My Garden!!

You should see my garden right now!

Seriously! I almost look like a real gardener! Which is kind of funny because my husband actually did most of it!

My husband is an engineer. His mind continually thinks of ways to do things faster and better. It’s just who he is. He has been researching and scheming for years to find ways to make gardening easier and more productive.

If you’ve hung out here for awhile – you might remember some of the other garden ideas we’ve tried over the years. None of which worked out. So when he told me that he had found a new idea for the garden, I might have rolled my eyes just a little. But because I love him and because he was willing to help out, I gave in.

And I’m very glad I did!

Just look at my garden today!

He started by tilling under our cover crop. (Okay – just kidding! It was actually a bunch of weeds!)

Then we covered it with heavy black plastic. Thankfully it was a still evening! This would have been a nightmare with any kind of wind!

Then we carefully placed 55 – 30 inch wooden square frames that he made out of some of the 2 x 4’s from the old house. And I do mean carefully; remember – he is an engineer! We used kite string and fence posts to make a grid across the garden so that each bed was an equal distance from the ones surrounding it.

Then he cut away the plastic inside each wooden square and we were ready to plant! And by we, I really mean he, because he did most of it! My garden hero!

Since we were so late in getting things in, and I had not started a single plant this year, or even made a seed order, we went to the local greenhouses and bought everything last minute.

But wait – there’s more!

My amazing husband then made cute little cloches from PVC, nylon netting, and more wood from the old house. These slip right over the 30 inch frame and will hopefully keep the cabbage moths away!

We did put up our electric mesh fence to keep the bunnies and chickens out – even though the black plastic seemed to freak them out a little. Better safe then sorry.

And there you have it! My amazing new garden thanks to my amazing husband!

So will this system actually work?

Will we be able to keep the weeds in control?

Will we actually get a harvest this year?

But what about the squash bugs?

Stay tuned.

I’m sure the continuing saga of Melinda’s Garden is far from over!

First of the Garden Produce

Would you believe that we had fresh kale and lettuce from the garden already?!

That’s right – on March 31 – which is officially the earliest we have ever eaten from the garden – we had our first salad.

I was going to publish this yesterday – but then I realized that some of you might think it was a hoax because of April Fool’s Day.

But believe me- this is no joke.

So how did we get to a harvest so quickly when this is the time most people are just getting things planted?

Remember back last fall when I happened to mention in a post that Buddy and I transplanted some late cabbage, broccoli, kale and lettuce into a thrown together cold frame of cement blocks and old windows?

We had hoped to harvest fresh veggies into the winter – but that didn’t work so well. Everything stopped growing, some even looked dead, so I called the experiment a mistake and forgot about it.

But then the weather warmed up this spring and some of those plants perked right up and started to grow!

it was a miracle!

And now, for the first time ever – instead of playing catch up with my Amish neighbors – I’m ahead of them!

Never mind that I had to start last October and it was kind of an accident.

Hey – I win is a win!

And fresh veggies the last day of March is most definitively a win!

Fall Garden

Normally at this time of year I’m ready to be done with the garden.

Ready to pick the pumpkins and winter squash – then ignore it’s very existence until January when the gardening bug hits me again.

Sometimes I even pray for a frost so it will go away.

But not this year.

This year I planted more.

Crazy, right?

I had a few empty places where a crop had finished – so I decided to try some fall plantings of cool weather crops. Things like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower.

In the spring I start my cold weather crops inside and transplant them when the weather is right. For these fall crops I planted my seeds directly in the ground.

Germination was very spotty. It could have been too hot, or too much rain, or maybe Buddy and I didn’t prepare the soil quite as well as we should have for these much smaller seeds.

Whatever the reason – I figured it was worth the experiment! We already had the seeds and the ground was just sitting there. Anything that grew was a bonus.

Like my first homegrown kale.

Happy, happy, happy day!

I wonder just how long we can stretch this fresh food season?

Garden Bounty

I love cooking in the late summer!

Every meal starts with a quick trip to the garden to see what’s ripe – and then my creative juices get started!

Maybe we should start with spaghetti squash – tossed in butter and garlic and Parmesan cheese.

Or some fresh green beans steamed till just tender with a pat of butter melting on the top.

Or maybe a salad with some beautiful red ripe tomatoes and fresh basil and a touch of balsamic vinegar.

There’s even been a ripe watermelon or two – and one teeny tiny cantaloupe that ended up being one of the sweetest and best we’ve had all summer! Too bad there was only one.

Of course there will be poppers with our favorite Tam jalapenos. And fresh sweet peppers to dip in homemade ranch dressing.

But everybody’s favorite is the king of the garden –

Sweet corn.

