Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 198

 

Woot! It' Farmgirl Friday! Time to grab a glass of something cold ( wine, coke, water, tea, iced coffee) and relax with the Farmgirl Friday Girls!

 There's so much going on this time of year and farmgirls are always busy with something. Whether outside tending newly planted fields and gardens, feeding animals, chasing chickens or herding kids one thing you can be sure of... We are having fun!

This week I decided to start a new blog series called Wednesday Garden Notes with Deb: Here's where I'll share creative seeds from my budding flower farm and the ups an downs too! I hope you'll stop by and share what's doin in your gardens too.

Last week, our friend Elaine from Woods Country Cove shared some of her fresh cut lilacs on the hop. We could smell them all the way from Canada, Elaine! Thank you! Elaine spends her time capturing life in the country through her camera lens. She's a pro at getting the birds and squirrels to pose for her but the star of her blog is Miggs, the family dog. 

I always feel like I've had a day in the country when I visit Elaine and Ken and all the critters at The Country Cove...

Stop by and say howdy sometime! They'd love to hear from you!

My friend and co-host Debbie ( Farmgirl Unleashed ) has a farm update from Big Sky Acres. She's just returned home and I know she's anxious to catch up with her " green babies" inside the pole barn and out in the field!

As always, thanks for joining in each week. Debbie and I wish you a fun-filled farmgirl week!

We'll see you on the hop!

Wednesday Garden Notes with Deb: Direct Sowing Annuals

Dear friends, Welcome to my new weekly series, Wednesday Garden Notes with Deb: Through out the growing season I'll be checking in each week with notes from my garden. This week, I'm sharing my low-tech tips for direct sowing annuals in raised beds and a simple way to keep track of what you've planted and where.

I'm a fanatic for seed packet art. I partially blame the artists behind these beautifully illustrated seed packets for turning me from hobby gardener to backyard flower farmer. There are just too many to choose from but every year I try to sneak in a few new varieties.

I've had my eye on the Zinnia Pink Senorita for a couple of years. So this year while I was making my seed list I was sure to add it along with the Will Rogers Zinnia and the Giants of California. All new to my cut flower collection this year.

 I fell hard for the Cosmos Rubenza, Scabiosa Tall Double Flowered Mix and the mixed Cockscomb.

Dampen your planting area lightly then make your rows. You will be able to see the distance between rows better this way.

I''m gardening in Zone 7-A in the northeast. The temps have been very moderate with danger of frost behind us so I feel quite confident with getting my annual seeds in the ground now.

 I'll be experimenting with succession planting this summer as well, but more on how that goes in a future post! 

 Before any seeds can be planted the raised beds were raked and weeded. I sprayed each bed lightly with the garden hose so that when I make my rows for seeds I can see the distance between rows better. I can make 4 rows in my 8x12x4 raised beds which gives me the equivalent of a 48 foot row and 96 square feet of growing space.  

Once the rows are made you can begin planting your seeds. Most annuals should be planted between 1/4 and 1/2 inches deep in fertile, well draining soil. I tend to plant my seeds closer than recommended. 

 I like the fullness of flowers crammed together, leaning in to one another as if they're long lost friends. 

Once your seeds are in cover them loosely by brushing the soil back over the top of them with your hands or the back of your garden trowel. Lightly water and keep moist until they germinate. Then water lightly daily until they area few inches above the ground.

I keep a small notepad nearby to record what seeds go in what bed and the date I planted them. When winter comes I can easily transfer my garden notes to an excel spread sheet with notes about what was successful and what wasn't. Now, I'm not saying I will actually do this but it's a good thought!

That's it for today friends...The garden calls! 

What kind of system to you use for keeping track of your plant collections?

Dandelion Wishes,

Deb 

 

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 197

 Welcome back to the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop! Wow. Are we really just two hops away from our 200th Bloghopiversary? Debbie ( Farmgirl Unleashed) and I better get busy and plan something epic! 

My daughter, ( and Max ) and I had a little gardening adventure this week. I posted all about  in my Beach Farmgirl Blog titled: Garden Girls 

Come by and see us if you get a chance!

We wish you all a fabulous Memorial Day weekend and time with those you love.

Enter your posts and share the link to this blog hop with all of your blogging friends.

You don't have to live on a farm to be a farmgirl!

Farmgirl is a Condition of the Heart~ MaryJaneButters

Today's question:

What's the weirdest looking, tasting, heirloom veggie or flower you've planted on your homestead? 

