Took an organic gardening class

Wow. I never knew that organic garden was so labor intensive! In order to be a true organic garden you even have to buy seeds that come from an organic source. I'd have never thought about that. I may or may not have the ability to be an organic gardener. I am sure going to give it my best shot though. All my seeds are not from an organic supplier, so I guess this year is out.

Woo hoo! More green living for me

My husband has gotten our rain barrel set up complete. I am so happy. Now all we need is some rain! LOL

I also bought a compost bin at Ace Hardware the other day. I have already starting filling it up with crumpled up newspaper, leaves, some egg shells and old carrots. I made sure to wet the whole the thing down so it will get a good start on making some good soil.

I called Simply Green yesterday. They are a local company that does curbside recycling. It will save me from driving over to Shuey Fields and possibly getting a flat tire from all the glass on the ground over there. Anyways, it will cost $6 a month and they will pick up every two weeks. They will be delivering 2 18-gallon bins Monday. One is for paper, the other for plastic, metal and glass. No major separating of items. I guess they do the major separating there. (I will still make sure to shred all address labels and personal info though! Safety first!)

Now I am researching clotheslines. I have found one I like at the Ace Hardware website.

I plan on calling the store when they open at noon to see if they have them in stock at the store. I really want to get it today if possible so hubby can put it up and get the concrete poured so I can use next weekend or whenever I do laundry. I will have to use my dryer today since we don't have it and it will take a while to set up and the concrete to cure. Oh well. I should see a substantial savings on the electric bill once it is installed. Of course, I will still end up using the dryer in the winter when it is real cold outside.

I made a paint line in the backyard where I want my garden. My friend Louis is supposed to come over will his tractor and plow attachment to plow that section up this week, Tuesday if all goes well. Then my best friend's husband can come over Saturday and till that spot and till in the humus and manure I bought. That ought to help break up some of the clay and put some good stuff back into that spot and help the veggies grow when I plant them. I will be planting corn, green beans, okra, carrots, radishes, onions, bell peppers, garlic, zucchini, summer squash (the yellow crook neck kind), tomatoes and maybe even some potatoes. (I'd like to buy some blue ones and freak people out! LOL) I also have some marigold seeds to put around in the garden to keep the pest and animals away.

I was slightly disappointed in the paper today. Only one set of coupons in there as compared to last week when they had three. Oh well. I will cut them out and keep what I will use. I then send the rest to my mom and youngest daughter after my oldest daughter looks through them. No need to waste good coupons. They just keep getting passed on until they either expire or someone has gotten all they can use. I have noticed here lately that there is a coupon exchange group in my town on Monday nights. I am not sure if it would be worth going or not, since we all would have about the same coupons. I might check it out one night just to see.

Going green

Okay. Maybe not completely, but I am off to a good start. I have bought a rain barrel and my husband is going to get the down spout fixed to catch the rain water in the barrel. I have also bought a compost bin. This will be handy since I am going to be starting a veggie garden soon. As soon as my friend comes and plows the backyard anyways. I am also growing herbs in pots. They are being started indoors right now. My husband has fertilized the front yard and sown grass seed. I will be planting flowers and sowing wildflower seeds before long as well. Soon we won't have as much yard to mow and lots of pretty things to look at and eat.

Oh yeah. I get to pick up my apple trees next week and get those plant in the backyard as well.