The rainiest July on Record

That is what Farmer Dad says anyway. ;-) Things are growing here.

 Squash, corn, onions, and eggplant.

 Blueberries.

Peppers!

We are even still getting peas.

We have had a ground hog sighting, but he is little and will hopefully get caught in the have a heart soon. What is growing in your garden?

Spring is drawing to a close

There have been so many times I have meant to sit down and update this old blog.....but time and laundry wait for no woman. ;-)  Let me catch you up a bit...I have been trying to deal with this back corner of the property for a while now. When we moved in many, many moons ago, it was all English Ivy.(  http://www.eddmaps.org/tools/statereport.cfm?id=us_nj ) I have been trying to eradicate it over the years.

 
 

 We had a lot of forsythia at one time,  the I think the ivy is killing it off.

 

 I have been moving the hosta babies all over my yard. I love volunteer plants.

 

I added a flower bed all around the vegetable garden last year. I was hoping it would hide the hideous tall fencing we put in to keep the ground hog out. The ground hog dug under it. :-( I bought a few perennials a couple of years ago off the clearance table at Lowes. I think I spent $5.00, which included 2 bags of mulch. They are still coming up in pots and beds all over my yard.  I recently took a class in mushroom cultivation and I will post about that tomorrow. I love Spring!

Almost Thanksgiving

I can hardly believe how this year flew past. So much has been going on with us and I have not had a spare moment to post. I will try to catch you all up on some of the goings on soon. How was your garden season? Productive? Ours was a bit better this year, although it was a lot of work to try to stay a step ahead of my friend/neighbor/and nemesis, THE GROUNDHOG.  ;-) A much larger fence helped. Rocks around the fence helped. Nothing truly stopped her. We managed to eek out a fair harvest of tomatoes, corn, carrots, parsnips, eggplant, broccoli rabe, kale, peppers, onions, scallions, greens, herbs, beans, raspberries, blackberries, currants, gooseberries, and blueberries. The artichokes did not do well in the location I picked. Many things would have done better if I had not left for 10 days in Italy in August. I have been sick on and off since my return....culminating in pneumonia. Trying to get back to my old self and clean up the mess that is the garden now. Wondering if it's worth planting some garlic bulbs for next year this late???  How many of your big Spring plans fell by the side as life happened? How many worked out really well? I had a small measure of success with the new fence, and with the re-planting of an old and over grown flower bed.
I am already dreaming of the changes for next year.....how about you?
 

A Little Help Goes a Long Way

We harvested our first tomatoes today. An heirloom golden cherry.

 My Great Niece, age 2, came over to help.

 She was not crazy about the plants brushing up against her legs as we walked the paths, but when I told her this is where we get our food, she smiled and said, "I like food."

 She did like touching the lemon verbena.

 Finding the little golden zucchini under the leaf brought a big smile.

 We even saw some green beans surviving despite the constant Ground Hog attack.

Yes, the beast is still digging under my too tall to climb over fence......and she heads right for the beans every single time! I hope your gardens are growing well and you are all taking the time to share the joy of growing your own with some little children. I do believe it is the best way to Keep the Garden IN the Garden State, or whatever state you live in.

Growing now

I thought I would post a few pictures of what we've got growing right here, right now.

 Finally got Farmer Dad to get a higher fence and build a new gate...we have been successful at keeping the ground hogs- yes she had babies- out of the garden since it went up. Only my broccoli rabe and lettuce and green beans suffered.

My neighbor bought a bigger have a heart and he caught 3 of the 5 ground hogs so far.

I am hopeful.

How are you?

Promise of Spring

This little pot of bulbs..I can almost convince myself it will be warm again soon.
Seed catalogs are stacked next to my chair in the living room and I make lists and try to imagine
what the coming gardening season will bring. We have had a terrible time the last couple of years here in our little corner of the Garden State. Neighbors down the block behind us planted shade trees a few years ago and they now shade our garden. :-(
Ground hogs, bunnies and various other "neighbors" have been pilfering what does grow in the meager sunshine.But last season I did manage to finally get a luffa to grow. I will post pics soon...I am so behind.

Spiderman Trilogy Blue Ray Giveaway

In anticipation of the summer’s biggest blockbuster, The Amazing Spider-Man, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Walmart Stores, Inc., and Marvel Entertainment have teamed up to present the ultimate Spider-Man experience at Walmart Stores nationwide. You can have the chance to win the Spider-Man trilogy on Blu-Ray! Sounds good , right? Want to win . . just leave a comment here....yes..you need to leave a comment. I cannot use my "spidey" senses to know you want a copy!!

Just leave a comment any time from today, until June 15th at 9am when we will pick a name out of a hat. Good Luck!!

