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.
Beautiful weather last Monday. We took the opportunity to clean out the worm bin. The worms have been chilling, most of the winter. They are not as active during cold weather and the eat and poop less. We continue to feed them, of course (mostly egg shells, coffee grounds, tea leaves and banana peels, most… Continue reading First worm harvest of the season
Family vacations are fun adventures in which we get to experience new things and see new places. They are also busy. Very busy. Even when everyone doesn't get sick. So we were happy to get back home last Saturday and spend a quiet Sunday doing as close to nothing as we could manage, given the… Continue reading A Bright and Quiet Sunday
Really should have been done in November. The deep bedding system builds a thick pack of hay, shredded paper and poop over the year. This ultimately goes into the garden or the orchard or the compost pile. Frosty but clear. Listening to “Bible in a year” and moving wheelbarrows. Our flocks and herds, scratching the… Continue reading Cleaning out the hen house
It was actually sunny outside yesterday, for part of the day. Daddy and the kids continued working on the garden gate/fence project. Of course this involved digging. Lots of digging. This took us through the coolest part of the morning, and by the time the air temperature was above 40 degrees we were ready to… Continue reading Dog by the Garden Gate
It is February, time to get the fruit trees pruned. This is a time consuming job every year, but it is also a fun job, once you get the hang of it (and when I say "get the hang of it" I mean, develop a hermeneutic of pruning that allows you to move through each… Continue reading Pruning time
The thermometer in the shop where we were keeping the pumpkins, squash and onions read 30 degrees after the propane stove failed. While the pumpkins and squash might be salvagable, the onions are almost certainly lost. As soon as they thaw they are going to turn into a nasty slimy mess. I suppose then we… Continue reading Preserving the Pumpkins
We had quite a lovely day on the farm last Monday. Afternoon, really, but in our world that counts as a day. The dorking chickens still aren't too sure about their new home. They don't wander too far from the chicken tractor. Mommy and Winnie did not come to the farm, because Mommy is making… Continue reading More Garden Prep
In the week between Christmas and New Years (known in more enlightened civilizations as the Octave of Christmas) school teachers do not have to work. This is why Uncle Adam was off for the week, and was available to help out with recovering the garden from last year and beginning the process of prepping it… Continue reading Garden Prep
We had a wonderful squash harvest this year, but now we are having trouble keeping it. Pumpkins and winter squash are suppose to be harvested before the first frost, and allowed to cure in warm temperatures (>80 degrees) in the direct sunlight for a week or two before being put into storage at 50-55 degrees… Continue reading Moldy Squash
Daddy was working out of town for four days last week, so it was not a very family friendly week, and consequently, slim blogging about the farm. This week Daddy is back at home and it's a short week because Thanksgiving is almost upon us. But we are trying to take the time to get… Continue reading Carrots and Parsnips and Eggs, Oh MY!
Little Farm in the Big City 