KinderGardens 2011, Week Four

Shhh...don't tell anyone.  Not the kids, and certainly not the chickens.
Something's up around the fort.
I don't know if they are moonflower or morning glory.  They're still wee little, so I'm going to wait a few days before I share that they're up.

When I wrote about their fort last time, I mentioned that it might not get enough sun for climbing plants that like full sun.  Here's where it's located:  if you look at the front of the house and gaze down toward the left...

You can see it on the edge of the clearing in front of the house.  It's on the edge of the woods, but it must have gotten enough sunlight for the seeds to sprout.  Here's hoping!

(In the above pictures you can see the fence I set up to keep the chickens out of my herbs, spinach and Swiss chard.  I'd like to replace it with a sturdier one, but this fencing was free.  Right now, free is really important.)

Juli's apple tree blossomed this year!  She really likes to water it, which is great.

We're also trying to protect the apples from insects, even at this early stage.  I bought these muslin drawstring bags from Fedco, made for protecting fruit.  I have no idea if they'll work or not to keep the insects off, but it's worth a shot.  (Have you read The $64 Tomato by William Alexander?  If you like gardening, it's good for a laugh.  This is where I got the idea that I needed to be proactive at protecting the fruit.)  

The potatoes are up!  We're using the blue bins again, but made a bigger effort at filling them with more nutritious soil.  We filled each one with a flake of wet straw, then topped it off with 4-5" of compost.  They like it so far.

Micah also really likes to water, which is a good thing.  I think the potato bins need us to be intentional about the amount of water they get.

He also decided to water this little guy, one of the many Mammoth sunflower seedlings that popped up this week.  I can't remember whose idea it was last week to measure the sunflower's growth from week to week, but we're in.  It's a great idea.  This week, they're an inch tall.  When Juli's out of school next week, we'll be taking a posterboard and making a graph to show the average height of the sunflowers each week.

So this is a view of our sun garden---where the berry bushes and sunflowers are.  This is the one I have surrounded with my "deer-deterrent" fishing line fence that some of you had wondered about.  I would have preferred to use T-posts and fencing, but we just don't have the money at this point to put up a real fence.  I had read that deer can get spooked by fishing line when browsing, because their heads bump into it but they can't see it.  So I went to Tractor Supply and purchased their four-foot fiberglass electric fencing posts for $1.79 each, then I ran thick fishing line at the clips made to hold the fencing wire.  In this way, I was able to "fence" this area for around $15.  For about a month now it has kept the deer out.  (Chickens and bunnies, now, would be another story.)

Today was the first really nice day of almost-summer weather.  We're hoping to plant the tomatoes and peppers tomorrow, so they can take advantage of the sun and start growing.  If you get a chance, hop over to The Inadvertent Farmer to see what the other KinderGardeners are up to.  There are great gardens sprouting up everywhere!

Day to day

Our house has been fairly uncluttered for two whole days, for we were having people over.

I was so pleased with how Micah played yesterday.
We were visiting with new friends at our home, and he was a great host.
He shared his toys, he ate his lunch well.
It was a peaceful, fun day.

Tonight was a slightly different story.
We had friends over for dinner, their children roughly the same ages as Juli and Micah.
And I don't know if the stars are out of alignment or if there will be a full moon tonight, but my kids were off.
Not totally obnoxious, but close.
There was excessive noise.
There was wanting of attention.
There was bickering, even after warnings.
I wasn't pleased.

We processed as a family after our friends left.
We talked about how we want to look and sound for guests, and I'm sure they will put their best foot forward next time.
(They'd better, because I told them how long their summer will seem if they cannot behave well enough to have friends over.)
Then I marched them upstairs for showers.
Blah.  Not my favorite part of being a mom.

As a blogger, it's easy to get a little carried away.
We're the ones publishing, so we get to portray our lives however we wish.
Taking perfect pretty good pictures, entertaining with stories about our families and our work.

But life isn't perfect, is it, for any of us?
I'm guessing that Pioneer Woman has burned a few dishes in her lifetime.
And that Meg Duerksen has had a craft or two that just didn't turn out.
And we under this blue roof?  Naturally, some days are smoother than others.

