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

In all sincerity today, I’d like to say, “God be with you!” He sure stands beside me…

Well, we’re getting our garden fired off. Although it still may be a tad early…I just can’t seem to hold off any longer.

Deb called this…putting the cart before the horse.

Regardless, I’m gonna fire this mutha up!

I’ve set about 400 tomato seeds, some squash, and today will be settin some cucumbers, onions, and probably a few other things as well.

We’re going to be gatherin up some oak leaves, spreadin a little hay, addin some cow manure, a little topsoil, and then turnin up the existing soil and putting everything on beds this go round.

Why beds?

It rained so dern hard last year…many plants simply drowned.

If it’s up to me, this won’t happen again…God willin! If the garden drowns this time…I’ll be wishin I’d of invested in a boat! LOL!

Actually, I’m lookin very forward to this year’s garden. This time around, I’m lookin at this whole scenario of havin a garden much differently than I’ve ever looked at it before.

The reasoning is pretty simple…

One Blessed Man

First, Deb loved to garden. She loved to set the seeds, to set out the transplants, and absolutely loved to nurture them, and watch em grow off. I always did too, but to Deb…this was very special.

She loved pickin the vegetables, she loved shelling the peas, shuckin the corn and making creamed corn to bag and freeze for later.

She loved to can the vegetables the best, though. This reasoning too, is pretty simple as well…she wouldn’t TOUCH…the pressure cooker! She designated the cannin to…MOI!

See why she loved the cannin process so well?

Anyway, Deb and I were kinda semi-retired, and we both spent a lot of time enjoyin a dern garden. It was in our blood, and we were fortunate enough to have a place that God had provided us the opportunity to do so.

We didn’t have money, but we had a dream…

A dream to one day have a place like we have. Through our work ethic, our ability to save some of what we made, which by the way, as most know…took sacrifice.

But this great Country allowed us the ability to…live our dream.

I won’t elaborate on this today, because it’s not what this post is about, but boy, oh boy, dern if I ain’t chompin at the bit TO ELABORATE on it some…

Another day perhaps! LOL!

Deb and I had always gardened, but we’d planned to one day grow vegetables here on our place as more than just tinkerin around.

We wanted to sell them, and plants as well. Do other things as too, but, God decided He needed her more than I, so…here I am now…chompin at the bit to live this dream that the two of us shared.

Deb, during her battle with cancer…talked WITH God. I’ve shared this with you guys in the past, and I’m here to tell you…God spoke with her too. Honestly, if you could have been around her, you too would have listened to her, and became acutely aware, that this woman, WAS holding a conversation…WITH God.

It was incredible to the end, but when she first started speaking with me about this, I was like, well, okay…if you say so???

As time passed, and I started REALLY listening to what Deb was telling me, it became so very apparent, that she WAS…talking with God.

Honestly guys, she was!

When she first was diagnosed with cancer, as most know, she did chemo once.

After this experience she told me…no more. We’ll research alternative treatment, and we’ll go from there, and…we did just that.

Her quality of life was absolutely amazing, and she never doubted, she never wavered. She never, for one second, didn’t believe, in her heart, that this was exactly what God had in mind for her to do.

Her work ethic , and her positivity, were both incredible.

But, one of her reasoning’s for doing alternatives was simple…to help the children!

It literally broke her heart to see these small children at the cancer clinic. These kids, their hair gone, and the chemo drips hooked into their little arms.

This broke her heart.

She told me, “Doug, I’m doing alternatives, and one reason is to try to find another type of treatment to combat this disease. I, at 54 years of age, can decide for myself…my treatment. Those little guys can’t. They don’t have the option of telling their parents, or their Doctors…I’d like to combat this in another way.”

“For them…this door is closed. SO…IF, I can find another way, a better way…this is my goal. I believe too, this is God’s plan for me.”

This is exactly what Deb did.

One other dream she had, involved our place.

She loved living on the lake we lived on prior to moving down here. She loved our neighbors, but she also told me on numerous occasions, that God had SO Blessed her with our living here, and not at the lake, during her fight with cancer.

Her reasoning for this too was simple.

This place provided her with many spots where she could walk, get up under a tree somewhere, hit her knees…and talk to God.

She told me numerous times of how she’d just wander around looking at the trees, the pasture, the cows, and the wildlife.

She spoke lovingly of hearing the birds sing, and just overall…the beauty of God’s creation.

She explained that although she loved living at the lake, and our neighbors, it would have been much tougher to deal with her cancer there. This place provided for her…privacy when she needed it, and the ability to just walk around…her, and God!

Solitude…

So, she came down one morning and expressed just that to me. How God had blessed her with being here, and it was in God’s plan, for her to build two small cabins, here on her place she loved so well, and to share this…with others.

To afford them a place to come, for 2-3 days, free of charge, after their own diagnosis, and enjoy these very same qualities this place provided for her.

A place to come, and clear their minds. A place to come to that would give them the peace…to plot their own course. A place to share our lifestyle, and hear about her decision to fight this disease the way she’d chosen to.

Our garden and it’s bounty to share as well…

Aren’t you guys beginning to see now, just how very blessed I am?

Good night a livin folks, what a wife God blessed me with! Her inspiration was, and still is a blessing to me each and every day!

