Growing in the Greenhouse

Happy Mothers Day to you all! Here's what I got for gifts: a back massage, breakfast in bed, an arbour started (construction is ongoing) and a trench full of power and water. No, I'm not kidding about the trench. It's my usual practical gift from Steve. We're running the water and power underground from the house to the cabin we've got because that's what the building inspector would prefer and because it's less annoying then a line and cable overhead above the garden. Now I don't have to watch out every time I'm swinging a tall pole in there for the beans. I just have to finish the ceiling, repair the roof and put in a smoke alarm and the cabin is ready for wwoofers again this year. I also want to get some shelves out there but for now it'll be fine. We just have a single guy coming so it's not a big deal to get the bunk beds together as the queen size bed is there. 


In the greenhouse the baby turkeys are growing nicely. We haven't lost any I don't think, though trying to count them when they're running all over the place can be decidedly tricky. But it works well to have them under the shelf with the plants. They get a warmer and safer environment while they're growing up a bit, and their heat lamp provides a little extra warmth at night to the plants on the shelf above. Part of Permaculture is having things compliment and work together, in fact many different trends in gardening advocate symbiosis and it's a good and practical way of doing anything. It's essentially taking the waste from one thing and using it to benefit something else or being the most economical or efficient. Some gardening gurus almost preach it like it's a new concept but of course, like everything else that works well, it's ancient wisdom. Just as the Aztecs planted corn, beans and squash together in their 3 sisters method, and companion planting helped lessen pests while promoting growth, I recommend that you take the time to see if there's a way of increasing the efficiency in your garden. Then it becomes wisdom that is both personal to your garden and practical.

I'm trying to decide the best place to plant some blackberry bushes I picked up the other evening. I need to decide and get them planted today. On our way home from buing them the sunset was quite pretty so Meghan and I took a few pictures. The valley never looks as good in a photograph as it does in real life though. Of all my photos I like this one the best, it's Me taking a photo of Meghan taking a photo of the sunset while driving past our neighbours cows. Love the reflection in the mirror also :)

Reflections of a Spring Evening near Greenwood, NS