• Flowers are blooming.

• Tomatoes in the greenhouse are ripening.

• The lighting on our patio is up and it’s beautiful. We did sparklers already.

• Many snakes have been calling the greenhouse home. I’m assuming they enjoy the warm temperatures. Unfortunately, one didn’t make a good choice in his exploring. The pump on the aquaponics system wasn’t running, which is always a big concern for Farmer John. When he investigated, he found a snake had climbed through the pipes and got caught in the pump. The outcome was not good for the pump or the snake.

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Summer weather has arrived and with it many wonderful things are happening around our farm and garden.

Gardening for Food

This time of year is when our garden really starts producing.

Lots of squash, gourds & pumpkins are flowering

My herb row isn’t as prolific as I was hoping, but it’s doing ok. I was able to make a small jar of pesto from the basil.

White-crowned Sparrow nest and babies in the mint.

Flower Beds

The flowerbeds are still full of color, but many plants are almost past their prime.

This daylily is in nearly all the flowerbeds, simply because it grows so well.

Both the bees & I love the lavender.

Farm Kid2’s flower bed near the chicken coops is full of shasta daisies.

The hummingbirds have been loving the nasturtiums.

Aquaponics

Well, we’re still working on getting the aquaponics system set up to perform at its best. There are only a couple plants left growing in the garden beds & the ph is shifting more than Farmer John would like in the water. But, the tilapia seem to be thriving.

Smaller fish in the Sump Tank
We have a dedicated tank to hold fish. We also have a sump tank. The sump tank holds water and the amount shifts based on the amount of water coming in and out of the garden beds. The fish were supposed to stay in the fish tank, since its water level doesn’t fluctuate. But, they were so small when we got them that they swam right through the pipes and into the sump tank. And, there they’ve stayed.

Bigger fish in the Fish Tank.
The tilapia seem to be growing at different speeds. Farmer John has taken the larger ones and moved them back to the fish tank, where they seem to be doing very well.

Goats

Love them!

I planted sunflowers and zinnia along the fence line. I purposely planted them out of reach (I hope) of the goats. I also have chosen not to pull any of the weeds closest to the fence in hopes that the goats will eat those instead of trying out my flowers. So far, so good. But, they’re probably a smidge too close. Sven can almost reach some of them.

The kids and the goats playing has to be one of my all time favorite things. The laughing that goes along with this playing is priceless.

Ducks

Quackin’ & Flappin’

Sitting on eggs that are not fertile.

Swimming in the new pond.

Chicken Keeping

2 year old Golden Polish hen peeking through the grass.

The Littles are growing up and spend much of their time roaming the land.

They know I’m bringing food.

Typical teenagers

Wildlife

This is a great time of year for wildlife watching.

I’m glad tadpoles are making use of this barrel.

We have a few resident deer that we see nearly everyday. This one is munching on greens right outside the garden fence.

Snakes are kind of cool, but I’m not a huge fan. Although, our kids love them. For a couple years in a row there was a huge snake hanging around. The kids named it Tiger.

Cardinal Meadowhawk
I’ve watched this guy a number of times. His favorite hang out is perched on this grass hovering above the new pond waiting for a snack to catch.

I’m certainly grateful for all these fabulous things surrounding my family & I this summer.

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