Fireworks in Boston

NSTA in Boston - a photo story

One back breaking weekend

What better thing to do on a Saturday morning than to get a large shipment of compost...mmmmm! We found a source on Craigs List for some PRIMO compost. Combination of horse and sheep manure that was mixed with shredded yard waste. Then drawn out into 'wind rows' to cook. Yes, comes up to 160 degrees on its own. It is turned multiple times and finally sifted into the wonderful compost. A year old and doesn't smell bad at all.


We got over a dozen strawberry plants in - will probably transplant some when we build the 2nd strawberry bed. Then we got the potatoes and onions in the vegetable raised bed.

The online calculators said we needed 16 cubic yards to fill three 4'x8' raised bed for the veges, and three 3'x3' raised beds for the strawberries. Well, three beds are full and one of the strawberries and doesn't even look like we made a dent in this pile!

Needless to say, I am still laying on a heating pad on Tuesday!

We didn't get to the cold frame project yet - but I picked up the windows. Geez, we have enough windows to build a greenhouse! Not sure the coldframe will happen this spring. It might just become a Fall project. We used all the wood on the raised beds, and I probably maxed out my honey-do list for the yard. Chris will be on to other projects like a shed. We also got our delivery of mulch from the Boy Scouts - so I guess our spring yard work is just beginning ;-)

Spring Fever

Can't believe it has been 3 weeks since my trip to Williamsburg. All you need is one nice day in February where the temperature hits 60+ degrees, and you've caught Spring Fever. So how can one treat the symptoms so early in the season...well...we might learn a few tips from history.



Even in February, you can see colonial technology in use to extend the growing season in Williamsburg. In fact the Romans would force vegetables and extend their growing season by placing mica over boxes like mini-greenhouses. For me, I was inspired by these classic coldframes in the colonial city. And thought THIS was the cure for my Spring Fever.

I began plotting immediately. But where can I get some old windows? When we got home, I made a post to my homeschool yahoo groups and BAM...I got a reply in 15 minutes from a mom getting her windows replaced in just a few weeks. Awesome!

So tomorrow is the big day and I can pick up the windows any time. We have some old lumber left over from our deck project and I have cleaned out the prefect 'south facing' spot for the cold frame. There are some great resources on the internet to build your own cold frame. University extension centers rock! A pdf on constructing Hotbeds and Coldframes was my favorite as it talked about using manure for heat.

Now one other detail that I just loved was the twig weaves and hay surrounding the cold frame for insulation. My husband wants to reuse some chicken wire...but this looks SO much better. Perhaps we can use the tops of the bamboo we plan to use for the tomato cages.

So, what to plant? It is amazing that we all don't have some basic knowledge of gardening. I mean, it should be as common as reading and simple math. But unless you lived on a farm, had parents who gardened, or joined a 4H club, you more than likely didn't get an education in gardening. 

It amazes me how much research I need to do about WHAT I should plant in a cold frame and WHEN I should plant it. Most seed packets, of course, give you the best time to starting outdoors after frost or indoors. But a cold frame? From what I gather, it is a good place to grow cold crops like lettuce and radishes (those are on our list). Spinach is another...but we aren't big spinach eaters.

This weekend is the best timing for building the cold frame - we have a plan, a location, and materials. Unfortunately, the forecast is for rain through Saturday night.