First pickins' 2013

To see what other people are growing, go to http://daphnesdandelions.blogspot.com/

In October I went into the woodlot and cut up a small ash tree that had fallen down a few years ago. When it fell over it hung up in nearby trees and was suspended in the air.  In time the branches gave way and it dropped low enough to reach with the chainsaw.  It gave me a nice rick, or face cord, of wood.  A few weeks ago it looked like that rick wouldn’t be needed this winter.  Nice to carry over some firewood to the next season I thought.  Today I burnt the last of that rick and have been splitting some large oak logs for more firewood.  The first day of spring is predicted to start below 20 degrees.  Last year we had 80 degree temperatures in March.  Soon things will warm up I tell myself.

The bean patch is definitely a little behind schedule this year.  Sunday I picked the first batch of overwintered spinach from the bed with the plastic greenhouse over it – 7 ounces.  The spinach had grown to where it needed thinning, and of course the plants that were removed will be eaten.  This is Burpee’s Double Choice hybrid, a variety that I have had success with overwintering.  The first taste is always a shock.  It is far superior to supermarket spinach. 

 

The first batch of brassica seedlings went into the greenhouse bed on Friday.  In spite of the miserable weather I can see that they have grown some since transplanting.   There’s two Major broccoli, a Kolibri kohlrabi, a Grand Duke kohlrabi, a Gonzalez cabbage and a tatsoi there.  The remaining brassicas will go into their own bed and there’s still some work to do to get that bed ready.  The next set of seedlings will be ready for transplanting in about a week.  Right now I’m thinking about covering the bed with plastic to warm up the soil.  

It’s a start anyway.