DIY Bean Trellis.....

     With our beans springing up out of the ground I knew it was time to find a bean trellis. Last year I had used some cattle wire but it proved to be too short and didn't have enough space to collect the beans. I needed this years trial to be both larger and as close to free as possible.

     While checking out our local Home Depot I came across six packs of bamboo stakes for $3. The stakes were six feet long. I grabbed two packs and headed home to come up with something. First I thought of making a teepee design but as our beans grow near a fence I knew this could be problematic for picking. So, I decided on a simple lattice design using string I already had on hand (hint: you can
use twist ties too).


     I'm happy with the way the trellis worked out. It's a very cost effective way to build a trellis. I will let everyone know how it holds up but so far I'm thinking this is a good way to go!

RIP Gertrude....

     Tonight I went outside to find my chicken, Gertrude, suffering very badly from prolapse. A couple days ago she had a mild case but now her entire intestine was hanging from her body. My husband and I humanely culled her though it was a teary eyed event. That was the first chicken I have lost out of my six and my heart aches a lot tonight.

     Gertrude was a quiet chicken who never fought for a treat. She would wait her turn, always last. She was shy and gentle. I know that she will be missed by the flock if chickens can miss their friends. She was part of our flock number two of Harriet and Dorothy and was just two years old.

I can't even find a photo through my tears.

The joy of chicken raising- Prolapse

     I went to spend some time with the girls tonight and noticed one of the ladies was looking a little sick. I flipped Gertrude upside down to find that she has prolapse, though it's in the early stages. For those that don't know what this looks like it's a bit like chicken hemorrhoids only more serious. Needless to say I'll be slathering that chicken bum with hemorrhoid creme come the morrow and bumping up the girls calcium. No, this is not the fun part of chicken ownership. It is however one of the  jobs of a responsible chicken raiser.

     The girls haven't been nearly as happy since we limited their yard space to only their area. During the winter months while our garden was dormant they were free to roam throughout the backyard. However, now that our veggies are blooming it's just not feasible to give the girls free reign all day. However, I might have to find a compromise.

     We have now had chickens for two years and I don't regret a day. We have maintained our original flock of six but hope to add two more girls this year. Chickens are so much fun and the egg production is merely a side benefit. I'll keep everyone updated on the prolapse and hopefully Gertrude will be back to her grouchy self soon.

In the garden... bargain plants

     If you live near any large garden center you simply must check out the clearance section. Almost every Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart and other garden center I've been to has at least a small section of marked down plants. Often times these plants are root bound and all they need is planting... quickly. Tonight I was able to score seven new bushes for $20 at the nearest Walmart.

     Can you find what you want and still find a bargain? Absolutely! Sticking with my color scheme I was even able to check off plants that had been on my "want" list. Three Sweet Brooms, two Azalea bushes and two Tea Tree bushes. These will all mature well in our area, provide some additional color and fill in some rather large holes. Not a bad gardening day.

     If you live near larger growers or independent nurseries don't be afraid to call and ask if they have days they are open to the public. Even commercial growers who produce for box stores often have days they open to the public and have heavily discounted plants ready for the taking. It never hurts to ask.

Drying herbs.....

     My Rural and I have been interested in drying our own herbs for the last couple of years. Usually we use what we have on hand and there isn't much leftover. However, due to the early start in the greenhouse we already had a large supply of rosemary, lemon balm, cilantro and basil. While the basil will be used for homemade pesto (yum!) the herbs needed drying.

     For our first experiment we are trying the brown bag method. Brown bags are inexpensive and I like that I don't have to use the power from the food dehydrator. Simply poke pencil size holes in the brown paper bag and tie with a string. Hang the bag in a cool, dry place with good ventilation. We are hanging our bag in my studio where it stays very cool on hot days due to cement floors.

     I'll check back with a progress report when these herbs are dry. What are your favorite herb drying methods?

Propagating Herbs- growing more herbs from cuttings

     As the greenhouse has started to fill and all the pots in our yard have been filling up I've been making notes about which plants I'd like to propagate for the front yard and some of our side running garden beds. Most herbs are easily propagated from a simple cutting. This week I've been working with my Chocolate Mint, Lemonbalm and Oregano.

