Lessons

We've done a lot of experimenting with the garden this year, and we've been rewarded with plenty of lessons. Many of them have been frustrating, disappointing, dare I say heartbreaking?

For instance, we learned that mesh bird netting does not keep chickens out of the broccoli patch. In a few short minutes, our happy hens reduced months of planting, watering, nurturing, transplanting, and hoping to this: 

 

Well, I suppose the chickens enjoyed their feast, and the eggs were a little more nutritious that day I'm sure. After fuming and moping for I while, I did some research to see if there might be time for second-chance broccoli this year--I've always just started one batch early in the spring. I found some information about direct sowing broccoli, and apparently in our area it can be done through July. So I pulled out the devastated plants and tried sowing some seeds directly into the patch. Another experiment! We'll see how it works out. (And the chickens have earned themselves confinement to the coop/fenced run till our seedlings grow up a bit. We hate not letting them out every day, but we haven't come up with a better way to keep the plants safe.)

Lesson 2: Slugs don't mind sharp gravel at all. Our hoop house is sitting on our gravel patio area, and seemed like a fine place for our tender seedlings to hang out till the weather warms. Until these guys found them:

When I am tempted to think of myself too highly as a benevolent, non-violent, forgiving human being, I only need to have a run-in with the slugs (or aphids) to quickly prove my violent and hateful tendencies. I suppose they need to eat too. I just wish they didn't so fancy our lovely young pepper plants.

And this is what happened after we moved them back inside under the lights, thinking we had removed all the slugs. They are sneaky stowaways. We had to throw out a good number of these peppers because the damage was just too severe. Luckily we planted a lot more than we need (though we were hoping to have more to share). Next year we'll try to rig up something to keep the seedlings off the ground, and experiment with less slug-friendly containers and trays. 

Other experiments have led to happier lessons. Our front yard raised beds have been thriving. The peas we planted are going crazy. I've been reading an old organic agriculture classic called The Soil and Health by Sir Albert Howard, and he really likes humus. It is fascinating to see the difference in my own yard between the weak and spindly plants that grow in our depleted clay soil, and then to compare these to the lush abundance of the plants growing in a bed with plentiful organic matter.

And no aphids or slugs yet (knock on wood)!! I planted a few zinnias in the beds, too, and we have winter squash and cucumber seedlings just about ready to plant out this weekend. Hooray for humus!

A restorative walk in the forest

Today we ventured out for a hike up Hamilton Mountain in the Columbia River Gorge. It was a celebration of life and health, for we have been SICK.  Pneumonia, bronchitis, high fevers, horrible coughs, too many trips to the doctor. Thankfully, we are in the process of convalescence now, gradually recovering our stamina, feeling our energy return.

 

I am so grateful for the restorative energy of the forest. The fragrance of the cedars and firs, the silence and birdsong, the myriad shades of green, the sprightly flowers blooming, and all the leaves and shoots and tendrils bursting forth with spring life.

 

 And finally the mighty force of Hardy Falls, full of spring rains. These trips to the forest have been few and far between in the last two years. When we find the time, and the dry weather, and the health and energy to take them now, it feels like a real miracle.  Thank you Hamilton Mountain!

Wishing you, too, a restorative walk in the woods in the week ahead.

Strawberry Pants

I made another pair of those great  Anna Maria Horner Quick Change Trousers for my own little one recently and finally had some sunshine for a test run today. I think they get a passing mark. How can you go wrong with strawberries?

Happy Easter

Just a spring posy to wish you all a Happy Easter...

 

We have all been sick this weekend, but we did get out to thin the radishes and spinach...oh how delectable these tiny greens are! They will go well with the strata our dear neighbors brought us for dinner. 

Many blessings of new life and joy...

Manure Connection!

This weekend our garden got a real treat. The ex-lawn site in the backyard was in some need of serious amendment--our native soil is solid hard heavy clay. Nearly impossible to plant into. We didn't love the idea of importing soil, but felt that it was our only option. So Dan got a load of soil mix from a local landscape supplier. When he arrived home, we took a whiff and nearly choked. It smelled of toxic, petroleum, industrial chemicals. We called the supplier, who sent us to their supplier, who assured us their soil is thoroughly tested, comes from reliable sources, nothing to worry about, etc. We went out and hoped to convince ourselves it was fine, took another whiff, and decided to take it back. In the past, we had an even worse experience with imported soil, not realizing that it had been contaminated with shredded asphalt roofing shingles (very toxic!!) until after we had filled our raised beds and planted into them. Needless to say, we had wasted a lot of work, time, and plants before that situation was remedied, and we didn't want to repeat it. 

