Happy Belated Build a Scarecrow Day! (July 1)

Typically, we aren't the type of family to celebrate a frivolous holiday but we made an exception as the "racking-frackin" deer won't stay out of our plots...even with electric fencing (more on our fencing strategy in a latter post). Pa had recently gone through his closet so we had a lovely pair of black dress slacks and a terry cloth lined robe to work with. Erin sewed some old work gloves to the sleeves of the robe and closed up the neck of and old t-shirt for the head. Meriah was an expert belly shape-er and straw stuffer.  Add a broken sun hat and a pair of Ma's dangly earrings for eyes and we were looking pretty good.

...and so it begins.

Brand-new Bella with Gramma

When Dave and I found out that I was pregnant (almost 2 years ago, now) we knew that we would be going the all natural route. We quickly found a midwife, and nine months later we gave birth to a beautiful baby girl at home (and in water). I jumped right into breastfeeding with a large amount of joy, but with the plan of weaning our little one as soon as she could use her big girl words to ask me. Ask me how that worked out for me.

Mob Barley

PAW Students & Staff 2012--The King & I

June is always a month that keeps us all busy. Personally, I have been employed at the Performing Arts Workshop, hosted by the Cam-Plex, for the past three years and I was a student in the program for four years prior to my employment!

 It is an intensive workshop that teaches young performers about the ins and outs of musical theatre. It lasts a majority of the month, and it is one of the highlights of my summer! This year, I had the very good fortune of making friends with several of my co-workers(some of whom traveled from as far as New York) who shone their light all over our conservative little town, and did a lot to brighten my perspective. You all know who you are, and guess what....I think I love you. :)

Photo Post: More Goats and a Turtle!!!

Buckling number 2, Naveen (bigger than Phil @ 21 lbs!).

Lil' Mr. Phil, who has doubled his weight to 10 lbs! 

The ladies.

A very manly group indeed.

Goatin' around!

Keep him in line, JB!

This is Lady Biddle (Biddy for short). She is a
Western Painted Turtle and we love her.

She is all about a freeze dried shrimp!

Her shell is 7" long and counting!

First Harvest!

A bouquet of green.

Most varieties of lettuce can be planted from the early spring (as soon as the ground can be worked) into the early fall. The advantage of planting at several stages throughout this long growing season, is a continuos lettuce harvest all summer long! I have been cutting from the leaf lettuce varieties (Rouge d'Hiver & Valimine) for a week or two already, and it has been tasting DELICIOUS!!! Tuesday night, though, was my first time harvesting a whole plant. One of the heads of Matchless was looking so crisp and tasty, we decided we had to have a taste!

Three Sisters

Tina's Weekly garden update

4 rows of 6 mounds.

The past weeks have been relatively easy as far as my plot goes. Steve and I made a deal in which he would build my three sisters mounds for me, and in exchange I would plant his corn for him. That meant no raking huge amounts of dirt for me, and help for Steve to meet his goals. Hooray for collaboration!

I have always been interested in Native American history, and, in choosing to dedicate my plot to the three sisters method, I hope to develop the same understanding in regard to companion planting. The traditional three sisters are corn, beans, and squash. While I stayed true to the original family, I put my own spin on things by choosing different varieties.

Excuses....

Storm season in Campbell County. 

Weekly, "shmeekly", right!? In our defense, June has been one whizz bang of a month for us down on the farm. Along with transplanting over 100 individual plants out into the garden plot and completing the rest of the direct sewing, our well was struck by lightning for the second time (frying our control box and leaving us without water pressure for more than a week) and we're battling some of the highest summer temps in recent memory. The thermometer on the outside of the greenhouse measured 113 degrees at one point...in the shade! And now we are turning our attention to beautification as we get ready for the Fulton Family Reunion. I'll be concentrating on getting everything up to date in the next few days and hopefully we'll be off to a more sustained pace! 


-Erin