Invasion of the Body Snatchers?

I'm not sure if we should be concerned about the giant pod we found in the garden, and call Dr. Bennell, or just check the neighborhood for an unlocked car door to share the wealth. This giant zucchini weighs in at 6.7 pounds, is 17 inches long, and at its base the circumference is 14.5 inches. Good thing we found Whole Foods recipe for chocolate zucchini muffins.

Dude, Where's My Peppers

Ding! Ding! School is session folks.

Okay, it has been about four months since we planted the seeds for our Poblano plants. In that time we have watched the plant grow, flower, and produced fruit. All seemed right. The rounded, berry-like fruit, changing from bright green to yellow, to orange. Unfortunately though, for the past few weeks now, we've watched as the peppers growth has stalled, remaining olive in size and orange. Up again against the wall of my understanding, I checked the back of the seed packet for the estimated time to harvest, 80 days. Well we blown right past period!

What is going on with these peppers? Have I been watering them to much? Is it a lack of nutrients in the soil? These questions have been lodged in the back of my brain for weeks now. Thinking that the solution might be linked to the need to pinch off the orange peppers, triggering the plant to develop larger, traditional looking Poblano peppers, I took to the garden this morning.

Kneeling down next to the plant, I picked off the first pepper. Pinching it between my fingers, I watched as the skin broken exposing the juice and seeds. Knowing that my next action my be a regret, I put the pepper to my tongue and waited for the heat from capsaicin to spread throughout my mouth. But, I hadn't expected it to taste sweet. Tempting fate, I popped the whole pepper in my mouth and bit down..still sweet, very much like a tomato! Trying a few more, I conclude that the joke was on us. Apparently, the folks at Ferris Morse accidently put orange pear tomatoes seeds in the wrong packet.

We laughed at ourselves, and agreed to try different seeds next year.

Crazy August Maize

In celebration of my beautiful wife's birthday, I

harvested ourentire crop of corn. All told we ended up with about two dozen ears. The funny part of it all is that the majority of the ears average about four-inches long, or if longer would only have a dozen kernels on the cob. My wife thought they looked like toothless old men.

Albeit slightly freaky looking, they tasted great. Nothing like fresh sweet corn on a summer afternoon. As you can see, our little girl was not being shy about how much she liked them.

Chomp, Chomp, Goes The Preservation Bug

Still bit by the preservation we decided to harvest the majority of our basil. As we removed the stems, the intensity of the aromatics filling the house was amazing, and for some reason we developed the strongest craving for a plate of Thai Basil Fried Rice. Going a little old-school with our drying method, our leaves spent the next couple days on a couple of cookie sheets, drying in the sun.

As we learned with our black beans, what appeared to be vast cache, has dwindled throughout the day into a nice tindy amount. After crushing the leaves by hand, we ended up with about a cup and a half, which we placed into an air-tight jar. Now, I can't wait to make some marinara sauce.

Ay Ya Ya!

Well folks, I think the canning bug may have bit us. Aside from running through our normal morning routine, I found myself out in the garden picking our first (looks like more to come) wave of beautiful fire engine red tomatoes. I would estimate our garden has provided us with about twenty to thirty cherry and beefsteak tomatoes, of which the largest was comparable to a large fig. All the same, they are all delicious. After treating myself to one while picking the rest, enjoying the refreshing burst of flavor a sweetness, I snuck just one more. Yum.

Into the kitchen, washing our cache of garden delights, we began making our own salsa. An idea, my wife had after visiting our dear friends in Minnesota (congratulations by the way). So, into a blend went all of our tomatoes, plus a few full size beefsteaks, plus...ready for this..

- three jalapenos, plus half the seeds of one;

- eight cloves of garlic;

- one lime and half a lemon, freshly squeezed;

- about half a cup of fresh cilantro;

- about one to two tablespoons of red pepper

flakes;

- about half as much cumin;

- one yellow onion; and

- half of a red onion.

Unlike last time, we are slightly more prepared. This time we bought a canning kit which included a magnetic lid retriever (cool!), and large mouth funnel (even cooler!), and a pair of jar tongs (the coolest bomb diggity tool ever!). Now I will never have to don that blue silicon glove, moving the jars in and out of that scalding water. Oh sure it's rated to five-hundred degrees, but the real questions is, for how long can it be at that temperature before people start calling you lefty? Answer... not as long as you think. So, with our jars filled, ten of them to be exact, we sent them all off for a day at the spa. Forty-five minutes later, ding, everybody out of the pool. Then we waited...pop!, waited some more followed by seven more pop! I regret to inform you that three of our little spicy salsa soldiers didn't pop!, never fear, into the chill chest to be gobbled up later, yum-yum.

