Monday, April 7, 2014

Farm School Spring Series Week Three



The spring garden is hummin' right along here at
Farm School.
We had time to do a few things that have been
on Lynn's to-do list for quite some time.



The thyme is coming right along
and smells heavenly.


Lynn has started a few trays of Datura,
also known as Devil's Trumpet.
It's a gorgeous shade of violet.
You can read more about it here



Tomato Town is enjoying the warmer temperatures
and the abundant sunshine we've had in the past week.



I stopped dead in my tracks when I spied these.
Oh.My.Stars.
The crops are absolutely LOADED.



Am I the only one drooling here?


 Last weekend, we planted a row of scallion sets.
These amazing crops w-i-l-l themselves to climb through 10 inches of soil
to celebrate in the sunshine.



We'll show you the unique harvesting technique soon.


The banana peppers are producing well enough
that there may be some for the farmer's market this weekend.


The Swiss Chard is bolting now,
and the seed will be saved for future sowing.



Veggies as far as the eye can see.


My beloved Red Salad Bowl lettuce is spent.
In another area, there are plants faring better, but
we won't have much longer to enjoy this tasty treat.


The Buttercrunch is also done for the season.


 The Red Annapolis has been slow growing,
but worth the wait.
It's so tender and sweet, it practically melts in your mouth.
Lynn has another red variety in mind that is supposed to be more heat tolerant. 
We hope to feature that soon.


Some of the cukes we planted last week are starting to pop up.



The Brussels sprouts were harvested last week.
Lynn has plans for the leaves.
He cuts off the top portion of the plant, 
wraps it in bacon and cooks it.
He claims it's to die for.
I think I'll take his word for it.
;0P


Lynn had obtained these pots from someone on Craig's List
who was downsizing her garden.
He didn't really need the dirt, just the pots.
We got to work clearing out some of the debris.



 The dirt was dumped onto the groundcloth
and these two forks were used to sift through the roots.






The dirt was used for transplanting these Red Caribbean Papaya.
The pots were set aside for another day's use.



Ah, now doesn't that feel better?



This sweet lil' preying mantis was found trying to dive back under the dirt.
These beneficial insects are a boon to the garden.


This glorious specimen is the desert rose.



Lynn decided to pot up the shoots that have
grown at the base of the main plant.






These root easily, so with a little shade and TLC,
they'll be a wonderful addition to someone's garden.
Faye and Lynn sell both produce and ornamentals 
at the Lake Wales Farmer's Market twice a month.




Our next task required a sharp spade.
Lynn has the right tool for the job.
The solid metal spade here on the right is at least 75 years old,
and like most things of this vintage, well made.




It was just the thing to dig up these two loquat trees
that had found a home at the base of a palm.
With a bit of hard work,
they were potted up and watered in well.
One is already promised to someone.
Lynn has another tagged for my garden.
Yippeee!



This native Fringe Tree is unlike anything I've ever seen.




The tufts of blooms are not only spectacular to behold,
the fragrance is something akin to a treat from a sweet shoppe.
Lynn thinks it smells like chocolate almond,
my vote was for vanilla.




Since we focus on the luscious vegetables and fruit most of the time,
it was delightful to learn a bit more about
the amazing array of ornamental plants and trees
that share their home here on The Hill.
Faye and Lynn are conscientious stewards of this land.
I can assure you, it's in the best of hands.

All the Farm School posts are available under our header.
The ride began here.











Friday, April 4, 2014

Plant Profile-Native Milkweed



Today we are continuing our focus on Florida-friendly plants.  
This is a favorite of many a gardener.

Native Milkweed




This workhorse provides beauty for the gardener,
as well as a home for some fascinating critters.





Its flowers attract butterflies and pollinators alike.
Once established, it is drought tolerant
and does well with minimal care.



The blooms add a pleasant pop of color in the garden nearly year-round.
While it does best in full sun,
it tolerates partial shade just fine.




These cuties thrive on milkweed.
It is the host plant for the monarch caterpillar.




It's important to plant native milkweed.
There are over 2,000 native species of this plant in North America alone,
although less than 30 are used as host plants by monarchs.
You can find a great explanation of the varieties here.




The seed pods will open and, with the help of a gentle breeze,
distribute seeds in other parts of the garden.
This plant is easily germinated, so feel free to share the goodness!




The milkweed is used by the monarch butterfly to lay its eggs.
When the caterpillars emerge from the eggs,
they feed on the leaves of the plant.
As they grow, they shed their skin.




 

Then, they form this spectacular chrysalis
in which to reinvent themselves.




A week to 10 days later,
it looks like this.



Voila!





It's an amazing sight to behold.
We will soon be spying many more monarchs,
as the temperatures climb into the 80's on a regular basis.

We plan to give caterpillars away again on Craig's List,
something we started doing last year.
It's wonderful to see the fascination in the eyes of the folks who come to retrieve them.
We explain the life cycle and send them off with
their own nature study in hand.
This year, we may have starter plants to give them as well. 
We are happy to provide this opportunity for learning.

"By learning you will teach, by teaching you will learn."
-Proverb


Want to be part of this intriguing process?
You can find a list of native milkweeds by state here.





Week One-Bulbine



From The Farm Blog Hop





Homestead Barn Hop



http://www.anoregoncottage.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/jtgpfinal.png



Backyard Farming Connection









Thursday, April 3, 2014

Autism Awareness




April is
Autism Awareness Month.

"WASHINGTON, DC (March 27, 2014)
Today, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued the newest autism prevalence statistics. 
 For children born in 2002, the prevalence of autism was 1 in 68; 1 in 42 boys.  
Almost 60,000 US 12 year-olds likely have autism.  
Thirty years ago, autism affected 1 in 2,500 children; there has been a 37-fold increase."
-National Autism Association



We live with autism everyday.
Our son has Asperger's Syndrome,
which means that although his intellect is above average,
he struggles with social skills and relationship issues.
He wants to have friends, but he must learn how to do it.
I never really considered how important social skills were
until it became a problem for us.
It's been difficult for him to maintain friendships with kids his age.
He's always done better with younger children or adults.
So, we capitalize on that asset,
and give him opportunities to be among those age groups.
Adults are pretty amazed at his astounding vocabulary.
And wee ones just think he's funny.
You gotta make things work in your favor.





Homeschooling has been a blessing for us.
Instead of being sequestered with a limited age group,
and learning what someone else thinks is necessary,
we can concentrate on learning real-life skills.
His focus on Lego, electronics and robotics
keeps him fostering that love of learning.
What a great gift.

His success with verbal interactions has been due
in large part to the accessibility of practice time.
Whenever we are out in the community,
we coach him on appropriate behavior and conversation.
He understands that we are there for him, no matter what.
Because we chose not to have him spend his childhood
in the unnatural atmosphere of conventional schooling,
he has not only improved on those areas in which he needed assistance,
but he feels safe, secure and loved every single day.
That's no small matter.



We will be working on acquiring these skills as long as it takes.
Every new experience is an opportunity to learn, grow 
and become better versed in social communication.
Lest you think he's the only one learning,
I can assure you that his parents have benefited greatly.




Having a loved one with autism is never easy,
but it's the only life we know.
The world is not made for families like us.
Thankfully, God's given us the ability 
to create a world that does.



Here are past posts about autism:

2013
2012
2011






Homestead Barn Hop






Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Maple Hill Hop 24



Maple Hill Hop


Before we get started with The Maple Hill Hop,
I just wanted to share with you that it's Autism Awareness Month.
For the month of April,
we have blue bulbs burning in our outside lamps.
We hope you'll join us!





Let's HOP!