My helper, strawberries, asparagus and a new toy...

So, I know that this gardening thing is going to be a benefit to our family, financially as well as just plain old better for us food.  You can't get much better than raising your own veggies (oh and soon to be chickens!) and knowing exactly how they were grown and what if anything was used on them.  Our cucumbers will not have any of that wax stuff on them and the beans taste much sweeter than any store bought or canned or frozed version.

The first thing we did this year is invest in a new tiller.  We have a compact tractor and plenty of land so to make my life easier and to get a better till on the land we took the plunge.  It's not going to take too long to recoup that investment.  I think it's already paid for itself this year!

I do have a smaller tiller, a Troy Bilt Horse, but it's just nice to have a bigger rotary tiller to do the big jobs.  At the end of the season I can easily turn in the garden and get it ready for the cover crop, our green maneur.

The first planting was asparagus and strawberries.  Ok, strawberries are a no brainer to plant.  Dig a hold and stick the plant in.  Space them 12 inches apart and rows ..... well I guessed here and did 3 feet apart.   In hindsight I probably should have done 4 feet apart.  I guess I'll know better next year if I did that right or not!

Asparagus, well that was an interesting planting.  As you know from my "farm" name, Rock Hill wasn't just a cute name.  I meant that!!!  Getting deep in the ground will never happen here really unless I use dynomite.  It's really that bad.  So I asked the lady I purchased from and she said, "oh you only need to plant a few inches deep".  Ok so that's what I did.  Then I read you should plant 12" deep.  OMG!!!  My plants are going to die.  So after a few shoots FINALLY started to show up.  I swore I killed them all since we got a few frosty nights in March and April, but more and more started to poke through.  Guess they just needed a little more warm days.  I did get some top soil and put it over them.  I figure they are about 4" or so below  the surface so I should be ok.  I have another reference book that said to plant them 3", 4" and 6" to stagger the growing and extend the season a bit.  I'm just about in the middle so I don't feel too bad now.

I know you can't really tell, but the asparagus are planted right in front of the garden shed and then the strawberries just below them.  This poor shed has seen it's days of travel!  Started out in State College PA and spent some time at a campground until it found it's way to Rock Hill Gardens.  It's in good hands now!

And here is my little helper.  He's watering a strawberry plant, or making mud, I'm not really sure here.  But he's wearing his favorite boots - on the wrong feet of course but he loves them!