Planning for next year's garden, chicken shopping

[femkes_follies]

I'm trying to figure out what all to do for next year's garden stuff. I think I shall take rectangularcat's advice, and plant my wheat samples in containers this fall. I may or may not manage to get a whole stand in the ground to play with.

I'm debating about some kind of cover crop. It's a little hard for me, as I have no tiller. Therefore, I have to strip out the cover crop before I plant. Which rather defeats the purpose of "green manure." Though I suppose I could throw it on the compost pile, and then work in finished compost.

I also want some fruit trees. Maybe I can get a few seedlings started now, the better to graft in the spring. If I get my act together earlier this year, there should be some decent scion wood available. Now... where in the yard? Maybe I'll line the walkway with some espaliers.

And I must say that chicken shopping is just fun:

http://www.gabbardhatchingeggs.com/shop.html

Might have to expand the coop a little next year. I'd like some Welsummers, and maybe some French Marans.