I know what you are thinking.
CARDBOARD boat????  You can't be serious.  Cardboard soaks up water -- you'd be nuts to make a BOAT out of cardboard!!!
Well that is exactly what I thought too.

But to participate in the Morgan County 4th of July Cardboard Boat Regatta, you have to make a boat out of cardboard.  The other thing you can use is duct tape -- which we feel is the real secret to success.  The more duct tape the better.  (In fact sometimes I think the better name should be the Duct Tape Boat Regatta.)  But before I tell you all the secrets, first I will tell you about how the whole thing got started.

One thing you should know about The Compost King he that he is full of ideas.  (Some of them are brilliant, and some of them are crazy ;)).  He also is involved with the Morgan Area Chamber of Commerce.  Four years ago, the chamber had a meeting and were trying to brainstorm ideas to improve the County's Fourth of July Celebration.   The Compost King said, "I have a great idea that I think would be really fun and  work well because of the river that runs right through the fairgrounds and park.  I can tell you the idea, but I am so busy with other things right now, I cannot do anything to help make it happen." 

They wanted to hear the idea. 

"A cardboard boat regatta.  The boats could be in the morning parade (thus adding to Morgan's Fourth Parade), and the boats could run the river in the hot afternoon.  It would be fun for spectators and participants alike."

Then he left the meeting.

The people in the meeting loved the idea, and it took off like wildfire!  Several people called him that first year and said, "You won't believe what you started with your idea!"

Though I must admit, when he first told me about it, I thought he was crazy. 

The first year, most of the boats went down pretty fast (as in sunk underwater!), but there was one boat (the winning boat) that made it to the end all in one piece -- and with the riders still dry!  So then we knew it was possible and everyone really seemed really excited to scale it up for the next year.

That second year Wild Valley Farms entered it's first boats.  We did two.  A LARGE BARGE and a WOOL SKIFF.

At first we looked it upon online and considered boat patterns and designs.  But when we finally got down to it, we had to make do with the cardboard shapes that we had.  And we just started covering everything in duct tape!!!  

The WOOL SKIFF did so well that afterwards we put it on a shelf in the shed and saved it.  This year the boys wanted to lengthen it (hoping to stabilize it better).   So we added a little more cardboard and a lot more duct tape.

Then they hopped in.

Cardboard and duct tape.  Down the river.  Dodging boulders and low hanging tree branches.  

This event was fun to do and fun to watch. ​

This post has had little to do with gardening, but what I wanted you to learn from it is this:
1. Don't be afraid to speak up and plant a little seed of an idea (even if your wife thinks you are crazy), you never know what it might become. :) 
2. Things that you think are impossible may be possible with enough duct tape.

I hope that you had a fun and adventurous 4th of July.  I hope you are finding a way to stay cool and that you are keeping all your plants hydrated and lush and enjoying the beautiful sunshine. 

Happy Gardening and Happy Fourth.  I love this country.

-The Compost Queen

Warmer weather means spending more time outside which also means more gardening! There are so many different products that are needed to get your garden started. Lets talk about the two main products:  compost and mulch. But just how much compost and mulch do you need for your yards? Do you know the difference between compost and mulch and also why they are needed? Lets get down to the nitty gritty and explain it all.

To make it simple, here is a step by step on how to calculate how much your yard requires.
First measure the area of you garden (Length x Width).
Divide the area of you garden by 27
Finally, Divide your answer by 6 for 2 inch deep soil. Divide by 4 for 3 inch deep soil, or divide by 3 for 4 inch deep soil.

What exactly is compost? Compost is a biologically active material that results in decomposition of organic matter under controlled circumstances! Compost is considered a conditioner, not a fertilizer  because it can retain and make existing nutrients readily available for plants! Wild Valley Farms sells its on compost called Terra zest. Our premium organic and all natural Terra Zest is a special blend of manure, sawdust, and hygroscopic fiber (wool). We combine these products carefully to ensure your plants, lawn, trees or garden vegetables can get the full nutritional value needed for root development. Our premium Terra Zest will help your soil retain moisture and works as a slow release fertilizer that lasts all year long, (unlike chemical fertilizers that only last for a few weeks), and our Terra Zest won’t burn your lawn or plants. It is safe for use around children or pets immediately after use. Best part about our Terra Zest?  It's all natural, organic and local!

