Before the plotting, I’m still busy seeding out our squash, especially our favorite, Hopi Pale Grey. Will’s whining for pumpkin pie made from it, so we’ll see…
Even though we’ll still be raising a bunch of seeds to help Lynn and Jesse, the folks who will be taking over our seed business, we plan on having smaller gardens this year. Now, when I say “smaller” I don’t mean like 50′ x 50′. More like 3 acres instead of 5. It might not sound smaller to most of you, but to us, it’s a huge difference. I’ve been going through my seed bank, deciding what I need to plant plus what I want to plant. That’s a big difference! I’m getting a little low on sweet corn due to our crop failures this past fall because of all the rain. So I’m going big there. Same with peppers for the same reason.
Then there are a few new ones I simply must try, Ute Indian Squash, several different types of kale, some tomatillos I’ve grown in the past but didn’t have room for last year. You know, the “boy that’s cool” stuff. I’m getting excited. Especially when I went to the store and took a look at what produce is selling for, not to mention canned fruits and vegetables. Holy cow! I see it only going to get worse. I can’t fix the world’s troubles, nor even those in Minnesota. I can plant more. It helps keep us sane.
Our weather’s been pretty constant. Lows in the negative teens to twenties and highs like one degree F. Not much snow, but the wind sure feels cold. Will and I moved the cows back out to the cow yard yesterday as other than the cold, the weather is not forecast to do anything uncomfortable for them. And they have access to a dozen big round bales out there to eat or stand behind as windbreaks. They like it a lot. They weren’t using the barn at all, even though the door is always open for them.
Think spring, especially those of you impacted by the nasty ice storm that hit a lot of the country. It will come and all this nasty stuff will just be an unhappy memory. Hang in there! — Jackie
I accidentally grew Hopi Grey up a trellis and they grew huge! Heavy and dense but those thick vine stems held em 👍
Jackie, thanks for your voice of clarity, calm, and focus. I love that. It pulls us back to what really matters. Also, the Lord is our bottom-line, our Source. Thanks, Jackie. Keep blogging and I’m going to keep listening to your clarity.
We all sometimes get bogged down by outside forces, whether it be civil unrest, failing economy or world events, not to mention family and health issues. It’s important that we focus on the things we can do to help ourselves and our close ones. Planting a good garden, home canning, trying to keep as prepared as possible and keeping a positive outlook. I thank God every single night for all the blessings we’ve received throughout the years.
I love seeing the pictures of the greenhouse and flowers. I does help one to remember spring is on the way. We have been cold here with just a little snow. I had -10 yesterday. Warmer this morning with -2. It could be so much worse. I am passing time looking at seed catalogs and thinking about what I will plant. I have a lot of seed saved up so will mostly use those I think. I was sick a lot of last summer and fall so didn’t get my garden worked up in the fall. I’m afraid it will be a huge battle with weeds this year. It is especially bad in the fence rows around the garden. Any tips on keeping weeds out of the fence rows? Enjoy that pie and have a blessed week.
I hear you. We didn’t get our gardens manured or tilled last fall either or cleaned up like we usually do. Winter came on with a bang. Keeping the weeds out of the fence rows is an ongoing challenge. I’ve used strong vinegar, sprayed on the area, but you have to repeat it on and off all summer and I just seem to not have the time.
I understand Marilyn, The bear has broken down 2 chain-link fences to my garden and orchard, so there’s that, I don’t know when it will be secured again, and then don’t have any faith better half will actually rototill. I physically can’t. The weeds are already 2 feet tall, and I need a running weed-eater. I’m not a person who knows how to fix.
We’re supposed to get 2-4″ of snow here in east central GA this weekend starting sometime this afternoon. That will make it so pretty but the low temps for the next two mornings will be in the low teens and highs just below 32. The bad part will be wind chills between 5 and -5. I hope my garlic survives as it’s already up. I’ve buried it in leaves and covers added over that.
