Seed Ordering - 2012

Is anyone else overwhelmed with the decisions to be made for your 2012 garden?

Could these seed catalogs give us anymore choices?

The tomatos engulf me in anxiety and the melons - ah! How am I suppose to choose just one...or two?



Hubby dug up these Atomic Red Carrots the other day from this past seasons 'failed' carrot patch!

Ok, maybe that is a tad dramatic, but you know what I mean! Try to narrow down the decision on which varieties to grow is a daunting task! I have been asking for suggestions from Facebook friends of the blog, but I want to throw it out here too.

Tell me, what is your favorite food to grow in your garden? Which variety?

I am, in particualr, having a tough time choosing for tomatos, melons and corn. 

Any suggestions for me on your favorite? I am in garden zone 5b.

Spring is on the Way!

The weather has been so nice these past two days! I am envious of my hubby who is outside doing yard work! Me and the babe are inside looking out the windows :) Ok, I steal a few moments of fresh (barn) air when he is asleep :)

Our seedlings of some tomatos and leeks are coming along. I just send in a seed order yesterday so we are a little behind, but none the less. Off the top of my head, we ordered Atomic Red Carrots, Moon & Stars Watermelon, Yellow Wax Beans, KY Wonder Pole Beans, Jupiter Sweet Pepper, Stuttgarter Onion, Rocky Top Mountain Lettuce Mix, Parisian Cuc for Pickling and Cherokee Purple Tomato.

This seems to be Maggie's new favorite place to sleep!

Blue Sky!!!


Whinny & Daisy greeting each other in the morning.

The Tulips (my fav!) are coming up...but the weather is supposed to drop again next week :( I hope they make it.

Savannah is on the prowl....critters beware!

Seems we had the same kind of weather this time last year in March too :)

Seed Starting 2011

Everyone is starting to blog about what they'll be planting in their gardens this year. Hubby and I are always overly ambitious when it comes to planting -- probably since we have the room! Last year actually started off great....then, once I was slapped with morning sickness 24/7, I couldn't stand to be anywhere near food of any kind :/ Between the gardens, the orchard and the other general farm chores, it was too much for hubby to man alone so most of our harvest went to family and friends and weeding went to the wayside!

Anyways, I guess I am just a gluten for punishment because between reading everyone's blogs and scanning all the seed catalogs coming in, I already have a mile long list of seeds I want to order. Unfortunately, with the arrival of "Baby P" not too far away, I don't think we'll be starting any seeds indoors this year. Hubby wants to just buy plants already started and plant them once it is warm enough, but I still have some certain varieties in mind that I know we can't purchase locally - thus, I will still be ordering some seeds! (Plus I am all about heirlooms - hubby can sway either way)

One seed I am going to try this year is the Moon & Stars Watermelon! I am excited to try this one; it is supposed to grow well in our area.


I also want to try the Kentucky Wonder Pole Bean (and the Dragon Tongue Bean...not pictured)



And for one of our heirloom tomato's this year, I've heard so much wonderful feed back on the Cherokee Purple Tomato so I am going to try that. This one makes me nervous starting from a direct seed outside so I may have to persuade hubby, in between feedings and diaper changing and dog walks and horse stall cleanings, to start these inside under the grow light ;) Wish me Luck!!

I have 2 onions on my list as well that are good storage onions as well as a good pickling cucumber. I also have received some Purple Calabash Tomato seeds along with a Purple Haze Carrot seeds from a fellow blogger, Emily! Thanks Emily!!

So, what are you planting this year? What is something new you are going to try?

I am also on the hunt for the following if anyone knows where I can find them, please let me know! Tromboncino (vining summer squash, Small Sugar Pumpkin (supposedly grows on a trellis), African Jelly Melon and a Rocky or Agnes Pickling Cuc.

Any suggestions on a good veg to grow for making my own baby food?

Any suggestions on a nice Zinna flower seed to plant?

Ok, I have to stop.....my plate is overfull already :)

Agricultural Day Etsy Finds!!

Today is National Agriculture Day! What are you going to be doing to celebrate? I will be out on the farm all day, pruning more apple trees, tilling up the gardens, grooming some more shedding horses and anything else that I might find an extra minute to do!

I am also dedicating my Favorite Etsy Finds this week to Agriculture! All items shown were found using the search term "Agriculture" on Etsy! And I might just throw in a snapshot of this beautiful sunrise I am watching through the kitchen window ;) We'll see if I can snap a decent one.

Without further or do.....

I know these might make you take a double glance and say what, but these are 'Seed Bomb Kits' from LAUrban Harvest. This is such a cool concept! They state 'you can toss into empty lots, weedy areas, or otherwise ugly spaces...your seeds will sprout and grow, beautifying the space and producing edible beans...This is a great way to beautify your local area without having to jump fences or trespass'. Now, isn't that a cool idea! Check out their shop - they have lots 'o cool stuff, especially for the 'Urban Farmer'!


I love quilts! It may be my next obsession next to totes and aprons! And this beauty popped up under the 'Agriculture' search! It is called Four Barns and it's made by Pam's Crafts. The back side of it has a smaller barn print fabric. It looks nice & warm and would make the perfect edition to your farm house!

And, I heart this shop, Amepix! A gal name Amanda runs it and she also runs Growing Hope!
This is an organization she founded that is dedicated to helping people improve their lives and communities through gardening and healthy food access!


Ok, so anyways, are these buttons not the cutest! I already orders [6] which my unknowing family ;) and myself will be wearing at the farmers markets this year! I will let you guess which ones I ordered ;)



And, I couldn't resist! I HAD TO order this too! I have not the slightest clue where I will put it...somewhere it can be on display at the markets probably, but I love it! Maybe I will stick it on the bumper of the hubby's white truck and see how long before he notices!! Check out all the cool stuff at Amepix!

And here are my Agricultural contributions........


The morning sunrise

Italian Basil!