We ventured out to the field the other day to try and get some work done. We hilled the potatoes again, and I started weeding the onions which are pretty weedy. Tom cut some of the grass inside the fence line, but we only stayed out about 2 1/2 hours before Tom pulled something in his back and I got sick from the heat. We went back to the house and crashed. We are just going to take it slow.
While we were in the field we did have some fun. There is a big spruce tree that was in the creek buffer zone and that came down in last year's tornado (one year ago today BTW) that we still have to cut up and move out of the way. Well, when Tom walked the mower by that tree two fawns jumped up that were hiding behind the branches. Amazingly, instead of being afraid of our BCS tractor (it's pretty loud) they acted like they were trying to play with Tom and the mower. He kept walking afraid that they would spook if he stopped moving, and the fawns darted up and down, back and forth, no more than 10-15' feet from Tom, but always on the outside of the fence. It was something to watch, I tell you. I was surprised at how red the fawns' coats are already, and they still had their spots, too. They must have danced around Tom and the mower a good ten minutes before prancing down the length of the field along the creek and hopping into the woods circling the big marsh to the south of the field. (I bet that was where "Mom" was). Sandy, our dog, was going nuts because I made her stay by me (dog chasing deer get shot real quick up here).
In order to preserve the lightheartedness of the moment, I decided not to bother checking on the status of my beets.
This morning I was feeling better and planned to go back to the field to renew my onion weeding, but it was pouring rain outside. (Ahh, the smell of radioactive Cesium in the morning . . . .) Still, I am thankful for the rain because we have really needed it. I do have some Hubbard squashes and pie pumpkins coming up, and about four melon plants have survived, so the rain will do them some good. The plants look like they are about ready to start running over the ground. I sure hope I get some harvest from them all!
We are running low on basil, so I ran out and cut some of the larger basil plants and put them in the dehydrator. I love using the dehydrator; the house smells so nice when things are drying.
My friend Diane Barkstrom from the farmers market gave me a call asking how I was doing, and I assured her that I do plan on coming to the market, but that I was concentrating on late season crops like my Red Cloud potatoes, the New England pie pumpkins, and the winter squashes. I didn't mention the melons because I doubt they will mature before we get a hard frost. Hopefully, I will get some beets to sell, too. I didn't plant many warm weather veggies like cucumbers and summer squash because our usual vendors always have them. Well, it turns out that this year those vendors either didn't plant at all for the market or their gardens are late, too, so there is a dearth of veggies at both of the farmers markets. Gee Whiz anyhow! I think I'll have to stop guessing what everybody will sell and just plant what I want to plant. My family will certainly eat any extras.
Over in my brother-in-law's garden that he said I could use this year, my Dad unfortunately thought nothing was in there and he plowed everything I had planted under. Ouch! There went the Jenny Lind melons and Old Dutch Half-Runner beans along with everything else.
Back in the garden boxes, the okra is tall enough now that I have to remove the Agribon covering, I just LOVE fresh okra so I'm not so sure I want to share, er, sell any of it, but we'll see. My Rutgers tomatoes are huge, but there is no fruit yet, just flowers. The Egyptian Walking onions are starting to fall over so I think I will sell some of those sets as well as a couple of the Bohemian horseradish roots. I have some Charentais and Moon and Stars melons planted in with the horseradish, and they are doing grand! I think the bugs are not bothering them because of their proximity to the horseradish, which nothing seems to bother. New plantings of beets, carrots, lettuce and radishes are growing nicely and should be ready in about a month, and the green beans I planted are growing quickly. Surprisingly, the beans are showing a lot of sun scald despite my keeping them covered with Agribon for most of the time.
The garlic and Silver Queen Artemesia are drying nicely in the garage so it shouldn't be too much longer before we have things to sell. I also have the one apron I made to sell. It will be interesting to see if anyone buys it.
Nothing came of my three dill plantings, so I bought some more seed from a new company (new, that is, for me to purchase from) called
Victory Seeds. I should be able to get a harvest of at least ferns if I plant the dill now. Victory is an interesting company as they sell old fashioned candy as well as tobacco seeds. I bought some native Mohawk tobacco seed to plant next year, too. That will be something different to grow.
I did some more spinning with my Turkish spindle last night. I am still spinning the wool Tom got me two Christmasses ago, but it is actually nice to spread the using of a gift out over time and I do so love how soothing spinning can be to my nerves.
My neighbor, Beth, came by this morning and we shared a pot of Chai Spice tea and gabbed non-stop. That was fun! It was my first time making the Chai Spice tea and she said it tasted good so I guess I made it right. I lost the box with the recipe printed on it and brewed the drink from memory. I sure liked it but I need to find a tea pot that doesn't drip. One of these days we are going to go shopping at the Amish store together. That should be a fun day. It isn't often that I can get out without taking one of the kids with me.
Well, that's about it for now. Take care!
