June 8

Today was gardening day. Right off the bat we started transplanting some plants from the nursery and then moved on to sprouts that Ginger had started growing back in March. 

I learned that certain plants like to be grown together, such as tomatoes, calendra, and basil. I believe the calendra keeps pests away. 

Tomatoes, salad basil, and calendra transplanted in the greenhouse.

As a break from gardening, I prepped the hanging baskets to be placed at one of the hoop houses and at the boathouse. The first step was to gather sphagnum moss from the alder trees in the area. The ideal pieces are long and big so that the hanging baskets has less holes. Then, the moss is placed inside the basket and condensed to cover the entire basket. Some baskets had a small plate had others had old newspaper placed inside that will prevent erosion of the moss when the plants are watered.

After soil was placed in each basket, then the fun part began: planting the flowers! The end result was 5 beautiful hanging baskets that will brighten up the homestead.

Completed hanging baskets.

Of course there was still transplanting to be done, so the rest of the early afternoon was spent transplanting delicious vegetables. However, after the transplanting was finished we all took a trip to a nearby beach to check out an abandoned homestead and collect beach greens for later. 

The beach was gorgeous with slate rocks and interspersed white sea shells. The abandoned homestead was cool to look at as well, but the smell of land otter poop and the copious amounts of flies were a bit of a turn off. At the end of our visit we went to an old saw mill and saw the old equipment still sitting where the loggers had left it. Nature had done a good deal of damage to it, but much of it was still standing. 

Abandoned homestead.

Dinner was delicious as always and then everyone watched a movie before heading to bed for the night.