Time to 365 Again

Back in the day when I was blogging up a storm, I also gained a lot of joy and friendships from photography groups.  One of the things I've missed over the years is doing a 365 project.  So yesterday on Lughnasa, I took the day marking the beginning of the harvest season to begin to cultivate my photography again.  I'll be doing daily posts on my Instagram, then will post a monthly recap here. 😃

Yup, I'm a Meme

 Have you seen all the memes and Tik Toks making their way around the interwebs about being over 50 and the growing interest in birdwatching?  Well, yup, we are those people! 😂  The wildlife on the farm has increased dramatically over time and with it, the variety of birds has diversified.  Recently we bought a Netvue Next bird feeder that has a built in video camera and identifies the species of birds that stop by.  

It even has an alarm on it so that I can scare off the occasional pesky squirrel! 

I've got to say it has been so fun!  I may have to add the optional hummingbird feeder attachment in the future as they are suddenly popping up everywhere now too.  Have you started any new hobbies as your aging?

I'm Back!

The other night as I was sitting on the porch and watching the first fireflies of the season dance through the yard I began to reflect on this space.  So much has changed over the years since I last wrote here.  I hope some of my old friends find this space again as I pick up the pen (or should I say hammer on the keyboard) again; and I welcome anyone new who wants to join in!

The years have flown by in a flash!  They were equal parts achieving milestones, breathtakingly busy; and going through seasons of heartbreak, joy, struggle, resiliance and accomplishment.  The kids are starting their adult lives with Rhiannon beginning pastry school and living in North Carolina, and Charles entering his Junior year in college. B and I have gotten a little older and wiser and are now jumping into our lives as empty nesters with both feet.  In the days ahead I will be updating goings on here on the farm and new adventures we embark on as we enter a new and exciting phase of life.  

If you'd like to hear a bit about me go here.
To check out some farm recipes of the past go here.

In The Garden :: July 9, 2016

As we have had a tremendous amount on our plates so far this summer, I have been remiss in posting.  I hope that as we move through the height of the garden season, that I can keep up! :)  The promise of mid-summer abounds with the garden in full swing and beginning to deliver.  The above elderflowers are about to make their way into mead.  B has not done a batch in a few years and instead of foraging for the flowers, the ones we planted long ago are starting to produce in spades.

The sugar snap peas (foreground) and the sunchokes (back) are beautiful.  The sunchokes, our first year with this perineal, are almost as tall as B right now.  The peas, as quite typical for us are so robust we cannot keep up with them.  Shaded in between the two at ground level is a patch of endive.

The summer squash are well on their way and we should be harvesting our first full size napa cabbages this weekend.  Brussel sprouts, broccoli and storage cabbages are also well on their way.  We will have plenty of horseradish and garlic to share, as we watch them take over their various beds.

We have five different kinds of beans this year.  Four green beans and a row of soybeans.  The large squash to the left is a volunteer coming back on it's own from last year.  We also have a volunteer cucumber.  Both plants have given us small early yields to whet our appetite as the smaller plants mature.

We have done primarily roma tomatoes for canning and salsa, but have plenty of cherry tomatoes for snacking.  Peppers and eggplant are also just beginning to flower.

We have a bed of storage onions which are coming along nicely.  We will think them during the summer as we need them and should still have a number to add to the root cellar.

This morning we did our initial harvest of red currants.  It looks like we may get another batch in the next week or so.  As I write, they are simmering on the stove so that we can extract the juice for jelly.  It may not look like it but the garden is smaller this year as we focus on just sustaining ourselves and our storage needs for the off season.  It will be fun to see what we can accomplish.

Catching Up

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly time can get away from us.  It has been a busy month with spring sports, wrapping up school, and having family in town visiting.  I cannot believe that it is June already; each day has been full.  Much like the baby robins above have matured rapidly in just one week, time has flown in the blink of an eye.  My free moments have left me tongue tied of late and been more for quiet reflection while basking in the abundant sunshine and reading the words of others rather than formulating my own.

The weather has been amazing and the garden is humming away. This weekend we will seed the remaining summer crops.  B purchased 60 feet of mining conveyor belt which he is re-purposing into circular raised Mellon and squash beds.

B has also been working on a solar heating system for the pool which is just about finished and should work wonderfully.  

Our chicks are set to arrive just prior to mid-month and I look forward to raising a new flock of egg layers along with this seasons meat birds.  We have had quite a drought of eggs from our aging and diminishing flock this year and I am looking forward to an abundance of eggs once again this fall.  So with the expectation of their arrival we have moved the chicken tractor to new digs behind the garden.

The peonies are just starting to open.  This year the evolution is seamless.  We had two full weeks of lilacs blooming, and just as the final buds have withered, the peonies are making their entrance.

We are getting scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and after the mornings work, it is a welcome respite, to sit back listen to the rain and gaze upon the progress.  As we weeded, trimmed and reorganized a few things in the garden this morning, we found the fruits of our labor from propagating our own monarch haven.  We have a mini milk week forest that is growing, sure to bring some colorful friends.