We drilled…
We dug…
We finally conquered my raised vegetable garden today! More on that in a sec… 
First, hi! How was your weekend? This was the first weekend around here that really felt like summer, and I spent most of it outdoors, twirling in the sunshine. 8)
Starting with attending opening day of the Downtown Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning with my Mom. It was a ZOO with 40,000+ people visiting more than 250 vendors, but I feel like this officially kicks off summer!
Local farmers are about 6 weeks ahead of schedule because of the incredibly warm spring we’ve had, so there was a cornucopia of brightly colored flowers and produce to choose from.
Plus, Pupusas to eat! 
Oh sweet, sweet pupusa – it’s been way too long!
These babies are a Farmer’s Market favorite, and are thick, hand-formed corn tortillas (more like pancakes they are so thick,) sandwiching fresh spinach and massive amounts of gooey cheese. They’re cooked ’til crispy on a griddle, then topped with crunchy slaw, and fresh salsa. Cray cray.
My Mom and I split a pupusa every time we come to the market, but this was the first time we have ever completely demolished the entire thing. Cough.
I walked away from the market with more than a full stomach, as I stocked up on seedlings for the aforementioned vegetable garden: basil, chives, cucumbers, kale, sweet 100 cherry tomatoes, and celebrity tomatoes. (Plus a few other plants I got from the store today that I am THIS EXCITED ABOUT.)
After the market, I dropped my Mom off, then picked up Ben to head to the YESS Duck Derby.
Thank you x1,000,000 to those of you who donated – they ended up crushing their goal!!!
The event was packed with families, but Ben and I still had fun walking around, listening to the live bands, and watching as 38,000 rubber duckies were dumped into a pond to “race” to the finish line.
None of our ducks won, and as a result we are not $10,000 richer (damn), but it was all for a great cause.
It was a hot & sticky afternoon, so after the duck derby Ben and I walked to a nearby bar to watch the Kentucky Derby on an outdoor patio with an icy cold beverage. I swear you could have heard the crowd cheering for Dullahan (the horse from Iowa) all the way in Kentucky. Another 100 yards and he totally could have won! Although, 3rd place isn’t too shabby either. 
Today my Mom and I got down with our inner gardeners, or rather, I channeled hers as I can’t keep a fake flower alive, and constructed a raised vegetable garden!
I’ve been wanting a vegetable garden for years, and finally decided this was the summer to do it. I’m hoooorrible at keeping flowers alive, but something tells me I’ll be better at vegetable gardening because you can really see and eat the fruits (pun intended) of your labor, ya’ know?
I’m planning on sharing all the steps tomorrow, but basically we built a frame, lined it with newspapers, filled it with dirt, then planted the seedlings.
In a few week’s time Ben and I shall be dining on home-grown cucumbers, tomatoes, chives, basil, kale, brussels sprouts (can hardly contain my excitement) and WATERMELON (OMG I cannot friggin’ wait to see if they turn out!) I also left room to add spinach, peas, and parsley to the garden. Just gotta find some seedlings first.
One thing that surprised me about the whole process was how hard gardening is (well, at least the initial setup). My Mom and I were sweating like little piglets as we hauled dirt, dug holes, and pushed in stakes. Definitely counting today as a workout day.
After getting mud caked from the tips of my toes, to the tops of my eyebrows, and even on my lips (how?!), I am now showered and resting uncomfortably on the couch. My arms and abs are already sore!
Ben’s got something simmering on the stove for dinner. He won’t let me look, and made me turn my head when he came in with the groceries. What is this boy up to, I wonder?
Have a great night, everyone!
~~~~~
Do you enjoy gardening? Any tips for a rookie like me?
Love gardening! This is my third year and I am still a rookie! haha. But have learned that good quality soil is key, and even then there is a lot of weeding involved! Also, make sure to research companion gardening
Love gardening. It is a workout! I don’t have much chances to do it at my place as I live in a condo, but I do some, just started a kit of tomatoes and cucumbers hoping I can grow some this year. But i do help my mom in her garden.
Oh by the way I have meant to ask you if you have ever tried the cauliflower crust pizza? Had it tonight and it was phenomenal.
I love gardening!
