Things are Growing on the Farm!

Wow, what a wet year we've had so far. It seems to have stunted the garden's progression... until now. After a few days of hot sunny days, the back of my place seems to be BURSTING forth! The garden is coming along nicely... spaghetti squash, yellow squash (we've already had two), zucchini, cucumbers (still a little sluggish to do their own bursting), melons, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, beans and peas, and soon to come... corn! They're all doing quite well. Some are small but we had a bit of a late start putting in most of the plants this year. Trenches 1 & 2 are complete. Trench 3 is in the the works... and now, surprise! We have a trench 4! A new little nook that will be enclosed in the fenced-in garden will allow for a plot of corn... yeah! All this trench digging and dirt filling requires that we have piles and mounds of manure and sand on hand to "make soil" to fill in the trenches once they're dug. It's quite a process (and a little stinky) but only required on the initial setup of the "Square Foot Gardening" garden. I've posted on this type of garden before, and I'll admit, I was a little apprehensive at first... but now I can see with my own eyes that this will be one of the easiest, most efficient gardens to maintain! I've been made a believer!! (Of course, it doesn't hurt having your father-in-law do much of the initial setup!!)

We've also been grooming and babying the wild blackberries a bit this year (left pic). They're doing quite nicely over in their little sunny side of the yard. Of course, we also have our b-e-a-utimus thornless blackberry bush (right pic)... that beauty has the biggest, blackest berries I've seen! Can't wait to make a cobbler!!


Speaking of things growing, I now have a flock of big beautiful birds! My chickens are becoming quite the little images of fluffy plumpness. They truly are "ladies". I'm learning to appreciate their different noises, and can almost carry on a conversation with them now... that's right, we talk... I figure they're happier when I acknowledge them and give them the love and adoration that they believe they deserve - he he!