I managed to tear a tendon in an ankle but have decided to delay surgery on it until July when the garden is mostly finished. It will be slow going but I think it can be done with the help of my sister who lives here too. There’s little that two hard working retired ladies can’t accomplish!
That’s for sure Chris! Isn’t it kind of funny how we plan our surgeries to fit our gardening??? I think your garlic will be fine. It’s pretty darned tough. Hopefully it’ll warm up soon.
I think your garlic will be fine too – the fact it has some cover will really help. This is the longest cold snap my area has had in quite a while – it does sap energy. Better half felt better when we ran into one of his (younger) friends tonight. He too talked about fire wood/wood stove during this cold snap.
I’ve also noticed how this stretch of cold weather is affecting my 86+ year old dad. Likely didn’t help he had to go out for a few days to feed my sibling’s cats – a short trip but still out in the weather.
Better half found an antler shed early January. This afternoon we saw the previous “owner” of the shed at our feeder. Would be cool to find his other shed after hit happens but I’m not getting my hopes up. We’re just happy we saw him.
Jackie, I’m in NW AZ at 3700 ft elevation and our temps have been in the 60’s with lows in the 40’s. I have several cold weather crops growing in my raised beds and I literally harvested my last bell pepper on January 19, when I picked the last of my tomatoes.
Have you ever tried growing Hopi Pale Grey on a trellis? I ask because a sinlge plant can take over one of my 4’x16′ raised beds.
I still have 2 Hopi Pale Grey’s in storage. They last for months.
Oh, I’ve started tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers in my indoor mini-greenhouse. I also have some rooted cuttings there of a couple of hybrid cukes that performed so well last season I want to grow them again.
Wow, it’s so cool to hear of you folks gardening in warmer areas!! Hopis will climb like crazy. I’ve had them go up trees and over fences. Sometimes folks have good luck by planting them way out in the back lawn, in a small bed, where they can run at will over the grass and not take up valuable gardening areas.
I won’t be starting even my pansies and peppers until the middle of February, along with the onions. Our spring comes a lot later than yours does!
Our son lives in Kingman, so I keep up with the weather there. It’s almost identical to our location in far north California. I think it is a product of the jet stream weather. Yes, I, too, just picked more red bell peppers. The plants are surviving just fine here, in zone 9.
Boy, me too! Spring can’t come too fast for us. We haven’t seen 14 above zero for a long time. So, that would be balmy, for sure. I’m looking forward to the warmup this next week and I’ll bet our chickens will too.
We don’t have a furnace, so the wood stoves go all day and much of the night. Such a pleasant heat and we love the cost. Just some sweat.
There is no furnace that outputs heat like a wood stove.
OH! What a beautiful sight! The hoophouse that is…although having a boyfriend that shovels is a pretty awesome sight too…lol Putting together my seed order to get in the mail to you. Getting our plans together for our new ministry Acres of Hope here on the range. Planning to teach folks to save seed knowing yours are safe for saving.
Any word on what is going on with Homestead Mills?
Any chance you would do a tomato tasting this year?
Praying for peace in your days and no more vehicle issues.
I agree, both with my lovely husband, shoveling snow and the hoophouse in full glory, are beautiful sights!! What a great ministry you’re planning. I hope it goes very well.
No word on Homestead Mills other than their mixer is broken and too expensive to fix so they’re buying wholesale feed in 50 pound sacks to sell. The food end is the same.
We want to do a tomato tasting this year at The Watering Can; I hope we can swing the time to do so.
Maybe you could post and let us know if you decide to do the tasting. It would be a fun field trip.
What a bummer for Homestead Mills. They have been such a steady source for feed for so many years. And their Cinnamon Roll pancake mix is delicious.
Hoping for warmer temps today.
Hope Will gets his pie. Here in NW Georgia,we dodged an ice storm last weekend. This weekend snow with a huge temperature drop. Some of our eastern neighbors still don’t have power from last week. Bless them,please.
