We spent some time over the weekend working with the earth and getting the garden prepped, just in time for Earth Day. With the help of a bargain rototiller we got over the summer from a friend’s grandfather, our trailer load of aged steer manure, all of Corey’s old newspapers, woodchips from the free city piles, and a bale of straw, we now have a beautiful garden taking shape for the season. I am enjoying standing back and just looking at it in the mornings before the busy days begin.
We left little islands around the chard, arugula, wheatgrass and kale that overwintered, and tried out some different types of rows this year, like blocks, and a keyhole garden in the center.
With the last of our storage onions being eaten this week, it felt good to get onion sets in the ground. I planted my favorites, Red Zeppelin and Walla Walla Sweet. We also got all the potatoes in and sowed some pea, radish and arugula seeds.
Since the greenhouse project turned out to be a little more complicated and in need of more windows than we had saved, we created a makeshift cold frame over this raised bed, that seems to be much more successful than the strawbale one last year that was basically a hotel and buffet for mice.
Everyone plays their part on the homestead. For some of us, that’s working hard, and for some it’s hardly working. I suppose we all need a catnap from time to time.
This includes the kids, who have been enjoying time in their hammocks on these warm spring afternoons. They have this “work hard, play hard” philosophy down.
It seems fitting that it should be Earth Day, with the earth waking up from winter everywhere you look. I enjoyed reading this John Muir quote this morning, courtesy of the Sierra Club this morning in honor of his Earth Day Birthday:
“Thousands of tired, nerve-shaken, over-civilized people are beginning to find out that going to the mountains is going home; that wilderness is a necessity; and that mountain parks and reservations are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life.”
~John Muir
Beautiful quote! Your garden looks great! I haven't been able to comment for some time, but I'm trying again, hopefully it will work!
Thanks Goodwife. I've gotten a few comments from you since the technical issue with comments, so hopefully it is working!
Your garden looks wonderful! I too spent Earth Day out in the garden working on projects. Love the quote, Happy Earth Day! 🙂