We’re working toward that too. After all, following the exciting and peaceful holidays, visiting family (social distanced, of course), and eating lots of goodies, we’re getting back to work. Seed orders are flowing in, which makes us very happy. We love helping folks grow great gardens and introducing them to new-to-them varieties. And we, too, love finding new varieties to love. Just recently, a reader from Costa Rica, emailed me, offering some of their favorite heirloom seed varieties in exchange for some of ours. How cool!
This morning, not only did we have a couple inches of new snow, but the sun shown through sparkles as it came up. Very beautiful!
I’m working on plans for our new permanent greenhouse which we’ll put in the house garden, next to our house. Will already has a stockpile of nice, solid windows collected from the dump and Craigslist, so we sure won’t have to spend much to build it. And that greenhouse will save us so much time and also result in stockier plants to set out when the weather warms in the spring. I can’t wait! And I’m drawing diagrams for all nine gardens, outlining what I’d like to grow and where. Boy, if you think doing this for one or two gardens is tough, you ought to try nine. Of course, we want to save pure seed for most varieties so some crops must be planted in isolation from the same species or even genus. Then we also have to grow a bunch of Jack-O-Lantern pumpkins for our friends at the Watering Can nursery, to sell prior to Halloween. These, we’ll plant in the North garden, as we won’t be saving seeds from these, often, hybrids. But we can also plant some other squash and pumpkins as long as they’re a different species. (Most mid to smaller-sized pumpkins are C. pepos so we can plant a good crop of one C. moschata and one C. maxima too.) Then there are the various corns, some of which are early and others quite late so we can juggle them around in the same general area as they pollinate at different times. (See what I mean?)
Well, let me wish you a very Happy and Healthy New Year and also the best gardens you ever grew. Stay safe! — Jackie
Happy New Year from the (very) rainy state of Oregon to your snowy wonderland! I hope your onery juvenile delinquents stay out of your gardens this year ?
Boy, so do we!!! We’re adding an extra electric fence outside the present electric fence. Next is razor wire!!
Happy new year, Jackie and Will! Here’s to a great 2021. I hope the covid vaccine proves safe and effective so that some sanity can return to the world.
And a Happy New Year to you Anna!!
Happy New Year! Thanks for sharing your life and experience with all. May you have a great 2021. I wish for you a healthy and productive year. Iām going to try again to grow flint corn-the raccoons just love it inspite of 2 strands of electric fence. They āknowā when itās time to invade and eat.
I’ll swear, animals are smarter than we are!! Good luck and Happy New Year Everett!
Happy New Year ! Buckle up and hold on for the roller coaster ride ??. I hope you have a wonderful and abundant garden this year. Thank you for sharing your life with us.?
You’re welcome Sis. I think this year’s going to be a doozy. Like we say, “Plant more beans!”.
Jackie,
I need to grow my tomatoes in large buckets on my porch due to the deer.
Which ones are the best to plant?
Have a great year in 2021 in I know you’ll have 9 beautiful gardens.
You might try Patio King, Aker’s Plum or Tip Top. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! And let us know when the new granddaughter comes. It feels like David and you are my relatives.
I will, for sure! Yesterday, Elizabeth was out shoveling snow to hurry up things. No dice….. I know what you mean; you all feel like my family too!
Happy New Year! That new greenhouse sounds wonderful. Wishing you all the best for 2021!
And you too, Mardell! I’m crossing my fingers on the greenhouse; Will just spoke for a bunch of new solar panels and they’ll have to be put up……
Happy New Year Jackie and Will. Received my new catalogue a few days ago. My garden was small last year due to health problems and only canned 12 quarts tomatoes. 2021 is a new year.
Yes, 2021 IS a new year. And I hope a better one for you.
How do I order some seeds from you? Do you have a catalog or on line place? I wanted some of those hull less pumpkins and Jim Bean Tomatoes.Thank you.
Well Pat, we do have a website, http://www.seedtreasures.com. And we also have a catalog. If you’ll email me your address to jackieclay2007@yahoo.com, I’ll send you one right away.
Hope ya’ll had a Merry Christmas and wishing you a safe happy and healthy New Year! I can FINALY order seeds from you as my daughter grandson and I Finaly bought a home! It’s a mess and needed/needs a lot of repairs yet but I can Finaly have a garden. Altho a fairly small yard we will make it work even if we have to go verticle!! From Florida where it’s 80’s today. Gave already turned my walk in closet in a pantry.
Wow, 80!! If it wasn’t for COVID, I’d hop on a plane and come visit! I’m glad you can get your garden this year and I’m confident you’ll make it work. Go girl!!
A very happy new year wish to you, Will and your family Jackie! Your snow looks beautiful. Received our new seed catalog and just might have to send in yet another order! Stay warm and healthy, and thank you for the new year wishes and the update!
Glad to hear you got your catalog! We had some folks who’s catalogs came badly damaged. One only got a cover!!! I think it was the Christmas mail crunch thing. Boo
Happy New Year to you and Will. 2020 did come with some great difficulties but it also gave us time to slow down, stay home and spend time around our homestead. Able to do more with our two children still at home as well as keeping up with the gardens. Am looking forward to planning our garden, starting seeds and planting. Always a good feeling knowing Spring is coming and winter and snow will soon leave us.
May you and Will stay healthy and have wisdom on planning your gardens.
Thank you so much Kathy. I hope you have a great New Year’s garden and have fun with your children. They grow up so quickly!!!
Happy New Year and love to you and yours. Thank you for being out there for all of us.
Happy New Year to you Marty! I hope 2021 brings everything you wish for.
Jackie,
When you grow your squashes, and other plants, for seeds, how far apart do you have each type?
Thank you for your many inspiring articles.
We can only grow one species of squash/pumpkins within 1/3 a mile, and that’s through dense trees too. They are quite easy to cross because of insect pollination. Tomatoes can be quite close; 5 feet is usually fine if you stake them so they don’t intermingle. Bush beans can be planted fairly close and not cross but pole beans need to be as far apart as you can reasonably get them. Melons, like squash/pumpkins, are insect pollinated so must be far, far away to avoid crossiing.
Happy new year!
Iām going to be plotting and planning my gardens too!
TeresaSue in Idaho
Happy New Year! I’m going to be working on that garden planner for weeks!!!
Happy New Year!!!
Happy New Year to you too!! Grow the best garden ever.
Happy new year to u and will. Planning my garden myself. Looking forward to spring and more great updates from you. Stay safe and healthy.
Blessings as we live each day to the fullest. Best Wishes for the New Year and always.
Thank you Sandy. And a wonderful New Year to you!
Please join me in bidding the dumpster fire of a year adios, sayonara, arrivederci. Looked outside a few minutes ago and two very large does near one of my feeder boxes (now I hear the neighbor’s dogs barking). While I know the new year isn’t going to immediately be better, may it not be so painful until it does get better.
At least there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Now I just hope people take wearing masks and social distancing seriously until we’re all vaccinated!! Happy New Year, Selena!
happy new year to you yes and let’s grow our best gardens in 2021. Let’s hope and pray that covid will be under control and people will be able to work and you and Will will have
a beautiful granddaughter soon
Amen to that, Roswitha!! We were hoping we’d have a New Year’s granddaughter but so far, no dice.
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