For our watermelon make sure they don’t sit in any water after it rains or you water it bc they will get funky. they spread out a lot so make sure they don’t over run the other things you planted.
I loved the cauli “rice”… do tell about this pizza?
I have! http://iowagirleats.com/2012/01/29/beach-bound/ What recipe did you use – I’d love to make it again!
I used the recipe on this blog http://www.eat-drink-smile.com/2011/04/cauliflower-crust-pizza.html
I have yet to have the pupusas at the farmers market – but I will be 1st in line next time I go down there! The only gardening tip I know of is that clematis love love love lime! (not the citrus fruit lime).
What did Ben end up making for you?
We’re just getting into gardening! We don’t have the option to have a box like you’ve just setup because we live in a townhome. Instead, we bought two tomato plants and put them in big planters. If we don’t kill these, we’ll expand and get more!
This is terrific! We just built raised beds here! Two of them. It was so much work, building, digging, and shoveling! ALSO – I have done quite a bit of mission work in El Salvador – so seeing you eating papusas is AWESOME! Not many people here know what they are! Hope they were delicious!
nice job, altho you have too much stuff in too small an area…..especially if you have viney things in there such as watermelon. i bought myself a very small lightweight Honda tiller and it works great for small gardens. and i also put down newspaper after everything is planted, then mulch on top. get some good heavy duty tomato cages, not the thin cheap spindley ones. gardening is fun! Enjoy!
I am not a big gardner, but I do like working in the yard and it totally counts as a workout. One tip, you really should not be wearing open toe shoes when drilling or using power tools.
We hit the farmer’s market too… and when my mom & I walked by the pupusa stand, I told her that you talk about those on here! I opted for a smoked turkey sandwich… the breakfast burrito was what I wanted, but the line was around the block!
Jealous of your weather!! This weekend here in the Twin Cities was cool, cloudy, and RAINY. Hoping for some sunshine this coming week!
I am so (vicariously) excited to find out what Ben’s surprise supper plan was! Aaaaand have been inspired to finally go through with the plan I have each year to make a patch of my backyard into a little garden (that, in my dreams, is mostly full of garlic and potatoes).
Sounds like a lovely way to kick off the summer weekends! And the garden looks great!
What a fun trip to the farmer’s market. I’d love to try that pupusa!
Love your garden! We’ve been considering making a raised bed, but will probably stick to container gardening again this year. My tip is to watch the plants really closely. Last summer, our roma tomatoes started getting brown on the bottom. We still aren’t sure what caused it, but it was so disappointing. Good luck!
I went to the one of the farmer’s market in our region and it was so tiny compared to yours. I can’t wait until summer when there are lots of veggies available.
I just wanted to let you know what the brown spots on the bottom of tomatoes are. It’s called blossom end rot. Most of the time if you put a little more lime when you plant it will prevent it. Also, (at least here) you can buy a liquid called blossom end rot treatment and you spray it on them and it will help with the future tomatoes that grow.
I love your garden! I’m so excited to move home to the midwest (Ohio!) and live in a place I stand a chance at growing something. The Arizona desert has not been kind to all my attempts thus far!
I like your garden. I am impressed . you are so handy. I pulled an ice cream bucket full of radishes today. Am going to picle them. cut the spinach today.dug and ground up horseradish root today. wow,hot. love the early spring. checked my black raspberries today. loaded with soon to be berries. will make sugar free jelly and regular jelly. I enjoy your page.
That pupusa looks fantastic! I love summer farmers markets so much. And good luck with the garden. We’re trying to garden a little bit this summer too. So far the only thing that looks good is the cilantro.
Hi Iowa Girl,
I don’t like gardening, but certainly I love Pupusas I was amazed to see PUPUSAS EL SALVADOR on your blog. I was in New York last year in June and had the opportunity to visit the Summer Farmers Market in Queens and enjoyed the pupusas. They are so tasty!. I’m from El Salvador living in USA for the last 32 years and enjoy so much when people have the opportunity to taste Pupusas and actually like them.
I really enjoy your Blog.
Have a nice day.
As for gardening advise…purchase some Preen to keep the weeds under control. Finding time to keep on top of the weeds has been my biggest gardening struggle.
