But we pray daily for a good rain to get things going once it is planted. I went with our friend, Tom, who helped us so much after Bob died, when we were building our log house, as he had another appointment at Mayo Clinic for tests. I had to laugh, as it rained heavily all night and most of the next day. At home, 5½ hours north? Nope. Well, that’s a lie. Will said it rained .003 of an inch, barely enough to wet the ground for an hour. We did get another “rain” yesterday, to the tune of .002 inch. By morning, the ground is dry as a bone. Nope, that didn’t do any good.
Today, I’m busy again, planting pole beans in the Wolf, North, and Main Gardens. While I was gone, Will put up pole bean trellises in all those gardens for me to plant when I got back. Meanwhile, he also hauled in a big pile of firewood we’d split a week ago in our “spare” time. We have two seasons in Minnesota. Winter and getting ready for winter. Ha ha. As we burn a dozen full cords of wood, we have to start as soon as the weather warms up a little, come spring.
I’ve been too busy to plant lettuce in my old stock tank planter. I guess the lettuce had another idea. I glanced at the tank which had not been messed with all spring. It was full of both Dark Red Lollo Rossa and Paris Island Romaine plants. Yep, last year’s lettuce had self-seeded! And not only did it reseed in the tank but in the lawn, there were more little lettuce plants. How neat that is!
We’re seeing big flocks of Canadian Geese on our beaver ponds lately. I think they’re being driven out of Canada by the huge wildfires that are sending smoke down over us. I know our eyes are burning and noses are running from it. It can’t be good to breathe — yuck! I know it’s hard to get those fires out though, as they are in such remote places. We’re praying for a good rain for the fires and our poor gardens. But we’re also gearing up for drought. Will got the big water pump all set and is now working on the small gas pump as we think we’ll have to water the Wolf and North Gardens with them. It’s a lot more work but should save the gardens, pumping out of David’s spring basin and the IBC tote on the back of the pickup.
Well, back to planting! Have a wonderful day. — Jackie
If we’d all help others as much as we could, wouldn’t it be a nice world??? I love doing firewood. Long ago, when I was pretty poor, I remember going out into the woods with a horse and sled to cut and haul firewood to keep me warm all night. Doing it in warm weather is so much nicer!!
Oh, I laughed at your definition of two seasons! Also, you were talking a deep water well pump—Jackie, you mean your state or county government hasn’t commandeered your water rights, as is being done in Washington state; the whole state?! And haven’t “they” put water meters on your water well to charge you per gallon, on the well you paid for, as they are doing by unlawful law in California? And, how about what they are doing with agriculture water in Idaho, turning irrigation off to farms/ranches, for the sake of using it in a cobalt mine! Well, I guess you can tell what’s on my mind. Regards from far north California.
Well (no pun intended) I’m calling foul on your statement about WA State and CA. The sky is not falling for individual homeowners. Sleezy people who try to game the system, they get what they deserve.
Haven’t researched ID but knowing what I do, the state politicians will bend over and hold their ankles for “business”.
Perhaps you should consider moving but given your bent, no US state is an option.
No, fortunately, Minnesota, especially Northern Minnesota, is kind of “backward” in that we don’t have water rights fights, metered wells or irrigation fights. We actually mostly have too much water. after all, it’s the Land of 10,000 lakes. And that’s only the bigger ones! We consider ourselves very fortunate.
Here where I am in extreme northern MO we are getting haze from the smoke. It does make for some beautiful sunsets. I feel for all those who are in the direct path of that smoke and people in Canada who are having to live in that. It must be awful. We stay pretty dry here. We have had about 3/4 inch of rain last week, but we were very dry and most of the rains seem to be splitting around us. We were dry last year and this one looks to be about the same. Hope you get your planting all done and you get rain. Sending prayers for a blessed week.
Your prayers helped! We did get about 3/4 of an inch of rain, and it made all the difference in the world. Yep, the smoke is kind of bad here. I can tell as my nose runs, and my eyes burn. Even after the rain. I hope your rain continues as I hope ours will too.
I hope you get the needed rain. I recently received a blessed 1 inch of rain. Pastures are still holding up but more rain is needed. I did get everything I plant in the ground. I have around 16 “spare” plants -1/2 tomatoes and 1/2 peppers to replace ones that don’t survive. I hope you don’t have to haul water-that is a pain. I have had to do that and the gardens are a mile down the road. We’ve fed all our hay and hope we get enough this summer. I don’t see any clouds due to the smoke filled sky. I hope our Canadian neighbors aren’t suffering too much. Fire is a terrible happening.
