Hello World…
It’s yet another lovely morning here at Raven’s Rest. If it were yesterday at 4:14am, I’d be lying in bed listening to the who-whooing of a big owl on the derelict TV antennae outside my bedroom, windows open wide to get fresh air while sleeping, there’s nothing like living in the country. Mr. Owl must have upset Mrs. Robin as she was voicing her annoyance, or perhaps she was simply answering the question of “wh-whooo?” Alas, it is not yesterday, it is indeed today, a new day and I’m listening to the chirping of crickets as my fingers make a rhythm of their own clicking the keys on the keyboard. This post is about what is new here at the farm, and here it is…quite proud to say that we are over 6 pounds of asparagus harvested this growing season. We put the bed in 2012 and the two prior years, we had a couple meals of asparagus per year. It takes about 3 years after planting to get into a good state of production. We’ve put in one last bed of asparagus and should be in full production a couple years from now. However, this next year we should have an amount plentiful to be able to sell and share the goodness. My favorite method is roasting, with olive oil, salt and pepper. A squeeze of lemon over the top before serving and it’s a fresh, healthy, organic, home-grown good-for-you veggie.
Most of the trees in the fruit orchard were planted in 2010 and are starting into their production as well, pears, peaches, plums, apples and cherries. Lots of blooms and happy pollinators this spring and fruit on every tree this year. Looks like our “last frost” date was way early this year, unlike last year in which a frost mid-June abolished all the plums and most all of the remaining fruits were diminished in quantity. Such is the life of the farmer, grower, gardener…Mother Nature keeps us on our toes, we are the caretakers, she is the decision maker.
Last year, we planted 3 kiwi plants, 2 females and 1 male, this last week we put up their vine support structure, having read that it needs to be very sturdy, we chose cattle panels and 6 feet T posts. Not only is it rather interesting to look at, it should last for many years. A wooden structure would be rotting out in a few years and need replacing, this will be around for many years of kiwi harvests. Now it’s time to make one for the grapes, as we put in two rows of grapes last year as well. I can see the little bunches of grapes already formed on a couple of the plants.
Rhubarb is now a dream for next year, topped off, awaiting an organic matter blanket to take it’s winter sleep. Strawberries are beginning to ripen. Raspberries, blueberries and blackberries are all setting fruit and will be ripening in time. Looking forward to each of those. Pick a favorite? I find it a rather difficult task as each one, when fully ripened, juicy and sweet is a marvel all it’s own. To pick a favorite is as difficult as picking a favorite child.
That’s a part of what’s happening here at Raven’s Rest.