Time To Transplant At Prairie Flower!

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Just put that it is from Prairie Flower Farm please. Thank you!

It is sun shining today, so I am going to enjoy it!!!!!

What is happening at your place?

Dear ladies, It did snow, could not believe it!!!! It wasn't as bad as they thought it was going to be. It is all about gone now. Yes!!!!!!! This week we are to have warmer weather, which I am very grateful for. I will have to be in the house though, because I am working on two Patriotic Fabric lines. Any of you that would like to pray for me, please do. Thank you very much. Smile! I do have some of the icons drawn and I just need to start painting. Then I will scan them in and my Tressy and I will start making some fabric pieces. I enjoy designing, but sometimes it can be a little stressful. It is kind of like harvest, when you work so hard and then it is cutting time. Long hours!

This morning I transplanted some of my little tomato and basil plants that were needing it.

You will need some 7 oz. Dixie cups and potting soil.

Poke a hole in the bottom of the cup with a sharp knife.

Fill cup with potting soil almost full and pat soil down. With your first finger poke a hole in the soil. Lift up the soil carefully along the side of little tomato plant after it gets about 2" tall. Handle the little plant very carefully.

Push soil carefully around the plant and fill the hole. I have about 1/2" of the little plant above the top of soil.

Now you will want to have some kind of inexpensive fluorescent shop light. You can use a south window if it has good sun light. You will have to turn the plants though. Keep plants moist with water. I always pour warm water from the bottom or use a tea pot filled and gently pour warm water from the top.

If you would like more information go here. Starting seeds They have wonderful pictures.

Here is another site called Grow Better Veggies, I like to read. If you are interested in starting your own seeds just read and read and read! There are wonderful sites on the web.

Here is a picture of my Roma's last year.

I have this cute little Potters Shed on the side of our big barn. I will show you pictures at a later date, as I get it all cleaned up from winter. Along one side it has a feeding trough that my honey and I filled with dirt. I take my plants out there when it starts getting warmer in the day.Iput old windows on the top to make a greenhouse and later screen window. It is so wonderful to go and sit out there with all my little baby plants growing away. Hope you are getting to enjoy some Spring Thyme weather!

Here is my little Potters Shed.

On my last post some of you wrote me the most precious comments and some personal emails. I loved it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Some out there may be very sad about yesterdays healthcare vote. I am also, but I am confident that the Lord knows what He is allowing. It is for our good. I remember this one pastor telling us that in the perspective of eternity we are a little teeny tiny dot on the line. That is sooooooo true. Just keep your eyes on Him, know matter what we will go through, He will go through it and He will be with us. I am sure of that. Don't quit praying. It is our life line!!!!! He loves us so much. It gives me comfort to know that the Lord has my family covered by His protection. Isaiah 49:16 says., "See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me." Is that not so precious of our Lord to put in His Word? It is His gift to us, for those who want it.

Blessings sweet ladies that follow my blog! You mean a lot to me and don't forget it... smiling!

Happy Spring Thyme

Do You Want To Start Some Seeds With Me?

It was so warm today and it was wonderful! I planted some tomatoes and basil. I thought I would show you what I did. Last year I did a lot more with my seeds (click and you can see). It will have to be a little more simple for me this year.

You will need: Potting Mix Soil (Miracle-Gro), a cup or tea cup, seeds, heating pad, cooling rack, plastic bag and a tag.

Planting seeds is so easy! You save a lot money wise and it is so enjoyable watching the little sprouts come up. Today we will do tomatoes. You will need a clean cup or tea cup, as my friend Gail uses. I chose a little granite ware cup. Make sure it is real clean. Potting Mix Miracle-Gro is found at a greenhouse near you. It is good to support an independent Greenhouse. It helps a family make a living!

Fill the cup with damp potting soil.

Sprinkle tomato seeds on top of the dirt and cover with soil 1/4" deep.

Slip cup into a plastic bag. I like to blow air into the bag and puff it up. I don't know if that helps, but it makes me feel better. smile! Tie it off at the top and put a little tag with the name of the plant and date that you planted it.

I made a new cover for my heating pad today. It needed some cheering up! I made a flannel covering. I like it a lot better now.

Place a little table by a south window. Put a cookie sheet on top of table, then a heating pad (set at med) on top of the cookie sheet. Place a cooling rack on top of the heating pad and if you are like me, you will check the little plants every day to see if they are up. I love it!!!!

