Tripp Fenderson

Last weekend, my sister and brother-in-law stopped by Willow Lawn to pick up a compost bin for me.

The Richmond Clean City Commision held a one day event to help Richmonders start composting by selling the EarthMachine for $35—$60 off the retail price.

Green beans, baby carrots, new potatoes. All fresh from the garden.

I’m celebrating Father’s Day with my girls a little early. They bought me 55 lbs. of lump hardwood charcoal from Wicked Good and couldn’t hide it—so I’m tossing some of Tom Leonard’s steaks on the grill tonight. I’ll serve it up with a bottle of 2000 Chateau La Louviere and the veggies that we planted in the spring.

Nothing beats a dinner served fresh from the garden.

Anitra and I spent 1/2 hour in the garden today harvesting about 10lbs. of garlic. We pulled it earlier than in previous years but it was definitely ready. In fact, some of the larger heads were just starting to split, so we could have pulled them last week.

They’re tied up and drying now and I’ve selected 6 heads for our fall planting. It shouldn’t be long before we’re enjoying roasted garlic spread over some crusty French bread.

Despite calls to the contrary by some, I couldn’t get enough of the rain this weekend.

The cool, wet weather is doing wonders for the buttercrunch and the two other leaf lettuce varieties I planted this year. The potatoes are finally up along with first signs of the beans, sunflowers, beets, and carrots—although it looks like Mr. Rabbit may have had a midnight snack on some of the beet sprouts.

And of course, the asparagus beds are in full force now - with more and more purple spears coming up each morning. Those crowns were the best gardening investments I’ve ever made.

In another week or so, I’ll get some tomatoes and squash going. It’s going to be a bountiful summer in our back yard and we’re not the only ones.

John’s peas are looking great and Foodie has as an eclectic a mix as I do.

What are you growing this year?

Cool and damp this morning. Perfect for weeding the bed of garlic. I also got some lettuce, chard, and spinach planted before the rain started.

Weeding the garden is always easier with a pair of helping hands—and all the more so when those hands are only 1 foot off the ground. This afternoon, Ayn helped me weed the bed of garlic we planted last October. She dug right in, pulling up only the weeds.

All 60 plants look great and have us wishing for warmer days ahead (and homemade pasta sauce).

Waiting on the mulch king.

I’m sitting in the truck this morning, waiting in a line of about 20 trucks at The Mulch King at the corner of Cox and Short Pump. I got here 4 minutes after they opened and I’m told that it’s going to be about an hour wait while they “make more chocolate chip mulch”. I’m here to pick up a small load of mushroom compost but because I’m so far back in line, they can’t squeeze me around the line of contractors waiting for their mulch.

Apparently chocolate chip mulch is all the rage these days. It’s a double shredded hardwood mulch that’s infused with organic compounds that turn the mulch a deep, rich chocolate colour that lasts for over a year.