Tomatoes and Peppers and Eggplants... oh my!

Finally... a day of sun and warmth!  We've had a very wet spring here in northern Wyoming and flooding in southern Montana!

Southern Montana

On Saturday between rain drops my son shoveled out about 1 yard of beautiful rich, dark, compost from my pickup AND filled up my garden beds for me!

Big Blue loaded up with 2 yards of rain soaked compost.

Then today he shovel the leftover, about a yard's worth, onto a tarp for future use.  What a great kid!

Today, in the bright sunshine, I planted... and planted... and planted!

32 Amish Paste

8 Jet Star

8 Early Girl

8 Brandy Wine

8 Eggplant

32 Peppers (assorted but mostly hot)

4 Broccoli

My garden... looks like a garden now!  Sorry, I'm too pooped to take photos... tomorrow!

I also have spinach and lettuce growing!

My Muscovy Ducklings spent a few hours outside rooting and basking in the sunshine... oh ya... and eating bugs!  They loved it!  They're 9 days old now and getting tail feathers!

8 days old

What a cutie!  

Shoveling Compost

It's time to fill the garden boxes with compost!

Got compost!

Got a truck load of compost!!!!  Guess what my 2 teenage boys are doing tomorrow?

On the way to Billings Montana, we took the backroads.  Had to take this pic!

I hope that the weather is nice tomorrow.  I'd like to let my ducklings meander thru my gardening beds before I fill them with compost.

Speaking of ducklings... they're getting so big so fast!!!

5 days old and growing fast!

And then there were 9...

About my ducklings...


Day 1, Hatched 5/23/11
My little Muscovy ducklings were hatched at Country Hatchery in Oklahoma, on Monday 5/23/11 at 8am, then mailed Priority Mail.

Day 2, Traveling Priority Mail


Day 3, They Arrive!
They arrived at our post office two days later, on Wednesday afternoon 5/25/11...   Ten, oh so adorable... fuzzy, peeping little ducklings!

As I was thinking of what to put these little guys in for the first little bit of their lives, I remembered that my folks had 2 big boxes from the new washer/dryer set that they got over the weekend!  Perfect!!!

I cut the box down a bit and then made a place to support a pole which would hold the warming light.

Placing newspapers on the bottom, an old towel to one side, their chick watering jug, and 2 small feeders... I was ready for business.

Then my cats became interested...

So my son grabbed some poultry mesh and we covered the top of the box.  But then while I was in the other room, Charlie, our cream colored flame point siamese cat, got curious... that's when I found him sitting on top of the box on the chicken wire!  Oh my gosh!

So, all three cats spent the night outside!

Day 4, Today my ducklings are 4 days old... but...
And then there were 9....
Lost a duckling during the night.  This little yellow duckling was noticeable weaker than his brothers and sisters.

So now I have 9 little ducklings.  And today I get to clean out their box!  Oh my gosh, what a mess they've made!

My next great adventure has begun...

Make way for the ducklings!!!

Here's some photos of my Muscovy Ducklings.

Oh my gosh, they are SO CUTE!!!

This is my very first poultry experience... let the fun begin... and let it begin with grasshoppers!

The Ducklings are here!

The post master just called for me to come get my ducklings!

They are so cute!

Will post pictures... come back to see.

in the ground...

It's been raining a lot here... it's actually raining right now!

So yesterday while it was drizzling out, I grabbed my tomato and squash starts and got them all planted in my SFG!  I figured that the drizzle would do them some good!

After planting, I got to work pulling weeds... THAT... was when I saw them!!!!

Itty bitty... GRASSHOPPERS!

These buggers were tiny and YES, I did squish as many as I could catch!

No ducklings today.  They're coming from Oklahoma.  I sure hope that they make it here OK!

Wondering if my Muscovy Ducklings will arrive today...

It's raining and my spinach, lettuce, and baby tomato plants are loving it!

Will my Muscovy Ducklings arrive today????

This is going to be a brand new adventure!!!  I've never kept poultry... my only animal experience is with cats and dogs.

You may ask, "Toni, why are you getting ducks?"

The answer... I'm so tired of dealing with grasshoppers... Muscovy Ducks are organic solution to grasshoppers!

So... let the fun begin!  A quick shower... then off to see if my peeps made to the PO today!

It's a beautiful drizzly day

Hi there!  Happy Monday!

After the days of rain last week and perfect sunshine yesterday, Spring has finally made it's way to northern Wyoming!!!

Leaves are budding...
Tulips are in full bloom...
grass is a beautiful luscious green color...
and now, fruit trees are in bloom!!!

I just set my tomato plants, well sprouts actually, outside to basque in the drizzle!

Hey, if you like mushrooms, head on over to Daphne's blog to enter her giveaway!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Daphne's blog!  I've learned so much about gardening from her blog... and from your garden blog too!!!

Put some seeds in the ground

The wind has been howling for several days straight here...  but we finally got a break yesterday... so out to the garden!!!!

I planted some seeds: peas, swiss chard, romaine lettuce.

It rained during the night... yay!

I've been slowly preparing my garden beds.  Most of my boxes need more soil!  

Grasshoppers... go ahead... I dare ya...

Last year those darn grasshoppers ate my whole box of beautiful burgundy beans then my pepper plants...  they hopped all over the place jumping out at me as I walked... ewwww!

I watched them grow from little buggers to big buggers all the while fighting with myself over how to control them....

One year they totally defoliated my raspberry bushes... no raspberries for us!

This year... I TAKE REVENGE and let the natural order of things prevail!  This year I'm getting critters that will eat those darn hoppers, oh... and flies too..  among other bugs.

Welcome to our little homestead Muscovy Ducks!!!!

Next week my little muscovy ducklings will arrive.

I'm actually a little nervous about this adventure, well, because I've never had poultry before!  The extent of animal experience ends at cats and a dog!  But hey, I'm up for the challenge!!!

So, I've been searching and reading tons of articles online...   If you have experience with these wonderful animals, please do share your wisdom!

strawberry plants...

My neighbor just me a bunch of strawberry plants!!!!  Will get them in the ground today!

Another neighbor gave me a whole bunch of irises!  Got to get them planted too!  I envision having them all along the front of the house.

Don't I have some awesome neighbors?

in the boxes...

Yesterday, the sun was shining after a few days of rain, so I headed out to the garden!  

Now remember... this is northern Wyoming... we are way behind you in the gardening season!

So I started working in my SFG boxes, cutting away broken string, pulling some weeds, filling holes from where I pulled plants last Fall.  I have GOT TO get to Billings to get my truck load of compost!  My garden really needs it!

I'm sad to say that again this year, despite my good intentions... I did NOT seed any tomato plants.  Sigh... but my dear neighbor who is so kind to me... gave me a bunch of her seedlings.  Now mind you... they can't go into the ground for a few more weeks!

However, there is a much expanded green house not too far away with a wide variety of plants that would love to call my SFG home!  *smiles*

So now is the time to plant cold hardy arugula, peas, chard... and other greens.