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By Annette, on March 29th, 2009% What the back forty looked like in January (and actually, for almost the past two years):
And now:
We had every intention of leaving the back wild, but last season found that weeds had completely overtaken one berm where wild blackberries were growing (not an easy task), that dog fennel and other weeds were running rampant, making it impossible to get to the wild blackberries anyway, and that we wanted, instead, to put the orchard out in that spot instead. At the very far end, somewhat behind that tree dead center in the photo, is another berm where blackberries are still going strong, and behind that is more wild area that will stay that way. For now. We had our tractor guy come out, mow, and then take down the berms and give us some leveling of the ground back there. Thus far, we have two almonds and a peach tree. Next weekend, we’re heading to the nursery for some citrus trees. Toward the left side of the picture, between the pine trees and the neighbor’s fence, is where I envision the bee hives going at some point.
It’s all very much a work in progress, as it always is. But spring is here – finally – and that means some serious gardening. How serious? Let’s just say that today alone, I popped about 50 plants into the frames out front, in addition to what we’d already put out there. More to come…
By Annette, on February 9th, 2009% Spent a bit of time outside, the sun on my face, enjoying the fresh air warmed by the magic of a turning season.
The carrots went in the frames in early October, as seed, not transplants. By this time, even with the cooler weather, I figured most, if not all, should be completely ready to come out. This is not the case. There were, to be sure, a great many to pull.
Two pounds, two ounces worth, actually.
The celery has survived being planted as seed, through torrential downpours, frosts, and hard freezes without cover and cheerfully continues what I hope will be a fruitful journey.
To remind me that while I may be the master of my domain, there are canny – or lucky – creatures out here as well, I also found poo inside the fenced area, although there were no tracks in any of the frames and no obvious easily accessible hole in the fencing.
There is also a weed I have yet to identify growing absolutely everywhere.
I pull the weeds I find and drop them on some black plastic to allow them to roast in the sun.
The broccoli was right on schedule based on its planting date out in the frames. Like the celery, it survived some rather brutal weather for a plant and came out the other side suitable for harvesting.
About twelve ounces of broccoli from seven plants, which I judge to be quite fine for their experience with the elements. Of course, what good is a harvest if you don’t do something with it…
By Annette, on February 4th, 2009% The hunt is on for a few chicks of the two legged variety.
What, you thought that meant something else? Sickos.
We’re trying to find another five or six chicks to go with the lonely girl out back. The group with which we ordered the chickens last year don’t need any more, got rid of theirs because of complaints from the neighbors, or are out of town (turns out one of the group is the daughter of the founder of Habitat for Humanity, who died this week). The problem with chickens – or, rather, chicks – is this: most hatcheries will not ship for orders fewer than 25 assorted chicks. Like my tender seedlings, curently sitting inside on the table here, they need to stay warm. More peeps equals more heat, and a better chance of all of them making it through the shipping process.
So, we’re looking locally to see if any of the more rural supply and feed stores will have chicks available. Eggs for everyone!
(Short interjection here to complain about people who send frivolous legal threats to us about a site we host, where said site has zero content, claiming that we are somehow infringing on their rights. Engage your brain before you fire off nonsense like that, people. Or at least engage an attorney.)
I thought today would be a good day to get out and do some maintenance outside – specifically, putting down mulch between the frames. Mild weather, coolish, perfect for that heavy lifting job. The problem is, the weather was much too mild, barely reaching 40 degrees here, with windchills in the 20s. That is not, to me, a “good day” to be outside. My pea and bean plants out there are probably going to bite it tonight, since it’s supposed to be around 18 here inland. While peas can take a bit of frost, I don’t know if they can take that kind of hard freeze – although the peas did come up out of the ground after a couple of nights of hard freeze, so there may be hope for them. Everything else will have to take its chances as well: the original batch of peas are due to come out of the frames to make way for the corn that will go in that spot in March. The broccoli and brussels should be able to handle the freeze without cover. Carrots and parnips? Fine in place in the frames.
By Annette, on January 23rd, 2009% There are some things you really can’t tell a thing about until you pull one out of the ground. A parsnip, for instance.
Coming along nicely. Another month-ish, and this batch should be ready to pull completely. I have some seed soaking for the next round, to be planted tomorrow. Along with the potatoes and peanuts. Not all together, of course, no matter how alliteratively that would work.Tonight, flat five: more tomatoes to replace the seedlings that are much too leggy, and more peppers.
About a week and a half ago – just before the frigied cold snap – I had planted more sugar snap peas (shelling peas) and some bush snap beans. I’d been waiting to water them, figuring that we’d pass through the freezes and then start convincing them to pop out of the ground.