Today also marked a major change in our garden. We have decided that due to the continued drop in production, it is time to say goodbye to our pea and cucumber plants. I spent a short time in the garden this evening, cutting out those plants, as well as some of the other leaves and dead growths. I was also able to utilize some of the trellises from the cucumbers to shore up one of our tomato plants, which turned out to be a late bloomer; some of our corn stalks; and our pepper plants. The weather was pleasant, and the mosquito's stayed away, so it made a nice end to our day.

We Are All Ears

For the first time this season we have CORN! They made an amazing treat tonight. As we enjoyed our sweet ears of corn, which didn't need anything on them, we remarked that we can't ever remember having corn this fresh. Now we can't wait for the rest to mature.

As for the rest of vegetables, tonight we pulled out some real prize winning cucumbers and zucchini (check out the six-inch ruler at the bottom of the picture). Lucy!, looks like we got some more preserving to do!

Ba-Ba Black Bean

The other night, I decided that it was time to harvest all of our black bean pods. After picking and placing the pods into a large kitchen mixing bowl, and grabbed one of our left over mason jars, and sat down next to my wife on our couch. As we began threshing, or shelling each pod, our daughter decided she wanted to help. Setting herself up on the arm of the couch, she bean copying our actions. Taking a pod from the bowl, pinching the bottom end, and pulling the string toward the top of the pod, she successfully unzipped the seam. Slitting each unzipped pod open with her tiny fingers popped each bean from its birth, depositing it into the jar. By the end we had shelled enough beans to fill the jar three quarts of the way full. What a fun way to spend time with my family.

Over the next few days we dried the beans in the sun. We found it so entertaining that by the end the beans had reduced to fill only about a quarter of the jar. This has really given us an appreciation for the vast number of bean pods required to yield enough beans to bill any of the bags we can purchase at the store.

We're Just Pickled Pink

We did it!

With an abundance of cucumbers loitering in the kitchen we decided to try our hand at pickling and canning. Specifically we we choose to try our hand at making sweet pickle relish, and bread and butter pickles. We following the recipes to the letter, and although we did not have all of the recommend tools, we made it work. It was so satisfying to hear each lid "pop" as the jars cooled from their stint in the bath of boiling water. From our canning adventure we learned that process is very easy, a bit time intensive, very Hot and Humid, and even therapeutic. We can't wait to try our preserves, but frankly, we found ourselves a bit cucumber/pickled out.

"Hotter Than A Sinner In Church"

Summer has finally decided the let us all know that it is here. While daytime temperatures are soaring upward, threatening to break the century mark, evening temperatures are...well they're not doing much of anything to help cool us down. Forecast for the rest of the week is promising, with the onset of a delta breeze and subsequent cooler temperatures. I know I will enjoy it, and so will our garden.

This afternoon, needing a little time to unwind from the day, I sent myself out into the garden. I started, as usual, with the corn. Most of the stalks are well over 6 feet tall now, and have developed tassels. Some even appear to be developing ears. We are really looking forward to having some fresh corn this summer, and if our daughter like fresh peas, I think fresh corn is just going to blow her hair back!

Working my way around the garden, giving each section of vegetables a long soak of water, I was tickled to find that we had four cucumbers ready for harvest. Three of which are the perfect size for pickling, and other...well let's just say it's not going to last that long in our kitchen.

The Jolly Green Giant (aka zucchini plants) have managed to provide us with yet two more zucchini, and looks like there are at least half a dozen more on the way. I think this year we've already harvested at least two dozen zucchini. Last week we even shared some with our next door neighbor as a "thank you" for watering our garden while we traveled back to Iowa, and one of my wife's friends. I though of her as our very own Postage Stamp Garden Ambassador. For her first time in this position, I think she did very well. So well in fact, our neighbor came out into his yard, poked his head over the fence and offered to share his bumper crop of plums. SCORE! Last year when I mended the fence between our two homes, I made a sampling of the fruit (yes, I had permission). They are very good plums. I'll have to figure out a way to preserve them too.

