Homestead Happenings

 

Welcome to our Friday feature,

Homestead Happenings,

where we share what's going on 

here on our Piedmont homestead.

It's been a rough couple of months,

and I am working toward resolution

to so many things.

Among other things,

I've been dealing with some surprising health issues,

and without the ability to get outside due to the weather,

it has taken its toll on my spirit.

Oftentimes, just being outside hearing the birds

or seeing that glorious blue sky

is enough to bring me back to a good place.

I'm working on it.

Believe it or not,

although we've had a long lasting cold spell,

with lows sometimes in the teens,

spring is beginning to pop up.

These irises aren't afraid to peek out of their cozy nest

in order to start the awakening that will continue for months.

I imagine the heavy blanket of leaves is keeping them

well insulated.

One of the tasks I usually have done by now

is the mulching of the fall leaves.

It just hasn't happened yet.

The blueberry bushes are budding out already,

and I'm hoping that this year our harvest 

will be an improvement from years past.

This will be the second season they have spent

in this same location next to the chook run.

Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits,

and oh-so good for you.

 

Something seems to be overwintering on this leaf.

It's fascinating to see things in nature

that often are hidden because of the abundance of leaves.

When the bushes and trees are bare,

it's so much easier to notice things.

Raven

The chooks have fared well through these frigid weeks.

With ample feathers to keep themselves warm,

they stay active scratching leaves and pecking the ground.

They are also given cracked corn to help them keep warm

during the coldest days and nights.

Straw has been used over the coldest part of the season,

and it's done a great job of keeping them toasty.

Yesterday, I decided to swap it out for shredded paper,

from our end-of-the-year file cabinet purge.

It should work similarly to the straw,

and it can be composted when it is no longer needed.

The bonus is that it keeps the coops cleaner.

Going through difficult periods in life

is certainly not easy.

I'm comforted by knowing that it won't be like this forever.

Things will get better and I am in God's hands.

It helps to remember to count each and every blessing

in the day-to-day.

This jar of sprouts on my kitchen windowsill

helps me keep in mind that my life is abundant.

Even though it's 14 degrees outside,

these seeds have decided to grow and give me food.

What a miracle.

May peace and comfort fill your heart.

Garden Friday

 

rudbeckia

 

Welcome back to Garden Friday!

Our buds are bloomin' and the heat is comin' on strong!

 

We're still getting a few strawberries here and there.

Whatever the squirrels decide to leave us.

 

On my daily walk, I pass along an empty lot

where raspberries grow.

They're getting close!

I may bring a bucket with me next week.

 

The third set of cukes I planted are looking like they might make it.

The first batch was eaten, when I had planted them in the ground,

then the second batch (planted in pots) succumbed to the heat.

 

I think we're on the right track!

I fertilized anything in the garden that developed flowers this week.

The netting is used to deter squirrels from digging in the pots.

 It looks like the pumpkins are getting close to setting flowers.

So far, these are the most promising pumpkins I've grown,

but we still have a long way to go.

 

Oh my stars!

We have beans!

One of my favorite veg is moving right along.

I had to get over the idea that it was necessary to grow

everything from seed.

I'd rather have something to eat than bragging rights.

 

This volunteer squash will be a mystery fruit.

I have no idea how it got here, but I'm glad it will have

a trellis to climb next to the straw bale.

Love me some squash soup!

Unfortunately, none of the Candy Roasters germinated.

 

The garlic will be harvested this weekend

to make room for sweet potato slips.

This is a motley looking mess of garlic.

Not sure what happened,

but my garlic usually looks a lot better than this.

Ah well, it should be enough to keep us fed all year.

Instead of saving the largest heads to replant in the fall,

I decided to go ahead and order new seed from Sow True.

 

Two varieties of lettuce seeds are being saved.

This is the green oakleaf variety,

and I also have buttercrunch bolting.

A new salad blend will be added to another bed

for harvesting through the summer and early fall.

 

Surprisingly, the kale is making progress next to the newer carrot crop.

I had just about given up on the two varieties of kale I had in this bed,

but lo and behold, it decided it wanted to grow.

Speaking of carrots, 

I decided to let some of it go to seed.

The flowers are amazing

and it will allow me to save seed

while fostering the pollinators in the garden.

 

The asparagus is one hot mess.

I'm not sure why it lays down like this, 

I've always seen it standing upright.

Harvesting has slowed down,

but we are still getting spears months after it started growing.

What a valuable food source!

 

For the first time in years,

I bought some brand new pots.

This fountain grass had been purchased a couple of weeks ago,

and I knew they would be perfect in pots on the front porch,

but I didn't have anything I could use.

These pots are not only made in the USA,

but they are made from 100% recycled plastic.

Win-win-win!

 

The daisies are still going strong,

and most likely will continue through the long, summer months.

They are deadheaded a few times a week.

 

Our butterfly bed out front is filling in

with lots of additions like echinacea, zinnias,

lantana, gerbera daisies, shasta daisies and some herbs.

 

This pile of branches and twigs has been sitting next to the driveway

for months, and the dry weather lent itself to tackling this project.

After all, we can always use more wood chips.

 

 With the three of us working,

it took a few hours to mulch up the pile.

