4th week of May 2009

Tomato Setting Fruit The days are feeling warmer and the ground is getting dry after a stretch without precipitation. A wonderful gentle rain came mid-week that temporarily relieved me of watering all the young transplants for a bit. The plants in the garden seem extra perky after the rain but I'm sure the weeds enjoyed the boost as well. We could use several more days of rain but preferably after the hay is cut and baled. We removed the water walls from the tomatoes who were stretching over the tops and some are even setting fruit already. The children are keeping a close eye on them as they look forward to fresh tomatoes. They also check our small strawberry patch several times a day as some of the berries are blushing pink. Fresh sugar snap peas for meals has been a new treat also. I'm especially enjoying picking purple asparagus for meals. It is very tender and tasty and is even good eaten raw. My count for veggie basket families suddenly jumped to 10 and I'm feeling a bit behind in my plantings and needing to catch up from the groundhog damage. I may be heading to the greenhouse for some additional cucumbers, melons and squash for early plantings. After lettuce beds are picked I'm planting buckwheat as a cover crop to help build the soil rather than double cropping beds. This leaves me a little tight on space so I will snatch some extra ground along the edge of the sugar cane field.

Recycled Door Bell I've been very thankful for my garden helpers lately. I have several young adult friends coming once a week or so to get their "garden fix" (two have indoor jobs) and to glean some gardening knowledge. There is also an Amish neighbor coming several times in exchange for her wedding flowers in June. I enjoy what I learn from these young folks as we chat while weeding carrot beds, planting lettuces and staking tomatoes. I'm learning what is happening in the outside world, tidbits about Amish culture, fun things about pottery and so much more. Tedious weeding goes much faster when you can work together and somehow it's always much more fun to weed someone else's garden. Our children are learning this as well since this week both the 4 year old and 7 year old "hired" their older sister to weed their garden plots. They plan to pay her in produce which is how most of my garden helpers are reimbursed.

My husband loves to tinker and here is one of his latest projects. He turned some old fire extinguishers into what he calls "recession dinner bells." One is being used as our door bell and makes a lovely deep BONG. I especially like using it to call the children in for meals when they are down playing in the stream and it is much more pleasant for me to be called in from the back garden with pleasant sounds rather than MMMMMMOOOOOOMMMMMM!

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