Oh the places I will grow.

I was away last week, very away...chicago to be precise. My church youth group was shy one male chaperone for a service trip, and yours truly had extra vacation time to use up. A really great trip all around. Our base of operations was a parish/school in the northeast side. Heavy population of immigrants and the mentally ill. Very sobering, but it was very productive and I felt like we really contributed. There was a community garden just around the corner that was about a quarter acre. And this was not some allotment "everybody grows whatever" This was a small scale farm.

Unfortunately I do not have pictures, but I was really impressed with their setup.

When I returned I found some pretty impressive sided tomatoes, a pepper plant in full bloom, kiwi vines getting out of control, our daughter had started to transplant the greenbeans where the potatoes used to be, the bee balm in full bloom, and wormwood that...is easily 6 feet in any given direction and in flower. I also found something totally unexpected.



Thats right, the blueberry bushes I transplanted this year produced 3 fruit. The two tiny ones are from a "chandler" bush, and the big (not yet ripe) one is from a variety called "herbert." Last year you may recall I had a scant few blackberries, and this year I am swimming in them (though not yet ripe). Hopefully the blueberries will prove just as eager next year.

its been almost a month? really?

I spend all my winters in anticipation of summer and it disappears before my eyes.

Lets get this out of our system ahead of time. This will not be a spectacular year, it will be another year of lessons.

There is too much of a good thing. that being rain 5 of the last 7 days in july and 17 of 30 days in june. And even when it was only a few drops it has been overcast. Things are moving sllllloooowly. I should really consider adding another row of boards to the raised beds which only sit about 4-6 inches above ground height.

I am willing to try starting peas on st patrick's day again, but only if they are pre-sprouted. It took forever for them to germinate.

I should start my curcurbits in pots first. The soil just does not get warm enough early enough to get them going, I am going to end up with a lot of things just getting in under the wire if at all.

Slugs are a serious issue now. A duck is unfortunately out of the question.

Garlic spray is a great japanese beetle deterrant, I haven't seen them since.

I should have planted trees years ago.

fried beet chips are a reason to get out of bed in the morning!

My frontyard bed definitely needs more organic matter.

I need more grape vines.

The black tips on the kiwi is likely a water issue, too little I think, and with the rain I have not seen any since.