Well, like I stated last post, I’m bitin at the bit to get this “garden thing” kicked off.

My tomato seeds I planted last week just jumped up last night! The day before, not a sign of a dern tomato, walked in the greenhouse bout noon, looked down and said, “YES!”

The little mutha’s were everywhere!

Just as my luck would have it, the weather’s gonna change…tomorrow?? Around 40 in Tampa through Sunday, with high around 60. This means probably some 30’s here at our place.

Deb, I’m sure, is goin… “You’ll NEVER learn, will ya? Always jumpin the gun!”

My answer now is just the same as it always was back to her…when her back was turned, AND she was out of earshot!

Nope!

And…

YEP!

What can I say??

We started a compost pile a few days back. Actually, not really a compost pile, but literally just some home-made planting soil.

Not only do I “not learn from past mistakes,” and always, “jump the gun,” as my better half used to exclaim, but…I’m a cheapskate, too!

I mean, why buy the dern stuff? We’ll just make our own!

I gotta admit…it’s lookin good already, if I do say so myself. You guys who don’t know me all that well will soon see that I’ll do that pretty often too, which is…DO say so myself! LOL!

I talked about it a little already, but we’re takin cow manure from the pasture and layin it out in a row about 10-12 feet wide, and maybe 40-50 long.

We started off choppin it up with shovels to break it down some. Well…I had Dale doin that originally.

Once I finished up what I’d been doin, I went around there to give Dale a hand in the choppin “goins on.” Bout 10 minutes later, and bout all the choppin I saw I’d wanted to do, a light bulb came on.

I got to thinkin on that 9 wheel traffic roller in the barn. We’re in the pavin business, and Red’s been sealcoating, so, I thought I’d just grab that roller, and bust me up some cow manure!

Worked like a charm, I’m here to tell ya!

Dale was like… “You Da Man!”

I was quick to point out though, that flattery would get him nowhere…at least in regard to Friday’s paycheck!

I believe I’d stated earlier that…I’m a cheapskate, and as soon as I’d explained to Dale that this bright idea of mine had made HIS job SO much easier, I felt it only right…that HE buy the diesel, FOR the roller!

Jus kiddin guys. Honestly, I’m not that bad, but him buyin bout HALF the diesel oughta be bout right, wouldn’t ya say?? LOL!

Just gotta figure out what to tell Red when he sees cow manure ALL over his roller tires???

Not sure just yet what I’ll say, but you CAN bet…Dale will have a BIG part to play in it! LOL!

After we roll the manure, we the take hay and scatter it all over the top of the row, then come behind this with oak leaves. I then take the tiller and stir this all up, and honestly, after 3-4 passes, this stuff IS…

Lookin good! REAL good actually!

Tomorrow we’ll repeat the process once more, to double our quantity. This should insure our having enough to set all our seeds out and plants as well, with this as their starter.

Once I get ready to set out seeds and plants, we’ll then add some regular soil, then some good topsoil, and then, turn this in good to stir everything up together.

I WAS going to use some slow release fertilizer as an additive too, BUT now, I’ll be using something else instead.

Reading through “The Old Farmer’s 2013 Almanac,” I came across something pretty interestin… it states that instead of adding slow release fertilizer, as an example, instead, you can use… “RABBIT FEED!”

YEP, I’ll say it again…RABBIT FEED!

Here’s why…

First off let me say this…

Couple years back, I had some corn on the west end of our garden, out front. This corn was about 1 foot shorter than the rest of the corn, and the discrepancy was increasing. It was obvious the soil this corn was in wasn’t quite as good as what the other was in.

A good friend from Canada (Kunoichi?? Hope I spelled it right!), commented, “Hey Dub, put some grass clippings in,” and I did. The nitrogen from the grass clippings caused this corn to catch the other…I was amazed.

Well, once I got over the initial shock of using rabbit feed as a fertilizer substitute, and I read a little further…it clicked.

Rabbit feed is compressed alfalfa meal pellets, which are nitrogen and phosphorus rich.

