It’s Wednesday and not quite the end of the week, however it’s our 18th day here at the farm. And I have decided to make these posts weekly. So consider this a really long 18 day week. You know how sometimes you have those? So let me update you on what’s been going down on the farm this week!

We began our garden preparations. This included some painstaking t-post removal. If you have never tried to dig a hole in the hill country, don’t. Goodness me, the dirt is hard and the rocks are many.  It was like the posts were down inside concrete. But we finally were able to remove them. This task opened up the backyard, making it easier to access the garden on the side of the house and will create a garden flow of flowers and herbs out to the massive 4,600 square foot main garden. We also hope to put up a small play scape of some kind for Wyatt (eventually) in that part of the yard.

Here is Rodney just starting the tilling process.

Luckily, the grass is dormant and has been somewhat easy to weed out after each tilling of the soil. We have been removing rocks, weeds and other random things we have found in the ground, like this small child.

Despite what these photos show, Wyatt was a pretty good helper in removing rocks and weeds. We are trying to include him every step of the way, so that he really grasps the work and responsibility that goes into the process of growing your own food. Perhaps this will encourage him to eat what he grows and we can branch out from same old veggies.

We are planning to grow the majority of our crops from seeds. Some of which we have started growing indoors this week. We are using an easy seed starting set up that isn’t crazy expensive, since we are starting so many seeds.

You can order one here from Amazon:

Here it is in action!

We currently have 148 veggies, herbs and flowers started here! We are so excited to see the first sprouts. We will start a few more in the next few days as well as sowing directly to the ground soon for potatoes and a few others.

In the actual garden we have been adding composted manure (400 lbs of it!) and tilling it in. We will also be using old hay in parts of the garden to amend the soil for planting of the potatoes and as mulch on top in other parts of the garden.

We have sort of started the compost pile…. outside there are only leaves in it. In two bags in the freezer I have kept veggie scraps, grounds, and eggshells to add. Soon I’ll have that going and will post a picture. I’m a little scared of the compost, I must admit. I’m partially afraid that it will attract raccoons and then they will get used to the buffet and then come eat my plants and veggies. I may end up with a closed barrel type compost container rather than the open pile I had planned.

There is a lot that goes into growing a garden before you ever even put a plant in the ground. I have been researching which plants to plant together for optimal growth and bug fighting capabilities. Each plant has its own amazing list of qualities and needs. It is like a giant game of plant Tetris.

In other news, I finished a new book this week, Church of the Small Things by Melanie Shankle. My sister-in-law gifted it to me since she was reading and enjoying it. It was such a great, and easy read. We often need reminders that it’s the small, everyday things in our lives that God uses to create a meaningful life. I really recommend it! Melanie is also from near Houston, Texas and lives in San Antonio. So, I found it neat to read and relate to someone who would probably be a good friend if we were to meet…considering we live close, and have a mutual FaceBook friend.

But don’t take my word for it:

I am on to reading another book she wrote, The Antelope in the Living Room, which I will let you know how it is!

That is about it for the week. It’s been truly something to be awake before the sun comes up everyday. I haven’t done that since grade school. Even coming from someone who is really not a morning person, it makes all the difference in my day to see the sun rise and be outside no matter the weather. It invigorates you in a way coffee can not. Yes, you heard me. I said it. And I’ll say it again! Coffee, you can’t compete with a sun rise and morning chores that include a  small hike up a hill! However, I will say that I very much enjoy my morning cup while it’s still dark out!