The pea plants are still chugging away, providing our daughter with at least half a dozen pea pods every other day. I have never seen her go that crazy about a particular food with the exception of her milk. Our sweet baby girl is so funny when it comes to milk, or as we like to refers to is as the white nectar of the Gods! One would think the world is running out of the white stuff, with the way she pounds it down. And don't fool yourself, she know whole, from 2%, from skim, and as we have learned if it ain't at least 2%, don't even bring it to the table. With that all said (and having diverged from tell you ll about the garden) she is staring to ask for water more often as she's growing, but if those "milk does a body good" commercials have any truth to them at all...I'm going to be a very...very...very busy daddy, putting the fear into the hearts of all those poor boys who come around.

The tomato plants have a few green fruits developing on them, and so many more flowers lying in wait. Maybe the summer heat will help move things along. Similarly, our jalapeno and poblano pepper plants have produced one or two fruits, and a mess more flowers, but nothing to set our tongues on fire yet.

The beets are about two-inches in diameter now. The white onions are between a nickel and quarter in size. The two basil plants are enjoying their new digs, after being freed from their pots. Our Kentucky green bean finally realized that is was time to start growing, along with the brussel sprouts. We have one baby dixie summer squash growing, and probably two dozen butternut squashes growing on the vines. Which, by the way the butternut squash plants are really trying to give our zucchini plants a run for the title of "largest postage stamp garden plant of 2010". The vines are running everywhere, and anywhere there is space.

Another surprising development has been our black bean bushes. For the longest time these plants have had the smallest purple flowers on them, but no beans, that is until today. The summer heat had wilted the plant slightly, and looking inside I would four or five dozen, two to three inch green bean pods. Looks like they have a way to go yet, but I thought it was promising.

What a great day. Amazing what a trip to the garden can do for you.

More Peas Please

Just a quick note, while weeding the garden this afternoon, I harvested four ripe pea pods. I brought them inside and split them open. Our daughter came up to me, to investigate, and exclaimed "Peas!". I ask, "Do you want some?" Eyeing the small dull green balls in the palm of my hand, she quickly grabbed two of them and tentatively place them to her lips, then looked at my for my reaction. "It's okay sweetie, eat'em" I told her. At that point they quickly disappeared into her mouth. Suddenly her eye light up, and she came back over to me for more. Today we learned that our daughter like fresh pea from the garden. (sigh...) Life is good.

Make Sure To Stop & Smell The Blossoms

Excited as to what new developments I might find, I made it a priority to walk through our garden this morning. Honestly, I was very curious if some of our zucchini were ready to be harvested, alas there are not. Instead I found one of the squash flowers open, which I can't ever remember seeing before; they've always been closed. Neat!

Zucchini Blossom

Dixie Summer Squash Blossom

Earlier last week, I transplanted both of our dixie summer squash plants, which were

inevitably going to be over taken by the Jolly Green Giant. I decided to move

them into the radishes old spot. After replanting them, I trimmed back the larger of the two, and snipped off its first blossom, hoping that would help. The days following were looking a little sketchy, with the leaves looking all droopy, but this morning we have a new blossom. I think there is hope yet.

Cucumber Blossom

Also flowering for the first time are our cucumber plants, actually just one of them. I'm sure that more are soon to follow. I'm looking forward to the possibility of making our own pickles from the cucumbers, I hope will coming soon. Pickling is something we've never done before, but sounds like something we can figure out. I sure like most things, you learn by doing.

New Trellis

Lastly, I wanted to showcase the pea trellis my daughter helped me construct with some left over pvc pipe, chicken wire, and zip-ties. The original trellis (which still remains) was quickly overgrown by the series of pea plants surrounding it. So, one morning I decided to construct an additional trellis, but things being the way that they are, did not want to spend much (if any) money to do so. Well, lucky for us, I had spent many afternoons

repairing the sprinklers along our driveway...oopps, and had about 12 feet of pvc pipe on hand. The chicken wire meshing has been hanging around our house, almost since we bought the place. I had used some of it to build my own dirt sieve. With MacGyver like mad skills (just kidding, I didn't use any duct tape) we constructed this simple "H" frame trellis. Very simple, works, and I like it.

One Zuchini, Two Zuchini, Three Zunchini, more...

