Monday, June 16, 2014

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

Thursday, May 22, 2014

TERRAMOTO!

So there we were at 9:48 p.m. last night, already settled into bed, being lulled into sleep by the slow, steady humm of the ceiling fan, when suddenly the air conditioner kicks in.  Then it made a huge BOOM and the house started to shake.  Did the furnace explode?  No, wait, it was only thunder, the weather predicted thunderstorms for the evening, except it's not stopping and it's like, rolling westward, underground.  No thunder this...it is an earthquake!   

It wasn't a big one, nothing compared to the Louisa quake of 2011, and certainly not even a blip by California standards, only 3.2 on the Richter scale.  Nothing even fell off the wall; but the epicenter  was only a mile or two from our home.  And it was LOUD.   Like someone was rolling tanks through our crawl space.   Particularly startling when you are just beginning to fall asleep.

Today we waited for the rain.   And waited...and waited, while Richmond and points east were hammered with hail and tornadoes.  The corn is still thirsty.  Can we expect locusts tomorrow? 

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Spring Fest 2014

I really meant to post about this a few weeks back, but somehow time just keeps getting away from me.

For those that don't already know, the Goochland and Powhatan Master Gardeners put on an annual Spring Fest of garden related classes and a fantastic plant sale at the Goochland campus of J.Sargeant Reynolds Community College.   The day is divided into three sessions, each about an hour and a half long with several class choices during each session.  I learned how to make a hypertufa container, how to select the right tomato for my needs and all about hydrangeas.   I always learn something new and meet some great people.  Of course I also purchased quite a few plants; some from private vendors and many more from the students in the college's Ag program.   All in all it was a gorgeous day and I had lots of fun.

This big old cherry tree was in full bloom and every time a breeze came along, the pink petals rained down.  It was beautiful.




I'll be making a series of 'Tufa troughs like the one below for growing root crop along our front walk where the half barrels are now.   Can't wait to play!








Of course I went Hosta crazy.  This is a really nice vendor --- PlantSmart   It was a good thing the event has a holding area for all of our purchases while we are in class!



Monday, May 19, 2014

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!

Sunday, April 13, 2014

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!






Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Tis the Season

For hatching chicks, starting seeds and SNEEZING!  Yup, the trees are mating and sending their pollen everywhere.   A GREAT way to deal with the seasonal allergies without drug is to use local honey.   Make sure it comes from a source within a fifty mile radius of where you spend most of your time.   A teaspoon every day (or even once a week) really does help.  And it's soooooo sweet too.

The hubby finished my new compost tumbler.   It's loaded up and ready to make that rich organic fertilizer!




Some of our new Dominique chicks, now four weeks old.  Those with more white in their barring are likely to be males.  So far it looks like three boys and seven girls.   We'll have to wait and see how they mature.



And Heathcliff's first group of offspring is now almost two weeks old.   They are just starting to get that downy bump where the crest feathers will come in.    So easy to tell the boys from girls with this autosexing breed.  Four males and seven females.  Can you pick out the boys?  There are also four black Langshan youngsters in the brooder too.



Saturday, March 29, 2014

Could it finally be SPRING?!

Hopefully we've seen the last of the snow!   The spare bedroom is full of chick brooders.  While it's fun to have them close at hand to watch them grow, it's hot as Hades with the heat lamps on.  And now that they are feathering out, the peep dust is everywhere!

For those that still don't believe dinosaurs could be related to chickens I offer this photo as Exhibit A...what do you think?   Mini T-rex?