The chips were added to various areas of the chook run.

Nothin' like fresh wood chips!

 

What didn't get shredded was burned,

so we have a bit of ash to use in the garden as well.

It's amazing to see how all of that "rubbish" burns down to nothing.

 

Sprouting has begun again.

While organizing a cabinet the other day,

I spied these alfalfa seeds and decided to give it a go.

I figured whatever I couldn't eat could go to the chooks.

Turns out, they didn't even try them.

 

Ah well, more for me!

I love them in salads, on sandwiches or added to cheese and crackers.

So good for you, and you've grown them yourself in just a few days!

Our days will soon be heating up,

but thankfully, some of our garden friends enjoy it.

As for me, I'll do what I can outside,

taking breaks as needed

and keeping the coconut water flowing!

What's your spring/summer garden up to?

Quick Greens for Hard Times

Sprouts are one of the easiest and quickest food sources

that can be grown in your very own kitchen.

These sunflower seeds were ordered from one of my favorite companies,

Sow True Seed, in nearby Asheville.

They are most often the source for my gardening seeds,

and I trust their selection of heirloom and open-pollinated seeds.

Here's a great way to keep your family in greens in case you can't get to the store.

In a shallow tray (this one had held portobello mushrooms),

add seed starting mix and moisten well.

Add a dense layer of sunflower seeds right on top. 

Cover with a light layer of soil mix and press down

to give the seeds direct contact with the soil.

 Water lightly, just to moisten the soil

and place a lid on top of your container.

(This flat lid was the top of a purchased lettuce mix.)

A lipped container was placed underneath,

just to ensure no mess on the counter

and to make it easier to move around.

The whole thing sat next to our kitchen sink,

where we could watch the magic unfold!

About twice a day, it got misted with water, using an old spray bottle.

This soil mixture tends to dry out quickly, and it's important to 

keep the seeds moist, but not sopping wet.

Within 3 days, the sprouts started popping out!

The flat lid was switched out for a taller one,

(again a lettuce container),

to accommodate the growing stalks.

 By day six, the top was getting lifted off of the container!

The greenhouse-like conditions helped them retain the moisture better,

but it was still misted at least daily until harvest.

 By day ten, they were ready for harvest.

 The stems were snipped near the top of the soil

and the sprouts were rinsed in cool water in a strainer

and left to air dry for a few minutes.

They were placed in the refrigerator in an old strawberry container,

so that they could remain as crisp and vibrant as possible.

What was left in the growing container was composted.

Adding these sprouts to salads, sandwiches, even egg dishes,

is a sure-fire way to add fiber, vitamins and some novelty to your diet.

Wouldn't kids love to see this miraculous evolution?

A new batch could be started every few days

so that there is an ample supply.

I find most sprouts delicious,

but sunflower sprouts are without a doubt my favorite.

I'm thinking I need to save some of our seeds from this summer's garden,

so that we have sunflower sprouts all winter long.

 

Here's to growin' your own!

Garden Friday

 Welcome to Garden Friday!

By the time this posts,

summer will officially be on Her way out!

This thermometer measures the temperature (top number)

on the north side of our house,

which is mostly shade.

I think we actually hit 100 degrees yesterday.

The weekend is supposed to gift us with 

daytime highs in the 70's.

We are SO ready for fall!

Without much ambition due to the heat,

not much has been done in the garden of late.

The okra and eggplant were torn out

to make room for our new raised beds.

 This area will be reworked and amended

so that we can place three new raised beds in the space.

 

 The supplies were purchased this week

to create two of the three beds,

using the concrete corners seen here.

We'll document the process,

so that we can show how simple it really is.

 Beans are still coming in and I'm hoping that this weekend

I can get our sugar snap peas planted.

We are using the direct sow method,

as snap peas do best this way.

They will be placed to the right of the bean vines,

all along the arches.

 The loofah is turning all kinds of colors,

from lime green, to mustard, to a rich, coppery hue.

 With the cooler weather looming,

I'm hoping to have abundant time on the front porch,

shaking out seeds to reserve for next year's planting,

and a mess to share with friends.

The trellis created for the sweet potatoes 

didn't quite contain them.

The foliage is so bountiful that it is falling over.

sweet potato blooms

 The cooler temperatures this weekend

should help this crop along its way.

I'm ready to harvest, even if the plant isn't.

I will need the bed to plant beets.

 One crop that isn't dependent on the weather is sprouts.

These Red Ripper beans are ready in a matter of days,

greening up on the kitchen windowsill.

I collected these Hyacinth Bean pods

from one of my jobs.

It's a gorgeous climbing vine

with delicate purple blooms.

I can see this ascending trees and trellises 

in our garden next season.

These sweet pansies haven't stopped blooming

since being added to the veggie garden months ago.

The heat and lack of rain haven't bothered them one bit.

Aren't sunflowers just stunning?

In all stages.

I find them fascinating and absolutely breath-taking.

Just look at this one seed head that droops after having its glory in the summer sun.

Each seed is the promise of sunflowers next year in our garden.

These will be harvested and saved for planting early next summer.

A gal has to have some motivation to face another scorching garden season!

Will you be planting a fall garden?