Thinking out loud.............

Now that the season is beginning to wind down ..... I'm thinking of new ideas for next year. And one of the best ideas that I have heard came from a friend.

If you have been to Miss Eff's in the last month, you know that the weeds and grass are overwhelming.  Yea.  Bad.  Like I just want to mow the whole damn thing off and start all over again.

We knew this might be a possibility.  This spring we re-did the entire cutting garden by not just tilling it........ but by plowing it deep.  The cutting garden spent many years as a feed lot for the cattle and hogs that called Miss Eff's home ... 50 years ago.  Weed seeds are tenacious little characters and will hold on forever!  And they did ... and this very wet hot summer.... they came into their glory!

We know there are couple of things that have to be done for next year ....

1) We will use a bio-degradable paper mulch to plant in and block weeds.

2) I will not skimp on mulch ever again.  It doesn't matter how broke I am!!  I will order enough mulch.

3) We will have two additional interns next year.  Yea ... I really need them and I really think that there are some awesome opportunities for them.  The work on Silos and Smokestacks and Summer Kitchen can be great learning experiences.

4) And then ........... there is Julie's idea.

OK -- first of all, I need your input. So tell me what you think.

We would form a "society" out here.  I don't have a name yet .... but the main mission is to ............

1) Provide a social network for women
2) To keep the gardens far cleaner than they have been in the past
3) To benefit the community

You would join up and when you want flowers, eggs, jams, etc ........ you will weed a row or two rows (depending on the size).  I figure about 30' .... about an hour's worth of work.  And you will be given a bucket of flowers or the equivalent.

Once a month, we will plan a get-together.  Bring the kids, bring a treat to share and the recipe..... and we will sit and relax and get to know each other a little better. Have some tea .... sit and knit ..... just spend some precious  "girl time" with some amazing women!!!!

Then the recipes will be compiled into a cookbook and the proceeds will benefit a local food pantry.

The great thing about this .... we can expand the gardens to grow even more flowers, veggies and herbs for you to enjoy. 

I wish I was Wonder Woman (or at least, had that bust line!) ....... but, alas, I am not.  I am at my physical limit on what I can do but there is so much more that Miss Eff's can be.  And wouldn't it be fun to have great flowers in your house all the time for just a little sweat equity?????

So tell me what you think.  Are you game for this??? Does Community-Supported-Agriculture (CSA) for flowers trip your trigger??? Enrollment would be somewhat limited ... 12-15 very special women.

We have mentioned this to a few of our regular friends ..... and I know I have missed a lot.... so if you think this is something you would be interested .......... send me a note.  And if you think this is the DUMBEST idea you ever heard of ......... let me know that, too.  I'll put that with my mother's statement........ No one will drive down a gravel road to get flowers.

You proved her wrong on that one!!!!!