Pete's been busy getting the garden beds prepared and planted.
The fruit trees have all come back to life.
The mulberry, plums and apricots have set fruit and the apples and Mandarin are in flower.
Behind Pete in the photo above is the walnut tree and this year I'm planning on trying my hand at dyeing with it.
With all the work that goes into preparing and planting beds, it's a little ironic that these little ones came up all on their own, in the area where we used to feed the chooks the kitchen scraps.
Pete had planned on planting pumpkins and watermelons in here but the tomatoes have beaten him.
This year Pete has made up some covers for the beds as last year we lost a lot of plants to late frosts and heat waves.
Pete used agriculture water pipe and star pickets for the frame and argricultural shade cloth and plastic ties for the covers.
They can be slid to the side when not needed.
Not a cheap thing to do when you add up the costs.
Those who think growing veggies is cheap haven't done it!
I don't think we save any money by growing our own.
But we do appreciate how cheap food really is after growing for a few years now
The benefits aren't financial.
The benefits are in-
- Teaching our children where food comes from.
- Showing them how to work in the garden.
- Working as a family should, spending time together.
- Having the joy of picking strawberries and eating them straight out of the strawberry patch.
- Watching the seasons pass and keeping connected to the earth.
- In seeing the wonder of creation every day.
- Having fresh food with no chemicals.
- Being able to share the bounty of the garden with friends.
