In everything there is balance...

Although most things are growing steadily here at the home gardens, I was dismayed to find many of the leaves being eaten by some pesky pest; particularly the variety of lettuces and greens, although the pest enjoys the leaves of beets and radishes, too. I have some helpful people problem-solving it with me...the trick is to actually SEE what is eating my plant. I have noticed a tiny green worm (looks like a mini inch worm)--could something that tiny and cute do that much damage?? I have also noticed a microscopic looks-like-a-mosquito type of insect...when I saw two of them on the back of the lettuce leaf they looked harmless and almost as though they were enjoying the shelter out of the continual rain we seem to be having. Sigh. Once I figure out what the pest is, then I have to take care of it, pronto. I have a whole bunch of new mixed lettuce plants growing outside from seed and I want to protect them if at all possible. Disappointing in one way...but I have that tiny voice in my head that is saying, "think of all you are learning this year..."

On a happier note, the first cucumbers are peeking into the world...The flower at it's tip looks almost like a crown. Sweet and beautiful. I loved that my camera caught such detail...whoever takes the time to look this closely at a cucumber growing...for that matter, how many people have even seen a cucumber while it is this small (that was me three years ago!) I am delighted by the tenacity of these little plants. Look how strong it is already!

This is the quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) that sprouted after only four days. Amazing really! I love this food. Although many refer to it as a grain (and an ancient one at that), it is actually a seed. It is one of the few foods on this earth that is a complete protein (sooo terrific for us vegetarians). I have eaten it warm for breakfast, in place of oatmeal; cold in a salad with fresh spring veggies and a light olive oil and lemon dressing; hot in place of rice with curry. I just heard that you can also put it in chocolate cake!! Here is a great blog of info (not so much pictures) I found: http://blog.quinoacookbook.org/.

While I was busy cleaning out my greenhouse yesterday, my 10 year old pup decided, for the first time in a year, to play with the rat trap. ARGHHH! Now, I am not one to want to kill animals; however, last year the rats multiplied and multiplied and multiplied. So there is one trap, and since population management was achieved last year, there has been no more bait put in it. However, yesterday found my little dog with her nose stuck as far in the hole as possible and she was clearly very wound up lifting it off the ground. We managed to tear her away and turn a heavy wheelbarrow over it. All seemed well.

Then, about two hours later, she had her stubby tail tucked (if it was full length it would have been between her legs), tremors in her back end and legs and she was trembling all over. She barely moved and kept her head down...oh-oh. We thought maybe, just maybe, there was a small bit of poison she ingested. An emergency trip to the vet, $300 later to make her vomit and give her Vitamin K (what rat poison depletes), and she was spunky and good as new. What this means of course is that when she came home and went back out into the yard she headed right back over to the same spot. I followed her and low and behold, there was a small sized rat...perished! Chaos ensued. I had to hoist my little dog on my hip, grab my big dog by the tail and drag him out of there...then I had to go back, with Sprinkle, to take care of the rat. It took some time to get myself ready and not be too squeamish. As I lifted it gently on the shovel, I acknowledged it's little life.

Remember, the title of my blog is "I WANNA be a farmer"...not that I AM a farmer...yet. However, I think with the lettuces being eaten by pests and my impending pest-hunt this weekend, my dog tracking and possibly killing a rat (and maybe being poisoned herself), an invasion of honey bees that make me very nervous (perhaps a story for next post?), dealing with clay-based and soggy soil, and some lovely food beginning to grow...maybe, just maybe, I'm a little further along the path to BECOMING a farmer.

And so, this week some plants flourished while others are beginning to perish. My intention was to feed people; looks like other beings have got a head start! Wish me luck on my pest patrol this weekend and if you have any ideas or suggestions, I welcome your offerings in the comments section below. Remember, only organic options are needed. Be well and thanks for visiting.

Home, Beautiful Home

While I was away, Sprinkle made me a deck for outside my greenhouse (out of recycled fir flooring I found earlier this year on Craigslist) as well as planted beans and peas. I am so delighted!! It's simply beautiful. The finishing touches are happening around here and it is almost complete, after about six months of revamping what was a dreary eye-sore in the backyard (pictures on the left are before; pictures on the right are now).









Upon my return this week the following were planted in the remaining garden beds at home: quinoa (which sprouted after four days!), turnips, beets, kale, brussel sprouts, swiss chard, eggplant, sunburst squash and cucumbers. That makes for a very full garden and much excitement to come.

Headed out to garden A, which we call "the farm", and I was so happy to see this:






potatoes......................................broccoli

The potatoes and broccoli are all sprouting - YES! We worked five more rows and put all the seedlings in the ground including: cucumbers, sunburst squash, cantalope, four or five different kinds of peppers (some were labelled and some [sheepishly] were not), and tomatillos. It looks pretty green right now and like something is happening, which is starting to feel good. I am bit concerned because I haven't seen any bees around, so I am going to take out some flowers to plant to lure them over. Within a few weeks I'll have a picture up of the development, which I am certain will be lush, green, flowering veggie plants! Grow little plants grow...we're counting on you.

