The leaves are falling, falling as from way off, as though far gardens withered in the skies

Wow I haven’t posted anything in a long time, my sincerest apologies. I would go out and take pictures of how the garden was doing and then never post them or make any comments. Sigh… Being an unmotivated lazy person has its disadvantages...


The time has flown by and I want to thank you all for being a part of this adventure! The garden truly wouldn’t have made it without you! Although the garden had its share of failures - cantaloupe plants being eaten by slugs, zucchini and sunflowers never seeding, and pole beans that were mislabeled - I feel that nevertheless the garden co-op was a success and hopefully you feel that way too. I think one of the best things that came from all this wasn’t actually related to growing vegetables and that was the Weed and Feed concept. I loved that people would come over, do a little gardening, let the kids run around and play and then we’d all come together after a bit of hard work and eat, enjoying good food with good people. My favorite moments over the summer came primarily from those gatherings.


The Co-Op has definitely been a learning experience for Tanis and I and with that comes the realization that we could have done some things better. I think we planted some seeds too late in the season and some we didn’t even get to plant because we were too lazy. The pumpkins took over too much real estate in the garden and that was mostly my fault. I let them grow wild when I should have thinned them out and reined them in better. We probably weren’t the best teachers either but I think we’ve learned from this and will make next year even better!

Which brings me to my final point. The Trapp Garden Co-Op will be available next year for those of you who want to join. It's completely voluntary of course and I wont feel bad if you don't want to do it again this coming year. :-)

Again I want to thank you for your time, commitment and friendship.

beans beans the magical fruit

You guys rock! People keep coming over and helping out. It's weird! It's like some sort of co-op or something...

This week Heather and Amy came over Tuesday morning and weeded a couple rows of corn with Tanis. They did a super job of rediscovering the corn and saving it from the encroaching weeds. In writing this I imagine a 1920's archaeologist (possibly named after a US state) hacking through a heavy tropical jungle, reaching the top of a hill where the underbrush isn't as thick and discovering there under the jungle canopy the remains of an forgotten ancient civilization. Course Amy and Heather didn't have to hack through heavy jungle underbrush or worry about diphtheria and snakes...and they didn't find an ancient civilization either...just corn...but still a great find in my books!

"It belongs in a museum!"

In any event, well done ladies!

That evening the Dortch family came over for a weed and feed. We BBQ'd first and weeded second. Kerri and Tanis weeded the green bean area while Eric and I watched the boys and once they were done Eric and I used our engineering skills to design and build two wood based Isoscelesolian External Support Systems (IESS). Also known in some circles as "teepee's". extraordinarily well built teepee's mind you!... Once we got those in we planted the bean sprouts around the posts and called it good. Great job Dortch's!!!

Weedtastic

So I've been behind in my updates, I apologize.

First off Kerri came over with the boys and did some much needed weeding a week or so ago!! Tanis and she were able to clear a sizable section of the garden path that was being overrun with tall weeds! Great job Kerri!

In a sad bit of news, the cantaloupe was eaten. *heavy sigh* I had no idea that slugs liked cantaloupe…curse them!! If I had know I would have made a trench around the plant filled to the brim with slug bait and laughed maniacally when I found the goo strewn remains of those evil creatures!

In ripe news the strawberries are done (man they went by quick) and we’re now on to raspberries! They’re coming on fast so swing by if you want to pick some.

Lastly the beans have sprouted and are taking off! We had them in little pots because last year we lost quite a few to some unknown villain. Since they’re well on their way to growing up and out they should be safe and will be moved to their garden location shortly.

On the weed front we’re losing. What with Tanis and I being gone the past two weekends coupled with my watering and the semi sunny weather they have taken off!

We named the dog Indiana

This has absolutely nothing to do with gardening but I don't care, it's INDIANA JONES!!! This is the first picture of Harrison Ford dressed as Indy for the new film! Reportedly it was taken by Spielberg himself.

Harrison looks pretty good. I have to admit I was worried that he was going to be too old to play Indy but judging by this picture it looks like he has enough life in him to kick some Nazi butt a few more times...or at least shoot them.

The only thing that saddens me about this flick is that Sean Connery has opted out of it. I was really looking forward to the two of them going back and forth and what with Shia LaBeouf being the third generation Jones, I imagined all sorts hilarious conversations ensuing.

"Nazis... I hate these guys."

No Comment...

Hey everybody!

Tanis just let me know that the comments were enabled only for registered users and that's not what I wanted, so I relaxed the security and now anyone and everyone can comment on the posts. So feel free...but don't feel like you have to...it's just...for every post that goes by without a comment I die a little inside... but you know, no big deal...sigh...

Have a good one!

Strawberries

We have defeated the slow moving enemy!

I poured some slug and snail bait in front of and in the middle of the strawberries and a few days later all that was left of their burgeoning force was goo. I have picked out a couple that seemed to have been wiser than their friends but for the most part the area is clear of them! This has given the strawberries a chance to ripen and be picked! I doubt we'll have enough to share with everyone but if ya happen to come weed sometime soon and see a ripe one in the patch feel free to eat it!

I get by with a little help from my friends…

This week saw the first of the co-opers pitching in to help!

We had a bunch of people come over this week and make a big difference in the garden. Since I didn't take a before and after picture I had to create a graphic representation of what it looked like before they came and helped (shown on the left). Okay, okay, it wasn't that bad but it was close!

