Chcken & Garden Update

[dalthauser]

I apologize in advance for the lack of a cut.  Hopefully you'll just quickly scroll by if it's not your thing.

The flock is 2 months old.  They are fully feathered and putting on weight.  They still coo at night, but now its more "bok-boking" and clucking - no more peeps :-)  That's the Roo on the left with the red comb. I have a hard time even recognizing Fanny anymore since she's sully feathered now.  There is a little stain still on one feather from the no-pick lotion, so that's how I can tell it's her.  Roxy has almost lost all of her Barred Rock feathering and is looking more Delaware now.


The spinach is now about to flower and go to seed.  I'm going to save the seed and see about growing it in the fall.  I have some purchased seeds as backup in case that doesn't work out.  I'm a perennial fresh spinach eater, so now I'll be paying $5.99 a pound for it at HEB throughout the rest of the summer.


Here's the first of the garlic.  These are a little small, but I broke into one and the cloves are fully formed and taste good.  I'm curing these for storage to see if I can, but I'll probably pickle and roast/freeze the rest.
  
Doesn't this look funny?  Such a big pepper on such  little plant.  I have to enjoy the bell peppers while I can because where I live it gets too hot for them to flourish after july.  If I care for the plant carefully, it will flower and fruit again in the fall though.  I have mild chile peppers to get me through the scorching summer - they produce no matter how hot it gets.

Here is some of the Sorghum. It's now so tall I have to uncover it and let it fend for itself.  
\
Tomatoes (these are cherry) right on target.  I'm thinking of constructing a little hoop "house" for them before the bugs arrive. The stink bugs here are like something out of that Stephen King "Mist" movie.  They sting the fruit and inject an enzyme into it that ruins it for eating.  

And Finally - Cucumbers!  I guess it's too early to get too excited (for anyone but me) - but it's always a thrill to see the first ones graduate to latching on and beginning to climb.


The sweet potatoes are doing well, the peanuts that came up are doing okay too - these two are firsts, so it'll be interesting to see what happens.  Parsley still going strong!

Except for a few bean issues and a challenge with the basil (major food group for me in the summer) - life is good in the garden :-)

Comments

[madamealexis.livejournal.com]

It's all so impressive!

[eats-veggies.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I really get a thrill out of doing this stuff, makes life a lot of fun :)

[bright-feather.livejournal.com]

Great pics.

[joebanks.livejournal.com]

Plant some garlic around the doors to protect from vampires.

[eats-veggies.livejournal.com]

and risk missing a midnight encounter with Lestat?
No way! :)

[jbluemoon.livejournal.com]

Yay springtime growing!

[walksbeauty.livejournal.com]

Don't you just love this time of year!? Everything looks so happy and growing well! I know you have some insect as well as climate challenges where you live (my partner lived there a long time...)You're dealing with it all so well! I never lived anywhere where I could grow peanuts or sweet potatoes. Fun...