Harvest time 2014

Patiently we watched and waited.  Every few days, we walked the orchard, monitoring the baby trees for signs of growth and possible pests.  With sharpened tools, we selectively pruned, gently spreading limbs to uncross and grow healthy.  First year fruits were removed to allow the baby trees to put their energy into growing strong.  This year we allowed some of the little trees to produce fruit.
Gala, Fuji, and Cortlands were very productive, resulting in large, lovely apples, beckoning to be eaten straight off the tree.  The Honey Crisp trees produced apples, however perhaps need another year or two to mature before they will be a marketable size.

Helper puppy guarding the pick sack

As far as I'm concerned, they were all perfect size for making apple butter and, above all,

mmmmmmmmmm, pie...

apple pie.  If you're looking for some good recipes to use your apples in, < click here>.  Remember, keep it simple.  Enjoy a fresh fall apple today!

At home with the Buckeyes

I'm happy to report that the Buckeyes finally settled into the new chicken tractor.  By placing their food and water inside the tractor, encouraged them to go inside it to explore.  Once they had determined that it was a safe place, it only took a few more days before they started spending the night there.
Sidebar: the chicks had been taught to go to bed at the words: 'Bed-bye'.  In the beginning it didn't occur to me that 'Bed-bye' to the chicks would mean for them to go to bed in their chick house.  They made this association clear to me the first night when all were in bed in the big house except one.  I said, 'Bed-bye' and they all came flooding out of the house to stand by the chick house door, waiting for me to open it up.  Sorry, kids.  My bad.
A day or two after that, after tucking them in for the night in the tractor, we moved the chick house out to repurpose it for other things.

I'm now wondering how long is it going to take before they start using their roost at night.  Currently, when they go to bed, they nest up together like they did when they were chicks: in a tight chicken nest in a corner of the house.  All in good time, I guess.

Monarch butterfly count 2014

Several years ago while walking in the pasture, I was impressed by the number of butterflies that welled up as I softly passed.  Black and Tiger Swallowtails, Black and Red Admirals, Viceroys and Monarchs all swirled up like flower petals or Autumn leaves stirred by an unseen wind.  Last year I noticed significantly fewer butterflies (cold, wet Spring followed by a cool wet Summer).  This year, I decided to actually count the numbers I was seeing.

Monarch

 Up until today, the counts rested at five (5) Monarch, three (3) Tiger Swallowtail, one (1) Black Swallowtail, one (1) Black Admiral, and one (1) Red Admiral.  I guess the Monarch migration has finally reached our area because as of 11am, I've counted six different Monarch butterflies.  I don't try to capture or tag them.  Sometimes it's just nice to watch and wonder.

This other butterfly is a Viceroy.  They look a lot like Monarchs however are smaller, don't migrate, and have a slightly different wing pattern from the Monarch.  Watch for and take care of these little flowers of the air.  To learn more <click here>.