Animals
- Harvest Time
I remain in disbelief of the incredible stretch of temperate weather we are experiencing!Every day is just as beautiful as the one before and the one after. It's as if Pennsylvania has become the new San Diego. Although I know it is just a temporary...
- Happiness Is A Garden!
After two days of drenching rain, the clouds started to break apart yesterday afternoonand the equines headed out into the front pasture. The horses seem to have accepted the donkeys into their herd, but the donkeys are still a little insecure and stay...
- This And That
I swear that if we studied the bees a little more,we would find that a beehive can be used as a natural thermometer.The hotter the day, the more bees cling to the outside of the box. So, I guess you can tell by that picture that it is a hot, lazy afternoonhere...
- Minerva, Master-weeder
Amazingly, since Minerva has taken up residence in the garden, it is virtually weed free (we won't mention that I spent the entire past week on my hands and knees). Regardless, the garden is the best it has ever looked at this point of the season....
- A Garden Gone Wild!
A very moist summer has made excellent growing conditions for our most prolific crop....WEEDS! We have had a fantastic berry harvest this year. Even the wild blackberries that line our woods are bursting with plump ripe fruit (watch out for chiggers,though!)....
Animals
Berry Time!
One of our favorite times is here...
and by now you know that we have many favorite times around here!
It's berry season.
And that makes us berry, berry happy!!
And that makes us berry, berry happy!!
Strawberries, big and juicy... lusciously sweet...
are appearing daily in the new strawberry boxes.
I planted only two varieties in these three big boxes...
large plants that grow the biggest of berries.
And in the blueberry orchard...
thousands of berries are ready to ripen.
All we need are a few warm sunny days and we will be knee deep in berries
and in a jam... literally!
I will be spending all of my available time processing homemade organic blueberry lime jam
(our most favorite!)
This year we planted a new fruit...
ground cherries, (aka husk cherry or cape gooseberry).
This is an indigenous plant in the tomatillo family with a bright orange,
husk-covered fruit that has a pineapple/tomato like flavor.
Last summer we found the fruit at our local farmers' market and used it
along with oranges to make a jam.
Let me tell you, it was so delicious that we decided to save seeds and grow our own.
Here is an idea that I had last summer that has worked out quite well.
I use these half whiskey barrels for my kitchen herbs outside our back door.
It saves me having to go the whole way to the vegetable garden when I am cooking.
And there is nothing better than adding freshly picked herbs to whatever you are cooking!
Have you ever seen anything so curious?
It is the last red potato from last summer's garden sprouting tiny new potatoes.
(It's like modern art from the garden!)
And lastly, I wanted to share a few of my happy critters
scratching itches...
Animals are a constant source of humor around here!
This year we planted a new fruit...
ground cherries, (aka husk cherry or cape gooseberry).
This is an indigenous plant in the tomatillo family with a bright orange,
husk-covered fruit that has a pineapple/tomato like flavor.
Last summer we found the fruit at our local farmers' market and used it
along with oranges to make a jam.
Let me tell you, it was so delicious that we decided to save seeds and grow our own.
Here is an idea that I had last summer that has worked out quite well.
I use these half whiskey barrels for my kitchen herbs outside our back door.
It saves me having to go the whole way to the vegetable garden when I am cooking.
And there is nothing better than adding freshly picked herbs to whatever you are cooking!
And speaking of last year's garden....
look what I found in our root cellar.
It is the last red potato from last summer's garden sprouting tiny new potatoes.
(It's like modern art from the garden!)
And lastly, I wanted to share a few of my happy critters
scratching itches...
I guess you have figured out that our electric fences are not electrified!
I could swear ole Number Two has got his toe in his ear!
Animals are a constant source of humor around here!
- Harvest Time
I remain in disbelief of the incredible stretch of temperate weather we are experiencing!Every day is just as beautiful as the one before and the one after. It's as if Pennsylvania has become the new San Diego. Although I know it is just a temporary...
- Happiness Is A Garden!
After two days of drenching rain, the clouds started to break apart yesterday afternoonand the equines headed out into the front pasture. The horses seem to have accepted the donkeys into their herd, but the donkeys are still a little insecure and stay...
- This And That
I swear that if we studied the bees a little more,we would find that a beehive can be used as a natural thermometer.The hotter the day, the more bees cling to the outside of the box. So, I guess you can tell by that picture that it is a hot, lazy afternoonhere...
- Minerva, Master-weeder
Amazingly, since Minerva has taken up residence in the garden, it is virtually weed free (we won't mention that I spent the entire past week on my hands and knees). Regardless, the garden is the best it has ever looked at this point of the season....
- A Garden Gone Wild!
A very moist summer has made excellent growing conditions for our most prolific crop....WEEDS! We have had a fantastic berry harvest this year. Even the wild blackberries that line our woods are bursting with plump ripe fruit (watch out for chiggers,though!)....