The First Garden

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Momzoo

The planning and preparing of our first garden at Quail Run is something I have enjoyed and anticipated very much. I decided to use an area that had previously been pasture, it was already fenced and cleared of sage brush, making our work a little easier, all it needed was a plowing.

Dadzoo, tilling the virgin pasture

It is a good size area too, maybe about an eighth of an acre, perfect for a good size kitchen garden. I am planning on using a cover crop for about a forth of the space, rotating and using the cover crop as a green manure to keep the fertility high, in an attempt to keep the garden “organic”.

Boo planting the cabbage patch

Little baby cabbage, of the green variety

Little baby cabbage of the purple variety

Beets

Little bitty carotts, just coming up

Early in the season we planted a few early vegetables, ones that can handle freezing temperatures: cabbage, beets, carrots and onions. They have been slow to come up, spring has been rather cold and dry making things a bit sluggish.

Onion hoop house

With the amount of critters we have running around the place, specifically quail, we covered the garden beds with a light row cover, to keep the birds from eating my seeds, and the jack rabbits from eating the new little seedlings.

Cabbage, carrots and beets all tucked in and ready to germinate

Over the onions I made a little hoop house, in the past I have learned (the hard way) that onion seedlings don’t like anything laying on top of them, they die when that happens.

For everything else I just lay the cover on top.

This weekend we will started planting the warm season vegetables, as the threat of frost has past. I am so excited to plant and harvest and preserve enough to last a year, this something I have been dreaming about for years!

Growing Tomatoes

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Momzoo

Remember our little tomatoes?

After about three weeks they looked like this:Beautiful, big and green, and growing out of their space.

Tomato plants tend to get long and lankly very easily, which makes them a tad delicate once they have to deal with wind and such. There is a simple trick when dealing with long tomatoes that will help with the delicate stems. It is so easy I am almost embarrassed to share!

Ready?

Bury the stem. I know, profound, yet so simple. That long lanky stem can be buried almost up to the first true leaves, and that stem will make roots which gives you a stronger plant.

Simple, yet beautiful in its simplicity.

Tomatoes

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Momzoo

Dadzoo and I have been contemplating ways to teach our children hard work and responsibility. We decided to give each child (or let them choose) one thing that they were primarily responsible for, we would provide guidance, with the understanding as the years go on they would be able to take over their area. We are also encouraging them to find ways to earn money within their particular area, fostering a entrepreneurial spirit.

A week ago we started our tomatoes seeds, I am really excited this year because for Christmas Dadzoo got me grow lights and a warming pad, so I am really going to be able to get these little guys started, instead of limping along like I usually do.

Lou is my tomato grower, she is in charge of the care and feeding of our tomato patch. She filled the trays with soil and planted every tiny little seed. When they are big enough she will plant them outside, keep them wed, help harvest and bottle the tomatoes. It will give her a sense of pride, of contribution, of esteem every time we slice a fresh tomato, or open a jar or sauce. Children don’t need empty words to foster a sense of self worth, they need to accomplish something worth while, that is true self esteem.

After just a couple days we could see those little seeds, that Lou planted, begin to sprout. Lou has been very careful to keep the soil moist, she checks them several times a day, and gives me updates.