How to Grow the Best Carrots

Carrots, even organic ones, are so inexpensive it was honestly shocking to me how tricky they can be to grow. They were one of the vegetables it took me several tries to get right however. And just like most other veggies, homegrown just tastes better! 

Here are the tricks I’ve learned over the years:

Carrots like fluffy, loose soil. We add lots of organic matter to our veggie bed every year.  I avoid tilling, but I do use a fork to loosen the soil a bit. I also make sure the area is completely weed free. Then I add a layer of compost. I dig a furrow about 1/2 an inch deep and sprinkle my seeds about a 1/2 inch apart. I then sprinkle a little dirt on top of them, water them in, and cover the area w a layer of cardboard held in place w some rocks just until seeds germinate , I check them every other day or so. It is important to keep the area weed free and moist.

When carrots are a couple inches tall pinch the tops off to thin them without disturbing the other fragile plants. This part is hard to do (poor baby carrots ) but necessary to allow the other carrots to reach their potential!! When they are four or five inches tall  thin again to about 2 inches apart, this time you can carefully pull them out and eat as a snack. When thinning be strategic and leave the healthiest looking plants in the ground. 

If your soil is a bit compacted start out with varieties like French market (small and round) or Danvers half long. 

I usually plant in March and then again in August. This gives me a midsummer harvest and also a harvest of winter carrots.

Everything I Wish I Would Have Known When I Started Homeschooling

When I first began homeschooling I would search for curriculum relentlessly, believing that if I found the perfect one it would make my children super geniuses who would be racing to the table every morning to do their schoolwork. I also believed that as my child’s teacher, I needed to already have all of the knowledge and information I ever wanted them to have. What I have learned after six years is that Continue reading “Everything I Wish I Would Have Known When I Started Homeschooling”

Everything You Need to Know About Quail

jumbo brown quail

This post contains affiliate links.

Quail can be a great choice for people who would like to keep poultry, but do not have a huge amount of space. They are also quieter than chickens (though they do have their sounds and are not silent by any means) if noise is a concern. Read on to learn more about these birds so you can decide if they are right for you! Continue reading “Everything You Need to Know About Quail”

Zero Waste Easter

Ah Easter. Holiday of plastic eggs and plastic grass and cheap plastic little toys that will get thrown away secretly by you when your child tires of them in a month or two. As a parent, I have always looked forward to celebrating holidays with my children, but I have also struggled with guilt over all the material I was putting in the garbage after the holiday. I decided to make some changes so that I could still give them Continue reading “Zero Waste Easter”

Food For Mood

Diet is often overlooked when diagnosing mental illness. Read on to learn why it may be the missing piece of the puzzle.

It is estimated that 1 in 6  Americans (this includes children) have a diagnosed mental illness or behavioral problem. New information connecting mental health to diet is surfacing all the time. There are many scientifically researched ways food impacts mood: Continue reading “Food For Mood”

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