Garden Growth and Chicks

It’s been a weird year for planting the gardens.

It’s been raining a lot.  We’ve had cold snaps; even some temps back in the 30’s at night and had to bring the tomato starts back in the house.

We don’t have everything planted yet but a few things are already coming up…

Five rows of potatoes have come up. Yay!  Six more rows have recently been planted.  Good thing I LOVE potatoes!

Another thing that is coming up that I am thrilled about are the lima beans…

We had to replant them as the previous ones rotted in the ground.  Whether it was because the seeds were old or if it was too much rain but seeing these pop up out of the ground makes me extremely happy.  There is nothing quite like fresh lima beans… so buttery and yummy even when seasoned with only a bit of salt!  Now if we can just get a good harvest.  It seems every time I’ve grown limas that it takes them a long time to form and the harvest is few.  Fingers crossed we get a mess of them this year so I can put some up to enjoy the rest of the year.

Also coming up in the big garden so far are the beets, onions, and corn.  In the little garden we have two cucumbers coming up, three asparagus and some chives.  The jalapenos are showing promise as are some of the basil.  Struggling, because of all the rain, are the beefsteak tomato starts.

Still to plant are the Roma tomato and green pepper starts.  I’m also going to plant more cucumbers and probably start some more tomato seeds, just in case these don’t make it or do well.  It’s also good to stagger the planting so that they don’t all ripen at once.  Besides, can you ever have TOO many farm fresh tomatoes?  I don’t think so (wink!).

Like I said, it’s been a weird planting season.

Speaking of gardens, we’ve been letting the young’uns out in the little garden since we don’t have much planted in there yet.

It is fenced off so they can’t roam too far and are easier to round up in the evening to be put back in the grow-out coop for the night.  Believe it or not, they actually come to me to be put back in the little cage that we transport them to and fro.  It’s so cute!  CountryBoy calls me MamaHen, ha!

They are getting so big and actually look like miniature chickens now!

Aren’t they gorgeous?  This little one is a Silver Laced Wyandotte.

They have finally ventured away from this corner (and my grapes and rhubarb, thank goodness) and have discovered the rest of the garden getting lots of exercise and sunshine.

Several times Hunter has taken on the job of babysitting the young’uns while they’re out.

This babysitting is hard work…

and makes ya thirsty!

It’s raining again today so the young’uns didn’t get to go outside and play.  Maybe tomorrow.

I found this beauty the other day in the side yard…

I’m assuming it’s a rose of some sort.  Does anyone know what kind it is?

Till next time my friends