The fall garden is gettin' busier every week.
It's all good...
We start each workday with a tour of the garden.
The 'maters are abundant and healthy.
Oh, it does my heart good to see everything growing in 'Materville.
These gems will be ready in a matter of weeks.
(SLURP!)
Last week, we talked about how Lynn added another 1,000 feet to his garden area.
The entire growing space now takes up over 5,000 feet.
Collards are being started for the first time.
Broccoli starts are doing well.
Ah, what's this?
Telltale signs of trouble.
Let's look closer...
Faye & Lynn have a keen eye for spotting critters.
Gotcha!
Lynn's growing radishes for himself.
These babies have taken no time at all to grow to maturity.
They should be ready to harvest next week.
The Simpson Elite lettuce that were being pampered under shade cloth a couple of weeks ago
are standing out in the full sun and getting bushier.
The peas we sowed had a 95% germination rate.
Not bad, eh?
We reseeded a few pots,
but with so many plants growing,
we should be eating peas for a while.
Hot dog!!!
We transplanted more lettuce seedlings to bigger pots.
It's been too long since I sampled their delicious salad fixins.
Each crop has markers to indicate the crop (Simpson Elite),
the date of seeding, and the date of transplant.
We discussed the merits of this wonderful treasure that oozes from pots-
worm castings.
After transplanting, the seedlings were placed under shade cloth.
Protected from too much sun, we are hoping they will grow and prosper.
Another unwanted critter was found.
Plants are checked regularly and pests are hand-picked.
Another task we completed today was sowing beets
over on the new part of the garden.
We sow 7 seeds to a pot.
So far, the Roma tomatoes are faring well.
This is the first time this particular variety has been grown here.
This Key Lime basil was a big hit at the farmer's market last weekend.
We took some of these shoots out and gave them their own pot.
They'll stay in a shadier part of the garden until they are a bit stronger.
The carambola should be ready very soon.
The trees are loaded with flowers and clusters of fruit.
Lynn spotted this gopher tortoise that visits them frequently.
What a sweet lil' thing.
We accomplished quite a bit on this overcast day.
That's just the way I like it.
With so much going on,
it would be great to have more time to spend at the farm.
I'm grateful we have time to spend together
working toward a common goal.
As Lynn often says,
"It's a gas!"
The Farm School posts start here.
I'm so impressed at the size of the garden. It's huge! And good to hear the tomatoes are doing well!
ReplyDeleteHe'd love to expand too, but it's a lot for them to tend by themselves. I wish I could help out more often, but that's not possible. He's a worker, for sure!
DeleteOh my goodness - that's a lot of garden! Key Lime Basil - that sounds good! I haven't ventured much into the flavored basils yet. Maybe next year I'll add a couple.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet you would find some fantastic recipe to use that basil. I could ask them for some seed, if you'd like.
DeleteEverything looks so good. I can't believe you're growing starfruit--how cool. I love these farm school posts. Whenever I read them I resolve to try to be a better gardener!
ReplyDeleteLearning from a master has really helped my confidence in the garden. He knows what he's doin'. ;0D
DeleteI have just recently been getting to know your farm and I have a question. I see that you grow your garden in pots. Why is that? Is the soil in your area not good?
ReplyDeleteWelcome! This is the farm where I volunteer, it's not mine. Faye & Lynn are older and want to continue to grow the rest of their lives, so they grow in containers to save themselves the physical difficulties of growing in the ground. It also prevents problems with nematodes.
DeleteIt's all very practical.
Your Farm School posts are really interesting. I've never tried key lime basil - it sounds wonderful.
ReplyDeletehave a great weekend!
Thank you for stopping by! Enjoy.
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