I painted a little bluebird today. He just reminds me of spring. I wanted a signature for a long time and today I bumped into how to do one. Thank you Jesus for making my path straight! Tressa put up my little bluebird for me. I think it turned out so fun. I will give you the link on how to do your own signature, in case you would like to do one also. It is from The Cutest Blog On the Block. If you need a little bluebird, maybe we can help you with that!

March 3Oth will be my One year anniversary on having my blog. I am thinking what I would like to do to celebrate. I am thinking I need to have a very special giveaway party. We do need to celebrate. I have so many wonderful friends that have made my days so rich and special. I thank you all so much for that. I have a few weeks to figure out what I will be doing. I can't hardly believe it has been almost a year.

HAPPY PLANTING!

My Faithful Hens and Moon and Stars Watermelon

When I enter into my chicken coop, this little birdcage and chicken greet me. I just love her. Simple things bring me joy and she is definitely one of my favorites!

These past few days we have been getting only a few eggs. This morning we could not find any yet. Sad! My girls have been so faithful with their eggs. They are taking a break and I need them to still be laying with all the cooking I do for the Farmer's Market. Oh well, I guess that is the way it goes. Makes me think about how thankful I need to be for all they have done!!!!!

Our store has been doing real well. The orders are coming in. Some of the ladies have been having a hard time leaving comments. Just email me if you do. It works out great and we can get out your orders. I am loving it. Meeting wonderful ladies and I get to do what I love to do. Sew!!!!!!!!

The momma Guinea is doing great. 3 of the babies have died, but she still has two. Every morning the daddy is up on the roof talking away at her. I think he is sad.

The green beans are producing wonderfully. We will have a lot to sell this weekend.

Cantaloupe and watermelon are doing well also. I am so thankful to the Lord that He gives me one seed and returns so much more. I can't ever loose sight of that.

This is called Moon and Stars Watermelon. They are soooo sweet and beautiful. Saving seeds for next year. They are a heirloom watermelon. Nummy also!!!!!!!!

Blessings,
Linda

HARVEST IS HERE!!!!!!!!

THE WHEAT IS READY FOR HARVEST. WE WILL BE CUTTING TODAY. CAN’T WAIT!! OUR SON'S BOUGHT AN OLD COMBINE. YAY!!!!!!!

OUR DAUGHTER TRESSA TOOK THIS PICTURE OF TAYLOR. WHAT MORE CAN WE SAY. WE LOVE YOU LORD AND CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE FOR OUR HARVEST. YOU ARE

GOOD, HOLY AND OUR REDEEMER!

I HAVE BEEN SO BUSY WITH MY GIRLS OUT IN THE GARDEN EVERY MORNING AND EVENING. EVERYTHING IS GETTING BIGGER

AND CAN’T WAIT TO START EATING FOOD FROM OUR GARDEN. WE ATE TWO TOMATOES AND A CUCUMBER YESTERDAY...... MMMMM GOOD!!!!

HOPE ALL OF YOU ARE HAVING A BLESSED SUMMER. OUR FATHERS DAY WAS A VERY SPECIAL DAY. WISH I HAD TIME TO POST MORE PICTURES.

PICKLES I ATE ONE MMMMMM GOOD!

LITTLE PUMPKIN

LITTLE CROOK NECK YELLOW SQUASH

ROWS OF GREEN BEANS AND ONIONS TO THE LEFT

CHARD

BABY ZUCCHINI

OUR POTATO’S ARE GROWING SO HUGE. EVEN HAVE POTATO BUGS. YUKKKK! MY GUINEAS ARE NOT DOING “THEIR THING.” MY GRANDCHILDREN ARE!

BLESSINGS,

LINDA

Everyone It's FLAG DAY

Sunday is Flag Day. Let's all get out our flags and wave them high.

I just love the red,white and blue!!!!!!! We need to be praying for our President and leaders in Washington. Pray that they would make wise decisions for our country. Please pray for them daily. I am sure they would appreciate it.

I found a great treasure in the barn. An "old milk bucket." I filled it with one of my favorite flowers, Scarlet Red Verbena. I can't wait to find them at the garden nursery in the spring. I have to get some for the farm. It is really pretty to put in your garden. If you like color in your garden this is the flower. I also use the Blue Salvia a lot. The color will just jump out, from wherever you look.