God blessed us both in the ability to have her here, for her to spend her last days in her home, in her bed…with only her family and friends around her! This was only a small token of our love for her, in the ATTEMPT to show her the very same love she always had…for us.

We were ALWAYS first in her eyes, so how in the world could we not have done what we did for her?

We couldn’t have, AND, we wouldn’t have!

Not just that, but to be around Debbie, and see her total trust in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, and believing in her heart, in her heart my friends, that exactly what she was doing was indeed…God’s plan for her!

She was the most incredible and inspiring witness of God’s love that I could ever have been around.

Through Debbie’s perseverance…I too became intrigued by…How DO I…get that very same??

Between Deb, and many of our friends, some even just as if appearing out of the blue through an unintended Facebook invite, or through a video they’d watched, or even through one of our posts, I’d like to thank every one of you!

I too have now become a true believer.

So now, FINALLY, I fully understand that God has blessed me yet still, another time.

Although I am new to Christianity, I have found a Book in the Bible that means so very much to me. I gotta say, the whole Bible, or at least what I’ve read of it so far is all great, but there is one particular Book that just stands out to me.

Isaiah 53 is one chapter I read that just…made it all come together! It is the most profound thing I’ve ever read! I read it often…

Isaiah’s Garden

Well, as I said, I’ve been chompin at the bit in regards to this year’s garden. THIS garden IS the start…of the plan Deb and I had in the back of our heads, in regards to our retirement, and spending the rest of our lives together.

The circumstances HAVE changed, but not…THE DREAM!

It still lives, and I must say, this dream, WILL come to pass!

I am a very driven person, and once I see clearly what I envision as, my destiny, for lack of a better description…I attack it.

Full bore, and head-on.

This is where I’m at with this garden. It is the start of something bigger than me. It is the start of what Deb saw, that I didn’t. It is the start of something that can, and will, benefit others.

Her little cabins will come to be. Her dream of sharing with others, this place she loved so well…will come to take place.

I promised her the day before she left us…this WOULD happen, and although she wouldn’t be here with us…she’d know all about it…AND, she will!

Pardon my “French,” but come hell or high-water…this will happen…

I’d been thinking of what to call this dream of Deb’s, this vision she saw as her destiny?

I considered strongly, “Immanuel’s Garden,” as I liked the meaning…God is with us.

Then speaking to a very dear friend of Deb and I both, Kathrine, I mentioned the name I had in mind.

Here immediate response was, “Doug, why not… “Isaiah’s Garden?” I know how profound the Book of Isaiah has been in your young walk with God, and I feel this more appropriate in your regard.”

I knew immediately that she was right!

“Isaiah’s Garden…” has been conceived.

Now…getting it up and runnin is the focus. I’m lookin forward to the challenge, and growin this off.

I WANT others to benefit from Deb’s vision, of good, nutritious food. Food grown from heirloom seeds, not genetically altered seeds.

Seeds once more, supplied to us, not by man…but by God!

Not only this, but good night what an opportunity to meet people, and share with them…Deb’s story, and what God brought about in her life, in my life, and what HE can bring to the table in their own lives as well!

This is going to be such an incredible experience!

In my heart I want this to be a fine example of a man and a woman’s love for one another, and the dream they shared.

Through this, hopefully I, “WE,” can help others to find God, and to show them, through my own faith, and my own example, what a difference HE does make.

“Isaiah’s Garden” is not just about Deb and I.

“Isaiah’s Garden,” is to symbolize the love and bond shared by all the others out there who have lost their spouse, and in this way, let others know who haven’t experienced this very same heartache, that even though the loss is tremendous, we will always remember them with love and affection.

Our lost loved ones will ALWAYS be a part of our lives, just as Deb will be walking around with me every single day, in…our garden!

Our garden is to be a part of, and shared with, Kathrine and Ronnie, Gerry and Eleanor, Billy and Karen, Ken and Trisha, Kelly and Kent, Chet and Sandra, “Uncle Dave,” and all the others whose spouse may be gone, but will never be forgotten!

As I am in the garden, I promise I’ll think of not just Deb, but all of you as well!

It too is to be shared by one other, very special friend, to Deb and I.

Her name is Judi.

Judi too, is a member of this fraternity we share, although in Judi’s regard, her experience with loss surpasses most of ours.

She is such an inspiration to me. What an incredible lady she truly is, and through her own generosity, she provided Deb and I an opportunity to meet so many of you good, good people.

I do have to question, just for a moment, her judge of character?? I have to believe that after her meeting “ole Dub,” she too has questioned this very same many, many times!!

In all sincerity though, what a blessing Judi has been to us, and what a blessing all you guys have been to us as well!

You guys have no idea how much you played a part in Deb… “Keeping that smile on her face, and one in her heart!”

God Bless you all!

Dub AND Deb

Well, the goal of getting everything in the greenhouse and grow areas ready for replantin is finally beginning to pay off for us. Good night a livin…I sure had a mess.

Time had been in short supply and I was “learnin the ropes” in how to be…a housewife! If I ever state that I’ve started “paintin up my toenails” some, please call 911 for me. I’d be in DESPERATE need of serious professional help! LOL!

