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Garden Gate:  OMG, what have I just gone and done??  |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
 Posted - Mar 09 2009 : 1:25:02 PM
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Wow! I just had my gardens turned today and they are twice as big now. I just looked out there and almost fell over. They look huge from here and even huger when I'm out there closer! The guy that did it said he hoped I had lots of help. I hope so, too!
The newer garden was about 100' long and now is about 200' and way wider. I had him go wider on the other one, too. And a little longer. So it's about 120'x100' or so. I need to measure but maybe not. That's a lot of ground to be plantin'. Anyone want a summer job? Come on over.
I guess we'll wait a few weeks to til it, then start planting. Man, I sure hope I can get it all done. Does anyone else have big gardens? I plant alot to sell at the farmer's market, that's why they're so big. But not as big as some. But for one person, they are big.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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BarefootGoatGirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1495 Posts
Corrine
North Carolina
USA
1495 Posts |
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LisaLu
True Blue Farmgirl
126 Posts
Lisa
Wildomar
Ca
USA
126 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2009 : 07:54:17 AM
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Kris:
I am right with ya gal....my garden grew from 400sq ft to 5000sq ft! It is alot of work, but I find if I spend a few hours everyday it can be managed. I had to hire a worker last week to help with the weeds, and now it's planting time! I love this time of year. My hope is to grow the best and most colorful tomatoes, and sell to gourmet restaurants...we'll see...maybe just enough to sell in my fruit stand for my neighbors. I sure wish there were other farmgirls out here....So Cal girls typically aren't into gardening!
If you have any questions, send me an email....
What are you growing? Do you start form seed?
LisaLu
Happiness is homemade... |
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country lawyer
True Blue Farmgirl
1022 Posts
1022 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2009 : 08:14:09 AM
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| I say congratulations, Kristin! I can't wait to hear more about it! |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2009 : 08:45:55 AM
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Hey Lisa and CL. I am originally from Calif. I wonder though, if I still lived there, what I would be doing.
Lisa, sounds like we're into the same thing. Market gardening. I really love it. So in the newer garden I will plant Hickory King (or cane, as the old timers around here call it),maybe some running beans to run up the corn, Blue Lake green beans, okra and probably potapoes and some kind of field peas. In the other garden I will have tomatoes, squash, zuc, beets, a different kind of corn, onions, lettuce, spinach, carrots, and various other veggies. I will plant every few weeks so I'll have more to harvest.
In the fall I will have all kinds of greens and more beets and brussel sprouts. I'm sure I'll think of more to plant later.
I start most things just from seeds directly in the ground. I have a great seed planter that saves my back and tons of time. I can get the garden all planted in a matter of an hour or so. Very handy. It makes a row, plants the seeds and covers them up all at the same time. I just have to push it and load the seeds.
I'd like to hear more about what everyone else plants and how big theirs is.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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Nancy Gartenman
True Blue Farmgirl
9093 Posts
Nancy
West Seneca
New York
USA
9093 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2009 : 09:06:20 AM
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You can always fill up the extra parts with flowers, and bird baths, a scarecrow. That should cut down on some of the space. HA.
www.Nancy-Jo.blogspot.com |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2009 : 10:17:35 AM
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That is so fabulous! I am jealous, but as I will only have about 20x16 garden! And think- you can can anything that doesn't sell at the farmer's market! Then maybe you could sell your home canning at the next farmer's market!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
Please come visit Nora and me on our blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 11 2009 : 4:21:58 PM
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Very good ideas. I just hope I can find seeds now. I was just at our feed store and he is having a hard time getting seeds. And chicks, too. The seeds he is getting are going to be twice and more than they were last year. HHe can't get anymore white potatoes. He had a bag of red and I got the whole bag. Plus half a bag of Texas sweet onions while he still had them. He'll get an order Thurs or Fri of seeds and I guess I better get what I can. He said everyone who has never gardened before is this year plus everyone else is doubling there's, too.
So if you find seeds, get them.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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windypines
True Blue Farmgirl
4190 Posts
Michele
Bruce
Wisconsin
USA
4190 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2009 : 04:24:42 AM
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Good luck with the garden and selling. Interesting, what your feed store guy said about seeds. My guy already told me chicks will be hard to get. I got my seeds last week. My garden is till froze and under snow. Will be getting ready to start some seeds though.
