Tuesday, September 14, 2010

 It is catch up time once again! I have been finding it difficult to post regular these days,so I will try and catch you all up on things around the farm! Hubby is back in China so I am single woman homesteading once again. School has started back for us and this includes Fridays at a home school co-op,a new thing for us.I have to say I find it tiresome standing around watching kids all day,next year I will definitely volunteer to teach or help with a class. I don't do real good with "down time"! I am used to being busy!  I know so many of you are  getting your first taste of Fall...LUCKY ! We are still in the lower to mid 90's, factor in the heat index and well... it stinks!  I have been out every morning trying to get the Fall garden planted,it was only 70 degrees this morning when I got up,you are probably thinking that is lovely weather but the humidity was 99% ! No,that is not a type-o ,I said 99%... So far I have gotten the whole area tilled I intend to plant and the first rows I got planted are already up! 2 rows of Roma green beans and 2 rows of purple hull peas!



I side dressed them with compost provided by the ever pooping sheep! I have in 2 rows of contender green beans and  3 more rows of purple hull peas! I also have a few yellow squash I need to put out. That is it for the warm season crops,oh and the around 30 tomatoes!

I also have most of my cool season crop started in seed beds.Next month will probably be cool enough to get them out.These crops will grow all winter here,cabbage, kale, beets,collards and turnips,carrots,rutabagas, parsnips...I never have had any luck with broccoli or brussel sprouts but I may try them again any how!

A good size storm was brewing the other day,it didn't give us any rain but we got the thunder and cool wind which was nice,not as nice as if it had rained,but still nice.


This storm had an effect on the goatie girls let me tell you! They got in the mood to party! The were all running  and leaping and butting heads and running and leaping some more! It was quiet a sight to behold! The pictures don't do the event justice.






They were all fluffed out with their hair all standing on end...eventually they got tired and I picked them some yummy leaves for a snack,I figured they might need a little snack after all that running around!



Lola wanted a few scratchins too!



They turkeys are always in the middle of things,here are the Boys. They had other names but I long ago took to calling them Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumb! For those of you who raise turkeys out there,I know you  can understand how these names are perfect for the boys!


I  am dreaming of Fall,I hope all you are getting a taste of it already are enjoying it! As much as I want to have the coolness I want those veggies from the garden first!!! So, I guess I will endure a little longer!

20 comments:

Doc said...

Busy lady, goofy goatie's, dull turkey's !

IsobelleGoLightly said...

oooh! Still so warm down your way! It's a high of 64 degrees up here in our valley today and it's lovely. We are all growing our winter fur. I love Lola...she is gorgeous. My lady would like to have some turkeys as pets but she understands that they don't have many brains. Tee hee.

Kids and Canning Jars said...

Oh my goodness. Being in the Southern part of Texas it is full summer heat here still. Yesterday was 92` with a 10 degree index. 102` HOT. I am dreaming of fall too. My garden is tiny as we just bought this piece of land. But, I am determined to have a garden. So far I have 10 tomatoes, 9 brussel sprouts, 5 varies of squash and some basil. I am dying to have my land bursting with growth, plus all the fruit trees. I have a mature orange tree with what seems around 400 oranges growing on it. I have the space. I too, am a single married mother to four children. My hubby is in medical school on Galveston Island. We keep up. We are a small homestead and loving it. I have 6 chickens, and feel prompted to get a goat. I am currently going against my promptings. I'll do it some day sooner than I think. I have had goats for about 18 years of my life. I look forward to all they provide for us even their smelly poop for the garden...haha

Thanks for the friendship. I love reading your blog and comments on mine.

Melissa

LindaG said...

Energetic goats and beautiful (if apparently dim) turkeys. It's still hot here, too. Can't wait for fall! :)

brokenteepee said...

The turkeys are gorgeous. I almost have the hubby convinced to get turkeys next year.

Almost, ALMOST done with the books. Didn't realize it was going to be such a project. OY!

Sharon said...

Still pretty warm here, but radar shows rain coming in and forecast showing mid 80s for a few days - can't wait!
You are so busy! Sounds like a cooling breeze gets the goaties going! LOL! Guess If I had two Tom's I would call 'em each Tom. They are quite pretty!
I hope you get lots of goodies from your new plantings!

Leslie said...

This is the time of year when summer just seems to be endless. Here in N. Texas were there is so much concrete you can feel the heat radiate off of it.

You are one busy lady! I feel like I get a work out just reading everything you are doing. Your goats are great! And the turkeys will be delicious, I am sure. :)

Tales from the Trails said...

You are busy!! Hubby tilled part of the garden this weekend. He said you can come and help with our garden when you are done with yours, HA!! I'm not much help these days with all of this heat. : )
So ready for the fall!!!

How do you keep your squash? Have you experienced any problems with vine borers? (the little larvae things that burrow in the stalks)

Melodie said...

Tales from the Trails,

I am so ready for fall too! I don't put up summer squash,no one will eat it boiled but me so I just plant enough to have a mess of fried squash every so often! I am sorry ,I have never had vine borers before so I don't know what to do for them.

Teresa said...

Those turkeys are beautiful! It's always fun to watch the goats when the weather changes. We're still around 80 for a high, but it's supposed to cool off a bit in the next day or so. I must admit, now that I've resigned myself to being back at work, I'm looking forward to fall!

John Going Gently said...

nice to have you posting again. we have missed you...
love your bourbon reds.... do the two stags fight when they are together????

Melodie said...

John,
No,they never fight and they stay practically glued together!The females are the more aggressive in my turkey flock,the Boys are very tame and follow me like puppies all over their pasture!

sunset pines farm said...

same here with the heat and index-we get the 70 degree mornings and you think you can go out there and plant until the humidity makes you soak your clothes in two minutes flat.
I thought about putting in fall tomatoes-I have seen several field near us with plants about a foot tall now.
Maybe I will this weekend.

jaz@octoberfarm said...

hey cool....i am so glad the recipe worked for you!

Chicken Boys said...

Funny, people never seem satisfied with the weather. In winter, they want it to warm up. Then when it warms, they want it to cool off. I love summer. And I enjoy the spring and fall. But you can keep the winter. I hate the cold and the short days. As much as I'd love to have a farm, I don't think I could handle it with all the other things I have going on. I think the chickens will have to be enough. And I'm trying to get rid of some of them! LOL
~Randy

Melodie said...

Randy,
I am just the opposite! I hate the heat and love the cold! I like all seasons but summer! Now if I lived up farther north I would probably love the summer too!

Texan said...

I just love your turkeys!! Everytime I see pictures of them I think WOW!!!

Your garden is coming a long so great. You have been working so hard in it!

I too am ready for some cooler temps. Well such is the life in Texas huh :O)...

Jim said...

Well it's fall here in Nova Scotia, Canada! And I'm glad!
Melodie, hope you get some relief soon. Love those frisky goats!
Jim

Kelly Cook said...

Your intro reminded me that I haven't posted an update for several weeks now, where does the time go?

We planted a few things for a fall garden too, just can't get the carrots and lettuce to sprout! I hope yours does well!

I'll have to go watch our goats the next time there's a storm brewing-I've never noticed them doing that before.

Thanks for sharing again-oh and hope you can find something to do on Friday hs days.

the wild magnolia said...

Oh how I enjoy your gardening &....the goaties! Way to funny!

Thanks for sharing!