Sunday Walkabout 5-18

It’s been a fairly unremarkable week here on the hill.

the valley is getting greener every day

 The potatoes were cultivated.

The sheep were moved.

they know what happens next

…and the onions weeded and fertilized.  

The hens are continuing to clean out the brooder yard.

…and the broilers are continuing to eat and eat and eat!

The gardens are actually growing...and things got planted, mulched and harvested.

the severe cold stunted the cauliflower
this is as big as it will get

summer broccoli

squash blossoms

a rather un-remarkable picture
of a delicious chocolate cake

A cake was baked and delivered to the fire hall.  It’s the seventeenth chocolate cake I have baked and sent down the hill for the annual parade and chicken barbeque dinner fundraiser in as many years. I’m always glad to do it, and it always makes me mindful of how much I love Mbrook.  . Read this.  Things have changed a little since I wrote that piece back in 2011, (the church has moved and the General Store has re-opened) but this is still a great place to live! 

just chillin' in the barn

Warm weather means that the dogs start shedding and it will be months before all the puffy, white clouds of dog hair finally disappear from the farm. 

Surprisingly, Ellie LOVES to be brushed and groomed. I guess even farm dogs need to look good!

the sky is SO beautiful

The weather was beautiful and warm…for a couple of days.  

Then a big storm rolled in.  The rain was torrential for a short while and we had a creek flowing THROUGH the hoophouse.  But, the sheep got a real rainwater rinse!

Waylon in the rain

Saturday brought a change in the weather as cool breezes COLD winds blew in and a frost advisory was issued. (yes…it IS May 18 and yes…the last frost date IS May 15…)

The row cover was hauled out once more.  

This is getting SO old!

38* at dawn with patchy frost.  (It’s supposed to be colder tonight) Let’s hope this batch of cucumbers can handle the cold!

Prior to the big storm, the tomato plants took a little ride to the shed. (the forecast included the possibility of damaging wind/hail/torrential rains…fortunately, we only got rain…2 inches of rain)

Then they issued a frost advisory.  This meant that the tomatoes took another little ride and moved to the shop for a couple of days.  They will be pulled out to take advantage of the sunshine and get watered, then we’ll tuck them back in for the cold nights.

They won’t be going in the ground for another couple of weeks. We have worked too hard on these plants to take any chances on their survival!

Saturday’s Market was another good one.  We set a personal record for number of bags of greens.  I picked and the Boss washed and packed 222 bags of lettuce, spinach, kale, chard and arugula for Market!  …and yes, we did end up giving some away…and bringing some back home. (but, we get to eat “the good stuff” this week!)

The upcoming week promises to be a full one.  It looks like the to-do list will be long as we hope to get broilers processed, seeds started and more stuff planted... 

Maybe warm weather will stick around for good now!

I know they're weeds...
but, a perfect dandelion head is kind of amazing

Here’s hoping you have a

Happy Sunday!

…and a great week!

Come back and visit us again real soon.