Day 151 of 365

Tuesday

• Low: 70° F
• High: 83° F

Rainfall: 0.4"

Wednesday

• Low: 69° F
• High: 85° F

Harvested:

• some potatoes
• some peaches

Potatoes have blight. I dug the ones that the plants had died back. Not many but they look pretty good.

Peaches are few this year. The trees just didn't seem to produce the fruit.

This year's first chicks started hatching! I sneaked the mail order chicks in under mama just a bit ago. Hopefully all will be well in the morning. 

June 17 - 25, 2012

Temperature Range:

• lows: 60 - 70° F
• highs: 83 - 94° F

Rainfall: 0.05"

Planted:

• amaranth
• black oil sunflowers
• sweet potato slips

Harvested:

• potatoes
• peaches
• blueberries
• yellow onions
• multiplier onions

Egg Counts:

• Sun. 7
• Mon 6
• Tues 6
• Wed 6
• Thurs 9
• Fri 6
• Sat 6
• Week's Total: 46

Observed & Accomplished:

Sunday

• day of rest

Monday

• picked blueberries
• harvested onions
• harvested more potatoes

Tuesday

• finished harvesting potatoes
• weeded
• 1st cukes will be ready to harvest soon
• I think Mrs. Mean might be laying her eggs in the Broody's nest!

Wednesday

• latest garden post on my homestead blog
• weeded
• planted amaranth in old potato beds
• planted BOSS with cucumbers
• applied 4 cups dolomitic limestone and 3 cups bone meal to each bed
• picked about a gallon of blueberries
• 1st day this summer we broke 90°
• light rain, welcome after planting those seeds

Thursday

• weeded front herb bed; near impossible because of all the wire grass growing there

Friday

• froze blueberries

Saturday

• finished planting sweet potatoes
• applied dolomitic limestone to both sweet potato beds
• weeded tomato aisles
• noted some beds are muddy, some beds are dry as a bone
• picked blueberries (almost 2 gallons)
• other hens keep laying in the broody's nest. She has 5 or 6 eggs now; only supposed to have 3
• late afternoon thunder & a sprinkle

June 10 - 16, 2012

Temperature Range:

• lows: 60 - 70° F
• highs: 68 - 87° F

Rainfall: 2.1"

Planted:

• sweet potato slips, homegrown, Vardaman

Harvested:

• peaches
• strawberries
• onions
• blueberries

Preserved:

• peaches, frozen

Egg Counts:

• Sun. 5
• Mon. 9
• Tues. 8
• Wed. 6
• Thurs. 4
• Fri. 8
• Sat 5
• Week's Total: 45

Observed & Accomplished:
Sunday

• day of rest
• light rain all day
• glad I planted the corn & cowpeas yesterday

Monday

• rained almost all day
• inventoried, defrosted & cleaned chest freezer
• cleaned out pantry refrigerator 
• identified brown rot as what's getting my peaches

Tuesday

• It's. Still. Raaaaaiiiiiniiiiing! (That drizzly, things are never gonna dry out kind of rain)
• put out the sweet potato slips in the mud
• pulled the rest of the sp sprouts to root
• 1st volunteer calendula blooming
• froze 1 more quarts of peaches

Wednesday

• checked on the worms & gave them more bedding. Saw lots of worm babies
• weeded tomato beds
• found some strawberries buried in the wiregrass
• drizzled in the PM

Thursday

• woke up to more rain!

Friday

• picked about a gallon of blueberries!
• weeded tomato beds
• mowed weeds between rows of corn & cowpeas
• cowpeas sprouting

Saturday

• harvested half the 2nd potato bed

June 3 - 9, 2012

Temperature Range

• lows: 55 - 66° F
• highs: 74 - 84° F

Rainfall: 1.55"

Planted:

• cowpeas, Ozark Razorback (saved seed)
• field corn, Truckers Favorite (saved seed)

Harvested:

• peaches, 
• sand cherries
• garlic

Preserved:

• dehydrated peaches
• froze peaches

Egg Counts:

• Sun. 8
• Mon. 7
• Tues. 8
• Wed. 6
• Thurs 8
• Fri. 6
• Sat. 7
• Week's Total: 50

Observed & Accomplished
Sunday

• day of rest
• buckwheat is blooming
• plan to plant 3rd section of corn tomorrow

Monday

• rain. No corn planting
• tried to get broody hen off empty nest. several times
• picked a few more sand cherries. very tart

