• my place
  • the rural story
  • gardening tips
  • using garden tools
  • Privacy Policy
  • Join Me

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Home Garden Companion

Ilona's Garden Journal

  • Plant Library On The Journal
    • All Season Garden Color
    • Sitemap
  • Garden chores
    • Essential Garden Tools For Beginners
    • Garden Tips and Advice
  • Ilona’s Garden Home
    • Old House Blog
    • Garden Librarian
  • Ilona’s Garden Flavor Shop

Uncategorized

one great day!

everyone i know down here had their hands in the dirt today…. my gardening proceeds in fits and starts in many areas around the place. i have no real garden “plan”…. it just sort of calls me to do various things, in random places. i wish i were more organized, but i just go with the flow.
most of the veggie beds get rotated somewhat seasonally, and i do companion plant in places, but when i get going out there, i am jammin’. some would say its vernal ADD; i just see lots to do.
i often get bored with one job and there are plenty others to take its place. that’s life on the farm.
my energy returns with the sunshine, and though busy with many tasks, i do mix it up during a day’s work. in the end, it all seems to fall into place. most jobs done and a good worn-out achy feeling in my back…

we had just had four days of constant rain, and the drying out period seemed soo long.
today, the asparagus bed has been deep-dug… ready to plant new roots. also tilled beds for potatoes–it’s a bit late here, as may can be really hot/dry some years.
taking a risk is worth it tho’…. those little easter egg new potatoes will make,
even if the tops dry up.

i also started many trays of tomatoes, heirlooms (brandywine, roma-non hybrid, and american rose)…. come april, there is a local open market every saturday morning in a tiny nearby community, indian springs.
i am planning to share a booth with a friend this season. many big city folks make the drive for fresh local produce and a ‘quaint’ country afternoon…. there’s also the state park, a fancy sandwich place, ice cream shop and art gallery, and big “whimsy” garden. last year it seemed to be very active all summer, and people willingly paid good prices for organic food. i am going to offer tomato plants, asparagus, kale and mizuna greens, fancy lettuce( i like deer tongue, speckled trout-back, and romaines). later on tomatoes, if i have extra, and chile-type pepper varieties as well as japanese long eggplant. maybe collards later on, if i hold up thru summer heat.

i have always grown extra food and shared, traded or just given extra away.
in these economic times, with local farm markets getting very popular, it seems a fair trade-off.
in exchange for my good dirt, my work and my time, folks are willing and able to pay for “cheffy” peppers and eggplants. this season i am also going to put up a bit more food than my usual tomato sauce, green beans and pickled stuff. this is the first year in a long time that i am putting a real effort into making some extra money from the garden. i am grateful that the trend to fresh and local markets is finding a way into public consciousness. we will all benefit from better fresher food, and better (organic) eating habits.

this eve, am sitting in my armchair with a cuppa chai, bone weary from this long workday. i feel every muscle that hasn’t been used much this winter, and i have beautiful dark dirt all
under my nails and in my pants cuffs.
i am deeply satisfied with this first day of spring.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • More
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

Related


« The Life of Bees
seeds,seeds, and more seeds….redux »

Oh, hi there!

I was a garden blog pioneer, and began writing on this blog in 2003. Before that I had begun a garden website that has been at its own domain since 2006, Ilona's Garden.

I still love writing, gardening, and art after all these years, although travel and grandchildren have become a big part of my life, now.

Mission

Finding your way home via the garden path

Portrait of a Gardener

gardener musings

Musings

What’s Wrong With Today’s Gardening?

Modern gardening

What Is Wrong?

Garden Journal

fine garden journal

Journal, Planner and Log Book

Newest Postings Here

  • Deals from Amazon
  • Hawaiian Flower Arrangements
  • HELLLOOOO, From The Other Side
  • February Gardening, Last of Winter in the Flower Garden
  • Compilation of Past Mini-Posts of 2003
buy quality plants

On Facebook

On Facebook

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Standouts

10 Useful Gardening Tips For Spring

You might also like

seeds

National Seed Swap Day in January

Garden advice

What Makes a Low Maintenance Garden?

Create A Child’s Garden, Grow Love For Nature

Growing Indoor Flowers In December

I Found Out About “She Sheds” And Coincidentally, About Friends

Top Posts & Pages

  • Mugo Pines: When to Trim and Prune
  • Grandma Can Make Fairy Houses From Forest Finds
  • Flowers that Monet Grew In Giverny
  • Four O'Clocks
  • Time to prune Mugo pines
  • A Little Something For You: Garden Journal Template
  • Out Of Your Gourd Gardening
  • Pretty Cottage Garden Accessories
  • St. Francis Joke All About Gardens
  • Garden Logistics

Past Posts

ilonagarden

Instagram post 17959863785360234 Instagram post 17959863785360234
Instagram post 17989258745013455 Instagram post 17989258745013455
Instagram post 17976222752103831 Instagram post 17976222752103831
Instagram post 18056018824416584 Instagram post 18056018824416584
Instagram post 18335731483076224 Instagram post 18335731483076224
Instagram post 17977547744261532 Instagram post 17977547744261532
#atlanta #beautiful day☀️ #atlanta #beautiful day☀️
#atlanta #chattahoocheeriver #atlanta #chattahoocheeriver
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2023 · Part of Ilona’s Garden by Ilona Erwin

Copyright © 2023 · Ilona's Garden Journal