I love gardening because it makes me feel healthier, mentally and physically. In the summer, I love to get my exercise in by weeding and hoeing (you’ll have mega-strong shoulders and back by the end of summer). Anyhoo, the only advice I would give is to use a cucumber trellis so you can save space in your garden. It doesn’t look like you have a ton of room, and happy cucumber vines will go EVERYWHERE. And two, don’t forget to pinch back the basil to prevent flowering. Oh, and tomato cages or really strong stakes are a must for the tomatoes. Good luck with your garden!
Love your blog! As along time veggie gardener here near Washington, DC, i will share my pea growing secret. You don’t need seedlings. Just get pea seeds, which look like dried peas. Soak them for a few hours and then plant them. They can grow on the fence you put up around your raised bed. Peas are so easy and they are quite vigorous from seed, just remember to soak them! Cheers! Beth
I love gardening, my mom taught me a bunch – two tips:
1. Pinch your basil off at the top most leaves and it will grow in to TWO shoots! Do it again a few weeks and you’ll have 4 shoots! Otherwise you will get one spindly shoot and no basil!!!
2. Pinch the “suckers” off your tomato plants, this is where the plant grows two shoots and in between the shoots tiny leaves grow. Pinch off these leaves. This will make your plants make more tomatoes since its not wasting energy on shoots.
Happy gardening!
great tips! I
Love this – thanks!
Excited that you are getting into gardening! You will never want to buy a grocery store tomato again. I found that once I got into home cooking, I soon realized growing my own veggies was the way to go, and it opened up a wonderful world of reconnecting to the earth and where my food comes from. Before you know it, you will be wondering about composting, cold frames, starting plants from seeds in the late winter . . . it is a wonderful world, gardening!
I also recommend just buying a packet of pea seeds and plunking them in the soil. They will need a trellis but they are super easy to do. So will your cukes – need a trellis. You can also grow watermelon vertically on a trellis too! Another tip – I wouldn’t worry about spraying for weeds. I have found with my raised beds that weeds are not too big of a problem as long as I pluck them out when they are small. Just spend a few minutes every day watering when it is hot/dry, hand picking weeds, and you will be amazed at how your plants know what to do. Oh, and don’t feel bad if something doesn’t grow like you want – there is always next year. And don’t go too crazy with the number of plants you want to grow your first year, like I did. It can get overwhelming!
I gardened today and am beat as well – it is a wonderful way to work exercise into a daily routine.
Love your gardening bed, I made my second bed this weekend. I can’t wait to fill it up! Farmer’s Market season is my FAVE time of year in the Midwest!
What a fabulous day! Your garden looks perfect…I’m in awe that you and your mom did that in one afternoon!
those pupusas look delicious! can’t wait to see how your garden turns out.
Hurray for farmer’s market season, both because I love hitting them up myself and because I love to see your pics! Also love your adventures with Iowa Mom, your relationship is so similar to mine & my mom’s.
Gardening is super fun, definitely a workout, but oh so worth it!
We live in Cedar Falls, but try to get down to Des Moines for the farmers market once a month. We were there Saturday, and I had the pupusas – my favorite breakfast item. Did you see the lady mixing the masa in the big vat behind the scenes?
I agree with the earlier comment re: the watermelons. The vines are too vigorous for a small space, and they will take over completely.
Your garden looks amazing, Kristin! You and your mom are a formidable team. You’ve totally inspired me—when I have more space I’m 100% starting a garden.
And I would totally count your garden-building as a workout too. All that digging, lifting, etc.? Absolutely!
Yeah that reminds me I need to get on the ball with my vegetable garden. I weeded it a few weekends ago. time to get to planting! Nice work.
Planting a garden is so much fun! Good luck with it
your planter is big enough for just the watermelon and cucumber alone, those two should be moved or they wont grow well since they don’t have enough room! and get a cage for your tomatoes. everything else looks good
I have always wanted to garden but I have such a brown thumb, I figured I wouldn’t try. Your raised garden looks great. Hope your dinner was a great surprise.
I’m not into gardening at all, but I’m editing a gardening book at the moment
Your veggie patch is adorable!
