Garden Expansion

Due to the growing  interest in our produce, and our own plans on expanding, we decided to add a couple more raised beds this year.

The double layered bed (right in the pic above) will be for potatoes this year, while the other one is partly shaded and will hold lettuce, spinach, peas, and cabbage. All of the concrete blocks for the double layer bed came to us free from family (thanks again Kathy and Gary!) and we bought the blocks for the other bed today. We decided to go with blocks this time rather than lumber mainly because we got a lot of them given to us, but also it's nice to know they'll never rot.  In the beds we layered pine shavings, compost, potting soil, sand and some of our native soil. We had planned on putting a layer of newpaper down first as a weed mat, but our source was out today. Whit is excited to start planting tomorrow and getting the cool crops of spring going ASAP!

Also today, we made a great connection concerning the honey bees. We were at a local nursery and found a friend and neighbor working there. After talking for a bit, we found that they had plans to plant 6 acres of blueberries at the site and were looking for honey bees to pollinate the bushes. He said they were having a very hard time finding bees and was very happy to hear that we had some. It is way too early to make any predictions, but I will definintely be looking into what I need to do to put some of my girls out there to both help thier berry crop and provide us with pure Blueberry Honey!! I can hardly wait :-).

And finally tonight, Asparagus!

This little cutting (there is more on the way) is so exciting because not only is it the garden's first crop of the spring, but it is the first cutting ever from our asparagus patch! Whit started these plants from seed three years ago, and they have been growing roots and becoming established ever since. Now with the flush of spring the plants are sending up their finally harvestable shoots and we are happily eating them. Straight from garden to steamer, there is nothing in the world like fresh asparagus!

Until next time.

KJ