You take into consideration my normal duties and chores, put into the equation the added chores of housecleanin, washin clothes and dishes, not to mention “secretarian” as well, and dad-gum, my dern plate got full in a hurry.

I already knew it before, but now I fully understand…that dern Deb was a workin Trojan!

As I’ve said prior, I was havin a hard time regulatin my time. I was busy as a “13 petered weasel” (sorry, I couldn’t resist the expression), but for the life of me I just wasn’t getting anything accomplished. I had 40-11 projects in progress yet couldn’t seem to finish even one.

Once more, thanks to two of our grandsons…I’m ahead of the game now. For how long remains to be seen? LOL!

The greenhouse is ready for plantin. Matter of fact I believe I have about 140 beets or so in the ground, some radishes, only 4 pepper plants (they’ll cover me up for my own use), and a few herbs. These are stevia, lemon basil, basil, oregano, and cilantro.

Gave up on my “white horehound.” Yep, it really is a herb, and that really is its name. When I purchased the seeds Deb thought I was crazy. Actually the only reason I bought them was it is supposed to be good for coughs.

Okay, okay, I’m lyin. I REALLY bought the seeds to just aggravate Deb. Still though, they are supposed to be good for coughs.

Deb used to tell me… “Dub, if they took your brain and put it on the sharp edge of a razor blade, it’d look like a BB rollin down a four-lane highway.” As you can see, she was always so full of compliments in my regard! LOL!

My tomato plants should be ready to set out the first of next week. I might even jump the gun and set the ones I’m putting in the greenhouse this weekend. We’ll see.

We’ve got squash, eggplants, and peppers, all getting close to being able to set them out. I’ll also set out okra and peas as well, but most, if not all of these two veggies will go into our garden out in front of the house…IF I get that dern thing cleaned up??

I think I will, but we’ll just have to see about that. I will definitely plant some more Japanese cucumbers for sure. Those things were actually very good and the size they grow to was amazing the first time around. Even when very large they stayed tender and had very few seeds.

Anyway, tomorrow we’ll take up our irrigation lines and till the grow area up pretty well. I’ve herbicided the weeds and grass on 3 different occasions so I’ve gotten a good kill on it prior to tillin. I”ve sprayed it so much on account of these areas being thrown away for so long while tending to my Deb. I wouldn’t have done it any other way.

Our irrigation is unhooked and moved around very quickly so this won’t be any type of problem. As quick as we till the soil then lay out the beds we’ll chunk the irrigation back down and set everything back out.

Red and Corey will be here to help out and I’m lookin forward to their help. I’ve learned through the years that if you really need their help, just have them here on a Friday. The reasoning is very simple…they want their paycheck! Works out good for all of us! LOL!

In all honesty I’m lookin forward to getting everything back in the ground and startin up again. To me it is almost like therapy. It is very rewarding to watch all those little fellers grow off and the flavor of your own homegrown vegetables is second to none. Store-bought just cannot compare.

It’s something I really enjoy doin and I’m half good at doing it so, why not?

Ole Deb loved it too. My only regret is her not bein here to help out this go round, but, in regards to bein here with me, versus where she is now, I have to concede…that’s a no-brainer.

She’s missed by all that knew her, but I take consolation in the fact we’ll be together again one day…in the presence of God…

Man, I’ve pulled a couple things since her departure she would have been all over me about. The last of these was comin up to check my e-mails while heatin up a pot of coffee water. Now you have to understand, I drink instant, always have and probably always will.

Anyway, I had my water heatin and was gonna be upstairs for just a few seconds, at least that was my intent. With this bein the case, I was heatin up the water…ON HIGH! Got sidetracked, forgot I even had the water boilin…until I smelled a peculiar odor.

I lit off downstairs, ran to the stove and here sat the pot…on high, with not a drop of water in it. Looked like it had been that way…for AWHILE!

I snatched that scoundrel off the stove, ran it under some water in the sink…and blew the bottom off the pot! I swear…the bottom blew off the dern thing. I guess it was SO hot that once the cold water hit it…something had to give! LOL!

Well, I now boil coffee water while I’m down stairs with it…at least for now, anyway. LOL!

I’ll throw up a little video for you guys to take a look at if you’d like. There ain’t much too it besides just a little update, and maybe me jerkin your chain a time or two. Check it out if you’d like, if not, ta heck with ya. LOL!

You guys have a great day and God bless you and yours. As always, please keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

We’ve had an occasion or two where we’ve caught 2 inches or better but we’d been so dry prior to our rains startin back up that in 30 minutes there’d be nary a puddle anywhere. Like I’d told ya’ll before, it had been so dry the dern trees were bribing the dogs!

Well, ole Devin our grandson is still hangin in here with me and that guy has sure been a help. Today Red and Corey came as well and we finally got everything pulled up in the greenhouse and fed to the cows. We then tilled the beds up good, and put down new soil to fill them back up like they should be.

I just came in from the greenhouse to throw up a post and dang if I’m not sittin here sweatin like an ole boar hog. I’d get my shower but Red and the guys went to pick up another pallet of Jungle Growth so I figured I’d do this while they were gone.

You know though, I was gonna wait to shower until I helped them unload and stack it, but if I’d go on and get my shower, shoot, I wouldn’t have to unload period.

Supervision…pretty good soundin word, huh? Especially if you’re the one supervision-in!

