What in the HELL am I doing in Iowa!

It is a balmy 5 degrees here today in Grinnell, Iowa so as a way of coping I decided that it was the perfect time to start some garden seeds for the spring. Mr. Man set up my shelves and lighting a few days ago so I figured it was as good a day as any to jump in. Today I started:

• Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
• Dark Opal (Purple) Basil
• Thai Basil
• Genovese Basil
• Bee Balm

I have some lupine seeds chillin' in the fridge and hope to get those into pots over the next day or so.

Ordered some red asparagus beans today (on backorder of course). We have had the green type before and they are FUNKY - long and stringy but very tasty. We are hoping the red will be easier to spot and therefore easier to pick.

Also re-reading the book Carrots Love Tomatoes (a book on companion planting) and finalizing garden plans. Hubby is going to just LOVE all of the work I have planned for him (raised beds, pole bean supports, asparagus patches...) What a saint this man is - always willing to do the heavy lifting and the building. I do not know what I did to deserve him but I am not returning him - that's for sure!

The garden will be quite large this year and we are hoping for huge harvests. Canning and preserving are at the top of our wish list and then our hope is to sell extra veggies and flowers to help support non-profit causes in the area. We already have loads of daylilies, hostas, and iris to sell this spring. I may start impatiens and pansies from seed if there is enough room on the growing shelves. Stay tuned....more to come tomorrow!