Sheilds are Holding Cap'n

Made of nothing but a layer of newspaper and a few sticks to keep it from blowing away, the squirrel shield seems to be holding! It's been at least 18 hours now and no signs of trouble. Knock on wood but I think this just might work!

What do you use for critter protection?

GARLIC!

Got the garlic planted today. Good thing too because the ground is bound to start freezing soon. I planted twelve blocks of nine so 108 all together.

Sorting/Counting on the table.

Each set had some old(sprouted) and some new.

Newspaper and sticks laid over the bed to discourage scavengers.

Hopefully my plan to cover the bed for a week or so with newspapers(and sticks so they don't blow away) will keep the squirrels from digging it up. I know they're not digging by smell or they'd know they don't want to eat the garlic before they dig it up. If this doesn't work... I don't know what we'll do next year... chicken wire?

Make Your Own

I don't usually send people to other blogs but I just read a post about how to make your own seasoning packets and I had to share. Self reliance by Jamie - Tis the seasonings

I knew you could make your own onion soup mix but I had assumed ranch dressing and taco seasoning would have ingredients I couldn't get a hold of.  **happy dance**

Fertile Beds

Urea now shovelled into the beds. It came in water-soluble pellet form and looks like little hailstones. Hopefully the spring 2013 testing will show awesome nitrogen levels and we won't have to do any more store bought additions. I have a friend who's willing to give us straw for mulch, and Fall 2013 will be the first time we can add some of our own compost to the beds so that will be cool. :)

West side

East side

closer view

Front Window Update

Not much to say. So here's a bunch of pics to say it for me.

Little white Calendula sprout by the stick.

Three itty bitty green Chamomile sprouts.

Red-neck flower pots.

New addition is a Paperwhite bulb.

Should look like this when grown.