Tuesday

• more rain
• made our 1st peach pie of the year!
• peaches have less worms than last year but many are rotting on the tree. Need to research

Wednesday

• drizzle
• volunteer cosmos blooming in front yard
• black eyed susans blooming
• front herb bed is a mess

Thursday

• harvested garlic even though it was too wet
• dehydrated peaches
• gave broody hen 3 eggs to set
• more drizzle

Friday

• picked & dehydrated peaches

Saturday

• Dan tilled where we harvested the wheat and I planted cowpeas
• planted the last 4 rows of field corn
• froze almost a quart of peaches
• not enough peach harvest to can yet

May 27 - June 2, 2012

Temperature Range:

• lows: 55 - 69° F
• highs: 74 - 84° F

Rainfall: 0.65"

Planted: nothing

Harvested:

• peaches
• sand cherries
• potatoes, Red Norlands

Preserved:

• 14 qts carrots (store bought organic)

Egg Counts:

• Sun. 6
• Mon. 10
• Tues. 4
• Wed. ?
• Thurs. 8
• Fri. 5
• Sat. 7
• Week's Total: 40+

Got really behind on my observations and record keeping this week. 

Mar. 4 - 10, 2012

Temperature Ranges

• lows: 28 - 57° F
• highs: 46 - 71° F

Rainfall: 0.5"

Planted

• turnips, Golden Ball (Pinetree Garden)
• Peas, early bird experimental (Shumway freebie)

Started

• sweet potatoes for slips

Harvested:

• broccoli
• kale
• lettuce
• carrots

Preserved:

• broccoli, frozen, 3 qts

Egg Counts

• Sun. 3
• Mon. 8
• Tues. 9
• Wed. 10
• Thurs 5
• Fri. 9
• Sat. 8
• Week's Total: 52

Observed & Accomplished:
Sunday

• day of rest
• very windy; blew the top off the corn crib
• wheat is greening up a bit

Monday

• bought & applied more blood meal to wheat
• pulled dead vines & plants out of next summer's corn patch
• peach trees beginning to bloom

Tuesday

• finished pulling dead weeds from corn field
• started sweet potatoes for slips, hope it's not too late!

Wednesday

• raked up some of my piles of leaves
• mulched another garden bed
• noted fresh deer tracks in garden

Thursday

• raked & mulched
• weeded & mulched carrots, lettuce, multiplier onions
• planted peas & turnips

Saturday

• broccoli starting to flower
• harvest most of the rest of the broccoli, only small heads
• Froze broccoli

July Wk. 1: 3 - 9

Temperature range:

• lows: 65 - 71 F
• highs: 74 - 95 F

Rainfall: 2.65"

Planted:

• lima beans, Christmas
• gourds, luffa sponge

Harvested:

• Roma tomatoes
• cowpeas
• okra
• cucumbers
• blueberries
• cabbage
• peaches (last of)

Preserved:

• 6 pints sweet pickle chips, canned
• 1/2 gal raw goat milk, frozen
• okra, 1 qt. frozen
• blueberries, 2 qts frozen
• mozzarella, 10 pizzas worth

Eating our own:

• fresh cucumbers
• fresh eggs
• fresh blueberries
• fresh cabbage (cole slaw)
• fresh peaches
• fresh tomatoes
• goats milk:
• hard cheese
• sour milk (coffee cake)
• yogurt
• yogurt cheese
• mozzarella
• canned green beans
• canned Swiss chard
• canned blueberry jam
• canned pizza sauce
• canned pickle relish
• canned dill pickles
• stored carrots (cole slaw)
• dried wild onions (hush puppies)
• frozen bell peppers
• lacto-fermented Swiss chard

Egg counts:

• Sun. 5
• Mon. 3 + stash of 4
• Tues. 6
• Wed. 4
• Thurs. 4
• Fri. 5 + 1 "rubber" egg
• Sat. 4
• Week's Total: 36

June Wk 4: 26 - 2

Temperature range

• lows: 66 - 70 F
• highs: 88 - 95 F

Rainfall: 0.2"

Planted:

• pumpkins, Small Sugar (saved seed)
• butternut squash (re-planted,  saved seed)

Harvested:

• cucumbers
• okra
• 2 ripe strawberries
• peaches
• blueberries
• summer squash
• 1st paste tomatoes

Seeds saved:

• calendula
• carrot (Scarlet Nantes)
• lettuce (oak leaf type)

Preserved:

