A season of rest and deciding what's next

This winter had been a season of rest for us. Deer ate most of the kale so we didn't harvest much. We had a wet fall and winter (including the nationally covered flood) and then dry spells. 

It has been good to take a break...our Sabbath season. 

But now the warm weather is returning and we're deciding how much we want to tackle this spring and summer. 

The divided beds Ashley created didn't hold up as well as we hoped. The thin Hardieplank wasn't sturdy enough (especially when I ran into it a few times on the riding mower) so we've pulled all that out. Ashley plans to install metal landscape edging soon. 

Ashley did plant peas for a spring harvest. Those are coming up nicely. Once they do, we're probably going to leave this portion of the garden unplanted for the summer. 

Our blackberry vines' supports also have to be redone. Ashley has a new idea for that. 

Here are the peas growing...and two of our growing boys, who are in 2nd grade and Kindergarten this year. 

Blueberry buds!

The garden has been a great play space for the boys this winter. Levi has created a "farm road" for the wagon, where he gives 3 year-old Tyler a ride. 

As far as the rest of the property- I've pruned most of the grapevines; we have a new (stray) dog who has happily made his home at Okra Hill; and our house is getting ready to be five years old. The inside walls and hardwoods are beat up from raising three boys; the exterior desperately needs to be scrubbed; but it has definitely become our home.