Garden Friday

 

 

It's Garden Friday!

Welcome to our lil' Piedmont garden,

where we were blessed with a bit o' rain yesterday.

The flowers just drink in every drop!

 

Both of the mystery melons that grew in our melon bed

were either eaten or split before they could be enjoyed.

 

This sometimes happens when watering is inconsistent,

although when this photo was taken,

we hadn't had any significant rainfall,

and the drip irrigation is very consistent.

All is not lost though,

these were fed to the chooks,

who suck up the seeds like a Hoover vacuum.

 

I managed to save some seeds for planting next season as well.

 

 Speaking of seeds,

my order from Sow True Seed came in the mail,

so I will be ready to complete my fall planting.

I got a bit behind, as I was dog sitting last weekend,

and didn't have time to work in my own garden.

I hope to remedy that this weekend.

 

 

This year, I will be trying their raised bed mix

on one of the larger raised beds.

Every year, I choose a different bed,

and sow cover crops in it. 

I will also be sowing some white Dutch clover

to the drain field in our yard.

The chooks scratched up quite a bit of it over the last year,

and it needs a bit of resowing.

 

Each year, I snap a picture of our Mammoth sunflowers,

although this year I'm a bit late to the party.

They were well past their prime by the time we got a photo.

Fortunately, the squirrels did not climb the stalks this year,

so I will be able to harvest huge heads of seeds for next year.

 

A surprise greeted me when I was perusing the garden.

A few more of the Kajari melons popped up in the grass.

We'll see if we get to sample any.

So far, we haven't had much luck with melon tasting.

 

The sweet potatoes are surfacing, for some reason.

I've grown sweet potatoes for a few years now,

and never seen them come up out of the ground like this.

It'll be fun to see what's under there!

 

Strawberries in September?

Is it me, or are things a bit off this year?

I never expected to see berries forming now.

Not complaining one bit!

 

The loofah are getting huge!

I have sampled some of the smaller ones,

and was surprised to find out that the chooks enjoyed them as well.

The rest will be left to size up and harvest 

to use as "sponges" once they dry. 

 

The chooks have relished the extra bit of shade the vines provide.

The pollinators have delighted in the flowers.

Everybody wins!

This sweet basket was made by a friend's husband

so that C could use it to collect eggs.

I gathered some basil for pesto making

and it was exactly what I needed.

 

There are quite a few projects planned for when it gets

just a wee bit cooler.

It's coming, little by little.

I'm hoping that the drier air and cooler temperatures

will motivate me to get out there and get things crossed off of my list.

I'm not sure if I'm slowing down,

or just not willing to go out into the heat anymore.

 Do you notice the asparagus bed in the foreground here?

We've not had any significant wind events,

but the ferns are always laying over in the bed this way.

Any ideas?

 

The weather is starting to change,

and once again my favorite season will be here.

It's such a blessing to be able to send the heat of summer packing,

and welcome in a milder season.

Here's hoping you enjoy all the loveliness of this very day.
 

Garden Friday-Using Cover Crops

 

These two new raised beds were created earlier this month.
Having a little more space to add crops come springtime
will be so exciting!
For now, these dormant beds will be sown with cover crops,
to ensure they start off right. 
Last year was the first winter
I'd ever sown cover crops.

Where these raised beds now stand
used to be several raised rows,
another first-time venture.
Although I did have some success with the raised rows,
I think that having beds higher up 
will make it easier to tend as I get older. 
Last year, I sowed the cover crops  in them around the same time,
but our conditions were very different.
This year, we've already had a couple of freezes,
so I'm not sure if it will affect the germination and growth
of the cover crops.

Two different cover crops were obtained from Sow True Seed in Asheville.
They are one of my go-tos for quality seed
and great customer service.

 This winter mix contains several crops,
including winter rye, crimson clover and hairy vetch.
Also known as "green manure",
cover crops can nurture the soil in a variety of ways.
Fostering beneficial insects below the soil while
preventing erosion and boosting the nutrient content
once it is turned into the soil in the spring,
are a few of the blessings that cover crops bring.
They also keep weeds at bay,
thereby making the soil primed for planting in spring.

This is white clover that I'm hoping to use
to create a meadow on the side of the house.
Attracting pollinators to the vegetable garden
has been something I've been working on for a year or so.
It started with creating a pollinator bed in the front yard
the first year we lived here.
Then, last year, we repurposed an old sandbox frame,
to fashion a pollinator bed smack-dab in the front corner
of the veggie garden.

 

The meadow area I will be looking to establish,
is just behind the vegetable beds,
in an area that slopes toward our leaf mulch pile
and open-air composting system.
This expansive area would be a wonderful place
to experiment with native wildflowers.
The white clover will be introduced during this first phase.
 
The bonus is that it would cut down on our mowing zone
and save us quite a bit of labor.
It sounds like a win-win to me!
 

Going Local-Asheville

A few weeks ago,
we headed out on another day trip.
This time, our destination was Asheville,
which is about an hour and a half from our home.
The drive was pleasant, and the view of the looming mountains
made us grateful to be residents of this magnificent state.

Our first stop was Sow True Seeds, right downtown.
Although I had written ahead to let them know we were coming,
our wires got crossed.
We drove up to discover that the storefront
was closed on weekends during the summer.
Bummer.

It didn't stop me from taking a few shots 
of their gorgeous gardens out front.
Can you just imagine the pollinator parties going on here?

Practically around the corner, we found this fascinating place.
Don't let the humble facade fool you.

Inside were scads of untold treasures.

The young artisans demonstrated and narrated each step in the process.
Big K and I could have spent much of the afternoon there,
mesmerized by the magic unfolding before our eyes.

It was nothing less than amazing to see pieces of glass
being transformed into beautiful and functional pieces of art.

Just look at some of the contributions...

Incredible, right?
Big K and I bought a Christmas ornament,
not that we will need a memento to remember our visit.
This place alone is worth a drive from just about anywhere.
Lexington Glassworks' website can be found here.

There was so much to see and so little time.
Next on our agenda was visiting an antique car museum for the boys.
This little gem was a place worthy of spending some time.

Nestled in Historic Grovewood Village,
the car museum was just one of the features of this quaint getaway.

The assortment included vintage automobiles 
from the early 1900s up through the 1950's.
All vehicles are in running order and treated with kid gloves.
The boys were in their sweet spot.

The jewel in the collection 
was this 1922 American LaFrance fire truck.

To our surprise, 
admission was free,
although there is a donation box near the entrance.
We appreciate the time and attention it takes
to provide a place like this for others to enjoy.

The grounds of the village were a delight to stroll.
With artists' studios nearby,
we were able to joyfully witness their creative offerings.

Beautiful gardens surround the village,
and entice one to linger.

The final stop on our Asheville tour
was the Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center.

This gorgeous LEED-Certified building houses special events,
visitor information, a theatre, and a retail shop. 

You can find displays describing the history of the Parkway's construction,
as well as artifacts from the project.
What a fantastic homeschooling field trip!

We found a vista not too far away.

The Parkway itself is another day trip we hope to take,

maybe closer to fall, when leaves are turning.

There is so much more to see in Asheville,
so we know we'll return.

Where'd you go on your last day trip?