tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46704000908347519112024-03-14T06:29:23.812-07:00Gardening&Crafting with BernadetteDon't Just Sit There . . .
Learn. Grow. Be creative. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-51996594768501553372014-04-10T05:38:00.000-07:002014-04-10T05:38:02.384-07:00Hardy Pecan Tree Seeds For Sale (Wisconsin Strain) and Video on How to Start Them From Seed!<div style="text-align: center;">
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Head on over right now to <a href="http://magiclandfarms.com/">Magicland Farms</a> to purchase your seed nuts so you can get them growing ASAP. The faster you get them in some soil, the better!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-32155913594845429022014-02-10T18:30:00.000-08:002014-02-10T18:30:16.792-08:00More DIY videos! So, I have been putting up DIY videos on my YouTube channel as often as I can find the time. So here are all the latest ones I completed since my last post:<br />
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My last post was about winter lettuce. I completed the last two installments to the winter lettuce series so check them out:</div>
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For my sister for Christmas I made/decorated an old mirror with birch bark and lovely little bird on a branch. She is decorating her bedroom with birdies so I decided to add to her collection. :)</div>
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I also finished the second part to a video I made last year about growing gourds from seed. (Would you believe the video was actually taken with a phone! I had forgotten my camera so my sister used her phone to take the video of me planting my gourd plants. You can see my first video if you follow this link: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT7z18DGmgA">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT7z18DGmgA</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-54663504964756226632013-12-31T06:16:00.001-08:002013-12-31T06:16:16.063-08:00What to Plant in Your Garden First Thing . . . Winter lettuce, of course!<br />
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I have planted lettuce in January and harvested it in March here in Michigan, zone 5b. Of course I had to baby it with keeping it warm with low tunnel and radiant heat, but to have something green and delicious so early! So I had the camera out during the whole process of planting the lettuce from seed to harvesting it. I have my first of three videos uploaded to YouTube. Check out step by step on how to start your lettuce from seed. I will be getting the whole "winter lettuce project" uploaded to YouTube soon, so make sure to subscribe so you don't miss it.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-14631186030936986122013-12-25T08:23:00.000-08:002013-12-25T08:23:41.604-08:00Have a very Merry Christmas!<a data-pin-do="embedBoard" href="http://www.pinterest.com/bfcreations/be-inspired-by-the-winter-wonderland/"></a>
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<a data-pin-do="embedBoard" href="http://www.pinterest.com/bfcreations/winter-wreath-diy-and-inspiration/"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-62221761205514778402013-12-12T16:35:00.000-08:002013-12-12T16:35:47.958-08:00Make Your Own Christmas Ornaments. . . from Gourds!I just uploaded a video to my gourd art YouTube channel about making ornaments from small gourds. I show how I decorate them with melted crayon wax. You got to see it! <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-45047369486559740282013-11-02T16:57:00.000-07:002013-12-12T16:39:28.393-08:00What do you think of when you think of apples?<div>
I hope you think of something tasty! </div>
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Today one of my brothers and his son stopped by for a visit. Haven't seen them in over a year. Zach (that's my nephew) asked his dad (my brother) what's his favorite apple. Brother said: "An edible one." <i>What?</i> I thought. Well, it's true. Many people just haven't experienced good apples. They are mushy from being months in storage, picked green because demand forces the commercial growers to get the apples moving, or an apple was bred and sold for its appearance only, leaving the taste factor (the important part) to the wayside. </div>
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I am spoiled beyond compare I think. Because when I think of apples I think of (besides lots of work) a myriad of flavor, sweetness, tartness, and texture combos. My dad has accumulated over 30 years worth of apple varieties in his orchard - that's over 100 varieties! And I tasted (and harvested) them all! I can experience the cream of the crop, picked right off the tree at the optimum picking time. Lucky right? </div>
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Apples are really amazing compared to any other fruit in the world. I say this because there is no other fruit that can transform its texture and flavor like an apple. You can have a lip puckering tart apple like the Calville Blanc D'hiver or you can have a candy sweet apple like the Tolman Sweet. No other fruit that is "in season" for so long. From July to December you will find certain apple varieties just starting to ripen. Besides apples being unique and yummy they also pack a big vitamin punch. Eating healthy and apples should really be synonymous. Read about the health benefits<a href="http://blog.magiclandfarms.com/?p=1467"> HERE </a>and <a href="http://blog.magiclandfarms.com/?p=1446">HERE</a>. Oh, and guess what, my dad wrote descriptions of many of the apples he grows. Read about them by downloading the PDF booklet <a href="http://www.magiclandfarms.com/AppleDescriptions/AppleDescriptionsMagiclandFarmsFallWinter2013.pdf">HERE. </a> And if you are in the Newaygo, MI area, stop by at my <a href="http://magiclandfarms.com/">family's farm </a>and see and taste the apples in person! </div>