Let’s go back to Jungle Growth for a minute or two. I have to say that hands down, I prefer it to Miracle-Gro. In the video I’m putting up with this post I talk about it a little bit, but what happened was when we first built the greenhouse I was going to use Miracle-Gro garden soil all the way in our beds.

Anyway, we bought Lowes out of the Miracle-Gro they had on hand and the garden center manager suggested we try the Jungle Growth. So we bought some to finish up.

Our first two beds were Miracle-Gro, and our last bed was Jungle Growth exclusively. The difference in a week or so was literally phenomenal. The beds with Miracle-Gro were infested with weeds, yet the beds with Jungle Growth had none…zip narin! That’d be zero in “Yankee talk.”

I could not believe the infestation of weeds with the Miracle-Gro. I took pictures, did a video, and sent them to Miracle-Gro. They did reimburse my money, AFTER a couple of ANGRY episodes, so from that standpoint they did the right thing…in my opinion.

Here’s the first video. The weeds at this point were nothing to what they became as time went on.

Anyway, to this day I honestly believe I had gotten a run of soil from them that something must have happened to the soil. Now, whether it was someone not paying attention to what they were doing at the plant, a machine or quality control malfunction, I don’t know.

But being honest with you guys one more time, if they put the product out that we bought on a daily basis, they wouldn’t be in business long, I promise you. The beds that product is in is a continually ongoing weed problem. Not some, but a lot, a whole lot. I don’t know??

But, with the Jungle Growth, I’ll bet you we haven’t pulled over a dozen weeds…period. The difference is that great, plus, the vegetable plants did AT LEAST as good as the ones in Miracle-Gro. It’s night and day between the two products…at least from my experience.

Now, we found out this morning that Lowes will not be carrying Jungle Growth in the Orlando area. I have only one remark in that regard…WHY?? LOL!

For what it’s worth, I’m gonna call Lowes and try to get ahold of Jungle Growth as well. If their product comes off the shelf, man, I’ll be one disappointed sucker to say the least. We’ll see, but I bought an extra pallet of it just in case.

So, I’m hoping by next week sometime I’m settin some tomatoes, radishes, beets, squash, cucumbers and eggplants in the greenhouse. Before long it’ll be some lettuce varieties.

I’ll continue setting seeds and I hope we can get to the garden area out front before long. It’s one big dern mess too! Okra and peas out there to start, then I’ll kinda play it by ear.

Here’s our video we did earlier today. We just got the last of the Jungle Growth put up and I gotta say…the greenhouse is lookin good again. I’ll do another video fore long.

It’d be nice if Deb were here to share this with me, she absolutely loved piddlin in our gardens, but, if nothing else, I know she’s watchin down over me…my own very special angel.

I couldn’t close today without a little e-mail I got from ole Bill and Sandy, up Mobile way.

Senior Moment…

A Preacher was explaining that he must move on to a larger congregation that will pay him more.

Lord, keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth…

Well, that’ll bout do it from “our place,” so take care, and God Bless every one of you guys. Be sure to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart! Deb would be proud of us!

Dub and Deb

I’ve taken a little time here lately and I’m trying to get the green house and the grow areas beside it established once more. Man, they were a mess, but little by little it’s beginning to come around.

I’ve got the tomato stakes and twine down, I’ve herbicided the weeds that were so prominent in the grow areas, and will be tilling these areas up here in the next week or so. I’m waiting to insure a good kill.

We’ll then take up the watering system prior to tilling. This is simple enough by only taking off one hose clamp from the main line on each run. We’ll set the lines outside the areas to be tilled, then replace them once we’re done.

By then, the seedlings I’ve gotten started should be big enough to start setting out.

Last week we set over 400 tomatoes in seed trays and they’re all doing well. We planted Rutgers, homesteads, green pineapples, which I thought were very good from the ones we got. They have a good old tomato flavor, but taste much less acidic than other varieties, although I have yet to smell a pineapple aroma when slicing them.

This was supposed to be the case, which again I haven’t noticed, but who knows, at my age maybe my ole sniffer just ain’t what it used to be??

We also set a few of the black or purple varieties such as Southern nights, carbon, and the Sara Black’s. These types were the last I set out the first go round, but then when Deb took a turn for the worse I neglected them, along with everything else.

The end result was I didn’t get the opportunity to try these baby’s out. Hopefully this time around I’ll change that. Then I’ll make the decision to keep these in the garden or not. I’ve got a neighbor that has grown the Southern nights before and he says they’re great.

I believe him, but ole Willie is a lot like me….you call it food, and I call it GOOD! So, with this being said…I better wait and decide for myself. LOL!

I haven’t set any beefsteaks yet, but I will. Good night they produced some very, very large tomatoes, but I was having a bit of a problem with disease.

I can’t put this all off on this variety because honestly, they, like everything else didn’t get a fair shake from a care standpoint simply on account of our situation. I will plant some more of these, but will get the others established first.

As far as the cherry tomatoes go we reseeded the black cherry, I liked these, the mini-orange which produced abundantly, the fox cherry, another good producer, and the Reisentraube, which is a German tomato.

