Children's Garden at the Library update-8/3/11

The Children's garden also took a hit from the hail storm, and lots of tomatoes got knocked down along with damage to some of the leaf vegetables.  Nothing devastating, though, fortunately!

Kathy Barter and the Children's Kitchen Garden at the Library

Kathy Barter has been doing a wonderful job with the Children's Garden at the Library, and here are a few photos taken Tuesday 8/2 with some of her helpers.

update from the Hanley Gardens!

Hi to all!  Lots of stuff growing well in the garden, tomatoes finally starting to appear.  Here are two photos taken Tuesday 8/2.  Unfortuantely, we also were hit with the hailstorm on Wednesday and it basically smashed our sunflowers.

Heavens Half Acre - HAIL!! 8/2/11

Mother Nature is cruel!!

Touchstone 29jul2011

It's been awhile since we posted, but we've been so busy harvesting!!  We've gone through our first rounds of snap peas (outstanding!) Merlot and Forstellen Schloss lettuce, radishes, beets, onions, bush string beans, swiss chard, spinach--great year so far!  Our first tomatoes appeared this week, and Kentucky wonders are close.  Hope there is something left to show 3 weeks from now!  Our granddaughter, who loves to garden arrived from Texas last week and has enjoyed picking and replanting.  See you on the 17th of August!
     --the Singers

New Lambs

I know this has nothing to do with gardens but I would like to introduce the two new arrivals to Heavens Half Acre. Two rams were born to Ol'Thelma early this morning.

Heaven's Half Acre: Progress......

Here is a sneak peek of what is to come. The season has finally taken off. We are starting to see progress. Swiss chard, lettuce, onions, strawberries and one pepper have been harvested. The strawberries have been amazing. We have yet to have a year where they have been so prolific. When Jim came by for pictures he commented, "I know this is an oxymoron but you may have to many strawberries." Or something like that. Well, Jim, you may be right. My hands are stained pink from processing them into jams and frozen berries for winter.

Last night for dinner we had roast duck from one of the drakes I harvested Sunday, swiss chard sauteed in butter, bacon fat, green onions and garlic and roasted potatoes. It doesn't get fresher than your front yard.

I did notice that something beside the humans were eating the cole crops. Time for the "Bug Juice". You take one bulb, yes the whole bulb, not clove, of garlic, one onion and the hottest pepper you can find. I used 3 habaneros this time. Put them in the blender and puree. Add enough water to cover and blend again. Put this in a jar and let sit over night. Take 1 cup and put in sprayer and add water. Spray all the plants. Not only will it repel and take care of the bugs but your garden will smell like my Italian Grandmother's kitchen.

Off to do more weeding.......

Tim's shady ledgy veggie garden update 23jun2011

The gardens are progressing well!  Here are a few photos of us from yesterday that you may enjoy!

Touchstone 31 May 2011 - First "fruits" of the new garden!

 Our first edible results this year - "Easter Egg Radishes"!

Tim's shady ledgy veggie garden

Here are a few photos of my initial garden setup early in the season. Note the large rhubarb leaves--they are to keep the critters out!

Heaven's Half Acre

Welcome to Heaven's Half Acre.

Our journey to be self sufficient stared with a 8x8
garden and has grown to what it is today. 3 large vegetable gardens, herb gardens, a strawberry patch and the menagerie.

This year I am very privileged to share our hard work with you. The season doesn't want to cooperate so it will be a challenge too.

Touchstone May 21 2011

14 yards of compost to spread!  Will keep us busy for awhile.  At least we got some work done on the pathway leading to the house and the train garden!

Touchstone 13May2011

We just got back from 12 days in northern Europe, where Spring is about 2 weeks ahead of us (read that as allergies!). It was sunny, warm and beautiful, but we were delighted to get home and see the progress of both our indoor seed starters and the outdoor kitchen garden. Here are some shots of what we now have as of today!

Touchstone 2011

Hello from Touchstone! Great to see all the green coming out, the Daff's in bloom, and the indoor seedlings coming out. Thought we'd put up a few "progress" shots! Have a great planting season yourselves!!

Touchstone 28 April 2011

Hello from Touchstone! Great to see all the green coming out, the Daff's in bloom, and the indoor seedlings coming out. Thought we'd put up a few "progress" shots! Have a great planting season yourselves!!

Touchstone Sunday April 17

Hello from Touchstone! We are one of the six kitchen gardens that will be "open" in August, and we're excited to finally start work! Our basic layout is two raised beds, and our unique feature is the train garden that we have adjacent to the vegetable areas. We have attached a few pictures taken this week of what we look like starting off this season, plus two photos from past years that

better depict what we hope to look like come August! We'll post updates from time to time as things start to really happen!

Greetings from the Southport Library Kitchen Tour

Yesterday we started our adventure in planting. Amie Hoinsky demonstrated making seed tapes. Jane Mulholland and I created beautiful tapes guaranteed to make planting easy and fool proof. See tape:

To make your own seed tape - mix "paste" mixture - cornstarch and water. 2:1 ratio. Heat to boiling stiring to avoid lumps. Put into squeeze bottle with fine tip. Cut strips for tape from paper towels. About 1/2" wide, any desired length. Place small dots of paste mixture onto towel tape. space according to package directions. With a pointed object such as bamboo skewer dip skewer into paste, pick up one seed and place onto drop of paste on tape. Dry flat. Roll onto paper towel holder until ready to use.

Get Started - Good Luck. Jean and jane