Call me Chook

     I followed through yesterday on my promise to give lettuce and arugula to Barb and Em.  Both daughters joined into cold frame mania last fall for the first time.  I am remiss to have failed to take pictures of Barb's THREE cold frames.  Her husband Rob salvaged their sliding glass doors that their Husky had ravaged and got an "A" for his first solo construction job.  With the double pane doors, her veggies are way ahead of mine in their new spring growth.  I certainly would expect little resistance from Barb about planting her frames more heavily for the season next year.

Straw Bale Frame 2/20/11

     Emily and husband Mike host a Halloween party for friends and family in the fall.  Mike has access to a full size tractor and trailer, the beginnings of a top notch hay ride.  All the kids, maybe twelve or more, fill the space in the trailer.  Adults have to trek around while the little candy grabbers ride in luxury.  Still, a good time is had by all.  Lonely straw bales at the end of the day.  A golden opportunity for Pop to get rid of the nasty old storm windows stored in the garage for decades.  Mom thanks you Em.
     Last fall, Emily and I put the bales around some existing plants in her garden, and moved some others.  An instant cold frame.  Unlike her Pop who worries and coddles and tries to insulate his veggies, Emily ignored her charges over the cold winter.  She was shocked and pleasantly rewarded to see beautiful Swiss Chard and various lettuces happily growing through the hard winter.  Em, as I suggested yesterday, things could use a little water.
     The conclusion I make is that these veggies are far hardier than we expect.  Given just a little protection from the Winds of Winter, they will reward you with some wonderful winter greens.  I should have tried one bed uninsulated to see what would have happened.  Call me chicken.  Faced with the same conditions next year, I will put the extra plastic layer inside.  Simple to do and remove, a little insurance for my veggies.  Maybe I won't awake at night to worry about my veggies.
     So I have a question.  Having read about the adventures of many of our Australian or New Zealand bloggers keeping chooks instead of chickens, I wonder if the phrase there is "Call me chook"?