No Garden In 2011

So sorry to say that I won't be able to have the garden this year. I can't do it alone and Annette and Jessica are both going to be in school. Nursing and teaching. I would have to hire people to plant and tend the garden and there is no way I can afford to do that. I will still keep buying cases of food when on sale to give to the needy.. I CANNOT BEAR TO HEAR OF FOLKS GOING WITHOUT FOOD!!

God Bless You All
Suzanne

2nd Sweet Corn Planting

This is Kate's Garden. It's named after the person who made it possible.

My name is Suzanne. This will be a record of the garden to feed and bless many. We hope to take you through the entire process of planting, canning, and drying fruit and veggies. This is the 2nd year.

~God Bless This Garden~

My beautiful daughter-in-law, Annette.  She's becoming a very good gardener.  I'm hoping to instill a passion for gardening in my family, as soon that will be the only way a person will be able to eat.

The green beans are up and looking great!!

Jessica moving the drip hose.

Jessica putting the Hula-Ho to good use.  BTW she's beautiful, too.

NOT beautiful..  This is probably the most dorky pic I have ever taken. eyes closed, drinking my Frappuccino.  :)

The kids beside one of the nectarine tree's.

The 1st planting of sweet corn is up!!!!!

Another shot of the green beans.

One of the many tomato plants.

Here's our one little nectarine for this year...

Oh boy!  The grapes are setting.

Another shot of the grapes.

There are a few baby clusters of grapes coming.

Michaela made a heart in the soil.  I can't believe after spraying with Round-up last year and then plowing, disking, and tilling, the grass is still growing. 

Supervising the drip hose getting moved.

Hard at work!!

Jessica weeding the green beans.

Annette weeding the green beans.  Great job everyone!!

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Total for today:

3 more 50 ft. rows of sweet corn

Lots of weeding and watering.

More Corn Tomorrow

I think tomorrow we will plant 3 more 50 ft. rows of sweet corn. That way they won't all be ripe at the same time. Maybe we will plant some squash in between the corn rows to help with weed control... :)

Planting Corn, Green Beans, Tomatoes & Peppers

This is Kate's Garden.  It's named after the person who made it possible.
My name is Suzanne. This will be a record of the garden to feed and bless many. We hope to take you through the entire process of planting, canning, and drying fruit and veggies.  This is the 2nd year.
~God Bless This Garden~

Note:  I wasn't able to get too close for some of the pics as my mobility scooter kept getting stuck in the tilled soil.  The kids had to keep pushing me out so I finally gave up and photographed from a distance... Suzanne

I am so thankful we were finally able to get the planting started.  Annette and the kids are marking rows using step-in fence posts.

We're using a 50 ft. hose to measure the length of each row.

Stepping a post at the end of row.

Annette trying to get the row straight.

Pouring sweet corn seed into the little borrowed planter.

Annette's pushing the planter along the edge of the hose.  The planter cuts a slot, drops in the seed but it didn't cover it very well so the kids went behind and pushed soil over the corn seed and stepped it down.  Great job Annette.

Annette and the kids are planting about a 30 foot row of tomatoes and peppers.

Here's one of the nectarine tree's from last year.  It has one nectarine about the size of a small prune on it this year.

These raspberries are doing great.  Lots of new shoots.  Later we will dig them up and start getting them put into long rows.

The rhubarb is delicious.  Michaela ate some raw today.

Annette and the kids planting tomatoes.

Stepping down the green bean seeds.

Finishing planting the last of the tomatoes.

Well done guys.

James, Miss Becky and her great granddaughter, Rhiannon at the end of the day.

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Total for today: 

3- 50 ft. rows of Corn

2- 30 ft. rows of Green Beans

1- 30 ft. row of Tomatoes & Peppers

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James set up 2 rows of trickle irrigation with a timer on it at the very end of the day.  There is still more to set up.  Also have some roll out mulch but it was far too windy today to put it out.

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I am soooo sunburned I can barely move... :)

Planting Day!!!

I am overjoyed!!  Finally, planting day is here.  It will only be me, Annette and the little kids, I think..  Everyone one else is working or in Nursing classes.  Oh, I think Miss Becky will be around too.  James may possibly get off at noon today.  I have no I idea what we will get done today but we will soon see.  My mobility scooter is charged up, my portable nebulizer has new batteries in it, my camera is charged.  We are borrowing a two wheeled corn planter that you push and I am hoping we can get it to work for the green beans too.  We'll try to get some tomato plants in today too. It's supposed to be thunderstorms for the next several day so need to get busy now.. It's going to be 92* today with 20-30 mph winds.  We'll get done as much as possible and thank the Lord and ask Him to bless the veggies and fruit.  Yippee!!!!!!!

Tilling Is Done!

Well we got enough of a break between rain storms to get the garden tilled.  We may start planting some corn this weekend.  We are also tossing around the idea of drip irrigation.  Haven't decided yet.  I'll get some pics and post them in here.

I found a great guide for drying veggies in your oven.  Thought I would try it with sweet corn and green beans this year.  The guide was too large for this space so I posted it in my newz blog.  You can find it here: 

Drying Veggies Guide

Yes! The Plow Man Came!!

Miss Becky just called me and said the plow guy just finished plowing and discing the garden.  I didn't even know he was going to be there today.  What a relief to get that done!!  I ordered 2 Hula Ho's last night on line.  The best garden tool ever made!!  I'm so excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Suzanne

Yes! The Plow Man Cometh

I met with the plow man today and he gave me a price to plow, disc, and till the garden.  The folks will be out Tuesday to spray paint where any underground utilities are at and if the weather is good, the plowing will commence..  I was so ill all winter that today was the first day I set foot out of my apartment since Sept. 16th.  It sure did feel good to be out and about!!

Tractor vs Tiller

I found out about a guy that will plow your garden at a very reasonable fee.  Seeing as how the ground here is like a rock, it seems wise to use his service and then we won't need the tiller for so long a time.  So I am going to make arrangements to get the garden plowed.  Yes!!

Oh, Shoot!!

Folks,  I refigured my budget for the month and had to call and cancel using the tiller on Saturday.  I'll have to wait and see if any gifts come in and then reschedule the tiller...