Someday ...

Someday I want my back garden to look something like the one in this photo. Minimal mowing with maximum production is my goal.

I have made a good start but know it will take me another year or two to be this productive.

This spring/summer I added a dwarf cherry tree (North Star) and a semi-dwarf plum tree (Santa Rosa). Saturday, if all goes well, I will pickup two hazelnut trees and two elderberry vines. Espri from Brambleberry Farm will meet me at Market to bring the plants. I could of ordered the plants online but like to keep my money local. Next year I want to add dwarf apple trees and expand the vegetable garden.

My asparagus is doing wonderfully. Top dressing it with the good stuff from under the bunny hutch has really encouraged new growth. The first stalks were rather spindly but the new stalks are much more sturdy. The six red beefsteak tomatoes are amazing. Keeping them tied up has made a difference. They are full of baby tomatoes and I have only removed one tomato hornworm. My green beans will be ready for picking in a day or two. they are a French filet bean and I can't wait to taste them. I have harvested a few new potatoes and onions in anticipation of a feast.

Closer to fall I am going to try having a farm stand here on the homestead. My veggies will start coming in when everyone else's are winding down. I can sell eggs and maybe some of my yarn too. This venture is still in the planning stages so we will see ....

Take Joy!

Penny

What is more fun than a duckling??

Answer ... a duckling with her own wading pool. I paid $8.00 for a small wading pool at the Dollar General Store and it was money well spent. Daphne has had such a good time the last two evenings playing in her pool. She does this snorkeling thing and skims the bottom then jumps up and flaps her wings. Freaks the cats out. She is very jealous of her pool and the cats are not allowed near it. Poor Leonard, while minding his own business, walked past it last night only to have Daphne reach out and tweak his tail. 

We are suppose to have a pretty weekend so I will be working on her pen. I'm thinking it will be 10'x 20'. That should be plenty of room for her and the four Ameraucana pullets I will be getting next month. Really looking forward to adding some blue eggs to the mix of cream and brown eggs I am currently getting from my mixed flock. 

Sunday I planted  the Santa Rosa Plum where it will eventually offer some shade on the bunny hutch. I am still deciding where to plant the dwarf North Star Cherry tree. Apparently at some point the back yard was heavily graveled which makes any deep digging beyond me. :(  

My wee bit of garden is producing Kale and scallions. The Kale is very tender with a good flavor. Two of the Rhubarb plants came back. They were in a bad spot that wants to flood in heavy rain so I have transplanted them to a raised bed. So far they are pouting and very droopy. We are suppose to get some rain tonight and I am counting on that to perk them up.

I am experimenting with container growing Yukon Gold potatoes. They are in shrub pots that I have partially filled with compost. As the plants grow I will keep filling the pots with more compost/top soil. Not expecting a big harvest but just enough to rob the plants for small potatoes for the green bean pot. :)

                                                                      ~ Penny ~

I Love Giveaways!

Deborah at The Thrifty Homesteader recently had a drawing for this book and I won. I am saving it to read  on my four day weekend.

My seed order has arrived from Pinetree Garden Seeds on Saturday. If the rain holds off I will get greens planted at the end of the week. There are three lettuces, plus Macholong (Cornsalad) Mache, Pak Choi and Misticanza Mesclun. I also have Golden Beets and Bull's Blood Beets to sow. The Bull's Blood Beets are for dyeing and eating.

A few years ago I bought some simple arch trellises at Michaels. They have been sitting in the potting shed waiting to be used. For one of them their day has arrived! I think Morning Glories will look pretty climbing over the trellis in my small front garden. I think I will have enough seed to plant some on the Cochin girlies chicken park.

It is rare to  have Hummingbirds in my garden. I am hoping that the Morning Glories, and the Tiger Lilies, I am transplanting to the front of Cochin's chicken park, will be a good attraction. I am waiting to plant all my flower seeds seeds until I am more confident in the warming temperatures.

Hoping it is warm where you are and the blooms are bursting with color!

Good Friday

New Addition to the Farm

My cousin Emma gifted me with a duckling last weekend. After determining it was a duck, and not a drake, I named her Daphne. Miss Daphne is an Indian Runner duck. This is one of the breeds I particularly wanted for the farm so I am very excited! She was handled so much that rather than run around in the hen house doing duckling stuff she wants to be held. I told my sister Angela it was as though I had a new puppy. She is content to sit on my lap for a very long time just snuggling. I am smitten!

I'm back!

Happy Valentine's Day!

~ Penny ~