Windy Knoll Gardening

It’s time to put in the vegetable garden, but in the winter time?  The wind here is so cold it would make one sick to stay out in it.  I don’t see how the plants are surviving all this, but as far as I can tell they are fairing reasonably well.  I’ve lived several years and I can’t recall a year like this one has been.  In 1987 I went to Europe with a group of Georgia quilters and when I left here on April 5 there was a snow on the ground, but we didn’t have the cold like we are having this year.  My half-brother and half-sister were teenagers when I was born and I’ve heard them talk about skating on a pond between here and Geraldine — so maybe winters were colder back then.  What about global warming?

I’m told our neighbors bundled up and planted beans yesterday!!  Duh!  They had already planted squash and cucumbers.  I can’t believe the seed will germinate in this cold ground.  We’ll see.  They sure weren’t planting according to the almanac.  April 13, 14 and 29 are days to plant above the ground crops.

We have no plans for a big garden in the first place, we have two freezers full now.  The tomato plants are large enough to set out.  Tomatoes, okra and peas are our plans.  Of course, there’ll have to be some peppers.  Another thing is the gourds.  John wants to plant gourds so he’ll have some new ones to house the Martins.  Gourds don’t have to be cultivated — just planted early (and this is not early). By the way, the Martins have arrived at the Windy Knoll and are busy making their nests.

Delays, decisions and options are all a part of country living.