Mutant of the Year Award

I know everyone has been waiting for this one! The Mutant of the Year is a coveted award to the most deformed carrot of the crop. Last year I had several "little men" crop up in the......crop. This year was special because there was only one candidate.

The quadruplet carrot was of massive dimensions and wrinkles. It reminds me of the radishes that went far and beyond and looks like thighs that have gone far and beyond.

So it's not really mutant, just chubby and cute! There are four distinct legs from the one top which are distinctive, nonetheless.

And Cheyenne thought they were delicious.

Mysteries Revealed

The huge umbrella leaves of the pumpkin plants have shielded their bounty from view. But they are out there and now they are turning orange.

The dry two weeks have taken a toll on those big leaves and now they are starting to sag and these big guys are peeking out.

Hardy Hibiscus

I love my new hardy hibiscus plant. It is supposed to be able to live through our Zone 4 winters, but I still have it in a pot on the patio. The plant is just a stick--about 3 feet tall with this gigantic flower that is at least 6" across!

It was a miracle it survived at all. The plant arrived by mail from a nursery and there wasn't a leaf left on it. It lived in the greenhouse all summer to gain strength and now is showing off its will to thrive.

The next step is to get it planted for real and hope for the best in the spring.

Waxing philosophic with turnips

The turnip harvest was completed yesterday and I picked the gigundo turnip--about 5 lbs worth. It was amazingly firm inside, too! I had to cut it into four sections so it would fit in my little waxing bucket. Everyone got dipped and put into cold storage. Just wait until people find out they may get one as a prize for visiting Catfish Corner!

Plumber's Zinnia

Here is the plumber's zinnia! I got a kick out of it--I find humor in strange places I guess.

The garden is pretty cute and colorful this year. Glads in the strawberries and volunteer sunflowers everywhere. I know I have a world record turnip this year--it is HUGE! The deer are eating the tops of the parsnips and have nipped off the tops on the new raspberry bushes.

My four broccoli plants have been going nuts ever since I took off the original heads--now they are sprouting off the sides even faster.

Picked the first cherry tomatoes and have billions on the way. Big tomatoes include all kinds of different varieties--Roma, Early Girl, Beefsteak.

My straw lined lanes worked out great! Especially the ones that have newspaper down first. (Yes, Wanda, that was your suggestion!) At first it didn't work out so great--I laid down papers in several thicknesses and put the straw over the top--HOWEVER, things started to dry out and then we had some strong winds that sent everything flying. I came out to the garden one morning and had to collect reams of newspapers from hither and yon and out in the woods. Now that the plants are huge there is less chance of that happening again. The serpentine soaker hose has been a total success, too. It has saved me HOURS of watering!

The plans for next year's garden are starting to gel-- ideas like putting up an electric fence. No more melon patch--it's going to be sweet corn! (Hence the need for an electric fence!) Adding a "Y" valve and expanding the soaker hose network and a rustic arbor for the now prolific grapes!

Gardeners do indeed dream dreams of emperors!

Daisy Faces

I got these Shasta Daisy plants from Betty. They have never been prettier! She would be happy to know how well they are doing.

Wisconsin Gardenia

Welcome to the greenhouse -- this morning I was greeted with the wonderful scent of gardenias. I have been waiting for these blooms to pop for a long time. I got the plant last year as one of those little 2" pots from a garden catalog. It was pretty tiny so it has made some headway--especially since it got to move back to the greenhouse this spring. It did not like living in the house over winter but maybe it will make a better transition this year.

Looks Like Potato Salad

I have been stealing little red potatoes by digging my hands in around the bushes and finding these little gems without destroying the whole plant. Fried in butter for breakfast--can't be beat they are so creamy and delicious. 

My potato patch has four varieties this year and all are doing well. The reds were all tipped over today--it's getting dry again so they will probably be going dormant soon. Then I can clear out the area and get the rutabages going!

You'll be dead when I till----

From the mouths of babes--

Our little great nephew Carter is four years old and quite the conversationalist--this was a provocative statement he made recently according to his dad-----

"Carter watched with apparent fascination while I tilled our garden yesterday. 

 

    "Someday when I am big and strong I am going to till the garden!" he pronounced.

 

    "That's great!" I told him.  "I could use somebody to help me."

 

    "No!" he replied.  "You will be dead when I till."

