Ah, if it weren't for this day of rest, this blog wouldn't be starting. We've got several people following our, sometimes comical, antics at the farm, so we decided to start a blog to make it easier on everyone......especially us!
We've been tending the farm pretty much every weekend all summer. It's been a rough one, to say the least. In the spring, the orchard was gorgeous. Absolutely loaded with blossoms.
The very first downside was finding that little voles had eaten around the trunks of some of the trees. We lost a few and made a mental note to install trunk guards before the next winter. After the blossoms fell and we started seeing apples, we started to spray. Things were looking good until we noticed black spots on some of the apples. A bit of research on Jeff's part revealed we had a fungal infection called (of all things) "black spot".....duh! Another mental note to spray for THAT next spring! Things were going along pretty well. We made trips every weekend to spray and fertilize and mow and trim and...and......
We also planted a garden out there. We put in 36 jalapeno plants, 2 pie pumpkin plants and 15 jack-o-lantern plants.
Then came the golf ball size hail. That damaged all the apples. We picked them all and made 6 gallons of apple sauce. All but 2 of the big jack-o-lantern pumpkins were damaged so bad they rotted on the vine.
The pie pumpkins have thicker skins and survived the pummeling and will make great Thanksgiving pies!
The vines are still alive and blossoming and trying to grow some more giant pumpkins......but I don't think they will have time before frost.
It's been a rough summer so far, but nothing that we couldn't handle and learn from.
The shed is started in the pasture area and has a floor now, but no walls.
Jeff is in his workshop working on the windows as I write. Walls may be coming next weekend. We'll keep you posted!!!!
