More Details on the Giveaway

I thought I'd make a list and post it here of the seeds I'm offering in the giveaway:

CUCUMBERS:
Solly Bieler
Marketmore

GOURDS:
Birdhouse
Calabash
Bushel Basket
Small Apple

MELONS:
Planter's Jumbo
Ali Baba

PEPPERS:
Red Cayenne
Hungarian Hot Wax
Marconi Rosso
Jalapano
Ashe County Pimiento
California Wonder
Italian Pepperocini

TOMATOES:
Arkansas Traveler
Paquebot Roma
Cherokee Purple
Super Sioux

I may find another surprise variety or two to add as time draws near.

If you'd like to enter, please go to the post HOW ABOUT A GIVEAWAY to enter!

How About a Giveaway!!!

I love giveaways and I love seeds!  Therefore, I have decided to combine the two and offer my own giveaway featuring an assortment of the seeds I've discussed in previous blog entries and may have a few extras thrown in as well.  There will be 5 to 10 seeds from each variety I have written about planting.  If for some reason I don't have any more of a particular type, I will substitute a similar variety in its place.

I have had pretty good germination rates this year so I believe 5 to 10 seeds should be enough to add some variety to your already existing garden or a good start for your first gardening venture!  I try to only plant heirloom varieties so you should be able to grow these seeds and then collect several seeds for planting next year!

If you would like to enter, please do so using the Rafflecopter widget below!  The winner will be randomly chosen next Sunday, April 15!  Don't forget to share with your friends so they get the chance to win too!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Colorful Weekend

Saturday was more eventful than I had planned.  In addition to learning to farm, my other hobby is sweepstaking.  Last year I had won a butterfly garden to be installed by a professional landscaper.  I had never even heard of a butterfly garden but I was excited none the less.  The gentleman had been out a couple of times to plan the location and roundup the area to be used.  Yesterday, he and one of his workers came out to plant the butterfly garden.

When he was finished, he told me that all we had to do was water it and that in 4 months, you wouldn't be able to see the mulch anymore from the plants spreading out.  I'm excited to see the butterfly garden when it is in full bloom!

The princesses love to color eggs every year.  I was going to use the eggs from our chickens but TH insisted that I buy a dozen from the grocery store so the colors would be prettier.  The colors are much prettier on white eggs and store bought eggs are much easier to peel because they are much older than the eggs I collect from our chickens.  The princesses had a great time!

Princess #1 is insisting that we have an Easter egg hunt this afternoon.  If it warms up a bit, we'll get to go outside and play as there is no way I am hiding real eggs in the house.

We had to bring our plants in again last night and it appears we will be doing so for the next week.  Lows are forecast to be in the low to mid thirties every night.  

I had to put the plants on top of the chest freezer in the pantry to keep Princess #2 from picking them for me. It is much too big a temptation to leave plants within her reach.

I hope everyone has a blessed Easter!  God has blessed us so much and we are very thankful!

Frost!!!

It got downright cold last night! Thankfully, TH had been keeping an eye on the evening lows for me and let me know ahead of time.  We went out yesterday afternoon and gathered all the plants out of the greenhouse and brought them in.  We considered trying to keep the greenhouse warm but it was much more frugal to bring the plants in as the house would be heated anyway.

Bringing the plants in also gave me a chance to count, water, and check the condition of everything closely.  We have 89 plants growing currently.  I'm hopeful that we'll be blessed with a great harvest this year and that canning season will be in high gear come summer.

Spring is in full force here on the farm.  The plants in the greenhouse are really doing well.  I'm very happy with the way they are growing using the Styrofoam cups.

We went to the local farm supply store to buy our seed potatoes yesterday.  They were out of the usual brand of kennebecs we buy so we had to buy a different brand that they aren't too sure how it will grow here.  I'm hoping that they will do good as our fall potato harvest is always depended on.  We also bought 15 pounds of  red seed potatoes as they are my favorite for summer-fresh-out-of-the-garden eating.  

Along with the potatoes, we also bought a couple pounds of onion sets.  We'll be planting red and white onions this year.  We use a lot of onions in our cooking so having fresh onions on hand is wonderful.

The animals are all doing well.  I am expecting a hatch of chicks next Tuesday from one of our crazy, broody hens.  She had done pretty well sitting seeing as this is her first time trying.  Her mother is usually our broody hen but this one decided to give it a try and we are more than willing to let her.

We have added a new member to the family.

Meet Frank.  Franklin "Frank" is a 7 week old boxer pup.  I have wanted a boxer for several years now.  I had a boxer mix years ago that we adopted from the animal shelter and she was one of my favorite dogs of all time.  After researching breeds and patiently waiting for an affordable price, we decided to add him to our family.  I hope he will be a friend to the princesses and a helpful set of eyes and ears for TH and I.  He is super friendly and sweet and we will be making sure he has an opportunity to be socialized well.  We plan for him to accompany us as much as possible so that we get that great bond that boxers are known for.

Hopefully, I'll have some planting pictures to share with you when the conditions are right to plant our potatoes and onions!

Springing forward.

Things are warming up and looking lively on the ole homestead.  Both calves are growing and doing well.  Steak seems to have survived his bout with scours and is enjoying the pasture during the day.  Flurry, our baby goat, is a ball of energy and provides lots of entertainment.  The chickens are as grouchy as ever and it is apparent that the daughter of our broody hen has a lot of her momma's dna.  She's even more hateful than her mom.

My pepper plants are coming along.  I have moved them out to the greenhouse though I check the forecast every day to make sure night time temperatures won't dip low enough to harm the small plants.  Yesterday, the princesses helped me plant a small lettuce and chive bed inside the greenhouse.

I started my tomato seeds a few days ago.  The varieties I have chosen for this year are:  Super Sioux, Mortgage Lifter, Arkansas Traveler, Paquebot Roma, and German Pink.  Hopefully, in a few days I'll have some baby maters popping up in their pellets.

The Greenhouse Is Up!

I am so excited!  TH and I worked on a sunny afternoon to put up our little greenhouse.  It is 6x8 but is a little taller as TH placed and anchored it on top of railroad ties.

I'm a little concerned about my pepper germination rates.  Out of 8 seeds planted, only 3 came up.  I've started carrying them out to the greenhouse during the sunny hours and have restarted the pepper varieties again.  I'm starting more of each variety this time to ensure I have enough come up.  I am also adding some jalapenos, hot hungarian wax, and cayenne peppers.  I had forgotten about hot peppers but thankfully I had bought some hot pepper seeds during last year's clearance sales.  I prefer to buy my seeds from companies like My Patriot Supply or Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds but I always grab some cheap seed packets when I see them discounted to $.10 and below.  It was great to have them on hand so I could plant them last minute.  I encourage everyone to plant heirloom varieties so that you can save your own seeds for future years.

I'm only two entries into my gardening journal and I've already got eraser shavings all over it.  Hope to have even more as the year progresses and plans change for the better.