SIDE YARD CLEAN UP-BEATRIX AND PRUDENCE-BLUEBERRY PICKING

GREETINGS

Today is supposed to be the hottest day so far this summer and with humidity added to that I have gotten all my outdoor work done by 10 am.  All the animals have plenty of water and shade.

CHANGES IN THE SIDE YARDS

There were two jungles of grapevines with jewel weed mixed in on both sides of the yard.  Both yards need lots of work.  I think all the hard work is done in each now its just the tidying in the driveway side .

 

 

 

The side yard near my Son’s house will require more work.  The people who have lived here before used the side yard as a dumping area.  I though I had cleaned it all up but found more roofing material , a saw and light bulbs . I will finish it up this week.

 I am going to put another raised bed there and hope to get some carrots in soon.  I want to put a window frame on it in the fall so I can have carrots most of the winter.  I did this before and it worked fine.

BEATRIX AND PRUDENCE

Things have calmed down in the side yard chicken area.  I think Beatrix took over and Prudence  is in the mix.  Beatrix is now sleeping in the caravan with the rest of the chickens but Prudence is still in the dog house.  She will join them when she wants to.  Emma is being picked on by the jealous Mrs. Brown and Beatrix so there is something I can but to put on her that tastes awful  I may even have some of it and I am going to try that.  When I am there they will get a squirt.

ANNUAL BLUEBERRY PICKING

For the past three years my Son and his family and myself have made a day of it at my Cousins Blueberry farm in Chesterfield.  Saturday was a hot day but there is almost always a breeze in Chesterfield.  The berries were huge and sweet  and easy picking.  Some people ate more than they picked!

The following pictures were taken on the way home.  Lots of interesting sites that day.

Many thanks for reading my blog on the sultry, summer day.  Carole

FAMILY BLUEBERRY PICKING-ADDING THE NEW HEN TO THE FLOCK-HOPS AND MORNING GLORIES

GREETINGS

The humidity has gone away .  It’s a beautiful summer day.

BLUEBERRY PICKING WITH FAMILY

Friday was a delightful summer day with the humidity gone and bright blue skies we headed to Chesterfield to pick blueberries on my cousin’s farm.  Roberts Family Farm.  The berries are organic, sweet and plump.

 I picked over 7 pounds and Davids family picked over 11 pounds.  We rode down the back roads of Chesterfield and ended up at the Williamsburg General Store.

 A place where my Dad and Uncle took my children when they were small.  The penny candy and old-fashioned toys and home-made pastries were always their favorites.  And of course an ice cream cone to top off the day.  From the store back roads home where  a turkey vulture flew very close to the car and we saw a group of turkeys.

ADDING THE NEW HEN TO THE FLOCK

It’s always interesting to add a new hens to the flock.  I have done it many ways and you never can tell how its going to work out.

Morticia has been sneaking in she is the bravest of the bantams and Kit is not happy with her and pecked her, it still did not stop Morticia but sent her daughter Violet, (who always hides behind her mothers apron strings) running back to safety.  

 The only bird who did not come in was Hazel..   He was muttering to himself another big hen!  I  sat with them for a half hour and realized that there was only one bird in the flock who would peck her and it is Rosie (funny thing in the large group of hens in the front Rose was low man on the totem pole)  I think things will work out fine and there is plenty of time.  Every day I leave the gate open a little more.   I expect to see one of Samantha’s eggs in the dog house soon as she has been in and out of it.  She loved it there last year.

HOPS AND MORNING GLORIES

The hops have made an nice archway between the two chicken areas.

The Morning Glories are so nice this year.  Each year I worry that they won’t come back but they do and with more brilliant colors.

Many thanks for reading my blog on this wonderful summer day.  Enjoy the day.  Carole

 

 

BLUEBERRY PICKING-MAKING HERBAL VINEGAR-HELEN-A CAT STORY

GREETINGS

The hot and hazy summer day are here but Wednesday night brought low temps and a cold breeze.  The days of summer are having me doing things that I love, making vinegar. drying herbs, putting up food and trying to stock  my shelves for the long winter ahead.  Oh how I wish for a couple of acres then I would hardly have to visit the grocery store.  But I will make do and be grateful for the land that I have.

BLUEBERRY PICKING

On Wednesday  Chris and I, Lauren, Charlie  Tyler and Lil went blueberry picking.  Li ate more than she picked.

 The farm is along route 2 about 10 minutes from the house.  Its located on a hill top overlooking the valley below.

 

 The berries were huge and in no time we had 16 pounds and Lauren and family had a little less.

I am hoping to get 50 pounds picked this summer.  I freeze them on cookie sheets and then bag them up.

MAKING HERBAL VINEGAR

I have been making Herbal Vinegar since I was in my twenties.  I use them and give them away as gifts.  Today I made a Dill/Garlic, a Rosemary/Garlic and a Oregano, Thyme and Garlic .

HELEN

She has made a remarkable recover and will have her stitches out on MOnday.  SHe is eating me out of house and home, making up for lost time.

 We are working on her new home today.