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So, what do you think of when you think of apples?</div>
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Again I hope it's something tasty - or at least I hope you will soon discover it to be something <i>oh, so yummy!</i></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-8361311063488132722013-09-11T16:57:00.000-07:002013-09-11T16:57:59.675-07:00DIY Video Woodburning Project - Woodburn a colorful Sunflower, monogram, and favorite Bible verse on Wood<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It sure has been quite some time since my last YouTube video! I finally was able to edit this particular project I completed last year as a Christmas gift for a friend of mine. She loves sunflowers (see the pattern I made for you to woodburn! http://bernadettesgarden.blogspot.com/p/woodburned-sunflower-with-monogram.html) so I decided to go have a sunflower as the focal point. I want to personalize it a bit more so I included the first initial of her last name. She is a good Christian friend so I thought she would appreciate the Bible verse, "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15).<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-11224628074799485812013-06-11T09:49:00.000-07:002013-06-11T09:49:58.912-07:00DIY Gardening Video: How to Grow Watermelon from Seed<div style="text-align: center;">
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Watermelon has been a staple crop at <a href="http://www.magiclandfarms.com/">Magicland Farms</a>, my family's farm and roadside market, since the beginning. My dad direct seeded them late Spring, when the soil were toasty warm, and crops of huge, delicious watermelon were the result. However, demand for watermelon encouraged my dad to try planting watermelon much earlier, for earlier harvest. He found cold soil just doesn't work and poor germination or no germination ensues. Furthermore, any attempt at direct seeding seedless watermelon was futile. So, later on we found that starting watermelon in pots and then planting out was a good way to get early watermelon as well as the ONLY way to grow seedless watermelon. In this five minute video I made I share with you the method we use to start watermelon seeds in pots. <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-51437828799802241102013-06-01T16:38:00.002-07:002013-06-01T16:38:41.062-07:00Ink Garden Coupons and Promo CodesInk Garden is the place where I purchase my business cards, as well as personalized gifts such as mugs, thermoses, calendars, notebooks, and other little things. I wanted to share with you some money saving codes and cookies for your next Ink Garden purchase.<br />
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For those of you who are newbies, make sure to click this link: <a href="http://www.dpbolvw.net/click-6745901-11022094" onmouseout="window.status=' ';return true;" onmouseover="window.status='http://www.inkgarden.com';return true;" target="_top">50% Off Your First Order at Ink Garden!</a> <span style="font-size: xx-small;"><i>Use Code: SPECIAL50 (Sorry, S&H is not included and it cannot be used in conjunction with other offers.)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">10% cash back at Inkgarden.com if you go through Mrrebates.com.</span> Click on banner to become a member and start saving!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-33750720069824656192013-05-28T16:11:00.000-07:002013-05-28T16:12:18.320-07:00Painted Gourd Birdhouse DIY YouTube VideoHi everyone!<br />
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I completed another gourd crafting video for you to enjoy and make something beautiful for your garden. It's a birdhouse painted in green with a checkered board roof and decorated with ladybugs and daisies. In the video I show how I painted the birdhouse step by step so that you can follow along with me or take my tips and apply them to your own cheerful summertime design. Have fun with it. Any questions? Just leave a comment here on my blog or leave a video comment on YouTube.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-26221719236669706552013-05-21T11:20:00.000-07:002013-05-22T10:20:39.835-07:00Pinteresting Tuesday: Favorite Fiction from my Bookshelf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a data-pin-do="embedBoard" href="http://pinterest.com/bfcreations/favorite-novels-from-my-bookshelf/"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-29629555686291560152013-05-16T10:11:00.001-07:002013-05-16T10:11:29.182-07:00How to Start Your Own Tomato Plants from Seed YouTube VideoI have completed another gardening video! I have started so many plants from seed this year (would you believe in the hundred thousands?) and it made me think that I should be sharing what I've learned with all of you. So I made a step by step video on how I plant tomato seeds for optimum germination. I chose tomatoes because I know everyone loves tomatoes in some way, but also because I believe that when you've grown your own tomato seedlings you will want to start all your plants from seed!<br />
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You may wonder why not just purchase tomato plants. I'll give you two good reasons--they are so expensive and you are very limited in variety and flavor. Growing your own tomato seedlings has everything going for it! I know it may seem somewhat of a challenge if you haven't grown anything from seed before, but believe me, it's much easier than you think.<br />
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So, let's get started!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-7903284923972303452013-05-03T17:37:00.000-07:002013-05-03T17:45:22.633-07:00Daffodil Blooming Time Lapse Video with Bushnell Camera<div style="text-align: center;">