Michele |
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quiltingfarmergirl
True Blue Farmgirl
180 Posts
Barbara
Cato
NY
USA
180 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2009 : 5:51:50 PM
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Lucky folks in the warmer climates turning the soil and getting ready to plant! We are still pretty frozen here in the Northeast. I have started seeds for butternut and buttercup squash and brussel sprouts so far, just to see something green again! I am also trying some of the heirloom seeds from Baker Creek that I had read about on this site. Sweet chocolate peppers intrigued me and they should be popping out of the peat pots anyday now. We will be enlarging our garden this year too from about 2400 sq ft to over 3000. I have a neighbor close to 80 who is a retired farmer and he loves to pull weeds! He and his wife plant some things and we share everything. It helps keep him active and sure helps me out since I have to drive to the city to work each day. He has one of the seed planters that Kris mentioned, what a handy tool.
Barb |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2009 : 6:34:16 PM
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Throw in the seeds, girl, and let God do the rest. Then grow into it.
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2881 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2881 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2009 : 6:52:04 PM
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Hey Kristin!!
I am curious about your seed planter?? What kind is it?? My back was killing me last year squatting down doing everything by hand(although I do not have anywhere near as big as you!..Jealous here!) |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2009 : 7:05:12 PM
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Lisa, it's called Earthway. It's a 1001-b model. It has 6 plates that you change out for several different types of seeds from little turnip green seeds to big ole beans. It's the greatest garden tool ever. It does the whole job for you. All you do is load the seeds and push it. It even has an arm thing that marks the next row.
I ordered mine from my feed store, but if you have a gardening catalog there may be a picture of one. It was about $75.00. The best money I ever spent.
Barbara, good luck with all your seeds. I have never grown brus. sprouts from seed. How long does it take to get them in the ground? I love brus. sprouts. They are my favorite.
Jeannie, that's basically what I do. He is the master gardener around here!
Michele, I hope your garden thaws soon. We're supposed to get rain all weekend here. Then it's going to be dry out next week. Then I gan get it tilled and get to plantin'!
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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nubidane
True Blue Farmgirl
2881 Posts
Lisa
Georgetown
OH
2881 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2009 : 8:28:21 PM
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| Thanks Kristin! That sounds like $75 well spent.. Off to search now! |
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LisaLu
True Blue Farmgirl
126 Posts
Lisa
Wildomar
Ca
USA
126 Posts |
Posted - Mar 12 2009 : 9:02:39 PM
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Kris:
You need to post a photo of this tool...I think I might need one and I don't know where I would start to look.
How do you know how much seed to get?
LisaLu
Happiness is homemade... |
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Alee
True Blue Farmgirl
22941 Posts
Alee
Worland
Wy
USA
22941 Posts |
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Kelly Wall
True Blue Farmgirl
430 Posts
Kelly
Apison
TN
USA
430 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 06:32:19 AM
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Kris,
We have our garden tilled. It is small since it is our first one. Abby and I started the tomatoes, and peppers inside. She planted them the other day. I wish it would stay warm so we can get in the real dirt! Will you let me know when you start planting, so I will know when to start mine? Our weather is the same. I am waiting for the last freeze, who knows when that will be! Sound like you will have your hands full with your garden, and those silly goats! I want to come down and see them and bring Abby, this week is her spring break, let me know what you have going on and maybe we can come down.
Talk to ya soon!
Kelly
Farmgirl #238 |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 06:35:43 AM
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I hope ya'll find it. I could get my daughter to download pics onto my photobucket spot then you'd have to look on that. I could try doing it.
And I am not into math so I just guess how much seed to get. I suppose I could calculate the square footage and all that stuff, but NOT! So I just guess. If I have too much I save til the next year. I sure am glad I have extra Silver Queen corn because it's way up to about $16 a pound now.
Lisa, you might could pull up Johnney's Select seeds and look there. They have them in their catalog.
Alee, it will thaw out and you'll be in the dirt soon enough. Have fun.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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sjs
True Blue Farmgirl
247 Posts
Stephanie
Oakland
CA
USA
247 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 10:09:32 AM
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Aaaah, someday I will have a large garden... this inspires me. :)
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Learning to live is learning to let go.
Visit my food blog! http://www.wasabimon.com - natural cooking to live for.
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 13 2009 : 7:35:40 PM
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Kelly, ya'll are welcome anytime. Not much going on here now because of the rain. But next week will be dry and then the fun begins! I can't wait.
Stephanie, start small! Work your way up. It's a lot of work but worth it in the end. I love pulling dinner out of the freezer or pantry and knowing I grew it and it's so good. Just don't get too big too fast.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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KD Earthwork
True Blue Farmgirl
210 Posts
Katie
Gualala
Calif.
