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Before I can share my funniest garden experience I need to explain I have over 30 years of gardening experience. That said I have to say my funniest garden experience was just this past spring. Although at the time it did not seem funny at all now, I for one can laugh at the whole situation.

Spring started like any other spring in Michigan. Rain one day sunny the next, warm then cold, seldom knowing what to expect until the day was on us. On the nicer days I spent sun up to sun down preparing the area where the garden would be. It was a newly tilled space about 100 X 100 feet which meant lots and lots of weeding and hauling rocks. On the in-climate days I planned what to plant and had a good idea of where everything would go and how many plants.

During that time I also set about starting many of my garden plants inside because of our short growing period. I would soak seeds in my version of seed starter dishes a paper plate with 2 sheets of paper towel inserted in a gallon size plastic bag. The seeds go between the pieces of paper towel which is dampened (don't close the bag just slide the plate in) and label the bag with what type of seeds are inside. I checked my seeds' almost daily.

Once the seeds sprouted they were then transferred to small pots containing potting soil and placed in a sunny window. A few things had to be transplanted again before the fear of frost pasted but for the most part they were happy and doing well in the plastic 6 pack holders I have saved from previous years of buying already started plants. Watering and turning daily I had a good start on my garden.

Ok, I can hear you saying now, "This doesn't sound funny it sounds like a lot of work." Well, it was. Lots and lots of work, sweat, and tears but I love gardening, working the soil, and dreaming of the fresh fruits and vegetables to come from my efforts.

One concern in Michigan with gardening is always the animal life of the wild nature: moles, squirrels, raccoons, and most damaging deer which we have in our backyard almost daily. My landlord fenced the garden area, I ran yellow caution tape around the area yes, Michigan deer are smart and can read Caution Do Not Enter' (really they don't like the noise the tape makes when the wind blows or the color yellow). What I did not take into consideration were the 50 some free range chickens that house just a few yards from my garden.

If you don't know, free range means they come and go as they like including over the fence that was meant to protect

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