Thoughts of Spring

It's cold here today and when the wind blows it feels like December.  However, the sun is warm. Warm enough to feel on your skin even when the wind chill reminds us it is not quite spring just yet.

I'm longing for the days of no winter gear, sitting outdoors, planting in the garden, hearing the birds, and watching the kids play.  

I have plans this year, lots of plans.  On Saturday March 16th The Husband and I are attending a Poultry Seminar given by Traci Torres of mypetchicken.com (any suggestions on the best place to purchase a coop, or plans to build one?)

I LOVE all of these coops and would be happy with anyone of them.

On April 13th I'll be attending a beekeeping seminar (which I mentioned here).

Found this one today on Pinterest but I also found these plans to build one yourself.

Today I purchased seeds to start indoors.  Eggplant, squash, spinach, buttercrunch lettuce, jalapeno peppers, cayenne peppers, and nasturtium (one of my favorites).  This will be quite the experience to say the least, because honestly I don't know what I'm doing!  I'll continue to do my research and I know "doing" is the best way of learning for me. I feel positive and excited and am looking forward to seeing how it all turns out.

I will also grow tomatoes and herbs but choose to buy those already started from the nursery and purchase whatever else strikes my fancy while I am there.

With  these said plans to grow more food, we have a little dilemma.  Do we build more raised beds or do we make a large garden right in the ground?

If we build more raised beds the two I have will have to be moved to another area of the yard to accommodate 4 or more beds as to not be in our "living and playing areas" of the yard.  If we "build" a garden right in the ground it will be in the same place as the moved beds.  The beds to me have a "safer" feel and by that I mean we can put the chicken wire underneath to keep the critters out, things are more contained, the fence around it does not have to be any stronger then what I have now.  However, if we put the garden directly in the ground it can be quite large, which means more food and there will be no need to purchase lumber and build the beds.  The cons of the ground garden is the critters and fencing.  How do you keep them from digging in and having a feast?  If we build a fence around it I'll want it to be an attractive one and now we're talking big bucks.  OH!  I don't know what to do???  

I'm very much torn between the two.  Beds are limited but lovely in my eyes.  A ground garden can be large and yield so much more.  

You garden growers out there, what do you think????????