Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Farm Stuff

Garlic Chives Blossom

The few days I spent at the farm between the weddings was spent mowing and planting the garden. We  had the drywaller come while we weren't there to do the ceiling. It looks really good (which is a relief) and saved us a lot of time.
Gardening update... neighbor Jim came over with his tractor & plowed two long furrows for potaoes. That saved me so much time. I planted Yukon Gold, Yellow Finn, Rose Finn Fingerlings & German Butterball. Most of them are coming up already after a week and a half. Next came ten kinds of beans (Lazy Housewife, Calypso, Ireland Creek Annie, Hidatsa Shield, Hidatsa Red, Charlevoix Dark Red Kidney, Boston, Lina Ciscos Bird Egg, Fiskeby soybean , Envy soybean), Purple Top White Globe turnips, Lacinato kale, Silverbeet & Rainbow chard, radishes (French Breakfast), sunflowers, cilantro, beets (Detroit Red, Chioogia), zucchini (Black Beauty, Cocozelle Bush), cucumbers (Double Yield, Poona Kheera, Parade), pumpkins (Small Sugar, Young's Beauty, Dickenson) and squash (Jauneet Et Verde, Verte Et Blanc, Table Queen, Summer Crookneck, Waltham Butternut, Long Island Cheese).
Then & planted some flowers. Feverfew, Crane's Bill, Rudbeckia, Carpathian Harbell & Astilbe. That was all in one day. The next day I planted transplants. Peppers (Habernaro,
Sheeprose Pimento, Golden), tomatoes (Cherry Roma, Beam's Yellow Pear, Amish Paste), eggplant, leeks, brussels sprout, cabbage (green & red). One to the herbs of oregano, basil, chocolate mint, hyssop & plain & curly parsley.
This was all planted on half the garden space. The other half I planted in organic clovers (Cinnamon & yellow). I plan to leave this area dormant until we move up there. Clover will help bring nitrogen into the soil and hopefully keep the weeds out. After I broadcast the seed, I went over the soil with the golf cart to compact the seed so the birds wouldn't eat it all.

Clover is coming up.
I still had a few things left to plant before I left the next day, so I planted peppermint, Black-eyed Susan and ten Blue Spruce pine trees I received for joining The Arbor Day Foundation again. Oh, I also put down 5 bags of mulch in the flower border.
I was totally whipped after a hard day of mowing and two full days of planting. I left the next morning for home to start packing again. Can't wait to settle down again into a semi-calm state :-)
We were at the farm this past weekend (Memorial Day) and moved a lot of our stuff. After unloading the van & trailer, Steve started mowing & trimming and I went to work in the garden again.
Here is what I planted on Sunday...
Lettuce-Gold Rush, Slobolt, Barcarole, Jericho
Spinach-Monnopa, America
Carrot-Scarlet Nantes, Scarlet Keeper, Dragon
Two other squash-forgot to write them down :-)
Eggplant (3)
Onion sets-yellow, white & red (60 each)
Tomato transplants-Amish Paste, Hartman's Yellow Gooseberry
Pepper transplants-King of the North, Wenk's Yellow
Nasturtium-Black Velvet & Ladybird (edible flowers)
More mints-catmint & peppermint

I tried something different this year in the garden. I pla nted onions throughtout the garden & leeks bordering the one side of the garden by the potatoes. I am hoping that plants in the allium family will help keep away pests when mixed thoughout the garden.

The garlic is huge now. Should be getting scapes soon. After the garlic is harvested in July, I will be planting the fall crop of lettuces, etc. where the garlic was. The beans are all up too. Strawberries are getting started. A few ripe ones on the vines and there are a lot of blueberries on the bushes. We covered them with netting before we left for home so the birds won't be the ones enjoying them.

Columbine

I am done ( I think) planting the garden. This coming weekend is the final move of excess stuff to the farm. The townhouse here will be empty and I will be cleaning it next Wednesday before the closing on Thursday. We are very lucky to have sold it when we did. Even though we lost a lot of money, it could be even worse. A short sale went on the market last week for $40,000 lower than what we got. It is a terrible time for real estate around here now. We are thankful we didn't end up paying the bank to get rid of it. An option if we wouldn't have sold it was to rent it out, but we didn't want to take the risk of a non-payer when we are on a lower income at the farm. That would hurt the budget.
So I have written enough and taken up an hour of packing time. Have to get busy now. Hope everyone is having a great spring!

                                              Garden is planted and beans are up.

13 comments:

The Three Little Bears said...

Beautiful! I can't wait to plant my stuff outside soon. It has been monsoon raining at our place for the last few weeks. We're supposed to get a few dry days this weekend. Let's hope!

Now, I am going to go get chive seeds. I wasn't sure, but now I am convinced.

the wild magnolia said...

WOW! What a wonder garden of veggies and flower and trees you have planted.

It is quite exciting to read of your garden adventures.

Happy new home, happy new farm, a new beginning!

Anonymous said...

You really did a lot of planting this year. And lots of different kinds of potatoes. that will be fun. I hope you'll tell us what each kind is good for. That is so good to know!!Happy Packing! ...debbie

The cottage by the Cranelake said...

We still have the odd night with heavy frost here so I haven´t planted much outside yet. But I have put a couple of tomatoe plants outside and one Tomatillo. I also sowed some pumpkin seeds. Bean will be next.

I´m glad that You sold Your house in the right time! But I understand that the economy is much better here in Sweden. Our house and appartement prices only gous up. Now I´m hoping that the bad economies in southern Europe doesn´t destroy it for all of us.
Have a great day now!
Christer.

Unknown said...

Wow ... I just want to come and sit (and possibly graze) in your garden. :) So many wonderful veggies and herbs ... reading your post made me hungry!

Have a great day!

JC said...

Have you ever been busy ... wow.

SkippyMom said...

I became worn out just reading what you planted. Whew! I hope you are opening a produce stand or having a lot of company - that is a LOT of produce. Nice job.

Congrats on selling the home and getting to move.

~SkippyMom~

Unknown said...

I agree with the other comments whew!! you planted a ton of stuff.
How exciting it will be to see it all come to maturity.

Vee said...

Wow.. you got a lot done! I'm completely envious! Vikki at http://vikkisverandah.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...
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angie said...

Hi Barb,

Oh.my.goodness!!! That is A GARDEN! (and a lot of work). Good for you - I am so excited for you guys. Perhaps I've lost track but where are you moving to after the closing? You had mentioned an apartment or living in the shop - or are you going straight to Wisc?

I agree on the real estate - so glad you guys were able to sell it. There are so many folks that are unable to sell, I'm glad you were able to get out from under it.

Barb said...

Thanks everybody! On our way up to the farm tomorrow for more mowing, moving stuff and seeing what has come up in the garden. Have a great weekend!

PatQ said...

I'm tired just reading all the stuff you planted. Jeeze. I can't believe you're moving. Is Steve selling his shop?? Email me.