...sixteen days!

until Spring! This Winter has been so bizarre with the weather patterns that I just cant help getting excited when we have one of those random 60 degree days!! So let's talk about one of my FAVORITE things about that wonderful time of year!

Before I met my husband, I was pretty clueless when it came to all things Organic and "Growing your own." He was raised by a mother who taught him about appreciating Mother Nature, taking care of your soul and your body, and living Organically/Naturally. She is the epitome of "granola" haha. Over the last nine years I have done so much research and have been pretty disappointed to see all the junk that is hidden in foods we eat. Unfortunately we do not have the land yet to where we could raise some animals (b/c we would LOVE to have meat birds, and a cow...maybe even goats!) So for now we do get our own fresh eggs from the four chickens we have, and we grow our own vegetables every Spring/Summer. Honestly, there is NOTHING better than having a salad at dinner and knowing that everything in it came from your yard and your hard work. Some years are better than others and sometimes the plants don't last as long, but I just enjoy the process. My husbands father owns an Apple Orchard here in town so he also had the luxury of learning how to plant and grow vegetables when he was younger. So he knows a lot of tips and tricks and I'm super thankful for that. 

One of the best things you can do for a garden is compost!! Many think composting can only consist of certain food scraps, but there is so much more you can get rid of this way! It is great because after time and turning it breaks down into the soil and makes for excellent planting!! We add our chickens poop to it too! (yea sounds gross but its great fertilizer!) We have had our compost here for about 5 years. It is in the same spot and we turn it often. When it is time for planting, we dig up the soil and bring it to where the garden is. We actually moved our garden this year b/c the trees where it was prior have grown so much in the last few years the sun is now blocked most the day over there. 

Here is a photo of our pile at present: 

We keep a stainless steel bowl on the counter near the sink and fill it with anything that is compostable. We empty it every day...super easy! (Don't mind the random glove...that's what happens when your toddler tries to help lol)
























Here is a great infographic on composting!

We recycle as much as we can in our house and composting is a great way to do so. Saves room in the trash too! We noticed a few years ago that the cardboard holders that the organic vegetables come in are compostable too! So instead of throwing them out, we just add them to the pile:) 

Over the last few years we have tried and failed with some plants. In the beginning we planted WAY too much. I think at one point my husband planted like 6 Habenero pepper plants (he swore they were Jalapenos...they weren't, and we never ate them!) 

I have planted Broccoli twice and each time we get the worms:( I should mention that we do not use pesticides or anything so we risk the bugs. The worms have ruined our Broccoli each time so sadly I don't plant it anymore.  

I am going to attempt some natural pesticides this year with my essential oils. There are certain ones that bugs do not like. I will mix up a batch and add it to my EO tab for others to try!

Slowly we have gone down to JUST what we eat in salads and a few vegetables we like to grill in the summer. I think for anyone starting out, less is definitely more...here is what we planted last year and what we will plant again:

*Various lettuce
*Spinach
*Cucumbers (2 types)
*Tomatoes ( few types)
*Banana Peppers
*Brussel Sprouts (though my chickens ruined those last year)
*Red Bell Peppers
*Summer Squash
*Potatos (came from our own supply)

I may add in some zucchini this year and some onions. I cant wait! I am also excited because my son is almost 3 and old enough now that I can get him out there to see what we do and to have him help us. We want to teach our children to appreciate the food they eat, and the work that goes into it. We want them to have a respect for nature and what it gives back to us when we give to it. 
















Every year I continue to learn more. When we buy our first home, we will make a larger and prettier garden!  I think I am turning into a wannabe homesteader haha. 

This is our garden last year, probably a month after planting...doesnt look like much lol...but it was just a baby! I think this year I want to experiment with raised beds...My husband tilled this part of the yard and mixed in our compost...the soil was amaaaazing!

Here are some cukes, lettuce and tomatoes!

Summer squash in there!

First picking once they were ready! Ugh gets me so excited!!!!

So, 16 days and counting. Probably in a week or so I will begin my seeds indoors. I want to start that with my toddler. I think he will get a kick out of seeing something grow from something he planted himself. 

FYI I am no professional...and I probably still do things wrong, but like I said I am still learning and thank god for my awesome hubs who knows a lot more than I do...and handles the weeding!! 

I hope anyone who can, gets to take some time this Spring and practice growing their own goodness!! Its seriously wonderful.

xo!