April showers.........

It continues to be a fairly overcast and wet month so far. Hopefully we will get a little bit of warm up into the 60's and some sun for a short while in the late afternoon today. Can't wait to get out and ready the garden for spring. I've planted two varieties of peas (a sugar snap variety and Mr. Big, a shelling pea) using my new Bean Grow Bags from Gardener's Supply Co. It's a simple system with a reusable fiber grow bag supported by a metal rim and pole which you string for supporting the vines. I have a small yard and the grow bags will allow me to move the plants around my space as I need to. My second planting will be Trionfo violetto and Golden sunshine runner beans. I need to get my lettuces, chard, kale, beets, potatoes and onions planted this week too.

Chicken little..........

Just ordered three Silver Wyandotte and three Easter Egger chicks which will arrive on May 31st. A friend of my son's is building a triangular chicken ark coop with a run for me, based on one I saw online. I used to raise White Leghorns and Rhode Island Reds and sold the eggs to the neighbors growing up on my parents farm. I am really looking forward to raising the chickens and getting some organic farm fresh eggs for cooking. I just finished reading Janice Cole's excellent and engaging book, Chicken and Egg from Chronicle Books. It's a fun read on suburban homesteading and raising backyard chickens packed full of delicious and beautiful recipes.