"Colonial Gate Closer", What is it?

  Do you ever get tiered of having to go behind people and shut your garden gates or are you just wanting to add a little interest to your garden? Then try a "Cannonball Gate Closer", they are traced back to Colonial times in America and may go back even further than that. We found ours in Colonial Williamsburg, VA. It makes it much easier when you came through the gate with your hands full to shut the gate. Plus not to many people know what they are so its a great conversation starter as well.

"The Redeemed Gardener"

Matthew 7:14 "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

"A Bushel and A Peck"

   These days if you ask most people under the age of 25 what a bushel basket or a peck is, they would probably say a bushel basket is something you put laundry in and a peck is their finger touching their IPhone, lol! Well I wanted to just go over some basics here before we get into harvest season for those who may want to understand what they are. These definition's come from Webster's Dictionary:   
   In the United States, a bushel is a unit of volume used for the dry measurement of things such as vegetables, fruits or grains and is equivalent to 4 pecks. In the U.S. Customary System, a bushel is equal to 2,150.42 cubic inches, or 35.24 liter.
   When used as a British capacity of measure, or in the British Imperial System, a bushel is used as both a dry and liquid measure and equals 2219.36 cubic inches or 36.37 liters.
   To better visualize the capacity of a bushel, one can use the following list to get a better idea regarding the actual size of a bushel: 42-48 pounds of apples, 60 pounds of potatoes, 45 pounds of tomatoes, 42 pounds of white flour, 56 pounds of shelled corn, 50 pounds of rutabagas, 48 pounds of barley, 32 pounds of oats, 42 pounds of turnips.
  A peck was used to measure liquid or dry weights in the UK and US. A peck was originally a small barrel which contained 2 UK gallons (approx. 2.4 US liquid gallons) or approx. 9.1 litres. Very rarely used these days.
  A peck is also 1/4 of a bushel and is still used quite frequently in produce markets. Apples are frequently sold by the peck or 1/2 peck baskets or bags.
  The average person may never actually measure anything in a bushel or a peck, but having a basic understanding of this form of measurement may certainly help your next visit to the orchard or farm.

Luke 11:22 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light."

"Bottles", They're for the birds!

  Years ago, when my wife introduced me to one of my favorite vacation spots, Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia. I came across an interesting thing call a "bird bottle". Nestled under the eaves or beside a favorite entryway, these glazed clay creations have made happy homes for small birds since 1699. A distinctly Williamsburg accent,  bird bottles are reproduced from an original excavated from the yard of the James Geddy House. These unusual birdhouses were apparently quite popular in 18th-century Williamsburg. Fragments have been unearthed throughout the area, and a 1746 inventory and 1752 advertisement provide further evidence. Though it's tempting to attribute their use to an enthusiasm for bird watching, bird bottles served a more practical purpose: nesting birds made ideal insect control around homes, kitchens, and stables. 

  I just thought they were really neat and wanted to share them with you! Attracting birds to your garden is a great way to help control insects without chemicals. Especially with then "House Wrens and Finches"  that these little bottles attracted! These are a few pictures of a couple of mine!

 

  

  As you can tell the birds love them, so order you a couple and get a little history hanging in your garden. I know we love them and they make a great conversation piece as well when you have people over! We have four bottles and I want more! If you would like to see them, I am gonna post a link yo my wife's blog. She posted an article with pictures of some more of our garden! "Maple Cottage Stitcher" more of our garden!

This post is linked with:
Funky Junk Interiors, join the party
Tuesdays Tweets 

Psalm 104:17 "Where the birds make their nests; The stork has her home in the fir trees."

Garden Cloche's" Dirt Cheap"

   When my family and I went to Colonial Williamsburg on vacation one year, we stopped into there little garden area that they have set up in the historic town, so you can see how they gardened in the 1700's. I have so much fun in that section but I think I am the only one who does because I will be looking around and next thing I know everybody else is gone and I am left alone. Trust me its a very neat place. Maybe I will do a post and show some of the pictures from there. 

   Anyway! What I was getting at was this is were I was introduced to these big glass bell's that were setting over the plants. I ask what they were and she told me they were "garden cloches", I had know idea what she was talking about. So she explained, that they help make your growing season longer by allowing you to plant earlier. A mini greenhouse if you will! I thought that was awesome! I have to have at least one, maybe even two, But oh my were they expensive! Almost $100.00! I thought there has to be cheaper ones but even the others get costly.  I remembered what my grandma and great aunt used to use and they didn't pay that much. They used old gallon milk jugs! Dirt cheap and that's for me. I also use plastic juice containers since we drink lots of juice! I have also used full row mini greenhouses made out of plastic. 

All of these work but you have to allow them to breath in the hot part of the day!

Step 1: Clean out Jugs

Step 2: Remove labels and cut bottom off, don't through bottoms away, you can start seeds in them!

Step 3: When ready to use place jugs over plant and place a little soil around the bottom to hold it in place.

Step 4: When the temperature gets to warm just remove the lid to let the hot air out.

And there you go dirt cheap garden cloches made from recycled plastic jugs. Have fun and if you have other Ideas please post and let us all know!