Local Fair

 I apologize for the lack of postings, sometimes you have a week like that. So I’m going to try and post a little extra this week.

Buy Local First Fair, this is the second time we have attended and I believe the fair’s 4^th year. Held at the Watertower right next to the Ohio river, setting is lovely. It’s was an extremely hot day especially for May, in the 90’s, full sun and heat index. Still the crowds came out. 

Vendors consisted of farms, crafts, jewelry, dolls, puppets, woodwork, honey, cheese, books, etc. 

and let’s not forget the food. Everything you imagine to eat was there, coffee, Mexican, gourmet, vegetarian, ice cream etc. Now we did not eat lunch there but I spotted a place that will need to be visited, grill cheese like you would not believe.

We settled on some ice cream from comfy cow, JP got coffee, Avery and I got Mango and Little Bit sampled freely of all the above. We found a comfy patch of grass and plopped down. Listening to the live music on stage and watching the people.

It is great to see our city and the people who live here take notice that we should start looking for local shops to get the things we need. Now we all can dive in and buy everything local, but we can start deciding what is important to us, your family, and start there. It can be a simple as one locally made doll for your little one, local farmers, local restaurants. But as a country we need to start looking at ourselves to provide for our country's needs. Slight soap boxy, but not too bad.

During our trip I purchased soap for little bit's hair, which will clear up her cradle cap, and we bought ice cream. I also grabbed two more bumper stickers for my mini van, because what else do you do with a mini van???!!! 

My Fairy Tale Weekend

1st Cucumber

little visitor

Second batch of strawberries are on their way

It was a diaper day

Oh ya, they are starting too ripen

raspberries too!!

Lovin Mama

My Fair Tale Weekend

Hula Hoop Face-off 

Playing with a new friend

Ice Cream Round 1

Colorful Fashion

Sprouting Green Beans

Kale and Swiss Chard

Purple "Green" Beans

Daddy and Little Bit

Ice Cream Round 2

The Girls'

Time to raise the beds

Last fall my husband and I worked to built several raised beds for our garden. We used left over wood we had around our property. All together we made (8) 4' x 4' beds, (2) 7' x 3' beds and (2) 3' x 3' beds to our current (4) 3' x 4' ones.  So currently our garden is 34' wide and 14' tall. We then purchased some top soil for a local nursery down the road and filled all the beds. Then put a layer of straw down.

Now as you can see above, the layout of the garden. This year I'm trying to use the square foot garden method, so each plant type needs a specific amount of space. So this took some reading and laying out how many plants I could fit in each section.


Seedlings for the tomatoes, peppers, watermelon and cantaloupe we started indoors from seeds.


To get the garden started this year, I need to do something with the pathways. They were filled with weeds and ones that bite back. Since I wanted the garden to be kiddo friendly something needed to be done. I was this idea on pinterest and decided this would be the best method. I gathered cardboard from my work then cut the card board to fill the pathways. Then put mulch on top.

So with the pathways filled I added stepping stones throughout to keep the cardboard down and in place.  Over the existing blueberry and raspberry plants I added for post, one in each corner and tied bird netting over the area. Last year the deer ate all but 3 blueberries and luckily this is our first year to get raspberries.


So now I had to wait, cause from my hometown, "you don't plant your garden until after derby". Weather is very crazy around here. So its the weekend after derby, Friday night my husband surprised me for mother's day with 2 scoops of compost filling is truck. Only my husband could get away with a gift like that. Then the next morning he went out and filled all the beds! Extra bonus.

Then my mom and dad came over and we planted all the seedlings into their spot. Then planted all of the seeds into their home. It was a great way to spend time with my mom on pre-mother's day.

Photos from a few days later, mostly everything is still living. A few plants didn't make the transplant, but overall a good turn out. Above is the kale and chard I planted the week before, already sprouted!!


Now here are some photos from my container garden on the deck, which is doing fantastic.

And here is my future grower, I love that she will be raised always having a garden. Its one of the skills I want to make sure she learns.

My Fairy Tale Weekend

Purple Carrot Harvest

Cucumber in the making

When you feel bad, dress pretty

Rainy Mama Day

My Fairy Tale Weekend