holy cow, dchicken207! Why did you have to post all those pictures, now I'm really going crazy waiting for spring! I am really jealous about those purple potatoes what are they called again? I grew german butterball last year and they were amazing tastewise, but I really want to try those purple ones.
I started my seedlings because I can plant things in late february with my mild weather here...and my garlic is already coming up, I planted it a few weeks ago and its already up, its my first time doing garlic so I was impressed at how fast it all happened.
Rancher hicks: As for herbs, Cooking has never been so satisfying or attractive since I have started using my own herbs, topping dinner rolls, pastas, adding them into soups and on roast chicken has really made me a fresh herb addict... I have a hard time not using herbs in recipes now. Presentation is a huge part of the satisfaction in a meal at home, If you have a little extra sprinkled showyness on your plates (not to mention lovely flavor) your family will notice and enjoy! I just had my 6 year old nephew over and I made his dinner look beautiful with fresh herbs sprinkled over his pasta and a few extra showy touches, it was basically the same sort of food he usually eats but he wouldn't stop talking about how beautiful his food was or how delicious it tasted. He even told my sister about it later.
I have had trouble growing my own herbs, except with parsley, its a crazy plant, always healthy and taking over. I've struggled with oregano and basil, I'm trying two varieties now instead of just the one to see if it was just the one variety that wouldn't grow. I'll be sectioning off an old blue food barrel that I cut into 3 sections and sinking it in the ground so I can have a herb garden this year, I'll post pictures if it all grows well. So far, using a heating mat for sprouting this year had made all my herbs germinate. Also if you want to grow your own herbs outside may I reccomend a mesh cover-I lose quite a bit of my young herbs to various types of moth larva. Good luck cooking