Free Seeds?

What a way to start my day! I like surprises and what a nice surprise it was when I found WinterSown.Org. I now have 6 packets of seeds on the way, with only a SASE.

The website is loaded with information on:

*Starting Seeds Outdoors in the Winter
*Organizing and Storing Seeds
*Seed Trading
*Printable Seed Packets
*and more

You need to go through a series of fun questions about the website before you get to the seed request address and here's the link. Gateway to Seeds

Taking The Growing Challenge

I'm finally jumping on board with the challenge Melinda from One Green Generation has given. I love a challenge and I love what this one stands for.

I Finally Got My Order In!

Yesterday was a busy day here on the 'stead. Getting our ducks in order to be ready for Spring planting has kept us on the move. Now I can't wait to get the garden started.

This year we're trying to focus more on sustainability, so many of the things I ordered were for just that. The order I placed at Bountiful Gardens included as many perennial crops as I could find. Perennial alfalfa is what I'm probably most excited about. The rabbits need food and I'm hoping the plants live the 25+ years that was stated. That will save a ton over the years on feed PLUS the huge soil benefits that alfalfa provides.

It was so exciting to have my order placed at Seed Savers Exchange also. It was really hard to decide what to plant! There are so many interesting varieties and funny names that I wanted way more of them than I could afford. Names like "Lazy Housewife" and "Jacob's Cattle Gasless" beans, and "Bloody Butcher" corn. Who could pass up names like that?

My other goal this year was to plant as many open pollinated heirloom seeds as I could. I decided which varieties by their high yield and dependability. The thought of what this year's food prices could look like is kind of scary. I want to make sure that the food I plant will produce enough food for our family and others in need. PLUS, being able to share the seeds will help too.

And last but definitely not least(drum roll, please) I ordered my bees!! Yeah!! Now there's no turning back, hee-hee. I used Rossman Apiaries to order Italian bees...all 3 pounds of them plus the queen. How exciting! I'm now getting the hive set up and ready to go for the new tenants.

With the up and down, hot and cold weather we've had, I'll have to really watch the weather so I can get outside to work on the garden. It's been crazy here... 80 degrees one day, the wind picking up to 50+ mph then the temps dropping below freezing for a day or two with freezing rain. It has literally been on this cycle like clockwork. The poor animals! Here in the house, we're heating it one day and trying to cool it down the next. It heats up quickly here with most of our large windows facing directly south. That's good for passive solar heating in the winter, BUT not so good when it gets hot. I've melted a few Christmas wreaths on the front door in the winter here from the direct sun. Now I just need to work on a way to harness this solar energy to make it work for us. More planning!

Shoveling Manure

What does one do in Texas when it's an 80 degree day in January? Well, shovel manure of course! That is how we spent part of yesterday. I'm so very thankful, to say the least. What a trooper my DH is for suggesting we do it, even on his birthday. It will leave some funny stories for years to come on how he spent his special day.

This all started when a very sweet friend offered us a manure from her barn where she keeps cattle. It seemed like a such a wonderful gift that we just couldn't refuse. So we set a date. The amazing bonus that was also included in this was a tour of her wonderful home and collection of antiques. I especially enjoyed not only her knowledge of the history of these pieces, but many personal memories of pictures, toys and a glimpse into her life growing up. I could have stayed for hours.

Heading out to the barn with shovels and bags, her husband helped us load a few into the trunk of our car. (We really should consider getting a truck) It was then we headed back home to spread it our on the garden. We really could make many more trips to fill our garden area. Hopefully soon we can go back.

The manure we were able to get was definitely well aged, so we are ready for planting there. Yeah! Now come on rabbits, keep cranking out the poo!

If you are planning on picking up some manure the way we did, do your homework first. In some areas, hay fields are sprayed with an herbicide to "brown it out" so it can be harvested. The herbicide won't kill the animals, but passes through the digestive system whole and will be in the manure. What does that mean for you? Well, if you spread this out on your garden, the herbicide will kill your plants. It pays to ask where the hay was purchased from that feeds the horses or cows. Too costly of a mistake I'd say.

Fresh Start 09

Happy New Year!

With rolling over a new year, somehow I mentally wipe the slate clean for last year and have hope for the things to come in the new year. Isn't it amazing how we all tend to do that no matter what's going on now? Setting new goals, planning new projects and making changes to current situations is what will occupy my mind through the dark days of January. Gathering new energy to take on projects that honestly, I was too tired to consider near the end of the last full growing season. So off I go, full of hope and eager anticipation of change here.

But for today... I'll enjoy the newness of 2009 and eat some traditional New Year's Day food - black-eyed peas for luck and greens for prosperity. I'll be mindful of my actions as the saying goes, "What you do on New Year's Day will be what you're doing all year long." I wonder how this all started? (Ahh, I'll have to research that!)... Maybe it was one too many years like we had in 08. :)

Enjoy today, eat your traditional meal and have a very blessed 2009.