Triple Creek Farm, April 27, 2013

I, like you, read blogs or posts of others.  This week a post on making Violet Blossom Jelly really caught my interest.  You know, those little purple flowers, oh, I mean weeds that grow in your yard and should be dug up and killed.  Shared this recipe with Mr. Bootsie only to find him in our violet laded woods collecting blooms.  I learned a great lesson, this is good tasting, a lovely color which will brighten up any morning when you are down needing a lift, but once again we have found a use for something many others are throwing away. A little research tells me the leaves can be used as a salad green.  This being earth day this past Monday I thought it was only fitting to say we are doing are part to save the earth.

IN THE KITCHEN

Things are quiet in the kitchen as the jelly was about the only project this week.  Making the jelly reminded me, I need to organize the pantry.  So this will go on my calendar for the next rainy day.

ON THE FARM

Mr. Bootsie is clearing out brush as he takes everything to the goats to gleam the green leaves.  This is helping to open up new land as well as giving the goats the roughage they need to eat.  I took all 4 of the girls out to work in the woods the other afternoon.  They did wonderful, no leads and they stayed in a group walking with me.  All of a sudden they turned and started heading back to the barn.  When we arrived Mr. Bootsie had their evening meal ready for them.  They went into the barn without any issues.  This was the first really good day taking them all out together.  I will be doing more of this in the future.

IN THE COOP

Just like clockwork, the little peeps were born on Tuesday.  We now have 2 little ones,  they were not the little yellow chicks everyone thinks of. They were dark grey.  Our little momma hen is doing a wonderful job taking care of her babies.  Aurora, who hatched chicks last year, has been staying close to the brooder box.  Letting me know we have upscaled since last year.  I am wondering if she is going to want to hatch some chicks this year.  If you are missing the egg count just check the egg production page at the top of the blog.

IN THE GARDEN

Garden is really coming together.  Most of the early garden is installed, with a promise of rain on Monday and Tuesday.  Peas are starting to climb, radishes and beets growing.  Potatoes need to have more soil pulled up on them.  Strawberries are blooming, raspberries and blackberries are growing.  Blackberry winter will be coming shortly, that is about the last cold snap and it comes when the blackberries are blooming.  I need to start a few more seeds and up pot some things I have in starter pots.  I like a strong root so I try not to plant from the starter pots.  I think the plants have a better chance of surviving the temperature changes spring brings us each year.

IN CLOSING

Saturday, we planned to go to a Garden Festival,  the Powhatan-Goochland Master Gardeners presented the fair.  The location was the campus of J. Sargeant Reynolds, Goochland, I must say I was impressed.  There were vendors who sold plants, master gardeners had some interesting selections, and the horticultural department offered a selection of very different plants, as well as bedding plants. Everything looked very well maintained, the prices were very affordable and yes, this will be on my calendar for next spring or anytime I hear there is a sale at the campus.  We supported local groups, helped the school clean out the greenhouse and brought home some treasures.  This was a great ending for our week, now on to next week, who knows what that will bring!!!

Triple Creek Farm, April 20, 2013

Busy, busy, busy getting the garden planted, working on the herb garden, taking care of the flower beds.  I am so pleased there is no (I mean no) grass to mow.  The hill our house is socked into would be a mowing nightmare and I prefer ground covers.  I enjoy the wildflowers and now the violets are blooming everywhere.  Many of the gardeners I know call wildflowers weeds, but I say if they are in the wildflower books they are wildflowers.  I do not talk about the flowers a lot but they are in my blood.  My mother grew for florist industry.  I have worked on the vegetable garden much harder than I have worked on the flowers, I am hoping I will have a little time to start working on flowers as I have an extra pair of hands to help.

IN THE KITCHEN

Our evening meal every other day this week has been a salad.  With fresh lettuce and spinach coming in from the garden we are trying to enjoy the fruits of our labor,  I always say why plant it if you are not going to use it.

ON THE FARM

This week all of the interest was put into the garden.

IN THE COOP

Saturday afternoon, Mr. Bootsie came to tell me there ware trouble in the coop and he did not know what to day.  We have a cochin setting and one of the eggs was broken.  When he opened the door little Momma hen went outside and he could not get her.  The girl was caught and put back with her eggs and now she is setting on them.  She has only 4 eggs at this time.  Tuesday, will tell the answer to this journey,  I am not sure she is doing a good job.