USA
210 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2009 : 3:50:37 PM
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Boy,(Girl?) I love this ambition.Do you support your family with these farming endeavors ? I keep finding I can make so much more an hour working as a landscaper.Although I would like to work at home.I grow a 50x70 veggie garden and have this year now 50 fruit trees,no more than three years old,25 chickens,two horses(manure and fun).I keep thinking direct marketing.Like having some kind of rustic camp where you use veggie's,flowers and eggs for delectible breakfasts.Maybe this is how we'll retire...Otherwise I'm still trying to figure out what to do w/ all I already grow and all the eggs.I feed about five families now.I'm starting to get some compensation now for eggs,since organic feed is so much.The chickens get alot of veggies too.
I love bringing baskets of veggies and eggs to people,where I used to bring a gift or wine to a dinner.Any other ideas???
Katie |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2009 : 4:07:23 PM
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Katie, are you just giving all this away? That's a good thing to do. I do give veggies to some of our elderly folks at church.
Why don't you start a CSA? Sounds like you have lots of things to sell. That's my goal is to eventually start a CSA here. I need more help though. I don't think I could do it all by myself. It's enuf work just going to the farmer's market once a week. It wears me out.
Have you tried selling your horse and chicken manure or do you use it for your own garden? I am starting a cow manure compost with all mine.
You could do a teaching type of camp or even advertise for apprentices for the summer. A learn as you go experience. There sre so many ways to make money on a few acres now. There are several places that will rent a 4x20 piece of ground for city gardeners. And charge quite a bit, too. But every spot will be taken.
Good luck. Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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quiltingfarmergirl
True Blue Farmgirl
180 Posts
Barbara
Cato
NY
USA
180 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2009 : 6:05:34 PM
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Kris,
I am headed to Bainbridge GA April 3rd and 4th for my nephew's wedding. Can you tell me what kind of temperatures you have in early April? We are still in our winter duds up here and I have been pulling out the summer things trying to decide what to bring. I can probably leave my winter jacket and muck boots behind, huh?
Also curious..what is a CSA?
Thanks!
Barb |
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kristin sherrill
True Blue Farmgirl
11303 Posts
kristin
chickamauga
ga
USA
11303 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2009 : 8:53:54 PM
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Barbara, you're going way down South. I had to look that one up. Yeah, probably hot and humid down there. Just about in Fla. My parents live in S.Ga. and it's getting warm by then. So maybe a light jacket will do.
Me and my daughter were thinking about going to see my parents around then, before goat babies and gardening.
And a CSA is community supported agriculture. People buy into a membership for fresh in-season produce from local farmers. They get a basket of whatever is growing every week. Pretty neat thing.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
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K-Falls Farmgirl
Chapter Leader
2096 Posts
Cheryl
Klamath Falls
Oregon
USA
2096 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2009 : 9:10:54 PM
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wow Kristin you got a JOB! I think my garden space is about 750sqft.If we get to ever plant it. We are soaked here.. Ground is starting to thaw..and now we are in for cold/ but not freezing RAIN.. Rain & More rain..with a few snow flakes now & again..until the sun shines..Cloudy Gray skys & Soggy ground & flooded areas... But I got out my seeds today land with the help of Gail we may have even more garden space. I guess planting inside will be definately an option or need for us..We have a very short growing season.
Cheryl
Farmgirl #309
Klamath Falls "Charming Chicks Chapter" Mother Hen
Almost daily posts at:
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Come visit the barn at http://barndoorcreations.blogspot.com/
You never know when what you say or do will make a difference...Kerry Kennedy
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LisaLu
True Blue Farmgirl
126 Posts
Lisa
Wildomar
Ca
USA
126 Posts |
Posted - Mar 15 2009 : 9:50:07 PM
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Well the garden is well on it's way....I planted 12 tomato plants today, some corn, and spinach, tulips, and wildflowers, I pulled more weeds, and watered the strawberries. The sweetpeas are just about to bloom, and the roses are growing lots of leaves. I was outside all day long, I started with 3 layers of clothes, slowly peeled them off on at a time, and then put them back on, one at a time, that's when I knew it was time to come in!
Life just doesn't get better than this. I wish everyone could experience the magic that happens out there in the dirt!
If my neck and back would just cooperate....but I figure that will only get worse as I age, and I plan to garden till I drop dead out there!
Happiness is homemade... |
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Garden Gate: OMG, what have I just gone and done?? |
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OMG, what have I just gone and done??