Will always gets his pie. Ha ha. Gee, that’s tough with your neighbors not having power. Let’s all pray everyone gets theirs restored and are staying safe.
I talked to my dad last night, who lives in Siloam Springs, Ark. At 94, he fell because of ice, now pulled rib muscles.
Oh boy, I’ll be praying for him. Pulled rib muscles sure hurt. I’m glad he wasn’t hurt any worse though.
Bright sunny day here, but high of only 12, morning 3. This weekend it’s up to 20 degrees, and I have some outside electrical wiring to do. That temperature is tolerable. My chickens still refuse to lay in the cold weather. I still have not completed my seed inventory, but maybe tomorrow. I’ve seen your “gardens,” and they are huge. It would overwhelm me. I have two 30 x 90 fenced gardens. One, I am converting to perennials: asparagus, raspberries, strawberries, and sunchokes. All my sons are grown, married, and nearby, but they still use our pantry for supplies. It really helps us (two old people) to have them available. Love is action and caring. We feel blessed. Bring on spring. I am getting a bit of cabin fever. Any hints on getting the chickens to start laying eggs again?
Our chickens stopped laying too. Our highs have only been in the single digits, above and below zero so I don’t blame them. When it warms up, you can bet they’ll start laying again. I know ours always do then. It’s great to have your grown sons nearby, even if they use your pantry. Hey, I love giving my kids lots of jars of goodies.
Are you offering your hulless pumpkin this year . I can’t find it in your catalog. I believe it’s name was something like OLinka. I really liked that pumpkin.
Yes, Olinka is in the catalog, on page 23. We love it too. The seeds are so much fun to roast; they puff up real cute.
Thank you so much. I will look again.
Ohhh How I loved this photo! Got so excited when the Seed Treasure order arrived! When I started to put them in with my seed stash: discovered a whole list I forgot to add in my order!! Hopefully you’ll be able to fill But with so many of us‘Finding’ Seed Treasure il have to wait and see
Itched to set up the seeding trays.
Gotta be patient a few more weeks. February is short, but can really get Cold, even the heated green house Discovered this a few years back. Seedlings Don’t wantchilled! even with the heat and lights green house still got into the 40’. Wills out shoveling hopefully he’s recovered from the bug! Brrr 0 is the high. We’re now back to low 40’s high- for now. Take care. Stay warm and healthy! Mmm pumpkin pie weather Wills right!
Yep, Will and I have both pretty much recovered from our cold, although we both have the lingering cough. UGH!
We’ve still got lots of seed. The only three things we’ve run out of so far are Who Gets Kissed sweet corn, Sweet Granite muskmelon and Monte Gusto pole beans. It was a tough growing year last year.
Dear Jackie – I have been so thankful for your little seed business over the years. When the lockdown hit, I remember so many people decided to try growing food that the big seed companies were running out of seed or charging ridiculous prices. I just put my regular order in with Seed Treasures, feeling like I was in on a sweet secret! I never have to order Provider green bean seeds again because I save my own now.
I hope you and Will thoroughly enjoy a bit of a slower pace as you downsize your business and your garden. You deserve it!
I’m so glad to hear you’re saving seeds. Providers are sure a good way to start as they make so many beans!!
We’ll be running pretty much full tilt this year, but next, it’ll be a bigger slow-down.
My husband asked me for years to grow the basic green bean Blue Lake. Now I’m finding out they had strings; returning to our old fav, Slenderette.
I’m a Provider fan. Besides the flavor, I’ve never had beans that produced so much all season long.
We had brisk feels likes (meaning not down to -40, I have my mental scale of winter temps). it was a balmy 14 today – no wind. We’ve not had a lick of precipitation. We’ll “warm up” next week – might get some snow here and there.
Using the wood stove in the mornings as of late – helps the furnace get the house to a decent temp without running non-stop.
I cannot wait for spring.