Garden and Orchard Update.

Not everything can be woodworking around here. There are too many other things that need to be done. For instance the raspberries are coming on fast,

And when we checked on the blackberries, some of them were ripening.

They always ripen from the end of the branch first. In every cluster the most distal berry turns first. Then the others follow closer and closer to the base of the stem until they have all turned. The first flush is always the best, although these berries have been left to fend for themselves somewhat for the last year, so they are not in the best condition. They need to be pruned and mulched thoroughly this fall.

By working in the early mornings before the work day, I managed to get the grapes and goumis and strawberries weeded, and paper down.

That got rained on, (we got a good couple of tenths of an inch of rain on Thursday) and then on Friday morning I was able to get the whole row mulched. This will help suppress weeds and keep a border that can be fenced more efficiently when it is time to run the sheep through there.

Before we could get to the blackberries we had to knock down the weeds. We fenced the sheep and cows out of the blackberries when we ran them through the orchard, so the weeds around the blackberries had not had an attitude adjustment since early spring. But we started the mowing in the garden area.

By lunchtime we had finished that area, but it was too hot and Seppi was too bored with that job, so we left the orchard to the next day.

This was Friday afternoon, and a hot, dusty job it was. After that we didn’t feel like picking, so I took a round through the new orchard and the garden with Evie.

Squashes are looking great this year. A bit jungly, but that can’t be helped.

The vines climbing over the trellis free up a lot of ground space, but I am not putting much emphasis on keeping the other side neat.

Hubbards.

I do keep the opposite side neat, so that we have a pathway between that and the next row.

Wheat on the left, buckwheat starting on the right.

The pea and bean row is growing nicely. The second crop of peas are coming in, but we don’t expect more than a snacking amount from them. It is just too hot. Next year when I have all the trellises finished, I’ll try experimenting with some shade cloth to keep them cool.

Cannellini beans look like they are going to shape up really nicely this year, that is, if we can keep the kids from eating them all in the green stage before they get a chance to dry out.

And our tomatoes. On track to start getting some sauce tomatoes in early August, with peak harvest through September, essentially until they get too wet and start to mold.

The brassica row is also doing well. I really like the way the new starts planted among the hay slabs are growing. I need to get more starts going.

This was odd, though. One of the starts disappeared into the ground.

There it is, about 8 inches into the ground. As near as I can figure, either a mole tunneled underneath, or the drips from the irrigation timer just above this spot caused a sink hole. Either way, I pulled it out and transplanted it in the next spot over. We’ll see how it does.

I wish I had been more johnny-on-the-spot succession planting rutabagas.

The first planting is ready for harvest, but I don’t have another crop in yet. Got to get on that, or there will be no rutabagas this winter.

The wolf river is growing apples for us this year! This is the first year we are getting a crop out of it.

Same with this Frequin Rouge. This is a cider apple, so we’ll probably save them for a special small batch cider.

The Newton Pippin has some beautiful young russets as well.

For some reason the Havran quince did not produce this year, but the Van Deman is trying to make up for it. We’ll need to keep an eye on this one, it was the one that broke it’s own branches yesteryear from too heavy of a crop.

And look at these beautiful little gems.

The Dolgo crabapples, we planted as pollinators and for preserving or cidering. Turns out they produce really pretty fruits.

This one is purple!

The elder bush is loaded! This branch in particular is so weighed down it can’t stand up straight any more. This is going to be a great crop.