One last product to talk about! Mulch. Mulch is easy, it can either be any organic or non-organic matter. It is something you put down over top of the soil. A few of the benefits from mulch is that it can help regulate soil temperatures and prevent weeds. Score! It also comes in 5 different colors.. Colored Mulches are a great way to add color and personality to your home or business while suppressing weeds and helping to maintain moisture in your soil.

Hopefully this quick how to post helped with deciding on how much compost and/or mulch needed for your yards! Compost and mulch are great additives to plants and lawns. They both bring out the best in the plants and have some of the most amazing benefits. So why not click on the two products listed below and get them into your yards today! 

We all love things that are easy and fool proof. You would never guess that they are plants that are easy and fool proof! Win win! Wether you are hands on or just want something to help make your yards look beautiful during the spring and summer time, This is for you!

As with any plant, flower or shrub, do your research before deciding what to plant and taking care of it once it is inserted into your gardens! Whether you love shrubs or flowers, there is a plant for everyone! Depending on your style, there is more high maintenance and ones that are very low maintenance! We also carry some awesome supplies to help keep your gardens looking beautiful and strong all year long! 

One of the best things about spring is all the beautiful flowers. There are so many different shapes, sizes and colors! But one of the down sides is that some types only last for a certain amount of time. Have you ever wondered what flowers could last all year long? Wether you are an experienced gardener or just starting out, here are six different and unique flowers that bloom all year! 

These are just a few of the many flowers that bloom all year. Need some supplies to help you get started or just to top off your stash? Check out are awesome supplies! 

Spring is finally here! Which means warmer weather, longer days and gardening. Gardening can be a fun  way to get out of the house and get into the sun! With so many different types of flowers, bushes and trees to choose from, how can you know which ones are right for you and your garden? Here are a few helpful tips on choosing the right plants for you!

Do you know one of the common problems with gardening and planting flowers? Getting plants that are too big! It's really easy to look at the current size of a plant in a pot and plan accordingly to that! But did you know that plants actually grow bigger once they are in the ground? You don't want to crowd the plants because then you're going to have do extra work of moving them around later. Just make sure when you are purchasing the plants, you know how big they will be once full grown.

This is an easy one! We all know that plants need some type of nutrients to help them grow. Soil is a main factor! With soil being such an important factor, two great soils are intelli-soil and soft soil. Our intelli-soil is great for house plants, hanging pots and even outside plants! It's specially formulated growing mix to help your plants grow and great looking plants with little maintainance. It's also enriched with wool pellets  to help through whole growing season! Soft soil which is another great option it is packed with nutrients and it's great for raised garden beds! Don't forget your wool pellets! Wool pellets help your gardens by holding up to 20% their weight in water so it reduces the amount of time spent watering, they also wick away water to help reduce overwatering and they increase porosity for optimal root growth!  

There are definitely more tips and tricks when it comes to picking flowers for your garden and these just a few! Always remember that it's your garden, so you do what you want! Make it your own, add your style, interests anything! Show us pictures of your gardens in the comments below! 

Have you ever wondered how or why wool pellets are such a good idea? Especially when it comes to gardening and use in your yards? There are many reason as to why wool pellets are a good investment!
It is an all Natural, 100% organic, single ingredient fertilizer.  Which means it is either made of one singe ingredient or a combination of three others. Ours is a perfect balance of three nutrients, it contains 9% nitrogen, 1% phosphorus and 2% potassium. All together, those ingredients help with overall plant strength, flower and fruit development, root growth and water balance. 

Do you know where wool pellets come from? They come from our sheep (and other farmers sheep) every spring! Its that time of year again! Once the sheep is sheered, the main fleece from the sheep is sold to make clothes! Then the belly wool and "tags", wool from the back end of the sheep, is used to make the wool pellets. Exciting right? I love knowing where my products come from!
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There are many reasons as to why wool pellets are a good investment for your gardens and these are just a few! Wool pellets are also made from 100% raw waste wool from U.S farmers! Who doesn't love locally grown products? I know I do! Here is are a couple of products that would work great with wool pellets! Check them out! 

Let's get started with the basics of gardening. Soil or potting mix. We've all been there trying to decide what soil to use in our yards, gardens or plants. But have you noticed there are many of different types of soil? It can become overwhelming and frustrating! Well I'm here to break it down for you and address the real issue of gardening. Soil vs Potting Mix. 

