A Few June Highlights

It's too busy these days for a proper blog post, but here is a rundown of a few recent happenings.

Of all the current events, the most wonderful event has been having Cadence, our younger daughter, home for a couple weeks. In addition to assisting with many farm projects, she baked bread and pastries for the  Farmers Market for two weekends. It was wonderful to get reconnected with long-time market customers, and Cadence appreciated earning a few bucks. Alas, she leaves tomorrow - we will miss her!

While Cadence was here, our turkey poults arrived.

Last week we had fierce storms with heavy rain and strong winds that broke many branches and toppled a few trees.

The saddest part was finding so many nests with baby birds destroyed all over the farm.

Our main pasture fence was damaged by a fallen tree. Branches are hung up in the top of the tree, so we will have to pull it down with the truck in order to saw it up. We haven't had a chance to do that yet, so I re-routed the electric fence around the fallen tree so the cows don't escape.   Add this project to next weekend's to do list...

Last week's CSA box (Box # 4)  might be the prettiest yet.   Contents  included  sugar snap peas, lettuce, spinach, garlic scapes, baby zukes and squash blossoms, a little bundle of Italian herbs, golden and red beets, and elder flower blossoms.  I wonder if anyone was adventuresome enough to try elderflower fritters?

Cadence and I  (mostly Cadence) washed and pitted all the beautiful tart cherries we picked from Don and Betsy's tree, over half a bushel. We have an actual cherry/olive pitting tool, but  figured out it was much faster to pop the pits out by squeezing the cherries between thumb and index finger.  We made cherry shortcake and cherry smoothies and froze the rest. Some are destined to go into wine later this summer.

Work has finally begun on my tiny garden shed. I had wished it was a bit taller and our friend Chad said he could make it so. He disassembled the entire structure from the floor,  built a knee wall, and re-assembled it so that it is now 18 inches higher than it was. Now it  is tall enough to stand in without brushing your head on the ceiling and useful for rakes, spades and hoes to hang on the walls.   Next will come windows and doors, siding and a little porch. I can't wait to finish the exterior.

We have also made significant progress on the aquaponics system, but  I will devote a separate post to that project.