Future Fruits of Our Labors

Well i hope there will be some fruits. Namely Peaches. Some of you may remember last year our posting about the peaches we (finally) got from our lone Georgia Bell Peach tree and the delicious Peach Pies. You may also remember my search for more Georgia Bells and how futile it was. WELL this year our local Rose’s (like a Wally World but cheaper) got a whole shipment of them so we bought two and a Wine Sap Apple. For the last few weeks they have been hanging out in the green house with the spinach, but yesterday it finally was warm enough to set them out. Tomorrow we are scheduled to get 1.5-2.0 inches of rain so they will be well watered in.

 

Here they are getting a ride from JD to their new home in the orchard.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the first location before and after removing the Chick Weed which covers the plot in the winter.

 

 

 

 

The hole and the tree in the hole. It may look dry here but, our ground is extremely wet this time of the year. In fact our water table (ground water) right now is is about two feet. Dig down two feet and you are in water.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here is one of our Peach trees all set in and staked and banded. This area is at the end of the property and is shielded from all but East winds. Of course that is what we’ve been having lately to 35 mph so they got extra banding for support.This brings the orchard up to three apples, three peaches, and one pear (which hasn’t done much in the last three years). With luck we will have another good year from Peach #1. Peach #2 & #3 will not be allowed to set fruit this year so it will direct more energy to good root development. Next is peach pie (i hope).

The Great Green House Experiment

has begun. Remember that neat little green house we put up this spring? Good, cause now we are finally going to try out the idea i had in the beginning. Growing some veggies all winter long so we have fresh salad stuff.

Yesterday i filled them with some top soil. The layers were soil, heater wires, chicken manure (a favorite here on the Shore), soil, manure, soil, manure, soil, manure, with a little topping of lime. The heat wires are supposed to keep the soil at 70 F. and hopefully the air space above the soil surface. Next was tying them into the weather computer (the one that gives you that cute little weather box up on top) to monitor the air temp, soil temp,  and soil moisture. YES, YES i know how geeky that sounds. So far the soil temp has gone up ten degrees (from 42-> 52 F). The air temp inside ranges from 90’s on a really sunny day to about ten degrees above the outside temp at night. If necessary i can cover over the boxes to hold the heat. Monday i probably will add another bag of soil to each bed too give it a little more depth so the plants don’t fall over.

So what will the crops be??? Lettuce and spinach are a must. Broccoli and cauliflower are also good cold weather candidates. I’m thinking some beets (Beatrice is not happy). I would like to try one (and only one) tomato plant (maybe a cherry or grape) and maybe one cucumber vine that will be trellised. Beans and peas are another possibility.

More as this story ‘grows’…… :-)

Grenville

It's almost here,,,,I's almost here!!!!!!

Just checked UPS tracking and our Green House left Salisbury Md. (our closest almost large city) at 6:54 am FOR DELIVERY!!!!!!

So what does that mean!!!!! Get your green cloths on for the Grand Opening Party (and you thought GOP was a bad word.....) Best plant costume contest, the great F&P Vegetable Parade, and hay rides.... What a treat. Date to be announced some day.

OK OK OK gotta go out and sit by the side of the road and wait for the nice UPS lady to get here.... OH BOY!!!!!!!

Pruning great ideas

Have you ever had a really great idea? One that grew to great proportions, in your mind at least. Last winter (09) I decided that we should have a bigger garden. Be more self sufficient. In fact we could be a Mini-Farm (picture us in American Gothic). Since we already had a credit account with John Deere, the next logical place to go was Tractor Supply. Within a few months everyone at our local TSC (45 minutes away) knew our names. There were things we NEEDED. Sod busters, spreaders, pine rakes, and most importantly a 4' PTO powered tiller for the back of the tractor.

Next was scouring the seed catologs. Everything looked so good (to eat of course). Many dollars later we had so many different varieties of veggies we were having trouble finding room to plant them all. (Lesson 1 in Farming 101- Plants need space. They like to feel the gentle summer breezes blow through their leaves. The spacing given on the seed pacakages are not there as a suggestion). I also decided that it would be smarter to start our own seedlings than buy them, so without a green house (and just finishing a plant propogation course at the local college) I dedicated some space in the shop to a growing area complete with grow lights with timer. BUT starting 4 species of tomatoes, 5 species of peppers, broccoli, eggplant, and anything else I happen to find, was taking a lot of space, time, and electricity. Thus hatched the dream of a green house for all this starting activity.

After a long growing (and learning) season (Lesson 2- A normal person needs only ONE zuccinni plant) and a harvest of over 500 pounds of veggies, and canning and freezing, I spent the winter researching Green Houses.
Finally the perfect one was found. Only 6 feet by 8 feet. Just right for a starter table in the early spring, an area to grow salad veggies all winter, dry the herbs in the summer. And only $700.00. Of course then there was the question of where it would go. Easy, just widen the herb garden, remove some soil, add some sand, lay some patio blocks (not available in the winter) and put the Green House kit together. Oh and by the way, running some water and electric to it from the barn would be nice too. What a plan!!!! Couldn't cost more than a thousand bucks.

Yesterday as I was going over the list of what we wanted to grow this year and planning how to space them out, and how many plants we would be starting, Beatrice reminded me of how much we OVER grew last year. Of how the neighbors started to hide when ever they saw us coming with bags of produce that we would never be able to eat. Then there was all the weeding and watering and work we did to OVER produce last year. Plus the fun of freezing, canning, pickle, salsa, and sauce making. AND most importantly, how we had decided on just 2 species of tomatoes, 1 species of pepper, and eggplant this year. AND only start 6 of each plant. A lot of ands in there wasn't there. Well, after rumaging through the barn loft and finding the Bio-Dome starter box (the 60 hole one) I realized that the Green House dream might end up being a financial nightmare.

And so the great Green House idea was pruned down to a starter box in the shop again this year. Of course it would look really great on the old mantle piece I saved from the house that just needs a little stripping, sanding, restructuring, re-coating, and of course enlarging. And the grow lights could be re-hung. AND..........

Next time pics of this project.