Let's get the first question out of the way. What exactly is soil? Soil is a mixture of sand, silt and organic matter that supports plant growth. Soil is not dirt. Plants grow in soil. There is a couple different options when it comes to choosing which soil is right for your needs! 

The first options is topsoil. Some topsoil brands have a mixture of a natural layer that has formed at the surface from rock, decomposition, wind and water movement. Or what you already have in your yards. Here at Wild Valley Farms we have a topsoil is that from farm ground and has been screened to create a premium consistent product that does not have any rock or other debris. Head over to our products page and check out our Topsoil!

Ok, here is the second option, enriched topsoil. Enriched topsoil is a mixture of topsoil and organic matter or compost. The organic matter in enriched topsoil helps improve the quality of the soil for better plant growth. Ours is called "SoftSoil". Our soft soil is perfect for your raised garden beds or anywhere you need a ton of packed nutrients! Gardens will thrive on the range of nutrients needed to maintain root health and give you that beautiful garden full of fruits and vegetables.

Now that we have broken down the difference between the two, how do you know which one to buy and when? If you are just looking to fill maybe some holes or spots in your yard, topsoil is your go to. If you are wanting to help your fruits grow and get all those pack nutrients, use enriched topsoil or Soft Soil. 

Now we are onto the other side of gardening. When and why to use potting mix.  Potting mix is used in container gardening, such as your big potter plants or the tiny seedling plants in your homes. The best quality potting mixes don't contain soil (dirt). We call it soil because that is what we grow plants in. Our intelli-soil is a special formulated growing mix that is ready to use in your raised garden beds, hanging baskets and outside pots! Who doesn't love a good ready to use mix? I know I do! Here are a couple cool facts about our intelli-soil! 

• Intelli-soil has the nutrition needed for the whole growing season so all you need to do is add water.
• Intelli-soil retains more water in the soil to help reduce watering needs by 25%.
• Intelli-soil will not compact with watering maintaining porosity for strong root development.

Gardening can be super fun! But it can also be pretty expensive. If you're like me then you're always looking for an inexpensive way to bring your garden to life. I'll let you in on a few gardening hacks that may help you out. These hacks are great because they include many things that you probably already have around your home. They're cost effective and will definitely be a conversation starter!

What gardener doesn't want cute healthy seedling plants in their home.  Well, here is a simple and easy gardening hack that can be found in your fridge. Eggshells! Who would've thought? The eggshells are rich in calcium which helps promote plant growth. Here is all you need to do. Start by making a pinhole in the top of the egg. Use a knife to cut off the top 1/3 of the eggshell and drain the yoke.  (You can also use cracked egg shells but make sure there is enough shell to create a container you can fill with some of our intelli-soil.) Throw in a little soil, plant the seeds, give them a little love and water, and walla! There you have a cute little seedling! 
(Here's helpful tip: Don't through away the carton just yet, use it as a base to store and transport the plants without dropping them! )

 You may think I'm crazy now, but just bare with me. Spring is a great time because everything is coming back into bloom. This next hack uses a citrus peel as a pot. Citrus peels are full of nutrients and can be used as an easy and inexpensive decorative pot item. Just simply take half of your citrus peel and fill it with Intelli-soil!

We all love big, heavy planting pots, but moving them is a whole different story. Usually I want to move them when my husband is at work and he can't help me. Here's a helpful hack just for that. Grab your pot and fill the bottom third of it with foam peanuts. The foam peanuts remove a lot of the weight and also increase drainage! Cover the foam peanuts with landscape fabric and fill the remaining space in the pot with intelligent-soil. This next step is super easy. Just grab your seeds and start planting away! 
Remember to check out these cute planter pots that Wild Valley Farms has to offer!

If you're like me and you're tired of the mess that your decorative planting pots leave behind, this hack is for you.  Simply place a coffee filter in the bottom of your tiny planting pot before adding Intelli-soil. Your little coffee filter will help to prevent soil from seeping out the bottom of your pot while watering. Fill your pot with Intelli-soli and as your little plant grows, it will be thankful for that coffee filter. 

One of the best things about gardening is transforming a space into something of beauty. Planning, nurturing, working, and cultivating such a space not only awakens life to thrive in the small garden space but also inspires life within us.
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In recent years, gardeners old and young have been combining crafting and gardening into a space to create fun and whimsical fairy worlds. These small spaces exist among your already established flowerbeds, nestled under a tree, or can be created in pots and boxes of their own.  They can be created on scales large and small and crafted by your or have many store-bought elements added. They can blend in seamlessly with your landscape becoming almost hidden in plain sight or burst with color.

