They will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit.
The hardneck garlic we planted last year is almost ready. It has been growing scapes. The scapes are the curly flower stalks on the top of the garlic "neck." These would straighten out and develop into a flower if left alone, but we don't want that. We want the garlic plant to put all its… Continue reading Garlic Scape Butter
When you head to Texas for two weeks... The weeds decide they own the place. Seriously, some of them were over my head. Of course, it's an ill wind that blows no good. The ruminants were all pleased as punch about the wheelbarrow loads of weeds they were getting out of the deal. It's hot… Continue reading Weeding and composting.
After the beans and peas planting, it was a couple of days before any of us got to the farm. Mommy and Ellie flew to Virginia and North Carolina for Ellie's 3rd grade trip. The visited Roanoke, Jamestown, and Williamsburg. Ellie wasn't sure about it at first because she didn't want to be the only… Continue reading Elevated Irrigation
Let's see, what day was this. May 19th, a Tuesday. This was the day we got around to finishing the legumes row. The older girls helped out at the beginning by pulling out all the weeds to feed to the ruminants. Then I got on with the digging. As with row 1, the Tomato/cucurbit row,… Continue reading Beans and Peas
Wednesday night after work I took the three younger kids to the farm to plant out our cucurbits. Mommy and Evie stayed home to finish a school paper and pressure can some ham stock. Mommy and Daddy had an Anniversary Trip planned for the weekend, so no one was going to be home to baby… Continue reading Planting out Cucurbits and Moringas
Monday Morning during chores I noticed this. Actually, I heard it from twenty feet away. It sounded like a toilet flushing. When I went to look, I saw water bubbling up out of the ground. I thought, "Dang it. I have to do a pipe repair today." But first, breakfast. Evie had made pound cake… Continue reading Fixing Leaks and T-Posts in the Garden
It has been a difficult spring. Frosts all the way into early May, but also hot, dry weather during the day without our usual level of spring rain. Still, we are making do as best we can. Finally got the garlic excavated. This is entirely by pulling a wheelbarrow load of weeds first thing in… Continue reading Slow Garden this Year
Because I forgot we already installed all the drip line around the trees. Saturday, the 9th was a busy day. It started with a trip in to town to get some chicken feed. Seppi is getting bigger and stronger every day, it seems. I don't have to climb on and off the truck anymore. He… Continue reading Food Forest Irrigation, Part 3 (really it should be part 4).
The Garden Fence on the yard side has ceased to be a fence. Originally it was an 8 foot tall "deer net." Note to self, and anyone else who might be listening, never build a fence out of deer netting. The first snowfall will rip it to shreds. The first dog will rip through it… Continue reading Food Forest Irrigation, Part 1
I used to call them taters. Now I call them Tato's. 'Cause that's what Winnie calls them. Monday was the day to plant them. It was actually a bit late, by over a month. Unfortunately, it has just been that kind fo a gardening year. Everything has been getting pushed back and delayed by all… Continue reading First Round of Tato’s
Little Farm in the Big City 