9/27/2020 the weekend

On Friday I made the first picking of Swiss chard. 

I finished getting the 2nd bed of the season ready by adding gypsum, kelp meal, manganese, magnesium, boron, iron, potash and blood meal, all things my soil needs. Then I spread it around and chopped it in, hooked up the drip lines and started adding water. The soil is bone dry and dusty, it’s going to take some time to get it wet enough. 

Went to the last market of the season for Globe-Miami on Saturday. 

Found a tiny little pullet egg. 

Picked some nice bell peppers for dinner ( home grown chicken fajitas)

Sunday I laid out some furrows on the new bed and added some fresh worm castings. Then I planted 4 trays of beets, 2 trays of Red Russian kale, some miscellaneous cauliflower and cabbages that managed to escape the late summer pests, 2 rows of spinach with lots of radishes tucked in wherever there was an empty spot. 

Egg production is now truly pathetic. The two big white ones are duck eggs so not even a dozen from the chickens. Lots of pens of birds molting like crazy. Hope all the new girls hurry up and get going. 

#appreciation

Appreciating serendipity in my life like walking into the hardware store and finding 5 gallons of exterior “oops” paint that wasn’t beige or grey for about a third the regular price. 

9/24/2020 more exciting things

The Flowering Tobacco smells so sweet when it opens in the evening. 

This little plant popped up in a flower pot. Not sure what it is yet besides a legume of some sort. 

Kittens like to watch YouTube too. 

Something tried to get in a chicken tractor but didn’t.  I think Giotto probably ran it off. 

Got another bed dug. Still needs some soil amendments but it’s almost ready to plant. 

The first bed I planted in this garden, about September 4th is doing amazing. 

While the weather hasn’t cooled down as much as it has in other places, it is only about 98° most days and cooling off quicker in the evening than it was even a couple of weeks ago. 

#appreciation

Just appreciating nature and the wonders of biology

A Most Exciting Week!!

The Patchwork Shed is coming along slowly. 

Little green caterpillars were eating the kale but they became chicken snacks. 

I get up and find these one morning. 

Farmer Girl and I took a Saturday afternoon off. We got sushi and spicy orange chicken from Blooms and picnicked on the Old Courthouse steps. 

Then we went inside to the Cobre Valley Center For the Arts and had a great time. 

The oldest of the 2020 pullets started laying. 

Ian got a new collar 

Rocks are still my biggest crop. 

I got new dish towels. That certainly fits!

My granddaughters tie dyed some shirts and my daughter put my business name on them. My grandson Noah even got one. 

My friend Angelica came over Saturday night and we got 11 cockerels processed.  I still need to rinse  and bag for the freezer. 

I spent Sunday morning rearranging water hoses and adding Ys and hoses because......

The well system was finally ready for use!  Happy Day!

#appreciation

Today I’m appreciating my blessings including following an impulse to check my email. My favorite shoe place was having a sale (shoes.com) and I got 2 pairs for only about $20 more than one pair. My feet are going to be really happy!

Busy Weekend

Lancinato (dinosaur kale) for market. 

I also had a Buttercup squash, garlic chives, basil 

The drillers came and flattened out the space for the water tank. 

Farmer girl got some ladder time putting up some more plywood  on the shed.  When I took this picture I noticed her hair was down and made her go put it in a pony tail. 

I did get some flowers planted. I taught a friend how to process her meat birds. I put out grit and oyster shell for the chickens. My son came by and helped troubleshoot what was wrong with my plucker and ordered the new plug I need to fix it.  So in a week or two I’ll be able to process a good number of cockerels.   I just didn’t pictures of things. 

#appreciation

Today just appreciating how things are moving along 

Crazy couple weeks

We have had almost no rain this summer and multiple wildfires within 30 miles north and East. 

There should be visible mountains over there but all we had was smoke. The fires are either out or mostly contained now but it was scary with various evacuations nearby.  

Our friend Don came and helped put some tin on the shed roof. 

Another friend, Bert gave me enough plywood to close in one wall

And Don came back and gave us a hand putting it up. 

That white blur is Giotto moving after giving my grandson kisses, very gently on the nose, not something he usually does. 

I rescued a small tarantula from the kittens. Usually we see several in August but this is only the second one this year. 

I milked a friend’s goat while they were out of town. Fresh raw milk is so yummy. Can’t wait until I have my own. 

The kittens are liable to be found anywhere. 

The drillers folded up the drill rig and took it away. They hit bedrock at 150 feet. Got the casing installed  
Putting the pump down. With a temporary electrical connection so they could test it. Next up, lot leveling and getting ready to install a 2500 gallon tank. 

My farmer girl went home to visit a few days and to spend time with some friends so I had to do all the chores by myself. I also made a run to Tucson to buy a friend’s breeding flock of Black Copper Marans. 

Farmer Girl fashion. A new chicken tee shirt and new muck boots. 

Got the first bed of the season planted: Swiss chard, beets, radish and salad turnips. 

Whew been a busy couple of weeks. No wonder I’m tired. 

#appreciation

I so appreciate wonderful, kind, caring and generous friends. Without them things wouldn’t be nearly as far along as they are.