"Headquarters" almost complete!

I haven't been writing much about garden "C"...look at the lovely food we have growing here...Cimmaron and Buttercrunch lettuces, scallions and White radishes! Tonight was the first mini-harvest of the season and these were delicious in the salad! Today marked the addition of three new garden beds, a total of 70 square feet to plant many of my seedlings in! Garden "C" is shaping up to be the picturesque "headquarters" of the up-and-coming farm.

"Think of all you're learning..."

Two steps forward, ten steps back. The key is to keep moving, and not give up. We went to garden A today to install the soaker hoses, which work great! Plus I got a sprinkler that is pretty effective. However, once the extremely parched land began to soak up the water, it was thick and heavy. Very very clay-based...which means the roots of my plants will either suffocate and/or drown. Hmmmmmph!!

It looks like the best option is to get a dump truck of topsoil delivered, then lay it out over the rows I have already made, turn it in with some compost, and re-establish the rows. Then, planting can happen...ugh. What a huge amount of labour this will be. Not to mention I am not around the next couple of weeks, so this puts me behind again. Sprinkle and I had a conversation about just giving it up this year. That felt way too sad and somehow like I am missing the point. Then a kind and dear person in my life said "think of how much you're learning this year!" That's the point. So, I will regroup, figure out a plan, and move forward.

We managed to put 18 seed potatoes in the ground (see pic above), because as Sprinkle says, "Potatoes grow anywhere!" To lighten the heavy mood, more food got planted in garden C at home. There are now white, red and black radishes, garlic, shallots, green onion, various lettuces, beets, tomatoes, tomatillos, various peppers, broccoli, and carrots in the gardens at home. Another step forward...

First Two Rows

Went out to garden "A" after work for a second time this week; this time to begin creating the rows to plant food in! Here is a picture of the first two rows. Trying to be a frugal farmer, I went to the dollar store in search of stakes and twine. What I came away with was 8 red carpenter pencils (stakes) and twine and an exacto knife to cut the twine. I also remembered to stop and get a bottle of water and a Kitsilano cookie from Starbucks. One might think Starbucks was a bit extravagant for a frugal farmer but for $2.50, I got a huge cookie chock full of nuts, seeds and a little bit of chocolate...all great for the energy I needed to rake all that dry dirt into the rows. After two hours and four rows, I headed home. I will do a few more rows and then the plan is to plant as I go; make rows, plant, make rows, plant. Hopefully the first seeds will go in the ground this weekend; keep your fingers crossed.

Sweat, Rocks and Kickbacks...

I went directly from work to garden A yesterday. It was our first sunny, dry and relatively warm day. I cleared two wheelbarrows of rocks--that's about 1000 rocks I guesstimate. And every time I turned my back to pick rocks at another section, I am certain they began multiplying! Rocks are everywhere...sigh. I decided to use it as an opportunity to relax (with the exception of my burning quads from squatting so long), listen to the wind, say hi to the horse, listen to the turkey warbling, and enjoy the task. When I felt done, I began rototilling.

The second time over the plot and MUCH harder. I was also tired when I began, forgot to bring water and hadn't had enough power food to give me energy. Lesson learned for next time. It was hard work. My forearms were burning and there were some substantial size rocks (as big as my head!!) that when the rototiller found them, it kicked back pretty hard....yooowwwoouch!!!

Perseverance was the key yesterday. Heading back this weekend to do more rock picking and some deeper tilling. There is one soggy area of the plot that I need to problem-solve, but other than that the earth looks rich and beautiful. I also saw my first earthworms yesterday..."welcome and bring your friends to our up-and-coming garden".

Push through the hard spots...

Last night after work we went to garden "A" and began the tilling...what an adventure! You can see me restarting the rototiller after stalling it (I learned to push through the hard spots...good analogy for life). If you look carefully in the second picture you will see the compacted earth on the far left of the photo, the earth being tilled in the center and a sliver of the rototiller on the right. It was incredible to see rich brown loamy earth appear (along with many rocks). After a couple of days I will rototill a little deeper, add some compost and fish fertilizer, measure and create approximately 62 beds (!) and then planting will occur. Every now and then the tiller would hit a hard patch or lots of rocks and it would kick back into my belly (ouch!). I soon learned to use my arms to guide the tiller, not by body...altho' now my forearms are quite sore.

This weekend has also been very busy with getting garden "C" in order. Painting posts, measuring and cutting fence boards, digging up dandelions, going to drop off yard waste and pick up earth for the garden beds, filling the beds (while puppy tried to unfill them at the same time), asking for the rain to stop and the sun to shine so the paint would dry (this actually worked!!) It's starting to look like an intentioned space that is loved and where great things will come (yummy food actually). Keep an eye out for the photos.