Getting Ready for Spring

There is nothing as confusing as 70F (21C) degree weather during an Iowa February. My brain knows this is winter and I should not plant any time soon, but my heart is dancing "Spring is Here!". Seriously. Spring is not here yet. It's just uncommonly warm. 

Anyway, with the warm weather, we are preparing for spring. We pruned our apple and maple trees. Now I did not know this, but pruning trees is very important for fruit production and apple picking logistics. It's also healthy for tree growth and maintenance. We try to prune in February. It's typically WAY before budding, however this year it's only been a week and a half... which isn't the best, but only God knows the weather I guess.

Good Pruning Information (Read this first): http://www.extension.umn.edu/garden/yard-garden/trees-shrubs/pruning-trees-shrubs/

Tree Trimming Info (Pictures, because some of us are visual):
 http://www.treeremoval.com/trimming-and-pruning/#.WKnELPkrLDc

Anywho. If pruning isn't enough work on the weekends my husband has us taking down 3 very large trees. This I do not recommend without experience. My husband has experienced, I just run the rope to lower the system (We create a friction-pulley system off of the other standing branches to reduce the load that I feel).  It's best to take down trees also in the winter when the ground is hard and frozen... Again weather isn't the best... but we went from having 3 very tall very dead trees to a lot of bonfire wood. (Please ignore the branch that got stuck in the photo, turns out the last of the 3 trees was in fact the hardest). 

There might also be a funny story or two from this adventure...

The first was we misjudged our pulley system for a branch on the second tree. Well, our pulley system this time SUCKED! And I went sliding. I dropped to my knees to try to increase friction / drag, but alas that only lined me up with a larger branch and I ended up getting hit in the chest by a HUGE thick branch easily 3" diameter... which I'm actually really lucky it was that thick otherwise I might have a new piercing. Whoops. Funny part was B calls down and said "You okay." And I burst out laughing with a "Yeah", then I stand up and double over with an "Owww" To which he asks, are you okay? And the answer is still yes. I'm fine. My bruised pride painted itself on my chest... lol

The second, an earlier story, went something like this:
"Anna when I cut this, I want you to pull as hard as you can and then run backwards so it misses the arrowood bushes",  To which I answered, "Alright. No problem." So I pull as tight as I can, not jerk or bounce the rope, just a straight non-yielding pull. B starts to have trouble cutting the branch due to its density/knots in it, and it leans more and more towards me, but not gives.

Suddenly it gives, falling at an angle, the rope goes slack. And I think Well I can pull and end up on a row of arrowoods because I don't think I can pull it all the way past, or let it fall where it is and it might land okay right now.... So... I didn't pull.  😅

B - "Why didn't you run! Did you choke!?"  

Me - "I was going to hit the arrowoods" 

"Not if you would have kept pulling." 

"Well... It went slack, and lined for between the arrowwoods so I just went with it...  See perfect! Hit nothing." 

B laughs "You lucked out." 

"Skill. All Skill."

(Okay I might have walked the arrowoods before B because I wasn't sure but Whoot! Perfect aim, or amazing luck - Your choice. lol)

The only other spring getting ready thing I have, besides spring cleaning, is making sure I have all my seeds and that they are organized. Again I'm using SmartGardner to track and plan my garden, it's now called Zukeeni . My seeds come from mostly SeedsNow, but I'm not capable of growing 100% non-hybrids in my zone for all plants so I also use Burpee - Burpee provides my broccoli, artichoke, and reduced-seed hybrid tomatoes.

Now please do some research on hybrids before posting any sort of comments against them. Hybrids are rarely Genetically altered and can be naturally recurring- all my save seeds are hybrids as no one grows the same plant in the area so only God knows the type of plant I get from a saved seed. The reason I'm going for a hybrid is I don't want slicing tomatoes, I want salsa and paste tomatowhich is less juice, more meat.  The Amish paste tomatoes (reduced seed hybrid)  can be found on non-gmo sites and are perfect for my uses (well that's the hope)... Personally I like Burpee, they have done really good business for me, are a good price point, and they have good germination. If you prefer somewhere else, buy them there. I use SeedsNow because I like heritage, they have awesome germination rates, and... I'm cheap ($1 and $2 packs for all the seeds I need for a season!? Yes please)

Anyway. I still am using the bolt organizer I bought at menards. This thing was my Husband's best idea ever. I have used it 2 years in a row now and can even save my own seeds in it. (You have dry them before storing them). This year I'll post on seed saving, if I remember.

So that's it for my Spring prep. Happy Sunday ya all.