Picked and cooked and on a plate steaming hot within an hour.

Then slathered with melted butter and salt and enjoyed.

In abundance.

An all you can eat corn buffet.

It’s late summer in Iowa.

And we’re eating good!

Corn-a-Thon

It all started with an innocent question.

My husband called at lunch – as he always does – and as we were chatting about the mornings events he mentioned that one of his buddies from work had some extra sweet corn. Did I want some?

Of course I wanted some! Our first picking had been good – we enjoyed all the corn we could eat and had about 30 “fat” quarts in the freezer – but our second planting was stunted from the drought and our third planting was weeks away.

So we gathered some buckets and boxes and set the boys in to meet their dad after work and pick us some corn.

I wasn’t expecting a lot – the guy told Jan they had been picking all week – but I was hoping for an all-you-can corn fest for supper and a few more bags in the freezer.

They brought home a Suburban full!

Boxes and boxes and boxes of sweet corn. Jan said they barely made a dent in the field.

They guys started husking right away and I got some water boiling.

We took a break for some supper – but by 6:30 we were back at it!

The next few hours are a blur.

Put corn in. Set the timer. Move the cooled corn to the table. Get fresh water. Cut some corn. Bag some corn. Clean some corn.Run out to grab more corn. Husk a few ears. Run in and take the corn out. Put corn in. Set the timer…

By 8:30 it was getting dark but the guys were still husking. They moved operations to the work shop. The table was covered with cooked ears but I sent Angel Girl out to help them finish.

By 9:30 the husking was finally done and all hands moved inside to help cut. My table was full of cooked ears, one counter was full of raw ears, and the other counter was covered with full freezer bags.

By 10:30 all four kids were cutting corn as fast as they could and listening to the 2nd Adventures in Odyssey CD. My feet stuck the floor in the kitchen from all the corn juice splattered.

By 11:30 the last of the corn went in to cook and the freezer was so full that I couldn’t find room for more.

By 12:30 the last ear was cut and the last of the freezer bags filled. The kids started cleaning themselves up and heading to bed while I looked at the disaster that once was my kitchen.

By 1:30 AM I had washed the dishes, scrubbed the counters and table, and was scrubbing my floor.

Finally tally – 58 fat quarts (a quart bag stuffed as full as it can be – usually between 5-6 cups), 4 exhausted kiddos, one trashed kitchen, and one wiped-out mom who kept shaking her head and saying, “What was I thinking?”

I know what I was thinking :

“Boy am I glad the kids are home to help!”

“Corn in the freezer is like gold in the bank!”

“This is sure gonna taste good come winter!”

“What a gift – all this corn for free! And I didn’t have to plant it, weed it, water it or try to keep the coons out!” 🙂

Fresh Picked

I love this season of the year – when my meals are planned around what I pick fresh from the garden.

Corn on the cob – all you can eat. Green beans – lightly steamed and dripping with butter. Summer squash in every form imaginable. And what about the tomatoes!

Is there anything as wonderful as a fresh, vine-ripened tomato?

Unless it’s something made from that fresh, vine-ripened tomato! Something like BLT’s, fresh salsa, bruschetta, or our favorite – pasta with fresh tomatoes.

Just peel 8 medium tomatoes. Chop, seed and drain.

Combine 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1 clove of garlic (crushed), 1 tablespoon of fresh parsley chopped, 1 teaspoon basil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 of a green pepper (chopped) and 16 black olives, sliced.

Add tomatoes and set aside at room temperature.

Cook 8 ounces of pasta according to directions. Drain and place in serving bowl. Add tomato mixture and toss. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Yum!

We’re still in the honeymoon stage with tomatoes- enjoying all we can eat fresh – but don’t have quite enough yet to can.

Then there’s my pride and joy – my watermelons – both of them.

The melons didn’t like the heat and drought of July. But thanks to the boys faithful watering, we saved one watermelon plant with 2 watermelons on it.

I was a little scared to pick the big one – but my friend Martha just gave it a thunk and proclaimed it done.

She was right – it was perfect!

I may just have to call her to come and thunk the next one in a few weeks. 🙂

So what’s on tonight’s menu?

All you can eat fresh corn on the cob (Pedro holds the record with 6 ears at one meal) and chicken wraps (with roasted yellow squash, green peppers, onions and garlic for the more adventurous eaters!)

Lip-smacking goodness!

How Much Wood Could A Woodchuck Chuck…

It must be the summer for varmints.

First the coon, then the bunnies, and now a wood chuck.

I remember reading that back in the depression hobos used to leave marks on fences and trees so other tramps would know the houses to avoid, which ones had good food and where the mean dogs were.

