New Rose Bush

New Rose Bush

Friday, August 31, 2012

August 31, 2012

Yes, it's been a long time since the last post.  I can't keep up with this blog and keep up with the farm.   The market takes time and the garden is overwhelming.  The animals are pretty minimal upkeep, but I have to keep on the feed needs and such.  We have the ram separated from the ewes right now and getting him ready to breed toward the end of September.  He's not liking being separated one bit.  He smashed the chicken coop door and one wall, rampaged the rabbits and their cages - minimal destruction, but nevertheless irksome.  We have had to set up baracades everywhere so he won't get to either chickens or rabbit areas. 

The garden has had alot of frustration also.  I've finally gotten green beans but they don't taste well at all.  They were supposed to all be bush beans and I ended up with a tangled mess of pole beans.  The second planting of cucumbers havn't done well at all.  I do have lettuce and kale coming up for the fall and am now putting in lots of broccoli and cabbage.  I did one planting of beets, but don't see much happening there.  I'll try again.  I'd like lots of beets this fall.

The pumpkins and butternut squash are getting devasted by aphids.  I've been able to keep them at bay until now.  Unfortunate.  The pumpkins are squash were doing so great, even though I did lose a couple plants in the heat of July.

We started milkey spore treatment in the new orchard area and need to continue in the old orchard and backyard.  Terrible grub problem this past summer.  Hopefully we can have that treated and resolved.