Gardening · Homesteading

Winter Winding Down On The Homestead

I’m a PNW native, and truth be told…I don’t want to live anywhere else. I love to travel, but when I come home, I know I am where I belong. Winter is an odd one here…it usually is chilly and rains. Part of the myth of the PNW is true – it does rain a lot. If you can get past the grey skies, short days and drizzle, you fit in well. This year we did get a decent snow after too many years of not. It finally melted off and then in PNW fashion…it was sunny and warm for a few days after. I got a lot of work done last week in the sun.

Add in a new pair of mud boots, and even the worst chores seem more fun. I found these Western Chief at Coastal Farm & Ranch and HAD to have them! Beeeeees!

My oldest son doesn’t always agree with my methods….and he isn’t so thrilled that I am trying to avoid driving (though like the young millennial he is….he doesn’t drive, but sure likes me driving him). We own three Gorilla Carts, in varying sizes. The middle size seems to work the best for trail hauling. We are ½ mile from the local hardware store, so often walk there for things we need. I am thinking up a chest harness system for the carts, to make it easier. Shouldn’t be much different from hauling a snow pulk.

The real sign spring is near? Not the buds forming on the trees, it is our Northern Alligator Lizards coming out! I am so happy when I see them in their rock piles, warming up in the sun. They are native and should be encouraged.

One thing that took my dense brain too many years to figure out was I always planted my green peas too late. As soon as the soil is workable, get them in. For us, that is about 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date (April 15th here). I put one type in this raised bed. My trellis I’ll string in the next week.

Rain came back for the weekend. In a break, I planted three more varieties. Trellis work I will do in the coming week. I added four pots by the greenhouse and planted the tiny Tom Thumb peas in them. They grow about 9″ tall, so are great for containers.

Even though we still have many lazy winter days ahead, on the warmer days we head out and get work done. Spring will be here soon!