My Almost Harvest

August 9, 2010

I can’t believe it’s mid-August and I’m writing a blog post about my “almost” harvest. The really wet spring set us back  a lot.

Beans

My twelve green bean plants (the only ones that came up out of 3 rows – after replanting 3 times) finally have blossoms and are almost ready to produce some beans. (I’m salivating as I write this – I love fresh green beans!)

Melons

The first of the cantaloupes are so close to being ripe! But still – it’s an almost harvest. We do have watermelon that will be picked this week – there are only 2 on the entire plant – but I’m thankful for them both!

(Note the piece of cardboard sticking out under the mulch? That really did the trick to keep the grass down!  We need a another layer of grass on the whole thing – but overall – I am so pleased with how it worked!)

Corn

The sweet corn is coming – even though the stalks looked stunted and pitiful. It sure is hard to wait for that fresh corn on the cob – but we’re almost there.

I am really proud of the fact that that I still have recognizable corn and bean rows! The kids have done a fairly good job keeping up with the grass and weeds. By this time most years, we have to walk through some pretty tall weeds to find the sweet corn. (Not that it’s weed free – but at least the corn is taller and you can see the dirt between the rows! :) )

Pepper

Finally! Something I can harvest! The hot peppers are loving this tropical weather and have really started putting on. The little ones make the best poppers in the world – pretty mild with just a little kick. The longer ones pack a little heat. Yum!

I wish I remembered what their names are – but since I replaced so many with whatever hot peppers I could find – I have no idea what’s out there right now. I’m just glad to have something to pick!

We also saw one Roma tomato that is almost ripe and 2 sweet peppers that are gaining in size.

It’s coming!  If I can just be patient a little longer, there will be fresh produce gracing my table and filling the jars on my shelf!

Please let it be soon!

For more garden inspiration, head on over to The Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage.

By Country Gal | Posted in Gardening | Tagged , , , | Comments (10)

Operation: Save the Garden

July 5, 2010

It stopped raining. Finally.

We’ve now had an entire week of gorgeous weather – mid 80′s – low humidity and a light breeze.  :)

The farmer’s are making hay as fast as they can – and we set out to save the garden.

You may remember my grass-covered corn patch of a week ago. Well – look at it now!

We worked really hard to find the buried corn! It had some hail damage and 3 rows had to replanted – but it’s growing!

Remember the watermelon and cantaloupe plants that I transplanted to replace the ones that never came up? They were covered with grass as well.

Tall grass.

Impossible to weed it all grass.

Made me want to cry to look at it grass.

So we got creative! We took cardboard boxes, cut out a hole and slid them over the plants. Then we took hoes and chopped the grass down around the plants and covered the entire area with cardboard boxes. The whole thing.

We used every cardboard box on the farm. Toward the end the kids were even dumping things out of boxes and ripping them down. It was a last ditch desperate attempt.  But we did it.

Then we covered them all with grass clippings. The kids said it was kind of like laying carpet! It looks great and so far it’s working with just a few stray blades of grass peaking through where the cardboard pieces meet.

And those yellow looking tomatoes? most of them have greened up beautifully – and I even have a couple of blossoms! :)

I lost several pepper plants, but still have a few that look pretty good.  I even have one baby jalapeno pepper growing.

Things are most definitely looking up!

I’ve linked this post up at The Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage.

By Country Gal | Posted in Gardening | Tagged , , , , | Comments (5)

It’s Raining, It’s Pouring…

June 15, 2010

It’s raining, it’s pouring…  but this old woman is not snoring – she’s fretting and frustrated!

We have seriously had too much rain. The National Weather Service reported that we have had over 11 inches already in June. That averages out to almost an inch a day. Over 6 of those came at once on the infamous Chuck Norris Saturday – and we haven’t dried out since.

The weather radio seems stuck. “A chance of rain before midnight, some locally heavy. A chance of rain after midnight…”

It’s become almost a joke. Almost.

Your heart goes out to the farmers who should be finishing up their first cutting of hay and starting their second.

Garden Flood

It also goes out to my poor garden. My tomatoes and peppers have been in for almost three weeks now and they are not growing. They look yellowed and forlorn. Shall we talk about my green beans?! They have also been in for 3 weeks. Only 4 seeds germinated. I guess I’ll replant for the third time.

Garden River

Don’t I have a lovely river running through it?!  I guess I shouldn’t complain – some farmers can almost float a bass boat in their fields.

