What Does a Farmer Do On Halloween?

Well, today is Halloween, but I live too far out to expect any trick or treaters. I haven't done any holiday decorating, unless you count the dead hanging plants on the porch, clods of dirt and leaves at the front door, and bales of soggy straw that seem to be sprouting grass or moss or something green?

Still, I need to protect myself from wandering ghosts and vampires, I guess. So, in the "spirit" of things, I did what any farmer wanna be would do..Plant Garlic!



It's hard to tell in this picture (and I had started sinking them into the dirt) but this bed is laid out with cloves from 4 different varieties of garlic. I got my "seed" from Hood River Garlic, a nice family owned farm in Oregon. This is my first year planting garlic, so I will let you know how it goes. But with four varieties, I should be safe from the ghoulies, right?

So, after hoisting and spreading 150 pounds of cow manure and planting the garlic cloves, I put them to bed under some straw for the winter.



Just to be on the safe side of Halloween, I decided to visit the cemetery that is on our property. Really, I have one! It is an old family plot with graves dating from the late 1800's to 1926.

The oldest grave of a preacher and his wife.

Can you see the hands holding on the top of the stone?







This metal marker is the most recent addition and used to have a paper label. Who thought it was a "lasting memorial" to use paper?


The cemetery is surrounded by old cedar trees and when they die, they become appropriately creepy and skeletal.



The cemetery needs a bit of tidying. Maybe this winter, we can clean out some of the leaves and downed trees and make the old family plot a little more presentable. In the mean time, I have paid my respects to them and plan to stay out of there tonight!! Even 4 varieties of freshly planted garlic might not be enough to protect me otherwise. Unless I pelt the creepies with the garlic and am unerring in my aim!