Finally Planting a proper vegetable garden...follow along as it grows!

Hey Everyone,


Just wanted to share in the glory that is this freshly tilled garden, I tilled for the first time the other day and it was tilled again today.  Very pleased to finally have a properly tilled garden. My father saved up and purchased a tiller on sale, with a discount from Flamman that fit's his Subcompact Massey. The garden was so over taken with grass and weeds these past few years that there was no way I could do it by hand. With my new diet and lifestyle I am trying to eat as local and as healthy as possible, so a garden was a must.

I tried to plant two years ago, but with no tiller digging the garden by hand with a shovel and hoe was a lost battle. The soil was too compact.

We have gorgeous soil here, and I added a few bucket loads of compost into the garden and mixed it all up.

Just waiting for the weather to smarten up and will start sowing seeds and transplanting.

Roughly 65'x35'

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Dad's new tiller, he has wanted one like this since he bought the tractor 8 years ago. After saving up, and a discount later he finally got himself his tiller. I was thrilled to be allowed to help hook it up and use it to rip up some soil.
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That's a great looking garden plot Jonny! I have tractor envy... I used a rototiller to do our garden...it does the job...but I bet not nearly as well or as fast as that unit you used!

The tractor has been a huge help around our acreage as well has come in handy a few times over at friend's places. It took some financial sacrifices to get the tractor, and it's not fully paid for yet, if I am correct. 
We have come a long ways as a family, Dad has worked very hard to get where he is, I myself have done what I can to help out over the years. 

Here is a pic of what we used to use, my grandfather's old Briggs & Stratton 3hp tiller. 
Dad recalled doing a complete rebuild on this tiller I think he said when he was 22yrs old, so back in 1982. It was running up until a few years ago.

I tried to fix it myself, but considering the time, energy and money that would go into it, as Dad put it, it make more sense to invest in something more long term.

In the end working hard and saving up pays off, cause in a way we don't have to work nearly as hard now. 


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Pretty Sure this is a 1965 Briggs & Stratton 3hp engine, Not sure what the tiller make was as it is worn off.

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Jonny if you need some tomatoe plants I have some for you, just let me know how many you want and whether you want paste type or what hubby calls sandwich ones! Lol

Got my garden planted today too. There's nothing better than freshly worked soil ready for planting! Well, except for maybe picking fresh peas off the vines and eating them right there in the garden!

Looks like a nice plot. I wish my plot was this size........we have 30 acres of vegetables to deal with! LOL! Of course I have 6 full time staff to help out. All of the brassica transplants were seeded a few days ago, I see they are germinating today. Will be following your progress on here, looks like you should get lots of enjoyment out of it. Good luck!

Mads

You will certainly enjoy that garden, and the new tiller.  I have nearly the same one, but a different brand.  I love it.  My hubby bought me my own yard tractor a few years back and I use it almost daily for something in the summer.  I started planting the garden a couple days ago, but got rained out.  Hopefully will be able to get back at it this afternoon.  I will watch your progress!

Me jealous. Can't complain though. Father-in-law gave us the rear tine tiller that they no longer used. Works like a charms but oh, someday I'll have a little tractor. Maybe even with a snowblower attachment.

Reaching for the stars, eh?

Jonny,

Looks like you are going to have lots of fun in that garden. "Please" use "all" the seeds, I gave you. Have fun with them.   

Hopefully that painted corn will grow. Plant it all.   

I love the pic of the old tiller! It reminds me of the one I used as a boy. It would hit a rock and I would basically go flying through the air!  

There's just nothing better than a good tractor and accessories, around a farm. They are so handy and take the grunt work out of a lot of

things. So happy for your dad and you.    Have fun in that beautiful looking dirt.   

Farmer Bob, I know exactly what you mean. I used it once when I was 10 or so I think, hit a tree stump and it kicked like a mule.

LadyLeghorn,

I will plant as many rows as I can

Hey Everyone,


Well I am super stoked right now...   

Found this greenhouse on Kijiji for $200.00

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Oh Boy, the fun starts now. Congrats.   

First a tractor and now this???? Oh that's just not fair! [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Jonny, gardening is good for both the body and soul, garden your heart out and eat the rewards, beautiful! Love the little ol' rototiller. I have a mantis brand, when it hits a rock, it bumps that rock out of the earth and to the side, and carries on. I love my mantis brand rototiller and it is such a work horse. I have been tilling my brains out the past few days, and almost ready to plant my garden too. Enjoy the garden Jonny, and we will enjoy your garden too, as you show us what you are doing. Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

Fowler wrote:First a tractor and now this????  Oh that's just not fair!  [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Sorry Fowler..... If it means anything I was only able to buy the Greenhouse with money from a combination of taking in bottles that have been accumulating for a while, and a bit I had left over from coop sales.

