Skip to main content

Growing a Garden

Fresh fruits and vegetables are my favorite aspect of gardening. I am NOT a green thumb by any means, but with the help of Boots and the kids, we make it work.
We have a rather large plot in the back of our yard and fertilized it with pig manure all winter. To prepare the area, Boots tilled the ground (like five times due to rain) to mix in the the fertilizer and break up the weeds that grew over the end of last season. After that, he raked out the big chunks, and leveled the ground.


The girls get a hand in picking out what we plant, and love going with us to the local greenhouse, Marty’s Yarden. This year, we planted extra fruits and vegetables because the pig and chickens will be able to eat any excess that we cannot keep up on.

We bought the following seedlings at Marty’s:
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Cucumbers
Strawberries
Bell peppers
Sweet peppers
Hot peppers
Zucchini
Tomatoes
Brussels sprouts

After some trial and error and performing some research, we were able to plot out our garden.

For companion planting, we knew we wanted to keep peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers together, so they are on the south side which will be easy to hoe and has good moisture and water. Squash and melon also complement each other, and are in the back rockier area because they are hardy and need extra space.
North side

Boo watering sprouts on the south side

 Due to our crazy weather and schedules, Boots actually planted the garden without us this year (luckily he had the help of his cousin Tay-tor, though). The kids did get to help pick out the plants the weekend before and planted their own little flower pots.


The good news is, I have not killed anything yet. :) I am so excited for our plants to start producing! So far, we have been able to cut lettuce. We also have some nice, big tomatoes on the vine, a flowering zucchini, and even some mystery plants.

Big beefy tomato

Zucchini flower

Mystery plants

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

First Day of Fall

Happy first day of fall everyone! We are celebrating with some work on the farm. Last night, our high school helpers took apart all of the irrigation pipe, and today we will load it up to put away. On our farm, the majority of the fields are watered with sprinkler irrigation that looks like this: Photo credit: Taylor Shea Goldenstein However, in the corner areas, we use irrigation pipe that runs from a well. The water runs down the rows and must be set to alternate every day. This process is done by hand and is one of our favorite summertime activities as you can see: Setting water on soybean field 2016 Checking the rows in a corn field 2015 Playing in the mud 2014 The weather here was cool and misty - this morning - so I planned on eating potato soup for dinner. By day's end though the weather heated up too much for soup, but I am sure I will get the chance to make it soon. Instead, the kids enjoyed some time playing. 
Post a Comment
Read more

The Perfect Pumpkin

So how exactly does one pick the perfect pumpkin? I think most of it is based on personal preference in terms of shape, texture, and color. However, there are some tried and true strategies to picking a good pumpkin.  At Pumpkins and More A-maiz-ing Farm, we encourage customers to go out in the field to search for their perfect pumpkin. Part one of this strategy requires wearing jeans and sturdy shoes. If you have never been into a pumpkin patch before, then you may not realize that the ground is uneven and the vines are prickly. Wearing gloves and bringing clippers are a bonus strategy. Once prepared, head out in search of a pumpkin that you find visually appealing. Personally, I am a fan of a big, spherical Lumina pumpkin or a tall, oblong orange pumpkin. Bah loves the perfectly round pie pumpkins, Boo likes the pink pumpkins, and Bubs appreciates all "puh-kins." No matter what your preference is, you want to look for a pumpkin free from bugs, with an intact vine, n...
Post a Comment
Read more

Surviving the afterglow

How many of you out there experience the post-holiday slump? I always feel like the first few weeks of January are depressing. The glow and excitement of the holidays are over. The weather is usually cold and gloomy. My house is in shambles from all-over toys, and I am crabby from trying to cut back on sweets. This year, though, I am working on continuing the joyful spirit and not allowing myself to get down in the dumps. I have found some techniques to help keep me on track that I am excited to share. 1. Make a routine and stick to it. This can be applied in almost every area of life but is especially useful in balancing work and home life. For some people, this may sound like torture, but my type A personality thrives on a schedule and organization. My routine revolves around efficiency. When I wake up, I shower and get the kids' breakfast ready. Then I wake them up so they can get dressed while I do my hair. When they are dressed, I do their hair while they brush th...
Post a Comment
Read more