Rain

4.5 inches this week

Planted 4th Seedling Tray

Herbs

Soaked Fenugreek seeds and will add in the morning.
Basil Greek Dwarf
Basil Sweet-Ferry Morse
Basil Dark Purple Opal
Basil Thai Holy "Kaprao"
Hyssop Blue
Hyssop Anise
Wormwood
Lemon Balm
Bee Balm Lemon
Summer Savory
Borage

Kohlrabi!!!!

James requested only two things be planted this year. And one of them was Kohlrabi.

I planted seeds directly in garden bed 2.

From Baker Creek Seeds:
Early Purple Vienna Kohlrabi
Early White Vienna Kohlrabi

Now I am on my way to a morel mushroom party! (all by myself!)

Shopping at Eileen's Greenhouse

After we went to Eldo today, I went shopping in Eileen's greenhouse. We filled out one of Debbie's cool Ozark certificates. I am going to give Eileen $42 worth of fabric so she can make durable shopping bags. And she also lent me a heating mat to see if it will help my poor eggplants. They are coming up slowwwwly.

Put all these flats under the grow lights:
Strawberry Spinach
Malabar Spinach
Parsley
Perilla Shiso
Sage
2 Geraniums
Lobelia
Coleus
Plains Coreopsis
Golden Giant Amaranth
Nicotiana
Tomato Rutgers
Tomato Roma

Planted these as soon as I got home! It's very exciting to have some real plants in the ground besides the potatos!
Cabbage
Purslane
Broccoli
Swiss Chard
Lettuce

Eldorado Springs Garage Sale

Eileen and I went to Eldo today because we heard about a guy growing heirlooms and selling them out of his garage.

Tomato Pretty Princess
Tomato 4th of July
Tomato Roma very large
Very large cabbage
Tomato Patio Princess (2 large plants in one pot!)
A bunch of Naked Lady flower bulbs

All this for $6

Heirlooms from John

Now this is pretty cool--

John brought to the Sustainable Cedar County meeting tonight-- some seeds he and his family have saved for multiple generations. We brought home--

Bloody Butcher Corn
Uncle Glen's Climbing Bean

Now we just have to figure out how to isolate the corn so it breeds true.

Today also happens to be James' birthday. 42. Damn, he looks good for being so gosh durn old.

Finished the chicken run

We finished the chicken run. So far so good.

The kids and I stapled and stapled some more. Believe it or not, it is harder work than it sounds.

Jerusalem Artichokes

Jerusalem Artichokes are one of two items James specifically requested that we plant this year. Little did I know he was going to buy 600 pounds of Jerusalem FArtichokes. Seriously these are gassy stuff!

We spent the whole week planting and now we are all officially pooped. Okay, actually we were all worn out the first day. Has some help from some teens- Markie and Derek-- they were great help.

James made an implement for the tractor that worked pretty well despite the soggy soil. We got an inch and a half of rain right before we started tilling. Lynn was kind enough to lend us his tiller.

We gave away to various folks, about 50 pounds or one bag. We still have 2-3 bags left. (I'm afraid to go look and see.)

Hopefully, interplanting the three sisters (corn, beans, and squash) and other nutritious plants (sunflower) and beneficial flowers (zinnias) will not be as time consuming.

Sad chicken news.

So the lesson we learned today is never leave the chickens unattended in the coop until you are positive it is predator proof.

The kids and I worked real hard to build this run and all we have left to do is put the wire "skirting" on the grass next to the wooden 2x4 base. Well since we didn't do it, the dogs dug under the door and got three baby Barred Rocks.

Needless to say, Malone was devastated and a little pissed.

Bees are here!

John picked up our first colony of bees for James' new hive design. I'm not sure the paint was dry! The kids helped James paint it.

Italians--- and so far the queen looks alive and well. We have three more colonies coming from an Amish guy in Arkansas.

Tomatos

Bought nice looking transplants from Marc and Cheryl Andra

Box Car Willy
Tropic
Roma

Grapevines from Tammy

Tammy gave me some grapevine cuttings. I thought I had killed them off because the peat moss got moldy--- but low and behold, I see buds on the wood!