Sometimes Gardens Grow With A Passion Out Of Shear Determination. . .

My passion is to learn as I live, breathe, think, plant, create and, importantly, to carry kindness & love always with me where I walk. Being careful to tread lightly in my steps. A life planted with reason,

harmony, light and wisdom takes far more time than I could ever imagine having to complete the task set before me. It's a journey towards simple living. Which is quite the feat for me. But, It's my choice and I'm stickin' to it!

This time of year is warm and prime growing season for us. Living in the heartland of the mid-west we get to experience all four seasons. The last ten years have came and gone with extremely different and diverse conditions. From scorching 100 degrees plus in the summer to icing accumulating once again on the water of rivers, lakes, streams & ponds as they used to do in the winter's of my childhood days. 

So, in the summertime, that's what we do...grow a garden!

"The garden gate is always open...So com'on in I'm so excited to show you what we've been up to!"

 

It took lots'a hard work, sweat. . . Mostly determination.

We thought long and hard on it the last two years. How does it look in the wild? There are tall trees with under growth, flourishing, thriving, staying alive. With streams of water in creeks, streams, ponds. . . Research was the key. Burying our self's deep in knowledge. Almost to the point of no return, at times, it seemed.

"Relying on our roots we went to work!"

"Here's what we have come up with. Doing everything for our health, our conscious and our world."

Adding rain barrels selectively stored behind the chicken coop for easy access to the garden.

Building raised beds from all natural reclaimed pallets that were never coated with a harmful material.

Filling a bed with trellis's made from cutting branches of trees growing in a crowed location in our woods nearby.

 Making a roll up shade out of Burlap for the tomato plants on days when the sun is blazing it's wrath upon us. No burn spots makes me happy & them too!

We put up a reed fence on the west side of the coop in early summer to provide evening shade to the chickens and Lovey, my one and only adorably beautiful turkey girl. Planting Sunflowers for Yellow Finches and other birds needing a bite to eat. Growing Pole Beans underneath the stalks as a nature trellis.

With a whimsy and a resource for the birds I created this next to my tomato bed. 

This is a beginning of the rewards of our labors!

I am proud to say I picked these fresh baskets of organic homegrown veggies & herbs straight from our backyard in my jammies just this morning!

Beans, Okra, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucs, Red Onions, More Beans

We feel we are blessed to live as we are in such a place that welcomes wildlife while filling our bodies with wholesome "non-GMO" homegrown foods.

Sweet Basil, Oregano, German Thyme, Nasturtiums, Borage Flowers, More Tomatoes

"Good Morning Mr. Sun, I'm making Seed Matts Today!"

Early Mornin' Sun

A late March sunrise came beaming down upon the fields this morning. It was a very cold 21 degrees at 7a.m. when I opened the door to greet the day. Finally, I felt the warmth of the sun on my face. I gave thanks for the hope of spring destined to arrive, eventually.

The chickens, rooster and turkeys were already out in their run.  Happy in the sunshine while prancing and squawking about.  Maybe later today they can be let to roam. Poor things. They are tired of the winter too.

Over to the barn is the next stop in my routine. Billy and Chloe Goat were sunning themselves as they lay on their beds of straw. A wonderful sight to watch the sunbeams dance with clouds of straw dust peeking through the barn walls.

We've been filling our extended snowed in springtime with preparing indoors with some old and new gardening ideas. The latest is a simple seed mat you can make yourself, CHEAP!

Homemade Seed Mats

Sitting at my computer bored stiff as bored stiff can be. I was eagerly longing to get outside and play in the dirt. A friend posted it on Facebook.

This is so easy! All you need are glue, seeds and cheap napkins (we used 2ply paper towels & just separated them).

                                            Happy Matting!!