The "green roof" really isn't going gangbusters as I had hoped, I think once the gourds take off and start sending out tendrils is when it will happen. "Mr. Mockers", my resident evil mockingbird has made a nest in the green roof's planter box, so that is interesting trying to go up there and tend to things without getting divebombed and squawked at.
The peanut boxes are growing! I have never grown peanuts before so when the kids planted them I was a little skeptical they would sprout in the regular soil from the yard we put in there, but apparently since they are a big cash crop here, they love the sandy soil.
Peanuts!
The kids have been helping with the overabundance of beans and they love harvesting the berries, which is really helpful when it's so hot outside you can only stand 10 minutes at a time and there is so much to do out there.
Beans, Blackberries, Raspberries
Finn sharing his blackberry harvest tonight after dinner.
Kind of funny, the neighborhood kids always ask where I got the berries and I always say "they fell from the sky!" since I won't show them or the little hoodlums will take all the unripe ones too and trash my bushes! Tonight the little girl next door yells over the fence, "hey Loch's mom, did any berries fall from the sky today?" I told her to cover her eyes and I will go find out, I came back about 20 seconds later with a handful for her LOL! I happened to be standing right in front of the raspberry bushes when she asked, some kids either aren't very observant, or really don't know berries come from a plant!
After using this on a dead tomato plant, I wiped it with Listerine to disinfect it and commented that I needed to wash it. I came back 2 hours later to unload the dishwasher and saw this! The kids said "we washed it!" They certainly did... so simple that a grownup would overlook this sanitizing solution LOL! This may become standard practice for me since I swore this year I was going to keep my tools clean but have yet to make good on this promise.
This was finally the last day of school for Loch! In keeping with my resolution to give handmade gifts and not spend money on stupid little things throughout the year, I headed out to the garden this morning to see what I could round up for Loch's teacher for a token of our appreciation. Once I laid it all out, I had to laugh because it reminded me of a CSA Share! A little of this, a little of that. I actually had some jalapenos ready to harvest so it looks like she can actually make a little fresh salsa from what I was able to get today. Loch told me his teacher lives in an apartment and she probably doesn't have a garden so I hope she likes it! It was pretty cute watching all the kids crowd around smelling everything when I brought it into the classroom, I honestly think most of them are pretty unaware that all this stuff exists or even that it grows from the ground!
Dragon's Tongue & Golden Wax Beans, Tomatoes, Jalapenos, Cucumbers, Garlic, Red & Yellow Onions, Shallots, Cilantro, Parsley, Basil, Dill, Chives and a loaf of Banana Bread!
Finn even found me a recycled box to carry it in!
So that's the update on the kid's side of things around here, check out The Inadvertent Farmer's Week 10 Post for the link party & updates from the other participants. Get your kids out into the garden!
