2021 Farm Log

[sKePTiKal]

So, I found the cauliflower seed - the day after I bought some more. LOLOL. Hol was saying she preferred broccoli to cauliflower; so do I - but I do like having some variety.

So far:

12 broccoli
6 brussel spouts (already germinated & up)
6 cauliflower
6 leeks

Medicinal herbs come next - and I may order some more too. Can't find things like this locally.

Tomatos & peppers start next couple weeks. Everything else gets direct seeded - and the dirt needs to be worked smooth before that. It did rain on what I plowed, which I wanted - and we had a couple frosty nights too. So it's on to discing and pulling out the big rocks (saving flat ones in a pile for Hol - she wants to build walkways).

I've got two baggies of redbud seeds I collected before moving to the beach. I think I'm going to put them along parts of the driveway and add some around the house... and down the road to the hut. If they grow; great - if they're too old, oh well. But that sounds like a fun thing to do today.

I also need to clean my woodstove and split the kindling for a couple more fires. Furnace gets replaced on the 30th, along with a new AC unit. I decided to rough it last night with no fire. Ooops.

Stinkerbugeater, crawled under the covers with me to get warm. Then, slept downstairs next to electric radiator. I'm feeling positively Norweigan this morning... if I get a shower, I'm going to be drying off in sub-60 temps. Maybe I'll get the house warm first....

Had a good evening with Hol again. We discussed the "cooperative overlapping" communication style, among other things. She feels its the ONLY form of actual communication... LOL. But didn't like that there is an actual label for this.  I did some pantry shopping while there - and she got into more decorating choices at the hut. I proved useful there, once again... she wanted to shop for something to store hats & gloves in during the summer and I reminded her, she still has a trunk in the barn. She doesn't even remember what's in it right now. LOL.

And she's trying to set up a multifunctional sewing space downstairs... but that space is rather full as it is. It's the tv hangout space. She had found a honkin' big armoire while the hut was being built for clothes storage but she doesn't need or use it much - she found some great clothes racks on wheels that fit in her walkin closet downstairs. I suggested she move the armoire to the garage "lounge loft" when it's done. During inclement weather or in the winter, she needs her own hangout space when she has friends over. The hut is full just with the two of them and the two big dogs. So we have a thrift/secondhand store out here and she found a really well built Americana classic couch and chair for $25. The old plaid fabric isn't in bad shape. This is one of her absolutely mastered talents - finding things like this for almost nothing. That started the whole theme for her lounge.

She's been collecting cheese graters to wire up as pendent lights... and I suggested moving the armoire to the lounge and turning it into a "bar-moire". It would be good to keep things from getting dirty and has a big drawer at the bottom for even more storage - and it's also good for displaying the kinds of funky tchachki's they collect. She could even get a dorm fridge in it for cold drinks - S's tincture lab will be out there too and he can spend hours working there; drinks would be a plus. It won't have a bathroom - but he needs a sink with running water.

It was inevitable that she filled her hut with too much stuff - she has the same obsessive collecting bug Mike had - so she's in the process of minimizing, because there is MORE to move in. I think I convinced her to stop buying things until she had everything moved - and purged - so she doesn't end up in the same predicament but in the garage, too. LOL. The garage will likely be done in another month. Waiting on windows & doors. Heat/hot water/plumbing is all in place and will be propane fired. And it still needs to function as a garage.

My projects in the decorating realm move much much slower. I enjoy taking my time and adding/removing one thing at a time. Reusing as much as I can to best effect - or just something different. What I have now "works" and that's good enough.

[Hopalong]

I'm feeling terminally stupid about something:
I got all excited about starting seeds, seeds arrived, I'd saved up loads of cardboard egg cartons....then realized I don't have enough full sun to do it (can't afford a grow-light setup nor install one by myself). I have one southern-exposure window that means one corner of the kitchen table might do for a few hours a day...the rest of the windows on that side are shaded by an overhang.

The outdoor beds are ready but only about 6 varieties I have (not buying more seed) can be direct sown, which I'll do this week. The rest will be direct sown when it's warm enough, but as ever, my harvest will be weeks if not months later than everybody else's.


Hops

[sKePTiKal]

Everyone experiences that optimism/excitement at the beginning of the season, Hops. First one in the greenhouse gets the best plant selection, etc. And it's still early yet - way early. You're in the same planting zone I am - last frost date avgs about May 15th. So, even though it's technically spring the temps haven't been warm enough, long enough to plant out, as far as I'm concerned. (Lighter is a whole zone earlier & warmer than us.)

