Lottery?  No, but there are winners indeed.  Though there are no prices or cash to brag over, there are choices for dinner.  Not making any sense are we?  

We're talking heirloom seeds.  Non-hybrid, non-GMO, good old fashioned, what our grandfathers' grew kind of seeds. But when thinking about heirloom seeds, there is more to think about
then what tomato you want.

Oh how the thoughts of fresh salads tease.  Thoughts of that red, juicy tomato are so enticing!  Memories of baked root vegetables covered in homemade dressing - the delicious aroma drifting through the house.  More dreams of dinners planned while
walking the many rows of fresh goodness.

Finally!  The garden is tilled, the rows laid out, & soaker hoses are neatly lining the rows.  It's GARDEN TIME! Or at least it was the first week of June. With a growing season from Memorial Day to Labor Day, we weren't too far off our normal planting.  A month later than we would have liked, but the rain  came causing quite a bit of delay for us, with relatives filling in all the other spare time we had  ~grin~.  We have been fortunate to find heirloom and organic seeds that actually thrive in our area, so we know there will be food.

So, before more rains could change our minds, off we went to our little piece of dirt filled paradise. How wonderful the dirt felt between the toes. Listening to the chatter of the four legged kids calling out for attention.  Safely learning all the 'barn rules', they are left to the quite capable hooves of the mature does.

With double row planting, companion planting, and crop rotation in mind keeping track of the garden from year to year is..........well, easier than trying to remember  where everything was.   

Planning the garden is key to our crop rotation, companion planting, and double row planting methods. Some are just one of many parts of a broader method of farming.  So let's discuss our simplified form of polyculture.

Polyculture?

As the snow falls lightly outside our window, the sunset's glow painting pink the mountains that surround us, memories of past gardens tickle the corners of our minds.  Anticipation of fresh greens, fire side roasted root vegetables, and sweet fruits of Seaberries excite us.

With such a short growing season, Memorial Day to Labor  day, many of the foods we grow need an early start that nature here does not  provide.  With heirloom seeds from  Siberia, North Dakota, and Canada, many of the crops we grow can simply be   started outdoors.  Such as peas,  beans, lettuce, spinach, carrots, corn, and more, but what of those that require  more than 90 days from seed to harvest?  We furnish an extension to our growing season by starting seeds  indoors.  
 
When starting seeds indoors, you need to consider five things: temperature, water, lighting, soil, and seeds.