This one’s a good, simple March day on the homestead—just the kind I’m thankful for. While Meagan and the kids were gone till after lunch, I got the garden laid out and ready: string lines for straight rows, and my little hoe that works as both my measuring stick and my planting tool. Folks might look at that garden and think it’s still “trashy” with leaves and old corn stubble, but I’ve got it mixed in good and it’ll rot out over the season without hurting a thing. The big thing is, planting transplants like cabbage lets me dig down into good soil for the roots, even if there’s rough stuff on top. When everybody got back, we put in stonehead cabbage, some red cabbage (we’re trying again), a little broccoli, and then I planted another bundle of candy onions—because I messed up the first ones. I got the bright idea to wet them while they sat, and I’m pretty sure I caused them to rot, so this time I left them dry in the box like they came. Later, we all sat down and cut seed potatoes—red New Orleans, red Pontiacs, and Vikings—making sure each piece had eyes, and then we’ll let those cuts scab over about a week before planting (hopefully by the moon signs, if weather cooperates). It’s simple work, but it’s the kind that pulls everybody together.