Potatoes, Little Green Bags, and Chickens on the Loose Oh My!

I thought a garden update was in order.  We spent yesterday afternoon and today doing some more prep work of our rows (we've added 5 more this year) and we planted about 100 potatoes.  They've got awesome names like Purple Viking, All Blue and Rose Finn.  I can taste them now!  We chose varieties this year for the potatoes and onions that do well with extended storage.  As we work toward sustainability, we're trying to make our organic food supplies last as long as possible into our winter months. 

Brian made a wonderful dish last night for me for Mother's Day.  He made a warm pasta with a goat cheese bechamel sauce and put these baby radishes with the greens on on top.  Wonderful!  This was our first dish out of the garden this year and all from the basic task of thinning the greens so the radishes will continue to grow.  Also note my little green bag....these Debbie Meyer bags work great!  They can keep produce fresh like nothing I've ever seen.

We also are exercising patience and forethought this year and putting in a drip irrigation system in the garden as the plants emerge.  So far so good.  This is a picture of the peas and they seem quite happy!  So we're on our way and as with a marathon are hitting a good steady pace.  Having the first year under our belts seems to have this year off and running much more smoothly. 

 An interesting note on chicken culture :)  The yearlings were allowed out of their run area to have free range of the whole property for the first time since last fall's unfortunate massacre.  They are VERY happy!  I know chickens are supposed to be stupid, and I'm not saying they're intelligent by any means.  However, they do seem to have memory of things they did before (when they were free).  Sid also took great pleasure in introducing them to the babies.  They have to maintain separate living quarters due to diet until September, but we figured they could all play together as a way of introduction to co-habitation.  Fortunately so far, the hens are very social and even if they weren't headed to roost, will follow you there quite willingly.  I'm off to roost myself.  Good Night!