Alaska Gardening Guide

I have been doing a lot of Gardening homework in all of my free time. I don't have much of it so I had to read very fast! My good friend Laura, who has used some of her free time to become a Master Gardener, allowed me to borrow a gardening book. After reading a few pages and checking out the Appendixes, I knew that I had to get one of my own so that I could write notes, scribble and fold pages over. Alaska Gardening Guide by Ann D. Roberts has given me all the beginners knowledge I have needed to start this monster of a project. Ooo, and I just noticed that the title also says Volume I, Alaska Vegetables for Northern Climates. Are there more volumes?!? I can't wait to find out!

One section asks a few questions...
1. What kind of garden do I want? Herb, vegetable or flower? Well, all of them of course!! But the more realistic answer involves some details. Herbs don't really interest me this year. I want to grow some vegetables and start with ones that I know my boys will eat and those that I will use. I don't need to learn how to grow veggies right now that are risky.

I want to grow...
Broccoli
Carrots
Lettuce
Spinach
Zucchini
Onions
Peas

I already have three rhubarb plants that produce more than I can use!! And I plan on transplanting some Raspberry bushes to begin giving us some berries next summer. Flowers are a must. I love looking at them and deadheading blossoms. I am sure I will love weeding too. It is tedious work but I like detailed work and the time away all by myself in the beds will be blissful, yes even while weeding! I have experience with Pansies and Marigolds and I would like to add Gladiolas and Nasturtiums to my planters and half barrels.

2. How serious do I want to get about gardening? Well, I want something that I can enjoy doing. It will be small, maybe two 4x6 raised beds.

3. How much do I need to feed my family and how much will I need to plant to obtain that? Whew! I have no idea to either of those questions. I went to a U-Pick farm last year and picked a lot of veggies. The first thing I noticed was that they lasted longer in my fridge so I didn't need to buy broccoli or lettuce so frequently. That also helped me see how large some of these plants can get! So this one will keep me guessing and provide all the info I will need for next year.

On paper it doesn't look like much. The list looks pretty short and manageable...but we will see. I am an organized mom, but this may be tough! But that's okay...those veggies can bring it!

Press Conference Statement

Keeping a journal or a diary has always been a desire of mine. There have been many, many, many attempts. I have tried the "Oooo, my new journal is so cute, I will surely write in it everyday...every week...okay once a month. I promise." I have tried keeping a food journal to help me lose weight and a prayer journal to help clear my head and remind me that God is in my life everyday...every week...well, at least once a month. Where are those journals anyway?

I am not a good writer, but I like writing. I mean, I like the act of writing. I believe in the Pen and the Paper. I believe in the quick Scribble rather than the Backspace key. I love to doodle while I think. I am a horrible typer. Computers confuse me and error messages scare me!

This year I joined the Facebook society and have also begun to peruse some personal blogs about subjects that interest me like knitting, cooking and parenting. Blog. I have no idea what it means or how it originated. Maybe I will google it sometime. As I was skimming some of these blogs I kept thinking "journal." But the truth is I may have been more interested in the decorating of it all. The fonts and backgrounds, color schemes and photos were alerting my creative signals and reminding me of my graphic design days.

So I decided to enter the blogging society as well. And coming up with a subject was not difficult at all. My last three summers in my new town of Palmer, Alaska have been calling me to garden and grow some of my own food. But that first summer I was preggers with my second set of twin boys. The second summer I was just way too busy with my four boys and this last summer, the budget was way too tight to begin the investment. I didn't even plant pansies in my boxes last year!

So here I begin, with a brand new cute journal and a subject I am interested in. I don't really have a blueprints for this adventure. It is now March and I have awhile until I harvest anything. I suppose I will begin some research, record information and ideas. I hope this journal will help me as I learn my lessons and it grows as it decides to.

-A Very Inspired Blogger-

p.s. This entire entry was handwritten, edited with scribbles and arrows and doodled on prior to posting.