Since spring took it’s sweet old time getting here we were a little late with getting our crops in the ground. Everything has been in for a few weeks now and things are coming a long nicely.

I’m so excited to eat some fresh veggies right off the plants again this summer.

The Mommyland Farm

So what’s new?

This year we were able to use our compost to fill some of the beds. The stuff had a certain aroma that I wasn’t quite fond of but Bill assures me is really healthy.

We decided not to do eggplants this year since they never get big enough for humans to eat before the animals get to them. It’s fine with me, I’m not a big eggplant fan anyway.

Instead of the eggplants we are doing strawberries. Who doesn’t like strawberries?!?

We switched the potatoes and the carrots around mostly because the one bed had more soil than the other.

We have added an irrigation system! With the new system we hope to use less water and be more efficient with watering the plants. Each bed has two of the little sprinklers. Now instead of watering the entire area in and around the garden just the plants will get the water they need.

One of the irrigation heads

No new security measures have been taken except that we sprinkle what I call death around the entire garden to help keep the critters away. The stuff smells so God awful that it makes me gag but it’s supposed to deter the animals from coming around. To be honest, I think it’s only kind of working. The things in the back two beds (peas and cucumbers) are being attacked by the furry “friends”. Maybe it’s time to fix the hole that someone dug under the fence back there.

How’s it going?

Besides the aforementioned nibbling of the peas and cucumbers things are coming along nicely. The tomato plants are getting bigger by the day and the carrots that never made it last year are going strong.

We’ve got a few flowers here and there which of course is a sign of food to come.

This year’s Mommyland Farm will include: peas, cucumbers, strawberries, grape tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, red peppers, yellow peppers, green peppers, potatoes, and carrots.

Off The Farm we have set up a small, potted herb garden on the front porch. Last year the squirrels got to all my herbs and we had nothing. This year we have basil, cilantro, parsley, and oregano. 

Herbs

OK, now my tummy is growling just thinking about all the goodness we’re going to have this summer.

Do you have a garden? What will you be growing this summer?

The return of my four legged foes.

The squirrels, groundhogs and rabbits have finally lost interest in the garden…I think. I haven’t seen them in there for a while anyway.

Of course it’s never as easy as they lose interest and the woodland creatures stop eating my garden. Nope, it never works like that. The small furry creatures lost interest and the deer have made a come back.

There used to be more plant there.

Our tomato plants are huge and they are close to the fence on the one side. It’s the perfect hight for the deer to reach their long necks over the fence and nibble away on my tomatoes. SERIOUSLY?!?

First the mama stopped by for a snack, then she brought her babies.

THIS IS NOT YOUR PERSONAL SALAD BAR!

Mmmm, tasty leaves.

I’m seriously considering electrifying the fence for next year. Come near my garden and ZAP! you’re knocked into next week.

Thankfully it would appear that they haven’t done too much damage (yet) and I’ve been chasing them away whenever I catch them out there. I’m still wishing I could handle the air riffle, a little shot to the butt would probably do the trick. Oh well, I guess I’ll have to keep yelling at them like a crazy person and running out into the yard.

Do you have pesky woodland creatures making a meal out of your garden? What are you doing to keep them away?