I think the name has something to do with grapes, and that’s just what the tomatoes look like when producing…bunches of grapes. These tomatoes are prolific producers as well, and as far as their taste…I love them. They have an EXCELLENT taste!

I’ve never been a big, big fan of cherry tomatoes in the past and our reasoning for planting the different varieties was to eat them of course, but also to give us a blend of several different tomato flavors, if you will, in using them for straight tomato juice or soups, and from what we did get to do this way, we loved it.

I’ve continued to juice daily, and I swap out with the juice Deb and I use to share which is a multiple variety of different fruits and vegetables. I drink a 44 oz. glass of this each morning, then throughout the day I might have a 16 oz. glass of tomato juice. I’ll usually drink a couple of these…

One variety of cherry tomato I did not replant was the Isis candy. I was really, really looking forward to trying out these because I’d heard so much about their taste. The problem we had with these were they produced hardly any tomatoes.

We were very disappointed in this tomato and again, I refused to set any more out. I might try them once more later, just not right now. They grew big, beautiful bushes, but no tomatoes. That’s kinda like your wife fixing fried chicken and mashed potatoes…with NO gravy. We just can’t set back and abide such as that! LOL!

We also set seeds for beets and radishes and both are doing extremely well. Them muthas are shooting up everywhere. We planted the Detroit dark red beet, the Lutz, the Bulls blood and, are ya ready for this Judi and Brian…Golden beets.

The germination of these has been fantastic, and for all you that have never grown them before…you have a nice little surprise.

The seeds are actually like little capsules, or there’s more than one seed per seed, if you get what I mean, so each seed holder you plant in, usually provides you with two, to three, or maybe even possibly four little plants. I like that.

Beets are very beneficial for you, and Deb and I kinda got started using beets a little late in the game.

First, we’d never grown them before, shoot, we’d never seen ANYBODY grow them before, plus, down here, finding them in your supermarket is like…pulling teeth. It almost never happens.

We did grow over a hundred of them and the dern things turned out nice. I still have MAYBE a half a dozen left. So, even though I’ve replanted them, I’m going to have a lull between what I’ve got left and when the new beets start coming in. Once in a GREAT while, you can find them at Wal-Mart, but that’s few and far between, and the ONLY place down here that Deb did find some.

I just seeded eggplants and peppers too, but they’ve not started germinating yet.

For peppers we planted sweet chocolate, emerald giant, tequila sunrise, sigaretta de bagamo, and corbachi. These are all sweet peppers. For hot peppers I only planted Anaheim, and corne de chevre. I’m considering possibly a few more hot peppers…we’ll see.

Last night I saved the seeds, actually quite a few, from several corne de chevre’s, sweet chocolates, and the tequila sunrise. Today or tomorrow I’ll save seeds from the others. It’s very easy to do. You guys are probably thinking to yourselves…if Dub’s doing it, it HAS to be uncomplicated!

For eggplants, we planted Florida Market, Ukrainian Beauty, and the Listada de Gandia. All three did very well for us the first go round, which is exactly why all three are going in the ground this time as well. If it ain’t broke…don’t fix it!

Well, there’s my update on what’s happenin here at this place. We’ve been very busy, but not a lot of it in the garden.

There’s been way too much closure to deal with, but it’s almost been done now. I’ll be very glad to get it all behind me, but thinking now that it’ll be kinda sad too, after all…it is closure.

Mentally now I’m much, much better, but still have moments from time to time. Getting fewer though. It’s amazing sometimes what triggers them. I may be just walkin around the yard, maybe mowing even, and BAM, I think about Deb and that’s all it took.

I’m staying much too busy in the house to suit me as well…I like it outside! But, I’ve had to create a new filing system, etc. so this takes time as well. Getting closer on the house end to though.

Anyway, I guess I’m just saying sorry for not posting more, but this all has been one big adjustment. Again though…I’m seein daylight now, and that’s a good thing.

Thank you guys all once more for all your prayers and support in Deb’s regard. They all meant so much to us both.

Please take care, God Bless, and always, always…keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

Anyway…

Our garden or what’s left from our garden… ain’t much! It was thrown away as you all know, but that’s fixing to change. I shot a video of it this morning and once I took a look at it I was like, “MAN, it’s going to be awhile before you can relax again!” LOL!

I bet ole Deb’s crackin up…dern her time!

I tell you though, our friends have been eatin pretty good, but now even they have evidently had their fill. Honestly though, you’re scrapping for what you’re getting. But thankfully, very little has gone to waste, and then the cows got that. Things find a way of working themselves out.

We’ve got some peppers we’re drying on the bush. Our grandson Devin is coming back this coming weekend and he wants to take the seeds and replant them. I’m just happy to know that he’s taken an interest in gardening and will help him all I can.

I figure 10-15 minutes with me, he’ll bout know everything I can offer him. I never did say I was very bright, huh?

I’ve got a meeting to attend tomorrow, then will be going to pick out a headstone for Debbie Wed. or Thurs. I wanted to make sure I got it right. I think I have.

After that, we’ll be planting seeds once more to get started again. They’ll be tomatoes, beets, radishes, peppers, and probably some more cucumbers.

We’ll be starting okra for sure and some onion sets. Then prior to the full moon in August, we’ll plant our peas. Deb and I came to the conclusion that our peas always did better in the fall. We found there to be less bugs, and our pea crop ALWAYS just seemed to make more peas than they did in the spring.

