Growing GREEN...

With all of the recent rains everything is growing green crazy.   The weeds and grass are out of control.  Corn has been struggling to outpace the weeds but at least it's knee high.   We won't have fresh corn for July 4th, but we should have some by the end of summer.

 Still seeing male flowers on the squash plants and not much spreading.   Keeping our fingers crossed that good weather will speed things up a bit.

We have green tomatoes and green peppers.   More sun-time should see them ripening to red and orange.   I can almost taste that BLT!!!  Of course the beans are supposed to be green and we're starting to see more and more of those.   

The chickens have been enjoying the heat and sunshine.  Sriracha managed to find both a shady and sunny spot for his daily dust bath.

I wish I made note of the person I purchased the quail peeps from at Gilmanor.   The Manchurian Gold variety is really getting attractive.   They are pale palomino ground with dustings of gold feathers along their back and wings.  Looking forward to seeing their offspring.

At SpringFest I purchased some of these cactus flower zinnia.  I wasn't sure if I would like them, but they really are attractive, like Dahlia.   I also purchased some calendula officinalis.  Not sure if these are truly that variety.  They're rather frilly like the French marigolds.   Still pretty and keeping the pests away.

I'm also thrilled with the Hostas I purchased at Spring Fest.   They look so nice next to the pond.   And the lotus is sending up its leaves!  I can't wait to see those first flowers.

Official Start Of Summer

The official start of summer is just around the corner and you can tell by the weather today.  Hot, hot, hot and humid.

Remember the corn that was two feet tall on May 19th...well look at it now.  It is already six feet tall and setting ears.

Looks like we might have fresh corn on the cob in time for the 4th.    Corn is probably the only crop that can take 'hot' manure and it sure does help it grow!

There are plenty of other starting to take off.  The tomatoes are setting fruit too and it's so hard to be patient.  I can almost taste that first BLT of the summer...  Hopefully we'll have some of those in time for the holiday as well.   Enjoy the photos from around the farm!

Fresh Berries

Red Okra

Endless Summer Hydrangea

Black Langshan Rooster

Oakleaf Hydrangea blossoms

Hulless Oats Cover Crop

Three Sisters - Floriani dent corn, yellow squash and Violetta beans

Carolina Ruby Sweet Potato slip

Plenty of Rain and Lots of Green

Now that the rains have ended and the floods receded everything is greening up.

This is a picture of what is normally dry ground in the woods along the Northeast property line.  Definitely an area where we won't be doing any planting!

Of course the plants are all loving the extra moisture and blooming like mad.

The corn planted one month ago is already a foot tall.   Looks like we may have fresh corn on the cob in time for July 4th.   Corn ADORES chicken poop fertilizer!

And I am so happy to finally see the mulberry tree beginning to make fruit.   Can't wait to test some recipes for preserves and maybe even wine!

The raspberries are making fruit too.

Looking forward to a productive summer!

Hot Weather is HERE!

It looks like Central Virginia has gone from winter straight into summer.   Eighty degree days this weekend, but hot or not, it was time to get the field work done.

The corn went in on Thursday while the other vegetable beds were cleared for planting.   This  year we decided to put up fencing that should keep the chickens and (hopefully) deer out of the market gardens.  

Carrots, onions and potatoes were set out in our half barrel system for root crops.  We like to keep edible root crops in sterile soils each year.   Netting is needed over these too or the chickens will harvest the greens long before maturity.

The cover crops have done well keeping the weeds under control.    Can you find the four leafers in these two clusters of clover?

How 'bout now?

The chickens have moved into production gear.  We're getting plenty of eggs for Easter.   $4.00 per dozen for local pickup/delivery.   The quails are just starting to lay.  We should see more of their eggs as the season progresses.

 

And Ashe says HAPPY EASTER!