Snowy Day (Hooray!)

Blurry chickadee photo

We put out bird feeders (5 so far including the suet).   They came.

We were supposed to get 1 - 3 " last night, and more than a foot today.  The forecast has been downgraded to 8" - 1 ft today.   Sigh.   Oh well.  This is almost perfect "try out the snow blower" weather, once the wind slows down.

In the last two days we got groceries, gasoline (for the snow blower and for the generator, in case), and another bird seed bucket.   It is Sunday, and we don't have to go anywhere.   First serious snow falls don't get much better.

Sparrows showed up at the feeders for the first time today, in the storm.

Birds and cats

We are into that bleak, gray, damp, December period.   George always starts mentioning Miami fondly this time of year.  We decided to put out some bird feeders.

We put separate feeders out with mixed seed, black sunflower seed and niger seed (for the finches).  There is also some suet hanging under the porch roof.   We've seen the following types of birds eating this past week:  chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, tufted titmouse, goldfinch, hairy woodpecker, cardinal, bluejay, and morning dove.    We are going through seed much faster than I planned.

    Later edit:  12/5/13:  downy woodpecker.

It occurred to us, after the crowds started arriving, that none of our neighbors seem to have bird feeders out, and there is a lot of open acreage around us.  Maybe our neighbors know something we do not.

Our two older cats have been glued to the windows.  Even when Percy can't actually get a comfortable perch to see the feeders, he sits on the floor and watches the fly by action for hours.

We are keeping an eye out the window (and on tracks in the snow) for the neighbor's barn cats.   We may have to adjust the feeders if we see increased mortality nearby.

Our neighbor has good reason to need the barn cats, and outside cats wander.   When we had sheep, we appreciated the free mousing services the cats provided around the sheep barn. 

Wandering cats are extremely hard on bird populations.    But, I view wandering (and working) barn cats differently than wandering pet cats.

During the past week, with a dusting of snow, we are seeing lots of bird and squirrel tracks, but without a mix of cat tracks.   We'll keep watching.  I am the official worrier in the family, and gray Decembers are good practice time.

Bit chilly last night, and still November

 The lowest temperature recorded outside last night here was 8.9 degrees F.

It is nice having someone in the family who likes fiddling with electronic things.   Some time ago, George installed a couple of temperature sensors.  The data is recorded on Weather Direct, and  I can download it.   We move the sensors around to where they are needed most.   Earlier this year, one was in the greenhouse.

At the moment, one sensor is outside the house, and another is down in the root cellar.  

The single root cellar sensor has been showing a temperature ranging from around 39 to 41 degrees.  The cold-loving veggies are at floor level, and the ones that need a warmer temperature are on the higher shelves.   When the root cellar gets too chilly, I crack open the door that goes from the root cellar into the regular cellar.  

No more frequent trips to the root cellar to check the old thermometer inside, and no more wondering how cold the root cellar got last night!

Christmas cactus, summer results, and catching up

First blog in a long time.    I think there was a lot of

George's Christmas Cactus

"holding breath" this summer, and the blog got away from me.

With the rainy start to the season, we couldn't even get into the hay field until July.   We kept trying to get in more hay, and finally had to give up.

I thought for sure we would not make the minimum production (hay and vegetables) we needed to make this year.   One more wagon load of hay would have done it.

But, unexpectedly, the last few storage onions in October put us over the top.   Hooray!!  It was very close.

The picture is the christmas cactus in George's home office.   It seems to be all ready for Santa.

In what is becoming a "day before Thanksgiving" tradition, George and I took advantage of unusually warm weather (accompanied by a downpour, but one can't have everything) to put the snow blower attachment and chains on the lawn tractor, change oil, haul the snow tires out of storage, and bring in miscellaneous pieces of small equipment.   More oiling yet to come, another day.

We are fortunate this year to have the following from the gardens in the root cellar:   carrots, potatoes, beets, and horseradish.   Green beans and broccoli are in the big freezer.   In the main cellar are acorn squash, butternut squash, sugar pumpkin, and lots of sweet onions.

We are looking forward to visiting with old friends on Thanksgiving, and we miss family who are far away.   Hope everyone has a good and memorable day.

Seriously Fresh

It doesn't taste quite the same if it was picked yesterday. 

