finally a less windy day

The farm has been experiencing some nice temperatures but the wind has made it tough to do much outside.  Day after day the winds blew--mostly from the south so there was no protection from the grove. I spent some time working on transplanting seedlings indoors but the only thing I did outside was turn a few of the garden rows with the claw.  I was sure that any leaves or compost that I added would just blow away.  Today, was different, the weather was cooperating.  No wind, sunny for awhile and then it clouded over.  It looked like it could rain but it didn't.  Rain wasn't predicted and we have not gotten any the last couple of times that there was a decent chance.  Even without any 'April Showers' the lawn is greening up and the herd is spending more of their time out on the pasture. 

Today I got six more rows ready to plant.  I flushed the water line and had good pressure at the garden end.  It appears that the water system has survived its first winter intact.    Since mother nature isn't watering the peas I did.  I don't have the short hoses and the sprinklers set up, just a hose but it is only one row, so far, that is needing to be watered. 

The winter greens are mostly done.  A few remain that have not bolted yet but mostly there is a need to empty the containers to make room for the cups holding the transplanted summer crops.  The new fan is helping to keep the greenhouse a bit cooler.  That will be the prime focus on any day that is sunny as it can easily get too warm.  I miscalculated one day that I was gone for a few hours and came home to a few fried herb seedlings.  They were the most vulnerable as they recently had been potted up from the seed trays to cups.  Everything else survived but it was a good lesson learned.  Now I open everything up and get all the fans going when I need to be gone even if it isn't predicted to be sunny, just in case. 

Tomorrow is supposed to be less windy again so I am hoping to get a bunch more done in the garden.  Perhaps some pictures and a new update will follow.

baby fruit to show off

The past several years I have been adding fruit to our yard, expanding our "orchard" each year.  Last year for the first time we had apples on our two apple trees. This year one of the trees is again getting fruit.  I the second tree is not yet and I cannot remember last year if they started at the same time or not. 

several apples on the west tree

Two years ago we planted two different plum trees and this year there is fruit forming.  When I looked last evening there were several small fruits starting on the smaller (west) tree but none on the larger (east) tree.  Today when I looked there was one tiny fruit on the east tree as well.  I am hoping that there will be more and that they are just getting started. 

plums on the west tree starting to form

The last couple of years we have gotten a good crop of small purple grapes.  We have used them for jelly.  They have seeds and tiny so not easy to eat.  Perhaps with better management they would produce a bigger fruit. 

tiny grape clusters just starting to form

I took a picture of one of the pear trees.  They are not getting fruit yet but I thought the foliage was pretty with its two colors.  I don't know if that is normal or not but both trees have a variety of leaf color.  They are two year old trees so I am not sure if I should be expecting fruit anytime soon.

pear with green and pink leaves

Just a little update on the garden but no pictures.  I am still planting, with approximately 2/3 of it planted.  The weeds are loving our warm and moist spring and growing like crazy.  Lots of the garden is transplants of things that were started from seed in the greenhouse.  Those that were planted out earliest are looking the best.  The plants that waited longer in cups are paler, more yellow than green.  I am hoping that once they get into the soil they will green up.  I have 2/3 of the sweetcorn planted and some is up now.  The edamame is up, the vine crops are starting to flower (even those still in the cups), the peas are climbing the trellises. 

I had hoped to have the entire garden planted by now but I am pleased to be making progress every day.  Much of what I am doing is still construction of the garden and those are things that I shouldn't have to repeat every year.  I am hoping that once the construction phase of the garden is done that it will be easy to plant in a few hours or a couple of days.  There have been some successes, so I think that I am on the right track.  The soil in the raised rows that were constructed last year is very friable, it dries out quickly after a rain.  The weeds pull easily and when it is not muddy the stirrup hoe works great.