IN THE GARDEN

The garden we have is worked entirely by hand.  The tools are shovels, hoes and rakes.  Installing the garden is quite a challenge in the spring. I prefer to have the garden this way.  I do not work a bed until I am going to plant in it.  I have always believed that the spring blows, blow away the top soil.  This way I turn, work the land, fed the land, cover with a thin layer of mulch and then it is ready to plant.  Planting day seeds or plants go in quickly.  Everything we have planted this year is mulched as soon as it is tall enough.  We added another layer to the onions and garlic after they were hoed.  The potatoes are coming up cabbage plants were put in more beets and radishes were planted.

IN CLOSING

It has been a tough week, Boston, Mass and West, Texas made our hearts heavy.  But, this weekend, we had the wee folks come and they took all of these things away for a few hours.    Life became the simple life I enjoy.  We needed the break, to think about other things.  Saturday, we went over to Orange, Va. and spent the day.  The morning, on a farm enjoying the shearing of their alpacas, we did learn quite a lot. If you should get a chance to see an alpaca sheared you should go.  It is not like shearing a sheep.  No, I will not be adding alpacas to our farm.

Triple Creek Farm, April 13, 2013

The summer arrived earlier this week, high 80's and one day 90.  It was like days in June.  We let everyone stay out until dark because it was too hot inside the coops and barn to keep them shut up.  There was another adjustment with our life style.  Feed the animals, then the humans and return to close up the coops and barn at dark.  The ladies were loving the extra time out and the girls had put themselves to bed each night when we returned.  That is the one thing I love about how I run the farm.  They know the schedule and they do cooperate with me.  Hopefully the weather will return to spring but whatever conditions we have I will adjust accordingly.

IN THE KITCHEN

Fresh from the garden, broccoli, kale, pac choi, spinach and spring onions.  The onions are headed to the dehydrator to make green onion powder, flakes and add to salads.

I dehydrated about 2 quarts this week.  I am already storing for next winter.

ON THE FARM

Mr. Bootsie is busy enlarging the play ground for the goats.  They have lots of fun on the bench, one will get in the middle, and the others will run around on the bench and ground, then someone else is in the middle.

Several months ago I shared with you the Eagle had landed.  Since then, we have seen Big Bird feeding very near our property, this was a real treat.  She was a female and actually on the ground having a picnic.  We were very close to her but in a car.  The bird did not stop eating her delicious meal.  The symbol of America was not the eagle I was thinking of when I wrote it had landed.  In fact. we are repurposing the engine covers of larger trucks and one is called Eagle.  They have become run-ins for the goats and how they love playing and jumping on them.  These were a real find.  When we found them I was thinking chicken coops but I think we found a much better way to use them.

IN THE COOP

Things are going well in the coop. Today is day 11, we may check the eggs if anyone is brave enough to move our little hen.  She was up eating one day and we did an egg count, she was set with 5 and 5 were still there.  Someone has decided to start eating an egg from the nesting boxes.  I am not sure who it is and it does not happen on a regular basis.  I just hate finding sticky eggs in the nest boxes.

IN THE GARDEN

This morning, I found tiny little beets and a couple of potatoes just coming out of the ground.  Earlier this week the snow peas, blue podded peas and radishes came through the soil.  I have pulled all of the pac choi, spinach is coming out, the heat has caused some to bolt.

My leek bed was 7 years old and needed to be replaced.  Mr. Bootsie to the rescue, I am pleased to have this nice raised bed for the leeks.  I like the height as you hill the leeks to get the long white root portion.  With a bed like this one, I can just add in some additional compose, sure makes taking care of the leeks easy.

IN CLOSING

I am on such a high, I purchased some white corn so we can have corn on the cob.  This means the weather is getting warmer to the south.  Someone in South Carolina saw a hummingbird this week, which means they are headed this way or may already be here just not on my farm.  Today, the butterfly were showing up on the farm.  Birds are building nests in the hanging baskets,  trees and anywhere else they wish to call home.  The yellow dandelion is blooming, weed, wild flower or vegetable, I have one duck who gets excited to see my coming to the duck run with them. I keep hearing about a quiche made with the greens.  And I thought the only thing you did with the dandelion was when it turned white and fluffy it was time to blow the seeds away. I guess I will never get too old to stop learning.  

