Kitchen Garden and Hen House Happenings

We've made a lot of progress on the Hen House.  I'm finished with my part of the painting.  I just need Ben to paint the very tippy-top of the front side (he's 6' 3").  Our colors are "Pearl" and "Sauteed Mushroom."

Side view, shutters closed

Shutters open

Back side, chicken door closed

Chicken door open

Front view, almost done

 Interior

The chicks got to stretch their legs for a few hours today.

They're in that awkward stage.

We have a lot growing in the kitchen garden, but it's about to EXPLODE next week.  Stayed tuned.

Our garlic is thriving.

 Spinach is doin' it.

Arugula, my favorite.

The beets are happy.

 Every time I think I'm finished thinning the carrots, more pop up.

 I can't wait to taste the first strawberry.

 I finally got the wineberries in the ground.

Amish snap peas have finally grasped the fence.

Wineberry row.  Support system to follow.

Let's see what's headed for the kitchen garden.

 Eggplant

A sea of tomatoes

 The peppers are growing up.

 Pesto?

 Sweet delicate thyme

 All the squashes and melons are saying "hello" to the world.  This is a Waltham Butternut.

 Our last frost date is April 18th.  I have a lot to transplant during the next two weeks.  At the top of my list are artichokes, a gazillion flowers and tomatoes.  I'll also be sowing sunflowers and corn.  Happy planting!

Everything at Once

It's getting busy on Fat Bear Farm.  It seems as though everything is happening at once.  We have a lot of projects that are up and running, and spring has come on in full force.  Here's a just a sample of what's brewing.

Asparagus

Five-hundred asparagus crowns are scheduled for arrival tomorrow.  We ordered them from Walker Brothers.  I'm pleased with their customer service, and the crowns we ordered from them last year were really nice.

The first spear from last year's planting popped up yesterday.

 I love this thing.

Ben took the tractor through last weekend.  He tilled, then used the sub soiler.  I went through with a hoe today and deepened the furrows a bit. 

I hope the crowns arrive early tomorrow because I'm super-ready to plant them.

Chickens

Look at me Mom!

The chicks are doing well.  They're one week old today.  We've named three of them so far.  We now have a Judith (Judy), a Eunice, and an Iris.  I can tell them apart by the patterns on their beaks, and Iris is the runt.

The door just needs a handle.  We'll have to choose and extra-special one.

Their house is almost ready.  Ben still has a few more finishing touches to add before I paint.  The roosts are up, and the nesting boxes are done.  I hope the ladies like it!

Greenhouse

An heirloom tomato

The blueberry whips I started are leafing out.  I'm surprised at their rate of development.

Kitchen Garden

Snap peas, beets, carrots, spinach, kale, lettuce, and arugula are currently growing in the garden.  Here are some highlights:

Pea shoots

 Lettuce
 

The prettiest of all lettuces

One lovely beet

I should have a lot to share with you about the asparagus this week, and stay tuned for an update on the blueberries!

After the Rain

We had the perfect rain.  It was more than a drizzle without ever turning into a downpour, and it lasted almost twenty-four hours.  I took the boys on an extra-long walk this morning to investigate.

It was a beautiful morning for the blueberries.

Some of the pea seeds needed to be put back in their place.  I had planted them an inch deep and pressed them in pretty well because this very thing seems to always happen.   A few of the buggers decided they wanted to work their way up to the top, so to speak.  I showed them who's boss.

I don't know what this is, but it's the first to bloom at Fat Bear Farmhouse.  She's growing just outside of the rock border in one of the front yard gardens.

I think this is an ornamental cherry (there are no other cherry-look-a-likes on the property for to pollinate).  Anyway, we'll find out this spring.  There will probably be lots of surprises this spring.  Because we moved to this property in June, we've yet to see all of spring's bounty.

The daffodils are doing their happy dance.

I had a great time in the greenhouse today.  I decided to plant a few back-ups.  It can get really cold in there at night, even with the heat on .  Everything has been fine so far, but some things are germinating more slowly than I'd like.  Also, if there's a crazy disaster and the heater gives out, I don't want to be without my early tomatoes and peppers.  So I'll be putting today's new seedlings under lights in the grow room (it's our extra bedroom that we also use to ferment beer and everything else that needs a space, like our soon-to-arrive chicks) at home.  Just in case.

I so love my Pot Maker. 

Planting party

 Little salad babies

High technology set-up

We have several piles of poo and compost rotting away at the farm.  This lovely lot is the most pampered, and all our work is paying off.  The compost is finally heating up again!  We've been turning is religiously and watering when necessary.  I think this rain will give it a great boost.

 From left to right: goat poo from the neighbor up the road, chicken poo, and kitchen scraps

  Rain clouds departing

Dog, Toad, Chicken

Weekend Recap

We worked hard, and we played hard last weekend.  Two of our good friends came down from the mountain for a visit Saturday.  We fired up the mud oven that I built last summer (she still needs a name), had a pizza feast, and went on a little adventure on the Kubota.  On Sunday Ben worked on the hen house while I prepared some vegetable beds.

 

Today in the Kitchen Garden

We have a personal kitchen garden in the backyard between the dog's yard and the woods.  It is my new favorite place.  Ben and I moved into this house last June, so we put in all the beds last fall, and this our first time planting a kitchen garden at this house on Memory Lane.  We used to grow miscellaneous vegetables in the asparagus field, but there won't be enough room there this year.  It will also be a lot easier to manage the garden now that it's in our backyard.  I had so much fun today.  I planted Amish Snap peas, Mokum and Scarlet Nantes carrots, and Detroit Dark Red beets along the fence.

Thurgood Morsel kept me company.

 

It Happens Every Spring

My heart skipped a beat as I flipped up my shovel at the very end of the last bed I sowed today.  Up with the scoop of dirt came a huge toad.  He was at least eight inches long from toe to toe.  Too bad he only escaped with three feet intact.  I didn't think he would make it at first, but I'm too squeamish to perform a mercy killing, so I abandoned that particular piece of earth to allow Mr. Toad to gather his bearings.  A few moments later, he crawled out of his hole with great determination.  I hope he survives, but if not, he'll make a great meal for some other farm or forest friend.

I try to make light of the situation, but maiming an animal or taking a life is not something that I can just brush off.  I still remember the toad I stabbed with a pitch fork last spring.  I was mulching blueberry bushes and the poor guy wasn't as lucky as this year's spring toad.  Instead of destroying a limb, I forked him in the heart.

See the lower right foot?  No you don't.  Toad, I apologize.

We Have THE Best Neighbors

Our next door neighbor used to keep Rhode Island Reds.  His coop is now vacant, and he has passed the torch to us.  We are now the CEOs of the Memory Lane Egg Production Association.  Too cool.  He gave us our first coop accutrement.

I briefly mentioned our intentions to can a lot of food this summer, and the same neighbor gave me these jars this morning.  Eleven of the twelve have never even been used.  Thank you!