Many Hands Make Light Work

* Made more headway breaking up the soil on the new patch with Natalie and Ellie's help.
* Picked up a load of ROTTEN Moldy hay for mulch from Sines.
* Julia managed to get rotten hay slime all over her outfit but she stills smiles just as beautifully as always.
* The Pastor's trailer is getting a real workout!
* We actually see progress happening on the greenhouse!  YEAH!!!!
* Not pictured is Shiana helping in the kitchen to stir up some supper.
* That totals 8 girls busily working on the homestead.

Picking the Blossoms

With utmost care Steve pruned away on the apricot tree...

oblivious to the fact that

the little boy below him under the tree

was just as meticulously picking each blossom bud off the branches...
Ah, the things we learn in life.
Did you know that bud and blossom precede fruit?
There must be a spiritual lesson in that.
He was a blushing when he learned the truth. Apricots are his favorite fruit.

I sort of hesitate to show you the next step in the greenhouse building,
'cause I'm thinking you might not understand what we're doing...
but since we don't really know ourselves,
here's the latest:

Some of our ideas are working and some are not.

Regardless, the day is shot.

The Kids are Eating the Compost!

And it's almost temping...

Ran down to Cr*nch Pak with the trailer a couple times and brought home the apple waste. They are happy to load your trailer and loan you the bins. The best part is I don't have to back up anywhere with the trailer. I pull in from the side and when I'm loaded I carry on around the loop. Cr*nch Pak is an interesting company that slices and cores apples for people who don't have teeth and haven't figured out how to use a paring knife...Well, something like that. I like my apples just the way they come off the tree - not already cut for me two week previous and sprayed with a preservative. Anyway, I'm happy they'll give us the cores.

Say, what is that little boy doing?

Hey bud!! I know that apple cider is awesome stuff, but do you realize this is the same trailer we carted the horse manure in last week?????

YUK! Picking apples to eat out of the bin is one thing, drinking the apple run off is quite another!

First thing we did this morning was mow grass.

We spread it over the garden,

then we spread apple over the clippings,

tomorrow we will till it in.
Hopefully, before we attract too many deer.

Good Enough to EAT!

With requests for more...

Educating

 

They have no idea they are being educated.

they think they are just helping,

BUT there is a whole lot more going on, by design, than that.

 9 days since last transplanting and we're amazed at the growth.

Not sure I can keep up.

We're starting to feel a little crowded in this house.

Beautiful Green

A Sneak Peak into the Micro-Operation

A quick peak under the bed reveals that the peas are still doing fine. 

Their little roots are digging down into the soil.

Peas and sunflowers are considered shoots.

I have found the field peas are the least expensive seed for this kind of salad green.

I got mine from Johnny's Select Seed. You want to buy seed that isn't treated with chemicals.

Arugula micro-greens - the 4th day. 

I am particularly looking forward to eating these because I love arugula. 

I will use some as micro-greens and some as mini-greens.

Are you all confused by the terms yet?

 Pak Choi - the 4th day.

And here are some of the herbs for the garden:

Of Seeds and Shoots

 Sunflower seeds soaked for 8 hours, then rinsed and drained 

every 8-12 hours for the next two days or so and 

then spread out on an inch or so of soil, watered and covered with a dark tray to all the little roots 

to bury themselves in the soil.
Specific instructions here:
The Sprout People

 Pea shoots done the same way...

And so we wait . . . 2 to 3 days.

To be continued.

A Day of Grace

Steve got up and went to work as usual at 6:30 only to find out he wasn't scheduled to work!
He had one more day of vacation... YEAH!

Day 6:

Anybody know how to attach the plastic to the frame?

Us either.

And We're Running Out of Spring Break

Day 4:

We carted loads of manure from the Kahlers horses. Now if manure can be awesome - then this is as awesome as it gets. It's probably three years old or so and composted perfectly! A great addition to our poor soil.

Day 5:

Last night at 10 pm we discovered we couldn't lift the frame up high enough to put it in place. Steve decided he needed a hand from some of his guy friends. . .

There's nothing wrong with a little girl power!

Slowly, but surely...