The weather is finally warming after a very prolonged spring. Never would we have thought that the local Sierra-Nevada ski resorts would re-open over the memorial day weekend. Personally we're not thrilled with the onset of the summer heat, but it's doing great things to our garden. Most noticeably our zucchini plant has transformed into the Jolly Green Giant, overshadowing many of its neighbors. A couple of nights ago while our daughter and I were watering the garden (apparently daddy looked thirsty too), I noticed that we had several beautiful yellow-orange blossoms flowering under the massive broad deep green leaves of our jolly green giant. Two nights later, to my surprise we had 3 to 4 inch long squash's. I think tomorrow they will be ready for the plucking. Now, what to do with them? Everything I've read and everything I've heard, suggest that zucchini plants produce quickly and throughout much of the growing season. In other words get ready for some zucchini.

Last night while surfing the internet,

I came across the Nature's Harmony Farm (out of Elbert Georgia) blog. The sites' author states that he/she loves "the chapter in Animals, Vegetable, Miracle that talks about

how country people never lock their car door unless it's zucchini season for fear that someone might put a bag

of excess zucchini in your front seat!"

Too funny!

Other than the jolly green giant, ourpeas plants are doing well, treating us to our first fresh...off the vine... pea pod. Eew-wee, was it sweet. Our cucumbers are starting to kick it up a notch; the corn in way beyond knee high (by the fourth of July); and the tomatoes and pepers are give our black bean bush a run for its money. This is awesome!

Ding! Radishes Are Done!

What an exciting and rewarding surprise, our radishes were ready to be harvested today. I was surprised to discover just how fast radishes grew. Since sowing them in april, it has taken them forty-one days to mature. After an afternoon spent in the garden doling out some TLC, and with a huge smile on my face, I ran my fingers under the muddy soil (just finished watering), extracting each of the bright red roots. I felt like a kid on a very muddy easter egg hunt. It was fantastic. A very happy and rewarding moment to say the least. Now, we can't wait for the rest of the garden to catch up. Pictured below are our freshly harvested radishes. Shown in the picture is about half of our total crop.

Getting Schooled

Broccoli:

Reading through the "Vegetable Gardener's Bible" tonight, I learned that planting broccoli coming into the summer months is way...way...way to early. Broccoli prefers cooler fall conditions, and soils with abundant amounts of boron, which I'm going to go out on limb here and say that our soil is lacking in boron.

Carrots:

Based on what I've read, it is likely that our carrot shave not started because either the soil temperatures have not been high enough (maybe?), or more likely, the area receives too much shade.

Peppers:

I think the reason that our pepper haven't taken off is due to soil temperatures. I think what I will do it build a mini-green house covering over the cells to help build higher soil temperatures. I think that this might be a worthy approach for the carrots.

TLC

What a way to spend a Sunday morning, giving the garden a little tender loving care. This included going midieval of the new growths of crab grass, which I slashed, chopped, and hacked them into submission, welding my hoe like the sword of truth...boo-bam. When I was done lying down the law, I water each cell, giving each a really nice soak. My hope is that this will help drive the roots down, making the plants stronger and more productive. This give me the opportunity to work on the drainage of each cell, so that all areas receive an even (or close too) amount of water. Thinking of next year, before I seed the cells, I think I will try to level each then, or have each drain towards a center line. In addition to the watering today, we are expected to get more rain tomorrow. Not sure how much, but I anything will be perfect.

This evening, I spent more time looking over our plants, figuring out out what's working, and what needs to be thinned to eliminate overcrowding. Most plants are doing well, with the exception of the carrots and broccoli. These guys just are not taking off, and I not exactly sure why. Looks like I will be going a little research, they might not make the team roster next year...dun-dun-dun.

Gardener, 1 - Weeds, 0

A few nights ago, my wife and I spent an hour pulling the ever growing and encroaching crabgrass. We were absolutely amazed at the extensive root system even the smallest plants have established. Wow. So last night, I used one of the tips from Ed Smith's book, I sharpened the business end of our hoe. I was absolutely amazed at how effective it was at removing the weeds, cutting them down just below the surface. Cool Beans! This will make future weeding much easier, because you know that just like the Terminator, they'll be back.

Grow, Baby, Grow!!

Our garden is growing little by little. To date, all of our seeds have sprouted with the exception of broccoli, carrots, and bell peppers. Other than our intended plants, we are also enjoying a mild invasion of crab grass sprouts.

Sprouts!

Just a quick note. This evening while watering the garden, we found sprouts of arugula, kale, and radishes. A very promising and exciting development. Yeah!