Another project I’d like to do is plant about a quarter to half an acre of some different varieties of blueberries. We’ve always wanted to do this, but just never seemed to get around to it.

One other thing I’d like to plant, is again, about a quarter to a half acre of peaches. There’s a couple new varieties that are supposed to do very well here in Florida now, and I’d love to try some. The Florida peach was always SO small that people seldom tried growing them. That is supposed to have changed. I’ll look into that a little more.

Most of you guys know that Deb and I had purchased two more greenhouses and had put them under our equipment shed. I’d like to get those up and running as well, but in time. Both these houses are 30 feet wide by 72 feet long, so they’re considerably larger than the one we’ve been using. It is 18 feet wide by 60 feet long.

I’d like to get these set up as you come through our gate, but back against the wood line. This way you’ll be able to see them from the road, but they’ll be back about 300 feet off the road.

I’d really like to retail sell our vegetables and fruit right here on the place. That would work out great for me. It’d give me a ton of things to do, plus generate income for me right here. Deb and I had talked about keeping our paving business for about 3 more years, then letting our son Mark buy it out.

That’s still in my plan…we’ll see.

I do believe though, that our land here will sustain myself easily once I can get this all off the ground. All it takes is time…and money. Time’s not a problem, the flipside to time…IS! LOL!!

This will work though. The few times that Deb and I opened the gate to sell a few plants, the produce wasn’t coming in yet, was actually a surprise to us. People responded. Then, we just couldn’t keep things going with Deb’s ordeal, but the people were calling, “We’re coming by, plus, we’ve told all our friends, BUT, the gate’s never open.”

I had to tell them that Deb was having a few problems, but eventually we’d be open again. They all were very understanding, and promised to keep checking back with us, and some still are.
So, I know this will work for me, but just take a little time. I love doing it, and Deb did too. It was going to be our little niche together.

We had been raised around farming, and agriculture in general, as children growing up, and as we’d grown older, we realized that we’d like to be doing some of the very same things when we… “check-out” from this world! Deb did…I’d like to do the same thing when it’s my time!

You guys take care, and God Bless! Please…keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

The wind though blew the squash around pretty good. We lost two, just broke em off at the ground, but surprisingly we have maybe 3-4 more that need a couple broken stems cut out, and I believe the rest weathered pretty well.

Watching those things blow around brought back memories of my killing those 50 + plants to get our growin season off to a great start! LOL!

I was talking to our good friends, Bill and Sandy, from Mobile Alabama, who by the way are… “Auburn Tiger” fans (hee-hee-hee Sandy), and she’d sent us some pictures of what’s goin on gardenin wise up in their “neck of the woods.”

Their garden was looking great, and I believe Sandy said they’d just brought in 50# of potatoes! They, like us, love piddlin around in a garden.

Both these guys have green thumbs. The proof in the pudding of their having green thumbs was evidenced to me last year. I called them in January, it was about 15 degrees out up there and I ask, “Sandy, where’s Bill?” Her answer, “Oh…he’s out in the garden pickin some tomatoes.”

“???? 15 degrees and Bill’s in the garden picking fresh tomatoes???”

Sandy’s like, “Yeah, he’s been a little disappointed with em though…he don’t think they’ve done quite right.”

“Okay…”

I have to tell you guys, although I hate to, they’re actually Alabama Crimson Tide fans. Gotcha Sandy! Roll Tide!

Anyway, I’ve got about three videos for you guys to look at if you’d like. One is our other garden we’d just prepped for planting, and one is of the greenhouse and grow area. Honestly, all these plants are doing well. We’re pleased.

The last video, which in reality will be the first was sent to us by a friend, this being Wayne, from Alma, Georgia.

Wayne’s a sport-model in his own right, and that scoundrel grows some great blueberries, but he’s pretty stingy with the dern things.

L:ast year as an example he told Debbie and I he’d send us down some blueberries by my brother, and he did. TWO! When I called he told me, “Shoot, that’s one apiece!” LOL!

Here Wayne’s video…

Not a bad idea actually, huh? If I still drank, I’d be takin a ride up to Ace Hardware!

The next is of our garden are we just prepped, followed by the grow area. Hope you enjoy them!

You guys all have a great day, and God Bless! Deb’s hollerin for ya’ll to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

So far, so good with the garden. After getting off to a flying start this year by immediately killing about 50 +plants, we’re going along pretty good now.

If you didn’t know, well, we’d put up a greenhouse, and started most of our plants from seed. We wanted to use all heirloom varieties mainly on account of Deb’s juicing, or, our juicing. By doing so we’d have no genetically altered seeds, but in essence, basically the food God provided for us, and in Deb’s regard we felt this vital.

Quickly, while going through a Sports Illustrated” the other day, I read something that floored me, really. There was a little write up on cancer, and it claimed that in the US, 1 out of every 2 men would contract cancer in their lifetime. ONE out of every TWO! Half!

I found that just incredible?? What’s up with that?

In women’s regard…1 out of every 3. Still, 33% of women in the US today will contract cancer. Why is becoming so rampant? Is this our diets? Is it from most produce today being genetically altered? Is it what is being applied to the crops for insect control?

