Green Things Are Growing In CT

Is it strange that our biggest and best news of the day is about getting a pile of compost dumped in our yard?  Well, to each their own, right?!
I am excited.  But, to be fair, I am excited because it means I can fill up our new raised bed for veggies and I can plant my asparagus crowns and start some peas, radishes and lettuce.  My boys are excited because, well, because it's a pile of dirt - that's why!

Erik even told the dentist this morning about how he was going to use his new wheelbarrow and gardening tools today to help Mommy move dirt.  How sweet.  We'll see how long the work lasts and when I start seeing him just climbing up the 5 cubic yard pile of black gold.  It is black gold, by the way.  We ordered it from Collins Compost last year and we're so happy with the results, we may be making an annual order.  Collins Compost is part of Collins Powder Hill Farm.  They are famous in my kids eyes for their Creamery - the creamiest ice cream ever and a happy place on the hill to eat it on a warm summers day.  Oh, did I mention that it is only a couple miles from our house! Yippee.  My garden is happy, but not my waistline!

Anyway, our 4' X 16' garden was a huge success last year, so we made another (much to my husbands dismay I put it right next to the other one where he thinks the kids will kick balls into it all the time)  Now, we just need to fill it up and get the cold crops going!

I already have lots of veggies and flowers growing in my basement - with the advice and help of my friend Sam who is, a master gardener!  She helps run an incredible venture in Morristown, NJ called Grow It Green (check it out www.growitgreenmorristown.org ) where they provide a wealth of information for the community about gardening, sustainability, the environment, flora and fauna, etc.  The teach a multitude of classes and hold events all the time.  They have created the most amazing community garden and urban farm right in the area.  It really is truly incredible!  A wonderful venture and a wonderful opportunity.  She is my "go-to girl" if I have a gardening question and I am sure she is quite used to my quick little messages asking about how to thin seedlings or when to plant winter squash.  So, I hope I can somehow show her I have been listening!  We shall see when it is time to harvest.

Last years garden was excellent - shelling peas, sugar snap peas, green pole beans, 3 different kinds of lettuce, broccoli, strawberries, carrots, radishes, pumpkins, birdhouse gourds, peppers, onions, 2 types of tomatoes and a very poor attempt at cucumbers (we'll have to fix that this year)  All in all, I would say it was definitely a success! Who knew 4' X 16' could hold so much! Yeah, succession planting!  Now, I am going to add brussel sprouts, asparagus, baby leeks, parsnips and more types of carrots (they were the best!)

Is it strange that I am excited about this? Well, maybe just as strange as my love for birds.....I am sorry to say this, but gardening and birding is considered such a "senior" type of hobby. My sister, the happy birder, will pout when she reads this, but I am sure she agrees.  All I can say is, at least my sister, Sam and I (and many other friends and family that I know) are trying their best to change that mentality in this day and age.  I am happy to see many young people starting their own gardens or joining a CSA -Community Sustained Agriculture.  My family is doing a local CSA again this year at Easy Pickins Farm ( www.easypickinsorchard.com) even though we will be growing our own as well.  My husband and I want to support locally grown food and hopefully show our kids the importance of community that is harder to show these days.  No farms - no food, right?

Not only is this an important issue, but the whole pesticide issue comes up too.  My husband and I are going to sit down to discuss what foods that we need to buy organic even though we simply cannot afford to, with one income and three kids.  But what choice do we have? The amount of pesticides on fruits and veggies is staggering!  Countless articles are proving links to cancer from eating pesticide ridden strawberries! Strawberries!?????  My kids LOVE strawberries! Are we slowly poisoning our own children?  Geez, people.  

So, we grow our own, we buy locally grown organic produce and hope we aren't killing our children.  I guess I better learn to can my food.  My goodness.  At this rate, I will be using a washboard to wash clothes and leaving pies to cool in the windows...just call me June....you all know how much I love my housewife duties!