Field trip to the South Shore Natural Science Center

KM is far beyond the age that our local science center - South Shore Natural Science Center - is geared to, but she still loves to go and share the space with the Littles. 

I am so impressed with the time that she takes with each of them to help them find just what they want to see. 

It also fills my heart to see the Littles' expressions as they make new discoveries - 

Garden is growing..

..right along!

There is something growing....

What Happened to the Garden?

I got an email today from one of my wonderful blogger mom friends asking about how our garden had turned out as I hadn't mentioned anything about it.
I think I hadn't mentioned it because it didn't turn out nearly as well as we had hoped, but we did get some things out of it.
Here is what happened -
First we had everything growing beautifully and when we went to start transplanting them outside we had a downpour for 3 days and most of the seedlings did not make it. Then we got them up and going again on the back porch this time and we had another wash out that lost about 2/3 of the plants. When I finally got a dry enough day to transplant we realized that all the sticks had gotten mixed up and we really weren't sure what some of the things were, so we just guessed and put them in the ground. We knew that we had cucumbers, carrots, peas, squash, lettuce and watermelon once they started growing a bit more and things looked good once they got in the ground. Then came more torrential rain! It was the long leaf variety so the weight of them with all the rain water made them topple over. They were growing so well too! We had lettuce coming out our ears.
The cucumbers and the squash have not produced anything. Don't know why they had huge flowers blooming, but their is no sign of squash forming. Some say we did not water them enough, but I don't know how we could have watered them more.
Here is a picture of the beans KM got out of the garden today and the mini carrots that she pulled up because she did not believe me when I said that they really were carrots growing under there!
We have been discussing our plans for next years garden and the big thing we will be doing is RESEARCH!
We really kinda just went at it this year with very little information or guidance at all, so I guess with that in mind we did really well.

A Sad Note, But We Will Prevail!

I wanted to add a quick note on a sad event that occurred this morning.

We have decided that the majority of the cauliflower and eggplant will

not be making it to transplant.

I don't know what we did wrong, but we are going to try again!

Luckily the squash, tomatoes, herbs, onions and peppers are still going strong!!!

We will have a garden!!!

Keep your fingers crossed for 4 more nights of NO frost...I think we can make it!!!

Now we just need CJ home long enough to rototill the area and pick up the scrap mess!!!

*special note: all pictures taken by KM today!

Veggie Conundrum

OK I haven't said much about the plants lately, but they continue to take over!

We are currently at two large buffet tables..

and had to move the herbs, tomato bucket and onions to the floor under the table!

Oh yeah and we have strawberries growing in a basket from the ceiling!

Every time I think we are in the clear with the weather we get another cold blast,

this can't go on much longer!

Anyway this morning we awoke to a conundrum, KM came rushing in my room to report that the cauliflowers were dying!

Don't know why but for some reason it appears as though she may be right. About half of the cauliflower plants are wilting away. They are still pretty small for the most part compared to some of the other sprouts we have going, but they have all been getting the same treatment, water, as much sunlight as possible, rotation, and praise ~KM likes to chat them up quite often, she says it keeps there spirits high. Don't know what we are doing wrong. I have been told that cauliflower and brocolli can be difficult to get started, so maybe they are just testing us and we should be glad that there are any left still surviving!

Growing a Farmer!

We are not only growing the vegetables...which have already needed transplanting again!!!

But the "Farmer" to take care of them as well!!!

**No worries, I haven't lost my mind! She is wearing clip-ins!**

Running Out of Room

Sprouts, Sprouts and More Sprouts everywhere I turn!

Sunflowers!

KM was amazed at the seeds staying on the sprouts until they were out of the soil!

Beef steak Tomatoes

Sunflowers swaying toward the sun!

Zucchini and Summer Squash can be seen in the background.

Roma Tomatoes - sprouted in 24 hours! "Mom where did they come from?"

Cayenne Peppers Popping Up!

Can't wait to make the salsa!

Cauliflowers sprouted 2 weeks early!!!

We are trying to figure out how we can possibly make more room in the kitchen for transplants... I think we are going to have to use totes, for the root system. I knew there was a reason we were saving all those totes in the garage. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!

Emergency Transplant!!!

We got up this morning and had a leisurely breakfast, after KM had gotten her basket of goodies. Then CJ decided to check the little sprouts I was talking about yesterday and discovered that the plastic egg crates were just NOT going to work.

The roots of the seeds were wrapping themselves around the bottom and forcing the seeds to the top. Luckily I had over purchased - as I mentioned I have NO CLUE what I am doing - and bought a bunch of peat pots. So we had an "Emergency Transplant" session, which was really cool because while we were tenderly transplanting them a few really unique things happened.

First KM got to see a lot of different stages of the germination process as each seed had gotten a little further along.

Second, as we were diligently transplanting KM was making up conversations with the plants. She feels they will be much happier not being so isolated. Each had been in it's own little egg hole and now they were two by two in the peat pots.

Third and finally, she made a realization that everything in nature moves at its own pace. Although we planted each of these seeds in the same soil, at the same time, placed them in the same spot, and watered them all at the same time, they were all growing at different rates! (Hhmmmm some homeschool philosphy thrown in there.)



You may have noticed, when we switched to the peat pots, we had to switch to a larger table!!!
I know it will be worth it, it is not forever, I will get my reading corner back eventually!

Germination

For a while now we have been collecting different egg cartons and small containers in preparation for our big planting, gardening and farming unit. It was suppose to be just a few plants, but when we went to get the seeds it was apparent by all the things KM wanted to grow we would be trying a small garden. When we got the things for the small garden home, we realized that is was going to be more along the lines of a small farm and CJ went and found some equipment on craig's list we needed for the "garden" - really an excuse to get some more tools around here!

We have been planting like crazy this week! We have a plant growth study journal going on and KM is recording everything!

It is taking over a section of the house & we haven't even gotten everything seeding yet.

We are using several different kinds of containers to see if this effects germination or growth.

I am not a planting person - if it doesn't make noises I tend to forget about it. However everyone has been telling me that all that we are doing will be worth it this summer when we have fresh veggies from the garden.

I think it was worth it just to hear KM's excited squeals when she saw the first sunflower popping up this morning 4 days before the estimated germination date!!!
My daughter is actually enjoying science...wow what a concept!!!

HAPPY SPRING EVERYONE!!!!!