Most of our vegetables are right out of the garden, picked that day, often within an hour or so.     

Later in the fall, any pumpkins and winter squash will probably break that rule, but then they keep in the cellar well into the winter!


When the umbrella is "open", we are "open".    Cukes are in the cooler.

Why only a few cucumbers (or heads of broccoli, or whatever)?   Because we want the product to be very fresh.   We only put out a little product at a time, and replenish it directly from the garden.    We like to cook straight from the garden, and thought others might too.

If it doesn't sell promptly, it is eaten, donated or composted.  Nothing is wasted.   On occasion we put out day old or odd vegetables at a mark down or free.

Where is the garden?  Up the driveway.    Rock Island Farm (RIF) is a 60+ acre farm, but you can't see it from the road!   The number of vegetable beds is growing.

When are you open?   We're still figuring that out!    Look for the umbrella.   Oh, and please leave payment in the blue coffee can.

Little beds and larger beds

Small beds in front of the house

The idea of having some little vegetable beds in front of the house has gotten going.

George has been looking after the bed on the left in the picture.   The bushy-looking plant is horseraddish, which he planted.  In the fall, the horseraddish will be dug up, and garlic will be planted.

Today, George and I added a small raised bed (4 x 8).  George built the frame, mostly of cedar, and it is pretty.

I dug down inside the frame, and added some lime and rock phosphate.   George added all the vegetable peelings, egg shells, and coffee grounds that we've been saving the last three weeks.  Then, I put down a temporary weed barrier of hay sections.  We're going to use this little raised bed for the rest of the season as a compost pile, then see what we still need to add in late fall.   The goal is to have a little bed where we can grow some lettuce and spinach in the early spring, under a low tunnel, before it is possible to get into the larger in-ground beds to the side of the house.

Bed #1, looking toward other beds

I also started bed #5 today, which is one of a series to the side of the house.   In the picture above is part of bed #1.  Bed #2 can be seen beyond, and bed #3 runs along the fence at the back of the picture.    Beyond the fence, in an area of the pasture we've been mowing the last 5 years, are beds # 4 and #5.   New bed #5 is unusual in that it is only one width of the tiller wide:  6 feet by 61 feet.   Have a feeling that bed # 6 may be similar but over a bit.   I like grass paths.

What about weeds from hay mulch?

A lot of on-line gardening resources recommend using straw rather than hay for mulch in a garden because of potential weed problems.  I wanted to say a word about that.

Hay growing.  June, 2008

 "Straw" is what is left when the seed head is removed from grains.   So, there is oat straw, wheat straw, barley straw, etc.   Maine doesn't grow much grain, although some determined folks are trying to address that, which is good.   Maine does grow a lot of hay, and people have been using hay in their gardens here for a long time.

Straw may contain seeds from the grain crop or weeds, but there usually should not be much.

"Hay" may include very little seed or a lot, or something in between.   Hay can be made up of very few plant species or many, depending on the type of hay, how it was managed, the time of year it was cut, and the field or even the part of the field from which the hay came.

Hay is usually less expensive than straw in Maine, at least when bought from the farm.

If a good, very deep hay mulch is used in a garden, it will smother most weeds.   I used a deep hay mulch in a garden I kept years ago, because it reduced the amount of time I spent weeding.

Not all hay is the same in terms of seed load.   If you are looking ahead to the day you might remove the mulch and want to garden without it, or turn over the ground in a wide area, then it makes sense to pay attention to the seed load in the particular hay being purchased.

Hay cut very early in Maine, such as in May, will usually have relatively little seed.   The seed hasn't had the opportunity to mature yet.   All other things being equal, May hay is often also higher in protein and more expensive because of its value for feed.   But, it still may be less expensive than straw, and is likely to be locally grown.

The earlier a "first cut" (first cut of the year) occurs in a given year, the lower the seed load.   A good "second cut" from the fall will also likely be lower in seeds.   Less second cut is available than first cut, because some acreage is only hayed once a year.   Second cut hay tends to be more expensive than first cut unless it is being sold as mulch hay.

If you talk to the local person who actually grew the hay, then he or she can tell you approximately when the hay was cut.    If a lot of people in an area brought in first cut hay late in a given year, so you can't find earlier cut hay, it is likely because weather conditions did not allow an earlier cut that year.

