Eureka!

Breathtakingly beautiful, blue-skied days are upon us now.

Summer has arrived on the farm

and each day is spent in a gardening marathon.

All of a sudden, there is so much to plant!

So far, I have planted sugar peas, onions, radishes, carrots, beets, leeks,

spinach, zucchini, yellow squash, pattypan squash, acorn squash, spaghetti squash,

cauliflower (Christmas tree and purple varieties),

kale, chard, lettuce, arugula, ground cherries, 40 hot pepper plants,

18 sweet peppers, a bazillion flowers,

and broccoli.

The broccoli is getting full and lush.

Examining the plants today, I realized that it won't be long until they are under attack

by cut-worms.

I thought it might be prudent to dust the plants with some diatomaceous earth

in order to thwart any predatory attacks.

This is the first year that I am using DE for insect pest control.

I have read that it is good to dust your plants when they are wet so that the DE sticks to the leaves.

I watered the leaves and thought about how I might go about dusting them.

You know how sometimes you get a sudden lightening bolt of inspiration?

EUREKA!

I thought of a great idea for dusting with the DE without having to get myself messy.

A flour sifter!

Since DE is about the consistency of flour, I thought this might be a way to dust the plants

and have more control over how much DE gets used.

I must say...

this sudden stroke of inspiration proved to be one of the most genius ideas that I have come up with to date...and so simple!

I might just have to patent this new DE applicator!

Feel free to steal my idea!

While I was weeding the aisles between the raised beds,

this little fellow hopped by.

I asked him to bring his friends to the garden...

as they can significantly decrease the insect population.

In addition to work on the vegetable garden,

I have been planting lots of containers and flower beds.

The wagon that I planted last week is filling in nicely.

I planted another vertical planter and hung it on the barn.

In keeping with the galvanized theme,

old buckets have become hanging planters.

I drill holes in the bottom of each and line the bottom with a piece of screen

to allow water to drain, but soil to be retained.

A flat-back bucket hangs on the post with the farm bell.

Last week's plantings are getting prettier each day...

Gardening is just a little sweeter this year with these three right next door...

Such adorable sweetness...

such a good addition to the farm!

The twins are filling out nicely...

even getting a little chubby!