 

    I pointed out to him that I might still be alive when he was big and strong enough to help till.

 

    "No you won't," he responded.

 

    Apparently he is intending to replace me rather than help me when it comes to tilling the garden.

 

    It is good that he is feeling better after having his tonsils out. 

We both laughed it off with his dad's comment about him feeling better, but the real message sank in and it was unsettling. His little mind is at work--and Don will be checking to see if he has inherited one of the family "gifts".

Our Weekend

We had to say goodbye to one of our original red hens yesterday. She was one of our favorites because she always wanted to hang out around the patio or the breezeway so we would see her everyday. It was apparent her three years on earth were catching up to her and she spent a lot of time just resting with her eyes closed. Saturday the little Benson kids were here to meet their new pony, Emmy, and Paige played with Little Red, and petted her quietly. The end seemed pretty near and Sunday was a nice day to move on.

The pony rides went well--Emmy was so patient and we had many trips around the barnyard with the kids. Everyone had multiple turns until we decided "the pony" needed to rest!  Uncle Donnie was prepared to make grilled hot dogs for the finale until we were informed the kids won't eat hot dogs with grill marks! (I'm worried about their upbringing!)  So we boiled their hot dogs (this will be the last time) and we grilled ours and had a little picnic in the backyard. Grandpa Benson showed up so they got a chance to see him, too. 

After a few turns at T ball, watching inch worms and playing hula hoop, their mom and dad were ready to take them home. It was only a four hour visit but seemed like more! We collapsed in the easy chairs until bedtime. 

It was also the night for a graduation party being held across the road from us. We were informed earlier that there was going to be a band and that it would be going on into the night so it wasn't any surprise but what was surprising was that it would be LOUD HEAVY METAL all night. Real head banger stuff. Lots of screaming and no music involved. I was hoping for country western. I have no idea how Don slept through most of it. I finally dropped off around 2 am and then he took over watch and said it finally wound down around 4. I was pretty much shot for the next day--big party person I am--I can't even stay up late! I worked off my fogginess in the garden by transplanting zinnias. The cucumbers and melon seeds have just sprouted and things are looking good. 

Rewards from the garden....

...came yesterday with the first little picking of spinach leaves and some radishes. Made up my version of the health food salad for lunch today while I update the bloggy.

My Popeye Salad

Fresh spinach leaves

Radishes

Sweet onion - thin sliced

Sliced mushrooms

Sprinkle of ground flax seed

Spray of Bragg's liquid aminos

Dollop of homemade blue cheese dressing (secret recipe)

I y'am what I y'am and I feel stronger already!

I got the peppers and tomatoes planted yesterday and tilled the melon area for today. Put in buttercup squash, watermelons, cantaloupe, pumpkins and some gourds for fun. I bought "Jack Be Little" pumpkin seeds for the little dwarf pumpkins and they went missing. Hope I can find them before I run out of space.

Sun, Wind and Weeds

Sounds like a good band name! Time has been flying by so quickly and every day has been full of spring jobs to be done. I love it all and this is what we have been waiting for. This past week has been spent doing one of the tasks that I could live without--the weeding of my flower garden patches. I got a whole pickup load of milled bark mulch to apply as I clear out the weeds. So I hope I won't be doing the HEAVY WEEDING again for a long time. If I keep up on it--maybe never! My new middle name is MULCH. 

It has been very warm today--90 degrees for some bizarre reason and I feel like I have been in a convection oven all day for I am as  ".....brown as a berry from riding the prairie..."

Riding? What is that? It's gardening season!! Friend Fran is getting ready to hit the road with Farrah Green (from Aberdeen!)  for five weeks of clinics, events, lessons and learning so I'll be "on my own" with the girls. We have our PATTERNS to learn while she's gone!

The Benson kids (nephews and niece) were here tonight and Cerra was the old pro giving bareback rides. Cade and Carter were the cowboys--our little cowgirl Paige decided next time might be soon enough.

A Heavenly Rain

This is the big rainy day we have been waiting for. Loads headed our way and we just had our first heavy downpour with more lining up behind it. Love the radar weather from NOAA! We are located between the "G" of Red Wing and the black line to the right. (The bottom of the "teaspoon" which is Pepin County.) 

I have been spending time in the garden all week--have four kinds of potatoes planted, the onions, peas and parsnips. That's a good start. Much more to do. I am now expecting to have a damp summer because I just ordered 400 feet of soaker hose for the garden. I spent an inordinate amount of time watering last year and decided I have other things to do than stand holding a hose hours a day!