Tomorrow is another day, thank goodness
Another chance to show love to our families.
To be grace to those we meet.

It's time to call it a day.
Grabbing a few miniature dark chocolate bars, going to watch a movie.
Reveling in the fact that there's always tomorrow.

Mostly dead...slightly alive

“It just so happens that your friend here is only mostly dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead.  Now, mostly dead, he's slightly alive..."               ---Miracle Max, The Princess Bride


Growing up, I never thought I'd have a garden of my own.  I had other things to do, and gardens were for the likes of my parents and other older people.  But over time, I've learned the joy that can come from watching things grow, change and --- sometimes --- even flourish under my care.

I'm an absolute sucker for greenhouses, especially those that grow an unusual variety or two.  But my latest favorite?

Lowe's.

Not what you expected, huh?  Big box stores are not usually high on my list.  I much prefer the smaller, simpler, family-owned and operated establishments.

Regardless, I have an unusual affinity for certain plants at Lowe's.
I'm talking about the residents of the Dead Plant Rack.

Past their prime, these plants have been pulled from the main display.  Their prices are significantly reduced, and their days are numbered.

Inventory of the Dead Plant Rack changes daily.  Therefore, my kids know that if we are anywhere near Lowe's, we will be stopping in to view the day's offerings.  Shopping the Dead Plant Rack is a little like stopping at T.J.Maxx or an outlet mall.  I go without expectation, always up for a surprise.

My criteria for rescuing a plant and offering it a home?  Almost without exception, I require it to be a perennial.  I figure that if I'm going to put effort into resuscitation, it should pay off in years to come.  (My exception to this rule is if it is an annual which I have difficulty starting from seed.)

As you might expect, plants recovering from a brush with death need time to show their true beauty.  This Korean dwarf lilac is a perfect example.  Rescued two years ago, it has transformed from a lifeless stick into a gracious focal point that will someday mark the edge of my side porch.  Though mostly dead, it was slightly alive.  By allowing it space, light, decent soil, and time, it has graced my home with beauty.

My latest finds?

Golden Yarrow, which will attract butterflies and pollinators---$1.00

Rhododendron---three, at $7.51 each

(The one in the middle was more dead than the ones on either side.  We'll see what a little love can do...)

Rhododendron---$2.00

(This one could really be a challenge.  Sometimes they don't make it if they're too far gone.  I thought the $2.00 price tag was worth the gamble!)

Cosmos---$1.50 for what's left of the flat

Off to plant the cosmos in the front (fenced off) garden.
After all, chickens aren't friends to plants which are mostly dead.

KinderGardens 2011!

Thanks for understanding my absence.  I've been hanging with the sixth grade, and is it ever bringing back memories of trying to fit in.  Apparently, the latest fashion is wearing two different color flip-flops, both of which coordinate with your outfit.  Too funny!  Anyway, back to life at home, which is heaven.

This winter was a long one, which gave us ample time to consider our plans for KinderGardens 2011.

(If you weren't around last summer, KinderGardens is a great summer gardening series hosted by Kim at The Inadvertent Farmer.  The idea is to help the children in our lives learn the value of loving a garden.  We let the kids help with planning different projects in the garden, then let them get dirty and see their plans come to fruition throughout the summer.  Ready to join in?  Visit Kim here for more details.)

Micah's biggest goal is to produce a watermelon he can eat.  (If you remember last year, the melon grew along the fence and was knocked off before it was quite ready.)  This year, we'll be working earlier and with a sunnier location.

Juli would like to tackle a butterfly container garden, which she found in the book Gardening With Children.  (This was the book we were pleased to win from last year's KinderGardens.)  She found a rectangular planter in the basement to use for her project.  Yesterday, we picked up a few annuals that the butterflies will like.

(Juli's inspiration)

Juli and Micah spent some time this spring making a lodge pole fort with their dad.  We decided we're going to plant some seeds for climbing annuals at the base and see if they'll climb the poles.  We're a little unsure of the success we will have, since the site is not truly in the full sun.  We'll see!

(Inspiration for planting.)

