Lets see if I can remember.
1. I plant my garden in raised beds. The squash and pumpkin are under milk jug green houses. Taters in tower of poultry wire 24". I can't do 48".
6. Laid some newspaper mulch around berry bushes today. I mulched them in the fall but the weeds are coming up quick. I might even get some Gooseberries and Currants this year. The Jostaberries are looking good but I'm not sure if I'll get any berries on them yet. They're pretty big so I'm hopeful. I do have to make jelly and jams to clear out space in the freezer.
7. It's best to prepare/ till your garden in the fall so any weed seeds will freeze. Remember newspapers make good mulch. Though I do use cardboard boxes too. They're great for clearing space if laid down in the fall so the winter snows weigh them down. The chickens like to scratch them up once they get wet and mushy.
3. I keep forgetting a Will. We do need one since we travel more than we used too. We've been invited to go to FL next winter to see some friends who winter there.
2. DD who is a teacher in TX said that her school got flooded this past storm and it's nearly dried out.
4. The trouble with travel is I have to make sure I can get everything planted before I go. Last year it was late and not a good year. I don't know whether to dig up the garlic that is coming up from bulbs missed last fall. I've got some hanging in the garage all last winter sprouting. Apparently didn't get too cold to kill it.
5. Traveling makes it tough for growing out chicks. I have some I want to keep and grow out but still have to deal with roosters. Once I see what's what no one will want the rooster chicks. I will post them to CL and hope someone will take them off my hands. I know my daughters will take care of Frenchy and her three. They know how important she is.
Oh, I see we do the same method you do! We've tried everything. From tilling, to throwing them down, you name it, we've tried it and the best method to date has been what my dad likes to call our "patchwork quilt". lol Really we do the lasagna method with a little bit of the square foot method together. Last year was the best harvest we've had with exception to the potatoes which usually do wonderful but we tried some companion planting and the weeds and overgrowth killed it and we got only small potatoes. If you get the time to take a pic of the potato tower, please share. My husband is interested in it. I'm sure it will save us room in the garden to plant other things.
When your back home to harvest, we'll help! Maybe we can learn a few things from you while we help.
We have a ton of seeds this year and now are planning the half of the garden we didn't use last year. The best part is that we're getting our compost FREE from the County. I wasn't sure about it last year, but holy bologna! Our stuff grew like crazy!! Check with your local counties to see if your town/counties give free compost and/or mulch. We get our mulch from the town but it gets used as the walkways of our gardens because it's pretty much leftover pine from the Christmas Tree's. It works and looks great though for the walkways.
I'm also going to put in a fun "secret garden" for our daughter. We're going to plant lots of mammoth and small type sunflower seeds in the circle where the old pool used to be. I think I'm going to put big skipping rocks I saw at home depot down for drainage on top of sand so she will be able to sit and bugs won't pool in it. ((praying about that)). I hope it will be a fun place for her to explore and use her imagination!
The will topic. Good heavens I didn't know how intense it gets. An executor, co-executor, etc. etc. I'm going to offend a whole lot of family members I think. I have to push pleasing everyone aside though and do what's best for my daughter. ((sigh)). I'll be glad to get it all over with though and think of a better topic.
I know you've been talking about up and moving to a warmer climate. I hope you have a lovely vacation/travel time. I'm sure you'll find good homes. I wish I could take a rooster. I've been wanting one for a while but unless I can convince my husband that they won't be loud, it won't happen unless there is an apocalypse. Hahaha The neighbors would ring my neck too. ((sigh))
I have to say though, my girls, two of them in particular are pretty loud. One laughs like crazy. The other pretends like she's laid an egg to get me to come outside and let her out of the darn run already. Hahahaha They have minds of their own for sure! There's nothing like a fluffy butt running at me without any hands. It makes me smile every time.
