Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Woot!

The peppers have finally sprouted! I planted them the same time I planted the tomatoes, but it took the peppers 2 full weeks longer to sprout. I thought for sure they were rotting in the soil, completely failing.

This garden is just about ready for business. Now if my school would just go on a second Spring Break, I could get everything planted and finish up our backyard. Of course, that'd be the day before we have a freeze or get a freak late April blizzard, so maybe I should count my blessings and remember how ahead of normal planting season we are. It's just been so summer-like already that my brain is convinced I should have more done in the garden, that I'm running behind schedule. Seriously, it's been in the 70s most days this month. That is unheard of. This is Minnesota! Land of the near-eternal winters!

Okay, back to the progress report:

All sprouts are now outside, soaking up the sun.

Firepit and embers grill has been dug and partially completed. I even found free firebrick posted locally online! And surprisingly, not on Craigslist, which is my usual go-to. Now all that's left is picking out the right stones from the lake house and bringing them home to outline the pit.  And then invite everyone over! We already had our first private fire (pre-digging), and it made my heart so happy. We cooked sweet potatoes and onions over the embers, that was a grand success. I loved every minute of it... like camping, but with a real bed to climb into after the embers died down.

I've been schlepping concrete all over, setting up raised beds here, there, and everywhere. That part is almost over, whew! What a workout. Who knew that concrete blocks were so heavy? :) I just hope they last forever and that we find bright colors to paint them, so our garden beds can emulate some sort of Caribbean paradise. I do feel a bit hedonistic enjoying fresh, juicy veggies... or when we blend some of the fresh berries into margaritas.

Oh, and we're getting the "green" gardening tools ready too. Laura & I both volunteered with RecycleMN and earned 2 rainbarrels and an enclosed outdoor composter. That will help with watering the veggies (if we ever get rain) and we can be legal composters of food waste now. Before, we were going rogue and throwing our food waste in with the composting yard waste in an open backyard bin, which is a big no-no according to city ordinance. Of course, we'll be going rogue soon enough anyways with egg-laying hens (also a big no-no), but I do try to follow the rules if they aren't too inconvenient and/or ridiculous. The "no-poultry" rule is one that is ridiculous, because our hens will bother our neighbors far less than next-door-neighbor's 2 loud obnoxious face-eating dogs. Or our across-the-street-neighbor's ghetto-blastin' crack house.Anyways, things that I love:

Rain Barrel

Composter

(photos soon)

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