Ramblings of a Stay at Home Mom: My Overly Ambitious First Garden

I have always wanted a garden. To grow our own produce and get my hands dirty. So, following one of my main mottos: Go big or go home, we did it! We fenced off a 50X100 area in ten foot fencing. That was quite a sight I imagine! Hubby drove the truck and I stood in the bed (we would rotate) and I would heft a massive post pounder (about 60 lbs) over my head and pound the posts in. A funny side story: that thing is from my childhood. We used it around my parents property to maintain 27 acres of fence line. We had to keep the horses and llama's in and the neighbors cows out. That's right, I said llamas. Their names were Jose' and Cuervo...get it...we didn't name them. They were given to us by our cousin.
Hubby built me a beautiful gate between the two trees at the top of the garden. I read and read and read and read...you get the point. I talked to my Nana, my garden guru, and read some more. My husband built me a nice gate and we went to town. I already know a few changes for next year. The dry spots and wet spots. The highs and lows of the garden. It has been a family project for sure. The kids had a major role in planting. Hubby really enjoyed tilling on his tractor. I dug the rows, then poked the holes. The kids came along behind me and dropped in the seeds, then filled the holes. Now we are seeing the harvest! Corn, carrots, zucchini, squash galore! To much to list. We've already harvest 30 lbs of potatoes, and daily the kids and I are pulling green beans out. We bring them in, blanch them and freeze them. I'll post soon about the harvest.

The beginning!

I left the very middle un-planted and the kids drive their trucks in the mud and dirt.

Huckleberry

kids planting

Grafted Apple Tree

At the north side of the garden I am making it a grand little area. Not sure what to call it but I planted an apple tree in the middle and put my vintage 1940's tree bench around it. That tree is a true work of art. It has four varieties of apples grafted to it: Honey Crisp (my FAV-OR-ITE!), Gala, Granny Smith, and Fuji. I have a ...are you ready for this...huckleberry bush, yes I said it! There is a nursery here that has developed a huckleberry for lower elevations. I was skeptical but intrigued so I bought one. Now I am kicking myself, I want to plant a whole hedge along the north fence. I am sinking flat boulders into the ground at the top of the garden. It will be amazing when its done. The boulders will surround the hedge of huckleberry and a hedge of blueberries.