Hay is a standard garden mulch in Maine, and it can work well.   Expect to pay a bit more attention to it than to very clean straw, but expect to buy local and pay less.     

In the garden, add more hay mulch to thin spots when you notice them, such as where a weed pokes through, and add a new thick layer of mulch in the spring.  

Note:  we sell hay, although mostly feed rather than mulch hay.   Some of the mulch hay is bought by folks with gardens.   Fun reading:  "Ruth Stout's System", Mother Earth News (2004).

Update

George and I started haying later than we ever have, with a very wet June moving into a very hot July.   But, there is now feed hay in the barn for sale.   Whoo hoo!

The garden is doing pretty well in spite of the weather.

Potatoes, bush beans, onions....

I used more mulch hay in the garden this year than in the past, and will see how that goes.  Used it in paths, and for the potatoes.

Most of the squash plants have been having a rough time with cucumber beetles this year.  But, the zucchini below got to spend time under insect netting.

Zucchini

 The nasturtiums are pretty, even before the flowers come out.

Nasturtiums

Spider and Ruth at Side of the Road Farm in Brewer, Maine have begun a blog.  Please check it out!   Spider has a big garden and farm stand, and has helped me with advice and encouragement.

Bit of hay

Looking toward small cut area (just beyond small tree)

It would be great to cut some hay in May, but our field's heavy clay soils rarely are dry enough for heavy equipment in May.

George and I would like to get most of our first-cut haying done in June...or maybe by the end of the first week in July.   This was a very wet June, so no hay.

On Friday, there was a 40% chance of rain in the forecast for Saturday night.  Normally we would never cut hay with that kind of forecast.   But, there was nothing better in the 10-day forecast and...this is getting nuts.

So, we cut a small area.    We like to do a small initial cut, because it gives us a chance to check out the equipment. 

Chances were we wouldn't get this first bit of hay in given the forecast, and if we did it would be only good for mulch.

George and I got very lucky, it never rained, the humidity today was low, and we go in a little feed hay today, Sunday.   That is a short curing period, and we needed to ted they hay twice to help the drying along.

Not much brought in, but if it stays good, it will be part of the hay for the sheep next winter.   Well, maybe.   When I cut the ground was softer then I like due to recent rain, so I have to hope the hay doesn't go musty.   Those are the risks.   I think it will be ok.

Rain and yellow jackets

 Potatoes and beans in bed #2

Sixth wettest June on record in Maine, according to a recent article in the Bangor Daily News.   Probably a lot of gardeners read the article emphasizing the effect of all the rain on gardens and thought "Oh, whew, it isn't only me!"

The broccoli and onions here are loving the gray weather.   The tomatoes, not so much. 

I've never used row covers before, having always managed without them.   Yesterday, George made hoops and now the cucumbers and zucchini are covered.    I also planted some radishes to try to lure some of the bugs away from the other squash.

There are too many bugs on the squash seedlings this year.  

Nest

 Speaking of inspects, these yellow jackets are making a home on one of the flower hooks on the front porch, right near the front door.   George noted that they are interesting to watch.

This nest is going to get a lot bigger.   We can avoid it, but maybe visitors here won't.    It may have to go, while it is still small.  

Then again, we could put orange tape around the front porch, and use the side entrance until fall.  Less hassle than row covers, probably.

Last summer we had one of these nests over the door to the garage where we keep the farm tractor.    It was a big nest, and was just above where we drove the tractor in and out.    The tractor is very noisy, and there is lots of activity around that door.  But, the insects never bothered us.

Easier to take on cucumber beetles than yellow jackets.   Decisions, decisions. 

Hoeing and mulching

Broccoli

I had to stop weeding last year due to an injury, and there is a massive amount of weed seed in the garden.   The sensible thing to do would have been to turn it all under and plant a couple of green manures this year, but we need the veggies.   So, I'm spending a lot of time hoeing and mulching.

I still don't know if the lambs quarters (a weed) are going to win.   So far, they are sitting up in the gallery and laughing at me.   They have high, squeaky voices, and are getting on my nerves.

A friend noted that the lambs quarters are edible.   They should try to remember that.

Part of bed #1

Bed #1 - broccoli, onions, rutabaga, beets, cucumber, lettuce, etc.