Grass

And here is my corn patch -overtaken by grass – it seems to like the wet weather. Trust me – there is corn growing in there – somewhere.

But all is not lost! There are still things to be thankful for. The cool wet weather has meant a longer and more abundant asparagus harvest and the red raspberries are just coming on now. We had our first wild black raspberry this week – and I see one lone blossom on one hearty pepper plant.

YEAH

Let’s count some more blessings… the corn germinated pretty well and looks good (if we can just get the grass out of it!) The local Amish store had several nice watermelon and cantaloupe plants for sale that replaced everything the ones that didn’t come up from seed (which would be all of them!)

And the rain just stopped for today. The sun is out and the birds are singing.

If only this would last….

I’ve linked this post up over at the Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage

By Country Gal | Posted in Gardening, Spring | Tagged , , , , | Comments (9)

Perspective

May 19, 2010

I just can’t do it.

There is no way that I can physically accomplish everything on my to-do list this week.

I started out behind – thanks to all the rain last week – and have been in a race with myself ever since. A losing race.

We’re trying to finish up school, pack up 3 kids for a road trip to Tennessee for a week long Teen Pact National Convention, finish planting the garden, mow the lawn  (that’s so long we should bale it!) and I need to clean house because I have company coming this morning. :) And – we still need to eat and wear clean clothes!

Remember those tomato plants I started last January? They are huge and need to get in the garden – but it was still too wet yesterday. Since we have more rain in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow – I should really get them in today after school and company.

But – I have a date with my husband scheduled tonight. Sorry tomatoes – the date will win every time! We will probably end up at Wal-Mart though, buying travel size toothpaste and new underwear for the kids before they leave. (Am I the only mom who can’t send her kids out in the world without new underwear?!)

I think I just need an extra day this week – like another Saturday. Do you think I could trade in a rainy wet Monday for a beautiful sunny Saturday? Please?!

<heavy sigh>

Can you tell that things are little crazy this week? My mind is a bit frantic trying to remember all the details.

I could use a little peace.

When we were at my brother’s house last weekend we saw his incredible 3 story tree house (think Swiss Family Robinson). When things get too stressful for him – he climbs up with good book and unwinds.

DockSound wonderful – but I’m not a tree house person (I’m scared of heights). When I need time to decompress I walk out to the pond and lay on the dock.

Surrounded by the water, listening to the winds in the willows, watching the clouds in the brilliant blue sky – I relax.

But I don’t have time to climb a tree – or take a walk. I don’t even have time to breathe this today!

Yet – I can still have peace.

Psalms 46:10 “”Be still, and know that I am God…”

It’s a simple as being quiet and acknowledging that God is God.

He’s in control.

The more I know about who God is – how big and marvelous and strong – the more insignificant my to-list seems.

The sun will still rise tomorrow even if the tomatoes don’t get planted.

It’s all about perspective.

Eternal perspective.

By Country Gal | Posted in Deep Thoughts, Gardening | Tagged , , , | Comments (4)

The Great Strawberry Saga

May 14, 2010

It was just a year ago that I started my new strawberry bed.

Just one year ago that I hauled all that smelled chicken poo in the wheelbarrow across the farm yard and tilled it all in with my handy -dandy Mantis Tiller (the wonder machine).

Just one year ago that I planted over 70 strawberry plants. Yes – 70.

I had such high hopes.

Ha!

Then it rained. And rained. And rained.

When the sun finally came out – the weeds grew and grew and grew.

About mid-July I gave up. I had green beans by the bucketful to take care of, county fair, company coming and a VBS to plan. I had no time to spend in a strawberry bed.

I didn’t even look at the patch again until last week.

I got on my hands and knees and started digging out weeds. I had some of the kids help me and turned it into a hide and seek game. In all – we discovered 8 strawberry plants.

Yes – eight.

I’m not so good at math – but it seems to me that adds up to over 60 plants that didn’t make it.

Let’s see now. There’s seven people in my family and eight strawberry plants. If each plant produces 3 berries this season we can all have about 3-1/3 berries.

So much for strawberry shortcake, strawberry preserves, and strawberry pie.

But I’m not giving up! My friend Dorothy offered me as many strawberry plants as I wanted and I intend to take her up on that.

I’ll replant and mulch well and wait another year.

Yep – I’m sure I needed that exercise anyway!

Now where’s that wheelbarrow…

I’ve linked this post up with my friend Myra over at My Blessed Life for her Friday Fails and over at the Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage.

By Country Gal | Posted in Gardening | Tagged , , | Comments (12)