What's blooming now?

Saturday's market was full of flowers as many gardens are just starting to produce. This weeks vases included Asian lilies, blue and pink larkspur, coreopsis (single and double), sweet williams, daisies, astilbe, yarrow, mint and baby's breath. Lavender will be ready next week to add another scent to the jars.

All the corn is in and the beans will be finished this week just in time to start wheat harvest. Two days rest in between would be good. Ron has been leaving at 4-5:00a.m. and returning close to 10:00p.m. and eating dinner before bed.

The flower beds are receiving a weed preventative treatment. First weeds are pulled, newspaper is layed down in bare spots, paper is sprinkled with water, mulch is added, and sprinkled again. Hope this works. It does seem to work well in the garden between rows. Straw replaces mulch in the garden.

Holly's inheritance

It barely fits! Our newest addition to the farm is a ruby red combine. Hopefully, there will be something to harvest. Maybe we could sell rides!

The corn is going in

Ron is happy! The corn is going in today. It is a little late, but if the weather cooperates, it could still have a good yield.

The results

With greenery and two buckets of flowers, I was able to finish 10 jars for a special order graduation party.

To the market they go

Friday evening is all about gathering every flower possible to make arrangements for the Land of Goshen Community Market. With all the rain and late warm temperatures, the picking is slim. Spring colors are not my favorite, but they are a hit at the market. What's available right now in my garden are sweet williams, peonies, larkspur, coreopsis, blue salvia, penta and arch angel and mint for extra greenery. Before my flowers started blooming, I relied on wild mustard (which holds up well). I am looking forward to more varieties of coreopsis, sunflowers, lavender and baby's breath to bloom soon.

Cheapskate Wreath

Sometimes farm wives have to use their imagination to come up with something they want without spending a lot (thanks to my friend Paul). Ron has been complaining (because he is not farming) about all the dead poppy stems in the flower beds. I said I would cut them back because I had an idea. I have wanted a wreath by my front door but did not want to pay $50.00 plus for one. I usually only make wreathes in the fall but thought I would give this a try. After gathering a wheel barrel full of cut stems, I started the wreath using a homemade straw wreath and florist wire. After using most of what I cut, it turned out acceptable. To make it more attractive, it needed some color, so I cut some chive blossoms and sage blooms to add to the wreath. A little raffia added a little more color. I am happy with the results, and I have a cheapskate wreath for the front door. Every thing we put by the front porch is attractive to the local finches for building a nest. Maybe the chives and sage will keep them away and hopefully not guests!

Living in the Swamp

In 1969 when I graduated from high school in St. Louis, I never imagined that I would one day be a high school teacher living in Illinois, married to a retired mortgage banker/full-time farmer and have a swimming pool, a semi and heifers in my yard. When my students say, "That will never happen to me!" I laugh. Life has a way of surprising us with unimaginable circumstances.

Becoming a farm wife has been a huge but exciting adjustment for me. One day my husband is leaving for work in his suit and tie, and the next he is walking to the barn in his flannel shirt and boots. I have had to learn all about corn yields, Sudan grass, castrating young bulls, bottle feeding calves and what kind of food to easily take to the guys in the field as well as how to find each field called by the former owner's name. The Wernle ground is on Wernle road. That is easy, but The Fahrenkrog ground is on Mill Road in New Douglas. Sometimes I am told to come to the New Douglas field. Sometimes he says the Fahrenkrog ground. Or, the Geller ground is on Blacksmith Road, but he usually says the field past Wernle's.

I still say, "Why would anyone want to be a farmer?" After three years of praying for no more drought, our prayers have been answered. Now we almost need a row boat to walk from the house to the barn. It has rained so much that we cannot remember which day it did not rain. The ditches are full, the ponds are full, some wheat is under water, nothing is planted, the grass needs mowing, but everything is green and the weather is warm. Crop insurance is a wonderful thing!