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I did a fun little video of my family's early blooming daffodils. In an average year they would have bloomed in early to mid-April, in time for decorating the table for my parents' anniversary. This year they didn't fully bloom until April 29. I started the Bushnell Camera on April 2nd, and had it take photos every 15 minutes during the daylight hours - a whole month of photos into a minute video. Hope you enjoy! Make sure to visit my YouTube channel for more gardening and crafting videos.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-3583125563195842642013-04-26T17:46:00.000-07:002013-04-26T17:48:39.193-07:00Quick and Easy Raised Garden Bed Years ago my sister, Rebekah, made a raised bed to grow some annual cooking herbs. Although the bed is still looking good, she hasn't kept up with the herb growing. Instead, she has a new found passion - cut flowers that are deer resistant. We have a large family of deer who like to devour everything around the house, herbs included, so I have been helping her figure out which flowers deer will leave alone. I thought of daisies and asters because a species of both grow wild on the farm - so my guess deer don't particularly like them. I chose gaillardia, mainly because they are such a tough plant with tons of blooms. A little deer browsing shouldn't hurt. Rebekah may add some more plants, but those three are the ones we figured out so far and have started them from seed indoors (to get a head start). I am eager to see the flower beds in bloom and will post a photo of the results.<br />
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As for the quick and easy raised garden bed. Photos! I wanted to show you how we built it step by step so you can make one yourself.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApfBKmLzKzc3Uu2KGbaanidW6gejVN9SwdfKlors8FevQKcy3iKBXB0gVRH9sAOHnEXBSiGAweiUCK1oWZurANkpWDfPhIL3jnUo9mdm5dZQ6u4XjG8fYccuHdg6YiMp1Nj2cO3rU80Q/s1600/100_1785.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApfBKmLzKzc3Uu2KGbaanidW6gejVN9SwdfKlors8FevQKcy3iKBXB0gVRH9sAOHnEXBSiGAweiUCK1oWZurANkpWDfPhIL3jnUo9mdm5dZQ6u4XjG8fYccuHdg6YiMp1Nj2cO3rU80Q/s1600/100_1785.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made the frame of the raised bed using scrap 2x4s, which we pounded in the ground in an L shape. We took slag wood (lumber yards and mills have piles of leftover pieces from making standard lumber. You can purchase them on the cheep) and screwed them into the 2x4s as shown. Pre-drilling helps and 3" long deck screws are the easiest to use.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU06WmXP9t4DDYr8Vuoyfm4Obbb-xZxRuZXSKO78qm8oxEENRm_CuY9ZEd0MqXR7dcUHo0FLMnIOWAfbKisr3ZEx7ULVvdET9IJLttzZWS3KJEJJZKFAeVmcV8os5PppZXLKbzEFDy4S8/s1600/100_1802.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU06WmXP9t4DDYr8Vuoyfm4Obbb-xZxRuZXSKO78qm8oxEENRm_CuY9ZEd0MqXR7dcUHo0FLMnIOWAfbKisr3ZEx7ULVvdET9IJLttzZWS3KJEJJZKFAeVmcV8os5PppZXLKbzEFDy4S8/s1600/100_1802.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We filled the raised bed with a mixture of the following: sand, rich organic soil (often found along the banks of ponds and in a lush woods), and wood chips/leaf mulch from the compost pile. No, there is no scientific measurement for how much of each, but if you follow the three photos below you can see that our soil is loose (because of the sand), but still has some good water retension (the soil does clump a tiny bit when squeezed). Try the same test. If your soil forms a ball, you need to loosen it with sand and wood chips. If your soil falls completely apart, then your soil is probably too sandy for most of the plants you want to grow. You need some more of the rich soil (black dirt we call it). We also amended the soil with potash (in our case, we used wood ash from our stove) and used a couple pounds of 19-19-19 commercial fertilizer. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkl9OyHyB2MnagtICrxmo9dCUKP16XrAb6CWDJIVjRtvngD8FfC5K8kbA7E62f905dNoeGagixF9Aya7xhrdXwPagn7AHznr7vnCS51_cvkpHGj4yWRUvSqLEs7pbBiKC-YgIrT9T7oI/s1600/100_1805.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYkl9OyHyB2MnagtICrxmo9dCUKP16XrAb6CWDJIVjRtvngD8FfC5K8kbA7E62f905dNoeGagixF9Aya7xhrdXwPagn7AHznr7vnCS51_cvkpHGj4yWRUvSqLEs7pbBiKC-YgIrT9T7oI/s1600/100_1805.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Test your soil: grab some in your hand. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4XImrNTFlUsbJD5ydH99DrrSKc2vYMMrT8V-mqJfWxfWHpdJ7ApAwqgexH7E2Od2dANUt_7Mr8xCcC0L1xwQWWOgjmyJgWm0ya6fJ-nXdbDTliQGs9izWf3Jgtgn_FQwIW7uH_IMF5Q/s1600/100_1808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN4XImrNTFlUsbJD5ydH99DrrSKc2vYMMrT8V-mqJfWxfWHpdJ7ApAwqgexH7E2Od2dANUt_7Mr8xCcC0L1xwQWWOgjmyJgWm0ya6fJ-nXdbDTliQGs9izWf3Jgtgn_FQwIW7uH_IMF5Q/s1600/100_1808.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Squeeze it hard.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYl7TsopH5WfJUO-_W79jf-vXBKVc8DkRPyN0CjTUt15R6YCeXTkcUdsCuQLGFuBByf6VTxj5tPS5ly5Iblyi9oxN5C3q4vOUJ47Bk-iXk_MCSGro-K1JT88MeTVxG0C8R-HyD1l2ypQ/s1600/100_1811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYl7TsopH5WfJUO-_W79jf-vXBKVc8DkRPyN0CjTUt15R6YCeXTkcUdsCuQLGFuBByf6VTxj5tPS5ly5Iblyi9oxN5C3q4vOUJ47Bk-iXk_MCSGro-K1JT88MeTVxG0C8R-HyD1l2ypQ/s1600/100_1811.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Open your hand and check to see if the soil stays in a clump, falls apart completely, or a mixture of both, which is what you want.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4XISxSxBpNcBNRWvFxLBV7EjSHntJIjIiiSgxLv5-TB-x4uNw4dmexl410r82MmPFkVRAVcbTs2bFtSPnCAvX3Zf1TLzPZKLvkmlaYS6ijxDiuVfWSjmr3J2hoegb8j5bVTZsLUgBew/s1600/100_1815.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_4XISxSxBpNcBNRWvFxLBV7EjSHntJIjIiiSgxLv5-TB-x4uNw4dmexl410r82MmPFkVRAVcbTs2bFtSPnCAvX3Zf1TLzPZKLvkmlaYS6ijxDiuVfWSjmr3J2hoegb8j5bVTZsLUgBew/s1600/100_1815.