I've been incredibly slack about blogging over the past year. I decided it's time for another update about what is going on around the farm. Wow, so what's happened since April 8, 2012? Here's a quick summary:
May 4: I officially became a Bumgardner...we tied the knot!
During the spring I planted like a mad woman - we grew corn, beans, squash, zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes, and gorgeous sunflowers. I believe I canned over 70 quarts of green beans! Our freezer is still full of corn, squash, and zucchini. Our tater box is still plentiful and we have seeds saved for next year from the good stuff! In a not so great attempt we tried peppers, watermelons, cantaloupes, pumpkins, hanovers, and okra. Definitely an attempt and not a very good one. We did get quite a few Hungarian Hot Wax peppers from the only plant that made it. We also ended up with about 4 Sugar Baby watermelons, 1 gorgeous pumpkin, and 2 okra. Maybe next year!
During the spring we also purchased 8 chicks. I absolutely love raising them! We are now up to 11 great laying hens. Our eggs range from a beautiful light brown, to dark brown, even teal!
Here lately we've been discussing where we want to see the farm go this year and beyond. It looks like we're going to be raising more chicks this spring with hopes to start selling eggs in the fall. Plus, we're working on a more productive garden plan so we'll have produce to sell. We will only be using organic methods plus we're doing our best to avoid any seeds produced by the corporate giant. Most of our seeds are being ordered from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. Their website is www.rareseeds.com and they have a HUGE selection of open-pollinated, heirloom seeds.
Be sure to check back to keep up with what's going on here at the farm. I promise I won't go so long between updates in the future!
Search This Blog
Showing posts with label garden planning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label garden planning. Show all posts
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Spring is Here!
| Marigold's started in newspaper pots |
Take a look around! Spring is here at Bumgardner Farm and there is plenty going on. We're starting lot's of seeds each week, working on gardens, building a goat fence, and more!
| Carrots: Just a few being grown indoors. |
| Cheap way to warm your soil to help seeds germinate: plastic wrap! It makes a mini indoor greenhouse. |
| Working on preparing our tomato planters. These grew the best tomatoes last year. Having them off the ground seems to help with drainage. |
| Red Romaine Lettuce |
| Small garden on left: Future Amish Paste tomato garden. Large garden on right: garlic, potatoes, onions |
| This one will be corn, beans, peas, squash, hanovers, and cucumbers |
| Our new farm toy:) It cleared a patch of multi-flora rose bushes that would have taken at least a full day by hand, in only 30 minutes. |
| Sunny at 2 months old |
Labels:
baby goat,
billy,
bumgardner farm,
country living,
farming,
fencing,
garden planning,
gardening,
goats,
greenhouse,
multiflora rose,
pictures,
planting,
seed starting
Monday, January 30, 2012
Garden Planning
It's almost time to order seeds! In just a few weeks, my home will be full of new life. Our last frost is so late that a lot of what we're planting needs to be started indoors. Our living room and kitchen will be packed full with small plants of tomatoes, peppers, cantaloupes, and so much more! We decided open-pollinated and heirloom seeds are the only way to go. There are so many different hybrid options out there but I want something sustainable. I want to be able to save the seeds from everything I plant and be able to use them again next year. I'm sure you're dying to know exactly what we're going to plant...so here it is:
Garden #1 (Pictured Above)
Fortex Pole Beans
Penelope Peas
Yellow Crookneck Squash
Edens Gem Cantaloupe
Marketmore Cucumbers
Northern Pickling Cucumbers
Double Standard and Silver Queen Corn (I still have a little research left on these. Some corn varieties do not grow well together)
AllStar Lettuce Mix - includes Green and Red Oakleaf, Green and Red Romaine, Lollo Rossa, and Redleaf lettuces
Garden #2
Ailsa Craig Exhibition Onion
Kennebec Potatoes - we planted these and Yukon Gold's last year. Kennebec's win!
Adirondack Blue Potatoes - They're blue all the way through!
American Purpletop Hanovers aka Rutabagas
Planters
Hot Pepper Lantern Peppers
Yankee Bell Peppers
Lipstick Peppers
Hungarian Hotwax Peppers
Cherokee Purple Tomatoes
Brandywine Tomatoes
Amish Paste Roma Tomatoes
German Johnson Tomatoes
Atomic Red Carrots
After researching seed companies, I really like what Johnny Seeds has to offer. Plus, I called to ask a few questions the other day and they were super friendly and helpful. They are online at johnnyseeds.com and you can also request a catalog from their site. I know it's more earth friendly to just shop online but I am so much more organized with the paper catalog in my hands. I can mark what I want and flip back through it over and over plus they have lots of tips in their catalog. Please leave a comment if you have a suggestion of a great heirloom or open-pollinated seed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