Until the night time temps stabilize around 45 the soil won't be warm enough outside to germinate seed. It was 19 here last night. Peas & salad greens are the first things I plant out (onion sets too; garlic goes out in the fall) The only thing I have started now are leeks (another long maturity plant) and all the cabbage family (cole crops). My grow lights weren't terribly expensive; maybe shop around.

I USED to start seeds at a west facing sliding door. And that worked very well, during a solar maximum. We're just starting to swing back from the bottom of a solar minimum - and the frequency of the light, the part of the spectrum the sunlight is generating - just isn't right for germinating these days. It only took a week to germinate my brussel sprouts - I'll have to go water & check today on the broccoli.

So you don't absolutely NEED south windows Hops. You could move your egg cartons around from window to windows - and also start seeds at staggered times, based on that variety's "time to maturity" requirements. So it won't be so many all at once, before you can start exposing them to the elements outdoors. Also - if you start now and use egg cartons (instead of deeper dixie cups) - you won't as much root structure when you transplant.

You can also extend your season with pvc pipe & heavy plastic "cold frames". The ones Mike made for me are sized to fit right over the raised bed and I just used rocks to hold the plastic down - but there are lots of methods; whatever works for you.

Over the years, I've convinced myself that the seasons are shifting away from the calendar/astronomical dates. Garden journals help with observations like this. What I used to do in March - the busiest time - is now shifted to April and the harvest season can span late August, Sept, Oct with sprouts/leeks coming out in November.

My time is getting used right now preparing beds... doing the yard/landscape work; some tree trimming... pruning, etc before the danged no-see-ums emerge. Oh - and some of the brush I'm cutting is among the cliff rocks - and the snakes are still sleeping. I don't work out there from May on. 

Need to get my fruit trees, berries & shrubs ordered - go borrow the bobcat back & move some rocks. My firepit area is also going to double as medicinal herb bed... and I'm using the rocks to build sheltered planting nooks.

My ability to "do" outside starts to fade when the temp hits 80 - so I need to rock & roll now.

[Hopalong]

Thanks for that question, CB.

Disappointment (in myself) would be the biggest.
Sadness (at not having two reasonably-sized beds of veggies to enjoy).

This year, with the beds so perfectly clean and ready, it would hurt worse, I think.

Some of it is wanting to come back slooooooowly into physical activity after such dangerous sendentaritude and the brain events. Gardening soothes my soul even while it hurts my back.

Amber, your post about seed starting encourages me to at least start a few, and maybe chase the sun indoors a little. Otherwise, there's really no crime in just planting directly when weather conditions are right. It justs means veggies are later than friends' who purchase seedlings. Our hot dry spells in summer up the ante for watering, of course....and that's back to enduring some discomfort.

I have gotten incredibly comfortable with avoiding back pain by staying in bed. (For a year.) It's stupid, as I'm tapioca from the shoulders down now and will have a long and uncomfortable "rehab." I can grow breathless alarmingly easily. I'm going to do it, though. At this point, not to I believe hastens death.

hugs
Hops

[lighter]

Lord, ((Hops))
Stupid....tapioca...long and uncomfortable.

Whew'boy, that's some judgment you might be better off without, ime.

Stretching in the sunshine can be a pleasure.  Warm your muscles up/stretch them before asking more.

Looking forward to gardening stories🌱🌻🌞🐝
Lighter

[sKePTiKal]

I second Lighter's warning about judgement!!  It sucks all the joy out of what you CAN do & accomplish. And how much more of a success will it be if the first few weeks of your garden "adventure" - is just moving the egg cartons to different windows and it WORKS?? Stretching is definitely a must-do, too.

How about starting a pot of pansies? for the patio? Those little guys are so hardy & cheerful it'll help cheer you on. Geraniums were my favs; I kept several going over over winter once. Since I was out a couple hours yesterday - I noticed the daffs are up; it'll be a few more weeks before they bloom here.

CB, some years March has been really warm. And it has been possible to start peas & lettuces. I saw that more in the 90s at the first homestead. Then, I lived on a 1/2 acre in town and the gardening challenges were a lot different. My herbs went crazy wild; the veg's not so much. I couldn't grow mold even at the beach. 