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before you fill the bed completely up with your homemade soil mixture, you may want to think about adding a store bought mix. We topped the bed off with two large bags of Sunshine seedling soil. Miracle-Gro, Scott's, and brands like those are just fine - all you have to look for is fluffy soil. We topped the bed off with seedling soil so Rebekah could plant seeds right in the bed and have the best chance for them to germinate. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuhQwJknWeEaAfazWcXVzcxdtsJJ0cw32T_JS0Teltop-sHimDE9wdcGQKzvZJCNLHq9MmWgZnPQ7ym34Z5DAdvdXzBrhdprHR4cc6jJeALaQhdKwSTiW224UjACNUtGkCA44L54DZZA/s1600/100_1828.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFuhQwJknWeEaAfazWcXVzcxdtsJJ0cw32T_JS0Teltop-sHimDE9wdcGQKzvZJCNLHq9MmWgZnPQ7ym34Z5DAdvdXzBrhdprHR4cc6jJeALaQhdKwSTiW224UjACNUtGkCA44L54DZZA/s1600/100_1828.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here's the finished raised bed. Looks nice doesn't it? Hopefully, we will see it in bloom this year!</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-57424517872042030552013-04-16T02:00:00.000-07:002013-04-16T02:00:05.930-07:00Pinteresting Tuesday: Podcasts About Gardening!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4xkTYSppATsaJpbHpM5zx8UQ9v8OXg55zy6eV08wvpHrro9ATlyRcnBxBMTd7tG3rvBtfuSinKhCnicJ83ClO8cWdpJOoIpEn3H3amDWSsiN49CtCveYesXBVy3p6dejrK4XHmv74Z8/s1600/iriscollagepintersting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjV4xkTYSppATsaJpbHpM5zx8UQ9v8OXg55zy6eV08wvpHrro9ATlyRcnBxBMTd7tG3rvBtfuSinKhCnicJ83ClO8cWdpJOoIpEn3H3amDWSsiN49CtCveYesXBVy3p6dejrK4XHmv74Z8/s1600/iriscollagepintersting.JPG" height="320" width="235" /></a></div>
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<a data-pin-do="embedBoard" href="http://pinterest.com/bfcreations/podcasts-about-gardening-info-tips-diy/"></a>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-81299085705094799402013-04-12T12:55:00.000-07:002013-04-12T12:59:55.032-07:00Hundreds and Thousands Tomato - Collecting Tomato Seed<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhIRJ61BZkEW9WQdOgMEo9TyJ4NmohxqGxnioOqBdPphV1BpoYBAbfR3Q1gt26VnZ4Pg_sTx-E-KNboXVnrtHcPfcGz-QqfsFph9laxsFuevGQKNAUvU9WrttwFV9adiZTebYz3O_BOgrT2Vx56Vfyx7pL3PHi6=" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhIRJ61BZkEW9WQdOgMEo9TyJ4NmohxqGxnioOqBdPphV1BpoYBAbfR3Q1gt26VnZ4Pg_sTx-E-KNboXVnrtHcPfcGz-QqfsFph9laxsFuevGQKNAUvU9WrttwFV9adiZTebYz3O_BOgrT2Vx56Vfyx7pL3PHi6=" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo taken from http://www.dobies.co.uk</td></tr>
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I've heard so many good things about the Hundreds and Thousands tomato that I had to grow it myself. Last year I searched all over (eg. catalogs, online) for a place that sells this tomato. Sadly, I found that it just isn't available here in the U.S. It is mainly a British tomato phenomenon, but I still wanted to get my hands on the seed somehow and see for myself see what all the rave was about. A nice lady from Canada sent me a few leftover seeds she had purchased from overseas. Even though it was late by the time I received the seed I decided to plant them right away. They came up quickly and grew fast. I transplanted them into hanging baskets (that's what I heard they do over in Britain with this particular tomato). They did produce a good amount of fruit even though <br />
<a name='more'></a>it was so late in the season. I am guessing if it was warmer they would have fruited hundreds of baby cherry tomatoes like the name suggests (they certainly had enough blossoms to do so, but the blossoms didn't all pollinate because of the colder temps). By the end of the year I had one hanging basket that survived the frost, because I actually remembered to bring it inside. My plan was to collect the seeds from the remaining tomatoes. Well, that didn't exactly happen the way I planned. I sort of forgot about them, left them in our greenhouse and just let my collecting seeds idea fall to the wayside. However, last month I noticed the dead, dried tomato plants still had some tomatoes hanging from them. So, I decided what the heck, I'll collect seeds from these shriveled up tomatoes and see what happens. Here is the process I took to collect the seeds:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEYGxPe-uOrE_GpVfyBSjnm8eon7IT6LA-8RFizobiaByFtvt1KdpkgaJJgprkzLOGUdSc8iZXYHMxSAuibiPFXLTYLFIaBNYGgdDdo93LSCwFOKJfV4-EbJHQpRfNydIoPu2_EZK9Wc/s1600/tomatoseeds+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXEYGxPe-uOrE_GpVfyBSjnm8eon7IT6LA-8RFizobiaByFtvt1KdpkgaJJgprkzLOGUdSc8iZXYHMxSAuibiPFXLTYLFIaBNYGgdDdo93LSCwFOKJfV4-EbJHQpRfNydIoPu2_EZK9Wc/s320/tomatoseeds+001.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the hanging basket with the dead tomato plants.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZQ-1D_lWsWasP_sORzbvL07QcV0138Qc8jMO24lgJCBeEpi9cT7IHlbj6dZieRRS0zJQeT_ewtCLwvKo2C-ON-HTShHVogtRBGUHDyLNsEjZvjDQFYkStN32qDg3yQzUjv5mzpP0HxU/s1600/tomatoseeds+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1ZQ-1D_lWsWasP_sORzbvL07QcV0138Qc8jMO24lgJCBeEpi9cT7IHlbj6dZieRRS0zJQeT_ewtCLwvKo2C-ON-HTShHVogtRBGUHDyLNsEjZvjDQFYkStN32qDg3yQzUjv5mzpP0HxU/s320/tomatoseeds+002.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are the tomatoes that I noticed were still left on the plants. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzmHjmZYADca_W9QcvPShJy1dri5E5jRyo-X_ycb-3ulB5kqo1HCnWzruVNZsOnwIwxQUbkAcl4lyxWIhDX8oxNaYgptnRH5qpCIQiwa5QQ6Zd34A8GDS7KUfN28uwd9OJGv9-e_2k-U/s1600/tomatoseeds+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfzmHjmZYADca_W9QcvPShJy1dri5E5jRyo-X_ycb-3ulB5kqo1HCnWzruVNZsOnwIwxQUbkAcl4lyxWIhDX8oxNaYgptnRH5qpCIQiwa5QQ6Zd34A8GDS7KUfN28uwd9OJGv9-e_2k-U/s320/tomatoseeds+004.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These are all the tomatoes I could find.