We’ve been having unreal temperatures lately; from 88 to 95 degrees with high humidity. Puff, puff, sweat dripping, pant, pant. It’s hard to get things done! I went out yesterday and thinned a row of carrots, which is hard for me to do. I just feel awful throwing away baby plants. (Yeah, once I tried to transplant them, but that didn’t work. Corn, yes. Carrots, no.) Then, while Will mulched the cabbages and broccoli, I weeded a row of squash and one of the rows of glads I planted. I got two bags of 50 bulbs on a killer sale this spring and the bulbs are HUGE — I couldn’t resist them. After all, vegetables feed our bodies and flowers feed our souls.
Will’s been weeding and mulching, followed up and down in the rows by our faithful cat, Mittens. She protects Will from bugs and grasshoppers. Thank goodness neither pest has been bad. A week ago, potato bugs started appearing along with our first batch ever of gray blister beetles, both of which started eating our tomatoes and potato vines. But by careful examination and picking, they are getting fewer and fewer.
The garden looks fantastic and the corn is nearly waist high. The tomatoes are way past that and are beginning to set fruit. Awesome! Melons in the hoop houses are also starting to set fruit, as are the peppers. (Will promised not to fertilize them this year! As you remember, he gave them a double dose last year and we had trees for plants but very few peppers.)
In his “spare” time, Will is starting to put the log rafters in place on our new front porch. He made a jig so he’ll be able to cut all of the rafters at the correct angle which eliminates much re-sawing and guess work. Those rafters are heavy and he only wants to put them into place once! — Jackie
Sharon King,
Congratulations on your move and new homestead! It’s NEVER too late to start a new lifestyle. Mom and Dad started three after their early sixties and came to join us here when they were in their nineties. There are plenty of ways to make things easier when we get a bit older but the most important is a positive mind set!!! Have fun!
Your garden is just beautiful. I am in Louisiana and the heat has been really bad for a few weeks now. The humidity is even worse because of a lot of rain. The mosquitoes are what is really unbearable. Even though I am 62 years old I hope to have a garden like yours when I grow up. I was raised in the summers in Liberty, Mississippi when I was a child and was stung by the homestead bug. My husband and I have just retired and we are looking forward to moving (if only part-time to start) to our mountain in Kingston, AR (totally off grid). I am so excited. I hope it is never too late. I have your set of books and have read the covers off. I can’t get enough of your wisdom. So much to learn in so little time. Keep writing. Thanks.
Hi Jackie, I agree with you, “After all, vegetables feed our bodies and flowers feed our souls.” Which is why we have planted oodles of Edible Flowers this year. All kinds of different varieties & colors. You know what they say about eating foods of color.
Temps here in Northern Colorado have been in the HIGH Nineties for weeks., so I have to go out just before sun up and work a few hours until it gets too hot. I was also going out in the eves to get a little more done, but now there are TOO many biting bugs and they love my fair skin. Papa (DH) says he can go out and never see a bug until I get close to him. Hahahaha. The kids, grandkids & He are always teasing that if they want a gramma hug, they gotta haul me into the kitchen out of the bug fest or be eaten alive. LOL.
We have been eating the pigweed & purslane, just about as fast as we can, trying desperately to keep in under control. I think we might have to get a pig this year to help us out with that. The humans, chickens, & ducks just can’t eat enough of it.
Sandy A,
I use the bucket too. My friends bought me a comfy plastic seat that fits right into a 5 gallon bucket. How handy!!! I have a few 6 1/2 gallon buckets that I’m using now as they are taller. My knee is much better but I still can’t sit on a regular 5 gallon bucket yet. Soon….
zelda,
We use a sprayer with bT in it (labled as such) and spray as needed. Fortunately, most of the time, picking and squashing works fine and is cheaper. But we did spray our potatoes as potato bugs were getting ahead of us!
We get so much done as we just keep picking away at projects. Today, after I blog, I will be planting fall cabbages. This morning Will cut more hay and is now downstairs working at fitting the log rafters on our front porch. He also mulched more of our corn this morning before coffee! Love that guy!!
Wonderful garden!!! I sit on a 5-gallon bucket when I have a tedious job to do, like carrots or beets. Put a rag rug over the top–not bad. I also carry my water in it. Southwest Missouri is doing its usual July thing–temps in mid-90’s and humidity to match. Brutal. Again, congrats on the gorgeous garden. Blessings.
Your garden looks great! I planted two this year – about 7 miles apart. One has caught enough(ie too much) crop spray and the other was hit by hail. First time Ihave tried two….thought I might have my usual “spray” problem licked this year…..oh well. There is always next!
The amount of work you both do in any day is just astounding. How do you keep it up, day after day? Re bugs, Spinosad solution in a backpack sprayer and a leisurely stroll through your gardens and orchard once a week will get rid of anything that chomps on leaves, usually after one or two sprays. That would give you more time to sit on that glorious porch with coffee and a piece of pie. I use it on fruit trees, berries, vegetables. If it weren’t for Spinosad and BT I’d never get anything to eat.
Lots and lots of water when living in the heat. Can’t be said enough, even when we know it’s true.
It’s amazing how much knowledge you have, Jackie, and each time you show us “how your garden grows”, you confirm how much you do know about living naturally. Thanks!
The heat here in Maine has been brutal as well, I don’t know how Southerners deal with it. We usually only have a week of it every year, been a month now with only a handful of “normal” days. Your garden is looking beautiful! So is your porch.
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