Part of bed #2

Bed #2 - potatoes, beans, some squash, more onions, etc.

Finds

 (1)  Pollen deposited at the edge of a dried up puddle.

(2)  Antler found buried in the ground in a corner of the pasture. 

(3) Golf ball found way out in the middle of the pasture. 

Hmmmm.....neither George nor I play golf!

Garden update

Beds # 1 and #2 with recently added mulch

We had a couple of days without rain before yesterday.   The veggie beds were too wet to plant on the first day, and marginal on the second.  With more rain in the forecast, I planted yesterday anyway.

Only could work about 2.5 hours.   During that time, I put in some more onion seedlings, all the winter and summer squash seedlings, rutabaga seeds, and a bit of onion and spinach seed.   Then, I cut and added more grass clippings for mulch.

Roses on the front lawn

I had to quit because my shoulder hurt too much.  Shoot.   Would have been nice to get in the rest of the onion seedlings.   But, I'm more worried about finishing up the old sheep (shearing, etc.) now that my shoulder is sore.   Maybe will be better tomorrow.

I shear the sheep by hand, a little at a time, since there are only two old sheep here now, a ewe and a wether.   It isn't difficult, unless have a sore shoulder.   I work on them early in the morning, while it is cool.   Most of the wool is off their backs and sides now, so they are not too hot.

The remaining ewe is chronically lame, and short of breath, so I only do a very little with her at one time.   She has not gone off her feed.

I had planned to put this ewe down last fall, but then the other ewe got killed by coyotes.   So, that left only two sheep, one ewe and one wether.  Need to figure out how to handle the last wether this fall.

I don't want to put down the ewe and leave him alone, as sheep do not do well alone.  But, I don't think this ewe will make it through another winter. 

For all her maladies, the ewe is patient and easy to handle.   Her name is Sparrow, and she was one of a set of triplet ewes from a tall and patient ewe named Chloe.  Chloe loved to eat dandelions.

The roses bloomed yesterday.

After Andrea rain

Nice to have the storm clouds pass.

Checked the vegetable beds.  The broccoli and onion seedlings seem fine, although I'm still glad I held back on getting in the rest of the onions, in favor of putting down more mulch. 

The second picture is the area with the potato seed.  Last year, I dug the potato trench across the slope, using a deep trench, and got flooded. This year, used a shallow trench with mulch, and ran it down a very slight slope.   There is no standing water over the potatoes this time. 

Almost all  the mulch we use is produced here, and sometimes the timing can get dicey.   There are times of the year when we have a lot of hay, and times we don't.   In spring, I like to do about 3 mowings in the lawn and equipment areas, and get past dandelion seed season, before collecting any grass clipping for the vegetable beds.

Just before this storm, I was trying to mow around the last of the dandelion seed heads, moving rather quickly.   I warned George that my mowing pattern might look a bit odd.

Just have to pretend that those remaining patches are fancy landscaping.

Remnants of Andrea

Knowing we were in for a lot of rain today, most of the time yesterday was spent cutting and spreading grass mulch.   I managed to get the grass catcher on the John Deere by myself, but was glad George checked it.

The potatoes were already under hay mulch, as was vegetable bed #4.    I had started planting, but not enough to hold on to soil.

At the end of the day, all the flat surfaces had some kind of physical barrier to hard rain drops, even if pretty thin.    I stopped as the first drops fell, so didn't get a picture.

The picture at left is from June 4th, just after the second tilling (for weeds), and before any mulch was spread.   The view is to the south/south-east.

Beds # 1, 2, and 3 are shown, with #1 being closest to our house in the distance.   I took the picture next to bed #4, which is in the old pasture.

The green area between beds #1 and #2  is a wide and shallow swale (depression that drains down hill).   We leave this area in permanent grass, because of the heavy clay soils.  The green area in the foreground also stays in grass, because it has some large rocks just under the grass and a couple of young oak trees.

The second picture is of bed #1, just after tilling.   This shows more clearly that the bed is slightly raised, from added organic matter.

West of the beds, a small drainage area runs along the pasture fence, so we aren't likely to expand the beds in that direction.  Bed #3 could be lengthened going east, but that area will probably have a separate small bed for more blueberries.  I prefer to make any more room for vegetables out in the old pasture. 