• 5+ pints of blueberry jam from 2010 frozen blueberries
• frozen fresh blueberries, 1 quart
• 10 pints sweet pickle chips
• 2, 1/2 gallons milk, frozen

Eating our own:

• fresh eggs
• fresh cucumbers
• fresh summer squash
• fresh tomatoes
• fresh onions
• fresh garlic
• fresh potatoes
• fresh strawberries (on cereal)
• fresh blueberries (cereal & pie)
• fresh goats milk 
• milk
• yogurt
• hard cheese
• mozzarella
• sour milk (corn bread)
• canned sweet potatoes
• canned green beans
• canned Swiss chard
• canned salsa
• canned blueberry jam
• canned pizza sauce
• frozen bell peppers
• frozen blueberries (muffins)
• frozen basil pesto
• lacto-fermented Swiss chard

Egg Counts:

• Sun. 4
• Mon. 4
• Tues. 6
• Wed. 4
• Thurs. 2
• Fri. 3
• Sat. 4
• Week's Total: 27

Accomplished:

• tied up tomatoes
• gathered more leaves for mulch
• mulched sunflowers & summer squash
• mulched sweet potatoes
• mulched red pontiacs

June Wk 3: 19 - 25

Temperature Range:

• lows: 61 - 71 F
• highs: 79 - 95 F

Rainfall: 1.3"

Planted:

• sweet basil plant (garden center)
• sweet pepper plant (garden center)

Harvested:

• peaches
• cucumbers
• dill
• calendula flowers

Preserved:

• 2 gallons milk as 2 mozzarella cheeses (shredded & frozen)
• 5 half-gallons milk, frozen
• 11 pints dill pickles, Di-Lish Dill pickle recipe

Seeds gathered:

• peas
• lettuce, Romaine & oak leaf type

Eating Out Own:

• fresh eggs
• fresh potatoes
• fresh cucumbers
• fresh peaches
• fresh goats milk including:
• yogurt
• yogurt cheese
• cheese
• sour milk (cake)
• mozzarella (pizza)
• whey (pizza dough)
• canned blueberry jam
• canned cucumber relish
• canned dill pickles
• canned green tomato salsa
• canned apple butter
• canned pizza sauce
• frozen cantaloupe (smoothies)
• frozen potato soup
• frozen bell pepper
• frozen okra
• dried cantaloupe
• lacto-fermented Swiss chard

Egg Counts:

• Sun. 4
• Mon. 5
• Tues. 4
• Wed. 4
• Thurs. 4
• Fri. 6
• Sat. 6
• Week's Total: 33

Accomplished:

• compost applied to comfrey plants
• raked more leaves for mulch
• defrosted chest freezer

June Wk 2: 12 - 18

Temperature Range:

• lows: 59 - 67 F
• highs: 82 - 91 F

Rainfall: 0.95"

Planted:

• dwarf basil blend (Shumway)
• popcorn, calico (Territorial Seed)

Harvested:

• turnips (volunteers)
• potatoes, Red Pontiac (volunteers)
• lettuce, Romaine (volunteers)
• onions (leftover from last year?)
• peaches
• strawberries
• calendula flowers
• cucumbers

Egg Counts:

• Sun. 4
• Mon 4
• Tues. 2
• Wed. 4
• Thurs. 5
• Fri. 4
• Sat. 7
• Week's Total: 30

Eating Our Own:

• fresh turnips
• fresh peaches
• fresh strawberries
• fresh eggs
• goats milk including:
• yogurt
• whey
• cottage cheese
• hard cheese
• yogurt cheese
• stored potatoes
• canned blueberry jam
• canned green tomato salsa
• canned dill pickles
• canned apple butter
• canned pizza sauce
• frozen green peppers
• frozen okra
• dehydrated watermelon
• lacto-fermented Swiss chard

Accomplished:

• seeds from turnips, broccoli, and radishes sorted and labeled
• tilled most of fall garden & wheat patch
• mulched spearmint & horehound
• continued mulching main garden
• made two new permanent beds

June Wk 1: 5 - 11

Temperature range:

• lows: 62 - 69 F
• highs: 89 - 96

Rainfall: 1.1"

Planted:

• summer savory (2nd try)
• 4 O'clocks (Mirabilis)
• 2 hybrid bell pepper plants (feed store)
• St. John's wort (2nd try)

Harvested:

• peaches
• strawberries (handful)
• comfrey (for the goats)
• cucumbers (1st two)

Seeds gathered:

