Everywhere you look, it’s planting time in eastern North Carolina
Nephew Monk Gurkin above in 1959. Monk and Aunt Chloe (that’s me) had our own garden that year. We raised tomatoes to sell to local restaurants – and for our tomato sandwiches. Note the hog pen in back.
Seems we all dig in the dirt – some of us in our gardens, some in patio gardens and some in the fields with those big tractors.
The field outside my kitchen window was planted this week with tobacco. Brother John used to oversee the farm; now Monk has that job.
I have a great raised bed cook’s garden right on top of where chitterlings were cleaned when we had hog killings on the farm. For my flower garden, guests Bentley and Betty Ann Mohorn brought me some new Evening Primroses, so if you’re here in June, you can join our nightly “Flower Party” as we watch each primrose open.
One of my guests took thisdelightful video of the yellow evening primroses last year. But don’t blink during the first few seconds or you’ll miss a magical moment! It’s only a couple minutes long, but listen to all the sounds Mother Nature packed in there. More videos of this year’s blossoms are a promise!
Every plant has a perfect planting time – this year I am following the almanac and the moon phases. It works! I found this list of “when to plant” that my dad “Ops” wrote years ago. I love it. But it won’t work every year, because the moon is different …. really.
Monk again watering. (See our bird dog, Don, in the background)
In early spring, my dad would get Mary the mule and plow our gardens. Mary lived for forty years in what is now the “Mule Room,” our long-term rental here at Big Mill. We had two gardens, an early one for potatoes and early crops, and another for our summer garden. Mother canned everything from the garden and she taught me how.
So now I am anxiously watching my blueberries and blackberries so I can be ready. Guests love the jams that I make. Search the recipes on Chloe’s Blog and the recipe page on www.BigMill.com for jam and jelly recipes. Here’s the recipe for my blueberry jam – Soooo good!
It’s a FUN time to be on the farm!
Big Mill Bed & Breakfast 252-792-8787
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