I agree. Fire is horrible. We did get 3/4 of an inch of rain and it also cooled down and made planting easier. We are planting hard every day. I’m done with tomatoes. Thank God! And have planted lots and lots of corn, beans, peppers, squash, pumpkins and some melons. More to go though.
We were blessed with a fantastic hay crop last year and still have about 100 big round bales left. The cows aren’t out on pasture yet as we’re trying to let it grow more after Will manured it and now it has rained.
Dear Jackie,
We got tons of rain this spring, but it seems to have just cut off. We are hoping for a little rain this weekend; but we will have to wait and see. The Amish farmers and the professional ones, too, irrigate. The mega farms have large equipment that look like enormous giant green grasshoppers! LOL. We love to watch it all. We will keep praying for rain for you guys.
Your prayers helped. Thank you! We did get some decent rain and are so very grateful. We planted right through it as the rain came in waves. It was so nice to be wet we didn’t mind even though the temperature had cooled off a lot. The transplanted plants loved the weather!!
Here in Oklahoma, I recently saw that this is the first year that we’re not in a drought. And that’s after 6 years of drought. I got 4 inches overnight last night and that’s after much rain the last two weeks. Thankful for the rain. We prayed and prayed during those years. In Gods time it rains, but it’s still hard to deal with. Hopefully you get rain soon.
We did get a nice rain. Not tons but enough to sure satisfy us after weeks of dry weather. I’m so glad you’re not facing drought again. That’s so hard to work with.
Seasons; winter and preparing for winter!! Oooo your self seeded lettuce are beauties. Planting in dust, maybe this is why none of my greens sprout this year. Thought the few showers were sufficient. 1 spinach plant out of 2! Rows 0 lettuce. Enjoy your lettuce!!! Canada 🇨🇦 has a very rough road ahead. Seems so every where in wildfires anymore. Hope you get some rain! Soon.got corn beans and transplant s under drip line for the heat wave were in , as if it were late summer instead of pre summer!
We did get rain, finally. And, we’re so glad too! I had just planted our carrots and they should be very happy after two days and nights of on again, off again rain. Whew. They sure don’t germinate if it’s dry.
I feel so bad for Canada too. Fire is so terrible, unless it’s in your wood stove.
We have been seeing some of the smoke here in N. Central TX. Not a lot, however. We have also been getting a LOT of rain. Sadly, almost to much at the moment. I know that in a month or two we will be crying for rain. If I could I would send about an inch of rain a week to you.
And that rain would be so welcome! We did get some rain and we’re so happy about that. We’re working like mad to take advantage of the damp soil. I hope your rain lets off a bit.
Jackie, We are about 30 miles SE of Columbus, Ohio and we have the smoke here, too. Last year was a drought year for us and this one seems to be setting up in the same pattern. Rain all around us, even a half mile from us, but not anything here but .003″. Wishing you rain, enough but not too much. The surprise lettuce is your thank you for being so kind to your friend Tom. It is heartwarming to hear that good people do help each other. Good luck with your gardens, take care, we appreciate the time you take to keep us all posted.
I always have time to help Tom as he helped us so much after Bob died and building on our new house. Although I paid him, I always felt it was not nearly enough. We also got some rain. A nice rain, not the .003 of an inch we got a few days ago. We were so happy. I hope it comes your way too.
Hi Jackie- Don’t you just love self- seeding lettuce! I have a variety called Freckles that self seeded. Perfect timing because my first round of lettuce is done now and turning bitter. Im praying for rain. The wildfire situation here in Canada is already unbelievable. My sister lost everything to a wildfire two years ago and after two years of dealing with the insurance company she is finally moving in to her new home this month. Yes, it’s beautiful but the emotional cost has been huge. Luckily the only thing to survive was her beautiful garden because it was damp from watering. It has been such a blessing for her. Thank goodness for gardens!
You can’t beat volunteer heirloom plants. I can see red berries from a window in my house so I’ll be out there in the morning. Beauty of work from home on a team that is down to two peeps (and the other peep has health issues) is beggars can’t be choosers. Hours even out at the end is all I can say.
It is always firewood season – be it splitting and/or stocking up the “branch bank” (to be split wood).
So nice to hear of you helping Tom – not near enough good folks helping other good folks out these days.