gophers kidnapped julia child

ugh

double ugh

triple ugh

a couple of weeks ago, we planted 61 gorgeous tomato plants...all in a row, perfectly spaced, bordered by marigolds. it took hours.

2 days later we noticed that rabbits had nibbled on the leaves of a few, and 2 plants had disappeared completely

i drove to town, picked up supplies and fashioned a secondary fence to protect the plants

6 more plants disappeared....and fresh gopher mounds appeared in their place

we planted gopher bombs, traps and ran water in the tunnels...and went to bed

the next day, all looked good

3 days later...

julia child was gone

a special tomato that i can only imagine would have been colorful and plump

a real vivor

 we will never know

a gopher kidnapped julia child and michael pollan and 40 other tomato plants

this is what the tomato patch looked like when it was all said and done

decimated

no ransom notes, just holes, mounds of dirt & tipped name plates--where julia, michael, cherokee and others once stood

rather than feed another generation of gophers, we pulled the plants, and are starting again.  we transferred the plants to larger pots as a transitional step.  it was slightly heartbreaking, as they were  rooting really well, and had begun to sprout roots from the deeply planted stalks.  i gave them a good feeding and mixed up a delicious soil (1 part dirt: 1 part organic potting soil: 1 part compost) and crossed my fingers

today

the plants we saved are doing very well...and should produce a nice healthy crop of tomatoes

soon

we will plant again. in gopher safe-raised beds

(this post is from my other blog which catalogs our journey on our new ranch--www.keepingupwiththeclampetts.blogspot.com)

keeping up with the clampetts (new blog)

i am city folk

however

an old dog can learn new tricks

if

milking a goat

is considered a trick

we are making a move

first emotionally

then

physically

you can follow our progress

through a new blog

written with two voices

mine 

and

hubster

the words aren't

stylized

or

triple worked

the photos

unfiltered

just simply

the happenings

our feelings

triumphs

and

stumbles

with

lots of humor

beginning with the name

we were trying to think of names for the ranch

and summer was in full swing

what was green in the spring 

is now brown

hubs affectionately began calling the place

brown acres

and 

i added in a tag line

keeping up with the clampetts

save for the 

occasional surprise pregnancy and trial separation

(livestock only)

will be more

jed and granny

than

kim and any poor soul with a k as his first initial

as we were making a list of all the equipment we need to purchase

we thought

we really should call this blog

honey i shrunk the nest egg

all references to pop culture

more accurately (gran)pop culture

hey

it is our blog

and we will call it what we want

even 

if it is only funny to us

i do hope

you follow along

so you will be good and ready

when we need a house-sitter 

follow us here

Keeping Up With The Clampetts