the Amishway Homesteaders

* Get yourself a reel mower (if you have a small yard like we do) and most of all get it sharpened each year so you can mow without breaking your back.

*Use raised beds and keep a record of all your gardening so you can go back and see what worked and what needs to be changed for the next year. It also helps with what you planted where when it comes time to make a layout after all those catalogs come in the middle of the winter.

*Make compost even if you only have a little bit of space for it. It will get you some great 'dirt' to add to your vegetables and help by recycling your food scraps.

* Save newspapers to use as mulch around your plants.(we use our Amish newspaper around our Amish Paste Tomatoes)       (",)

* Hook up a rain barrel to collect the rain water so when it comes time to water the garden it won't be as costly. We hung a metal ladle next to it for when you're walking in the garden and see that just a couple plants need a drink. 

OUR BACKYARD GARDEN AREA AT THE HOMESTEAD (see map above)

2 - Tomatoes /peppers /peas & carrots
3 -flowers
4 -pole beans /peas /cucumbers / garlic
6 -rock garden /flowers /hosta & plow
7 -tomatoes /broccoli /onions /sweet potatoes
9 -peppers /beans /strawberries
10 -tomatoes /broccoli /potatoes/ pole beans
12 -flowers
13 -hosta bed & plow
*mini greenhouse is used to extend the growing of some vegetables and starting seeds/plants in the spring.