I thought, you know, this might work, so, I’m gonna try it and see. I’ll keep you guys informed, unless some of you have already tried this, and if so, let us in on what you’ve found, please?

Alfalfa it seems, also contains large quantities of a hormone called triacontanol, which stimulates cell division and growth in ALL plants.

It also has high quantities of arsenic, which if ya didn’t already know……

NOT REALLY, I’m jerkin your chain about the arsenic! LOL!

They recommend 1 to 2 cups of rabbit feed to cover 16 square feet of garden bed.

So, I’m in, and gonna give it a shot!

That’s what we’re up to so far, so let’s try out a little humor for a change.

Man, I love to laugh, and just here recently, this is coming back into my life once more. Good night…I’ve sure missed it! It feels GOOD to laugh again!

This comes from my Aunt Ann…and is in prayer form.

In church, while reverently preparing for the service, I heard a sweet
little old lady, sitting next to me in the pew, quietly whispering a
prayer. It was so sweet and sincere that I just had to share it with
you.

Amen.

Well…

I THOUGHT IT WAS FUNNY!

A closing thought to ponder…

“Are you disappointed with society today? If you are, I challenge you to take the first step. I challenge you…to look at yourself.” Rev. Billy Graham

I have to admit that after reading this, I found it actually right on the money in my regard. The first place I needed to start “doing something about the world we live in today,” WAS…right inside my own home!

You guys have a great day, and God Bless you and yours!

Be sure to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub AND Deb

I would like to take the time to thank everyone for your prayers and all of your concern in my regard. You will never know how much they mean to us, so again, thank you all and know that you are in our prayers also.

As for me, I am truly a blessed lady. God is walking with me each and every moment of my life.

I feel great, and I do whatever I want to do. Each morning I get up, and I know how truly blessed I am .

So keep the prayers coming, they’ve been a tremendous help to Dub and I both! You all have been so kind.

I tell you, it’s been a long and at times difficult journey, but life has been good, and actually very good! It took me what seemed like forever to get a routine down with my alternative treatment I do.

I start early, but have gotten it down so that now, by mid-morning, I can free myself up to do the things I need to, or like to do. Then I do a couple other things each evening and it’s getting close to bedtime. I have to admit that sometimes I MIGHT drag it out a little in the evenings. The reasoning? If I didn’t, that darn Dub would be in bed by 8 or 8:30 every night!

But, I have to admit he stays busy from about daylight almost every day, until 6:30 or 7 each night. MOST times fixing what he’s messed up! Not really, but I had a chance to give him a “little barb,” and I couldn’t resist!

Anyway, I’m doing great, feeling great, and Dub says I’m looking great, but you can’t believe everything that comes out of his mouth, as I’m sure most of you have already figured out by now. But even if that’s the case, two out of three ain’t bad, is it?

So, with that being said, I’m going to start popping in to visit with you all again. You’ve been wonderful to us, and it’s the least I can do is to drop by and say hello once in a while. Plus, it’ll give you a break from Dub some too. If you’re anything like me, I know you need it!

I know you all know about our little gardening escapades that take place around here. That Dub got of head of himself once again, but that doesn’t shock me…I’ve lived with that guy for quite a few years now and I’ve learned that’s how Dub is. He just jumps right in, and then figures, let’s see what happens next. Not that we might need to wait and think it through some.

But I must say in his defense that’s when he most times is at his best. He’s not “the reactor,” but “the attacker.” That’s his nature, and you all know the old saying, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” That’s Dub.

Same way with this compost we just put in. Let’s go, go, go! Now we’ll be adding a little more soil to mix in to the compost to cool it down a little. It’s really not a biggie, but it takes a little time. The problem is though that we have some young plants that are going to be needing a new home pretty quickly.

Or, as Dub describes it, “They’ll be root bound before we know it, if we don’t go on and get them into the ground.” I’m like, if you would just slow down, only a little, we might have added the soil before now, AND your plants wouldn’t be getting root bound, would they?

Then he’ll drop his head, and off in another direction he goes! Good thing too. He’s finally learned after all these years, who the boss really is! Yours truly!

