Just call me Farmer Jen

I don't what has happened to me lately. Maybe it was all brought on by moving to a small town. Maybe it's because if I want to drive anywhere outside of this small town I have to pass through miles and miles of farmland. Whatever it is, I have caught the farmer bug.

When we moved into this house it had a small flower bed in the back yard. We ripped that out thinking it would be a nice place to grow some tomatoes and maybe an ear or two of corn. Over the winter my plans for the garden got bigger and bigger. We've now expanded the garden to a fairly good size (rough estimate of 12x14 feet) and I've started a ton of seeds indoors. As soon as this stupid state has a 10 day forecast that does not include several nights with temps in the low 30's I'm going to be a planting fool. Rather than just a regular fool.

I've already started some garden-type activities. The previous owners of this house planted a rhubarb bush by the garden and every day I go out and stare at it angrily. I do this for two reasons. 1) Some bitch of a rabbit keeps coming and gnawing off all the new growth and pooping all over the place and I am hopeful that my angry staring will eventually scare him off. 2) I hate rhubarb.

I've got a real bumper crop planned, assuming Minnesota every warms up to a livable temperature. The things I plan to attempt to grow are: cabbage (for homemade and home canned sauerkraut), strawberries, okra (for pickling), cucumbers (again for pickling), Purple Queen bush beans, watermelon, yellow and red cherry tomatoes, broccoli, regular tomatoes, pumpkins, another type of cucumbers (these are bigger), green beans, parsnips, sweet corn, carrots, onions, mini bell peppers, cayenne peppers, spinach, red and green bell peppers, sunflowers, yellow beans, purple carrots and sugar snap peas.

Wow, that kind of looks like a lot when I type it all out. I might need to expand the garden a bit more. Don't tell Jesse, he already thinks I am out of control. It's a good thing he's around to reign me in though. Without him around to stop me this past weekend I would have bought a blueberry bush, a blackberry bush, grape vines and several dwarf fruit trees.

I'm not happy with just growing plants though. Now I want to tackle livestock. Yesterday I learned about a man in the next town over who will sell you a rabbit for $5 in the summer. Of course that leaves you with the issue of what to do with the rabbit. That's somewhat of a problem for my family since we don't eat rabbit. The good news is this man will buy your rabbit back for $5 in the winter. All the fun of raising livestock without the messy killing part. It seems like a flawless plan.

Oh, and don't tell Jesse this either but yesterday I bought a book about how to raise chickens in your backyard.

I think I need professional help.

One year ago today my kids gave me subtle hints about my eyebrows.
Three years ago today Jesse had the lamest excuse everfor not helping out with the kids.