Friday, April 29, 2011

Gardening

We're off to a slow start on our garden this year. We didn't have a garden last year, so there has been a lot of work getting the soil ready this spring. More soil needs to be brought into the raised bed still, but we at least got some things planted today.

I decided to plant lettuces in my front flower bed. The lettuces will be ready in June and after they are picked, I'll pick up some discounted annuals to dress up the front of the house.

Paige and Allie helped me plant sugar snap peas next to a large fence. The girls were so happy to be digging in the soil and dropping seeds. I planted one row and left the seed uncovered. The two girls followed behind me using my seeds as a guide. I let the girls help cover up the seeds and give everything a gentle soaking. Allie has volunteered to check each day to see if the seeds have sprouted.

I'd like to get onions, beans, spinach, and radishes planted this weekend, but the weather is unpredictable right now. By Mother's Day, I'd like to have all the broccoli, cauliflower, peppers, tomatoes, herbs, and okra planted. We have too many squirrels to even attempt corn here and there isn't enough space to do potatoes. The children would love to grow carrots, but our trees are so large in the yard that I'm afraid that the carrots would be misshaped.

Our garden this year is an attempt to make a dent in our grocery bill. Each week provides another shock as the food prices rise. My grocery bill has jumped over 25% in the last 3 months. Joe's larges appetite is partially to blame, but most of the increase is due to increases in grocery prices. For example, store brand bran flakes jumped from $2.09 to $2.69. We purchase three boxes each week. Oatmeal has also jumped more that $0.60 per box. Beef is around $5 per pound (for cheap cuts) and hamburger is over $3 a pound. The only item that has gotten cheaper is boneless, skinless chicken breast. If I thought that I could get away with it, I would purchase a cow....maybe we could call it a large dog that says moo. Hmmmmm

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