I've been reading a new gardening book that focuses on planning for production from a kitcheny-cooking point of view (which does only make sense when you think about it).  It's inpired me to start thinking about this years garden and I want to get started on spring gardening!  I also really want to do some winter gardening this year. 

The book is Homegrown by Marta Teegen - I think my favorite part is the garden layouts designed per person eating and the recipes in the back.  I love learning new things to do with all of that produce!  I probably won't plant by her designs entirely but it was good to get an idea of how much to plant which is something we didn't quite work out last year.  Another thing that I liked is how she rally focuses on soil health as the best way to guarantee a  good crop and one thing Jen & I are good at is making good dirt! 

right now I'm thinking of growing:

garlic
sweet onions
leeks
bell peppers
broccoli rabe
kale
brussel sprouts
purple cabbage
zucchini
cucumbers-pickling & regular
spaghetti squash
green beans
purple potatoes
fingerling potatoes
yams
cherry tomatoes
large sauce tomato
sugar snap peas
shelling peas
thyme
oregano
basil
thai basil
dill
nastursiums
calendula
violas
lavender
rosemary

All of this in addition to the fruit - blueberries, raspberries, concord grapes, green table grapes, peaches, yellow plums, pears and apples!

I'm sure there will be more added later, and that Jen will add stuff but this is the begining of a list in progress.  I may grow some salad greens but I've never had good luck with those in the past so I don't know if I'll bother.  If I do it may be in pots on the back porch (which is just off the kitchen).

 I want to get started on cleaning up the raised beds and getting them ready for some planting!  I will hopefully have time this weekend, I'd like to pull out last years plants that are left over, remove the weed cover (left by the old owner) and inspect the soaker hoses (left by the old owner) and add some of our awesome compost we brought from the old house.  I'm hoping that the hoses have overwintered in good condition and can be used - if so the entire garden will be irrigated!  That will be really nice.

Another thing I need to do is get the pear and apple tree pruned to see if that will help with fruit production this coming year - they are just so awfully pruned right now that I'm not sure what to do with them.

All the sunshine today has me antsy to get started but I remember that it's winter when I walk outside--brr!  A good time to get started on planning.