Sunday, February 21, 2010

Cabin Fever!!!

I know we shouldn't wish our lives away, but I'm so looking forward to getting the tiller going again, and planting the garden! I'm thinking of expanding it a bit -- it's only 8000 square feet now, and not enough room for what I want to do.
It'll require some extra planning, because I've got to decide what I want inside the fenced area, and what will be safe to leave outside. This year I want to plant a 6x50 foot patch of red winter wheat, to be harvested next year. I've always wanted to try growing, grinding, and baking with my own wheat, and I figure I won't be able to do it for too many more years, so I'd better get started. Part of the new area will be for that, so I'll have to till up the bed and maybe raise some short-season stuff there, and clear it off in late summer so I can plant the wheat.
Then there's a couple of top-bar beehives to make, and bees to buy for them, so I can get some home-grown honey. But the main reason is for pollination. I didn't see a single bee in my garden all last summer! So I'm going to try to make sure they're there this summer.
I've got most of the seed already, from Fedco, and they've backordered the peas I wanted. I'm sure they'll get here in time -- still another month at least before it's time to plant them.
Gonna try potatoes under hay again. Last time I did that, the mice got into them, but we got some beautiful spuds anyway, so it's a tradeoff -- lose some taters, in exchange for a lot less work to do in planting and harvesting.
Any commens or tips on all this will be welcome -- no way I can think of everything!

2 comments:

  1. I assume the parsnips are in the 8000 sqft right?

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  2. Sure are! Under a foot -- soon to be two feet -- of snow. My dotty dotter loves 'em!
    :-)

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