I definitely have spring fever! I've had garden catalogs and seeds and graph paper and garden plans all over my house for days. I even started some sweet peppers and hot peppers today. I really was going to avoid starts this year, since it usually gets overwhelming and I have had some bad luck with getting mold in my starts the last couple of years. I think I might know why now. It was the last two years that I used popsicle sticks to mark them. I didn't make the connection until a friend said that popsicle sticks ruined her starts. Ahah! Maybe that was it. So, I'm trying a new method. I'll try to get pictures if it is working. I'm so excited that I feel myself being lured into planting other things, too, maybe cabbage and tomatoes. It would save money at the nursery in the spring!
I just couldn't resist sharing this photo of The Mighty Hunting Hound getting her vegetables!
I do have an exciting update on the chicken front. We will be picking up the first 2-3 breeds on March 28. The rest of the chicks will be in on Aprill 11. The coop isn't built yet, but The Wood Artist has the plans. They will have to stay indoors anyway until they feather out. We plan to get about 15. I've told the kids they can each have five and I'll have 5. I don't know much about raising chickens, so I need to start reading up on it.
This small-farm stuff really must be a disease, though, because I'm already dreaming about the next step - bees. I just learned tonight that one hive can produce up to 100 lbs of honey a year! That's amazing! Have you seen the price of honey lately? I'd be able to supply all of my friends and family with one hive! (The Wood Artist says I better take better care of them that I did my worm bins. I've somehow managed to kill them off twice!)
And this is what I think of that!
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5 comments:
Checking in. Guess we need to be thinking more about gardening. Have our seeds but need to think where we want to plant them. We are talking of raised beds east of the driveway but better do more than think to have them ready for planting. It is fun to hear of your garden starts and plans. I always love to see your garden at different stages and then get to eat from it too. Fun to hear about the chickens and will be even better to get to see them. As always appreciate the pics.
Bees would be great! They tend to look after themselves (mostly!). You need keep an eye out for mites - which can kill an entire hive qutie quickly - the reason the world bee population is in dire straits at the moments. You also need to keep a look out for potential queens. When they hatch out they can cause the hive to swarm! Chickens are also great - I'd love to have them, too, but I live in city centre with only a very small yard. Will you let yours roam? I also have 3 cats and one in particular wouldn't tolerate his territory being taken over by feathery creatures. Good luck with your garden - tomatoes are very easy, just so long at you pinch out the side shoots!
Well, if that is the kind of day that is called "a bust", then all my days are busted. Oh man, I need you Nan! You are so organized. My kids would be so educated if you were around. I'm pathetic! I'm planning my garden too. I don't have seed catalogs, no graph paper, just random ideas poking out in every direction. If ideas were like small sticks that poked out, You would have a fine board walk on which a person could travel. As for me, well it would be more like walking between the quills of a thousand porkypines (sp?). There just isn't any proper footing!
Rebecca, welcome to the blog! I always get excited when new people join! I can't have my chickens be totally free range because we rent and the landlady has free range chickens. Also, she loses them consistently to the resident fox. I don't really want to do that. However, I have 5500 sq. ft. garden that we have constructed a run around. The run is six feet wide on three sides and 4 feet on the other side. It will also be covered on top to protect them from the hawks and eagles that frequent our area. So, I think they will still be pretty happy, healthy critters!
Glad to have you on board. I LOVE comments! - Nanette
Julie, we should trade kids for a year. Then your kids would get an education and mine would get a life! Haha! Love you! -Nanette
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