As it happens, they had other plans.
These peas are more cold hardy than I figured. I’ll let these go, and start another round in a couple of weeks.
And now, a random puppy picture: resting after an arduous ball chasing session.
By Annette, on January 2nd, 2009% We lost another chicken last week. Those of you following our chicken story know we had three at the beginning. One flew the coop, we believe, and got taken or run over. Last week, mom came back inside after heading out to the coop to let the two remaining girls out, and said, “One of the girls is dead.”
I headed out to the coop (with some disposable gloves) and sure enough, one of the girls was dead just inside the door of the coop where the wood has warped and there is an open space. Inside was clear evidence that something had gotten in and a terrific fight had gone on. There were feathers everywhere in the coop, and the poor girl had part of her back end shewed away. I think it likely the orange and white male cat I’ve seen around the property was the culprit, and he could not get the rather large chicken through the rather small gap through which he entered, eventually leaving her behind.
I buried the poor chicken out near the treeline, and we rigged a temporary additional fencing to use to cover the gaps until we build a real coop. We’ve decided to get another five or six layers, and we really do need a sturdy house-like structure for them to go into at night, given all the critters roaming around the country here (raccoon poo on the porch, anyone?) that will happily snack on a chicken head if one is unwise enough to poke out.
By Annette, on July 14th, 2008% 
Twice, Einstein figured a way into the chicken pen. Both times, I went out to find him cornering one of the poor chickens, who are too docile to peck at him. The first time, a couple of weeks ago, we thought he’d actually killed one of them. She was playing dead, though, trying to get him to go away. I can’t blame him for it, of course: he’s a puppy, curious, and thinks that any creature that moves – a person, another dog, a cat, a toad, a chicken – is something that has the ability to be a playmate. He’s right, everything does have that ability. Whether they have the inclination is another story altogether. These little bouts have not put the chickens off their feed or stopped them from popping out eggs. We’re getting two a day now, which means that either the girls are on a longer than 24 hour cycle, or someone isn’t putting out. If it’s the latter, we may be having fresh chicken dinner sooner than expected.
One thing we did find when making some brownies was a double yolked egg.
Unexpected, but we don’t candle the eggs around here to sort them. We just eat them in one form or another.
By Annette, on June 30th, 2008% Something that starts with an E.
Would you look at that.
My money would have been on the fattest one to start laying first, but Quiche beat her to it and gave us this perfect little egg this evening.
Because it was the first, of course we had to take a look at it.
Perfect yolk.
And thankfully, no aliens or other weirdness inside.
Unfortunately, the three of us here had all just finished eating a couple of bowls each of some hearty stew, and the thought of frying this up right now was a bit nauseating. We’re hoping to con….vince Aubrey to eat it when she gets here.
By Annette, on May 4th, 2008% Wasn’t me. Didn’t do it.
By Annette, on May 3rd, 2008% There are some very important lessons to be learned in life.
How to drink from the massive water dish out back. Having a big brother show how it’s done is helpful.
Because you never know when thirst will hit you.
Staying out of the way of the Princess. She is, after all, the Princess.
But most of all, how to be cute. Although this is probably something that comes naturally.
By Annette, on May 2nd, 2008% We’ve been motoring along here.
The chickens, at just over three weeks, continued in their baby dinosaur phase.
Mostly, like any babies, they ate, slept, pooped, and required frequent changes of their dirties.
A new puppy, just in time for my sister’s 29th birthday, and my 40th.
He – Einstein – sleeps quite a bit, too. But only after he’s been running around like he’s on puppy uppers, playing as only puppies can.
We were also awaiting the arrival of yet another baby, who would continue that time-honored tradition of eatings, sleeping, and pooping.
Fortunately, she held off on making the birthday party really lively.
My sister and I had been letting our hair grow out so we could then have it cut off and donated to Locks of Love. We had decided that would be a fine birthday present for both of us.
That turned out well.
Although for some reason – and we didn’t realize this until well into the evening during the party when my sister pointed it out – mom and I were wearing the same color. Must be that whole spring thing.
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2012 Harvest Totals Eggs: 703
Vegetables:
Cucumber: 6 3/4 oz
Bean, green snap: 20#
Peas (shelling): 1# 12 3/8 oz
Peppers (bell, all colors): 7# 1 7/8 oz
Herbs:
Dill: 8 oz
Marjoram: 5/8 oz
Oregano: 3/8 oz
Rosemary: 7 1/2 oz
Thyme: 6 oz
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