Gardening, on the stead.

I'm determined, damnit. I WILL grow enough veggies to feed an entire village. I will can them for the winter. I will have a cottage garden with cutting flowers out the ying yang. My kids will be completely proficient in horticulture and gardening is going to be something the whole family will bond through and enjoy together.

So, so far we've got seeeeds and seeds and seeds. The girls and I went to walmart and I let them fill the cart with the little .10 cent seed packets - I mean how much could that cost, right? We got a grape vine, a hydrangea cutting, an elephant ear bulb, annd a gardenia plant. And Ooooh I dont know 500 seed packets. Our total was $85. We're going to have some explaining to do when dad gets that bill.

I'm a bit conflicted on the cottage garden, which will be mostly flowers and herbs. At first though I was going to just mix allll the seeds together in a jar and spread them everywhere - now I am leaning more towards just having groups of the same everywhere. I need a fence too, whats a cottage garden without a picket fence, right? That's that.

Then theres the veggie garden. Gotta get a tiller out here soon, then Im going to make raised beds with a frame of wood around the entire plot and twine or chicken wire or something to keep the deer out. It need to be BIG too, like a half an acre or more. :) I still cant decide how to lay it out though, David is pushing for the roman garden type layout. That might work, we shall see.

Oh yeah, we have a kitchen garden too - which is basically every seed that comes from anything we eat planted. We did a garlic bulb and man the are growing FAST. We've got a sweet potato and a avacado started, apple and cantelope seeds waiting to go underground, annnd last night I got a pinapple and mango to try. Oh and ginger. fun stuff, I tell you. :)

I'm spending waaay too much time pouring over  library books, magazines, websites, our poor neighbor is a master gardener - I know she must be getting so sick of me. Were going garden journals too, the girls are really excited about hers, and Annmarie is doing awsome with hers! She's been taking the seed packs after we plant them and drawing a pic of the veggie/flower/whatever and copying the name.

It's just all so fun, I can totally see us on this land for a long  long time, and the thought of planting grapes that my grandkids might eat someday or annuals that Aldrin my use to make a bouquet for his date just makes me feel more meaningful somehow. Then there is my strange need to be completely self sufficient, David and his wood heated water heater and making his own biodiesel and me and my gardening and everything. It's just refreshing. :)

Annnnnnnd then there's the road side stand dream. "Just got laid" Fresh eggs, soaps made from my milk goats milk, plants and flowers, bread made in the outdoor brick oven david is going to build me, and you know - veggies. :) Someday, someday.

If any of yall have pics, I'd LOVE to see your gardens!  ....or roadside stand.