We debated and debated on whether to start planting in the garden. Nearly every year previous, we have had a killing frost around the first week in June. Sometimes even later. But we looked at the 10-day forecast, and the low is pretty high for here in northern Minnesota, about 50’s, with highs in the 70’s and 80’s F. Okay, we took a big breath, and I started planting in earnest. So far, I’ve got about half of our beans and two rows of carrots planted. I planted three stock panels with a common bean, then another two with Folsom Indian Ruin, which is a runner bean, a different species, so they won’t cross. Then I planted 5 rows of bush beans and another trellis of pole beans. This morning, I planted two rows of carrots, both Kuroda and Scarlet Nantes, and four more rows of bush beans. Will had a bad day yesterday, suddenly feeling very tired. He took a good nap and felt better. However, today is an “easy” day for him or Mama will clobber him good!
This morning, I tilled the patch where the potatoes will be planted soon, as well as re-tilling the south side of the Wolf Garden for the third time, as I was seeing green again (weeds). I also tilled the Main Garden for the second time. This afternoon, I’m going to plant Gete Okosomin, the ancient Native squash, in the Main Garden, from seeds, leaving enough room to tractor-till all around it as that garden had gotten very weedy and most of it will lay fallow, getting periodically tilled all summer. Yes, we’re transferring the seed business to our friends, Lynn and Jesse, in August, but we want to grow lots of seeds for them to ensure the transition is smooth and there are enough seeds for everyone. The plants in the greenhouse are getting huge so I’m hoping that in a week, the 10-day forecast will still look good so I can set them out.
We’re really enjoying seeing the orioles and other birds on the bird feeders in the front yard. When we take a break, we sit on the porch and admire them as they come for a snack. I added a new hummingbird feeder and another oriole feeder as Walmart had them on sale for $5 each.
Just a note, I had run out of grape jelly over the holiday weekend and substituted some of my pincherry jelly. They loved it! We have lots of grapes, so this fall I plan on making my own oriole jelly. It’s getting hard to find it without high fructose corn syrup! Besides, it’s one step closer to self-reliance!
— Jackie
Yep, mushrooms were a bust here because of very little snow to melt and hardly any rain. We’re hoping we’ll get fruit as there have been no killing frosts to bother the blooms.
Here in Copper basin Alaska we have had frost four out of rhe last five nights. Highs on green porch in 50’s and in green house in ‘a. I have planted onions, beets, chard, lettuce, rutabagas turnips carrots and radishes in the two middle beds in the hoop houses. I have been working up one of the side beds but switched to getting help to move my two foot tall tomatoes to the green nouse since the wind finally calmed down. They were in 4×4 pots so they will be planted deep! I’ll start a fire soon and can tell if I need to feed it because I have a weather station theomometer on the shelf next to my bed!
That’s cool, having your weather station next to your bed. I just may move ours so I can check it in the middle of the night, when necessary. No frosts here but boy has it been hot, with no rain.
I’m not a health care expert, far from it…but sudden tiredness rings alarm bells. We all want Will to be well…and you also, Jackie. You both work incredibly hard! Maybe Will could get a heart check-up? Wouldn’t hurt.
He just had his annual physical at the VA, and all was well. I think he just over-did it during the heat. He’s been fine since, but boy do I watch him close.
wow what a lotta cultivating you accomplished! Will ‘listen to Mama ‘Rest an behave’ it’s truly hard not to keep pushing oneself ‘gotta get the weeding- the transplants in ect this time of year Nature isn’t too accommodating Weve been having cool nights slowing seed sprouting experiencing high winds that just whip transplants-unless covered/shields so far i v only lost one pepper. but still have a tray to hopefully find space for! I too want to say THANK YOU for sharing your life with us You’ re so inspiring what two people accomplish. Yes many friends an family help but you n Will are DOING it hang in there and continue to stop an enjoy the scenes. take care
We haven’t had any wind nor cold nights. But it’s very dry and hot (for us in the north), usually getting to 80 degrees F or better during the day. It makes planting difficult, but, slowly, it’s getting done. So far, it’s just beans and a little corn. I want to hold off planting started plants until Sunday, when it’s supposed to be cloudy. Hopefully they won’t shock much from the heat then.
