Ahhhh Spring 2014

     Friday the temperature finally got up to 50 degrees F, and Saturday went over 65.  Two days ago I hit frost with the spading fork at a depth of 3 inches, while today it went down to at least 8 inches.  Deep enough to do some tilling anyway.  Pictured below is the Central Garden.  The hoops on the right are 10 foot sections of conduit pipe marking the ends of a shelter that will cover some early plantings of carrots, onions and radishes that will be planted within the next couple of days before the last moon quarter starts.  More conduit pipes will be installed every 2 or 2 1/2 feet between these hoops, which will then be covered with plastic to warm the ground.  The whole structure is designed to be easily moved, so as the weather warms, it can be used with less hardy plants like tomatoes after these hardier plants can go it on their own.
     The Sunflower stalks in the center and on the left in front of the barn were left from last year, and I hope to use them as supports when I plant peas and pole beans later on.  I left some corn stalks standing in the East Garden for the same reason.

Mother Nature Gives Us Our Tools

     When one of our Black Spruce trees fell over in a windstorm about 2 years ago, it left this exposed but well anchored root in our grove.  And so nature gave us our perfect conduit bender.

Conduit Bender

Conduit Bender in Action

Grow Light in the Basement

     These are the tomatoes I started in flats on March 14, and transplanted to pots on April 18.  Burpee Heirloom Brandywine Red on the right with Ferry-Morse Abe Lincoln Heirloom and American Seed Large Red Cherry behind them.  Barely visuable in the rear are the Broccoli and Cabbage started on April 5.

     Planted on April 12, some not yet sprouted pumpkin, squash, cucumber and watermelon are still sitting on the dining room table upstairs.

Poultry Palaver

     Our 19 hens and 2 roosters are enjoying the spring weather.  During the last quarter of the moon is a good time for cleanup.  As the last quarter starts on Wednesday, I plan to do the spring cleaning in the chicken coop.  With clean straw, a change in diet from corn to laying mash, worms, insects and greens, the eggs should start rolling in.

Scratchin' and a Diggin'

Goin' out for our Morning Constitutional

      According to meteorologic records we've had colder winters, but I don't remember any of them.  It seems like my bones froze up in November, and I haven't felt really warm until today.  But spring brings us a new life, a new beginning.  We look forward to new experiences and new friends while we treasure our old wins and losses, and old friends as jewels in our crown.