[petey]

My tomatoes are starting to turn red. Corn is starting to tassel already. Cucumbers are flowered and I'd expect to see those soon. Watermellon and cantalope are growing well also. Separate garden for pumpkins should produce about 50 or so for the kiddos from what I'm seeing already. I've got to admit I haven't put the heart into it much this year other than plow, disk, haer, and rotertill a couple times. My big gardern is about 20 yards by 10 yards. Little garden is 5 x 5 yards. The neighbor spread manure prior to me plowing and disking, then he spread lime afterwards (nice to have good neighbors). About the only thing that didn't come up was my peppers. Don't know the key to that yet...just put seeds in the ground and nothing grew. I had green peppers and 2 kinds of hot peppers. Even tomatoes I plated from seeds are growing good. I should have more than we'll need.

I also have 3 acres of sweet corn the neighbor planted on the back side of the property. I don't mind..keeps the deer close plus once my 6 rows of corn are gone, I have another place to pick it. I really haven't done much more than put a seed in the ground and watered during the first few hot weeks to get things started. My corn was waist high by the 4th of July...much better than the typical "knee high by the 4th of July" you always hear around these parts. When I get back from vacation at the end of the month I should be eating my own home grown. Probably tomatoes this week.