So..Dan took back the load of smelly soil and I did a little research into other options. This is when I found the Manure Connection! It's a network on the  East Multnomah Soil and Water Conservation website to connect people with too much manure and people with too little. I called one of the women advertising free aged manure, had a neighborly conversation, and sent Dan to pick up a load. He did have to drive a bit to get it, but the manure itself was free, beautiful, fluffy, and sweet smelling. And the experience was so positive for everyone involved--we received a much needed organic garden amendment, she got rid of manure needing to go, and we all felt great about it! No mining or contaminants or large industrial systems to muck up the experience. 

Our front beds are coming along nicely, too--the leaves are breaking down and the soil is lighter than when we started. The peas and worms seem to be happy so far!

A good weekend

It's been one of those rare weekends with the perfect mix of hard work, good fun, and happy meetings with friends. No one was sick, we had a bit of sun (and a bit of rain), and no major catastrophes occurred. We are grateful.

Friday night after Miss A went to bed, I sewed up these little pants for a sweet baby girl just welcomed home by some friends of ours:

 

This is my new favorite pattern. It's the Quick Change Trousers from Anna Maria Horner's book Handmade Beginnings.  I don't usually buy books, but I made an exception for this one because it wasn't available at the library. This one pattern has made the purchase well worth the investment. The pants are reversible, with no visible seams to unravel or irritate baby's sensitive skin. And they're quick and simple to sew. I have plans to sew a few more pairs for new babes expected to arrive soon.

Saturday it was Dan's turn to be productive. We decided to take the plunge and tear up the rest of our back lawn to make space for more food. I had been hanging on to it, thinking we needed a place for little ones to play. But after the hundredth-or-so time of hearing myself complain about how we didn't have enough room to plant all the vegetables we wanted, I was struck by the epiphany that the lawn just had to go. We are lucky enough to live within a few blocks of two parks and a school, so it only takes us a few minutes to get to a space where we can run and kick balls and swing from the monkey bars.

I have to say, watching that lawn being tilled up (from the safety and quiet of the house) was exhilarating!  I'm just salivating, thinking of all the tomatoes and peppers and broccoli and beans that will be growing in this space in a few months. The toddler question of the day was "Where'd the lawn go?" And the toddler answer: "Daddy took it away!" Yes indeed. We would have liked to use no-till methods to eradicate this lawn, but we just don't have access to enough organic matter (or time) to cover the entire space and wait for it to break down. So our plan is to till it mechanically once, add compost and a few soil amendments, then hopefully we'll be able to maintain it from now on with minimal tilling.

After the lawn was demolished and the rototiller was returned, Dan and Miss A walked to the park so I could poke through an estate sale down the street. What treasures I found!

These lovely linens all appear to be hand-embroidered, though I really don't know much about vintage linens and fabrics. There was a whole room full of them at this sale, and I felt it my duty to make sure that at least a few of them were given a home where their beauty and craftsmanship would be cherished.

The little seedlings have been productive, too.

Our little hoop house is overflowing! Sunday afternoon turned into family gardening time. We potted up a bunch of seedlings and planted a few more outside.

(that's the newly tilled barren lawn behind us, just waiting to be planted)

Our babies are growing up!

And we have some happy little peas popping up in the front yard.

We were having so much fun outside this afternoon that dinner time came upon us before we knew it!
Thank goodness for quick scrambled eggs.

Thank you happy hens!

Signs of Spring

The last few weeks have been a bit harried...health and moods and weather have all been rather tumultuous. Makes it challenging to find the time and mental space to pause and reflect.  But when Spring suddenly sprang this week, a magical moment presented itself and I ran outside to share it with a few of the blossoms waking up after a long winter's nap.

The red flowering currant is one of my favorite NW native plants--such lovely blossoms, and so accommodating to whatever plot of ground it finds itself in. 

 

Our lilac is about to burst, and our neighbor's pink plum tree in the background has been dropping petals all over  the backyard. Earlier this week I looked out the window and was surprised to see it snowing--then realized that the snowflakes were actually pink petals.

And the first forget-me-not. Soon they will be covering the backyard in delicate periwinkle.

We harvested our first greens last week--oh what a delight! So refreshing to be creating meals from the backyard again--scrambled eggs with spicy mesclun and chives--yum!

A few weeks ago we dug up the last of the parsnips which had started to sprout after dying back over the winter. 

Some of them were monsters, but there were a few just right for eating. I had been meaning to try this carrot parsnip ginger soup and thought that the final parsnip harvest would be the perfect occasion. So delicious! It got rave reviews from the man of the house, and even passing marks from the toddler (who disdains most veggies at this time).

And you? Have you noticed signs of Spring in your neck of the woods?