An April Morning

Flowers, a gift to make everything beautiful.  I love all flowers, the ones from the nurseries, slips for a friend or neighbor but the gifts of the early flowers which most call wild flowers remind me, flowers have been on this earth for a very long time.  I am off for my morning walk to see what I can find today, Come along with me!!!

The Lenten Rose grows on the creek bank, it is now starting to fade but will return with new vegetation in a few weeks.

The evergreen clematis, is a memorial plant for a family member who passed away, The beautiful simple flower comes with a light fragrance which is pleasing to the nose.

Jonquils and Daffodils

Lots of difference shades of whites and yellows.













Maybe the summer magnolia will not be bit by frost this spring.

Momma had a Judas tree which was planted between plum trees.  Every spring the white blooms of the plums and the color of the Judas tree as she called it made a lovely presentation.  Today, I know this tree as the redbud.

For a second I remember, just a few weeks ago this tree was white and covered with snow.  

It's off to the house to make breakfast, how about some scrambled duck egg with sausage and potato cakes?  That sounds good to me!!!  I hope you enjoyed our walk around the flower bed this morning.

Triple Creek Farm, April 6, 2013

This has been one of those weeks where we stayed busy and I really do not see where a lot was accomplished.  The weather has tried a little bit of everything from plants freezing in the cold tunnel one day and as hot as a sauna 2 days later.  As I have said, I as learning about the tunnel and this week has been a wonderful experience.  Plants will freeze without extra protection at 27 degrees.  The cold frame is, also, 27 degrees for plants to freeze.  I was lucky as I only lost a few plants.  The bulk of what I have started is in the house under grow lights and in the heated greenhouse.

IN THE KITCHEN

The pots and pans were not rattling in the kitchen,  I think we had some leftovers, a salad with our lettuce.  I did make some soup, asparagus and brie, this is an easy to make soup.  I came in at 7:15 and our meal was on the table at 8:00 and I had not prepped anything.  If any of you are interested in the recipe let me know and I will post the recipe.

ON THE FARM

Mr. Bootsie has been busy cleaning up the damage trees.  I use downed trees to border my flower beds, many of the borders need to be replaced this year and he has been working on this.  I really like the natural look and we have so many trees which are down on the forest floor.  This project of clearing the floor is going to be lasting for a long time.  I looked out one day and he had his truck, my tractor and another piece of equipment not wanting to start.  An afternoon charging batteries, but he is learning he can go and do something else while he is waiting for the batteries to charge.

It happened this week, the ladies all 4 of them are PLAYING together.  They are running up and down the goat walk, playing goat on the mountain and Gracie really does not want me to catch her playing.  Once afternoon I stood far away,  watched and I was pleased to see them enjoy each other.  I have hoped this would happen.  I found them all sleeping in the pasture very close together, finally I will not be concerned about the ladies as much when I am away for a while.

IN THE COOP

Things are good in the coop, goats settled down so I have to do something to keep me on my toes.  I now have 1 hen setting.  She is a cochin and has 5 eggs under her.  4 days complete 17 more to go.

IN THE GARDEN

None of the outside crops have come up.  I am still working the cold tunnel, greenhouse and cold frame.  I did plants beets, radishes and finished planting peas this week.  The bedding plants are coming on strong.  Next week the weather looks real good and I should be able to get somethings moved around.  I have brussel sprouts starting to make little sprouts, in the cold tunnel.  I picked kale this week, plenty of spinach and lettuce waiting to be harvested.  By plenty, I mean enough for us to eat.

IN CLOSING

We, folks who live in the country always enjoy when the city folk come to visit even though some of the city folk grew up in the country.  It was a wonderful pleasure to have some of my family come out and send Saturday morning with us.  I collect old bricks, and love the ones with names on them.  I have some interesting additions to my collection,  Many Thanks to the City Folks.  Now I need to see where I am going to use these in the greenhouse floor.  They gave me one from where I grew up.  It doesn't  get any more special than that.