Today while I was in the garden tending to things and picking veggies Brad came out and took beautiful pictures of my sunflowers which have started blooming over the last couple of days. These are Titan sunflowers. The others didn't make it. Partially thanks to the armadillo that kept digging in that area, and partially simply because of poor soil I think. Even these didn't get as big as they should have before blooming. They sure are pretty though. Sunflowers are my FAVORITE! The bees seem to be enjoying them too!
I had to straighten some of the sunflowers, along with some corn. Some of the peppers had to be tied up and the tomato row fence reinforced. It has been raining for the last couple of days, and will continue for the next week or so. The wind during storms, coupled with the water logged soil, has been causing plants to topple. The tomato row is simply getting too heavy. Next year I need to put more t-posts in spaced closer together to support the heavy plants and fruit. Also, next year I only need to plant a couple of egg yolk plants. They produce a ton of small tomatoes, but we don't use them as much and they take garden space away from the larger tomato producing plants. Next year will contain primarily Cherokee purple and Amish paste tomatoes. Maybe a couple new varieties.. just because I can't help myself when it comes to buying seeds. only a few will be aded to sample if that is the case though. I probably need to add another entire row of tomatoes so I will be more likely to have enough to can next year. I love the taste of Brandywine tomatoes but those plants seem to be the most susceptible to issues and either die or not produce fruit. Very few Brandywines survived long enough to make it to the garden, most of the ones that did died shortly after planting, all but a couple immediately started showing signs of blight, and those ones were the plants that I found nearly all of the caterpillars on causing destruction this year. Now, the caterpillars could be a coincidence, but I also wonder if they are perhaps more tasty or less caustic than the other plants? Regardless, I have harvested a single pink tomato this year, and while huge and delicious, it is not worth the massive amount of space taken up. This has happened every year I have planted them and I have to just decide that they don't do well in this area and move on. The Cherokee purples are delicious too, and much more productive and sturdy plants that I have had good luck with. I have already saved seed from a massive amish paste, and quite a few perfect egg yolk tomatoes for next year. I still need more amish paste when I get some more perfect specimens to collect seed from, and a lot from the cherokee purples. I keep getting overly excited and eating them all before I collect seed from them...
The tomatoes and cucumbers are starting to produce well. I'm still not getting enough of either to can though. I'm ready to make pickles and relish! There are tons of little cucumbers on the vines, which are taking over my pathways, but I never seem to find many perfect sized fruits. A few of those and a few gigantic ones which the chickens and turkeys really enjoy as a treat when it gets hot. The jalapenos were really full of peppers today! All of the pepper plants are getting massive. Granted they are in raised beds (1-1.5 ft) but they are almost shoulder level with me and I am almost 5'10". I am excited to say that I have harvested 4 perfect zucchini! Those plants have grown to massive proportions too and haven't succumbed to vine borers yet. A basket of green beans have been coming in every other day too. I made green bean casserole last night (one of keegan's favorites). Next year I need to plant more so I can pressure can some for winter. We just aren't getting enough for a canner load. I may start doing a couple of quarts at a time though.
I have been more and more disappointed recently about the prospect of not having pigs this year. Aside from the very end when the pigs were really big and getting a bit aggressive (and I was miserable because of severe morning sickness and didn't have the strength to deal with them) having pigs was a joy! I love having pigs on the homestead. They are so full of spirit and it is nice to have something to eat all of the scraps (not just being picky like the poultry). I also love having such high quality pork in the freezer. My Father in-law asked my BIL to raise some this year instead of me since I am expecting soon. He was trying to make my life easier. I was surprisingly saddened by this, and became more and more disappointed as the time went on. I talked to my MIL yesterday and asked if my BIL had gotten the pigs yet. She said that they hadn't been picked up yet because the pig enclosure had not been prepared yet. I eagerly told her that I would take them again! All I need is a new fence charger, as Brad has been unable to fix ours. Putting up electric fencing is extremely easy, and I have a section of unplanted garden that can be sectioned off to train them to the fence while I fence off the rest of the pig area. She said she would let my FIL know. I may be raising the family pigs again this year! I even woke up excitedly making plans to prepare for them before I even opened my eyes. I am so excited! Hopefully I will still feel that way over the next month or two. Liam is due in 5 weeks. Keegan is also going back to school in around 3 weeks and Brad about a week and a half later so they won't be here to help as much. We shall see. I still can't help but to look forward to the prospect. Pigs really are such easy creatures to care for when they are on pasture.
No comments:
Post a Comment