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0ci_7m25XNtG8qagEMg6ntWxu8j7f3sM_NmJNqjj6gnLK0fSiTnJ_C2RxPiFMe1dlvSSJmCQ2R_oJuESkbt8mgrI8Gt1Ssy0DgsCt9LP5436GN0oknsgyUvGUVEb5FlUeQ-BROSWKNg/s1600/tomatoseeds+005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ0ci_7m25XNtG8qagEMg6ntWxu8j7f3sM_NmJNqjj6gnLK0fSiTnJ_C2RxPiFMe1dlvSSJmCQ2R_oJuESkbt8mgrI8Gt1Ssy0DgsCt9LP5436GN0oknsgyUvGUVEb5FlUeQ-BROSWKNg/s320/tomatoseeds+005.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I squeezed their guts out into a soda bottle that had some water in it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKGBeFXuzWWC27lzJ0f0wfcHK34LryYEGj7VnAy8SCTBYadbFtPByoCgim0Hp_80hvL9BW_VG0jsp70nX0sXBZa16owePBLFKINqKG8MMdEyLHXkMufEllavz_o7gkiFqCcxPIOWKrvU/s1600/tomatoseeds+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifKGBeFXuzWWC27lzJ0f0wfcHK34LryYEGj7VnAy8SCTBYadbFtPByoCgim0Hp_80hvL9BW_VG0jsp70nX0sXBZa16owePBLFKINqKG8MMdEyLHXkMufEllavz_o7gkiFqCcxPIOWKrvU/s320/tomatoseeds+006.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I vigorously shook the bottle to loosen the seeds from the flesh and membrane - or "guts" to simply put it.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDNVxQPwIdt9T6Uv0VV838DAmD3-37wvxqDCv_G9Uz-rsutMLXZA2m_gOwN7LPTgcULzxZIZC4ewEq9i2AYIXIZgr8YddW9egfMr15Mb2nxZeBu4Pq5VvvRgmSiPcCt9X8i3JVY8EoNY/s1600/tomatoseeds+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRDNVxQPwIdt9T6Uv0VV838DAmD3-37wvxqDCv_G9Uz-rsutMLXZA2m_gOwN7LPTgcULzxZIZC4ewEq9i2AYIXIZgr8YddW9egfMr15Mb2nxZeBu4Pq5VvvRgmSiPcCt9X8i3JVY8EoNY/s320/tomatoseeds+007.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the seeds swirling around, that's what I was looking for.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I poured the excess water out in another cup, then dumped all the seeds on a paper plate. I spread them out and let them dry. I planted them on April 09. Can't wait to see if any of them are viable! Will keep you posted! :)</td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-17009347877958416252013-03-26T07:51:00.000-07:002013-03-26T07:51:30.746-07:00Pinteresting Tuesday: Leaves and Gourd Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktVq4Ffc6_OrKJKwnX2q-SrE9WQV3ByfR3u_1LZjf_WsHxpzoXpGjK6QoUGWWYBYoznHOxyTqw1SBmnwaPEk7Hps96Bt4PPw3bT7snfvDEEPrKzfKccKtEX_RhFg_AvJPq9I3U1I8HaY/s1600/iriscollagepintersting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktVq4Ffc6_OrKJKwnX2q-SrE9WQV3ByfR3u_1LZjf_WsHxpzoXpGjK6QoUGWWYBYoznHOxyTqw1SBmnwaPEk7Hps96Bt4PPw3bT7snfvDEEPrKzfKccKtEX_RhFg_AvJPq9I3U1I8HaY/s1600/iriscollagepintersting.JPG" height="320" width="235" /></a></div>
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<a data-pin-do="embedBoard" href="http://pinterest.com/bfcreations/gourd-art-and-leaves/"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-46470207854658474312013-03-24T10:23:00.002-07:002013-03-25T06:26:11.389-07:00Mary Garden - Honoring the Blessed Mother with Flowers<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qGArkXeroLuLv7H-DE-NGBbOKtDm3rhyphenhyphenu793qcaE3ejC77Yuc0zHnAWQYUpz6VBKB3KtWsnHrDPXSfhfSc5MUsZtx72A87gP0unHDQgs9Fec6H5Nwc36YiSbo54B00MGJls1qtLEnUE/s1600/sunday.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0qGArkXeroLuLv7H-DE-NGBbOKtDm3rhyphenhyphenu793qcaE3ejC77Yuc0zHnAWQYUpz6VBKB3KtWsnHrDPXSfhfSc5MUsZtx72A87gP0unHDQgs9Fec6H5Nwc36YiSbo54B00MGJls1qtLEnUE/s320/sunday.jpg" /></a> </div>
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Since I was born my parents have placed statues of Mary all around the property and house. Around the time I was born my parents bought life-size statues of Our Lady of Fatima and the three shepherd children and placed the set in front of our house facing a large lake. We also have a statue of Mary at the entrance of our long driveway, a statue of Mary in our apple orchard, and I have my own Mary garden located in a little clearing in the woods. I have always been drawn to honoring Mary in this way -- through flowers and plants and gardens. Mary gardens are certainly not a new thing; I've read that they began during the Middle Ages using flowers named by Christian botanists after Mary's life and virtues. This way of honoring Mary using specially named flowers intrigued me. </div>
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Dicentra, my favorite flower of any garden is commonly called Bleeding Heart after its uncanny resemblance to a heart - Mary's Heart if planted in a Mary garden. </div>
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Of course the rose can't be mistaken for anything but heavenly. Mary has been called the "Mystical Rose" for centuries and the great Dante wrote, "Why are you so enamored of my face that you do not turn your gaze to the beautiful garden which blossoms under the radiance of Christ? There is the Rose in which the Divine word became flesh: here are the lilies whose perfume guides you in the right ways." </div>
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Dianthus (ie. Sweet William, Carnation, and Pinks) or whatever you want to call this lovely old fashioned flower graces my garden with its spring perfume. It's often a symbol of love, and as a flower for Mary it symbolizes Mary's ardent love of God. </div>
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The first flower I grew in my garden was the purple violet that I transplanted from a wildflower patch - I was happy to find later that it was a symbol of Mary's humility. </div>