I like having vegetable beds surrounded by plenty of green buffer area.   The buffer areas reduce stormwater runoff, lower the risk of creating erosion ditches in the clay soils, and help water quality.   Ideally, I like short mowed areas right around the beds, for better access, and longer grass beyond that, to slow down stormwater.

The buffer areas will certainly get a lot of water from Andrea.

Peeking out from under the covers

The weather has swung around again to gorgeous, and the bit of wind is keeping the black flies hunkered down. 

Williams Roofing has finished putting a new roof on the hay barn, as well as on the "front" of the house.

When we turn the garden beds again in a few days, I can start planting.

Today, I bought the seed potatoes for the family garden from Park's Hardware in Orono.   They had several varieties, and all that I looked at were nice and clean.   I got mostly Kennebec's, with a few red Norland's, and a little bag of an heirloom variety called "Cobbler".

I've been reading on-line about ways to grow potatoes using hay mulch.   I may try a combination approach this year:  use a shallow trench rather than my usual deep one, and add hay mulch.

George and I have been trading insults with a virus for about four weeks.   I feel like if I try to dig my usual deep potato trenches, I'll fall into one.

"Hay Makes A Great Mulch".   Interesting article.  I used to do something like this in a little garden years ago, with a lot less hay.    Always nice to get a little pumped up on another person's enthusiasm before not doing something the usual way.

Spring into Summer: Changes

It has been a very busy spring.   George and I became a "licensed foster home".

Two kids who were with us for almost two months just went home, and we miss them.    We miss their energy, their bright minds, and their way of looking at things; we miss having someone ask us to check under the beds for aliens and monsters.   They missed their parents and were happy to go home, and that is good.

It has been an unusually dry spring, and some bush hogging got done yesterday.   I don't think I've been able to get the tractor out back
this early in five years.   The crab apple blossoms were out.

George and I are planning to turn over all the garden beds this afternoon with the cultivator.    We'll turn them over a second time in about two weeks, then plant.   I'd like not to disturb the soil this much, but given the weed explosion last year, after I pulled my back, it is probably the best course now.   I may put the third bed into a green manure, but don't have to decide that yet.

We are also thinking about adding a new, little vegetable bed in the front lawn area.   The plan had been to do that for the kids who just left, for their pumpkin seedlings.   Might be nice to still do that, and add some lettuce too.   

Snow Day

Just a little while ago, I could look out over the knick-knacks on the kitchen window sill, and contemplate soon-to-be-green ground.

Not today.  

George cleared the driveway with the John Deere and snowblower, even with a flat tire.   I dug out the vehicles, porch, and paths. 

I'd forgotten and left the top part of the sheep pen door open to the storm, so I got to toss a lot of wet bedding out the barn window again.

Onion, broccoli, marigold, rosemary and lavender seeds are getting going in the basement under lights.   It is only a matter of time.

The cellar

Onions in a basket in the cellar.

I just took the pictures for this post, wandering with a flash around our mostly dark cellar.  

Last summer's onions are still good.   About now, a small number will try to start sprouting, beginning with a little area of yellow in the middle of the onion.    We try to eat the early risers first.  

The new onion seed is planted in several small boxes, with two rows of seed per box.    I start onions later than some.   Our clay soil stays wet so long, that we often get the seedlings in late.   But, we still get good onions.

Onion seed flat

Work space

 












My work space for starting seed flats is
basic.   I use a piece of scrap wood to make the rows for the onions.

About the time I run out of space for various kinds of seedlings, the small greenhouse outside will warm up, and some of the seedlings will be moved there.

Pumpkins in the cellar

We still have blanched and frozen string beans, broccoli, and carrots in the cellar freezer.  There are also several remaining New England Pie pumpkins in the cellar, and some other squash.   

The winter must be ending, because the wood pile that feeds the wood stove is mostly gone.

Marsh Island Express

Check out a new publication, the Marsh Island Express for local news.   It is based in Orono, and has a nice local events calendar.

Last year's leftovers

The first spring colors are the colors of last year's leftovers. 



The picture to the right is of bedding from the sheep pen that has been tossed out a small barn window.   The bedding got wet in a snow storm. 

The bedding hay will break down very quickly.

