Spike taking shelter in the workshop while Ralph dried tools.
Well we have also learned we could have got the plants into the garden earlier for the most part and will do that next year. We also learned that once it starts raining it takes time for the rain cycle to stop long enough to get back into the garden.
The Carola Potatoes are doing exceptionally well and are beautiful plants and flowers. In fact all the potatoes are managing the weather well. The field was in hay for more than 20 years and needs more organic matter but this is a good start.
Carola potatoes in bloom
We have spread old hay the chickens have raked and scratched through between the rows in the east garden. The Sweet Lorane Fava beans are blooming well and there are lots of bees on the flowers so we are hopeful. The peas are a bit slow for some reason but the lettuce is feeding us nicely....and the Buff's seem to enjoy it but not do too much damage.
We had laid down the old hay in the big alleyway in the front of the chicken house inside the tobacco barn in the cold of winter. Then as the chickens went through it we put down more. It gave them something to scratch and its now lovely have broken up mulch that we will let rot all summer and work in this fall.
Today I am catching up on filing and Ralph is working on a New install of Linux Rosa on his laptop.
It is raining again.
Take care all
and God Bless.
oh how jealous i am of your gorgeous potatoe plants flowering when we just planted ours the other day. and you are so right Fiona about going to a new place and learning about the weather. and it doesn't happen overnight - it takes a couple of years to know when to do this and when to do that. but it sounds like you and Ralph are really settling in to your new homestead. congratulations!
ReplyDeletesending love. your friend,
kymber
I have to say potatoes do not really like this climate...it gets too hot and humid so you have to get them in very early. This is the first time Ralph has green sprouted the seed potatoes and we think it has helped. They are one of my favorite plants!
DeleteYour tires work extremely well for your situation and that is what makes gardening so wonderful....you can try ways that work for you!
What is the Mermaids favorite way to use potatoes?
my favourite way is to take a potatoe out of the ground, or tire in my case, rinse it and put a ton of salt on it while still wet (so the salt sticks) and eat it raw. skin and all.
Deletemy other favourite way is mashed with a ton of butter....like a TON! my 3rd favourite way is baked with a ton of butter. my 4th favourite way is to save some baked potatoes and then slice them thinly the next day and fry them in a ton of butter. my 5th favourite way is to make scalloped potatoes....no milk just a ton of butter. my 6th favourite way.....i think you are getting the point.
but honestly Fiona - there is nothing like taking a potatoe out of the ground, or tire, rinsing it with the hose and piling a ton of salt on it and eating it raw. well...except for doing the same with a raw tomatoe that you just picked off the plant....my 2nd favourite way of eating tomatoes is.....
now i'm just blathering. but you get the point. sending love. your friend,
kymber
Ahhh Butter, which I am going to make with some of the next fresh milk....ahh homemade butter from a cow grazed on our chemical free grass slathered on a new potato from our chemical free garden!
DeleteI have to say potatoes do not really like this climate...it gets too hot and humid so you have to get them in very early. This is the first time Ralph has green sprouted the seed potatoes and we think it has helped. They are one of my favorite plants!
DeleteYour tires work extremely well for your situation and that is what makes gardening so wonderful....you can try ways that work for you!
What is the Mermaids favorite way to use potatoes?
I'm interested in the green sprouting. I meant to do it this year, but then life got in the way. They are going in this weekend, or that is my intention. Your turkey is so beautiful! Hope things dry up a bit but I know you have plenty to do inside!
ReplyDeleteNever seen blooms that pretty on a potato plant. I didn't get potatoes planted this year due to back problems and I hate that. I love what you wrote..."A Brave New World", in the side bar. Probably late, but congratulations to you and Ralph!
ReplyDeleteYou know, Fiona, there are some videos on YouTube about how potatoes can be planted in December. Do a search for Homestead Kids, "Growing Potatoes In Winter". They have 4 or 5 videos posted on the subject, following from planting to harvest. Food for thought, would probably work in your climate.
ReplyDeleteWe get just enough 'real' winter to make winter potatoes a no go but what good information on it. We hope for baby potatoes in the next two weeks.
DeleteIt's raining here today. Not hard, but constant. Doesn't look like we will get out walk in, but the rain is good for our little vegetable garden.
ReplyDeleteWe are getting rain as well...fairly heavy. We were up very early and got more herbs in before it started. There is nothing like rain for a garden is there!
DeleteLinux Rosa? Xubuntu fan here!
ReplyDeleteYour potatoes look fantastic! I think mine may be getting blight :( which is why I never get the potato harvest I'd like.
Chickens love nothing better than a pile to scratch through! Dan uses the mower bag when cutting our front yard, just to give them the clippings. He usually dumps them in the coop, where they smell wonderful as fresh litter.
Yes we use Linux o/s systems here. I do not even have Microsoft on my laptop. Ralph has to run a dual boot system....get him grumpy make him deal with Windows :)
DeleteYes we use Linux o/s systems here. I do not even have Microsoft on my laptop. Ralph has to run a dual boot system....get him grumpy make him deal with Windows :)
Delete