I’m thinking some varmint put a sign out in the back 40 saying, ” Try these humans – they’re an easy mark and worth a laugh!”

However he found us – a solitary woodchuck ambled into the yard a few weeks ago and decided to make a permanent home under the wood pile in the machine shed (the only outbuilding with a gravel floor.)

We did not realize his presence for awhile and by the time Pedro first noticed the large pile of dirt and gravel in the back of the shed – he had dug out quite a home for himself.

My husband was not happy.

At first I didn’t mind so much. He was kind of cute in a 4- legged varmint-y kind of way. Besides he stuck to himself and didn’t chase chickens or eat my edamame.

But then I discovered the partially eaten pumpkins and winter squash in the garden.

Cute little Chuckie had crossed the line.

Now – how does one remove an unwanted woodchuck from his burrow underneath a large pile of wood inside a machine shed?

Good question. But – never fear – Google has the answer.

We set the live trap for him – right outside the front entrance of his domicile – and baited it with carrots just as the website said.

Within 4 hours little Chuckie was history and his home was blocked up so no other little varmint would move in.

Maybe I should add a “no vacancy” sign.

Or “vagrants not welcome”.

Take that you little varmints. These humans are getting smart.

Photo thanks to Matt Reinbold.

Digging Out

After the craziness of the fair died down (By the way – the kids did great – a thank you to everyone who wished them well!) – it was time to dig out the garden.

Once I found the plants again, I had some pleasant surprises!The corn has been growing fast and already has tassels and silk. My mouth waters just looking at it!
I found several baby watermelon tucked away under the leaves.
The winter squash, pumpkin and some volunteer gourds have taken over the bottom section! I see several little pumpkins and butternut squash forming, but absolutely no zucchini or summer squash.

Am I the only one in the world who can’t grow a zucchini?

But I can grow cucumbers! I had to pull a lot of weeds before I even uncovered the plant – and very excited to find this guy hiding in the leaves. Isn’t it beautiful? 🙂

And then there’s our summer staple – the fresh green bean. We’ve had just enough to eat fresh – lightly steamed and served with butter. Yum!

Somehow all the sweat and hard work is worth it when you see those fresh veggies on the table!

I’ve linked this post up with the Tuesday Garden Party at An Oregon Cottage.

Cousin Week!

Just look who’s at my house!

Yep – it’s my nieces Katie and Annie. They’re here for the week along with their sister Emie and all 4 brothers.

Why? Because it’s cousin week again! Of course Aunt Julie came to help – along with her two boys, and Nana and Poppa. That makes a grand total of 14 kids and 5 adults.

For those of you newcomers, Annie is my biological niece, and her parents adopted Katie and Emie from the Ukraine. All three girls have Downs Syndrome. When you take those 3 special girls and add their 4 brothers, you get one busy family – and two very tired parents. So once a year we take all seven kids for a week to give them some time much needed alone.

And boy do we have fun!

This morning the girls did the Jillian workout with us – using blocks as their weights. What a hoot! Both Katie and Annie took breaks through-out but little Emie never stopped!

We played play dough, frosted cookies, made bread sticks, spent hours on the swing and in the sandbox, picked lots of flowers, played with the doctor’s kit and gave lots of “pokeys” (shots), and of course – chased chickens.

And it’s only the second day! 🙂

But we’re not always moving. We’ve had lots of cuddle time to read stories and giggle. I loved our walk to the pond before supper to throw rocks in the water. The girls played for a little while, then just sat quietly, mesmerized by the ripples on the water as the wind blew.

After a few minutes they’re charged up and ready to go again – on to another adventure!

Somewhere Between…

We’re in a between place – it’s not quite summer and it’s not quite fall.

The days are warm and sunny, but the nights are cool and crisp.

School has started, but we’re still wearing shorts and t-shirts.

My garden is still producing summer crops – like these cantaloupes – all eight of them harvested on one day!

But my fall crop of apples in the orchard are already starting to ripen.

We picked 5 tubs of apples from a neighbor’s tree this week and canned almost 50 quarts of applesauce – and still have 3 tubs to work up.

Apples

The pears aren’t far behind them.

The cicadas are singing and the world is starting – very slowly – to turn brown.

One season is closing and another is just beginning.

A part of me is ready for the schedule and structure of the fall – yet another part of me already misses the freedom of the summer.

While my mouth still waters for another taste of meat on the grill, I find myself lingering over recipes for warm comforting casseroles and rich thick stews.

We’re hanging in the “between” right now, enjoying the sunshine and beautiful breezes.

For just a little while we can forget the heat and humidity of the past months and the cold and snow that are surely in our future.

Yes, we are most definitely somewhere between and I think it’s a pretty sweet place to be!