Sunday Walkabout 8-24

While the calendar still says August, there is a difference in the air and the light that lets me know FALL is right around the corner.

The heat and humidity gave way to fog and cooler temperatures and we got THREE inches of rain in twenty four hours on Saturday! But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

bush hogging the spent crops

It’s the time of year when the gardens look tired and overgrown.  The grass for grazing looks tired and somewhat overgrazed. And, quite honestly I’m feeling a little tired and over…something. It’s really hard to be enthusiastic this time of year. 

Is this Gus' first tractor lesson?

The Boss can bush hog in the gardens, but there’s not a lot we can do for the paddocks, except pray for rain.  This rain will really help the outlook for fall grazing. It helps our (my) attitude, too.

the hens enjoy the garden waste

 

There are other signs of fall.  There are lots of garden spiders spinning intricate webs in the spent plantings.  While there are lots of folks who find spiders creepy, I have always liked them…well, except for walking into spider webs, can’t say I enjoy that.   Did you read "Rock on, Charlotte"?

I guess I should feel bad that there are so many thistles...but, the butterflies and bumblebees (and goldfinches) are enjoying them.

each little "nest" is only about the size of a pencil eraser

As I picked beans (for at least the eleven millionth time) I noticed a lot of little birdnest fungi in the dead and dying leaves that litter the ground of the bean bed. Part of the fungi family Nidulariaceae these unobtrusive little plants actually help break down old plant matter in the garden.  …and they’re just kind of cool. You can read more about them HERE.

Checking the onion harvest

The Boss and I finally got all the onions trimmed and sorted and stored for winter.  That was a pretty

big job and took us the better part of two days to complete it.  It’s a good thing we like each other and get along well…we spend most all of our time working together!  Now that all those drying onions are out of the barn, the Boss can focus on getting the rest of the barn cleaned out before the ewes come in for the wintertime. 

trimming onions

cleaned, sorted onions

some of the onions in storage

The shift in light means there is also a shift in the crops for harvest this time of year. There are BUNCHES of tomatoes.  And, the peppers are FINALLY coming in along with broccoli and chard.  Actually, we have managed to have broccoli and chard all summer, but this harvest looks especially pretty.  And, the fall potatoes look to be the best (or at least the nicest plants) that we’ve ever grown.  Just another month or so and we will see what lies beneath the surface.

Kennebec potato blossom

healthy potato plants

Bright Lights chard

beautiful peppers

red cabbage

pepper blossom

gorgeous broccoli

All the fresh produce gives us an opportunity to work on some new marketing ideas. Presently, we are working on photographing some of our lamb recipes. It's a real team effort. I make the recipe...and he takes the photographs. ...and we both enjoy supper!

Then, we can post pictures and recipes (check out the recipe tab at the top of the page). The photos are used as part of our Market set-up. This week,we took advantage of the prolific tomato crop and followed a customer's advice for a new type of home-made pizza.  Instead of sauce, we sliced San Marzano tomatoes and topped with lamb sausage, red onions and cheese. 

 It was superb!  

-TLeightonWomack Photo

I’ve started more seeds for transplants and the hoophouses are nearly filled to capacity. It looks like we should have lots of greens for fall sales. It’s a toss-up as to which is more popular…kale, lettuce or spinach. And, I am still wondering just how much spinach we could grow and sell. As of yet, we have not found a limit. Yes, I did start more, more, more. I’m going to need more hoophouse room. (just kidding, Boss)

Saturday was a great day.  We woke up to 1 and ¾ inches of rain in the gauge (and it was still raining).  The rain let up for Market, The Findells provided some great music (and quite possibly caused the rain), and we had a tremendous sale day. Then we took the whole family out for a delicious lunch at the Depot.   After we got home, un-packed, did chores and started to relax...it rained, AGAIN.  Over 1 1/4 inch this time!  Wow! a summer's worth of rain in one day.

That pretty much sums up our week. Certainly doesn’t seem like much…

…oh, wait.

There was a big, really BIG, announcement in the family this week.

For those of you who don’t know…this is our daughter and son-in-law’s dog, Savannah.

And, yes, her “announcement” means that we are going to be grandparents!

Now, that news makes for a very

               Happy Sunday!

Thanks for stopping by.  Come back and visit us again real soon.