A CAT STORY

I had a beautiful white cat named Ernest Dodge.  He was one of the many rescue cats that I had gotten.  He ran and played the days away.  One day I noticed this small black cat looking in the living room window watching Ernest only.  I am not taking any more cats I have way too many I said.

She was at the window watching  Ernest  everyday with this loving look.  I started feeding her and in two weeks she was at the vets getting fixed.  SHe followed Ernest everywhere, cuddled with him it was pure love.  I found this old picture of Ethel Dodge (both  cats named for a  great Aunt and Uncle who meant so much to me) and all the wonderful memories came flooding back.  Animals come and go in my life, each one is special, each one I am grateful for no matter how they have come into my life, and yes more animals have knocked at my door and I have let them in.

Many thanks for reading my blog on this wonderful summer day.  I hope you are enjoying the day.  Carole 

 

JULY’S SALVE DONE-LIL PICKING BLUEBERRIES FOR THE FIRST TIME-LIFE ON THE FARM-PARENTS FOUND

GREETINGS

JULY’S SALVE DONE

Yesterday was overcast here and the temps were good.  A great day for making Salve.

 The salve smelled great even before I added a some drops of lavender essential oil.  It had been brewing for 3 months.  Today I will make up another batch and set it in the sun to infuse and make it up in late September.

LIL PICKING BLUEBERRIES

One of my blueberry plants has a good number of berries on it.  It happens that Lil just loves blueberries and I wanted to show her where they come from.  Well she would have eaten every one and was so delighted that she could just pick them and pop them into her mouth.

LIFE ON THE FARM

Chris and I have been moving fence almost every day so the sheep get a little fresh grass.  There is another big area that I can fence in but there are some plants  that I have to investigate first.  SOme plants make sheep very sick.  In a big field they would avoid them but where there is not a lot of grass they might eat them.  I can’t take that chance so I will seek out some advice before that area is fenced in.

So far I have filled up 7 bags of kindling from broken branches and trimming of large shrubs.  I hope to get at least 20 bags done and that may last through the wood heating season.  The town will be cutting a tree down across the street from my house, I hope I can get the wood from that tree, that will be a big help this winter.  There are two tracts of land in back of me one is a 5 acre parcel and the other a 6 acre parcel.  At some point I hope I can buy the 5 acre parcel and have some trees cut and increase the area for my sheep, planting some good grasses in it.  All will have to be done by hand because it’s very rocky but 100 years ago it was pasture so I know its doable.

All the flowers and roses have overgrown the path to the back yard.  I have been putting up old fence posts and tieing bailing twine on them to hold them back.  Its working well and the pathway is much clearer.

PARENT’S FOUND

Yesterday my son found this poor little baby bird on the chicken fence.  It was crying and its tail feathers were just coming in.  It held onto my finger with all its might and was calling and calling for its parents., meanwhile a neighbors cat was hovering around the area.  My Son put it on a branch and we walked away watching it and then its parents came and fed it.  I am sure it fine.  This year  there are so many birds nesting here and visiting the farm.  I am sure a lot of it has to do with permaculture.  The land and the plants on it are so good now.  Plenty for them  to eat. The songs in the mornings and evenings are so delightful.  I would like to record them for wintertime listening.

Many thanks for reading my blog on this delightful summer day.  please visit the farm again.  Carole

MY CAMERA-BLUEBERRIES-MORE RAIN AND RETURN TO COOLER WEATHER- MOVING THE HENS-BACK ROAD PICTURES

GREETINGS

COLRAIN HAS MORE WORKING FARMS THAN ANY OTHER TOWN IN THE STATE

MY CAMERA

On Sunday I broke my camera.  I feel like a part of me is missing.  I will be using a phone camera till I can afford another Cannon.  Anne from Ireland recommended it and I am so grateful to her.  It was the best camera I ever owned. I will get an exact replacement.

BLUEBERRIES

 

The blueberries responded so well to the pine needles.  Chris and I went  to the state forest and got more.  Next year I will move all the blueberry plants to a different area.  I have a raised bed  that I can put together now and get the soil ready for spring replanting.  I hope to make hoops to put netting over it so I would be able to walk in it.

MORE RAIN AND RETURN TO COOLER TEMPS

Yesterday was horrid here, you didn’t have to do one thing and you would be wringing wet.  Those temps are leaving us today for 4 or 5 days.  We had thunderstorms come in last night and many parts of Colrain had 4 inches of rain.  I am glad to say no water in the barn.  It will be a few days before any swimming can be done in the river though.

MORNING GLORIES

 

The wonderful morning glories reseeded themselves nicely and although I transplanted some, it doesn’t look like it in The Herb Bed.

 Well that’s the way it is this year.  I will try to contain them in the bed. They will be beautiful when they all bloom.  A mass of beauty.

MOVING MORTICIA AND SAMANTHA

Today Chris and I will be getting ready for the big move.  Morticia and Samanthia will move into the converted dog house tomorrow.  Today one of the roosters made an attempt to crow. It was a pitiful attempt at best.    The roosters are a little over 3 months old.

 

Many thank for reading my blog today, I appreciate it.  Carole