So, I'm still in the experimental stages back "home"-ish. Not quite where the first homestead is. And I'm westside of the mountain now; not east. First year I was so excited - I had all kinds of flats of things and plants coming in - and the 2nd half of March was as cold as Feb. The timing is just going to vary out here - a LOT.

I watch the trees. The wild cherry has had buds for a month already; witchhazel is thinking about blooming. Coltsfoot is up alongside the miles of gravel & dirt road. Hickory buds are big now; and the oaks starting... so it's safe to start seeds. Night time temps are important too - peas/lettuce will go out after the nights are mostly in the 40s. With no leaves on the trees, and the kitchen beds full sun and sheltered from the wind that soil will warm up first. I have a whole bed of raspberries there; they're doing really well.

Even the lilac is going to leaf out soon; roses have started - but the rhododendron buds haven't started greening up yet. So, early days - and I'm waiting. It's been uncommonly dry - which would be great for building; if my contractor was here. Hmmmph. But we're expecting some showers through the weekend, then I can work the big garden bed down some more. Hol needs to help me hitch up the disc - it runs off the ranger's PTO - and I'll need the bobcat back for a few things.

I'm so glad I didn't buy a tractor; it just would've been too big for my steep terrain. And the flatter areas still "lean" too - LOL.  They aren't large either - except for the big flat field (maybe 5-8 acres) in front of the Hut to the next ridge. Deer, bear, raccoons, snakes, ravens, weasels (no beaver yet; but there are some in the area), kitty-snack sized varmints... and OWLS. LOTS of owls. Even seen a bald eagle or two off the back deck. And there are bobcat signs, and pack of roaming coyotes. What I haven't seen up here is bunnies. Hol's mama kitty got one at the hut - but that field is all soft good dirt, so that makes sense. Only seen one skunk so far. Most of the property is wooded. I will be starting the planting of what we take for the woodstoves pretty soon; white oak, red oak seem to be struggling and they were an anchor tree out here. Ash borers have nearly wiped out the ash trees. But I have an Elm! and sassafras trees, the witchhazel is scattered around.... and the amount of wild, native herbs is keeping the forager S busy, marking plots. That means we get all kinds of migratory birds too. Things one rarely sees in suburban gardens - but I'm not a very good birder.

[Meh]

Ah, today I saw a couple bald eagles. I really needed to see them too! The eagles reminded me of that whole symbol of freedom, it sounds so corny and yet sometimes it is so deeply meaningful.

I love gardening, I will have to come back and read more later.

[sKePTiKal]

This whole property has become a therapeutic "making" endeavor, Mouse. While I'm "sculpting" - terraforming - and beginning permaculture areas... and arranging the movable stuff like rocks, taking out some trees... adding more... I'm the "mom" for the land... the steward... and it gives back to me, in peace, produce, shelter and it's my prime relationship; connection to the life force.

I needed a new "purpose in life" to follow all those years of recovery and learning how to live in the world again - post therapy - when I just floated along with the flow. This works for me. Rarely does this place "overwhelm me" with demands for urgent "fixing"... so I can adapt to the right pace, to make the most of uninterrupted stretches of time.

I FINALLY got brave enough to break out the Barbie (battery operated) chainsaw and deal with the poorly placed juniper being swallowed up by the giant yew that was also looking inclined to reach all the way across the driveway to the pond. I dislike juniper, because I'd planted probably 75 ft of rug juniper along the driveway bank at the house we lived in over the mountain. And the neighbor's trumpet vine constantly tried to invade that planting. So I had to weed 3 times a year, to keep it "neat"... and I was losing that battle. I've wanted to cut down those juniper since I moved here. All those "helpers" I guess knew it was a personal thing for me.



I won; but dang, I'm paying for it and I still need a couple more days pruning on the yew and moving the brush piles.

[sKePTiKal]

Yesterday's trip into town was a nice change of pace. Had lunch with my friend - who is already pre-staging her mom's final arrangements (her Dad died a decade ago and she's had some experience with their wishes), picked out & ordered new glasses, finally made a bank deposit and made a couple of small shopping errands. I just didn't feel like trying to squeeze in the grocery store stop - even though there are a few favorite things I can only get there - including chinese take-out. Bradford pears are starting to blossom.