A heavy application of straw between your rows will help keep weeds down. I like to use this method versus a herbicide. Your garden looks great! I started mine yesterday as well! My favorite part of gardening is the “Harvest party” with friends/family and making a meal from all of the fresh produce. Any reason to get together, right?
All I can say is she is just like your grandfather! A natural with a hammer or drill!
we actually just planted ours this weekend as well! Tomatoes, bell peppers, jalapenos, spinach, green beans, and zucchini. Had to get my snap peas back from my mom to plant, then I’m going to plant cucumbers after June 1st!
I agree with other posters, your bed’s too small for the watermelons, they’ll choke everything out. And, you don’t needs seedlings for anything else you’re planning to plant, just seeds!
You might want to do some research on peas and watermelon because they will not fit in that little area. The watermelon will take over your yard!
Oh I was just going to write the same thing! Watermelon needs room to spread. The peas and cucs can climb a trelis but that watermelon has legs.
Watch out for those watermelon, they LOVE to travel!
Welcome to gardening…once you start you will be doing it forever. It is a very rewarding hobby. We have two raised beds and we are in full growing mode!!
Planning your layout is very important based on plant sizes, height, etc. We never plant creepers in our raised beds (watermelon, cantaloupe, pumpkins, spaghetti squash). The watermelon will take over your bed with the enclosed sides. Plant them separately (maybe out side your fenced yard) once they start growing (and they will spread everywhere) you will not be able to mow the grass around them. Plant the cucumbers at the edge of your bed and have a vertical surface for them to climb. The tomatoes need a good amount of space with cages at one end, make sure their height won’t shade the rest of your garden. The herbs can be planted closer together they won’t take up much space.
It is almost to late to plant kale and spinach (from seed) it is a cold weather vegetable. They are first to plant and first to harvest.
Good Luck and I can’t wait to hear how successful your garden will be!
I love gardening! Two tips–drip irrigation & soapy water (to kill the bad bugs). Wait, third tip–mulch! Get the natural wood kind so it’ll break down and compost into your garden over time. I second the tomato cages comment or else run some hog wire down the middle of your bed and plant your twining things near it.
Just a tip for next year! Since your space is limited, you could consider planting your herbs in pots leaving room for other veggies!
Woot! If I could have made one suggestion it would have been to put landscape fabric under that bed, that grass is going to take over in a few years. At any rate, now all you need is a compost bin to put all of those vegetable scraps in so you will have great soil next year too. I saw where someone posted about using wood mulch, that is not a good idea in my opinion, it sucks the nitrogen out of the soil as it decomposes, it would be better to use straw. Also, if you plant marigolds near your tomatoes it will keep the stink bugs away. Good luck.
I would love to try one of those Papusas! Too bad the Indy Farmer’s market doesn’t have anything like that! Love your blog and recipes. Thanks
I love Duck Races! We have one in my hometown too! Your farmers market looks much more exciting than mine,how did you get the above shots?
And your garden is too cute! I’ve always wanted to do a raised bed but I’m to lazy. I just stick it right in the ground. Great Job!
I was like a kid on Christmas when I woke up Saturday and knew I’d be shoving a pupusa in my face for breakfast! Cute garden, but cucumbers and watermelon will take over EVERYTHING, so make sure you have enough room for them to fine out, or add a trellis for the cucs!
Oh, how I miss the downtown Des Moines farmer’s market…such a good one! Good luck with your veggies!
I’ll have to send you pictures of my raised beds…you might be jealous! Yours looks great!! I have yet to plant most of them, so much rain in NE Iowa recently. I do have tons of volunteer dill and cilantro coming nicely and some freshly planted basil!
Hey if you are at the farmer’s market on May 19th stop by the Blank Park Zoo booth! We’d LOVE to meet you! (We will also have some animals to come check out)
I love gardening! It’s the one area of my life where I feel free to try things and make colossal mistakes! Cause it’ll all be okay! Fresh herbs are awesome. I would also suggest getting parsley, thyme and cilantro if you haven’t already. You won’t regret it.
Gorgeous garden! That is one of my spring projects as well… although we are still in the 50′s here so not quite ready! Soon though…very soon.