Things are GROWING in our heirloom garden!

We have finally figured out how to do this garden thing out here!!! Hurray! We had to buy the expensive hardwire cloth from home depot for the fencing and also bird netting over the top but that did it. We have growth!

We are strictly heirloom gardeners--I'll do a post later about why the only seeds/plants you ever buy should be open pollinated or heirloom varieties (forget hybrids and don't ever grow or even eat GMOs!) but I'll save that rant for another day!

I will say the thing I love the most about heirlooms is the incredible variety. Colors and tastes that are unknown in a supermarket! Why invest all that time in a garden to grow the exact same thing you can buy at the grocery store!? Not to mention the flavor is unequaled with the heirlooms--most store bought varieties are chosen for their hardiness to travel across the world--which a home gardener doesn't care about.

Just a few of my favorite heirloom websites where I order my seeds:

http://www.nativeseeds.org/ (this company is dedicated to preserving and selling the native seeds of the southwest--which I love because these plants because they are great for our heat!) http://www.seedsavers.org/ (probably the most well known heirloom seed organization--they have a huge selection)

http://rareseeds.com/ (Baker Creek Heirloom seeds--lots of great varieties. A Christian owned company, lots of seeds for your money too)

http://www.heirloomacresseeds.com/ (another Christian owned company, cheapest prices I've seen, carry heirloom asparagus seeds and crowns--most don't)
http://www.sandhillpreservation.com/ (this is one of the only ones I've found heirloom sweet potatoes)

We are growing the most beautiful veggies and fruits you'd never see in a store:
Rossa Bianca Eggplant, Yugoslavian red lettuce, Edmunds Blood Turnip Beet, Red Russian Kale, Sweet Genovese Basil, Cilantro (all purchased from Seeds Savers Exchange)

Just now sprouting:

Silver Edged Squash (the seeds from these are incredible! they look like someone painted them with silver paint!), Melon de Castillo, Tarahumara White Sunflower (the seeds are all white), Calico lima beans (real pretty too), Cocopah sweet corn (will dry to look like the pretty indian corn), Hopi Yellow Watermelon (a yellow fleshed watermelon!), Mt. Pima Pintados (red and white splotched pinto beans!)--all purchased from native seeds

And I just made our summer planting order from Bakers Creek seeds and purchased our herb garden seeds from Heirloom Acres and planned out my herb garden on paper--soooooo much fun!!