How about our poultry? You guys taken a look at the size of chickens lately? Hard to find a small fryer these days, or have you noticed? Is this from growth hormones? I don’t know, but I am asking…help me out somebody.

Anyway, as a whole, we’re just trying to eat a little healthier, but I did find those numbers literally staggering!

Back to my killing our first plants…we didn’t have any idea that if you’d started them from seed in a greenhouse, you had to harden them up prior to setting them in the garden in full sun. This is just setting them out in the sun for a few hours a day until they harden, or toughen up to the elements, for about a week. Once that’s done, everything works out great!

By my not knowing this, I set that first bunch straight out of the greenhouse into the garden, and killed the dern things…graveyard dead!

We have been prepping our garden out front the last couple days, and we’re pretty much ready to get started setting out some plants there now as well.

I tilled it in yesterday, both directions, and man, the soil is really looking pretty good. We’re anxious to see how it grows things off this year. We’d added cow manure and leaves over the entire garden area a couple, three months back. We let it set for about 3 weeks then tilled it in.

We then put out more oak leaves over the entire area again, and after building our grow areas around the greenhouse we put about ¾ of a semi load of compost we had leftover in it as well. This and the leaves are what I tilled in yesterday. Honestly, it’s starting to look pretty rich now.

We’ll be planting tomatoes, peppers, and okra for sure, but probably a couple other things too. We almost decided on peas too, but backed off that. We do so well with planting our peas in August, we’ll just keep planting them then!

We’ll also run irrigation to it after planting. The irrigation around the grow areas beside, and in the greenhouse, has just absolutely RUINED me. No more hose draggin if I can help it! LOL!

I’ll share some pictures of how the greenhouse is coming along, and the grow areas too. The vegetables in both are now really taking off! Everything outside when we set the plants in their hole, we added ½ teaspoon bone meal, and then filled the hole up with Jungle Growth garden soil.

Evidently it was just what the doctor ordered getting the plants started off, as again, everything looks good!

I went out earlier to check things out, plus we’d had a pretty good couple of showers, and good night, it doesn’t matter how much water you put to your plants…NOTHING works as well as rainwater! It all just looked…so alive, after the showers!

Anyway, how bout a laugh before we take a look at the garden? This comes from my sister-in-law Patricia, but just plain ole Patty to us!

God Loves Drunks Too

A man and his wife were awakened at 3:00 am by a loud pounding on the door.

“Over here on the swing,” replied the drunk.

Here’s our watermelons on the right, our squash in the center, and eggplants on the left.

Cucumbers on the right, onions to the left, squash further left, and sweet peppers on the far left. Many of the onions we grew from seed.

Our tomatoes. Some are now on their third tie.

Red-seeded Simpson on the bottom left, iceberg in the center, and Romaine up top. Okra top right, beets scattered through it, and sweet peppers.

Japanese cucumbers…headed into the rafters.

The volunteer tomatoes headed into the rafters as well.

Another view of the tomatoes in the grow area.

Melons, squash, and eggplants again.

Melons, squash and eggplants taken from upstairs porch.

We hope you guys enjoyed the pictures! Take care and God Bless! Deb says to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

Well, the greenhouse and grow area are really beginning to take shape. I got everything hoed, fertilized, and really, it’s startin to look pretty good. I guess it does anyway. Deb hasn’t complained about anything yet, so that’s always a good thing, and a pretty good gauge that you’re sittin alright in her book.

Poor ole thing. She doesn’t like to offend anyone, her bein so shy and all! LOL! That woman ain’t much bigger than a full grown skeeter, but she’ll get on me like white on rice! Whoever said that dynamite comes in small packages nailed it when it comes to her!

She reminds me of a dern ant. You guys ever watched one? Those little things CAN WORK! Then to sit back and see what they can tote, is amazing! She’s the very same. If that woman weighed 150 pounds, I swear she could take over the world if she set her mind to it. I thank the Good Lord fairly often that he made her no bigger than he did.

Anyway, you guys don’t want to hear about my troubles, do you? LOL!

We staked a few tomato plants in the greenhouse today. This was a couple rows in the middle bed. We’d already staked the ones in the beds with the volunteer tomatoes 2-3 days ago. Next week, we’ll be staking a couple three rows in the grow area.

I believe I’ve bout got that “hardening thing” down pat. The bench we made to get them out in the sun is working great, and we ran micro-jet to it as well. Man…this micro-jet has really made watering a breeze!

We’ve got over a couple hundred plants hardened off, put into 6” pots and ready to sell. Most are different varieties of tomatoes, but there are some eggplants, squash, and peppers as well. Matter of fact, this afternoon I made Deb a sign…vegetable plants for sale.

We’ll set it out by the road tomorrow and let em come in and get a few. I caught the cows in the back pasture, so I shot down there and shut the gate. This allows us to leave the main gate open for traffic to get to the house and they don’t have to jack with opening or closing a dern gate.

Once I put the cows in the back pasture, I took the sign and set it out by the road just for the heck of it. Didn’t say anything to Deb. This was about 5 in the afternoon. It wasn’t 15 minutes I’d sold 20 bucks worth of plants.

About 6:30 I went and took the sign down, turned the cows back out and locked the gate for the night. I’ll move them back in the morning, then reset the sign, and we’re open for business once again. We’re havin a ball! Deb is anyway!

