March 31 Field prep, Bee Keepers, large plants!

My nephew, Andrew, transported my sister's tractor to The Farm as it can pull a double bottomed plow. He keeps the equipment running as he is a mechanic. It is wonderful that he helps out at The Farm. (Really marvelous!!!)

Matt, one of my other nephews, with his son. Matt is our family bee keeper. He drives 2 1/2 hours one way to take care of our bees! Thanks Matt.

Matt and his son are "walking" around the greenhouse and checking things out. Matt built his own greenhouse at his place for this spring. He and his wife have a big garden and their own bees. I was lucky enough to get honey from them for Christmas this year. So yummy!

Enjoying the warmth in the greenhouse. Sweet little man!

He is checking out the greenhouse tomatoes. They have grown a lot. 

He wants to know what EVERYTHING tastes like :)

Grins before loading up and driving 2 1/2 hours back home. Little guy is always smiling!

Peppers have gotten huge! They will be transplanted to 4 inch pots soon.

The greenhouse is getting greener and greener as things grow.

Parsley we started from seed has grown enough to be outside.

Golden beets on the right, red beets on the left. They will be okay with cold nights, too.

The "beautifulness" of a newly plowed field. We don't plow every year. This turns the soil at least a foot deep. Reddish hue of budding blueberries in the background.

March 17 Seeds and Flowers

Lisa writes tags. Large leafed cucumber plants at her elbow. Flats waiting to be filled stacked in the background.

My niece Angie with her daughter in the OSU sweatshirt. Planting lettuce seeds. I think my great niece may have written the tag!

Zinnia seeds just before they are covered up. They look like arrowheads!

A few seeds have found their homes in the 50 cell flats. The plastic covers are on the seeds that are planted on top of the soilless mix. Some seeds need light to germinate. Without the covers they dry out before they can germinate and then the seeds die.

Basil is smelling delicious. When it gets a little larger it will be planted in the soil filled wooden boxes in the background. Basil loves heat.

Red stemmed beets get a head start in the greenhouse. They will be planted out into the raised beds once they can stand the weather.

Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower plants that were started in the greenhouse. These plants don't mind cool temperatures. They will even survive a freeze. Florencio has all the drip irrigation set up, too.

Mom and Dad enjoyed flowers in all seasons. Flowering cherry trees, daffodils and tulips are enjoying the weather. Mom's row of rose bushes to the left. Drip irrigation once again is present.

The flowering cherry tree even has blooms on its trunk!

Planting Day March 5

My niece Anna and her young man prepare holes to drop seeds.

Additional helpers enjoy the warmth of the greenhouse. In the back corner, my sister Lisa, nearest to the front is my friend Mary, 2nd from the left is my mother in law, Mary, in purple is my cousin Faith. Lots of seeds spread out on the table to plant. Chatter with family is fun, occasional rain on the greenhouse roof. 

My great niece who lives at The Farm, has been helping! Look at those farmgirl hands.

This plethora of seeds await planting.  

Florencio fills up seed starting flats with a soilless, sterile seed starting mix. He wets the mix as part of the mix repels moisture so it needs to be pre-watered.

Dirt movers at work. :)

Tiny coleus seeds.