Ken has been trying to work around the weather. It sounds a bit like Goldilocks and the Three Bears – too wet, too cold, just right. He finally got to put in several seedlings and now there are rows of small plants. Soon they be large and form canopy and fill the garden with green. With the last “weather event” of nearly 2 1/2 inches in under an hour, and close to 6 inches …
Each season Ken constructs a cuke fence. Since he rotates crops the fence is always in a different place from the prior season. This year he got it almost done and I offered to help on the top portion – I lift one end of each panel and hold it in place while Ken ties it in place. Ken finds an angle and vertical growing area for the cucumbers results in fewer curved cukes. People …
Greetings from the Garden! This week’s CSA box has lettuce, spinach, salad mix, asparagus tips, green onions, chives, radishes, and herbs- probably dill. Field Notes. Ken has transplanted the tomatoes and peppers inside the mobile high tunnel. He has also been busy transplanting in the garden – onions and brassica family. After the torrential rain – 2 1/2 inches in less than an hour (nearly 6 inches total), Ken had some places where soil was …
Spring greens also include some stronger flavored greens. In Asia and Europe cooks work to provide the bitter flavor as part of any meal. In America we usually avoid it. In Europe folks buy bitter tonics as a digestive and spring tonic. In Japan every meal we were served had a sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami (savory or brothy). Here we currently offer chicory and turnip greens. we have offered dandelion greens. Each …
After we moved the mobile high tunnel off the greens, Ken shut it up so the air and soil could warm up for the heat loving crops. Then he trans planted tomato and pepper seedlings It has hot and Ken shed his shirt – not often does one see him without a shirt with collar And of course he got a lot of help from his supervisor – …
Tuesday we got hail. It began to rain. I checked the internet weather and facebook- photos from nearby farmers with HUGE hail. We had just moved the mobile high tunnel so the greens didn’t cook, and now they were exposed to the elements. It was pouring and with our metal roof it is hard to tell whether it is hard rain or hail. I looked out and saw small random hail. Here are some spinach …
Greetings from the Garden! This week’s CSA box has asparagus, spinach, lettuce, salad mix, beet thins, salad turnips, green onions, potatoes, and herbs Field Notes. Ken got the poultry moved, the beds ready in the garden, planted there, and then got everything ready so I could help move the mobile high tunnel to its summer location. It was downhill and went smoothly. Then he anchored it. Next I will need to help with the cucumber …
Now that the weather has warmed the greens no longer need the protection of a greenhouse, Ken wanted to get the mobile high tunnel moved to this year’s summer location, close it up and warm that soil for the heat loving crops. The actual move is a short part of the job. First he clears the track, removes anchors, ties up doors, and takes up end bracing. When we are moving it down …
Last fall Ken moved the chickens, geese and turkeys into the garden. They clean up weed seeds and insects. Chores are easier in winter if the birds are nearer the house. And manure for the compost is already in the garden. It means they get moved in spring to other, more remote locations Ken had planned using the mobile high tunnel for the spring greens. Good thing as geese wanted to sit on …
Friday the vet removed Oscar’s stitches and staples. He was glad to shed t-shirt and leash! He still has a big shaved area and a scar, but he seems more than ready to resume duties. He is watching and coaching the piglets There is guarding the mobile high tunnel while Ken anchors it down And of course there is …