What's This About Trial and Error...

Disappointment. That was the emotion I experienced, returning home from what felt like a very long week away, to find that very...very few of the plants survived the transfer from greenhouse to garden. I wanted a learning experience, and guess what I got...a learning experience. Being completely honest, I wasn't sure what I would come home to. Sure, my day dreams conjured something resembling the beginnings of the Garden of Eden, but again that was a day dream. I didn't however expect the near total dessamation of garden life. Being the learning experience, I pondered what might have caused this, or what could I have done differently. Certainly (duh!) not being away for a week would have been a good place to start. However, in my defense, the week away was filled with mild temperatures and rain. I did check the soil when I returned home, and it was moist. Could it have been a shock to be transfered directly from our indoor greenhouse (a comfortable and consistent 72 to 74 degrees) to the garden (dipping into the high 50's to low 60's at night)? Could it have been the exposure to newly applied fertilizers (i.e. compost and steer manure)? I just don't know and may never know...and that's okay.

So, if that was my trial, and my error, then this would be were I try...try again. I have decide (of course) to re-seed the entire garden, minus the three living survivors (one kentucky green bean, one summer squash, and one swiss chard). I also have decided that the beds need to be re-vamped. The first time, the ground was roughly leveled flat, and then small paths were created around the planting beds. This time, I have decided to build up small berms around each of the planting bed to help keep the water were I wanted it, and to keep them from drying out by the wind (which might have been a problem before). While re-vamping the beds, I did a little light weeding (very thankful that the Garden of Eden in my day dream wasn't in reality lush with milkweed).

Again, a lot of work has been put into our garden, but I have rather enjoyed the mindless simplicity of working with the soil, and turing into the personification of Peanuts Pig-pin. In summary I have planted 24 different types of vegetables in our garden this year. Our list of veggies include: corn, green beans, peas, black beans, soy beans, cherry tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, jalapeno peppers, poblano peppers, bell peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, brussel sprouts, radishes, carrots, green onions, white onions, swiss chard, beets, spinach, arugula, butternut squash, summer squash, and zucchini. Woo, that's a mouth full. I still plan on planting some herbs this year, but that's another day.

Build it, but will they grow?

The day had finally come. A day of action. A day, whose activities had been played out countless time and lodged in the back recesses of my mind. A day soon to become a memory. The day, we create our garden.

I can say with certainty now, that I have spent more than enough time surveying our soil. During my stint ripping out the sod/weeds and the subsequent silent beating I felt the lawn had given me, I learned that our little postage stamp was predominately composed of clay. Clay containing very little organic material, silt or sand, and sticky when wet, hard as a rock when dry. Yuck! So, on the eve of "the day", I visited the happy little garden department at our local Lowes, and purchases 12 cubic feet of (8 bags ) of garden soil/compost, 2 cubic feet of steer manure (2 bags), and 250 pounds of play sand (9 bags).

The following morning, with my dad in tow and mom with my girls, I visited the nearest Home Depot, specifically their rental department (No rentals at Lowes...bummer). We were not disappointed. We got the largest rear-tine tiller they had, and ramps to load it into the back of the truck. As the well seasoned employee express, cost of ramp rental is a lot cheaper than the cost of a chiropractor. Too right!

Nothing to do now, but get dirty. My mother and father, and I worked, cleaning the remaining weeds around the parameter of the garden; spreading the soil amendments; tilling the soil amendments; and planting the plant pods. What a day! At least the weather was cool and cloudy. I imagined it to be similar to working in salinas, only without the faint ocean air.

I should mention that I only plant those pod that were actually growing. I learned, that more than many seeds in the pods simple never took, which I found somewhat unexpected. I think the lesson learned, is to over seed, with the ability to thin later. Otherwise, I am extremely happy with the way our postage stamp has been transformed.

The "WORD" according to Ed

I've been meaning to share with everyone the reference guide that I have found extremely helpful, and while sitting here resting after a half-day in the garden, I will share it with you all. "The Vegetable Gardener's Bible" by Edward C. Smith. Thank you to Amazon.com, for the image of the book cover. I highly recommend anyone who is interested in starting a garden, and haven't done so in the past, visit the link above and purchase your copy. My copy is well loved, with flags and dog-ears marking all of the valuable information found within.