Cathy came over on Sunday and helped Tanis plant the zucchini and beans into little pots in front of the garage. We put them in little pots instead of planting directly into the garden because an unknown threat devoured most of our bean seedlings last year and we had to replant them all. Once they get their secondary leaf they’ll be safe and in the clear, at which point they’ll be transferred to the garden. Cathy and Tanis also weeded the peas and planted the sunflowers in the NW side of the garden which I had weeded shortly before. Cathy deserves a fair amount of pity because she had to wear my garden gloves which, honestly, sort of smells like a squirrel that has decomposed in a rain barrel (trust me I know). In any event, great job Cathy! And umm….sorry.

Tuesday afternoon Jess came over with Jude and Natalie. While the kids played in the yard, she and Tanis weeded the SW section of the garden where they planted her cantaloupe, transplanted some more pumpkin plants - because some of the ones I moved looked a little droopy - and got a mound ready for planting the zucchini! Thanks Jess!!

And last but not least, the Hjertager clan came over Tuesday evening to do their part. Pork and Steph took turns watching Ivy - who seemed pretty content to hang out on her blanket in the grass – while the other went and gardened. Steph and Tanis weeded the corn rows while Pork and I strung up the peas, created a mound for the mini pumpkins, got them planted, and weeded the raspberries. Awesome job guys!

Once we were done with all that, we put some burgers on the grill and they showed us a new and awesome way to cook corn on the cob! I’m hoping I’ll be able to do it to the corn we get from the garden!

This idea of coming over and gardening and then staying for some grub seems pretty cool and if anyone is interested in doing this Weed and Feed let me know!

Again thanks to all of you who helped out so far and don’t worry those of you who haven’t yet, we still have plenty of weeds to go around…

Berry Update

The strawberries and raspberries are doing well. Our concern with the strawberries is that the snails don't get them. We have what some might call a snail problem. I've been trying to thin their ranks but their force out numbers the stars...

The raspberries should be fine. The only problem we had last year was not picking them often enough. I don't know if we'll have the same problem this year since I trimmed them back but its possible. I still think we'll get a pretty good harvest from them.

Corn!

The corn has appeared! It's actually come up far faster than I expected, but then again I did get the early variety. So the two inner rows are the Peaches and Cream variety and the outer two (closest to the garage) are the (*)

*fill in when I remember what the early variety is called.

Cantaloupe Antelope

Kinda wish I had a boat...

Okay, so Jess's cantaloupe dream lives on! Who says you can't grow them around here! BAH to them I say! BAH!! I've had these little guys in our garage next to the pop out window and I was a little worried they wouldn't make it but once they got that secondary leaf (the spiky looking one) I felt like they were in the clear. The garage is a nice starting area for seedlings. It gets lots of sun and warmth and keeps them away from predators and the cold temperatures. I'll be putting these guys into the ground shortly. I wish I could separate them into individual plants but I don't want to risk hurting them in the process. so I'll keep them together. They'll keep each other strong! watch each others back and sing songs about the sea! Aye the sea! because that's what a cantaloupe thinks about day and night. Many a man has called the cantaloupe soft but they were wrong! Why I've seen one knock a man clean out with one swing!

CANTALOUPE! A stronger melon exists not...

Pumpkins a Poppin'

So last year we bought a really nice sized pumpkin for me to carve. Great color, great shape... I never carved it. It sat in our living room for months! The cool thing was that it never ever showed any sign of decomposing! It sat in our house at room temperature for a really long time and didn't mold or even get soft and squishy! In the end I chucked it into our garden which Tanis wasn't exactly happy about but I figured it'd at least add some fertilizer to the soil and if the seeds happen to grow all the better, since it seemed to come from some great stock.

Well tilling the garden was just what those seeds needed apparently. I went out into the garden last week to check to see how things were doing and was met with this! seedlings a plenty! they're really strong looking too! I'll be relocating some of them shortly since they're not exactly where we want them to be but I think it's pretty cool that the pumpkin I didn't carve is living on, and maybe this year I'll be able to carve one of its seedlings.

Rows and the seeds that are in them

Two weekends ago I got the remaining rows formed and planted with two varieties of corn. Now all that needs to be done is some weeding along the edges of the garden and planting of the non-row plants (Pumpkins, cantaloupe, zucchini, and sunflowers). Hopefully this weather will really kick start the garden. It got a good bit of rain on Sunday and now it has the warmth and sun to get everything growing. I did see some peas starting to poke their heads out so the rest should be soon to follow! I also saw a gathering of little weed seedlings starting. Their forces are many and we are but a humble few. (I apologize for this. I just saw the movie 300 so bear with me) I stood there stolidly in their presence and said in my best David Wenham voice,

"And so it begins!..."

They announced to me, "The 1000 species of weeds decend upon you! Our dandelions will blot out the sun!"

I smiled and said, "Then we will weed in the shade!"

Time Lapse

I took a before and after shot of the garden cause...I like doing that. It's a problem I have. I take before and afters of things no one will ever want to see from some of the smallest projects I've ever worked on, but I get a kick out of them so I just keep making them. I think it's because I like to see my progress, makes me feel like I accomplished something. So I made this one into an animated gif. I'm hoping that as the season goes on I'll continue to update this photo to show the progression of the garden all the way up till harvest!

I know...I'm a geek.

Tilled!

The garden has been tilled. I rented the 9hp tiller from Hertz and made about three passes before my two hour time limit was up. It did a pretty good job! It definitely had the umph to dig deep and rip through even the toughest weeds.