CynthiaM wrote:Jonny, gardening is good for both the body and soul, garden your heart out and eat the rewards, beautiful!  Love the little ol' rototiller.  I have a mantis brand, when it hits a rock, it bumps that rock out of the earth and to the side, and carries on.  I love my mantis brand rototiller and it is such a work horse.  I have been tilling my brains out the past few days, and almost ready to plant my garden too.  Enjoy the garden Jonny, and we will enjoy your garden too, as you show us what you are doing.  Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

I would consider it therapy...
I am excited to get things started. I have been playing around trying to get the garden more level, using a homemade harrow, not doing what I want it to do, So I plan to throw on the bucket and move some dirt that way. Need to till again and go from there.

My plan is to at least get my greenhouse set up and some seeds planted before tomorrow.



Hehe..
I'm such an honest person, I called my financial aid advisor at NAIT and told them that I spent $60.00 dollars of my student loans on some tomato plants, and asked it that was ok. Explained that I was planting a garden because of my dietary restrictions, and they thought it was a great idea. My financial aid advisor, NAIT SSD advisor, as well my NAIT Counsellor all had positive things to say, suggesting that it was a great way to provide myself with local fresh vegetable goodness.
I was worried they would inform myself you're supposed to use that to buy food, clothes, school supplies. But instead the responses from my conversations were you're not the only one who has inquired has done the same.

I found out there are two other students taking the same course this semester one in Yellowknife, another in the Yukon. They also are doing the same thing buying seeds and stuff for the garden.

Jonny, Hit farm sales, they often have equipment that goes cheap. Quite often the old stuff. Unless someone is there for antique's, you

can get lots of equipment very reasonable. The spring sales are starting. See what's close to you.

Maybe weight that harrow down with cement blocks? Might not bounce so much. Just a thought.

Never mind. I've just wanted both a tractor and greenhouse for so long that I am insane with jealousy. I'll get over it.   

Too funny about calling the guy. I would say this most definitely counts as buying food.

Fowler,

When we moved off the farm we still kept our Skidsteer, even in town. Too handy to let go. Sure cleared our yard of snow nicely this

winter.

Oh Jonny, buying food plants is pretty much the same as buying food, smiling, so it was so nice to hear that your financial advisers gave the happy thoughts to you about it being OK to do so. That is good to hear....food will come from those plants to feed your belly and the earth you will touch will bring peace to your soul too. Did you know (and oh boy, wish I knew how to make the mind remember where I read this ), that when the human hand commits and touches soil, that incredible little organisms go to work and cause wonderful chemical reactions in the human body, which in turn create serotonin. This is very loosely talking, but there is truth to that...one day I will find that paper I read about the research done with dirt and human hand contact. No wonder so many of us lvoe to get down and dirty in the dirt, I know I am full of dirty hands most of my life    , they never really come clean. Anyways, my friend, garden on, make food for the belly and soul! Have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.

Jonny I should kick your butt!! Lol. I had a bunch of tomatoe plants here I was going to give you!! They are going to get thrown out as I don't need over 100 tomato plants for my family and no one around here seems to want them! Could you use some parsley or basil?

Awww sorry smokyrver, I am still interested and will take a few or so if you have them still.
I have run out of room in the garden but I have tons of space to grow tomatoes in planters or my new favourite, a repurposed feed bag. I will post pics of that later on.


I wanted to try some new to me varieties of tomatoes and have chosen many heirloom/heritage varieties. I got myself some wonderful tomato plants at my local greenhouse just up the road.

My 2014 Tomato collection so far is as follows:


Black Krim
Brandywine
German Orange
Green Zebra
Juliet
Jasper
Lemon Boy
Manitoba
Miel Du Mexique
Pineapple
Sungold (Cherry)
SunSugar (Cherry)
Sunny Boy (Cherry)
Sweet 100 (Cherry)
Sweet Million (Cherry)
Tumbler (Cherry)
White (Cherry)
White Beauty
Yellow Pear

I am interested in any other heirloom varieties that are unique.

Got the Garden All planted and just in time, got a good downpour this afternoon/evening.

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I'll put together a list of what I have and you can let me know what you would like! I can bring them with me to Millet and can trade you when I grab my chickens!! Lol. I know I have:
Amish Paste
Roma VF
First Lady
Beefsteak marmonde
Viva Italiana
Bush beefsteak
Manitoba
Health kick
Star fire improved

I also have sweet basil, large leaf basil, and some parsley

Not sure if any are heirliom! I don't remember now!! Lol. I am horrible for remembering those things