Actually as well, the compost is only a minor problem. We’ve figured out through hearing from some of our friends that the first plants we set out in the garden from the greenhouse were sunburned. This was the main culprit of our initial set back.

What we didn’t realize, see I said we, but don’t tell Dub that’s what I said, that growing in the greenhouse was different than just sowing seeds in the garden. The sunlight is different, and they need to be set in the sun for a few hours each day to adjust.

After a week or so you can go ahead and plant them in the garden. By then they’ll have made the adjustment to full sun, so as you can see, we are learning as we go. Dub says this is called hardening, in both the plants AND our regard!

In reality though, we have really got the green house coming along nicely. I can’t wait for the veggies to start coming in! I’ll then be able to walk right outside, pick what I need, and go back inside and juice or fix a salad, just whatever we’d like.

We have so many kids of tomatoes. I had no earthly idea there were SO many varieties. It’s amazing to tell you the truth. Dub planted 5 different kinds in the greenhouse beds today. I can’t wait for all the different kinds to start producing. I think they’ll make a great tomato soup all blended in together! I’ll let you know about it when I make it, or I might just let Dub make it. If that happens, I WILL be sure to tell you about it!

Speaking of the fresh vegetables, we’ll know what’s on ours, whereas the ones your buy in the store, you never know what’s been applied to them, and the cost has gotten so high, plus they don’t seem to last no time!

We have really enjoyed working in the greenhouse. It is honestly a lot of fun. We’ve had a setback or two, but this will all level out and we’ll become old hands at it! It gets you outside to enjoy all of God’s work. You can hear the birds singing, and watch the plants grow. Many times, it’s almost like you can see them growing overnight.

I asked Dub what are you going to do if the squirrels get in here, because I’m sure they can do some damage in a very short time? He looked at me like, bite your tongue woman. Why do you ask such as that? Chalk another one up for me…I got under his skin again!

Again, thank you all for all of your prayers and blessing. Please keep them coming for all of the cancer victims out there who now have literally become part of my family. To those with cancer, keep up your fight…we will win! Stop and look up, and he will show you he is always with us.

Till next time keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart. Be sure and share a smile with someone. You may just make their day! God Bless.

Deb

Let me start off this morning by letting you guys know that our good friend Bob passed away Friday morning about 5:00 am. It’s a hard loss, but we both know that Bob is in a much better place. What a great guy he was, and we’ll all miss him.

God Bless you Bob, we sure enjoyed your company buddy!

Also, Deb and I would like to thank you all for your prayers in Bob and Linda’s behalf, and please keep Linda in your prayers.

Okay, ya’ll know we’d put in a new grow area around our greenhouse. We planted cucumbers and Beefsteak tomatoes, and dern if I haven’t gone and killed our cucumbers, and I’m doin a pretty good job of killin the maters too!

I’m one of those people that when I get an idea, then I hit it “wide open.” It doesn’t matter what it is. I’m the same way with this little endeavor. “Wide open!” Wide open has worked very well for me most times through this life of mine, but there have been times that wide open bites me slap dab in my rear-end too. This just happens to be one of em! LOL!

We brought in all the new compost to grow in, but I hit a snag, and actually a couple of them. The first being our compost is still, “hot,” so the heat generated through our compost is keeping the soil temperatures a little too hot and this is burning the roots on these young plants. Lesson #1…slow down, Dub!

Secondly, we’ve never grown off plants in a greenhouse before. Shoot, I didn’t know you were supposed to “harden” them up some prior to stickin those little fellers out in the full sun??

Shoot, ever since I was just a young pup, I’ve either started my seeds out in the garden, or bought plant sets from the feed-store or wherever, and stuck them straight into the garden as well. FULL SUN, right off the bat! Suck it up, and get tough guys…I’m waitin on you guys to produce me some groceries, let’s get with it!

Well, this is not so when first bringin them out of the greenhouse…no, no! I’ve had some very good gardeners contact me and advise me of my mistakes. They’ve all been very positive on my behalf, and they caution me on this, help me to understand that, all in simple terms.

