We’ve been pondering pulling up roots and moving again but the more we look around the more I love our neighbourhood and the potential that our lot and home still have to meet all our needs. It may take a chunk of cash, but it’ll be less cash (and more effort) than buying another house (for which we are at least $200K short if we look at things realistically).
Besides, now that I’ve planted things again, I don’t want to think about moving.
Yes, it’s only February and we are still dipping below zero but I figure if the packet says I can plant it “as soon as the earth can be worked” then it’s fair game! Last week, I started some seeds indoors — tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, cauliflower and lettuce — and those are starting to sprout now. Today, I prepared one of the raised beds and planted spinach and peas. I also planted some old scarlet runner beans. I know it’s early for beans yet but I figure if they grow, great, and if they rot I have more. I re-built the climbing frame for the beans and cobbled together a new frame for the peas using a scrap wire frame and pieces from the former greenhouse plus some nylon netting.
Meanwhile, Mike has worked hard putting together the two short sides of the shed — one side yesterday with the help of his niece and one side today, with almost no help (Kiddo and I each held things a couple of times as needed for him to fasten boards in place). The sunshine this weekend has made it easier to be outside, even if it’s still chilly (about 4 or 5° Celsius) and Kiddo has spent some time cleaning up her tree-house and planning how to expand it into a fort.
Saturday was the annual Seedy Saturday event; Kiddo and I attended together. She poked around in a worm composting bin and made a seed ball in the kids area; I took in some dill seeds from last season and traded them at the seed exchange for some pumpkin seeds and spinach seeds — some of which I planted today. We also learned about mason bees and the best native plants to attract hummingbirds.
My last garden-related task is to finish mapping the crops to make sure I can fit everything I want to plant into the beds we have plus the spaces where I intend to put more! plan is to build one other small raised bed, just for the asparagus, and clear two other ground-level beds. We are also pondering some adjustments to the crazy tire-beds in the front yard. I think it can be done…. only time will tell.
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[Note: February 21 is National Urban Homesteading Blog Day in response to the Trademark dispute over the terms Urban Homestead and Urban Homesteading. Expect an update.]