Planting with purpose

I realized that one thing that holiday retail has capitalized on is the ability to charge us from what really comes for free from Mother Nature. I know if someone doesn't have  a yard, it's  a necessary evil. I have no excuse.

   They don't think twice about charging $10 for a small bundle of boxwood branches.

 Or $8 for  a bag of pine cones.

They know they have you.

 I am taking this winter to look around my yard and what I like to decorate with, and make notes of all of the things I could plant to not only save money in the holidays, but make my own yard prettier, and greener.

 Pine trees, bushes, red berried plants, boxwood, more dogwoods.

While much of my vary is for fruits and veggies, there are yard places where I can't plant food that I could use.

So in a few years, I can also be independent in my choice to decorate naturally and green.

It's all fair... in pictures...

My family and I took a ride up in August to the Wisconsin State Fair.  I love that my children can get an opportunity to really see where our food comes from. Even I forget what the enormity of a  cow is until I stand next to one.

Look at these sweeties...

It makes me want to trade in this small bit of earth I own and get room for a few of these myself...

Until then, I am  a vegetable farmer...

Late September/ early October is a good month for planting new garlic, harvesting pumpkins, reseeding salad greens and most of all, planning crop rotation, companion planting and new planting beds.

Can you guess what  a planting bed and  a kiddie pool have in common?

:)