Out of the Greenhouse and Into the Ground

I spent this visit re-potting seedlings and bringing them outside, now that the weather has warmed up.  It still hasn't rained in weeks, except for a minute of rain and a minute of snow, which wasn't even enough to settle the dust.  The wind has made the dust even worse, and it whipped around so fast I nearly blew backwards more than once.  I asked John how he was dealing with the drought, "spraying, praying, or both?"  He laughed, and said both.  The well used to hold about 9 hours of water, but lately, he runs it dry in about 6 hours of watering.  Keeping the plants watered isn't just about nourishing their growth:  the bugs that eat them love hot, dry weather.  The flea beetles have been having a field day lately.  As a result, many of the spring greens are a loss as far as restaurant sales because they're not pretty enough, despite the taste being unharmed.  This is an on-going problem for growers, and it results in a tremendous amount of food being wasted at farms and markets across the country.

The bed of pansies is blooming quite happily.  John had to pick a bunch of them quickly, before the wind blew them all off.  Destined for Bistro Bethem, they began life at the nearby Lowe's.  Since they're usually sprayed with chemicals at places like that, the initial blossoms were picked and discarded.  The new blooms, which have never been treated with chemicals, they will be served as edible garnishes.  If you have these in your own garden, without chemicals, don't be afraid to eat them.

I adore peas.  Love them.  And sugar snap peas are the best.  I don't have a sweet tooth, but I'll eat these things like candy (same with the baby carrots from last time).  They're not quite ready yet, but the plants are winding their tentacles around the fence as they climb toward the sun, with each blossom promising the sweet, crunchy treat that is to come.

Speaking of sweet promises, the strawberries are bearing fruit, and John assures me they will be ready to eat in the next week or two.  We grew strawberries when I was a kid, but I never cared for them.  I've liked them a little more over the years, so I'm quite eager to experience them again.

I did spend some time in the greenhouse, getting basil plants ready for market.  With a mindful eye toward making it pretty for the consumer, I carefully labelled them all with my very best handwriting.

Sophie was feeling particularly lazy this week.  Despite being a farm cat, she's not much of a hunter.  But she enjoyed a well-deserved rest after her victorious hunt of a very large black snake.