I think I have been focussing too much on the animal products of our farm (lambs, kids, wool). So I thought I would take a moment to appreciate the plant products here.
We have had a relatively wet and cool spring. This has been really good for some of our crops.
Peas
Potatoes
Carrots
Onions
Radishes
It has not been good for the warm season crops. Tom just planted the green beans and corn yesterday, and it is only in the upper 50’s today. And we have had issues with the greenhouse starts. First mice ate most of our starts, and now slugs are enjoying them. But despite this we have some life in the greenhouse as well.
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Squash
In general our orchard is having an amazing year. We have more fruit set than we have ever seen.
Peaches
Asian Pears
Currants
Apples
Pears
Blueberries
Crabapples
Raspberries
I managed to forget to take a photo of our absolutely loaded plum trees. Our cherry trees are struggling this year, and our grape vines were killed by the goats last year. But we expect an amazing year for cider and wine production here. In fact, we have a large rhubarb crop so the winemaking has already begun.
Rhubarb wine
The other event here is what Tom calls the “raping” of the hillside. They are clear cutting a hill near our home. But one man’s plant harvesting is another man’s tree harvesting. It is ugly to look at though, and the chain saws starting at 6:00 AM on a Sunday morning is less than pleasant as well.
Plants are looking good and the wine looks real good.LOL
Thanks Kathy! I know our garden is way behind most of the country, but that is what we get for living in the maritime (i.e. rainy cool) northwest. It is not much wine yet but hopefully that will change in the fall.
your garden is so lush. Definitely an odd Spring but the plants seem to like it. Love to see the fruit trees so full.
Thanks Tom! Most of the plants like it. But it was only in the mid 50’s today- not sure the corn is going to come up.
I’m behind you, Donna – only half planted right now, and I think the meadow voles are dining on my shelling beans (odd that they left the black eyed peas alone). And my crazy Daisy dog jumped the fence to turn donuts in my newly seeded beds last weekend so I think my cauliflower is a lost cause. I was ready to strangle her and she thought it was a game. Arrgh! Sorry about the hillside – the 6 am chainsaws would have me seeing red. (The endless packs of touring Harleys are bad enough!)
Thanks Maureen! I am feeling better that I am not the last person planting anyway. Your garden vermin are a little different than mine too. The chainsaws did not start until 9:00 yesterday, so a little better. And we have the endless Harleys too on sunny days. I guess I should be thankful for the rain then, less Harleys!
This weekend was so iffy it wasn’t as bad as usual. I almost dread sunny Sunday mornings any more. Sitting out on the deck with a cup of coffee sounds good, until you can’t hear yourself think for the packs of 10, 15, 25 and 50 that go by. I passed one bunch last summer going in the opposite direction that was easily 100 bikes. Wouldn’t be so bad if they all didn’t have “muffler issues.” Don’t know why that’s legal. It irks me and makes me grumpy when I can’t hear the birds singing. Ah well.
Maureen, Here we also get “crotch rockets” that go screaming by at 100 MPH. They are loud and high pitched and much worse than the Harleys. Tom was mentioning that there should be a decibel limit on bikes but I worry that then there can be a decibel limit on other things, like our animals.
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