Just wanted to pop in real fast to say “hi!” and give y’all a little gardening inspiration. We are starting to enjoy the fruits of our labor here at our home, and I gotta say… it is SO satisfying! I know some parts of the country are just now finally ready to start planting, so if it’s been on your mind… DO IT! I ordered my seeds online this year (well, most of them anyway) because I wanted to be sure of the quality I was getting. And the seeds I got were/are heirloom seeds– which means, 1) they haven’t been scientifically modified (non-GMO), and 2) I can save the seeds at the end of the season and plant them next year… assuming I can learn how to save seeds between now and the end of the season… which I doubt I will, but at least the option is there, right? 
Anyway, here’s some fun pics of the family garden and the produce we’re beginning to see…
{Above: Tomatoes, Bell Peppers, and Banana Peppers. See all the banana peppers on the plants at the left? They’re so good on pizza!}
{Above are two raised beds of watermelon (on the ends) and one snow peas (in the middle).}
{Above: This is what happens when you plant watermelon and cucumbers in the same bed. Holy Take Over! They have completely filled their box, spilled over into the yard, and have even started to encroach into the beans box next to them (at the bottom left). We can no longer mow in this area because we don’t want to damage any of the plants. Next year we will definitely have to plan this better!}
{Above: These are some of the purple beans we grew this year. They are SO COOL! They’re purple on the outside, green on the inside, and if you cook them, the whole thing turns green. Magic Beans! 
And they taste exactly the same as regular ol’ green beans… just with a fun color for the garden.}
{Above: Some of our tomatoes growing. Our tomato plants have gone crazy and are chest high on my 6’5″ hubby! Thank you Miracle Grow! }
{Above: Here’s a close up of one of our smaller watermelon boxes. Can you see the four little watermelons growing??}
{Above: And here’s our biggest watermelon so far. It’s hard to tell from the picture (because the leaves are so dang HUGE), but this watermelon is actually about 12 inches long. We are SO EXCITED to have watermelon growing!!!}
{And here’s some of the produce we’ve gotten. This is by far the best year for our garden! We are having a blast! Stay tuned for a great recipe for refrigerator pickles to use up all those cucumbers!}
HAPPY GARDENING!
Feature Friday: Eggshell Seed Starting Pots
03/18/2011 • This is a super super cute idea I came across... using eggshells as a starting pot for your crops! It would be super fun to do with the kids, especially with Easter right around the corner! You could dye the eggs first and put cute designs on them, and then fill them up with some wonderful soil and plant your little seed. What a fun family project, eh?! Let's all say it together... "Ahhhh... How CUTE!" And then when it's time to transplant your little seedling, you simply crack the shell gently in your hand and plant the entire thing, shell and more
Food For Thought: The Greater Good of Gardening
03/14/2011 • “I hope that we understand that, while having a garden, for instance, is often useful in reducing food costs and making available delicious fresh fruits and vegetables, it does much more than this. Who can gauge the value of that special chat between daughter and Dad as they weed or water the garden? How do we evaluate the good that comes from the obvious lessons of planting, cultivating, and the eternal law of the harvest? And how do we measure the family togetherness and cooperating that must accompany successful canning? Yes, we are laying up resources in store, but perhaps more
Feature Friday: Eggshells in the Garden!
03/11/2011 • When I attended the gardening lecture at my local library, there was a tip that the lecturer threw out in passing and I almost missed it. She said, "Save your eggshells, crush them up and throw them around your trees." Now that may seem obvious to some of you, but for me, who is still new to gardening and composting and the like, this seemed like a pretty random thing to do. But it intrigued me, so I wrote it down and came home and looked it up. And sure enough! Eggshells have a variety of uses in the garden. more
