Mama's New Babies

Check out our little baby seedlings...aren't they precious? The boys and I planted these about 10 days ago in preparation for our vegetable garden. Last summer, we were blessed to move into a home that already had a hearty garden under way and reaping the harvest was fabulous! Freshly picked, chemical-free veggies have a definite leg up on the competition when it comes to taste factor and I found myself longing for the garden all winter long. I try to buy organic in the grocery store whenever possible, but the supply in our area is very limited, which means less of a selection and even higher than normal prices for organic fare.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I do not have a green thumb...not even pale mint! But regardless, I've decided that we are going to give gardening a valiant effort this year. The boys and I sat down and came up with a list of veggies, herbs, and fruits that we would like to try. Many of the items we're planning on planting start outside straight from seeds and we may try a few starter plants, but I wanted to start some plants indoors so that the kids could see the process from seed to seedling to starter plant first hand. Each morning they rush downstairs to see how their baby plants are doing...very cute! So far, our roma tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, and basil are off and running. Rosemary is a little slower out of the gate and the lavender and jalapenos have yet to sprout. Hopefully we'll be out from under the threat of any last minute frost in the next week or so and begin staking out the garden!