It was on my drive in, that I noticed the brain running through routes, stops, etc and the anxiety that had kept waking me up the night before. It's one of those Mike things; everything had to be planned out ahead of time to the most minor detail on his famous "hunting & gathering" runs. I'd mentioned to Hol I dreaded going into town - and flat out denied it had anything to do with Mike. It took her a few minutes to cease the extreme eye-rolling when later on, I'd told her how I just spontaneously changed "the plan" based on how long I spent talking at lunch- and that my dread was indeed tied to my experience with Mike. I don't feel it makes my first statement disingenuous; I'd not yet had the realization that there was indeed a reason for my avoidance & dislike.

Always following the same streets, making the same turns - as we did for 10 years living there - was initially a comfort. A couple times, Hol rode in with me - and kept suggesting alternate routes that often were more direct and not unduly difficult to accomplish in the crazy traffic in that part of town. I'm pretty sure it's related to anxiety I have about getting lost; not paying attention, missing turns, etc. And I have absolutely no idea where that comes from, but it's a real thing. I completely know my way around this town - first moved there in 1980 and lived there again in 84; and again in '99 for 10 years that time.

Yeah, something's different - I am. I no longer have to abide by the rituals observed when Mike & I did those trips around town. I never went shopping alone when we lived there; he always insisted on driving. There are new stores that have opened that I am interested in visiting - that I still haven't been in since moving back.  !!!!!!!  I don't even know where the Hallmark store moved to; I haven't been to our small mall - I don't even know if my Belk card is active. There's a new shortcut from that side of town, to the west side direct route back to the farm. Hol found that one.

I know I used to cling to the "old, normal, ritual, routine" for some kind of comforting continuity through all the change that seems to always be going on with me. Part of me understands that sometimes that's all a person has the energy for. But I seem to be feeling a different intrepid energy - curious about, interested in, and hungry for the "new", "different", and outside my usual "druthers". It's definitely transformative energy...

I wonder where it's gonna go this time??  LOLOLOLOL

Buck is in the planning stages for another trip here - including 2nd opinions on his med situation from docs up here. There is one more dept/doc left to release him from care at that hospital. Other parts of that timeline are in the works too. His D will be home from this semester mid-May - then we'll find out what her & her friends are planning for off-campus living next semester... and depending on how soon they plan to move in together (3-4 girls), then the final move for B can be planned & accomplished.

Contractor is supposed to come out & mark for metal shop footers today; start digging next week. We'll see. He's really stretched thin - but, since I have the backhoe here at least he doesn't have to move equipment.

[Twoapenny]

I'm keeping everything crossed that the next stages of 'Operation Buck' go smoothly, Skep xx

[Hopalong]

Me too! That really jumped out at me. (Benevolence to B!)

I loved your insight that Ghost-Mike was helping you be fearful of learning new routes, bless'isheart. Great perception! Wowsers. Bravo.

REALLY nice to hear about you venturing into community and enjoying it.

hugs
Hops

[sKePTiKal]

My feet haven't exactly touched the ground the past couple days. Hol remarked I'm positively glowing with good happy balanced strong energy. Still no firm date from B - because he's adjusting to his new reality/freedom from that horrible hospital. That's going to take a little time, since he's spent YEARS fighting this battle.

But I think some of it's sinking in since our communication has hit a deeper, more intimate level. He's definitely happy and that's not been a common experience for him in recent years. When he's happy, I'm smiling & giggly.

My phone has absolutely been blowing up. LOLOL. His D in London, wanted to talk to him about boyfriend issues; he talked to boyfriend too. And then he dropped the bomb on her about me. Once she got over the shock that any woman would have him, after decades alone; that he wasn't planning on finishing his life as a lonely bitter grumpy old man... she was rendered speechless by the fact that us old people still have a pretty fierce interest in sex, too. (Hol's take on that is it's reassuring to know it doesn't just stop with age.) This D is the same age as Hol and has lived in the UK most of her life; her mom is Welsh. She sounds like a firecracker; and I think she & Hol will hit it off. If they ever get to meet. I know she'll meet the younger one some day. I think she's thrilled to have more substitute sister options.

It's positively hilarious. He's said more than once this morning, that he can't stop grinning. There's only a handful of family he speaks to; long dysfunctional history there - but nothing I'm not familiar with. So the college daughter knows; his cousin knows (I speak with him too every now and then) and I'm not sure if he's told his sister yet or not. But given that the remaining wait is shrinking to almost nothing (compared to how long it's already been) it's time and our online friends know - via our usernames.