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I could keep naming flowers like this and I could keep searching to add more flowers to my garden that have a Marian symbol or story attached, but I've found that a Mary garden shouldn't be based only on traditions and stories of the past. Don't get me wrong, traditions are often times helpful and good, but I don't think they should be the reason we plant the flower - to add another Marian specimen to the garden. I think it is the story we add to the plant when we plant it, it is the work and care we take to plant it and help it grow, it is the enjoyment we get when it finally blooms and fruits and we are able to see another of God's works come to life. To sum up my thoughts, I don't think a Mary garden should only be about special flowers that tell millenniums-old story about the most blessed of all women who lived 2,000 years ago. Rather, it should be a garden that is fresh, lively, and growing -- a garden that continues Mary's story through the story of the gardener who wishes to honor Mary and imitate her life and virtues. </div>
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Links of interest:<br />
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About Mary Gardens:<br />
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<a href="http://www.fisheaters.com/marygardens.html">http://www.fisheaters.com/marygardens.html</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.americancatholic.org/messenger/may2000/feature2.asp">http://www.americancatholic.org/messenger/may2000/feature2.asp</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/H020rpMaryGarden_Galitzin.htm">http://www.traditioninaction.org/religious/H020rpMaryGarden_Galitzin.htm</a></div>
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Outdoor Statues:<br />
<a href="http://www.leafletonline.com/Outdoor/products/198/">http://www.leafletonline.com/Outdoor/products/198/</a> (I purchased my Mary statue from this company.)<br />
<a href="http://www.catholiccompany.com/josephs-studio-c2467/">http://www.catholiccompany.com/josephs-studio-c2467/</a><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-36082758639612804012013-03-20T02:00:00.000-07:002013-03-20T02:00:15.681-07:00Trying out a Night Vision Trail CamOn January 16th of this year we set up our new Bushnell Trail Cam at our farm. We wanted to have some fun with it so we tied it to a tree overlooking an animal den. My intentions were to capture a fox on the camera, but was surprised to find a whole party of animals that night. Check out the video I put together on YouTube. Click on the embedded video to see it larger on YouTube.<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-64428797734103311972013-03-19T02:00:00.000-07:002013-03-19T02:00:00.509-07:00Pinteresting Tuesday: Coat Hanger Crafts and DIY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a data-pin-do="embedBoard" href="https://pinterest.com/bfcreations/coat-hanger-crafts-and-diy/"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-39871527586909221292013-03-15T02:00:00.000-07:002013-03-15T15:21:13.310-07:00Seed Swaps DO's and DON'Ts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It is a great time of year to start getting your seeds together and begin planning out your garden. I say seeds, because we all know how expensive plants are, so starting your own plants from seed is really the way to go if you are on a budget. For my family's farm we plant all our annual crops from seed, including tomatoes, peppers, and onions, which we start indoors.<br />
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However, even though seed is a lot cheaper compared to buying plants, seeds are not inexpensive by any means. To put this in perspective, they are actually the number one on our list of farming expenses -- and we have lots of expenses to run a fruit and vegetable farm and our own roadside farm market -- so you can imagine. So, knowing this fact I don't like to spend my money purchasing plants or seeds from companies for my flower garden - it's only a hobby mind you. I found a great way around the money problem - seed swaps (also called trades and exchanges). For the past several years I have been swapping leftover flower and vegetable seed with people all across the U.S. Seed trading is not only fun, but I am able to obtain all sorts of seeds I wouldn't have found so readily in seed catalogs. I invite you to try at least one seed trade this year, be it with someone in your own neighborhood, a relative across the state, or a fellow gardener you met on the Internet.<br />
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The purpose of this post is for me to share some tips I have learned over the years so that when you start your own seed swap, you'll be successful and have a great time.<br />
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<b>Do's and Don'ts:</b></h3>
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<b>Do</b> become a member of online seed swapping communities. Some communities to check out:<a data-mce-href="http://seedswaps.com" href="http://seedswaps.com/"> http://seedswaps.com</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://gardenweb.com" href="http://gardenweb.com/">http://gardenweb.com</a>, <a data-mce-href="http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/trading/all/" href="http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/trading/all/">http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/f/trading/all/</a><br />
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<b>Don't</b> think that every seed swap will go exactly the way you want. I suggest to do some background checking before you accept the trade, especially if it's a large trade. (Is there a review forum for seed swap members?)<br />
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<b>Do</b> think about collecting the seeds from your own garden. A little research about each seed producing plant you grow and good timing is all you need to harvest your own seeds. Many gardeners don't mind cross-pollination (and a little <a data-mce-href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaff" href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chaff" title="chaff">chaff</a>) so go for it and have some fun with it!<br />
