Monday, May 02, 2011

Gosh, it's been a while since I've written but inspired by sunshine and my two favorite bloggers, I felt I had to take the time to write a little.

It's been a stressful 18 months for us and we're not through it yet, but while the world was busy celebrating the death of one evil person, yesterday tons of other people were out lending a hand to help others.  Bless all the souls that turned out yesterday to quickly move a neighboring family of five from their flooding farmstead and the others that reached out to help those that had lost power and were trying to save their greenhouses from cold and wind and the others who helped when high water and no power were threatening homes and gardens.  That's what North Dakota is made of.  People who care enough to set their own troubles aside and help when a neighbor is in need.  All neighbors should be like that.

Today though, the sun is shining, it is a fabulous temperature and it was even warm enough to move the portable greenhouse outside.  Filled with rosemary plants that have been dwindling at a slow but steady pace while waiting to go outdoors and tomatoes for our personal use that are as big as trees, the little plants are out gathering their first taste of real sun.  Hardly a comparison for the fluorescent lights they've been used to so man are they soaking it up.  Hopefully the weather will hold and the rosemary, chives, tomatoes, thyme and marjoram can go in the ground in the high tunnel soon.  Barry watered it today and once the ground warms again within a couple days we should be able to plant not only the little transplants but also our first seeding of basil.  Always a good day when we get to plant. 

We've already had requests from Louisiana and North Carolina for basil and it makes us wish we could produce year round but until an efficient way of heating a North Dakota greenhouse is found, we're not ready to go there. 

In two weeks we'll receive our shipment of fruits.  I'm very excited to pick up our cherries and Haskaps.  Can't wait to be a little more diverse here at gardendwellers.  I've also been out walking and noticed that the rhubarb is coming up - even after all of our efforts to dig up as much of it as we could to give to others who hope to start rhubarb growing businesses.  Not sure how we'll get that part of the production lot cleared of rhubarb and ready for herbs but I know it will be tough.  But then again, that's why we planted the rhubarb in the first place.  Guess you have to be careful what you wish for.

Tomorrow night is another episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on TV.  I encourage everyone to watch it.  It's amazing to learn more about our food, especially what our children are being fed.  North Dakota is lucky.  We have many schools that serve fresh food and many schools with working school gardens whose produce ends up in the lunches and snacks our children get served.  But not all schools are like this and there is always room for improvement.  I urge you to help make a difference for our kids when and where you can.  It is LEGAL for all schools in ND to take donations of fresh produce or to purchase fresh produce from local farmers as long as it is not processed (raw form, uncut only).  If you need more information regarding this contact FARrMS, the ECH at Dakota College at Bottineau or the ND Dept. of Agriculture. 

So for now, I'm off to go out and enjoy the weather.  What a difference a day makes...