I've told everyone who matters. And it's now becoming real. Even though nothing is actually changing at this very moment and I have work to do.

Over the course of these two years, we've learned each other's rhythms and approach to normal day to day things. We've discovered that it's easy to talk to each other - even about those personal painful things. Only Hol knows me better than he does - but that's coz she's grown with me over the years. And we're CONSTANTLY talking about things that matter for us. Lately, the topics have gotten less heavy and more fun though. Buck is becoming my closer confidant because of the age difference tween Hol & I; and while it's important to us that we've become more friends than mom & D - it's an inescapable fact. She doesn't need a full-time mom anymore. Her life is her life and that should keep her busy.

And I don't need her to protect me from B or to be jealous about the relationship either. I understand she doesn't know him as well as I do and is reserving judgement. I'm not going to dictate. Everyone's adults here, and can work this crap out for themselves. There are plenty of cooperative projects where we can all work together without invading each other's privacy. It's a natural way for the "newness" to wear off and people to get to know each other.

There is no "plan" - and after the initial adjustment period, farm planning will be a joint affair. Some projects will theirs & ours; some individual projects and the overall plan will kinda write itself.

[Hopalong]

Oh, this is JOYFUL, Amber!

So happy to read this, big smile here.

I'm just delighted for you and B.

hugs hugs
Hops

[lighter]

I'm so happy for you, Amber.  And B.

Your kids should be too.

Lighter

[sKePTiKal]

So I have a new furnace & ac unit. I was surprised they got done in one day. Surprised by how long the warranty is too - 10 years on the furnace itself. That's a rarity.

And the footers are dug for the metal shop. Hol's windows are here, for garage - but there was a delay on siding.

And we have a weather delay - raining all day and possibly all night. So, indoor stuff today. No idea what - except for the pandemic procrastination list I've been avoiding. Maybe seed starting. Both kids off the farm today with respective tasks, so I'll have to venture down to hut to give the dogs a chance to go out this afternoon.

An attempt was made at a hen party Sat night - Hol's friend M was here. None of us had enough energy to make a real go of it. It's like we all have a bad case of slug syndrome. But that perforce must change - stuff to get done before B is here and spring is planting time, if we hope to preserve stuff this fall. And that's the plan.

Hol will be gone overnight and maybe bringing her friend Matthew back with her. Haven't seen him in about a year. He's doing OK. Seems to have found a form of stability for himself. S will be back this evening. So I have a guest room to freshen up - S is a bit particular about which of her friends get to stay over.

And we have winter temps returning again next week. So - I feel better about waiting to get seeds started. The grow light setup is definitely working. I've started to raise the light fixtures - but leaving them on for 18 hrs. They're full spectrum LEDs. Should have second set of leaves in a few more days... so I'll plant herbs, maters & peppers next. Maybe some squash, cucumbers (pickles!), and melons too.

My workout - the 15 min one - has turned out to be pretty sporadic. LOLOLOLOL. BUT, I am starting to lose inches and back is feeling stronger, so I need to dedicate myself better to that. Added in some upper back weight moves too. Seems like I drop it when I'm doing outside work and then it takes a few days for me to get back into exercising on the slow days. I was doing stairwork for a week, waiting on the furnace - carrying an armload of wood - and keeping up with the fire up here and the mess.  The final upshot of the workout and plain work, is that I just ordered a new pair jeans a size smaller than normal - and I can get them buttoned. So, I do have incentive now - even if the reality is, as Hol thinks, the manufacturers have finagled with measurements and sizes again to accommodate the Covid weight gain theory.

Been watching the Resoration Home series on Youtube; really old British buildings getting serious structural updates to save them - not just redecorating. I got sucked in by the Scottish castle and now I can't seem to get my fill of this for wasting time that could be productive. LOLOLOL.

The Daffodils have started blooming; forsythia turning yellow; and the dogwoods have big red buds on them. So it really is spring - but it's going to be a slow cool one this year. I have to keep on with my outside work before it gets hot, so even though my mood is dampened with the wet cool weather I'm planning on plugging on with the stuff I want done.

Contractor mentioned yesterday he's pretty impressed with Hol's solar setup. I know I need a new roof next year (if I can't get on the schedule before) but then I am thinking about possibly going solar down the road; already have an adequate generator for the system. I need to replace water heaters and decks probably before that...