• peas, Wando
• turnips, purple top white
• radish, variety unknown
• broccoli, Waltham 29

Preserved:

• milk as 2 hard cheeses
• 3/4 gallon Swiss chard, lactofermented

Eating our own:

• frozen okra
• frozen bell pepper
• canned green tomato salsa
• canned blueberry jam
• canned strawberry jam
• canned figs
• canned pizza sauce
• fresh eggs
• fresh peaches
• fresh cucumbers
• fresh goats milk including:
• yogurt
• cottage cheese
• cheese
• yogurt cheese
• whey
• dehydrated watermelon
• dried herbs

Egg Counts:

• Sun. 4
• Mon. 4 + stash of 4
• Tues. 6
• Wed. 5
• Thurs. 5
• Fri. 3
• Sat. 7
• Week's Total: 38

Accomplished:

• raked leaves for mulch
• watered new plantings
• watered strawberry & asparagus bed

Observed:

• echinacea blooming
• hardy hibiscus blooming

Mar. Wk 1: 2/27 - 3/5

Temperature Range

• lows: 36 - 61 F
• highs: 48 - 75 F

Rainfall: 1.5"

Egg Counts

• Sun. 7
• Mon. 5
• Tues. 2
• Wed. 6
• Thurs. 6
• Fri. 5
• Sat. 5
• Week's Total: 36

Accomplished:

• finished transplanting everbearing strawberries
• mulched crabapple
• mulched almond tree
• bordered existing herb beds with bricks
• double dug a new herb bed
• froze 2 more dozen eggs

Observations:

• peas sprouting
• peach trees blooming
• indoor cabbages sprouting
• rhubarb sprouting
• Japanese magnolia blooming
• forsythia blooming

Eating:

• fresh carrots
• fresh turnips
• fresh eggs
• canned pizza sauce
• frozen okra
• stored potatoes
• canned Swiss chard
• frozen green peppers
• canned dill pickles
• canned figs
• canned blueberry topping
• dried watermelon
• dried cantaloupe
• sauerruben

January To-Do List

1/28 - Sow seeds indoors:

• cabbage
• onion
• celery
• celeriac

Feed:

• rhubarb, apply 3 inch layer of well-rotted compost

Spray:

• Fruit trees with horticultural oils, lime sulfur, and copper. Horticultural oils will control overwintering insects and mites. Lime-sulfur and copper sprays will control some fungal diseases such as peach leaf curl, brown rot, and shothole fungus.
• Peach trees with with lime-sulfur for leaf-curl fungus

Prune:

• grapes

April 4, 2010

Temperature:
~ low 55 F
~ high 82 F

Harvested:
~ beet leaves - 0.1 oz
~ broccoli - 1.2 oz
~ cabbage leaves - 0.1 oz
~ carrot - 1 ct, 1.5 oz
~ lettuce - 0.2 oz
~ radishes - 2 ct, 0.2 oz
~ spinach - 0.3 oz

Blooming:
~ almond - 2 blossoms
~ blueberry (rabbiteye) - loaded
~ peaches - 2 blossoms
~ strawberries - lots

December 4, 2009

Planted the fruit trees (from Stark Bros Nursery):

• 1 July Elberta dwarf peach
• 1 Delicious dwarf peach
• 1 Gala semi-dwarf apple
• 1 Fuji semi-dwarf apple
• 1 Honeysweet dwarf pear
• 1 Moonglow dwarf pear

Planted 2 more Leyland Cypresses to finish out therow

Sept. 12, 2009

Temp:
~ low 60° F
~ high 84° F
Occasional clouds

Ordered: (from Stark Bro's Nursery)
~ apple tree - Grandgala, semi-dwarf
~ apple tree - Red Fuji, semi-dwarf
~ peach tree - Delicious, dwarf
~ peach tree - July Elberta, dwarf
~ pear tree - Honeysweet, dwarf
~ pear tree - Moonglow, dwarf

Harvested:
~ butternut squash - 1 ct, 1 lb 0.6 oz
~ okra - 3.7 oz
~ tomatoes - 4 ct, 1 lb 1.4 oz

Watered:
~ beets
~ cucumbers
~ pumpkins
~ winter squashes

Notes:

• Harvested one of my two pumpkins. Unfortunately the bottom had a hole and had been ruined by some kind of larvae. The hole was larger than the ones from pickleworm.
• The pecans don't appear to be ready to harvest, but the squirrels are doing them in at an alarming rate. Will there be any left for us???