Getting Rid of Cutworms Organically

After losing 6 peppers and 2 tomatoes in two weeks, we finally figured out that cutworms were destroying our plants.  We tried mulching the plants with chopped leaves and 6 month old... we tried spraying a homemade insecticide we made of dishsoap and water on our plants, then rinsing it off, I purchased a chemical insecticide to see what inredients were in it...then returned it without using... still kept losing somemore....eventually, we figured out we had cutworms.  Cutworms are gray worms that come out at night and cut the plant just above ground level. They attack new plants in May and June.  To get rid of them you can go out and hand pick them off the plant at night.  Or you can do what we did and cut some old tubing that has been laying around the island, use a tin can or make a paper plate funnel to put around the bottom of the plants and into the ground a bit.  We'll see how that works.

Happy Meal!

Trying to beat those baby blues with a happy meal that will keep this momma's body movin!  Power flour sun dried tomato bread, boiled egg, sharp cheese, spinach and red pepper...Smile!

Isla's First Week

Isla had a busy week, after staying one night in the hospital she came home to her island and began to teach her mom and dad a thing or two about how to live her life.  She met all her pets in her family, a dog named Kelsey, a cat named Dahlia and a Tortoise named Majunii.  She took many walks around the island to try to scare off the deer that left foot prints in our garden but got sidetracked by picking wildflowers and listening to birds singing.  
For only being one week old, Isla sure is loved by a lot of family and friends.  Mimi Jo and Papa Ken, Aunt Dana and Uncle Brad, cousins Ty, Jaron and Josie, Uncle Joe and Jamie, Aunt Abby, Uncle Harry, Tim and Erin, Joe, Sausha, Kari, Grandpa Gomer, Aunt Kari, Uncle Brian, Great Aunt Sis, Jane and Ann and Amy all visited in the hospital.  We had a barbaque where she met Adam, Brandon, Melissa, and sweet little baby Maryna and Gabe.  Don and Marlana, Emily and Larry also stopped out to visit.  On Saturday when Isla was only five days old, we traveled to Grandpa Gomer's house to visit more family.  We met Great Uncle Mike and Mary, Great Uncle Tom and Kevin, Uncle Kevin and Melanie and Natalie, Drew, Matt and Steph, Aunt Lindsay, Great Grandma Virgie, Uncle Brian, Mrs. Speese, Nic, Nate and Curran,  Mr. and Mrs. Miodouch, Cousins Todd and Amy, Linsey and Aaron...and I think that was it...then we came home and planted peppers and tomatoes from our first organic greenhouse visit...all that for week number one plus Isla gained weight 7 lbs. and 7 oz.

What will we do this week?

Planting Dahlias and Kale

Today was one of those misleading gardening days...65 and blue skies...sunny and beautiful. Usually I get so excited and go plant all of my tomatoes and peppers and squash. I work hard all day and feel content at the night...until I wake up in the morning and scrape the frost off the windows and realize...my plants will now be suffering for the rest of the season.
But today I had patience... I must be growing up, or perhaps waiting for this baby is giving me self control in gardening that I never had before...Patience...I did work all day in the garden hoeing, watering and weeding. I only planted Dahlias and Kale...I hope they grow...It's good medicine to work in the garden, just when I was feeling like I have no hope, nor patience left...I found some in my garden.

We love Artisan Bread!

We have finally tried making healthy artisan bread in 5 minutes a day.  We have seen articles and recipes for a few years now and wanted to try this out for a while.  We love it.  I make a big batch of dough whenever, then pull out a chunk of dough whenever we want some bread.  We've used it for sandwiches, garlic bread, bread and oil...Most guests like it for the taste or the look...some think the healthy taste take some getting used to.  Here are links to learn more about it:  http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/Artisan-Free-Form-Loaf.aspx
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSOoH686_b8 

Delerious Days

Waiting for a baby is making me delerious I think...sometimes when my phone rings lately, I go to grab it quickly thinking someone's calling me to tell me I'm having the baby.

Due Date

Well, today was the day the baby was to arrive...but it is still comfortable inside my belly. Trying to be positive and patient and have faith that the baby will come when ready. Trying to be thankful for the precious time I have keeping this sweet little baby safe and nourished inside of me. The key word is trying...

Morel Jackpot!

Hooray! Paul found morels! We get to eat our favorite dinner tonight: Fresh Trout and Morels.  Maybe it will be the last supper on the island as husband and wife only.... and tonight's the night to have a baby!!!

Baby OM...

Omm baby...we can't wait for you to come out. I've been doing yoga and focusing on breathing every day...The Dr. is thinking we might need to induce next week if nothing progresses. Definately not what we intended and not what I want to hear but if my body won't get moving it can harm the baby... yoga is meant to help you through the difficult times not just when you're feeling limber. Now's the time to keep on practicing and have faith that my body can do this without drugs...I have a few more days until my opinion changes...

Paul's Composting Machine

One of our goals out here has been to grow a better garden than last year...which means we need better soil.  Paul has been bringing buckets and buckets of topsoil over on the boat...but even ten buckets full is pretty unsubstantial. We are counting on our compost to be better this year than last.  So Paul designed this composting machine to chop up all of our leaves so that they compost faster....It took him all day push the leaf pile for through the tube, where it hits the chopper and shoots out to another new pile. 

Practicing Patience

I thought I was a patient person...but waiting for a baby to be ready to come out in the world is way more humbling than waiting for a plant to grow or teaching kids to behave at school.  After the Dr. told me I was ready to go and she would be seeing me 2 weekends ago...I have been a little delirious. I have probably thought Ok this is the night it's going to happen almost every night since.  It takes a tole on your confidence after 9 months of thinking OK I can do this...A woman's body is made for this....what am I trying to do again?

Just trying to practice positive patience and gratitude for things in my life.

Green Drinks

One Apple, A Bunch of Spinach, Frozen Black Berries, Banana, Broccoli, Parsley, Sorrel, an orange and water...put it all together in the Vitamix and enjoy my breakfast!

Planting Potatoes

Today we planted potatoes. Paul dug two long trenches and we planted red and gold potatoes. We're not sure if we pretreated them right, but we followed directions from Gurneys. We covered them in plastic for a few weeks to get them sprouting, then cut them in chunks before planting. We've heard of lots of ways to plant and grow potatoes...so we'll keep you posted on how this method works...