     To create new life from an existing plant simple snip a piece of your plant roughly 3" or longer. Trim the bottom few leaves off of the stem. Then put the piece into a glass of water on a sunny windowsill. In a few days you'll see new roots forming. Wait about five days and then you can plant your new plant in the garden. Remember that like all new plants this one may require a bottle cover or some extra water to keep it happy. Since my plants had already lived outside they are acclimated and ready to go.

     Propagating is a great way to save some money. Since many of my herbs were grown from seed and are now producing a second or third plant I am working with only pennies of investment. Isn't gardening fun!

Roots forming in just a few days

In the garden.... our first pepper

     The growing conditions have been ideal in the greenhouse but it's also starting to be warm enough for planting outside. I've been gathering up all the straggler pots and filling them up. Last year I had purchased a fiber pot that is collapsible. I added some strawberry plants and we'll see how they do.

The grape vine which looked brittle and dead made a stunning comeback. Plus, we can already see grapes forming and it's only year two of this vine!

Everything in the greenhouse is growing like crazy. Some things will be repotted outside. Others will be moved outside as the weather heats up, but will remain in their current pots. 

Finally, we saw our FIRST two peppers! I'd never been able to grow peppers before but they are loving the conditions in the greenhouse. I'm very excited to see all of the wonderful foods we'll be able to produce this year. 

Antiquing....

     Yesterday was a stressful day on the road to foster adoption. However, I did have time to stop in a favorite antique store with a friend. Though my mind was whirling with other things going on I did happen upon a super cute pretzel jar. It's large and useful. I'm trying so hard to buy things I can actually use and this one fit the bill. It's now at home on my counter with my Mr. Peanut jar.

Have you had any great finds this week?

Rediscovering my love of yard sales.......

     This weekend I was in charge of a church rummage sale to raise funds for our girls to go to girl's camp. Thankfully many of our church members contributed items and the sale was a great success. Sorting through the clothing, housewares and assorted mismatched items got me thinking.... I miss going to yard sales. Yard sales, rummage sales and garage sales, depending on where you live, are the true treasure hunt. What is someone selling for next to nothing that you might like to have? I'm always amazed but the varying items one can find from bedding to old boxing equipment. You just never know.

     For the warmer months this year I'm planning on heading out and hitting up some good old fashioned yard sales. I'll be a bit picky about what I'm looking for, mostly garden items, children's art supplies and organizing items. I'll be interested to see what I can find on a budge. For yesterday's sale I came away with the following:

skirt $.50
Brand new Sony digital picture frame (retail $80) $20
Christ statue $4
2 girl's dresses $.50
3 pads of drawing paper $.50
2 Littles Pet Shop $.50
3 pillar candles (new) $1
Star yard sign $4
Queen sheet set $2

     Not a bad start for $33. All things I could use and wouldn't add too much to our clutter. Do you shop yard sales? If so, what do you shop for?

Children in the garden....

     The outdoors is an ideal place to teach children about life, food and the environment. In our house the little rurals and I like to spend as much time as possible outside during the warmer months. We love to hike our local mountains and explore other parts of California. However, a lot of learning can begin right in the backyard.

     Most of our backyard is for production of vegetables, ornamental edibles and fruit trees. Though we have carved out a small children's area the majority of the yard is a pretty adult space. That doesn't mean the children can't help and learn though. Together we plant seeds, gather up leaves and water. Children are excellent at watering. Little Rural is teaching the girls that we don't water the leaves (sun burn) and also how to check if the soil is ready for more water (finger check).

     I think it's very important to let children get involved in the yard. It's exciting to see things grow but even more exciting to know that you helped make those things grow. I attribute it to the same pride I feel when I pluck a red, ripe tomato from the vine. It takes a lot of nurture to get to that point, especially when you start from seeds. You don't need anything fancy to garden with children. Though you can purchase children's size garden tools, aprons, etc. our kids have outdoor shoes and that's about it. They do very well using our tools (with supervision) and are quite alright getting dirty along side mom or dad, especially when they know that it's okay to get a little dirty.

     We are currently sectioning off an area of the new children's garden for their very own garden bed. We'll probably plant a tomato and some squash to the children can really see things moving and growing. They will be responsible for watering and checking on their plants. Great motivation to get outside, enjoy the sunshine and be involved.