getting my gardening on

i am so excited about the garden this year. i have goals, new things i have never tried. doing all this new gardening is a lot harder with a little Greek girl in my belly. i have been expanding the garden, and i have learned using a shovel while 20+ weeks is a lot harder than i thought it would be. sneaky me, i got my wonderful neighbor to dig up half of my new garden plot for me:) i owe him some eggs and beer. now the new plot is dug up, i have been sitting in the dirt, shooing chickens away while i weed it out. i love my chickens, but when they stick their head in my weeding looking for grubs it drives me crazy! i have one more plot to dig up and weed so i can plant my corn. never done corn before, and i can't wait to pluck one off the stalk and just eat it. we are going to plant our corn in circles. since we are planting such a small amount we have to have optimum pollination. corn has male and female parts and need wind to pollinate and make kernels. i will be planting the corn on the north so to capture the most north wind. it will be fun to run through with the kids. i also have to build some planters for my asparagus. i am afraid to plant my crowns in the ground and them lose them or something. i feel like i have these fragile plants that i have to baby so i get my asparagus each year. they will be getting special attention mostly because they take too long to grow! but once they are ready in a couple years i will have fresh asparagus in my back yard and a beautiful plant to look at.

since my peas have sprung i need to build a trellis. this is the type i will be building, or rather constructing. i need stakes, nails, and twine. easy as pie. once i get my cucumbers in i will have to make something for them too. for my tomatoes and bell peppers i use some homemade wire cages i have been using for years. i have so much i need to get in the ground! it is so hard for me to bend over because of my belly, so i am always sitting in the dirt. it still hurts my back. but not as bad. it is great having neighbors that help as well. we all plant some of the same things but some different as well. i know behind me they will have basil, jalapenos, and banana peppers in abundance if i ever need them. i can go get chicken wire and and a fresh berry or cherry tomato if i need to at another. they get fresh eggs whenever they need them and a visit from a dog or chicken at their back door when the gate is left open.
i have my berries in, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. i love having a green, thriving backyard. our little urban farm makes me so proud.