photo deluge

first things first, i have been busily composting trying to keep our soil rich and productive. this is the black gold that end up with.

the ingredients are simple, manure and wheat straw. sure other things get added like coffee grounds, lime sand and urine but mostly we compost our cow manure. this batch is almost there.

this is the current "add to here" pile the guineas scrap around in here for bit of undigested grain and bugs.

tabitha is proud of her harvest of butternut squash.

we spent the afternoon weeding and mulching the asparagus bed. we let it get a little out of control but it seems to be still very healthy. i'll add some slightly green compost to the top of the mulch just after the first frost. they'll like nutrients and the threat of scorching the stalks will be nill.


here merlin is eating the weeds that i pulled from the asparagus bed.

i built this little frame for the wet rich kitchen waste. this will be perfect for the chickens to scratch around in and eat what the may and the remainder can compost into a a rich loam for the garden.

here are our two dead orchard trees--killed by sme unknown peril. they seem poisoned but none of the spraying agencies will claim responsibility



i tilled this swath of garden 3-4 foot wide and we planted turnips maybe a week or so late but we love turnip greens steamed and they will be here soon. turnips are a neglected root vegetable they are wonderful sliced steamed, buttered and salted period.


our guineas are on garden patrol and are very appreciated for dispensing of many of our garden pests.

rosie is really setteling in around here.

the chicks are now chickens and growing at an amazing rate. the interloping raccoon has realized the futility of any further attemps at killing my chickens and have left us alone. i don't think i'll try to trap him aymore.