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<b>Don't</b> be neglectful on how you store the seeds you hope to trade. Make sure you store them in a plastic bag or glass/plastic jar in a fridge or other cool spot in your home.<br />
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<b>Do</b> label all your seeds clearly. It's a good practice to include the following info on each packet of seeds you send:</div>
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<i>Name:</i> Both common and scientific</div>
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<i>Origins:</i> (a) Commercial seed (purchased from a seed company), (b) if it was collected from your garden (which means the seed was most likely cross-pollinated and wont come true from seed), or (c) it was from a previous trade and you are not sure of its origins. Commonly abbreviated as: C (commercial), G (garden), and T (trade).</div>
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<i>Year:</i> When it was harvested.<br />
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<b>Don't</b> be reluctant to ask a seed trader if they will accept things other than seeds for trade. Many seed traders have other hobbies and interests and are willing to give seed to "add another item to their collection." Also, include the option of giving or receiving postage for seed. Sometimes gardeners will have an abundance of seed and are willing to take time out and send them to whomever would like them - if he/she is reimbursed for the postage.<br />
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<b>Do</b> keep records of all your seed trades. This can be very helpful when you want to do another trade with "that person who sent me those prized dahlias." Keep track of all the seed you sent and received, the name and contact information of the person, and the time of year the trade took place.<br />
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<b>Don't</b> forget that you can do seed trades through the mail or in person. The master gardener next door I am sure will have some leftover seed for you to try - and maybe she/he will want some plant tags in return. . .</div>
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<b>Do</b> make sure you read up about the plants you are thinking of starting from seed. Will they work in your climate or zone? Will you have enough room for that shrub? Is it an invasive plant that may take over your garden? (See: <a data-mce-href="http://invasive.org/" href="http://invasive.org/">http://invasive.org/</a>)<br />
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<b>Don't</b> just send seed to wherever, you need to be careful about regulations. If you are wondering if a certain country or state has seed regulations then make sure you do your research before a problem surfaces and you are fined. (See <a data-mce-href="http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/quarantine/prohibit.shtml" href="http://www.aphis.usda.gov/import_export/plants/plant_imports/quarantine/prohibit.shtml">HERE.</a>)<br />
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<b>Do</b> make sure that both ends of the trade will be satisfied before the trade even begins. Converse about the <i>exact</i> seed you want in return and make sure you know what the other person <i>exactly</i> wants. Communication is key to a great trade.</div>
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<b>Don't</b> over extend yourself. Sometimes having too many seed trades open can become a nightmare. One person wants this seed while two others want the same seed, and you said "yes" to all three without realizing it -- I think you can picture that situation pretty well.<br />
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<b>Do</b> make sure you read over any guidelines a seed trader may have. Some gardeners have made seed trading a big part of their gardening and actually made rules that, for the most part, benefit both parties if adhered to.<br />
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<b>Don't</b> be stingy -- be mindful of how many seeds you place in each packet. If there was no set seed amount discussed during the trade conversation then assume that person will want as many seeds as you would be happy with yourself. True gardeners are generous. Bonus packets of seed can be your way of making a lifelong friendship.<br />
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<b>Do</b> send seed in plastic packets or baggies and label them clearly. Dry seed stores the best in a sealed plastic (or glass) container or bag so why not ship them accordingly? A snack or sandwich bag will work okay, though freezer tough bags are better.<br />
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<b>Don't</b> send your seeds in paper packets unless you are planning on using a waterproof envelope. A plastic envelope will work, as well as wrapping a paper envelope in plastic packing tape. Remember, water could damage the seeds inside, especially if the seeds are not planted soon after arrival.<br />
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<b>Do</b> provide an organized and up to date trade list for other people to see. Many online seed trading communities insist you have a trade list. I insist you make sure of spelling and keep it up to date!<br />
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<b>Don't</b> send your seeds in a regular envelope. The seeds need to be protected from being crushed so use a bubble envelope or wrap the seeds in bubble wrap and place in regular envelope.<br />
