Idaho Garden

We are so excited to plant our family's first Idaho Garden.  We grew gardens in Arizona for several years and planted raspberries in New Mexico, but we are especially excited to have a garden in Idaho.  We have recruited the help of all the kids in preparing the soil and getting ready to plant.   

The kids have been really great helpers and very hard workers.

We have had so much rain this spring time so there are weeds and wild grass growing everywhere!  We had to remove all of them before we could find our soil.

Josie even showed up for some of the pictures,

and she really did help.

Little gardener's in training.

There is one handsome gardener, if I do say so myself!

Here is Mason in his "all-around" boots. He wears them for anything and everything! Maybe we should stop calling them "snow" boots since they have been used for so much more!

Tough, hard-working kids.

Today is finally planting day!  While Mason and Josie were at their Pirate Party, we went shopping for seeds and plants.  It was so much fun!

We divided the garden into sections so each of the kids have their own garden spots.  They get to choose what they want to plant and then they will take care of the weeding and watering. 

With a little help of course. 

Carter was so excited to plant corn in his whole spot.  He worked so hard in making his rows nice and getting all the seeds planted.  He can't wait to see them grow.  It is fun to see

how excited the kids are.

Chloe is planting cucumbers and carrots in her spot because they are some of her favorite veggies.  She has loved cucumbers since she was a little girl.

Josie and I planted 12 tomato plants and now she is planning what to do with our pluthera when it comes!

Chloe is taking great care in her garden.  She is so excited!

Mason wants to plant peas.  So, he and Memaw are going to take care of the beans and peas.  We can't wait!

We also have planted some blackberry bushes.  They will be really nice within the next year or so.

Here is a nice little tomatillo plant.  We can't wait to make cilantro ranch dressing when this plant produces!

Four more little cherry tomato plants.

Here is daddy's hot and spicy salad garden.  He has all the peppers, lettuce, cabbage and broccoli plants.  We are really excited for these to grow!

Chloe's cucumber plants.

We are hoping for some yummy strawberries.

These are some  pretty flowers and a couple eggplants for Memaw.

Then, we have an herb garden.  The chives and mint are coming back from years previous when Memaw planted them.  We have planted some more herbs as well.

We are so excited to receive the fruits of our labors.  There is a really great article in the Ensign March 2011 about gardening.  It is titled Seeds of Self-Reliance.  A couple references about gardening are...

 Doctrine & Covenants 6:33  "Fear not to do good, my sons, for whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap; therefore, if ye sow good ye shall also reap good for your reward."

Elder L. Tom Perry "Our labors will continue to bring forth a more abundant harvest each year as we follow the Lord's law of the harvest.  He has bound himself to provide us with abundance so long as we will live his law in righteousness and labor for that blessing.  Have your own experience in planting a garden.  Then make application in your own life of this great principle of the law of the harvest."