It's Spring Tilling Time!

After a week of rain, it finally dried out enough to till the vegetable garden.  I was able to get the peas, spinach, and onions planted before the next rain comes through.  It will be a few more weeks for the potatoes to go in.  Nice to get things going!

Not Much, but I've got BEANs!

Plenty more to come, but this will be sufficient for a snack tomorrow!  I ordered Provider and Royalty Purple Pod from Seed Savers this year.

Overrun with Cherries

My husband found a 12' ladder on craigslist, so he manned that ladder and I the 6' ladder, harvesting 84 pounds of pitted cherries in the end (stored safely in the upright freezer).  I finally had to ask him to stop picking cherries and just leave the rest on the trees.  Looking forward to a winter filled with cherry goodies of every variety, not to mention the cooking possibilities.

Planting Day

We finally got most of the vegetable garden planted today.  Craig made more cages to keep the deer out and helped install the rabbit fence,  while I planted.  Also weeded some flower gardens & planted some annuals.  This year we're growing several varieties of tomatoes and peppers, heirloom green beans and carrots, onions, snap peas, peas, watermelon, and potatoes.

I'm Finally Finished!

Done pitting cherries that is. I've never had a year like this, a month full of picking and pitting cherries, bumper crop! I have two trees, one that blooms two weeks later than the other so they don't all ripen at the same time.

This year I harvested 36 pounds of cherries (pitted), enough for 18 pies! I gave away another 12 pounds, and left a tree full of cherries because I just don't see the need to buy a taller ladder to pick them. My Norpro Deluxe stoner is still working fine, much to my amazement for such an inexpensive gadget. Going to buy another one for backup next year though, I've been using this one for 5 years now.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day can only mean one thing in our household. Time to plant the vegetable garden! My husband got the garden all tilled and ready to go, and I'm ready for a weekend of planting. Plans this year include sweet corn, beans, peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and if I have any room left over (unlikely), watermelon or winter squash.