Well the winter is almost over...though we might be entering into the first "false spring" with how MN seems to like to keep us on our toes. Thankfully so far this winter has been relatively uneventful other than the icy driveway and having to basically skate to get to the barn. But really the temps haven't been bad, we have had a ton of snow which I absolutely love since snowshoeing is one of my favorite ways to get exercise and with the trail around our property the dogs get to go along too!
It is currently the end February and for the last month or so I have been trying to get my garden for this year planned. It has proven to be a bit more complicated than I thought it would. But maybe that's just me making it complicated. I grew up with my parents having a large garden every year. Theirs was organized with each vegetable having its own row. Originally that is what I was planning to do and in the end is what I will be doing for at least this year. I would like to be able to put together a plan to implement a food forest into our horse pasture. Currently there is a small amount of fruit trees, currents, gooseberries, and other food forest elements already established. I hopeful to be able to expand that with more trees, ground cover and ultimately our yearly vegetables will be incorporated. Since we have not been at this property for a full year nor did I have much time to plan out a way to expand food forest last summer it will have to wait until this summer. I am starting to put together a plan however it is difficult in the winter when I am unable to see what plants are already as well as what trees are still alive. I did notice last summer that a few of the fruit trees are dead and will need to be replace.
I spent a good amount of time in the food forest last summer as the weeds began to take over as well as the trees all still had wire cages on them that were in desperate need to be removed. Many of the cages had grown into the trees themselves so it took a bit of effort to remove those. Now if I had been planning ahead I should have made a sketch of what trees and plants were still alive and where they are located but unfortunately I did not think of that.
However even though I don't know what all we have exactly I do know that we are missing a few things that I would like to have. Such as Elderberry bushes, asparagus, perennial herbs and some wildflowers to start. I learned that each county in MN every year has a tree sale where you can order bundles of 25 bare root trees for a, in my opinion, low price for that amount. So I went ahead and ordered, 25 elderberries, 25 Quaking Aspen (mostly just because they are pretty), 25 Sugar maples so we can tap those later on, and 25 Plum trees. And since I am not one that plans things very well I will be traveling to three different counties in MN to pick my purchases. Since buying them all from one would have been too easy. My husband now get to look forward to helping his overzealous wife plant all of these. Since 50 of these trees have to be picked up in April I am hoping with all my might that the ground will be somewhat thawed so we can get them planted.....
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