With a little rain and sunshine

It has rained nearly every day for the last few months.  Fortunately it has not rained constantly and, fortunately, we're on high enough ground that most has drained away from the orchards and gardens.  The hay fields and parts of the pastures are still quite wet so once again, we continue to wait and hope to dry these out long enough to rescue a few bales from them.

Meanwhile out in the garden, last spring we did a small experiment but putting in a few raised beds.  These have turned out to be a blessing in many ways.  The vegetables are protected from too much rain and standing water. 

 In the last week the bean box has exploded to life.  Although the rows were planted about 18" apart, you would never guess it by how thick and bushy these have become.  Provided that conditions don't suddenly make an unexpected u-turn, we should be harvesting beans by next friday.

yellow beans

There are two different types of snaps growing: bush green beans and yellow snaps.  They have a similar flavor yet add a little splash of color to the summer table.

The cucumbers are growing slowly however with the warmer days, little cukes are appearing.  Other pleasant surprises include the peppers: red bell, cherry bombs (hot), and poblano peppers (med hot to very hot) are all doing well.

Toward the back of the garden, the squash, gourds, and pumpkins are going vigorously.  This year, we planted these in one of the raised beds.  Since they are going in close proximity to each other, we will probably not save the seeds.  These plants will cross pollenate with each other and with the cucumbers resulting in some unexpected off spring.

Sidebar: with all the rain, powdery mildew has become a big worry for many farmers.  Rather than spraying with poisons, I'm trying another remedy: milk.  By spraying the leaves and stems with a solution made with 1 part milk to 9 parts water, one raises the pH on the surfaces just enough to kill the mold spores.  One has to reapply after the rains however after just a few applications, the powdery mildew goes away.  This can be used on a variety of different plants and your garden stays safe for all the little beasties (dogs, chickens, children, husbands, etc) who may come and go.

Just remember to take care of it promptly.  This disease can rapidly wipe out a garden if left to spread.  To read more see Organic Gardening dot com. 

Something pretty I wanted to share, part 6

Early in the morning, just after sun up and before everyone else starts to shake the sleep from his eyes, you can find me out walking the pastures or down in the wood looking for treasure.  The chickens have all been fed and watered and are out doing their chicky business, looking for bugs or squabbling over some choice clover bit.

I love the colors and textures I find as I walk along.  This yellow flowered ground cover, has a blossom shaped similar to a cover but is a deep buttercup gold.  Along the edge of the wood, wild lilies are coming into bloom.

There are also a wide variety of daisy-like flowers.  I have no idea what the actual names are of these plants, but I keep looking and hoping to learn something new.

It continues to be too wet to mow and bale hay.  I fear that means that hay will be especially expensive this year and the quality will be way down.  On top of that, many of the grain growers have also had trouble getting into their fields this spring.  That means that bread, feeds, and meats are going to be expensive this fall and winter.  (side note to those who enjoy only grass fed meats: cattle and pigs can be very hard on pastures that are soft from too much rain.  Their feet punch holes in the sod making it difficult for grasses to continue grow.  Wet soils can also lead to other unhealthy conditions in the animals themselves.  Ranchers must stay continuously aware of their animals special health concerns under these circumstances.)
As the grass seed heads ripen, other plants also put out their long stalks to dry.

Down in the cool, damp regions the ferns continue to thrive.  One needs to be a little careful when going down to take a look, for the poison ivy is also flourishing these days.

 I'm on the look out for more orchids however the poison ivy has made me a bit of a coward to go in too deep into the unpathed areas within the wood. 

Another afternoon with the Rounders

I'm always amazed by how fast babies grow.  In less than a year, a puppy no bigger than a loaf pan can look crowded laying across the truck's backseat.  Chicks that were just wee little fuzzballs two months ago are now vying for attention with the adults.

I have to laugh about certain behaviors.  Amy, for example, is as friendly as her mom, Missy, and also does the head cock that her mom does when looking at something she finds interesting.  I am unsure of the parentage of the others however based on certain colors feel I may have a pretty good guess.  But, since I don't know what their grandparents looked like, it's only a guess.

Domino and Fred

All of Domino's behaviors are suggesting that she is a he, as is Pogo.  I frequently find those two going belly to belly to establish top dog, err, chick.  Domino is also now the largest of the group.  Buster and Fred are keeping a low profile, letting everyone work out their issues.  This is what their father did while the feathers flew among their male siblings.

Pogo

Robin, Jet, and Amy were all buddies when little.  Everywhere one went, the others were soon on the scene.  When Amy went exploring up and down the roost, Jet and Robin were playing follow-the-leader right behind.  The three musketeers are still close and frequently can be found preening and dusting together.

Jet and Robin

The abundance of strawberries has allowed us to share some as a treat with our feathered friends.  Some clearly would rather have the green part, leaving the red fruit for someone else to enjoy.  The chicks all understand that they are to wait until the adults have their fill before they can step forward and have some tasties.  So no one is left out, I do my best to spread the leaves and berries across the yard.  The grownups then can enjoy their snacks in peace and the youngsters can tussle all they like.

Sidebar about boys and girls: much to my amusement, many experts have come forward to tell me how to tell the difference between the boys and girls.  The latest informed me that:
1.) boys hold their tails up.  Girls hold their tails down.  and 2.) boys have combs.  Girls do not.

Goldie, Inky, and Lil Miss

All I can say is don't tell my girls...