What an amazing day! Today our yard was the site of a raised bed garden workshop run by our friend Nikki. She is a wealth of knowledge and it was such an honor to have been asked by her if we'd be up for hosting a workshop this spring! While we gathered the necessary supplies, she gathered the people and we set a date. Originally, the workshop was to take place last weekend but due to the weather we decided to postpone it until today. I am so glad we did as the weather really was perfect for this project!
The girls were as excited for today's event as if it was one of their birthdays! "It's garden day!" was a constant refrain this morning, and that's even how they greeted Nikki when she arrived. These girls of ours sure can work! We've always known this about them, of course, though it never gets old witnessing it each time we take on a large project. Their focus and determination and hard work at their young ages really is outstanding (case in point: the fence painting project. A project that we clearly need to finish this spring). They were there every step of the way today; driving, shoveling, drilling, hammering, moving, fertilizing, raking, and stringing. Once again I found myself thinking that they really do belong living on a farm! They stopped on occasion for a drink of water or a blueberry muffin (made by Grace this morning while Dave and Em were out getting a few more items for the raised beds) or to change outfits but other than that they were there 'till the very end (and beyond). Once everyone left they even spent a good amount of time digging for worms to add to the garden. I have a feeling they are going to sleep exceptionally well tonight!
We have yet to install the gate (and there's an archway still to come as well) but the beds are done, the grids are strung and the fence is pretty much up. It looks fabulous, and has me thinking that we really do need to make the chicken request a reality sooner rather than later. We have yet to figure out what we'll plant, though we do know that tomatoes, peas, lettuce and carrots will be part of our first raised garden bed garden. And we're toying with some fruit trees on the property too. Soon enough our little homestead is going to feel like it must have went it was first built in the late 1800s!
Thank you to everyone who came to help! Thank you Emily for the gate and the promise of the archway, and Nikki for sharing your knowledge with us and spending the day getting our garden all set up! You are truly amazing and we are truly thankful for this oppertunity! This is a day that we will look back on for years to come! And thank you Pete Seeger for the Garden Song (and John Denver for the Muppet version)! It was running through my head all day today as we worked.
The girls were as excited for today's event as if it was one of their birthdays! "It's garden day!" was a constant refrain this morning, and that's even how they greeted Nikki when she arrived. These girls of ours sure can work! We've always known this about them, of course, though it never gets old witnessing it each time we take on a large project. Their focus and determination and hard work at their young ages really is outstanding (case in point: the fence painting project. A project that we clearly need to finish this spring). They were there every step of the way today; driving, shoveling, drilling, hammering, moving, fertilizing, raking, and stringing. Once again I found myself thinking that they really do belong living on a farm! They stopped on occasion for a drink of water or a blueberry muffin (made by Grace this morning while Dave and Em were out getting a few more items for the raised beds) or to change outfits but other than that they were there 'till the very end (and beyond). Once everyone left they even spent a good amount of time digging for worms to add to the garden. I have a feeling they are going to sleep exceptionally well tonight!
We have yet to install the gate (and there's an archway still to come as well) but the beds are done, the grids are strung and the fence is pretty much up. It looks fabulous, and has me thinking that we really do need to make the chicken request a reality sooner rather than later. We have yet to figure out what we'll plant, though we do know that tomatoes, peas, lettuce and carrots will be part of our first raised garden bed garden. And we're toying with some fruit trees on the property too. Soon enough our little homestead is going to feel like it must have went it was first built in the late 1800s!
Thank you to everyone who came to help! Thank you Emily for the gate and the promise of the archway, and Nikki for sharing your knowledge with us and spending the day getting our garden all set up! You are truly amazing and we are truly thankful for this oppertunity! This is a day that we will look back on for years to come! And thank you Pete Seeger for the Garden Song (and John Denver for the Muppet version)! It was running through my head all day today as we worked.
Wow, Shel looks like a great day! Such a fun workshop and now the real fun begins, planting and growing. The beds look awesome. You guys are going to have so much fun gardening this summer. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteThanks Kim! It really was amazing! As I was putting this post together I knew you'd love it and all the pictures! Now, if only you lived closer so that you could have joined in the fun too! xo
DeletePlant lots of greens. They grow quickly so the girls will have the satisfaction of going outside to gather their salad ingredients. My girls still get a thrill from cutting loose leaf lettuce or chopping off a whole head of kale. Do you have the square foot gardening book? It is my go to book for all things gardening. Since I have such a small space, we have really been able to maximize what we grow. Have fun!!!
ReplyDeleteShel- just curious if you guys used plans to make the raised beds? And if so, do you remember where you got them? I'd love to have Russ make one or two for my mom's yard- she bought a small one at a garden center and I felt like it was pricey for the size and we could make a bigger one for less money. If you get a chance, please let me know! xx
ReplyDelete