An example…Deb was in the house when I’d sold that lady the plants. By the way, this lady, Fran, was really an interesting lady to speak with. She was a nurse too, so we did have a few things to talk about. The juicing, and some of Deb’s alternatives she does (no Sandy and Mississippi, NOT that one, LOL!).

Anyway, after I’d made the sale, I went inside. Deb goes, “Dub honey, everything alright?” I’m like, “Yeah, why?” She goes, “Are you sure ya don’t have anything to tell me?” I’m like, “NO, why?”

She then says, “Well, I could be mistaken, but I really don’t think I am, BUT…didn’t I hear a distinct, Cha-Ching out there in the greenhouse?” So, I coughed up the 20 bucks! I swear, women can SMELL money, can’t they? LOL!

Maybe tomorrow I can send her up town and POSSIBLY pocket me a dollar or two, huh? I doubt it though!

Well guys, I’m tired, dirty, hungry, fixin to get a shower, eat some supper…AND BROKE! So I’ll close out for now!

If you’d like to watch it, here’s a video of the greenhouse and grow area. Check it out, things are indeed movin right along!

Also, you were goin to send me some pictures last week of your garden Sandy…what’s up with that? LOL! We would love to see how its comin along though for sure!

Plus before I forget…Hey Mississippi, how’s Tennessee? We hope you, D-Lo, and all the rest of the gang are havin a great time! Enjoy yourself Sandra, you deserve it!

Here’s wishing you all the very best, and God Bless you and yours! “Ole Tightwad” says to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb

Ole Deb and I are planning to go to sunrise service, swing back by the house to change clothes, then headin up to my Mom and Dad’s for dinner, no not supper dinner, lunch dinner! My Mama loves to cook, and dern if her first born son…don’t love to eat!

Anway, we spend most Easter’s up there with them, and most all the family attends. You know Mama’s, if they have their kids around, especially when they’re getting to cook for them too, then they’re right in the middle of their environment! Ya gotta love them Mama’s! I know I love mine!

Well, we’ve bout finished up in the greenhouse. We have a little room left, but that will soon be taken by three more rows of tomatoes, some celery, and a few bell pepper plants. After that, it’s waitin on it to come in.

The grow area is complete, all but the row and a half we’re savin for the black tomatoes. All our squash, peppers, onions, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, watermelons and cantaloupes are in the ground.

Good night a livin though, that dern topsoil we brought in is sproutin weeds, ALMOST as fast as Deb can talk. For those who don’t know Deb, she can bump them gums well. Actually, very, very well! LOL! So that ought to give ya a good idea as to how fast those little weeds are growin off.

That’s okay though…I got something for em! My hands, and my “hula hoe!” That’s a dirt bustin, aeratin, weed gettin, sucker. I’ll ATTEMPT to get Deb back behind that scoundrel again, but that hasn’t been workin out real well.

I take the derrn thing outta the shed, try and put it in her hands, and she takes a 9 mm. out of her back pocket…everytime! I ask her if she’d REALLY shoot me over the hula hoe, and she just grins and says, “Yeah, I’d shoot you, but not over the hula hoe.” Wonder what that means??

After that, let’s take a joke break…this from our buddy Wayne, in Alma, Georgia.

Pinocchio, Snow White, and Superman are out for a stroll in town one Day.

As they walk, they come across a sign:

“Beauty contest for the most beautiful woman in the world.”

“I am entering” said Snow White.

After half an hour she comes out and they ask her, “Well, how’d ya do?

“First Place,” said Snow White.

They continue walking and they see a sign:

“Contest for the strongest man in the world.”

“I’m entering,” says Superman.

After half an hour he returns and they ask him, “How did you make out?”

“First Place,” answers Superman. “Did you ever doubt?”

They continue walking when they see a sign:

“Contest! Who is the greatest liar in the world?”

Pinocchio enters.

After half an hour he returns with tears in his eyes.

“What happened?” they asked.

“Who the he.. is Barack Obama?” asked Pinocchio.

Okay, let’s share a few greenhouse pictures of how things are doin.

This, from left to right, are eggplants, crookneck squash, and watermelons. Look at the weeds coming up, but again, this Monday those will be…history. The new dirt must have been full of them, but, we’ll work through this and have em under control. We’d been so busy getting everything set out, these had to wait.

From left to right, sweet peppers, lemon and straight-neck squash, onions, and cucumbers…and weeds!

Our tomatoes. The left will be our black tomatoes when they’re ready to set out. In the pic, there’s 121 already out.

These are some tomatoes in the greenhouse.

Japanese cucumbers in the stands, with peas for our juice behind them, then some lettuces on the far end.

There’s our volunteer tomatoes on the left. In the middle bed are some vegetables Deb has put into 6” pots to sell. We first have to set them outside on the benches you see in the 3rd. picture from the top. This is to harden them, or get them used to the sun after being raised in the greenhouse. It takes about a week.
If you remember, I killed about 50 plants by not doing this.

Well, we once more would like to wish you all a Happy Easter. Take care, and God Bless! Deb’s hollerin for me to tell ya’ll to keep a smile on your face, and one in your heart!

Dub and Deb