Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Whipping Cream, Whipping Gardens

Whipping gardens back into shape, that is. I was on a tear yesterday and got so much done, and it felt so good! My energy levels have been kinda low lately between my allergies and cold of some sort I think, though it all just blended together. It felt great to really accomplish a lot.

My day started around 5:45 am with coffee, morning news reading, email and facebook play. Before going out to milk I got 3 pounds of butter made and kneaded bread dough for its first rise. I even got the kitchen mostly cleaned up. Then I went out to milk and feed the animals. Came back in to process the milk.

The rest of the day was spent trying to catch up on garden work that's been put off because of all the rain we were having. The ground finally dried out enough this weekend to get a tiller in the gardens and take care of some of the weeds and prep the soil for new plantings where I ripped out old.

Knowing the rain was coming again, I was a planting fool! We have another week of rain in the forecast, so I got as much in as possible. I planted the Amish paste tomatoes that had been languishing in seed flats. I don't know how they'll do at this point, but they've gotta be happier in the ground than in the seed tray. Here's the final tally:

  • around 75 Amish paste tomatoes
  • around 15 or so nasturtium plants
  • half a row each of parsley, basil, and dill seedlings
  • seeded half a row of cilantro
  • 2 rows of edamame
  • 3rd and final planting of sweet corn
  • several rows of dent corn
  • ~40 lbs of seed potatoes, the last yukon golds
  • scattered amaranth seeds
  • scattered insectary herb seeds
  • 1 row of moon and stars watermelon
  • 1 row of strawberry watermelon
  • 1 row of Hale's best muskmelon
  • 1 row of edisto muskmelon
  • half a row of calendula
  • half row of sunflowers
  • oh, and the sweet potato slips—forgot those

Along with planting, I got most of the garden weeded. (We won't speak of the onions and carrots.) I was out there in my bathing suit, trying to get rid of this silly farmer's tan I'm sporting at the moment where I have tan stripes on my legs between the tops of my tall boots and bottoms of my shorts, belting out songs from my i-pod shuffle. It was the perfect day for working. Overcast, not too hot or muggy. Once I really started weeding and working up a sweat, the bugs were irritating, but that kinda goes without saying around here in the growing season.

I was too busy to take pictures, but I'll try to get some today if I can. Right now, I'm pleased as punch watching the rain come down and water all that in. A week of rain right now with moderate temperatures seems like a blessing for the garden and all the remaining lettuces. There was, of course, still more to be done before I collapsed in the shower at around 7:30 last night, but there's always more to be done. All work and no play makes Danielle a very cranky girl.

9 comments:

Woody said...

You were busy!

Sarah said...

That's fantastic! You got a *lot* done!

I smiled at you belting out songs while you were working. I was running the other day and an ABBA song came on. I not only could sing at full volume, I even busted a dance move in the middle of my run. That's when I realized that maybe I could pick up my pace a bit. lol

pelenaka said...

Very Impressive !

Madeline Rains said...

: ) I wish there were a picture of you farming and singing in your bathing suit! Awesome!! May it all thrive.

Jody M said...

Another 1.5 inches of rain in the past 3 days....are you guys as swampy as we are?

Danielle said...

Thanks for the well wishes, and the laughs. I was quite a sight! But it was nice to feel relaxed and pleased to see the rain for a change.

Christy said...

Goodness! I'm impressed. I need to get my cilantro planted and finish weeding. We are in the mid 90s during the day so work has to happen in the morning evening. I'm starting to get up earlier to get more done because it is hot until 8 pm or later. I have the same tan. It looks really silly when I wear short and sandals.

Farmer John said...

Daniel,
I've tried to find your email everywhere on the site...sorry to contact you here. We have so much in common!! Would you consider listing us under your catalog section.

Anonymous said...

Oh yes those onions and carrots --they are so hard to weed! I just don't want to either.
vickie