My Birthday Weekend

I got a lot of work done in the garden this past week...radishes, scallions,swiss chard, and beets
all got planted.

There was time for a coffee outside while the kids played.

Reading by the fire..

We started tomatoes and green beans inside and I will have to get out and get pictures of

the asparagus, lettuce and peas all coming up nicely.What is coming up in your garden?

What do you have planned? New crops? Anything you decided not to grow this year?

Best birthday gift this year? Farmer Dad and the Princess captured the Ground Hog and

entered him in the "Ground Hog Protection Plan". I beg for him to set the trap every year,

and then feel terribly guilty when the little thing is caught and squeaking in the have a heart.

I am sorry I can not post a pic of the capture, the very nature of the relocation plan demands

the utmost privacy. ;-)

Planting onions in the Garden State

It was a lovely Spring day here in our little corner of the Garden State on Sunday.

My Princess and I planted the onions and shallots right in front of the peas.

I actually only did the first row, and then she took over. She measured and

planted them all.

Doesn't she look proud? If you could see my face, you would see I was even more proud of her.

"I'm really getting the gardening spirit!" she told me when she finished.

Then she helped Farmer Dad direct sow some lettuce. It was a good day!

I hope you enjoyed your Sunday wherever you are and whatever you did!

(HUGS)KateinNJ

Seeds for Change Sowing Millions Project

Seeds for Change is giving away 100 million packets of their own certified organic seeds

to inspire people and organizations just like you to do impactful things in their communities through organic gardening!! Simply follow this link and sign up to receive your free seeds

(there is shipping and handling) and for every packet ordered they will donate a packet

to the American Horticultural Society. I ordered mine, and I encourage you all to do the same.

The Sowing Millions Project gives us all yet another chance to "put our money where our mouth is".

;-) It is raining here in our corner of the Garden State today, the daffodils are up and the hyacinths

are too. I can't work outside, but I can start some seeds and dream about all the delicious and nutritious organic veg we will be eating in the summer. What are you doing today?

Rainy Days and Mondays....

The little Bosc Pear tree we planted last year does not mind at all.

The cherry blossoms are coating every surface...

The hostas are also benefiting from the rainfall...

There are blooms in every corner now, including the azaleas...

Sometimes, you need to make your own sunshine...


Hope you are enjoying whatever nature is dishing out near you.

Direct sowing

Yes, it's official. The gardening season is in full swing here

in our little corner of the garden state.We cleared off the old leaves,etc.

Dug up the last of the carrots. The peas (shelling and snow peas)

and beets seeds are in the garden. The seedlings are spending the days in the greenhouse.

The slate we picked up from my Grandparents over the winter, has begun

to be placed around the yard (instead of piled near the garage).

I will try to get the radishes sown today. We are expecting some rain tomorrow.

Spring is coming

I can feel it. The forsythia are getting ready to bloom the green house is filling up

the bulbs are coming up

my daughter's seedlings are popping up

so are Farmer Dad's

and our seeds are here from Johnnies.

I'm ready to plant..at least in my mind.

Seedlings and snow

Farmer Dad picked up a new light for the seedlings.

we thinned some

watched the resident Cardinal visit the new birdfeeder

Spring was in the air, although it got much colder Sunday than Saturday.

Then it snowed.

Schools and businesses closed on Monday. We had a snow day with Farmer Dad

as his business was closed for the day. Too fluffy to build, but fun to play in.

64 degrees and snow on the way

You heard me. What is with that? Oh yeah, I remember,

it is still winter! It was so warm today, I thought spring had arrived.

I have seeds sprouting (mostly mustard), These are from Johnnies but all our

seed company preferences are listed on the right somewhere.and branches blooming (plum branches)

(inside, not outside), and we played outside without coats on today.

Just a break in the weather? Maybe. It's OK, I'll take it. I was able to

open the windows to let out all the germs from our being sick the last week

and a half (or more?) and let the fresh air in.Then the rain came.

It's too cloudy to see Venus.

At last the seed sowing has begun

This is what it looks like in our little corner of the Garden State..Farmer Dad fills the six packs with starter mix,
while Princess writes out the labels (copied off the seed packet)

Once all the labels are written out, the seed sowing begins

We started :

• Red Wing Lettuce Mix
• Mizuna Japanese Mustard
• Japanese Giant Red Mustard
• Green Wave Mustard
• Pac Choi
• Green Butterhead Lettuce
• Ho Mi Z Green Mustard
• Merveille Des Quatre Saisons Butterhead Lettuce
• Iceberg Lettuce
• Tatsoi
• Giant Ceasar Lettuce
• Georgia Collards

The finished product may not look like much to you, but to us it is the real promise of spring!

After we were done, we went outside for a walk around the yard

checking what might be popping up

happily, finding the snow drops have popped up

spring can't be too far off can it?