The Spider-Man truck is making the following stops in NJ. For a full list of locations, check out www.walmart.com/spider-man

6/6/12		4:00pm-	7:00pm		4900 Rt 9 Howell NJ
6/7/12		11:00am-	2:00pm		326 W Main St Freehold NJ
6/7/12		4:00pm-	7:00pm		1126 Rt 9 Old Bridge NJ
6/8/12		11:00am-	2:00pm		1501 Rt 22 Watchung NJ

The cherries are coming

See the big tree in the middle? My Princess is right under it...Need to look closer? Can you see them? Not all of them are red yet, but the ones that are..

They are beautiful!

They are so delicious too...if you can reach them...

If the birds and squirrels get to them before we do, well, we'll just hope we get some plums first. ;-)

The plum is a dwarf, and we can all reach up and pick from it, the cherry was here way before us, and

it is not a dwarf variety. It is also on it's "last legs" according to our arborist, but neither of us can ever

bring ourselves to cut it down. Yes, it shades the tomatoes and such, but it is so pretty, and we always have high hopes that we will get to the cherries first. When we do, it is so worth it!

Memorial Day Weekend

There will be a lot of picnics and parties this weekend as folks around here usher in the Summer season. The beaches will no longer be free, and soon won't be empty either, summer clothes will all go on clearance, and there will be parades. But I feel it is important to remember that
Memorial Day is about honoring all those men and women who have died in all wars.
We have a few picnics to attend and we will be having some fun right here in our own backyard as well. We will also take a moment to remember those who gave their lives, not just for our freedoms and rights as Americans, but for the rights and freedoms of citizens all over the world.

In my family, my Grandparents often spoke about my Grandmother's younger brother who died in Korea. His purple heart sits with a stack of his letters home from basic training in a cedar chest at the end of my bed. I never knew him, but I still "remember" my great Uncle Eddie as a hero.
I hope you will all take just a moment to remember all those men and women who have given their all for all those back at home.

Hunger Hits Home

Today I am writing to share information about a very special documentary and to ask your help in spreading the word about this important film. In an effort to support and fight against childhood hunger, Food Network in a partnership with Share Our Strength will air a special 1-hour documentary titled HUNGER HITS HOME on April 14^th at 8pm/7c. The documentary offers a first-hand look at the crisis of childhood hunger in America through the eyes of the parents, children, activists, educators and politicians on the front lines of the battle. The program takes us to the heart of the matter with a focus on families from New York to Texas who struggle with hunger and the community leaders who are taking direct action to fight it.

Join me, and watch the documentary on April 14^th , host a viewing event with friends/family/colleagues, using the specially prepared viewing guide to spark discussion and action in your local community. http://nokidhungry.teamdigital.com/No_Kid_Hungry_viewer_guide.pdf

I also invite you to post, tweet, pin and email your network about this upcoming screening – all it takes is a click of a button from the documentary home page: www.foodnetwork.com/hungry

As someone who went to bed hungry as a child, I ask you to help me end childhood hunger in America.

Donate Now.

5 F a c t s A b o u t C h i l d h o o d H u n g e r

i n t h e U . S .

1. More than 16 million kids in America live in households that struggle to put food on the table. That’s 1 out of 5 kids.
2. There were also over 16.4 million children in America living in poverty in 2010. That’s almost 1 million more than in 2009.
3. 9.8 million kids get free or reduced-price school breakfast on an average school day, more than ever before…but 10.5 million eligible kids go without.
4. Only 1 in 7 kids who get free and reduced-priced school lunches receive summer meals.
5. Almost 45 million Americans used SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps) during 2011. Nearly 75 percent of these are in families with children and more than a quarter are in households with seniors or people with disabilities.

Happy Easter

The weather was perfect to enjoy a cup of coffee outside today in my little corner of the Garden State.

Farmer Dad and I sat and enjoyed the flowers blooming all around us...

Then we got busy transplanting some swiss chard,kale and lettuces into the garden and

some other seedlings into larger pots inside the mini greenhouse.Between working, enjoying the view,and chasing the frisbee around with our Princess, the

day passed quickly. Soon it was time for Momma to head inside to start Easter dinner.

Good music and a glass of wine are a must for me. I made a loaf of bread in the morning, so I passed

on making rolls or biscuits for dinner.
Lamb Oso Bucco,Greek potatoes, asparagus and a cabbage salad.

What did you celebrate this weekend? How did you celebrate?

I hope you are all enjoying the spring!

In my garden

Have you all been enjoying your time in your gardens so far this spring?

We sure have in our little corner of the Garden State!

I have peas, lettuce, mustard greens,spring onions,arugula,radishes,carrots,beets,fennel,broccoli rabe, swiss chard,kale,asparagus,garlic, and onions in the ground.

I have broccoli,cauliflower,brussel sprouts and potatoes ready to go in.

I love being in the yard during spring..all the trees are flowering and lovely.

What do you have started? Planned? Planted?