Last year my strawberry bed exploded. It was incredible. I kept getting bowl after bowl, looking like this: Honestly, they tasted even better than they looked. I counted about 1,100 strawberries in total. All in one 6’x4′ raised bed. This year I have a feeling there will be even more. Strawberries grow like crazy if… Continue reading Post 10: Strawberries 2021
Very Good Gardening at Smallfields
Author: Christen
Post 9: Garden Food Year Round
My family eats food from our gardens all year long. There is nothing more satisfying than eating “fresh” green beans in the middle of February. Or being able to make Salsa in May with all home-grown ingredients. Or having a fresh salad from our cold frames for New Years Eve. I use a lot of… Continue reading Post 9: Garden Food Year Round
Post 8: Carrots
This time last year I pulled about 40 good-sized carrots. This year, about 20. But I’m still counting this year as a success. So, today’s “What Went Well Wednesday” is Carrots. Before my first season, I believed these things about carrots:1. Easy to grow2. Grown in the summer3. Orange WrongWrongSometimes Wrong When I figured out… Continue reading Post 8: Carrots
Post 7: Supply Check
In order to prepare for starting seeds next month, I need to check all of my supplies. I thought this would be a good opportunity to show you what materials I use. I know that a lot of people can have success starting their seeds in trays, sitting on a window sill. Two years ago,… Continue reading Post 7: Supply Check
Post 6: Cool (not Freezing) Weather Crops
Broccoli has been by far the hardest crop to grow for me. I have tried it from seed 5 times. Each time, I failed but I learned something new. I have also bought transplants from a local nursery several times. I have yet to get a decent harvest. I have gotten a very small head… Continue reading Post 6: Cool (not Freezing) Weather Crops
Post 5: 2021
For most of my What Went Well Wednesdays I will be more specific. But how could I not start out with the whole year, 2021? We started off with a few radishes but quickly turned into strawberry central. Then we moved on to peas, basil, and some broccoli but still kicking out hundreds of strawberries.… Continue reading Post 5: 2021
Post 4: Winter Harvest
My first year I was all in. I read a book about gardening all year long and I thought, why not? So my amazing husband designed and built me two cold frames. Before we put the tops on at the end of October, I planted tons of lettuce, arugula, and carrots on September 1, 2020.… Continue reading Post 4: Winter Harvest
Post 3: Sun Scald
My first Friday Fail will have to be from last season. May 10, 2021 I had read all the books I could. I watched every YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook video available. I listened to countless podcasts. I was ready to get these seedlings in the ground already! If your dining room table looked like this… Continue reading Post 3: Sun Scald
Post 2: Garden Dreaming
I guess I have to start somewhere. I’m Christen McCoy. I live in Central Maryland on a plot of land called Smallfields. My husband and his family have lived on this land since 1983. We three beautiful children, Caralynne, Maddie, and JP. While it was originally my dream to build a garden in our backyard,… Continue reading Post 2: Garden Dreaming
Post 1: Seed to Produce
Ever since I was little, I have been fascinated by how a tiny seed turns into something huge and alive. When I started gardening in 2020 (I promise it had nothing to do with a pandemic), I was very intimidated by starting plants from seed but I was willing to try. Like most, I tried… Continue reading Post 1: Seed to Produce