June 2, 2009

• Still Planting....

  I've planted a lot but still have more to do.....

  A bird's eye view of the garden.

  

  

  So far I've planted the following seeds:

  -Patty Pan Squash                                           -Kidney Beans
  -Black-eye peas                                              -Lentils
  -Scarlet Runner Beans                                    -Anasazi Beans
  -lettuce                                                           -Dill
  -Fodder Beets                                                -Sweet Corn
  -Potatoes (from last year--five varieties)          -NOFANY Potatoes for 09' Trial (three varieties)
  -Sunflowers     (four varieties)                         -Morning Glories
  -Chamomile                                                    -Borage
  -Poppies                                                        -Arnica
  -Calendula                                                     -Cosmos
  -Black-eyed Susans                                       -Red flowering Vine
  -Nasturtiums                                                  -Turtle Black Beans
  -Peas                                                            -Giant pumpkins

  From our greenhouse I've transplanted to the garden:

  -Broccoli                                                                  -Cauliflower
  -onions                                                                     -Kale
  -King of the North Peppers                                      -Brandywine Tomatoes
  -Basil              

   I have only planted 1/4 of what  needs to be planted.  Joshua loves to go out each day and see if anything has grown or sprouted.  We planted his sunflower house and we both are very excited about this project. 

  

  

  These two raised beds are near our barn.   In these beds are three varieties of potatoes as a potato trail for  Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFANY)  Chieftains,  Eva, and Purple Fingers are the three varieties we received this year. 

  

  Purple Finger being held by little dirty fingers. 

  I have also planted Fodder Beets in those beds.  Fodder Beets are a huge beet that are perfect to feed to livestock.  We are trying to grow a little bit of food for our animals too.

  Yesterday, I harvested beautiful spinach  for dinner.  For dinner,  we had salmon cakes over a bed of spinach.  It was delicious!!  I've grown spinach for years but for some reason never really had much luck with it.  This year it is perfect!  I purposely planted the spinach in a bed that is shaded from a large white pine tree through the hottest part of the day.  I know spinach does not like the heat so my plans worked beautifully.  I am always trying new things each year so I can make notes and adjust for next year.  For example,  the lentils, kidney beans and black-eyed peas were organic beans that I had kicking around the house and thought why not?   My parents gave me a big bag of Anasazi Beans and we really liked them.  I saved some of the beans and I planted them on Sunday.  I didn't know much about these beans.  Taking a break from planting I decided to sit down on the internet and learn about the Anasazi Beans.  Well.....  I found out that they are climbers not bush beans.  DARN!  I planted them in beds that would be for bush beans.  I promptly went out dug them up and moved them to the base of our tipis and tall fence posts.    I only planted about 50 beans or so,  no biggie to dig back up.....LOL.  Why I didn't research them before planting?  Oh well,  lessons learned and now I know. 

  • 7:30 am
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