The First Seeds, Zucchini, Have Sprouted

It took about 5 days, but our zucchini seeds sprouted yesterday.  I noticed it in the afternoon and I couldn't wait for the kids to get home from daycare so I could show them.  They were so excited, that they had to show every neighbor who walked by!  We know most of our neighbors and everyone on our block takes walks in the evening.

Hubby had to go out to pick up some furniture, so I decided to take the boys outside and have them help me clear a new spot for transplanting the zucchini to.  I don't think anyone has raked anywhere on this property in 5 years at least.  We have to spend at least an hour clearing and prepping a patch of dirt every time we want to plant a small crop, but it's still good family fun, and it's teaching them to be self-sustaining.

Even though I take the most pride in being able to grow from seeds, I'm glad we bought a few plants.  I think that planting something the boys could already see was a huge help in keeping them interested in the project.

Once we cleared the patch for the zucchini, I decided to try out a 'soil enrichment' experiment.  I used some of the crappy dirt (sand) that is our soil here in Florida, and mixed in some potting soil, and used coffee grounds.  I soon realized, that I didn't have enough potting soil.

While we waited for hubby to return, I decided to inventory our back yard.  Right now all of our growing and planting is being done in containers and flower beds in the front yard.  We've only lived here a short time, and though we own a house, it's rented out -(long story involving moving for my husband's job, and then moving back shortly thereafter while the tenant had a lease) but we don't want to go back there.  We're looking for something with property now to accomodate our new self sustaining lifestyle plans.

While I was back there, I found some lattice that I could use for growing vine things.  I don't know what I'll grow on them yet, but it's nice to know they're there.  I also realized that I have a much bigger back yard than I realized and our neighbor has baby chicks.

 Just before hubby got back and I could go get some potting soil, Eldest Son stepped on something with nails in it and the Three Act Drama ensued.  Needless to say, I didn't get to get out and get more soil.  Gonna do that today.

So I spent some time poking around on Craigslist looking for this and that.  Stuff people were giving away that I could use for building all these cool new things that I want, like a solar powered climate controlled greenhouse.  Then I poked around on the survivalist forum for a bit and got some great new ideas like small plant greenhouses.

On my list of things to do today is find out how to keep snakes away if you have laying hens for eggs.