This will really grow and spread. Sometimes it comes up for me again the next spring. It doesn't smell real good, but I use it a lot in my flower bouquets.

Here are my boxes. They are starting to fill out a little more!

I started my little cucumber seeds early this year and they already have little baby pickles on them. I am sooooooo excited to get my fridge full of dill pickles. I will give the recipe soon.

I put the nasturtiums by my cucumber plants. Getting seeds in by my squash and pumpkins. Trying it out this year. It is suppose to help with the bugs. If you do plant nasturtiums, nick the seed carefully. It helps it to germinate.

I have been waiting until last Feb. for this!!!!!!!!! Went out to my garden and found two Sweet Pea's had popped out just for meeeeee! I just love them. Kim, who entered our giveaway wrote the sweetest comment. I thought it would be helpful to those who are planting Sweet Peas. "I am enjoying your blog and am working on my garden too. My sweetpeas are blooming and we have blessed many friends with boquets. You know that to keep them blooming you must keep them cut so that they can not pod. Once they start to dry out and pod you will lose the whole bush. I will send you some seeds at the end of summer. A patient gave them to my Nana who is in her 80s MANY years ago. She worked for a doctor. They are an unusual color and I never see them in packets. They are the most fragrant I have smelled." Blessings! Kim I can't wait to see what her Sweet Peas are like. Thank you Kim for the wonderful garden hint. I did not know this! I will start to do this now.

Again thank you for stopping by. Please leave a comment about what is happening at your garden! I would love to have any helpful garden hints. I am always learning. I forgot, to tell you my tomatoes are doing great. That will be the next pictures..... I even have a little pumpkin. I love to decorate with pumpkins...... in the fall.

Blessings,
Linda

"SEWING APRON DAY" And A Few Other Tidbits

SEWING APRONS FOR FARMER'S MARKET

Good Afternoon ,

Please everyone, you still have time to sign up for my drawing if you haven't already. : ) Last day is June 8th. It has been just delightful! All the nice comments being left have blessed my life.

Our family was out traveling a few weeks back and I just had to STOP at one of my favorite quilt stores in Salina Kansas, called The Quilting Bee. I found the most adorable pattern Lilly Apron. I thought this would be sooooo cute for my daughters and myself to wear when we

do Farmer's Market. I let the girls pick out their own fabric. From top red square (surprise?) is mine, bottom left is Tressa's and bottom right is Taylor's (hers is brown and green, even though it looks black). I will let you all see when the aprons are done.

I wrote Michelle, that owns Busy Bee Quilt Designs, to get permission to put her information up on my blog. You must go over and see what she has. Her website is so beautiful. You will enjoy looking, if you like quilts, cute bags and the Lilly Apron. I thought it was so funny that my chicken and tea towel was named Lilly.

This is my" Little Garden Girl" who keeps watch over the Prairie Flower Farm.

I am finally getting some other things finished around the farm, since we have most of the garden and trees planted. Now we just sit, pray and wait for the Lord to help everything grow. I already have tomatoes on the vines. The basil is doing well and we will be making up pesto real soon for our foccacia bread. mmmmmmmmm can't wait.

I hope you can see this little rake. I was just talking with my hubby the other day saying that I wish someone would design a little rake. I had forgotten that I had bought one that was just for decoration. Yes! I am using it now when I weed the peas. It works fantastic.

I wanted to see if these strips really work. If you have tried them let me know. I wasn't sure so I thought I would try. As you can see by the little lettuce it worked great. I think it was well worth the money. Just thought you might like to try it if you haven't I have two trays in with flowers and herbs. I let you know how they work. Enjoy all your gardening.

My baby ducks are getting huge. They wander around eating my grass and maybe bugs? I don't know for sure if they eat bugs. You can let me know. Thank you for taking the time to read my blog. If you have children or grandchildren the ducks need names. You can help them leave a comment. I think they are both girls. Thanks so much, it will be fun to see what names come through.

Planting

I had wanted to use my old wood boxes some way in the garden. I think it turned out real cute. The plants I put in are the kind that will trail over the edge of the box. It is always hard to wait for them to get to that stage. If you have any ideas for containers or want to send me pic's I would love to see your ideas.

My wheel barrow was full of sugar peas and sweet pea flowers.

Sugar Snap Peas and Sweet Pea flowers together.

