Signs of life.

Recently, I picked and ate my very first broccoli today and it was amazing. I never knew how different freshly picked, home grown produce was! So juicy and tender and sweet compared to anything I've ever had before... how can I ever go back to store brought stuff now? 

The bantam chicks are flapping away and I've even found some of them roosting on the edge of their box! The cochin bantams are absolute darlings and will cuddle in the palm of my hand. Their fluffy feet and legs are so adorable!

This weekend we harvested an entire bowl of collards, beet greens, and rainbow swiss chard and I whipped up a batch of southern style greens that the crew devoured. Not even a scrap leftover for the chickens meant that it must have been tasty.

Glad to finally see life coming from the earth while still trying to work out what grows best and when to plant. Getting a source of good soil has been key and you can't beat free composted horse manure! So we've been up to our knees in the stuff lately spreading it here and there balancing it all between two gardens.

The permaculture project I'm starting is still being shaped and it looks like a fall crop will be possible. From what I've learned, 

composting the beds for a month or more will ensure a fertile start. I'm already daydreaming of fresh broccoli if you can believe that. There's just something about growing your own fresh food that makes it taste different. Maybe its the fact that you end up putting in the time and energy needed to create something really amazing when it's going to end up in your body that does it. Perhaps we'll try out cauliflower next!

But how to pay for it all? When thinking of how much it takes to make everything a reality I have to be thankful that I still have my job. Many people today no longer have this "luxury" since the recent economic crisis and this has only fueled my belief that there is something fundamentally wrong with the status quo. I am determined to see it change. But really, without the help of family, friends, and all the great people in my life who are stepping in and taking an interest in the urban farm movement and homesteading, there would be no garden beds, no soil, nothing. So a mega-huge thanks to everyone who has decided to take this journey with me and make this a way we can all give back to the earth

and each other.

::love::

It works!

One of my biggest surprises was that the broccoli is actually LOOKING like broccoli. A few small, yet, satisfyingly organic broccoli are going to be eaten. (probably in secret when no one's looking) ;)

Ah, more big big plans in the works! It's truly crazy work around here all the time. Back patio with mini-herb ground cover separating the stones is going in as I speak. The urban vineyard has been dug and is coming along nicely. My tilled garden project is taking a bunch of time to accomplish but is a fascinating project and looks good. The second chicken ark should be done in a week or so but we'll have to wait and see with all these new projects underway at the moment. My latest and most ambitious gardening adventure yet will be planting a permaculture garden at my parents' house who live just a few minutes away from me. There are never enough hours in the day!

The Farm has been dubbed The Mystery Garden by my friend Justin who has taken it upon himself to document our everyday lives unfolding through pictures. His photography is beauty itself and are a good reminder of the constant enchantment that surrounds me as I get swamped with work and urgent things that need to get done. He truly is a master at what he does and I have never met anyone who takes such care with this art. (he also has quite a green thumb) I will try to keep up with his explosions of photographic genius and post more regularly in the future.

Peace.

Garden Update!

Things have been happening around here that I never thought I would see. My boyfriend, Jake, built us the most lovely chicken ark I have ever laid eyes on and the girls are growing into beautiful, fat hens so quickly! The bantams finally came and after the sudden, frightening deaths of three babies, followed by a fourth, the new little flock seems stable. I'm quite disappointed by the lack of care that the local feed store and hatcheries have taken by not informing people that it is risky to ship the tiny birds so early in season but it is a learning process for us all. Sadly, this is life in the urban farm movement and as generations of wisdom has been lost for many we will have to reclaim much of it on our own and pick up where we left off. It just brings to the forefront the care we should take in listening to the words of those who have come before us.

Had a minor setback with some heirloom tomatoes when a sudden gust of frost and SNOW swept through and i found them all frozen and limp the next morning. Another lesson in life and death.

On a more positive note, I am collecting an entire truck full of free horse poo this weekend! Its organic, composted for a full year, and I'm sure the heirloom tomato seedlings i started in the hoop house will love me for sure! Also planning to get backup tomato plants from the nursery in case these were planted too late. I'm dying to try all these awesome varieties!

The little radishes and turnips are sprouting like crazy now that the beds are building up some material in them. Starting out with no dirt was extra work but is definitely paying off now that we have lush, no-till beds full of free collected mulches etc... Flowers, beans, corn, melons, potatoes, and herbs are all going in at an amazing rate and I'm certain that by next year I'll have the planting schedule down! Success!

<3

Honey and Bellina

The Mystery Garden Crew has been busy. We are hoping to post on a more consistent and nonstop basis.. . Photos and hopefully stories to come very, very soon. Happy Earth Day !!!

I've got my eye on you.. .

(Three) Two

(Two) Two

A little water

Wine and planting

Protecting the tomatoes

Mystery Guardian

Little corn

Off to the races

Another Honey

Ready to go

Collard

Come out and play

More and More

Dirty Bird