They’ve all been very supportive and very polite. They’ll say, “you’ll learn,” or “It’s just a bump in the road,” or, “you’ll laugh at this down the road aways.” WHAT they’re really saying to themselves is… “That dern Dub’s a nut!” LOL! I can’t say what Deb calls it!

This is pretty simple to understand if you’ll stop and think it out. An example of this is our greenhouse has a white poly roof. Why? Well, it’s to knock down some of this hot Florida sun. I believe it is a 50% knockdown factor.

Well, DUH Dub…might make sense to harden those little fellers up some before you go to digging holes and droppin plants in, wouldn’t a think? Well, after killin off about 50 new sets, that hardening up some is certainly startin to make a little sense to me! How’d a thunk??

Deb says I’m…a MASS MURDERER! LOL! Deb says a lot of things though, most of which I try to let go in one ear, and right back out the other!

So, lesson # 2 today is, slow down Dub!

“Hardening” the plants, for those that don’t already know, is simply setting them out in the sun a few hours a day to let them adjust to their new environment…or hardening them up some.

Now I don’t mind them hardening up some if that’s what needs to happen, shoot, I’m all for it. I DO know though, them muthas better start hardening up pretty dern quick, cause we got a BUNCH of those little fellers comin on!

So if they don’t harden up fast, then they’re going to have another problem…they’ll be root-bound next, and that’ll be a whole nother post!! LOL!

So, I just figured out there is even a lesson #3 in today’s post…SLOW DOWN DUB, SLOW DOWN some man!! LOL!

I will say this though…I must be of man of good character. Why? Cause it doesn’t matter if I screw up, using today as an example of this, why shoot, I’m laughin about it! What a fine quality this “character thing” must be!

Trouble is, I’m beginning to wonder if it truly is “character,” or the beginning of insanity, cause I do have a tendency to screw up every once in a while! I know one thing for sure…I won’t be askin Deb’s opinion of which SHE thinks it is! I already know the answer to that one! LOL!

So, I’ll be addin a little soil to our compost, hardening up our plants prior to settin em out in the full sun, and I just might give that slowin down some a fair shake…if I can find it in me to do it!
On that note, we’ll share our latest video with you guys, discussing some of all the above!

Well, it is obvious…I did it again!

Since I’ve been poking fun at myself this morning, let’s finish up with a couple jokes…

These come to us today from our good friend Diane. She’s tiltled them, “Holy Humor.”

During these serious and troubled times, people of all faiths should remember these four great religious truths:

1. Muslims do not recognize Jews as God’s Chosen People.

2. Jews do not recognize Jesus as the Messiah.

3. Protestants do not recognize the Pope as the leader of the Christian world.

4. Baptists do not recognize each other at the liquor store.

DID NOAH FISH?

A Sunday school teacher asked, “Johnny, do you think Noah did a lot of fishing when he was on the Ark?”

“No,” replied Johnny. “How could he, with just two worms.”

BEING THANKFUL

A Rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, “So your mother says your prayers for you each night? That’s very commendable. What does she say?” The little boy replied, “Thank God he’s in bed!”

SAY A PRAYER

Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his Grandmother’s house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. When Little Johnny received his plate, he started eating right away. “Johnny! Please wait until we say our prayer,” said his mother.

“I don’t need to,” the boy replied. “Of course, you do “his mother insisted. “We always say a prayer before eating at our house.” “That’s at our house.” Johnny explained. “But this is Grandma’s house and she knows how to cook.

You guys have a great day, and God Bless! Deb says to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

First off, Deb had another blood test this past Wed. Ya wanna guess the results?? PERFECT, once again! I sure have me a wonderful gal, huh? That little woman has stayed positive throughout this whole ordeal and I’ll say it once again, she is so inspiring to be around, and in the toughness department, I’m running a far distant second place! God is smiling on her! We’re ecstatic over this latest news! April 1st will be our one year anniversary of finding out Deb has this mess.