A Sarah Rosedahl Book Giveaway

Cluck! Cluck!  It's chickens and gardening season my friends which makes this the perfect time for me to introduce you to artist/ author and chicken keeper Sarah Rosedahl. I had the pleasure of meeting Sarah at the Northeastern Poultry Congress last year. Her whimsical chicken art caught my eye right away and made me smile.

Sarah Rosedahl is an artist and recovering software engineer. After a 25 year hiatus from creating art, while working as an engineer in Silicon Valley, Sarah rediscovered her passion for art through a community art class in San Jose, CA; watercolor classes at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Art; and ceramic classes at Hands In Clay, New Orleans. Sarah moved to Vermont’s Champlain Islands in 2012, inherited a few chickens from friends, raised more chickens, started painting chickens and then wrote, illustrated and published
“Chickens! Illustrated Chicken Breeds A to Z”. Many of the chickens featured in the book are modeled after Sarah’s small mixed flock of whimsical hens that include Chipmunk and Olive (Ameraucana), An (Cochin), Betty White (Brahma), Little Zelda (Hamburg), Big Zelda (Sicilian Buttercup), Shakey and Janet (Wyandotte) and Big Wilhelmina and Little Wilhelmina (Welsummer). 

Sarah is giving away a copy of Chickens! Illustrated Chicken Breeds A to Z to one lucky reader. 

Simply leave a comment below and tell us a little about your flock ( or flock to be ). And, while you're at it, what do you slog around in when you're out in the coop and garden?

Did you know Sarah's adorable chicken art is featured on Sloggers

  and T-shirts too? Congratulations Sarah! Sarah's products make the perfect for gifts for your friends and family from 1- 101!

Find Sarah and her charming books, sloggers  and T-shirts through these links.

 Website: www.srosedahl.com
 http://www.sloggers.com/?Click=6202  and Sarah will receive a commission of the sale.

 Chickens!Illustrated Chicken Breeds from A to Z  https://www.facebook.com/ChickenBreedsAtoZ

Sarah's art page https://www.facebook.com/SarahRosedahl

A PERFECT Dandelion House Day

 Warm sun and a slight breeze coming off the ocean under bright bright blue skies were my backdrop today for planting the last of the dahlias tubers and the first 50 gladiolus corms. 

What a joy is was to be outside playing in the dirt again. I didn't mind breaking a sweat - AT ALL!

I purchases my tubers from various sources this year. Some I got at my favorite local nursery, others I picked up at a discount store that sells garden supplies ( I won't do that again as some of the tubers were  moldy and beginning to rot in the package). I also placed a dahlia order with Longfield Gardens. They have some lovely combinations like the Sunrise collection below!

 Yup. I ordered several of those pretty babies!

Sunrise Mix from Longfield Gardens

 

 

 

 

Cafe-Au-Lait from Longfield Gardens

These beautiful buff colored blooms are all the rage in wedding flowers right now and they're simply stunning in the garden and by the bunches placed in a vase.

 Don't be afraid to add these easy to grow dahlia tubers and Gladiolus corms to your gardens this year. It's as easy as digging a hole in the ground ( fertile, well draining soil in full to part sun is preferred ) and letting the magic begin! 

Dandelion House Glads 2013

  Just be sure to stake them when you plant. They grow tall and heavy and need the support.

Stay tuned for my How to Grow Dahlias Post. 

That's all for now... Time for iced tea and a nap.

 Now that's A PERFECT Dandelion House Day!

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 196 & Happy Mother's Day

Welcome to another Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop.

We are gearing up for a fun day with family and friends on Sunday as I'm sure many of you are too!

So, I'll make this quick today.

Join in, link up and share your farmgirl flare!

 

 Happy Mother's Day! 

From Debbie and I.

Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop # 195

 

Howdy Farmgirls and welcome back to the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop! 

It's a happy day at Dandelion House. The first day of May has arrived and soon it will be time to sow the first flower seeds for the season. Spring weather took its sweet time arriving in New England but we truly are just a few weeks away from being able to plant without the fear of another frost.

 The raised beds are cleared and ready for seedlings, dahlia tubers, gladiolus bulbs, herbs, and more! We spent last weekend removing the last of the fall leaves, and plant debris from the larger borders and everything looks so refreshed and invigorated. 

I just love this time of year don't you?

My farmgirl co-host, Debbie and her sweet hubby just returned from enjoying some amazing events at Derby Week. Check out her post here for a close-up look at the beautiful race horses and an peek at Dawn at the Downs. What a fun farmgirl thing to do!

What's got you doing a happy dance right now? 

Time to link up and show off your farmgirl flair.

We thank you for bringing your talents to the Farmgirl Friday Blog Hop each week!

Here's wishing you a lovely day in May!