These are such fun and unique little projects that require ingenuity and imagination and cultivate a love of growing things, rather than the mundane task of weeding kids often associate with gardening.  

Here are some fun and unique ways you can create your very own fairy garden with your kids, grand-kids, or just for your own enjoyment to be enjoyed in and outdoors.

Creating a world where tiny little people, animals, and fairies can live and love is a great way to set your kids imaginations running.  Try inspiring them with a trip to the library to check out a few great books and movies to watch.

Here are just a few to get you started: 
Bridge to Terabithia, Tinkerbell, Epic, The Borrowers, Smurfs, Indian in the cupboard, Night at the Museum, Tumbelina, The secret world of Arrietty, Horton Hears a Who, The Littles, Peter Pan, Gnomeo & Juliet,  and Strawberry Shortcake.​

Next, brainstorm what they (the fairies) might need or enjoy in their world.  Drawing out some of those things is a fun exercise in creativity. Check out Pinterest board, Fairy Gardening for some great ideas and do-it-yourself crafts (she even has fairy bicycles). ImgSave.me has tons of photos for you to browse through. My Fairy Gardens website is a store to behold with hundreds of themed items to get you thinking. But don’t get daunted by thinking of the cost as we’ll show you many great low-cost and even recycling options.

The next step is planning and preparation.  Decide where and what your fairy world will live in.  Map out some of the plants and structural elements you want to include, both the natural and crafted. There are options to fit every skill, time, and imagination. From the tiniest teacup to an expansive garden box. These elements don’t have to be expensive. They can come from your own yard and garden, a nature walk, your local nursery, or craft and dollar stores.

CONTAINERS

A fairy garden can be a tiny part of your existing flowerbeds. Pick a location under a tree or near a rock outcropping or stump.  
You may also choose to create something new in a unique or fun container or box.  A hollowed out stump, painted pale, teacup, or an old wooden box is fun options.
Yard sale finds can be great choices too.  A fishbowl, old birdbath, empty cake pans, and baskets make great fairy gardens.

This video has some fun ideas.

SOIL

Choosing a nutrient-rich soil like our Terra Zest is a perfect environment for your succulents and tiny plants to thrive.  Because it is all natural and chemical free, Terra Zest is safe for little hand to play in. To help with watering and slow release, all natural fertilizing, be sure to mix in a bag of Wool Pellets.

PLANT CHOICES

When selecting plants, be sure to note the mature sizes so they won’t overcrowd and dwarf your little world. You can, however, plant larger growing ones in a container for one season and then transplant them as they out grow your fairy garden. Succulents are the most popular plants to add in and near your fairy garden.  Some great choices are hens and chicks and sedum.  Don't forget about adding in some great herbs like creeping thyme.  Ferns, moss, miniature petunias and daisies, along with many varieties ​of ground cover, and strawberries can make a unique and fun little world for your fairies.​

Check out this how-to video to make a one season only fairy garden

To make your fairy garden stand out and be completely different from your normal garden, you will need to add elements that make it feel like it’s a world of its own

NATURAL ELEMENTS

Pieces that are naturally found in nature look beautiful in fairy gardens. You can leave them in their rustic state, or craft them into something else entirely.  A few examples are a birdhouse, twig latter, twig door, sand and pebble pathways, furniture from twigs and painted rocks, moss covered dwellings, driftwood and decaying tiny logs, water features, log slices, moss pathways, seashells, gourds, and coral.

STORE BOUGHT AND HANDMADE ELEMENTS 

Bring everyday living to life with touches of home. The ideas are endless, from rivers, paths, waterfalls, to every type of home, swing, work and leisure items around.  Really use your imagination here. Some elements you can add, buy, or make are: fake flowers, popsicle stick bench, mini bird bath with small terra cotta pots or teacups and saucers, handmade tent/ tee-pee, colored rock pathway, fake birds, night lighthouses made from water bottles,  hot glue gun waterfall, fairies, river, and mushrooms just to name a few.
The dollhouse aisle at our local craft store will have endless choices right down to miniature gardening tools.

Check out these other fun gardening things to do with your kids this summer.