Garden Plans

Yesterday Michael finally got the weather and his schedule to cooperate with his plans. He was able to go to the big garden area and use his new tractor. He borrowed the neighbor's plow so he could turn the ground. Then he hooked up the neighbor's tiller and tilled the area. (One of the neighbors used to do this for us BEFORE Michael put the bee hives in the area. Since then, that neighbor hasn't offered his services. I understand WHOLE HEARTILY)! Now he will take our small walk behind tiller and make hills to plant potatoes. We should have already done this in our area. I think early April is the time frame, but we didn't have the tractor then and it just didn't work out. I purchased Yukon Gold Potatoes and I don't want to just throw them away so we are going to give it a try. I did talk to an older farmer and he said he thought it would be fine especially this year because we have had a very cool spring. His potato plants were very small although he planted on time. This encouraged me! We are also hoping that by planting a bit later that we might avoid the dreaded potato bugs. We will also be using the Earthway seeder to plant corn in the garden area. Raised beds are great, but corn and potatoes take up a lot of space and I like those planted in rows. Here is Michael unloading the tractor the day he brought it home. One of the older kids missed him yesterday evening. They wanted to know where he went. I told him he went to his happy place. The child knew immediately that he was finally on the back of that tractor doing something!
Today I have to get back out to the raised beds and pick. I have broccoli galore to cut. I also have several heads of cabbage to cut. We have had tons of wind the last few days. This is very unusual for us in May. It has broken several of my plants. I have lost about half of our yellow squash and zucchini plants to the wind. I plan on planting a few more of those out in the row garden. I don't want to have them in the raised beds taking up space later in the summer. Something ate the half bed of Roma tomato plants that I planted the other day. I think it was the neighbor's guineas. I love the neighbor's guineas because they spend a lot of time in our yard eating bugs. I will overlook the lost plants and replant today. I still have many tomato plants left to go into the ground. As soon as it warms up a bit, I also have an entire bed of pepper plants to put out in a raised bed. It just has been cooler than usual, but I am not complaining!

grace and peace,
julie