The picture at the bottom is the remains of a small compost pile - the parts that didn't compost.

The wonderful clutter of life OR cleaning out old boxes, cont.

1. Menu from the Mercury Steak House in CA.   Anyone know where?
New York Steak $5:00.  Broiled Australian Lobster Tail  $6.00.  Chateau Napoleon Champagne $4.00/bottle.   House wines $0.75/glass.

2.  Three lucky rabbits feet.  

3.  Metrobus schedule (Washington, D.C.)  1979.

4.  1981 Alameda County Fair, Daily Schedule of Events

5.  Flight navigation logs (maybe 25 years old?).  Flight from Stockton to Sacramento.  97 knots.   Cesna 152.

Treasure boxes

Old farmer toy

George and I have been culling through old storage boxes.  

Some of these boxes have not been opened in several decades.  We're looking for things we can re-use, give away, sell, or throw away.   

Kangaroo toy (wind up).   

Wind, wet, and poop on the noggin

We were visited by a big wind this weekend, which kept going hard through Monday.    The wind hit the cedar tree windbreak behind the barn, bounced off, and ran up against the long wall of the barn, shooting skyward, as well as straight into the sheep pen through two small windows that don't close.

There was a big drift in a corner of the pen, several inches within 10 feet of the windows, and 3 to 4 inches up on the rafters!

Good news is that the back half of the sheep pen stayed dry.   The old wether sheep slept in the back.   The old eye kept to her normal favorite sleeping spot up front, and got covered with snow.   With all her wool, she is fine.

I'm just back in the house from working to dig the snow out of the pen.   Got most of the deepest stuff out, and took about 10 inches of hay out of the top of the feeder (it all needs to come out).   Also started forking out wet bedding.   More needs to come out tomorrow.

My back is sore!   I guess this is the official "starting to get in shape for spring" exercise.

I was digging while melting snow was dripping off the rafters on to my  head.   About half way through it occurred to me how much barn swallow poop was on those rafters.   Yuck!!   Now have cleaner rafters, but a dirtier noggin.

After the storm

Note:  click once on photo to enlarge.

 1. Damage to the barn roof - lots of broken shingles on the ground.   That one will need a home equity loan.   Oooooof.   Not in the budget.
2.  Snow blew under the metal garage rolling door, through a 1/2 inch crack, and piled up 2 feet deep inside (with a nice drift shape) (dug).
3. Snow blew in between the door and the door frame of the hay barn.   Probably will lose about 10 - 12 bales that got damp (enough left to get through until spring, and the damp hay will get used in the garden).

4.  One snow shoe blew off the porch and got buried (found).
5.  Farm sign blew off the house (found).

6.  Lots of digging.

7.  Beautiful snow patterns.   Lots of beautiful snow patterns.

Driveway before we started digging

8.  Percy (orange cat) sought out the front window basket today, which is the first sign of spring.

George working on the driveway

Percy in the front window today:  sure sign of spring to come.

This is more like it

This is more like it.  Picture at left is an upstairs window screen, with snow blown into it by the winds, making nice, curvy, waves.

The picture was taken during the early hours of the storm, on Saturday morning.   They are saying now it may start winding down around midnight.

The picture immediately below was also taken early morning from an upstairs window.  That is the small greenhouse.    Not too long until seedling time.

Last picture:  window frost.

Bare ground in February

Looking across back yard toward hay field

First day of February, and we have bare ground out in the hay field.  I took the picture at right yesterday, around sunset.  The snow in the picture is in the back yard, which has some shade.   The hayfield beyond looks dark, because the snow is gone.

The picture below is looking toward the vegetable beds.   Most of the snow in this picture is still there because it is in the shade of the barn.

This is so weird. 

I always mean to get some good December pictures for the website, and then December goes by.

The shortening days and muted colors lie heavily on my ambitions.

But, there is color in December and January.   The first picture looks across part of an uncut swale near the back of the farm, across hayfield, and on to woods.

The picture below looks along a path that I bush hogged through the edge of the swale last summer.   The tracks in the path are mine (snow shoes) and those of one coyote.   I try to go a bit further each day.   I go so far, and then he (or she) goes further.

At some point we will get more snow and I'll be breaking trail again.  But, for now, the broken path makes walking easier.