When I planted my Sugar Snap Peas, I wanted to see what it would be like to put in some of my Sweet Pea Flowers in between the Sugar Snap Peas. When it all blooms it is going to look so pretty.

Yesterday we were able to get almost all of our flowers and herbs planted. If you put your herbs and flowers together you will have more color. I put in so many Lemon Verbena plants! I also plant flowers in addition to the marigolds in my garden. I spend a lot of time in my garden in the summer and I just want to see pretty flowers. The weather is starting to get warmer outside and it is good to have almost all my veggies planted. Our day yesterday was very productive in getting things planted. If we can get our pumpkins and corn in I will be so glad. It has been such a wet spring for us here in Kansas. I think it has been hard for a lot of people to get things in on a timely basis. Everything is really coming up though. A little tip for everyone, who is going to plant potatoes. Our friend Alicia, said as soon as you see the first leaves on your potato plants popping out of the garden start bringing dirt up along each side up over the leaves and make another mound. Do this one more time. I guess it gives you more potatoes in the end. I hope it does what she says.

Spruce Colorado Blue Tree

My sweet husband just planted my Spruce Colorado Blue tree (that is the name on the pot). It will be a few Christmas' till I can put on lights! It will be just like Alaska here on the farm! Now all I need is to figure how to get the ocean on the farm. Enjoy your weekend.

Lilly & The Garden

Hello everyone, Here are some pictures of our planting this last week. It was so nice to get out in the dirt. We have had so much rain this last spring and it has been very difficult to get the garden in the ground. Farmer's Market will be a little bit late for us.

Lilly helping me plant tomatoes and peppers

Two birthday’s ago, our son and his family took me to the Yoder Auction where the Amish and English come to sell their animals. At the last Friday of each month Yoder has an auction that has chicken, ducks, turkey’s and lots of other kind of animals. It is so fun to go and watch the people there. I ended up buying 2 male and 1 female Black Cochin. I named the female Fuzzy Feet, because she has feathers all over her feet. Well, I didn’t need two males. My neighbor friend Gail and her son Mark John love chickens. I thought I would give them one of the males. They named him Timothy and he loves living at their farm. Well soon after my male died. Not sure why, but then I didn’t have a male and I so wanted to have them have little chicks. Mark John and his family were going on a trip, so they let me borrow Timothy. Fuzzy Feet started laying eggs. I then took the eggs and incubated them. At this same time another farm family had found a nest of guinea eggs that were not

going to make it, because the nest was in the field where the sheep were. Guinea’s are really good for eating bugs in your garden, but they do make a lot of noise. Any way, Lilly was born. It was kind of late in the season. Beings that she was so small she got to lives in a bird cage, that I hung in the front room on a hook. I know that is a little weird to have her in the house, but it worked out perfect for Lilly! She is now laying eggs. I am hoping to go to the Yoder Auction at the end of this month to find Lilly a male Cochin.

I took my little "Lilly" outside for her first time. She followed me everywhere. She even fell into the tomato holes a few times. It was so funny. Her legs must have been dangling in the hole, because she could not move. We had to take her out each time. She loved it outside though. Lilly and I worked away planting tomato plants. In each hole I put in a cup of alfalfa pellets and a crushed up egg shell. My husband did some reading on the pellets. We are just trying it this year and we will see how it works.

Lilly thinks she likes the outside better then inside. I have kept her in my little milk shed, that was used for storing the milk when my husband grew up with his family. They were dairy farmers. The shed works great as a brooder house for my little chicks and ducks.

Just wanted to show you what Taylor and I built. It is a garden tepee. It was not easy and doesn't look quite like what we wanted, but when it is full of little cucumbers for our "fridge pickles" it won't matter. We had such a good time laughing. We made a special memory together that day. As you can see, we put nasturtiums by the cucumbers. They are really good for keeping squash bugs away. Yes!!!! Hope that it works for me. Then I won't have to be "a squishin squash bugs! Can't wait for Monday to start planting some more things. I will keep you posted. Blessings to you!

STARTING SEEDS EARLY IN THE HOUSE

The Potter’s Shed is full of lots of plants, that I started this last Jan.-Feb. in the house. It doesn’t take much time and the results will give you a head start in your garden. This year we are going to do Farmer’s Market for the first time and we wanted to be ready. I will keep you posted as we start this new adventure. To start your seeds here is what we did. It works real well. You will need to make a homemade Heat Box to help your little seeds sprout using a brown cardboard box. It will get the dirt warm and the seeds will germinate real fast. Here is what you will need to get started:

Brown cardboard box the top dimension needs to be at least 2 ft. long x 1 1/2 ft. wide. The depth of the box needs to be at least 1 1/2 ft. or 2 ft. tall.

