Sunday, March 21, 2010

Springtime!!!

Hurrah! Spring time at last. The Vernal Equinox. A slight sunburn. I sure hope Spring is here to stay. There's even rain predicted for tonight/ tomorrow. Lamb-y March, we love you so!

Honora and I started our first suburban garden today. We went to Home Depot (very suburban :)) and picked out 36 packets of seeds. A little over zealous, yes, but bigger seems appropriate out here.

We also bought these eco-friendly seed-starting mini greenhouses. They each hold 36 cells, so we planted 13 varieties of seeds today, hoping they will germinate soon.

We planted:
  1. Italian Parsley
  2. Genovese Basil
  3. Cilantro
  4. Sweet Marjoram
  5. Lavender
  6. Evergreen Bunching Onions
  7. Common Thyme
  8. Spearmint
  9. Chives
  10. Tarragon
  11. Rosemary
  12. Tall Utah #52709 Improved Celery (3 cells)
  13. Black Beauty Eggplant (3 rows)

(We only planted three each of Eggplant and Celery as we're not particularly crazy about either.)

Our next round will plants that need to be planted at least 8 weeks before going outdoors. We started with the herbs and few veggies because we are making a potted herb garden, and the veggies needed at least 10 weeks before braving the New England Spring/ Summer.

Honora was great: she was so excited to watch the soil pellets "grow," fill them up with warm water, and aerate the soil. We made a deal that she must try EVERYTHING we grow, even if it's only a little taste. She isn't too keen on greenery save tropical items (avocados "bacado" and bananas). I am hoping to also get some strawberry plants and berry bushes (blueberries, raspberries) to plant around the yard. I think it would be fun to gather them and munch on snack from the yard.

We are also joining a CSA, mainly for the items I won't be growing: broccoli, asparagus, corn, flowers. The other items we will preserve, eat or share, if we get too much. We are only doing a half-share. I am looking to also do a meat CSA, but that's proving to be tricky to find. I am sure there is something in Western MA, so I will continue to research.

Last week, we started having our milk, eggs and cream delivered. There was something very exciting about getting up at 7 am to meet the man from Shaw's Farm, write him a check (felt very old school as well), and clink-clink my glass bottles into the refrigerator. Not only am I saving myself trips out to the market every other day for milk, but I am supporting a local business and using glass in lieu of the paper cartons or plastic containers I have to get at the market. Aveda accepts plastic tops, so there goes the cover as well! Such a tiny footprint. I also am saving time and money on gas by stocking up a week's worth at a time, instead of running out a few times a week for milk. Knowing this is the week's supply makes it easier to "budget" our dairy.

We'll keep you posted on the growth and next steps of our burgeoning garden!!!

Enjoy the spring!