Spring at the Farm

Everything is blooming at the farm. Last weekend we got busy weeding and planting and making sure everything gets off to a good start for the growing season. I didnt get any pics of the kale and broccoli but they are about an inch tall! And so far the slugs have not gotten to them.

I've planted Kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, beets, peas, zucchini, radishes, lettuces, spinach and arugula. Next weekend is cabbage, onions, leeks, shallots, beans, carrots, celery, etc. It's time!

Here are some pics of what is budding out right now!

Roses

Flowering Quince

Current

Arugula

Rhubarb

Pear Tree

Both pear trees are blooming

Got Kit this new flag for Christmas - it's huge and lovely!

Weeded out the raspberry beds

Blueberries are flowering like crazy

Apple blossoms! Woop woop!

Really Good vs. Really Affordable

We are in major major need of new patio furniture at the farm. Right now we have a mishmash of old teak folding chairs and old director's chairs - plus an old Ikea table that has now been recovered with a large piece of plywood. Sounds super classy, I know - you're not going to see old Martha running this kind of shit-show are ya?!

We've been checking out some options, the first REALLY GOOD one being the Thos. Baker Furniture Outlet near us in Poulsbo. We've driven by it every weekend for years, and finally went in and let me tell you, it is fabulous. I had no idea. Also, this company is based on Bainbridge Island, so it would be great to support a local business. The furniture is great quality and there are beautiful things to choose from, and not cheap in any sense of the word. We are currently admiring the huge Craftsman Teak table that has a butterfly extension, and the Veranda chair - which is really comfortable and looks great with this table. The Craftsman table does have chairs that match but we prefer the Veranda chair. 

Thos. Baker Craftsman Table - now $1295

Thos. Baker Veranda Chair - $395

The outlet store has great pricing (often some reduction from regular retail), and there is also a ding-and-dent room with some sets and sometimes onesies of various items in various states of damage, sometimes so little that you can't find the problem. That's a great little room, worth checking out again and again!

The other option is the REALLY AFFORDABLE one - straight from Cost Plus World Market. Their outdoor furniture is all on sale now, and it's so well priced - I'm wondering if maybe we should save a bunch of money and go that route - even though the table I like below doesn't match the chair I like. I think I could fix that with a quick paint or restain - but take a look and see what you think. Good looking and pretty great pricing - 

World Market Laguna Chair - now $79.99

World Market Laguna Pool Lounger - now $199.99

World Market Bali Table - $149.99

Obviously the Thos. Baker furniture is more sturdy and will probably last the rest of our adult lives. But, in thinking about having a full dining set and what that would cost, and then thinking that in the next few years we will expand our patio to add more lounge area, etc.... should we wait on the expensive and go for the affordable now, and then when we have the "perfect" patio - go for the really good quality later? I'm kind of leaning that way, but ahhhhhh, I love the nice nice quality. 

The bigger question - does anybody care? I think the less expensive can look just as charming as the fancy, and I probably wont have a fit if someone spills on it or stabs it with a knife or lights it on fire..... so that is probably the smart move. Thoughts?

Meet the Farm!

Many, many, many future posts will be about the farm. The farm is awesome! The farm can be a really big pain in the ass. If you want a lot of chores, get an old farm.  We love the farm and spend as much time as we can here. This place is the perfect distance from Seattle - just over an hour away - far enough from the big city to be quiet and peaceful and still close enough to towns with grocery stores and hardware stores to be manageable. We love it here, even though it requires endless hours of weeding, mowing and cutting back blackberry.

We call it a farm because in it's youth (1905) it was a dairy farm. But it's not actually an active farm right now because we aren't here all the time. We do have fruit trees and vegetable gardens though - and that's enough work for now.

I took these photo's over the weekend of May 4-5. The weather was super sunny, giving us the big spring tease that summer may actually be coming! If you look closely you can see weeds growing right now!