Inside, the book guides the reader though a comprehensive education about seeds, planting those seed, the requirements of the individual plants, and on and on. The book also provides suggestions of how to layout your garden, deal with pests, and compost.

Great job Ed, and thanks for the book!

Dirty Hands...Clean Mind

...Or at least that's what they say in that Florida orange juice commercial. I think it's appropriate here, I can barely think as it is. I am tired. My wife (the one who always keeps me balanced) reminded me not to push so hard that I completely wear myself out, which I have done in the past. So, with her support I began ripping our all of the grass, weeds, rocks, and pavers. I was also fortunate to have found four sprinkler heads, and not having broken a single one. I estimate I spent 4-hours yesterday and another 4-hours today. Next, I plan on sifting the dirt from the sod, returning it back to our garden plot. I haven't extended the garden plot to the fence line yet, but plan on measuring to determine if I need the extra 2 to 3 feet (I think I will anyway).

The plants in the green-house are thriving, so much that I have purchased larger biodegradable pots for some of them to go into. More later...time to rest.

Rock 'n' Roll Compost

Oh, good golly Miss Molly! After tracking the package from New Jersey to California, our EcoComposter arrived Monday afternoon. Somewhat to our surprise, it was in a smaller box than we had expected.

"I think there's going to be some assembly required." said my wife jokingly.

That night after dinner, my daughter and I embarked on the task of constructing our Ball-O-Compost. We were able to assemble the panels for half of the ball that night (time for night-night). The next afternoon, after arriving home from work, we started in again. I have to say, that I think my daughter is absolutely brilliant. She was helping me put the rivets in the plates. Despite all of her help, it still took me almost 6-hours to construct the ball, and two bases.

The base, seen here with my daughter, is designed so the ball rests on six caster wells. This make rolling the ball around on the base super easy. Although I finished building everything around 10 o'clock (well after my little helper had gone to the land of nod), I was not going to join her until I had filled the ball with the materials we had been saving over the past several weeks.

The instructions recommend turning the ball once a day, that is exactly what I did when I got home. Very very easy. Now, we will see if I can make compost without it busting into fire or smelling like a landfill.

Ball-O-Compost

So, someone might ask me - how supportive is your family...

They are so supportive that I will be the new proud owner, or at least will be as soon as it is delivered, of a new ECO-Composter...with base. Purchased from Costco.com, it is scheduled to be delivered in four day. In anticipation, my family and I have been diverting our vegetable and fruit scraps from the kitchen, and this weekend will be mowing our lawns. When the hamster ball-O-compost arrives, I'll be ready to start composting! Woo-Yoo!

Four-Hundred and Forty-Nine

Over the last weekend I finished planting all of our seeds in our peat pots, and our awesome little greenhouse is filled. So what did I plant you ask...are your ready...here we go:

24 - Arugula: Roquette-Ruccola
4 - Basil: Sweet
4 - Beans: Black - Black Turtle
12- Beans: Pole - Kentucky Wonder
24 - Beets: Early Wonders
8 - Broccoli: Green Goliath
24 - Brussel Sprouts
102 - Carrots: Red Core Chantenay
2 - Chives
6 - Cilantro
48 - Corn: Silver Queen
6 - Cucumber: Straight Eight
2 - Dill: Bouquet
18 - Kale: Blue Dwarf
10 - Onions: Green-Evergreen Beauty
20 - Onions: Viadhlia
2 - Oregano
2 - Parsley: Moss Curled
12 - Peas: Alaska
6 - Peppers: Bell - California Wonder
12 - Peppers: Bell-Orange Sun
6 - Peppers: Jalapeno
6 - Peppers: Poblano
20 - Radishes: Cherry - Cherry Belle
2 - Soy Beans: Disoy
6 - Spinach: Matador
12 - Squash: Butternut - Waltham
2 - Squash: Pumpkins
2 - Squash: Summer - Dixie Hybrid
12 - Squash: Zucchini - Black Beauty
1 - Strawberry Plant
18 - Swiss Chard: Liscia Verde Da Taglio
4 - Tomatoes: Beefsteak - Super Beefsteak
4 - Tomatoes: Cherry - Red Cherry
6 - Watermelon: Sugar Baby

Yeah...I think I'm good for this year. I think some of my neighbors will be good too. Maybe even all of our relatives, friends, co-workers...

I so excited!

THEY'RE ALIVE!

