Monday, May 24, 2010

Weekend Gardening and Finds

On my way home from work Saturday, (I work as the librarian at our rural library - it is open just six hours per week), Abby and I stopped at a yard sale and I found the following ~

~hand knit wool felted blanket, hand embroidered handkerchief for Sarah (we don't buy tissues), and small plates and bowls (a pastoral print from England)~

I bought some chamomile and parsley from our local organic farm. One of my goals this year is to dry all of our tea to use throughout the year. No more buying boxes of tea bags. Chamomile is our children's favorite.
~chamomile~

Transplanted our tomato plants out to the garden and the luminaria seedlings (money plants).

~transplanted tomato plants with simple supports of cut fencing and stakes~

Lots of weeding and watering. The weather was summer-like this weekend and is suppose to continue through the first half of the coming week.

~the garden is coming along... we even had some little radishes this weekend thanks to Abraham's enthusiastic pulling~

Also, this season we are spending very little money on garden supplies, so until we come across some more fencing (like at a yard sale), we won't be making anymore gardens, so I had one of my teenage sons bring over tires (which the previous owner graciously left us a generous supply of... ) and I put some chicken manure on the bottom of the tire stack...

~chicken manure with stacked tires in the back corner of our yard~

...then added these funny potatoes I found in the corner of our pantry and covered with the beautiful, rich compost that we get from free from a neighbor. My hope is that the tire walls will be high enough to keep the chickens out. This is all an experiment though.

~Sarah and Abraham running towards me with their eggs~

~Yes, she collected her eggs in her Boston Red Sox cap~

How was your weekend?
Warm wishes, Tonya

17 comments:

  1. Seems like a rich weekend.

    One of our favorite places for finding fencing is the dump. I also throw old curtain shears over my plants, sorta like floating row covers, but longer lasting. These can keep the critters off the greens, beans, and peppers but still allow sun and water. I take them off during the day when I am home but put them on at night when critters are more likely to eat my garden.

    We sheared our sheep this weekend and I finished up some sewing projects. We were able to balance chores with some time outside doing handwork and making music.

    Blessings

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  2. What a wonderful weekend! I think the tires will house the potatoes just fine. There is a contraption that a friend is telling me about called the "earth box" which is used just as you are doing with the tires. Keep us updated, won't you, on how they do?? This might be another good way to use those horrible tires when they are worn out!

    Have a glorious week!

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  3. What a lovley find at the yard sale. I love cloth hankies. Your Children are just beautiful running with the eggs,Your potatoes I am sure will do fine with the tires for protection, Thank you for reminding us all what the simple and good life means, Love to you and your family.

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  4. Your weekend was a lot like ours- looks like you took advantage of our gorgeous weekend weather as well!
    The little ones look so cute with their eggs- and their eager faces!

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  5. What a perfect weekend. I love the egg gathering cap! We are doing our potatoes in an upright made from chicken wire and toping with compost and straw as they grow. It is an experiment for us too!

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  6. Wonderful homestead happenings...thank you for sharing!

    Blessings!
    ~Nadine

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  7. That's a lot of eggs! I was taking care of my friend's ranch this weekend; she has chickens, and I only found 3 eggs on Saturday. those silly chickens are so funny. And your kids are just adorable.
    :)

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  8. Oh I love all of those farm fresh eggs. We have wanted to raise chickens, we are taking the process slowly, and making sure that we can all properly care for them.
    I have been really daring with the garden this year, and I am looking forward to seeing what works, and what doesn't. Can't wait to see how everything comes up for you all

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  9. Tonya - that is a beautiful wool blanket - what a lucky find.

    I really enjoy reading your blog - I learn a lot through your posts.

    Namaste, Nicole

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  10. you found some wonderful things!

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  11. Wow! Are weekend wasn't nearly as productive...yet it was great. We are just getting tomatoes and peppers in the ground (a bit of a late start). But better late than never, right?

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  12. Lovely! I'm making tomato cages out of old fencing, too. The previous owners left a ton of it in the barns so we've made a chicken tractor, some tomato fences, and I should have enough for at least one more tractor and all the supports I need for the rest of the garden.

    Such pleasure in such simple things!

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  13. How nice to know that you are a fellow library girl! I love the tire idea. When I was a wee granddaughter, my sweet grandmother had old truck tires painted white in her yard as flower beds, planted with colorful blossoms. Thnak you for sharing your daily joys!

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  14. What great yard sale finds- I just found your blog via Wash Wed.
    Nice to meet you- I am your newest follower 246

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  15. Lucky you and your amazing yard sale finds! I just love these snapshots from your weekend.

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  16. we have had great sucess growing spuds in tyres,using a stack of 4 was plenty high enough.
    happy days xx

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