That's my goal for this week now that the temps are finally warming. I'll probably have room in my mini greenhouse (like the one someone purchased last week) to start tomatoes and maybe some peppers. Once they're big enough I'll do a second round. One of our 10x12 sheds became my greenhouse after we moved (had been our rabbit barn in town). I have all my garden and seed starting stuff in there. It's unheated so I can't start seeds too early. The mini greenhouse is one of those 4 shelf units covered in plastic. We bought small florescent lights to hang above each shelf. With the lights on the temperature can get fairly warm inside the plastic cover, providing the rest of the shed isn't below freezing. I think it's fairly safe now temp-wise to get seeds started. Maybe we could include a seed swap at chickenfest -- might not be able to use the seeds until next year, but most are good for a number of years.
I'm hoping we can build an actual greenhouse this spring/summer. My shed greenhouse works for starting & growing plants, but it would be so much better to have a real greenhouse. I'm thinking we could stickbuild a frame using the one side of the shed greenhouse as the 4th wall, then cover it with plastic. I'd like to build it in conjunction with the blacksmith shop we're going to put up for our son. Hoping to start as soon as the ground cooperates for pouring a concrete floor! He's been very interested in blacksmithing the past couple of years and at Christmas inherited all my uncle's blacksmithing tools, forge, anvils, etc as he is no longer able to use them. A few weeks ago my son spent 2 days with a local blacksmith getting his first hands on experience. We hope he can do another day or 2 over spring break. Here's a couple of pics of him working. I think it's so cool that he's taken an interest in this. I'd kinda like to try it myself when we get his own shop set up!We started our eggplant seeds three weeks ago. It seems like eggplants take their time sprouting, and are slow growers in general.
Last week, we started the tomatoes, cabbage and herbs. I like the seedlings to be at least 4" tall by April when I set them in the greenhouse to harden off, and 9"+ by Mother's day, when we plant them.
My parents live in Middlebury, so I have to pass right by both places when I visit them!I was shopping in Shipshewana this past Friday and thought all the buggies lined up would make fun pics to share. I took these after I was shopping at that store -- E & S Sales. It started 2 expansions ago as a bulk food store and has grown considerably over the years. There's all sorts of grocery products, tons of different items in bulk, huge selections of cheeses (sold in small chunks and by the horns,too). I go about every 3 weeks in conjunction with my feed run to Honeyville Feed where I get my non-GMO feed. I believe @leahsmom gets her organic feed there too. When I was there they had run out of the chick starter that morning, but by the time I got there had already milled some more. Can't get much fresher than that!
