This weekend it finally dried out just enough to run the rototiller over the garden and start adding manure. After weeks of rain, this was a much anticipated event. We switched from rows to something more like a keyhole design to maximize garden space, and I think it’s going to work out nicely. Uncovering all that rich, dark soil is sure a treat to the eye! Now we just need it to dry out a bit more so we can plow the field and plant potatoes. I’m hopeful that all this rain isn’t going to delay us too much this year, but I have to remind myself how much more set up we are than this time last year.
I also seized the opportunity of a sunny day to weed the herb beds around the house. Plants are popping up all over that I forgot I even had. All that mint I put in when I built the beds and they were looking so bare has now spread and taken over a lot of the space. I felt funny pulling up all that mint as if it were a weed, but the chickens didn’t mind the treat, so it still went to good use. Speaking of birds, I also hung the hummingbird feeders and watched all our tiny feathered friends come back. I noticed one hanging around the usual feeder spot earlier in the week, so I knew it was time to put out the free buffet.
The peas I direct sowed are coming up, now accompanied by my starts from the greenhouse to stagger Spring pea harvest.
The rhubarb is fanning out and looking fantastic.
All my cabbage, onions, broccoli and cilantro are coming up in the greenhouse, and from here on out I’ll be starting new seeds almost every week.
My little bed of lettuce, kale and mustard is coming up in there too. My hope is to harvest it by the time I need to fill up the space with all those May starts.
We celebrated a weekend of farm work with our first homegrown salad of the year. Some little lettuces overwintered from September, and started growing again this month. They made a nice bitter salad tossed with oil, vinegar and Dijon mustard. The taste of small-scale farming may not always be sweet, but it sure is rewarding.
Ahh, I can't wait for that first salad of the season. Still too wet for us to get in the garden, but The Youngun and I have been planting herbs and flowers all day today!
Wow, those are resilient little things, hm? Must have made a nice treat. I love your bowl! Enameled? I am forever scrounging for enameled kitchenwares.
I am always collecting enamelware when I find it at garages sales and thrift stores. I love it! This one I got on a sale a while back at kolorfulkitchen.com, and I use it all the time! I'll warn you, if you're an enamelware enthusiast, it's like a candy store!