I am using a new system in the garden this year derived from multiple readings and Mother Earth Magazine. I added compost to tilled double-double rows that are laid out in serpentine fashion snaking from the greenhouse to the north. I will use the soaker hose down the middle of the row in one long continuous stretch. This is going to eliminate having multiple smaller rows and paths which hopefully will result in fewer weed problems. I have lots of clean straw to mulch the plants and to serve as a path covering. The theory is less open dirt to sprout weeds and more mulch to hold moisture. This is all leading up to the no-till method of gardening which is also called "lasagne gardening". Instead of tilling everything up, starting new weeds and destroying the microflora you place your new compost on top and just incorporate it into the top couple inches of soil. This repeats year after year which makes the "layers" of continuing decomposition and enrichment.

Our garden has had the benefit of three years worth of composted horse manure and has finally gained tilth and fertility. Now that I'm down to two horses manure is going to be at a premium! We only have one small accumulated pile from all winter. Maybe this shortage will lead to "having" to get more horses! 

I put up my pathetic little chicken wire fence to keep out the skunks, raccoons, etc. after finding my seeds and potatoes on top of the ground in the morning! It's annoying to have to stick everyone back in the ground every day. They like to turn the soil up and look for grubs--so it is a help, but I wish they would do it BEFORE I plant! 

Aca's Red Feather

Aca wants her picture taken now, too. These blooms are so pretty, a picture doesn't do it justice. Hot pink with a purple edge--probably the most exciting color combination of my collection. I have about 30 violets on glass shelves in the living room and another 20 under lights in the basement and they're almost all in bloom right now. Twenty gloxinia bulbs are in varying states of sprouting in the basement, too. They're a little trickier but that's mainly because I don't have an ideal place for them yet. 

Not So Shy Violets

I just had to take a minute to stop and sniff the violets! Well, there is no scent, but today these lovelies asked me to take their picture to share with you. Her name is "Southern Delight" and she's all decked out in her flouncy pink pinafore and parasol. As you can see from the size of my thumb, she is putting on quite a show. 

Flakes Outside....and inside

Our 70 degree days of last weekend are officially gone. Gray days, wind, rain, snowflakes and snow pellets are our new visitors. Unfortunately, we both picked up a cold bug and have been coughing and schnorteling all week. Between cups of hot tea I got enough energy rallied to go out to check the greenhouse and covered up the lettuce with flannel sheets. The plants have been doing amazingly well inspite of some freezing nights. I pulled the last of the turnips and found the deer have been eating the tops off the remaining carrots. I pulled up a few to take to the house and found this funny guy. Another sure sign of age--finding great humor in mutant veggies!  So, Don says maybe I should put it on eBay. I checked out "carrot" and got it narrowed down and found SOMEONE ELSE HAS AN EVEN BETTER MUTANT THAN I DO!  I haven't figured out how to get the photo but check it out--search "human carrot" and you will be as amazed as I was. It really looks like a little human boy body. Nobody has ponied up a bid--starting at $1. That is probably because they want $12.50 to UPS it to the lucky bidder. Now I'm wishing I would have photoed the giant radish that went to seed. It looked exactly like the very sunburned hips, thighs and calves of a very lumpy chubby lady! I have an eyewitness--(right, Mary Ann?!)--who will attest that we chuckled over it because I expect to start looking the same way.

Chilly night

Night before last we hit our first 32 degree evening. I didn't have the greens covered and I lucked out--nobody froze. I had the hose going first thing in the morning just in case. Last night I was more cautious and had the sheets over them so, of course, it only hit a low of 40. I have four 55 gal.  barrels of water to help hold heat but it only goes so far. Eventually everything is going to freeze. The whole thing is an experiment at this point anyway. How much abuse can lettuce and kale take? These big lettuce plants have been producing since August--no sign of them going to seed yet. I am going to stake them up and keep picking as long as possible. There are two other beds coming up so if I can keep jack frost away there should be good eating. We are going to get our straw bales on Monday so I can reinforce the insulation factor.

Hoop house

Or as Don calls it--my pout house! No pouting allowed here--just growing of greens. This has been the best gardening year yet. After three years worth of composted horse manure we are finally getting some tilth built up.