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Hello

March 8, 2009

Back to Spring

 Well, now we’re back to warm weather here with temperatures up near 80 degrees. This actually makes it easy to work in the garden since walking around the garden in snow can be a bit chilling to the body.

For those who aren’t growers or are thinking about becoming growers, yes, some plants do survive the snow and actually handle the cold weather. I planted garlic in the fall last year, and the garlic plants appeared quite green, poking up through the snow. Also, many growers are now planting or have already planted bulb onions – I’ve done that, too.

I still have some cabbage, though the deer had a feast of the rest of it.

In trying to reuse and waste less, I suppose I’m furnishing dinner for wildlife, which may have had a food shortage.

This reminds me of a nice tip I read at http://focusorganic.com/. The most recent tip talks about the amount of paper in landfills and how we can help that with reusable coffee filters. Check out the tip – I’m a coffee drinker, so the tip added a bit more to my knowledge about other harms paper filters may cause the environment.

Also, if you plan to grow tomatoes this year, now’s a good time to start your plants. Of course, if you prefer buying tomato plants, you don’t need to do a thing just yet.

 But if you want to grow your own, Grower Lafayette Powell of Deerehaven Farm in Surry County, Va., suggests planting tomato seeds in a starter tray or egg carton. Then, Powell said place the tray or carton in a bag (since the tomato seeds don't need sunlight to germinate) and place the bag on top of the refrigerator. The refrigerator top adds warmth and helps the tomato seeds germinate. Click here for more gardening tips.

Bobbie Whitehead

March 16, 2009

Need a Pick-Me-Up Tip?

Now that we’re only a few days from spring’s beginning, the wave of negativity that seemed to overtake the winter feels as though it has lifted – slightly. The news still contains many stories with information we’d probably rather not know, but the ice feels as though it’s thawing.

So if you’re still reeling from bad or disturbing news, preparing something nutritious to eat often helps with the blues. Here’s a site that has some tasty crock pot recipes you might want to try, http://slow-cooker-recipes.blogspot.com/.

If you have the money blues, check out this article, “A Better Money Mood,” that provides some tips on how to handle money woes, http://www.first30days.com/having-more-money/articles/a-better-money-mood.html.

When I’ve pampered my tummy and read a good pick-me-up type of article, I’m usually ready for action. For me, that could be helping someone else, finding a chore to complete or caring for someone or something. Staying busy remains a good way to forget or, at least, to take your mind off troubles. To take action, try reading “Cleaning with Vinegar – 10 Ways to Go Green with Vinegar,” at My Lil Green Dress, http://www.mylilgreendress.com/cleaning-with-vinegar-10-ways-to-go-green-with-vinegar/. Then, start scrubbing.

Most important of all, be your best friend and write down on a piece of paper as many of your positive attributes as possible or recite them to yourself aloud. Finding inspiration from just about anything is enough sometimes to help expand your life’s garden and make you feel as though you can be a top grower.

Bobbie Whitehead

March 19, 2009

White House veggie garden

Read an article about the Obamas choosing to plant a vegetable garden at the White House.

Also, support the Eat the View campaign, www.eattheview.org, which asked the Obamas to plant a Victory Garden on the First Lawn. The efforts of the campaign were successful, and the campaign organizers deserve thanks for their hard work.

Bobbie Whitehead

March 2, 2009

What’s Next - Spring or Winter?

I’m not sure if you’re feeling like I am – what’s next? The news has become more depressing since each day there’s another company either shutting down for a couple of weeks or laying off a hundred or more employees.

For most of us growing fruits and vegetables, the recent warm weather has added some comfort to the bitterness of winter, allowing us to till or prepare the soil for spring and briefly forget all that’s unfolding locally and around the country.

But just this morning, many of us woke up to find that Friday’s temperatures at 70 degrees have dropped to 29-degree weather with a sprinkling of snow on the ground. For those of you who have never lived in or visited Southeastern Virginia – we don’t have snow days often in the winter time, and we occasionally have spring and summer-like weather in the winter in between cold days.

I guess the cold and snow serve as somewhat of a parental reminder to get back in place and stop daydreaming, or we could just look at it for what it is – a cold, snowy day in winter.

Perhaps, we can look at this economic slump as being similar to the surprising cold and snow we’ve encountered – we’ll wear our thick coats when we travel, cover our beds with more blankets, eat soup and drink warm beverages and appreciate every little bit of warmth we feel.

Then, before we know it, spring arrives, and we’ll forget all about the cold and bitterness once again.

Bobbie Whitehead

First Lady Michelle Obama and White House Horticulturist Dale Haney work with kids from Washington's Bancroft Elementary School to break ground for a White House garden. (From The White House Blog March 20, 2009)

For more photos, visit The White House Blog. Photo-The White House/ Joyce N. Boghosian