lots of work going on...

We've been very busy in our garden, planting more (free!) tomatoes, peppers and garlic.  We dug out the Euphorbia stumps by the house and created another new tomato bed and removed the struggling sugar snap peas in favor of more tomato space.  I sure hope our summer weather gets here soon so we actually get tomatoes!!!

We've also acquired (free!) Crocosmia and Himalayan poppies and created a new flower bed and purchased a peach tree to put in it too, it looks fantastic right now!  Yesterday was "clean up the yard day" and Jarett, the NGP, even helped by hacking down the ever-encroaching Japanese Knotwood and replanting the Euphorbia stumps along the edge of the back yard.  If they live we will have a beautiful hedge there next summer.  Jen and I planted the new tomatoes, re-did the worm bin; putting it in a rubbermaid tub this time and generally cleaned things up everything looks awesome!

Things are finally starting to grow too; we have flowers on tomatillos, tomatoes, zucchini, and garlic.  We do have a horrible aphid infestation in the Italian plum tree we have to take care of but other than that things are looking good and the chickens are happy.

Here's Jen and our new flower bed - the peach tree is on the right corner.  I'm hoping it will double in size next year.

free projects stuff

We've had a few fun conversations about the millions of things you end up doing when you have no money and lots and lots of time. (which is where we are at now) Funny thing is I think I've had more fun doing things this way then I would if we'd had plenty of money and no time, or for that matter even if there had been a balance.  I love that our garden projects have taken time and effort, somehow it makes the success better!   While thinking about this I felt like making a list of all the awesomeness because I like lists.  This starts from last year.

-free plant starts: tomatoes, cabbages, brussel sprouts, shiso, broccoli, peppers, dill
-free seeds: carrots, lettuce, beans, tomatoes, squash, kohlrabi, beets, broccoli, multiple herbs
-free burlap from coffee roasters
-free pallets from coffee roasters
-free 4x4's from neighbor
-free dresser (used to make potting table)       
-free table (used to build chicken coop)
-free bricks
-free mulch
-4" and 1 gallon pots

I'm sure there's more that I'm not remembering.  It's an amazing list.