Every single day I go out to see if my raised beds have any sprouts..........

After searching for seed...I didn't realize how difficult it would be to find organic seed for all the shallots and garlic I wanted, so I waited until the last moment and had to visit practically every web site to find it, I planted shallots and garlic for the first time this season.  French grey, French red, and Dutch yellow shallots are all in their own raised beds, protected from birds with netting on top and from gophers with heavy cardboard underneath.  I'm hoping the cardboard works or else I will have fat, happy gophers!  

Every day I go out to see if I have any green sprouting up and I understand why we have small children plant radishes, beans, corn, and other seeds that sprout quickly!  I just want to dig them up a little to see if anything is happening.  

I can't wait for the shallots to be ready to add dimension to my meals, a sweet side taste to the dishes I cook. 

The garlic is a little better.  I have five rows of garlic in my eastern most plot of dirt.  Finally I have small fingers of green popping up.  It is so exciting!  

 I can smell the aroma of garlic, sizzling in olive oil, ready for the tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and squash...mmmmmm!