Mulch hay

We still have hundreds of bales of mulch hay available for sale.  $3/bale at the barn, in good weather.

Broc

The thing I really like about broccoli (broc) is it keeps on producing.  After the first heads have long since been processed into meal sized bags and put in the freezer for the winter, the plants keep making more.

Most of the remaining broc is used fresh in meals here.   But, I always let some keep maturing to yellow flowers.    There are bees that flock to the broc flowers in late fall, long after most wild flowers have gone by.   Have to save some for the bees.

Firewood and cool temps

 I took these pictures three days ago, but I'm still hauling and stacking.   Keep saying "good exercise" to myself.   Will probably be glad this chore is done when it is snowy this winter.   For now, I'm a little sore.

Saw the leaves at right hiding among the greenery.

Now, these are kind of pretty.   But, I need at least another month of warmer weather to get the rest of the garden into the cellar.   The garden went in very late due to the wet spring.   A lingering fall would be helpful.   Forecast says 42 degrees tonight.

Mulch hay beds and green beans

This is a re-building year for the hay beds, after having to "let them go" last year.   I just finished three long beds.  

Given we're rebuilding, the layout is changing to one that makes it easier to mow, and gives winter squash vines more room to grow.

The beds in these pictures are 6 ft wide and 65 to 70 feet long.   They will sit this year, and some of the winter squash will be here next year.


In the two smaller beds I turned and planted this spring (not pictured), fewer weeds came up than in my regular in-ground beds.  That was a surprise.  Maybe the seed rotted?  I'll have to try this again.

August is string bean season.  I have blanched about 40 pounds of beans for the freezer.   But, we got a new chest freezer recently, so next year I may do more.   They are so much better than frozen beans from the market, in the winter.

Mulch hay

Mulch hay for sale.  2017 cut.   Stored in barn or under an overhang.   Please contact us to schedule a  time to come by, so we can be sure someone is available to help.

2016 going to bed

Wishing everyone a peaceful and calm end to 2016.

We're out of hay until we start haying next season.

My sister Cate sent us a "pet blanket".   We've always kept old throws around, but according to our 21 year old cat, this is better.   He is pretty much living under it now.

The bird feeder has been filled, steps sanded, stove wood brought in, and a mid-day hot meal consumed.   Lots of snoozing going on here in the quiet.  I think I'll make some banana bread.

Happy Holidays.

Hay

We have mulch hay for sale.   $3 per bale at the barn.  

Stored under a 3-sided overhang or in the barn.

This mulch hay was cut in 2016.   Pls email us to arrange a time to come by, and feel free to inspect the hay before you buy.

New views

 The first two pictures show views we didn't have before the trees blew down.

The first view is from the parking area looking toward the kitchen gardens.

The second view is from the parking area looking toward the hay field.

The last picture is looking over part of the kitchen gardens toward the wooden garage.   One of the nice things about a veggie garden is that it is new every year, so the view changes a little.   But the trees blew blew over, I couldn't see this garage from the gardens.

Update on the great tree clean up:

•  George did most of the chain sawing.
• We cut everything to 4 or 8 ft lengths and stacked away for future use.   The  smallest diameter 8 ft lengths worked great for holding down row cover in the kitchen gardens this year.
• I cleaned up all the branches except for 2 piles.  Piles were left in various places for wildlife habitat.

Wind

Underside of cedar

There was a lot of wind and rain a few nights ago.

Usual stuff mostly:  no power for awhile; I worried about the veggies warming up in the freezer; and family members said things like "Wow" and "Hear that?"

In the morning, I glanced out the kitchen window and noted "several trees down".

If we hadn't had such sodden ground combined with all that wind and rain, the trees would probably still be standing.

A friend commented later that day: "You people got very lucky last night."   Yes, we did.

The trees missed all buildings, vehicles, and farm equipment.  One missed the hay barn by less than a foot.

This one just missed the hay barn.

Yesterday evening George gave me a lesson in using a chain saw.   I've spent years avoiding chain saws, but it was time to get over myself.   If I can run a cutter (for hay), I should be able to use a chain saw.

Wow, they are both scary and cut wood like butter.

These trees are lying in Vegetable Bed #1.

In spite of the hail this season

Some of the onions in storage

George and I put up extra hay.   Thanks to everyone who bought hay from us!   They hay is crucial to keeping the farm going.

After the hail storm, the kitchen plots came back better than one might have hoped.   The unusually long growing season allowed some plants to recover.

There are plenty of onions for winter.  Some winter squash hit by hail developed rot spots.  But, once the plants recovered, new squash emerged.

There are lots of packages of string beans, sliced summer squash, and broccoli florets in the freezer, along with bags of hot peppers, and a small bag of processed horse radish.   George keeps advocating for more peppers and horse radish in the food.

I kept a few sugar pumpkins for cooking experiments.

Fresh carrots and potatoes are in the root cellar.

Three varieties of garlic were planted this fall, and George asked if I wanted more raised beds made.

Looking forward to next year!