Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Garden & Greenhouse Update - 05/30/12


We are feeling extremely blessed that we have a greenhouse up with lots of yummy produce growing in it. The last week has brought about 9 inches of rain and if I would have needed to plant everything outside in my normal garden, nothing would be in the ground at this point.

I have garlic and a lot of onions planted outside in my normal garden, but that is about it. I'm not planning on planting anything else right now and by looking at what is already growing in the greenhouse, I'm going to have my hands full the way it is.


I do plan on filling in with other crops as we harvest what is already up and growing. As of now, we have garlic, onions, broccoli, strawberries, raspberries, and dill planted outside. I also just started some squash seeds in pots and will transplant them later on when they start coming up.....where yet I don't know.

In the greenhouse, we have planted.....

*91 hills of potatoes, some reds and a lot of yukon golds (I've actually dug up a couple of hills already and we had them for supper the other night.....yummy!)

*9 hills of watermelons

*6 hills of muskmelons

*10 hills of slicing cukes

*10 hills of pickling cukes

*about 60 tomato plants, variety of sauce and slicing/fresh eating ones

*about 60 pepper plants, variety of hot and sweet ones

*10 sweet potato plants

*4 rows of green beans

*16 rows of sweet corn

*1 row of carrots (I will reseed these as we pick them, there are some about ready)

*10 red cabbage plants

*1 row of lettuce

*1/2 row of spinach

*1/2 row of green onions

*1/2 row of dill

*1/2 row of celery

*1 row of broccoli

*4 brussel sprout plants

*4 cauliflower plants

We have eaten some potatoes and a few carrots already and we have been eating lettuce forever already. The first section of sweet corn is tasseling and ears are starting to form and the other section is about 2 weeks behind that. I will probably dig up some more potatoes later this week.....to give the watermelon plants some more room to grow.


05/30/12 - Slicing cukes
We will eat these fresh, make bread-n-butter pickles, relish and probably give a bunch away.


05/30/12 - Pickling cukes
These will be pickled. And thanks to my dear friend Lisa, I have a kick-butt recipe for dill pickles. Everyone gets pickles for Christmas.


05/30/12 - Pepper and tomato plants


05/30/12 - More tomato plants


05/30/12 - Carrots, cabbage, spinach, onions, and lettuce


My friendly garden snake.....hanging out in my potato plants
It's all my fault that the little guy is hanging out inside the greenhouse. He was outside the greenhouse a couple of days ago and when I saw him, I screamed.....he got scared and went crawling the other way right into the greenhouse. I haven't been able to catch him yet to remove him.

I have a feeling it is going to be an extremely busy summer, but I love it. 

The kids have been really good helpers with watering and weeding. Both the girls understand what a weed is and isn't and are willing to help pull weeds most of the time. Joseph is not a good weed puller, but does a pretty good job watering. 


God bless!

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Miss Charlie



Miss Charlie turned 5 last week. 

We had decided we were not going to do a big party this year. Instead we are going to go and spend a day next week at the Children's Museum with a couple of her little friends.

The Friday before we had been invited over to grandma and grandpa Neaton's for supper. Dave, Kelly and Silas were in town and we were all getting together to visit. 

Grandma made pizzas and we brought birthday cake and homemade ice cream. It was nice to just have a relaxed evening together...and only a few presents...and I didn't need to clean my own house.

She picked Elmo again.
I was able to use some natural food coloring, 
so there was none of that nasty yellow5 or red40 chemicals involved.


It was a little windy...


Our newest cousin, Silas.


My silly girl!


God bless!

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Greenhouse - 05/23/12


Here are a few greenhouse photos from the last few days. Things have really taken off in the last week or two. I have a ton of tomatoes and peppers coming up too, but forgot to take photos of those.


05/20/12
In a week's time, the corn went from Charlie height to mama height.


Cukes - 05/20/12


05/22/12


05/22/12.


God bless!



Greenhouse - 05/13/12


These photos were taken on May 13, 2012 in the greenhouse. 


Corn as tall as Miss Charlie.





Carrots, Cabbage, Onions and Lettuce


Joseph and Cori and their favorite thing to do in the greenhouse...
...making mud!

God bless!