Meanwhile, it’s just more seeds, tilling again and again and heading out to water the carrot seeds I planted in moist soil two days ago. Dryness is the number one reason carrot seeds do not germinate. Those tiny, tiny rootlets are smaller than a hair. If they dry out, the plant never even shows itself above ground! I don’t have a watering system in the Wolf Garden so I’ll be carrying out a plastic tote of water and using the watering can.
Dear Jackie, Wow, what a garden. I sure wish I could live near you, and I would help you for sure. Yes, make Will take a break. I think tiredness is a sign you need to listen too. I went to ortho doc today and I need knee replacement. But I took the steroid shot and therapy for now. I want to get through this year’s canning season and there is nothing much to do in winter anyway, except sew and I can do that sitting down. You have to plan your strategy in life. LOL Take care of yourself and Will. I love all your books and blogs.
I totally get putting off the knee replacement surgery until it’s more convenient. Our slowest time is January, so all my surgeries were done then. I pray yours goes very well and gives you the relief you need.
You might consider Hyaluronic acid injections before committing to knee replacement. It is covered by Medicare.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/hyaluronic-acid-injection-route/description/drg-20074557
My better half has had good results with his – he’s been doing it twice a year for the last five (I think) years. One knee is worse than the other so he’s going to do that one every 3 months versus 6 months. He wants to avoid knee replacement as long as he can. He doesn’t expect to be totally pain free but his knees work better. He uses OTC meds most of the time but also uses Celebrex (generic). He uses the Celebrex sparingly and at a lower dose than before. He’s learned to “watch it” as the Celebrex can work too good and he doesn’t want to overdo it. His ortho does not push knee replacements but another at that clinic is knee jerk you-need-a-knee-replacement.
What an inspiring blog that you write and especially the one today telling about your accomplishments. You’re one of a kind and I am so glad I found your blog, contributions to the 2 quarterly magazine, your cookbook and gardening books. I want to say a special thank you for writing the book that got this all going for me-Starting Over.
I have most of my little garden in the ground or tubs and have enjoyed the first planting of radishes in tubs and replanted them as it’s been unusually cool here in northern Oklahoma. Tomatoes, beets, turnips, eggplant and potatoes look promising at this point. The cabbages are so-so. Just got pole beans, squash and sweet potatoes planted with help from a dear friend. I’m not giving up but am certainly a little late with some planting. We’ll see. Have a blessed week and praying Will recuperates quickly.
Will did recuperate quickly. By the next day, he felt much better. But he’s still taking it relatively easy. Just in case. We sure can’t have any medical emergencies right now. Here you’re late with your planting and I’m getting an early start.
Hi Jackie,
I enjoy knowing whats going on as youre so close to my own little hobby farm! My husband and I too have been looking at the forecast and wondering if I can maybe, just maybe, get some more warmer loving things in the groundsooner this year. I think im going to put out some of my tomatoes and not all quite yet as we do tend to get some freezes that others dont bc we lay low along a creek. Im trying some melons this year – thanks to your article in Backwoods Mag :). Do you still keep goats, Jackie?
Hi Jessica,
I had asked that question months (?) ago and she had replied No. They’d gotten a disease of some kind, so no goats now.
Harvested a pint *maybe* of strawberries. Another new weed has cropped up in the strawberry patch and I see some baby violets. We had the bumper year of cicadas in 2024 (two varieties “hatched”) and I think that has something to do with it.
Morels have been a bust – if it was wet it was cool. If it was warm, it was (and still is) dry. We’ve seen golden oysters, our friends harvested some. But they too need some moisture to pop out again.
Not a great asparagus harvest – going to weed it this weekend (will have to water it first). THEN I am going to mark the bare spots myself.