(Kids with seeds:  Moonflower and Morning Glory)

One of the projects our whole family has tackled is the construction of a separate gardening area.  Primarily a place to house our blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, we chose a site that is 100% full sun.  We worked in the fall to transplant all our berry plants and bushes.  (If you remember last year, every single strawberry was taken by the slugs.)  This year, we surrounded the berry patch with a fishing-line fence to keep the deer out.  (Which has worked like a charm, btw.)  We also used a row cover over the strawberries up to the time that the blossoms first came out.  Now we're crossing our fingers and saying prayers.  Strawberry season isn't that far away!

(Row cover on the strawberry row to the left.  On the right, the early stages of a "lasagna-style" bed we've made.)

Looking forward to a great growing season.  I can't wait to see what my fellow KinderGardeners are up to!

On Mother's Day

I'm going to let you in on a little secret.

I do not like Mother's Day.

Actually, that's not really accurate.  I liked Mother's Day when I was a child.  As with many other all my favorite holidays, our society has turned Mother's Day into something it was never intended to be---another commercial holiday.  And the ads would have you believe that unless you take mom to a spa, serve her a fabulous dinner, and have FTD deliver a fantastic bouquet, you've somehow missed the boat.

Luckily, my kids haven't been exposed to that nonsense.

I'm blessed to have a drawing from Micah, of him hugging me, both of us with gigantic smiles.

A beautifully drawn card from my Juli...

...with a poem inside!

Somehow, kids instinctively know how to tell moms what we want to hear the most:

And if my momma happens to read this (she's a recent follower, you know!), I hope she knows that I feel that way too.  I love you Mom, with all my heart!

Quiet Day

I had plans for today.  Big plans, that included a tee ball game, planting perennials for my mom, and hosting the Mother's Day ice cream sundae event.

I also wanted to write and tell you all about my girl at the movies and our plans for KinderGardens.

But I'm sick.
Not deathly sick, just a cold.  I'm trying to fight my way out of the fog with a bottle of vitamin C, and it does appear to be working so far.
And it has to, because I have an engagement to substitute for many sixth graders starting on Wednesday.
Have. To. Get. Better.

I guess the upshot of being sick now is that I'm less likely to get sick after spending six days with them.
Right?

So it's a quiet day here. 
Don't worry, I'll be back soon.
xoxo

Change Before Our Eyes, Change Within Our Lives

Just yesterday, I had the opportunity to hike our property By Myself, which almost never happens.

And I was amazed at the change that has occurred in just eight days, since my hike on Easter Sunday.

The May apples are up.

Along with this fun one---a lush, green, ribbed expanse known as False Hellebore---tucked away among our many skunk cabbages.

Crabapple blossoms abound---dainty flowers that turn an old hag of a tree into a vision of a young bride.

Two days ago, I was very quiet.
I found out about the latest news in the world after I sent my children off to school.
I spent a quiet morning alone, watching reactions abound across the media.

So many people, reliving such strong emotions from the past ten years.
Facebook was awash with tides of patriotism and pride, mixed with messages of peace.

Many of us were quiet.
Not because we had no feelings, but because there are sometimes no words to express how one feels.

After school, I tried to explain the events to Juliana, because I knew she would come across it at school.
On a very basic level she understood that the greater good for humankind can be born out of necessary action.

She asked, "Mom, did he have a family?"
When I answered in the affirmative, her response was, "I bet they're going to miss him."

Compassion.

In the face of understanding necessary military action to secure the lives of many, my daughter also understood the very human element at hand.

* * * * * * *

The Middle East seems so very far away as I walk among favorite plants on our land.
They change so quickly, growing and blossoming according to the season.
Day to day my view is different.

What about us?  

Does the news of today change our lives tomorrow?

Our military and their families certainly need our constant support.  On one level, foreign policy can and must continue.  Though ironic, our presence is sometimes required to work toward peace.  That will remain the same.

But on a bigger level, the absence of a large figure in terrorism does not make our lives here anywhere near perfect. 

Only we can work on that---in our day-to-day actions, in the words we speak to others, and through the love we show within our families.  As Roosevelt said, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

Sometimes, home is where our focus can produce the greatest good and teach our children the most about creating the kind of world we all dream of.

