Our Garden, Our Water

Elevated Irrigation

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

Our Garden

Beans and Peas

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

Our Garden

Fixing Leaks and T-Posts in the Garden

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

Our Garden

First Round of Tato’s

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

our Chickens, Our Food, Our Orchard, Our Pasture

Three Week Update Post

I have so many pictures backed up, waiting for get put into a blog. I have given up on a detailed update on all of it, but as this blog is our primary record keeping mechanism (for big picture stuff, anyway) they still need to get updated. Good Friday (April 3rd) planted two new apple… Continue reading Three Week Update Post

Our Food, Our Garden

Cleanup on Row Four

It's getting that time of year again! Time to plant the garden. We planted a dozen or so rutabaga last week, and this week we are starting the peas. On the crop rotation plan (yes, there is one) they are going to be in row four this year, so the first task was: Cleanup on… Continue reading Cleanup on Row Four

Our Garden

Seed Starting 2026: Part 1

We are trying a new garden strategy this year. We are going for staggered plantings of a lot of our favorites, particularly the brassicas. We have had great success with growing them, thus far, but not great success with harvesting and using them on time. When you have 12 heads of cabbage all coming ripe… Continue reading Seed Starting 2026: Part 1

Our Cows, Our Pasture, Our Sheep

Garden Snacks (not just for people)

Saturday was a run-around kind of day. The older three kids were all over the mountains with Deedee and Papa, picking apples, so Winnie got to be an only child for a day. She is very good at being an only child. Takes to it like the proverbial duck to water. Fortunately she only gets… Continue reading Garden Snacks (not just for people)

Gardening and Homesteading, Our Garden

Matthew 13:24-30: A Very Disappointing Morning.

This morning I decided to use my workout time to move wood chips. It is a nice, easy recovery activity after the harder workouts of Monday and Tuesday, and, let's face it. The garden needs it. There is nothing the farm needs right now more than a few days of dedicated wheelbarrow work. For no… Continue reading Matthew 13:24-30: A Very Disappointing Morning.