Spring is springing!

Here are a few pics of Spring springing here at Catlin Farms!




As you look through the pics, here are few things to keep your eye on:

1. Sam is a very good helper in the gardens!

2. You'll notice that some of the oak leaf hydrangeas have large, full leaves, while others do not. These pictures are not from different points in the growing season this Spring. Rather, the ones that look like they are barely budding are under the upper end of the deck, positioned under a pecan tree. Apparently, the pecan tree's leaves and nuts contain tannin, an acid that hinders the growth of plants underneath the tree (perhaps because it keeps the plants from absorbing iron?). BTW, I learned all this from local experts that I have come to survey our property every now and then.

3. We've added strawberries to our perennial garden. We will also add a few blueberry plants this year. This is all part of an evil plan to turn our house into the Brick Street Farmer's Market.

4. The peas are growing extremely well, but need a trellis soon. I've got the posts in the ground, but need to put up the rest of the structure. Hopefully, I will be able to finish the trellis this weekend. Well, if it stops raining.

5. You won't notice anything yet, but keep your eyes on the broccoli and cauliflower plot. I'm conducting an experiment, testing Miracle-Gro against fish emulsion, an organic fertilizer. I will fertilize half with Miracle-Gro and the other half with fish emulsion to see what differences emerge, if any. I will then publish my findings and make millions!

In another news, Kimberly and I are another year closer to . . . 30! Whaaaaaaaaaaaattttttttttt?!?!?!?!?!

Paid Child Star!

Sam has made his breakthrough in the entertainment industry! Below is a promotional video for Kimberly's company, InSite Solutions, posted on youtube.

Preparing the Gardens (pics included!)

Just to keep you interested, I'll go ahead and let you know that there are pics of Sam at the end! Now, on to the boring stuff. . .

This year, we will let you in on more of the details concerning our planting, growing, and harvesting the vegetables. I can tell that you can barely hold back your excitement! Me too! So far, we've planted seeds for peas and onions. The peas have begun to sprout, but we don't have a camera that will focus on something that small. However, the pics below do include the first signs of Spring springing as our phlox is starting to come up! Tomorrow I will build a trellis for the peas (which should be a very interesting endeavor for me). I'll try to document as much of the action as I can. Last year, we didn't build a trellis because we grew a dwarf variety. This year, we are growing Early Alaska pea that grows taller and has bigger pods with more peas; thus the need for the trellis. The great news is that even though this year's variety is bigger, the time from planting to harvest is actually shorter (56 days).

A wave of thunderstorms put a hold on planting the spinach and lettuce, though. After we wait for the ground to dry out, we will plant the spinach and lettuce. Next up are carrots (3/5), cauliflower, cabbage, swiss chard (3/10), and broccoli (3/15).

By the way, I'd love to hear if any of you have gardens, have had gardens, know any "tricks of the trade," or have any ideas for plants/vegetables we could grow. Please share!

Below are some pics of us getting the gardens ready, including many pics of Sam!