce, Swiss chard, turnips, carrots, broccoli (started them late so they are tiny) and onions in as well.
Mars still needs to till up all that grass between the rows. It's on the to-do list along with a few (100's) other things.
Once again I'm trying to raise some herbs. I don't know what it is about them that I do wrong most every year. I have some of the worst luck with herbs. The only things that are showing signs of sprouting so far though are the cilantro and basil. I'll keep trying though!
My tomato and pepper plants are pitifully small. I got a really late start on them though and had already figured that this year I'll buy plants for the season. I'm waiting impatiently for payday this month to go pick some up. I can't go another year without homegrown tomato's. I've really missed them over the winter and even now. I just hate having to buy them in the cans.
With the rising price of groceries more and more folks are becoming interested in trying their hand at gardening. I think that's great. The growing food part not the price of groceries I mean! If you've never thought about growing something why not give it a try this year? It's a lot of fun and it's definitely time to start.
~~~~~~ Hey ... I'm Just Sayin' ... ~~~~~~
I thought I was going to fall out of my chair laughing at this! Just had to share it! I hope you enjoy it at least half as much as I did!
I'd like to thank each and everyone of you for the kind words and thoughts this past week. It means so much to me.
I'll be posting an update on the "doings" around here soon. Spring has arrived and there is so much to do!
My grandmother passed away this past week. My one solid rock from the day I was born.
I'll be back in a few days. I'm just not able to do "this blog thing" right now. I know you will understand.
I guess since it's been raining since night before last and with no end in the immediate future, I should try and catch up here for a change. I've been reluctant to update because I don't really want to get on a big rant about what is happening lately in the news. Things that mainstream media doesn't seem to think we need to hear. For those of you who keep up with things, why preach to the choir? And for those of you who don't, well maybe you should take the time to find out. It's not my job and I'm certainly not being paid to do it. I'm disgusted with what is happening with America and even more disgusted with those who wander down that "Everything is looking" up path.
OK OK I said I wasn't going to go off on a rant here. So.... hmmm... lets see.... Updates around the little homestead maybe? LOL I guess so since other than the sad state of the nation that's all I really have to talk about here lately! Until the rain started we have kept busy around here. Mars has been working on the fence again. The "shared" barb-wire fence that borders the neighbors property has been replaced with livestock fencing. Now all we have left are the two "short" ends and the goat enclosure will be finished.
The early crops are all in and I've decided to take a chance with some early planting since it's been so unseasonably warm. So far we have potato's, green peas, a few bush beans, carrots, lettuce,turnips,onions,spinach, Swiss chard, Lebanese and yellow squash and some pumpkin in the ground. The tomato's that I was able to get started are still in containers and I'll keep them there for a few more weeks. I only got about 50% of what I wanted to start so I may end up picking up some more plants in the coming weeks. I guess my bell pepper seed isn't any good so I'll have to pick up some of those plants as well. We love our green peppers around here and I really want to put up enough to last till next year. None of my peppers really came up very well. The germination rate on the Serrano's, jalapeno's and habanero's were all under 50%. I'll keep trying! My mom sent Mars several varieties of some "screaming hot" peppers this year so I'll try to get some of them up too.
There's still a bunch of planting yet to go but I think we are pretty much on schedule. I got some basil, cilantro, parsley and chives put in my new herb garden space so we'll see how that works out as well. I really want a nice herb garden and will be adding things as we go.
I made a rookie mistake the other day with one of my rabbit does. Mars has built a nesting box in one of the cages. I moved the expecting mama to the new digs and didn't latch the door all the way. I guess she pushed on it and popped it the rest of the way open. She escaped the cage but couldn't escape the dog. One pregnant doe gone to Rabbit Heaven. Argggg.....
The chickens are doing great. We've been averaging 3-4 eggs a day from our four hens. Until three days ago that is. Now I have one hen that has staked out a nesting box for the past three days. Knowing nothing about chickens I'm hoping that means she's wanting to "make babies". So should I let her keep setting on these eggs?
We have been getting torrential rain for the past couple of days. Mars had to go out in the rain yesterday and dig "trenches" in the ends of the rows to let the water drain out before it washed everything out. So far so good. The forecast is calling for temps in the 80's once the rain moves out in a couple of days. Spring is springing!!! The redbud trees are all blooming and other trees are budding out as well. I read that the blooms of the redbud trees are edible. I'm going to have to check it out. There are also tons and tons of wild onions growing all over the place. Once it dries up enough to take a walk in the woods I am going to go gather a bunch of them and dehydrate them. I really need to learn more about wild edibles as there are acres and acres of woods around us here.
