Tag: grow

Homesteading, Updates

June Update

lauraleeimhoff

Hello Everyone! 

I hope you are doing well during this time. I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything. The last I had written anything I had halted jam production and got some chickens. Since then, I’ve made some big changes, in a good way. Check out my little video for the update.

If you don’t feel like watching…

I’ve moved! My partner and I have moved into an adorable little cabin in the Texas Hill Country that sits on seven acres, has a fenced-in run for our girls, and a workshop. We’ve been insanely busy nesting and setting up shop. Since we’ve moved in, there has been chicken coop constructing, unpacking, bee and butterfly garden building, and vegetable garden planning. Did I mention there’s space for all our fruit trees and more? 

With all of the things going on, I’ve been trying to focus on all of the things I am grateful for and taking time to think about the direction I want made by laura lee to go towards. It is my hope that once our garden is up and running and producing enough food for us that I can begin making jams and pickles from food items solely from the Homestead. It will take time but very doable. 

I will be posting more regularly now that we are settled and have internet. I’m looking forward to sharing with you all things made by me, Laura Lee. I hope you are all doing well, safe, and healthy. Thank you for your continued support. 

       XOXO

    Laura Lee

Before & After, DIY, Garden

Down & Dirty

lauraleeimhoff

IMG_1016The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and, clearly, reorganizing my shop wasn’t enough in the getting dirty department. This past week I brought in four yards of dirt to revive what once was a kitchen garden.  

It needed a little love, but after cutting down the three-foot tall weeds, laying down cardboard, layering leaves and compost, I laid down the dirt, with a little help from the manpower on the property.  What can I say, I’m not in the shape I used to be, after hauling 3.5 yards with a shovel and wheel-borrow, I was a little tuckered out and needed to call in reinforcements.

The manpower also framed in our garden gate, restructured our compost bins, and got the worm farm constructed and operational.  

While we are not quite out of the clutches of the late winter freezes, (it was 20 degrees here two nights ago), we’re looking forward to seeing the following lovelies in the sprout for eating, canning, and more: beets, basil, carrots, collards, and rainbow chard!

 

Book of the Month, Garden

Book of the Month 2

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IMG_1905  While I have been relatively quiet on the blog front, I have several projects brewing.  I have also turned into a little bit of an introvert since the last few weeks in Austin, the weather is slowly morphing into that of Seattle.  Grey, cold, and rainy.  I don’t mind the grey if it’s warmer, I don’t mind the cold if it’s sunny, but it seems like it has been an eternity since the sun has warmed my skin.  That being said, it has been perfect “curl up with a book” weather and I am glad to announce that I have completed my second book of 2015.

 

February’s Book: Grow the Good Life by Michelle Owens

My brother gave me this book a couple of years ago.  Itching for Spring and the chance to play in the dirt, I figured this little gem would be great inspiration for my next plant project.  I’ve always loved growing food and flowers.  Ten years ago worked on a small farm called Paisley’s Farm & Greenhouse.     To this day, it is still the best job I have ever had.  I never recall a day I didn’t want to get out of bed and go to work.  If I wasn’t at the Paisleys, I was bringing home the sickly looking IMG_1893plants to my dads farm to nurse them back to health. Rain or shine, I was outside, playing in the dirt, repotting perennials, etc.  What I would give to be able to have that again?!

I have always known gardening was a wonderful thing, but Owens book gave some very interesting insight as to why it is so important and why as a society we have moved away and back towards gardening. I must say I am completely envious of Owens given description of her house and her garden bursting with colors, vegetables, and greenery, especially since I live in a tiny 1 bedroom apartment that has a nonexistent balcony.  I make do with the walkway space and have a small collection of potted plants and window boxes.  Knock on wood, no one has yet to complain about my taking up of valuable walkway real estate.

That being said, today I finally breathed some life back into my little garden. The cold had done a number on a few of my fragile friends and I knew that planting some spring flowers would lift my spirits.  How could it not?  Digging in the soil, the bright colors of the blooms, and the hope for sun…

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