The Three "Bad"...Cats

For Truly Curious Green Thumbs…

Our plants do have roots...

 

And this is what it looks like when you dig up a seed to ask it why it hasn’t germinated yet! :o)

On the subject of thinning, (a truly painful topic for the short sighted gardener)…

We were just recently in a Bible study discussing the verses in Colossians chapter 2, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving." We talked about the truly agrarian nature of the simile.... What does this very literally look like in the growth of a seedling?

If a seedling is poorly nourished, the soil being depleted, the plant will develop an extremely minimal root system and in order to conserve energy it will rarely if ever put out it’s true leaves, thereby remaining an immature seedling that will live for years(literally years; firsthand experience in that area) at a relatively unchanged level.

If a seedling is not given sufficient light exposure it begins etiolating; growing very few leaves but continuing to grow in a thin line upwards until it eventually drops to the side and continues to grow sideways across the floor.  This has happened to us several years, including the year we planted our tomato seedlings with their stems buried sideways and then twisted them upwards out of the soil at the top.

Often when choosing between two seedlings during the thinning process, we choose the seedling with the sturdiest stem and broadest leaf spread because this suggests an excellent root system and a less susceptible plant life. A seedling that grows in a thin tall burst will be more likely to die in the hardening process but a seedling that in time puts on vibrant green foliage over its thick sturdy stem will be able to handle drought and wind by only growing stronger!

That may be a lot of information for you non-green thumbs, :o) but how comparable this is to our own rooting and building system! Without the nourishment of the Scriptures and the light of Christ we too grow weak and produce poor fruit.

So tell me,which is stronger?

Spring is Come!

Six Arrows Farm is pleased to announce that despite evidence to the contrary Spring is come! In January, in Minnesota of all places! Well, almost….

Though we are still buried in mounds of white and we are supposed to be resting from garden work, some of us have an unresting green thumb that refuses to be stifled. Perhaps we come from equatorial descent… Whatever the case there are certain places in the dry warmth of winter where dwelleth a perpetual Spring, (i.e. wherever there is a south-facing window). We have an experiment with gourd seeds some of which were harvested from a hybrid plant and germinated at 72%, we have a rare greens garden, several other test plots for germination percentages, a forest of chives and various other long season perennial herbs getting a “head start”. Really, they need a head start.  :o)

Edmund says hello...

The Pigs

Those comical, roly-poly India Rubber barrels of mischief.

With their inquisitive beady little eyes, odd, almost pugnacious, round noses, and droll legs on "high heels," they are enough to make anyone chuckle. I love the chorus of grunts I am greeted with every time I walk to their fence.

That's One Big Pea!

Why did the chicken really cross the road...?

Oh all right...

If you really want to know, you can go here and we will explain. Sort of. :)

Why DID the Chicken Cross the Road?

"All right, ladies, try to listen without so many verbal approvals. We want to stay on schedule today. Today we are going to address the all important subject “Why Did The very intelligent and well meaning Chicken, our dear sister, Henrietta, Cross The mysterious and otherwise notorious Road?"

"I think we should begin by introducing our friend and then tell her story. Henrietta, welcome!" (Much Cackling) "Tell us who you are and what your problem is."

"Thank you everyone for your deep concern. I am Henrietta, a well known hen in this pen, and…I crossed the road." (Many sympathetic clucks)

"Let’s do some research. This morning began simply as they always do. I assume everyone laid their eggs on schedule? Good! Then we know it wasn’t that. Following the gathering by our caretaker, did anyone miss breakfast? No? Well good then. It wasn’t that either."

"Oh yes then the caretaker came back off schedule. That is the first thing that went wrong. He came down with a crate of new hens…and…a new rooster! I went over to say hello to the new hens, and that is when the trouble started. Legolas, the Great immediately challenged the new rooster to a duel, and the Vice-Rooster began to berate me severely."

I was extremely offended, so I ran out the pen gap while the caretaker was looking the other way and…I…crossed the road...twice.

"Tree in a Basket"

This tree is on farm we saw when we were out and about. Yes, it is really growing out of the silo...this is not an optical illusion. :)

Aubrey and the computer...

I thought she looked so studious...and Garrison said that he couldn't resist snapping a photo. So below is Arrow #2 working on the computer...he he.