Shortly after constructing our "green-closet" I planted some of the vegetables we plan to transfer into the garden this summer. I have to say, those peat pellets are not only fun, but make starting your seedlings very easy. After plumbing up the compressed disc-o-peat, I placed them into the cardboard carton (each carton holds ten pots). I wish all of the seed could have been organic, but we bought what we could (Next year, I think I might order seeds by catalog). So, let me share with you what I've started so far...

Vegetables

20 Pots - Ferry-Morse - Silver Queen Hybrid Sweet Corn

10 Pots - Burpee - Grandex Hybrid Vidalia Onion

6 Pots - Ferry-Morse - USDA Organic California Wonder Bell Pepper

4 Pots - Ferry-Morse - Red Cherry Tomatoes

4 Pots - Burpee - Super Beefsteak Tomatoes

4 Pots - Burpee - Green Goliath Broccoli

4 Pots - Ferry-Morse - USDA Organic Straight Eight Cucumber

4 Pots - Ferry-Morse - Black Turtle Bush Beans

2 Pots - Ferry-Morse - Dixie Hybrid Squash

2 Pots - Burpee - Triple Treat Pumpkin

HERBS

4 Pots - Ferry-Morse - USDA Organic Sweet Basil

2 Pots - Ferry-Morse - USDA Organic Bouquet Dill

2 Pots - Ferry-Morse - USDA Organic Moss Curled Parsley

2 Pots - Ferry-Morse - Oregano (apparently this variety didn't warrant a special variety name)

FRUIT

6 pots - Strawberries

Wow...and I still plan on planting more. Here in the not to distant future I would like to start:

More Corn

Spinach

Pole Beans

Soybeans

Chives

Chard

Kale

Radishes

Carrots

Peas

Beets

More Onions

Brussel Sprouts

Yeah I'm not over ambitious or anything.

Finally, last night we noticed that the corn and black bean pots began to sprout. Woo-Hoo!

What an awesome find!

A greenhouse...actually more like a green-closet, but it works. We found it on a recent trip to our local Lowes hardware store, and purchased it for about $35. It measures 64 inches x 35.5 inches x 19 inches, and meeting the claim on the packaging, it was extremely easy to put together. In fact, our toddler helped me assemble it. Currently, due to the weather outside we are housing our “green-closet” in our kitchen, but once the weather warms we will move it outside. In addition to the convenience of being able to tend to our seedlings any time of day, it is becoming an educational experience for our daughter. She is constantly exploring its contents.

The Postage Stamp

This is our little postage stamp of a back yard. Certainly not much to look at know, but with some hard work (and of course the aid of power tools, friends and family) this area should work for all the vegetable we plan to plant this year.

My plan is to clean out and till everything from the fences to the sidewalk (and patio, not show to the right. I even think that the tree seen in the back corner of the yard has met an early demise.

In The Beginning...

For several years now, as the seasons change from winter to spring, I've often thought about getting my hands dirty and creating a vegetable garden. Sure, I've grown a potted tomato plant or two with marginal success, but never taken the leap to up-root my postage stamp sized backyard and create an actual garden. Maybe more to the point, I've always liked the idea and concept of organic farming, but have never been much of an "outdoor" kind of guy. So, what's different now?

Our lives have, and are changing.

A couple of years ago, my beautiful wife and I have were blessed with an amazing baby girl. Giving it some thought, I believe that our change in lifestyle began with my wife's pregnancy. It was then, we decided to start eating foods (at least as much as possible) free of pesticides, herbicides, and hormones. This transition has been fortified by the foods we had decided to feed our daughter as she has been growing, and by recent medical issues that have presented themselves to my family. The later, has educated us that "life" will remind you that you need to do or change something, and it does so either gently with a whisper, or with a 2 x 4. Since we have experienced both...consider message received.

As part of our consultation with a nutritionist and traditional medical professionals, we have removed gluten, dairy, and sugar from our (my wife and I) daily diet, and added drinking freshly juiced vegetables and fruits (specifically green leafy vegetables) at least once a day. It has been challenging, and I don't profess that our change in lifestyle is for everyone or necessarily right, but it is the right for my family and I.

As such I have been inspired by good health, economics, and education, I have made the leap to create my own sustainable "green" garden. And, to accompany my garden, I will write this blog to share my experience, and open myself up to comments (if anyone decides to read this...I think my illusions of grandeur begin and end with my garden).