Rabbit proof fence

We have a rabbit in our garden. I've spotted him several times now. Sometimes when I'm out working in the garden I'll spy him hopping from row to row. I'll be weeding the carrots and he'll be hiding in the beans. I'll inspect the pumpkins and he'll be cowering in the cucumbers.

We have a fence around the garden but the rabbit is able to slip in and out because he's just a baby. He's so cute and fluffy, I just don't have the heart to really try to scare him away.

Plus, he doesn't really seem to be eating anything. The only thing in the garden I've found that looks nibbled on are some weeds. So maybe this is some kind of breed of rabbit that I never knew exsisted. Like a helper rabbit.

What I worry about is that someday this rabbit will grow up and have babies and that the babies won't be so good about not eating my veggies. So I think I have to do away with the rabbit.

I don't know how to kill a rabbit though. Especially not a helper rabbit. Maybe I can just trap it and take it somewhere else. I don't even know how to do that. What do you bait a trap with when you're trying to attract a rabbit that doesn't seem to eat?

Or is the smart thing to do just wait until the rabbit has eaten so much that he can't fit out of the fence and then have myself some rabbit stew?

One year ago Jesse had some karma coming his way.
Four years ago I was very excited about fish.

How bad can toxic vegetables really be for you?

Here's a fun fact: Recycled railroad ties are treated with a substance that is toxic. If you put them around your garden they will leak that toxin into your vegetables.

There. Now I have saved you the trouble of laying ten 300 pound railroad ties out around your garden only to have to load them back up and return them to the store and then start over from scratch with a whole new plan that does not involve cancer vegetables.

Le sigh.

Now Jesse has this crazy idea about growing all the plants in little raised boxes instead of right on the ground. All I wanted was a little patch of dirt where I could grow vegetables and I'm going to end up with the Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

One year ago today I pondered the direction of this blog.
Three years ago today my kids were cute but other people were tacky.

Urgent garden update!

Remember when I said my garden was 12x14 feet? Well, there's a reason I never won any estimation bees.* The garden is actually 19x20 feet. We found that out today as we** edged it with recycled railroad ties.

We also bought a rain barrel so that we can collect rain water to water the garden with. We're all ecological and shit.

Our garden is looking pretty sweet. Unfortunately temperatures are going to drop below freezing later this week so I still can't more my seedlings outdoors. The way this spring is going we're going to have a growing season of 14 minutes.

That's about it for today***.

*Also, estimation bees are not real. So that's two reasons. And I originally said one. Oh estimation! Why must you mock me?

**By "we" I mean "I put on my gardening gloves and stood nearby as Jesse did all the hard work and was nearly crushed under a one ton railroad tie. Then I came inside and looked at $200 composters online.".

***Except I wanted to tell you that today Jesse told Elle "Go have Mommy do your hair because I suck at it." and Elle came to me and said "Mama, can you suck at my hair?" and then Jesse and I laughed and laughed and that made Elle cry so I cheered her up by letting her help me make chicken stock.

One year ago today Joseph had me stumped.
Two years ago today I put my kids in a cage.
Three years ago today my family was dramatic.
Four years ago I complained and was boring.

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.