* * * * * * *


"I have long believed that the way to know a spiritual sense is to know it in our real life.  I think the best way to understand about God and peace is to know about peace in our everyday lives." 
-Fred Rogers


"Be the change you wish to see in the world."  -Mahatma Gandhi

The Higher Cost of Organics

I ran into a friend yesterday at Target.  Excitedly, she told me about her "find" in the cooler:  a half-gallon of Horizon organic milk marked down to $0.86!  (Expiration date still good---she checked!) 
Many times, the cost of organic food is a deterrent to potential consumers.

A caller to NPR's Science Friday broadcast from 9/3/10 put out the supposition that there is a "class aspect" to organic food---that people purchase it as a status symbol.  This was countered by one of the speakers, citing interviews with low-income mothers---who showed interest in purchasing organic food if it appeared to be affordable.

In the past few months, I've had conversations with friends and strangers about the higher cost of organic food.  And while it's true that organically grown food is often more expensive than its conventionally-grown counterpart, it's not true that it always costs more.  At times, I have found organic food to cost the same.  On the rare occasion, I've found deals that allow it to cost less.

The secret to obtaining cheaper organic food is that there is no secret.

It often just comes down to knowing where to shop, comparing prices, and sharing deals with friends.  And to find better deals, you have to want to take the time and effort to compare prices---which means you are invested, that you believe in the value of consuming food grown free of synthetic pesticides.
So, assuming you're interested in purchasing organic food, how do you keep your costs down?

The number one answer is, grow it yourself.  If you have even a small yard, you have the ability to grow some of your own food.  (Remember, all food was organic food until this past century.)  If you don't have the space or time to grow your own food, many people are embracing the saying, "Local is the new organic".  It is possible to obtain local beef and chicken that has been raised on pasture and minimally processed for a fraction of what you pay in a store.  Some small-scale farmers are unable (or choose not) to go through the organic certification process, and some local produce is produced with organic methods even if the farm isn't certified.  In that way, it can really be a blessing to get to know the farmers in your area.
 

What if you're limited to purchasing organics at the store?  There are ways to keep costs down.  The trick is to keep your eyes peeled and look for deals.  At my grocery store, conventional and organic produce is kept side-by-side.  Occasionally, I'm able to get deals on organic produce just by reading labels.  For example, not too long ago I was able to purchase organic pears for the exact same price as conventionally grown pears.  However, there weren't big signs saying, "Look!  Great deal on organic pears!"  The only reason I was able to take advantage of this deal is that I kept my eyes open and compared prices.  Another thing to think about is which stores you are choosing to patronize.  My local grocery store is more expensive, with cheaper organic options available at Wal-Mart and Trader Joe's.

Many times, paying attention to social media will snag you a deal on organics.  For example, at the Pittsburgh Whole Foods on Friday, containers of organic strawberries were available for $1.99 each.  That's a significant sale, even lower than the usual sale price for conventionally grown strawberries.  How did I find out about this sale?  My Whole Foods store is on Facebook, where they advertise all sorts of great sales and opportunities.  In addition, my girls over at Nurturing Naturally made sure they did a status update about the upcoming strawberry sale.

Another way I've been able to keep my organic cost down is to purchase food in bulk.  While my local grocery store has been slow to jump on the bulk food wagon, two large groceries about half an hour away have installed bulk food sections, some of which is organic.  At one, I was able to purchase organic lentils for less than the cost of conventionally grown lentils.  For those living in rural areas, another way to purchase organics in bulk is through a food co-op.  Our local co-op is Frankferd Farms, where I can pick up purchases or have them delivered.  (Many co-ops will deliver within a certain radius for an order of a certain size or dollar amount.)

How about you?  What are your favorite tips for buying organic?

* * * * * * *

Still on the fence about eating organic?

Try a visit to The Organic Center, cited in the Science Friday broadcast above.  There you can find the science behind organics.

As to why it costs more, follow this link to the F.A.Q. section of the Organic Farming Research Association.  About halfway down the page, they answer the question, "Why does organic food cost more?"