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<b>Do</b> have fun! Make it an experience where you can learn, share, grow, and find new "flower buds."</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-48256798595230406472013-03-12T05:55:00.000-07:002013-03-12T05:55:00.121-07:00Pinteresting Tuesday: Favorite Jewelry Pieces for Inspiration and DIY<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktVq4Ffc6_OrKJKwnX2q-SrE9WQV3ByfR3u_1LZjf_WsHxpzoXpGjK6QoUGWWYBYoznHOxyTqw1SBmnwaPEk7Hps96Bt4PPw3bT7snfvDEEPrKzfKccKtEX_RhFg_AvJPq9I3U1I8HaY/s1600/iriscollagepintersting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktVq4Ffc6_OrKJKwnX2q-SrE9WQV3ByfR3u_1LZjf_WsHxpzoXpGjK6QoUGWWYBYoznHOxyTqw1SBmnwaPEk7Hps96Bt4PPw3bT7snfvDEEPrKzfKccKtEX_RhFg_AvJPq9I3U1I8HaY/s1600/iriscollagepintersting.JPG" height="320" width="235" /></a></div>
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<a data-pin-do="embedBoard" href="https://pinterest.com/bfcreations/favorite-jewelry-pieces-inspiration-and-diy/"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-18661601792177197222013-03-05T02:00:00.000-08:002013-03-05T02:00:08.122-08:00Pinteresting Tuesday: Favorite Family Tried and True Recipes <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktVq4Ffc6_OrKJKwnX2q-SrE9WQV3ByfR3u_1LZjf_WsHxpzoXpGjK6QoUGWWYBYoznHOxyTqw1SBmnwaPEk7Hps96Bt4PPw3bT7snfvDEEPrKzfKccKtEX_RhFg_AvJPq9I3U1I8HaY/s1600/iriscollagepintersting.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhktVq4Ffc6_OrKJKwnX2q-SrE9WQV3ByfR3u_1LZjf_WsHxpzoXpGjK6QoUGWWYBYoznHOxyTqw1SBmnwaPEk7Hps96Bt4PPw3bT7snfvDEEPrKzfKccKtEX_RhFg_AvJPq9I3U1I8HaY/s1600/iriscollagepintersting.JPG" height="320" width="235" /></a></div>
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<a data-pin-do="embedBoard" href="https://pinterest.com/bfcreations/favorite-family-recipes/"></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4670400090834751911.post-12303392198593770112013-03-01T02:00:00.000-08:002013-03-13T06:03:29.930-07:00Growing Lettuce in Winter - Part 2<div style="text-align: center;">
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We spaded the ground in our unheated greenhouse, removing weeds and debris. To spade, push your shovel in the ground and lift a shovel full of dirt out of the ground. Turn your whole shovel over and let the dirt fall back into the hole you just made. The point of doing this is to bring relatively untouched soil from under the ground to the surface, bury the organic material that was on the surface, and to break up the compacted soil.<br />
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We gathered 4 logs of white pine to use as the sides of the raised bed. The bed was about 4'x6'. We dug a shallow trench all around and set each log in it.
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We placed the white pine logs in a rectangle like this. Even though this raised bed was only temporary, white pine is an excellent wood to use when you're looking for a wood that will have to sit in the soil. I made a fence of untreated white pine as well as a cold frame and they are both holding strong.</div>
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Next, we filled up the raised bed with commercial grade soil. We used Sunshine mix.</div>
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Because the soil from the bag was dry we poured gallons of water to get it good and moist. We used a rake to smooth out the soil.</div>
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This is the size of the lettuce plants at transplanting time. Make sure to water your transplants well before separating the plants. I also recommend a little liquid fertilizer just before transplanting.</div>
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We took the top of the rake and made rows in the dirt. We planted each lettuce plant about 5" apart in the row with each row about 6" apart. It's probably best to space them a little farther apart than we did so they can get better air circulation. Make sure to label everything well!</div>
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We checked them out on the 2nd of March and found they were coming along very nicely. We had to do replant a few due to just failing to take and because a rodent came through and dug some up. Rodents are one of our main problems when we try to overwinter anything. At the same time we're making a home for the lettuce (or whatever it may be) we're making a home for little critters. We placed traps all around, caught a few and didn't have problems afterwards.</div>
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To combat the cold temps we made a low tunnel with plastic and bent conduit that we pushed into the ground. We set up a heat lamp (you can see it in the photo) that was temperature controlled by a rather cheap little plug-in gizmo.
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On the 20th of March we took more photos of the lettuce. Looking really good! Yes, yes it does need a little weeding. :)
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A week later the lettuce has grown by leaps and bounds. We could have eaten it at this stage, but we wanted to wait a bit longer until the head lettuce had larger heads. During its growing period we watered the lettuce only when it was looking dry; and we fertilized it with Miracle-Gro every other week.</div>
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About April 1 we started harvesting the lettuce for salads, burgers, and sandwiches. On April 22 we finally took some photos of our little lettuce bed - I was cutting some for sandwiches that day.</div>
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You can see the lettuce is very thick. We had some air circulation issues and the romaine lettuce was a bit leggy due to the crowding. Make sure you don't make the same mistake. Despite the few problems we had, it was very successful and very tasty. Good luck with your winter lettuce!</div>
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Check out my family's farm's website and blog: <a href="http://magiclandfarms.com/">magiclandfarms.com</a> and <a href="http://blog.magiclandfarms.com/">blog.magiclandfarms.com</a>.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04003330662150945169noreply@blogger.com0