STRAWBERRIES!!!! and rhubarb.

Not sure you can tell from the all caps lettering in the title, but I'm super excited about my new strawberry patch.  We made a little pit stop after church today to purchase a few strawberry plants.  We try to stay away from shopping on the Sabbath, but we also try to consolidate our trips to town.  So, being good stewards of our gas and knowing that we won't be making trips into town anytime soon, we stopped by good ol' Earl May and picked out a few plants.

I've always wanted a strawberry bed, but between being pregnant and raising itty bitties for the last few years, I just haven't been able to get one in.  SO.... today was totally my day! 



Caleb and Sarah were excited to help plant the plants...




...until I found a worm.  Compared to a worm, strawberry plants are nothing.  You can't see the worm in this picture, but that is what Caleb is holding his hand out for.





And then it was to the sidelines with a bucket retrieved from the sandbox to play with their new found squiggly friend.



Doesn't Caleb look relaxed?  He and Sarah just sat there in the furrow playing with Wormy.  Which was kind of nice because Josh and I were able to move right along getting the plants in the ground without having to protect the planted plants from little feet. 

And then Sarah found the dandelions.  Enough said.



Not quite sure what I find so interesting about this picture, but I really like it.  Caleb is on one side playing, of course, with his worm (who by now had a couple of friends that we had found)  and Sarah Rose is on the other side still playing with the dandelions.




And then it was watering time.  Nothing can get a kid's attention like a water hose and spray nozzle.




Isn't she gorgeous?  Forty-eight Everbearing strawberries.  We'll keep the blooms and berries snapped off until July 1st to let all the energy the plant has go to establishing the root system.  After that, we can let the berries develop.  We also planted a rhubarb plant at each end of the patch.  We might get a little rhubarb next year, but in two years we'll for sure have plenty for pies, bars and jam!




The other half of the garden...doesn't look like much yet, but give it a few weeks, a little rain and some sunshine and we'll be eating everything fresh!  So far, lettuce, carrots, onions, and spinach.  We still have plenty to go and I can't wait until it warms up a bit so we can get the warm season stuff in!