Power cord

Plug in light bulb adapter (found at hardware store or Wal-Mart)

60 watt light bulb

Potting soil

cups or seed trays

Seeds

Make a hole through the side of the card board box at the bottom unless it already has one like mine did.

Tape the power cord to the floor of the box on the inside right in the middle part of the box. You need to be real careful to have it safe, so it won't start a fire. You may need an extension cord, if the power cord doesn’t have a long enough cord. Plug in the light bulb adapter. Screw in the 60 watt light bulb into the top of the adapter.

This is what the plug in light bulb adapter looks like.

I use styrofoam cups or seedling trays and any good potting soil to plant my seeds in. Use a pencil to poke a hole in the bottom of each styrofoam cup. Fill the cup with potting soil. Plant seed in each cup and after you have planted each seed, slip the cup or tray into a plastic bag. I buy a box of BAGGIES with ties for the styrofoam cup and gallon storage bags for seed trays. This will give a greenhouse effect. You are now ready to put the cups on the top of the heat box.

Tape the top of the heat box closed. The heat will rise and help your little seedlings sprout.

Your flat tray or cups (put on a cookie sheet) will fit on top of your heat box. One of our farm friends told us about this inexpensive method, it really works well. You will not believe how those little seeds will come up. Now you are ready to plant your seeds.

After the seed has sprouted you need to take it out of the plastic and put it under a grow light. The light needs to be 1”-2” above the plants. We buy our florescent shop light at any hardware store. Be sure to keep the seedlings watered, but not soaked. I use my little tea pot to water each plant. If the plant seems too dry, set the cup in warm water and let the soil soak from the bottom up. Let the seeds dry a little in between waterings though. That helps the stems grow stronger and the roots fuller.

This year we started tomatoes, green peppers, watermelon, cantaloupe, squash, cucumbers. marjoram, basil, thyme, sweet williams, zinnias, nasturtium, jalapeno, cilantro and oregano,. All of the seeds I planted sprout easily. You can buy your seeds from seed catalogs or at the nursery.

The picture below is in the Potter's Shed. It was an old feed bunk

that was used for the baby calves, when my husbands parents had a dairy farm.

We filled it up with dirt and I use it for planting things in the summer. I put my little plants to harden off. I have a screen window that I put over the top of the bunk when it gets cool at night. It is a great little green house for me to use to get my plants ready for the garden.

My Roma tomatoes are doing great!

I just love every part of the gardening process. It amazes me of the goodness of the Lord. To think that His word tells me Genesis 1:29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” To have a Heavenly Father that would think of our daily need for food. I just thank Him so much. I guess that is why I love the whole garden thing. He started it!

This last weekend I was able to go to Dillon’s Nature Center. They had trees that were 2 years old for sale. One of the men there was very helpful in telling us how to plant the trees. To water them, (if you are going to have to carry water) take a pcv pipe about 1 1/2’ feet long. Drill holes in the side of the pipe and put in the ground next to the tree. When you need to water the tree take a water jug filled with water, turn it upside down into the top of the pipe. I thought this was fantastic. Have a wonderful time gardening. If you have any tips on gardening please comment. As we put our garden in I will have more information. Think about starting some herbs. They are very easy to grow.

Enjoy your thyme in your garden! I find my quiet time to be able to lift up those I love in prayer. It is so quiet around our farm. I don't have very many neighbors. To hear the birds chirping and watching them get ready to have little babies in their nests is delight to my soul.

Be sure to put up a lot of birdhouses at your place. You will be amazed that you can watch the momma and daddy birds with their young. Two years ago our oldest son's family gave me a really cute bird house for the Potter's Shed. We had a finch family come and live. We watched the momma bird teach her little ones to fly. It is a special memory of ours.

Here are some sites that I have found helpful.

http://www.sherrysgreenhouse.com/pages/seedstarting/index.html#

http://www.growbetterveggies.com/growbetterveggies/instructions-on-how-to-gr.html

http://www.gardenstuffs.com/

http://www.finegardening.com/how-to/articles/ten-seed-starting-tips.aspx