PNW: February 2015

What's everyone doing? 

I'm just occasionally cutting mustards and kale.  Thank goodness for those greens.  Love the kick of the mustard greens on a sandwich in the middle of winter.  We've had a mild one this year after a record-breaking cold one last year.

Master Gardener classes started up here last month.  I've been out of the loop, but wouldn't mind attending some of the lectures again this year.  They differ every year too.  Just paid my dues today.  I'm glad to be a part of it even when I can't always participate as much as I would like.

How is every one doing with the rains?

7 inches of rain in 3 days and we're still standing!  I tell my kids these big trees (redwoods) need alot of rain.  Always amazes me how it can be a downpour and in 2 hours of stopping there is no sign of a rain storm.  

Hope all are faring as well as we are!

That's a lot of cool projects.  Smart to integrate cafeteria an garden that way.  Good way to get the admin and teachers behind the garden.

Tons of rain here too.  It does rinse nutrients out of the soil, but otherwise I enjoy it.

Plenty of rain here in British Columbia just above you in Oregon.

If it was snow, then I would have to shovel it so I am not complaining.

Rain, rain, Rain,....itsy bitsy sunshine,.....rain, rain, rain.... our lawn is a muddy mess.....eeek!

this week started our cole crops indoors in peet pellets....yep...spent money on peat pellets because I didn't want to go out in the rain to bring in some potting soil....this spring its all about less mess LOL

an assortment of a 100 peat pellets of:

Broccoli
Cauliflower
Purple Cauliflower
Blue Curley Kale
Dino Kale
Brussels Sprouts
Swiss Chard
Green Cabbage
Red Cabbage
Mustard greens
Collard greens
Bok Choy
Joi Choi

Needing to start still.......Lettuce, spinach & celery

Potatoes will be planted towards the end of this month

This month we also pruned our fruit trees and grape vines


Happy gardening
rose

The weeds sure pop out easy... the ground is perfect for that.

Farmer Ray and I got out and turned (sloppy wet) compost, cleaned the chicken house, trimmed the apple tree and tried to get the vine berries back into a manageable bundle. Things are starting to look like someone cares.

We have at least three boxes we want to empty out, move and refill again... maybe just the urge to rearrange the furniture, maybe we really will build a hoop house (where a couple of boxes currently sit) to up our winter produce harvest.

Had a lovely time prepping a bed for fava beans before sunset. Every grove of trees is alive with Robins arguing about where the best camping spot is before they set up a permanent nest. The nuggets were cleaning up slugs and bugs from the fragrant loam. Everything was ready... except I forgot to replenish my fava bean seed. Rats! I'll be back!

Debs in Everett.... whose thinking that as long as she needs to find a seed rack she might as well pick up some.... (lost in dreaming)

Hugs (((LavDebs!))) so good to hear from you!!

I was glad to read that planting was back on and no need for the ground to rest for you guys in Everett! I bet you are beaming with excitement of fresh veggies to come this spring!

Our girls have been working hard in our back garden beds cleaning it up of bugs and slugs!! One of my favorite parts of chicken keeping! What I call hard work.... they consume a huge feast & lovely dinning chatter all day long Im sure they will tell us off once the back garden is closed for bug business coming soon..... .....we will have to reassure them that soon fresh greens will be coming by delivery to their yard....no need to call ahead its all ready been ordered and paid for!

happy gardening
rose

Rose, thanks for another chicken tale

Hope you all are doing well.  We had the most hail I've ever seen yesterday!

I've ignored the master gardener classes this year as I've become guardian/conservator of two elderly women and it's keeping my schedule completely unreliable.  The weather has been nuts here though -- 40 degree or more divergences between day and night.  I"m half tempted to plant early and half to never plant again!  BUt I do so look forward to some wonderful spring peas ...

And it's spring around here.  It's getting dark a solid two hours earlier than it did a few onths ago.

Hope you didn't have any damage, Marc!