Will has our kitchen just about finished (but for the upper cabinets that we can’t afford yet) and the bathroom vanity is nearly hooked up. Wow! All that cold is worth something, I guess. I can’t remember such a long period of intense cold here in northern Minnesota, even when we lived down by Sturgeon Lake for more than 20 years. But other than the weather being nasty, we homesteaders and all our critters are doing fine.
Meanwhile, we’ve been busily packaging seeds for folks. Our mailbox is stuffed every day with orders. We may be a bit slow (just Will and I are counting and packing seeds) but so far the seeds are holding out pretty well. I can see that we’ll be saving many more seeds this fall!
I’ll be starting peppers in the greenhouse in only three weeks. Doesn’t that make spring seem so much closer? I can hardly wait.
Then there is the new, larger, better worked up pumpkin patch in the new forty. I’m planting just about every kind of pumpkin and squash I can think of. Not to save seeds but just to see how they do. Most will end up as poultry and animal feed but we’ll harvest some to eat, too. The deer didn’t bother our small, late-planted crop last year so we have hopes they’ll go off to the new seeding of clover on the 5 acre patch that Will plowed and worked up last fall. Bait? Mmmm. Whatever works. — Jackie
A tip for the seed business… instead of counting out the seeds, use a measuring scoop. See how many seeds fit in 1/4 tsp or 1/8 tsp. Do that a few times to see if it’s about the same. Then just say instead of 25 tomato seeds, you’ll get 1/4 tsp which is about 25 seeds (or whatever the average was).
And instead of having to hand write all the labels, you could type them out in relatively small print and close together, and then just cut them. If you don’t have a printer, most libraries will let you print for a few cents a page.
I got my seed order a while ago, and I’ve got some of the tomatoes started. I can’t wait to get the beans and the squash planted!
Deborah McEnulty,
Good for you! It’s a way we’ve been practicing for years, even when initially building our house (Check out STARTING OVER) It sure feels good when things get done and you don’t end up owing for it for years and worrying about the debt!
Sandy A,
Peppers okay but don’t start Brussels sprouts. It’s way too early. You want to start them so they’ll be about 6 weeks old when you transplant them into the garden. Cole crop plants get root bound and never amount to anything if you start them inside too soon.
The vanity is beautiful! Congrats!
Peppers in three weeks, huh. OK. Thanks for the heads-up. I always seem to wait too long to start them. Guess I had better start the Brussels sprouts, too.
Blessings.
Love the idea for your bathroom vanity, sooo pretty! You guys are going great guns, love following your lives. I started a few herbs yesterday, just getting antsy for getting my hands in dirt! Have a great day!!
My husband and I are inspired to start purchasing supplies with cash, the way you and Will do. Your “saga” with your kitchen cabinets demonstrated that patience can pay off in the end. Thank you.
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