Cats are in the doghouse (metaphorically speaking)

Last night two barn cats (Joe and Ashes) got locked in the greenhouse. They did not like it and tried to claw a way out.

Dad fixed the holes (there was another bigger one, and several places where they made a bunch of little ones) with special clear tape. The cats catch at least two small rodents per day, which goes a long way to making up for it, besides which it really wasn't their fault.

In other greenhouse news, a few seeds are in there again. For about a week it was empty because it was so hot, and because the plants were big enough to harden up outside. Yesterday dad planted the fall cabbage and other cole crops, while mom planted pumpkins, winter squash, and gourds in peat pots. It still looks barren compared to earlier in spring.This evening mom and dad were planting zucchini, summer squash, pickles, cucumbers, some melons, and a few of the shorter-season winter squash (like acorn). When I got home I helped by dropping plants and marking varieties while mom set the plants and dad drove the tractor. Included in this planting are several varieties that Jamie is observing. Right now you can barely see the plants in the plastic, but soon you will barely be able to see the plastic.

Crops planted in the field are all doing well, particularly after all the rain we've gotten recently. The tallest parts of the first planting of corn are knee-high already (on my legs at least). The first planting of lettuces is growing so well that mom will probably take some to market this week, along with pak choi, a.k.a. bok choy, which is definitely ready for harvest. The garlic has completely recovered from the frost damage in early spring. Mom cut off the scapes (seed heads) and scattered them around the pepper patch to repel deer (she hopes). It will be another month or so before the garlic is ready to be dug.

-Katie