Missing Time...
I had a feeling that once kidding season arrived my ability to garden, update, etc., would be severely diminished, and - what do you know? - I was right!
The weather here has mellowed out incredibly for March in Southern Oregon (at least to my experience). High 60's in the day, lower 30's at night. My brandywine tomatoes (germinated in December) already have blossoms on them, and I am trying out those water-filled teepees for the first time this year. Can't say that I am too impressed thus far, but it's been less than a week. Overall, I have to say that the better method for me has been to move them into the greenhouse at night, and outside onto the porch during the day. This involves a lot of tedious, heavy lifting, but I think in the long run the results are better.
Speaking of tomatoes, I have completely run out of table space in my greenhouse! I am at the point where I am either going to have to make a lot of plant sales fast, or I am going to need to beg, borrow, or steal some more tables! I have found that I cannot set plants on the floor due to occasional slug that somehow manages to find its way in. Anywho, thus far I have had a lot of people express interest in purchasing my starts, but I have only managed to convince one party to come down to the farm and actually buy anything. At this point, I'm more in it for the table space than the money! *grin* I have been talking with one of the local country market stores in Medford, and they want to sell some of my plants on consignment. The problem is that I want to give the people who have expressed a desire to buy starts from me first choice, because I have some very nice (and large!) starts right now. However, if they procrastinate too long, I am going to be forced to take the best looking ones down to the store...
I have set my watermelons and musk melons germinating this week. I know that the local extension office doesn't recommend starting the seeds until the end of April. However, I followed their time table last year and my watermelons barely had enough time to produce a single fruit before the fall frost set in. This year, I am giving them an extra month of growing time. I have also discovered (thanks to lessons learned last year), that about the end of March to beginning of April is the latest I can successfully germinate things in the greenhouse. After that, the heat gets too much for tender sprouts. So, I am germinating like MAD these remaining few weeks, in order to get all of my seeds going on time!!
Ryan has been making a great deal of cheeses and yogurts. He made the most amazingly delicious 1-lb. wheel of Manchego that I have ever tasted, as well as many pounds of queso fresco for pizzas and other tasty dishes! I made a large batch of my cherry-fennel granola to go with the fresh yogurt, and as soon as I get a chance, I am going to get my kefir going again.
So much to do!!!...
I had a feeling that once kidding season arrived my ability to garden, update, etc., would be severely diminished, and - what do you know? - I was right!
The weather here has mellowed out incredibly for March in Southern Oregon (at least to my experience). High 60's in the day, lower 30's at night. My brandywine tomatoes (germinated in December) already have blossoms on them, and I am trying out those water-filled teepees for the first time this year. Can't say that I am too impressed thus far, but it's been less than a week. Overall, I have to say that the better method for me has been to move them into the greenhouse at night, and outside onto the porch during the day. This involves a lot of tedious, heavy lifting, but I think in the long run the results are better.
Speaking of tomatoes, I have completely run out of table space in my greenhouse! I am at the point where I am either going to have to make a lot of plant sales fast, or I am going to need to beg, borrow, or steal some more tables! I have found that I cannot set plants on the floor due to occasional slug that somehow manages to find its way in. Anywho, thus far I have had a lot of people express interest in purchasing my starts, but I have only managed to convince one party to come down to the farm and actually buy anything. At this point, I'm more in it for the table space than the money! *grin* I have been talking with one of the local country market stores in Medford, and they want to sell some of my plants on consignment. The problem is that I want to give the people who have expressed a desire to buy starts from me first choice, because I have some very nice (and large!) starts right now. However, if they procrastinate too long, I am going to be forced to take the best looking ones down to the store...
I have set my watermelons and musk melons germinating this week. I know that the local extension office doesn't recommend starting the seeds until the end of April. However, I followed their time table last year and my watermelons barely had enough time to produce a single fruit before the fall frost set in. This year, I am giving them an extra month of growing time. I have also discovered (thanks to lessons learned last year), that about the end of March to beginning of April is the latest I can successfully germinate things in the greenhouse. After that, the heat gets too much for tender sprouts. So, I am germinating like MAD these remaining few weeks, in order to get all of my seeds going on time!!
Ryan has been making a great deal of cheeses and yogurts. He made the most amazingly delicious 1-lb. wheel of Manchego that I have ever tasted, as well as many pounds of queso fresco for pizzas and other tasty dishes! I made a large batch of my cherry-fennel granola to go with the fresh yogurt, and as soon as I get a chance, I am going to get my kefir going again.
So much to do!!!...
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