fall hatch

6 weeks ago we mournfully discussed our decrease in the duck population here on the farm. We wondered what was getting them, and what protective measures needed to be instituted. We starting closing them in at night, as that seemed to be the time of disappearance.

And then this:

Ducklings appeared! Fall ducklings! Never happened before.

And in pretty clear language the grown ducks said go away, we got this

If you visit the farm in the next 3-4 weeks, Jasmine will be in a pen in front of the fence. She has been ill and is on medication. The veterinarian suggested we keep her away from the other dogs.

The ducklings will fare so much better if Jasmine is not around. She just cannot resist ducklings. It's best for them if she has no access until they are a month old.

Coincidence? I guess!

summer is here

It's been a beautiful growing season. Enough sunny days for all we planted to grow, enough overcast days to get work done, nice weather for distribution of all that we grow and decent sleeping weather.

Until the last couple of days. Heat and humidity crossed together to the truly uncomfortable range.

The final rush of egg gathering and flower cutting before departure for market produced an overheated farmer without enough time for a real lunch. For the first time the sun was at an angle that missed the tent and heated the farmer. Gnats nipped. A forgotten hair tie added heat tovthe neck. Massive water consumption didn't help. Then several sneezing fits as pollen was released and allergy medication failed. I tried to smile and be polite, but had to tell a couple of lovely people who have gotten eggs and vegetables from us for years that I was truly on the verge of tears, hot, itchy, miserable. A customer returned after checking the future weather forecast to tell me that to hold on, a cold front and reduction in humidity are in the forecast! So kind and clearly concerned as I was melting down.

This, that you might not see, didn't help:

Tiny scratches from one of the weeds close to the flowers. Itching badly, especially with salty sweat in there.

By the time I was packed up and ready to drive back to the farm, I had another sneezing fit and a migraine going. Ugh. 

We had a summer a few years ago with weather like this weeks at a time. I might be the only person hoping for a good strong thunderstorm at the beginning of a holiday weekend, but there it is. Holiday weekend does not mean a big change of events when you are a farmer, but a good, humidity clearing, temperature dropping thunderstorm can change a farmers world.

Bring it. Please.

ugly food

If a portion of your cucumber looked like this

would you eat the rest of it or give it to the pigs/compost/trash?

What farmers eat, late summer version.

wondering if...

This window overlooks our farm. Well, if it weren't completely fogged over! It's an older, aluminum framed window, double glazed but with seals broken all over!

It's 4 feet high by 8 feet long. We can replace it ourselves, if we have something to go in there. It does not matter to us what the window is, we just want to see out! It can be operable or inoperable windows, as long as its clear.

Anyone have a configuration that might fit in here? For free or close to it? We would love to make good use of clear glass!

Thanks.

and flowers too

We grow quantities of flowers too. We love to eat, and growing food to share with others is awesome. We love beautiful things too, so flowers are a joy too.

I've planted flowers everywhere I've lived, with the exception of college years. Perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, vines, bulbs, corms, seeds. Rooting and cuttings.

Our focus has been on food crops. And yet a pack of seeds here or there slips into our soil.

Zinnias are a happy flower with a pretty long life as a cut flower. When the flowers are cut just after they open flowers can last up to 10 days.

But sometimes we miss some flowers, and they will not last in the vase. They need to be cut from the plant so more flowers will form behind.

We cut them, trim and put into any container out in the garden. They only last a few days, but we still get to enjoy their beauty.

And the butterflies still visit and feed.