How does your garden grow?

We decided that this year we would do a huge garden. I've done smaller garden's with a few vegetables but nothing like we are doing now!

We made a list of everything that we love to eat and before I knew it.. we was planting 600 seeds. Yes 600! I've done flower seeds before but never attempted vegetable seeds. So here I am doing something else extreme for the first time.

I planted 72 strawberries, 18 spinach, 10 lettus, 26 cucumber, 12 cilantro, 48 rainbow bell peppers, 12 basil, 10 dill, 8 arugula, 16 squash, 10 habenero, 48 beefsteak tomatoes, 30 green onion, 11 greenbeans, 16 endive, 22 zucchini, 4 radicchio, 2 swiss chard, 2 collard greens, 13 green bell peppers, 24 broccoli, 24 cabbage, 2 thyme, 8 chives, 2 parsley, 24 cantaloupe, 24 watermelon, 12 cauliflower, and 16 ruger tomatoes so far.

Sounds like a lot to me but I have plans of trying out some canning, too. I found some awesome recipes for ketchup, salsa, tomato sauce, and pickles (cucumber and zucchini). I use tons of tomato sauce for my homemade spaghetti sauce so if i can it I'll be set to make it or I could make some and can it too! I also found a sauerkraut crock. I'm going to make some of that too.

I believe if you can make it yourself, it's always better. Well this will be the test for me lol. I'll be busy all summer with it making sure my kids have everything as fresh as possible. I also love the idea of making my tomato sauce and ketchup with less salt content than what you can get from the packaged versions.

I was surprised yesterday when I went to water my seeds I found sprouts! Then again this morning even more sprouts. I'm so excited to be doing this. I love the outdoors (as long as I have some good spf). Yes, I'm a sunscreen girl! I have no choice. I'm blonde hair and blue eyed and we don't mix well with sunlight. If I don't have SPF on, I turn into a lobster. From what I hear when I'm a lobster..You will not want to mess with me. It makes me a bit cranky lol.

We will be also planting the garden about the same time as Turkey season comes in here in Ohio. So I'm going to be going balls to the wall to get things done and still get some hunting in! Its killing me that I didn't get a turkey last year, so I'm determined to get one this year. My finger's have been crossed that the area will not flood this year. Even though it's currently flooded thanks to the big huge thunderstorm that came through on March 2. The one that took out West Liberty in Kentucky, was the one that came through here. Somehow we was lucky enough not to have a tornado but the water from all the rain caused flooding in lower plain area.

So we have our work cut out for ourselves. Even though it'll be hard work hunting and gardening, it'll be worth it in the long run. To be able to the stuff that you love on a daily bases and eat product that hasn't been loaded up with hormones and pesticides is the best thing that anyone can do. I'm excited and can't wait to see how everything turns out. Hopefully we will be eating a Turkey dinner with vegetable that came out of our garden seasoned with herbs that I grew.