Secondly, let me apologize to you guys as it’s been a few days since a post…sorry. We’ve been concentrating on finishing this up, the grow space, and by the time the guys leave Deb and I have to work the greenhouse some. Watering mainly, but trying to do a little seedling transplants too.

Been getting in around 6:30 or 7:00, and I’ve been going to bed by 8:30 or 9. Deb calls me…a “titty-baby!” Dern her time! LOL!

Today and tomorrow we’ll be transplanting exclusively. Hopefully we’ll have most everything from our first grow either in the beds or into 4” pots to continue to grow off.

Well, we did complete the grow space around the greenhouse yesterday. Deb gave her thumbs up which to all the rest of us was a sign…we made out okay. The term, “If Mama’s happy, everybody’s happy,” is very true.

We ended up with a 27’x68’ on the eastside, a 16’x68’ on the westside, and an 8’x18’ on the southside. This gives us considerably more gardening space, and it’s all right next to the greenhouse. We hope in the next couple weeks to have the water system in, and the power run to boot. That puts the finish on everything as far as any type of construction.

We put our compost in mostly at about 12 inches in depth, but there are areas it goes down to around 18 and even 24 in spots. I got carried away on the cut out depth, but in the same breath, we had plenty and I didn’t spend much time at all in really getting it precise, obviously. LOL!

We were pushed for time and we just wanted to “git er done!” Now that’s exactly what it is, done…AND Deb’s happy!

I stated earlier we’ll be potting seedlings this weekend, and there’s even some we’ll be putting into our beds. I believe us to be 2-3 weeks off from planting tomato and pepper plants in earnest. Our “volunteer tomatoes” from our compost pile that we set in the greenhouse are doing just great. Got a tomato or two beginning to ripen…yes sir!

We’re really enjoying this and can’t wait to get everything in its place and growin off! This was done once more simply to keep us in plenty of juicing materials year round. The cost of buying them from the marketplace is really beginning to be a burden. Man, food prices keep going up, don’t they?

This will let us continue to do what we’ve been doing, but at a fraction of the cost, and I mean that quite literally! 25-30 tomato seeds for $2.50?? How can you possibly go wrong with no more cost factor than that?

Say you end up with a buck apiece in them…which you won’t nearly spend, but even at that, how many tomatoes will just one plant supply you with? Think about it. This isn’t even touching on the health and nutrition benefits, or the taste benefits of picking them right outside your door and eatin them muthas.

You also have to consider the benefits as well from just being outside working in your garden from a health standpoint, and the pleasure derived from watchin them first break the soil as seedlings. Then on to planting them in the garden, then watching the growth and production of the fresh vegetables they’ll be giving you in return for your love and caring for them. It is a rewarding experience.

We have a few pictures for you guys today of the progress we’ve made. You wanna take a peek? C’mon then, we’ll check it out!

The first is of the grow space on the westside of the G.H. It is the 27’x68’.

The next is of the eastside. It is 16’x68.

This is a shot from across the yard, and shows the area in front of the greenhouse too. Those are strawberries in the containers in front of the G.H.

Here’s our volunteer tomatoes, followed by a shot of some Japanese cucumbers under their cages. Then you can see some peas growing too. These peas we’ll use strictly for our juicing.

Here’s a couple shots of our tomatoes we’d already potted into 4” pots. The first is a rack of Beefsteak, and Mini-Orange which you can’t see.

The second shot is another rack and a half across the greenhouse. It has Green Pineapple, Homestead, Fox Cherry, and Isis Candy.

Each rack is 24 inches wide and 10 feet in length. They’re mounted above our planting benches. Each rack when full can hold 110 4” pots.

We’ll finish up with a shot of our Japanese cucumbers, these are fixing to be planted in our new grow area outside the G.H., and last is of a shot of our watermelons, and two cantelope. The watermelon are Georgia Rattlesnake, Jubilee, and Sugar Baby.

Well guys, that about does it for today! We sure appreciate you stopping back in, and you all have a great weekend, okay? God Bless you and Deb says to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb