Free!

 My kids will forever remember the fun times I dragged them to help me with free bushes.  I've done this so many times.  This time we didn't have to dig, but this time the plants were so HUGE that they hardly fit in the van. All the seats were folded down and we moved the front seats way up to have the most possible room and they were still bigger than the space we had.  The gate didn't even fully latch, we were living on a prayer the 5 miles home.  I got them trimmed WAY back and they are now in the ground in the spot that we had to remove the huge maple because of lightning damage. Did all the planting myself, a commitment I tell you. I am so excited for them to take off and be beautiful on our homestead! I'm also excited that these stories will likely live on for generations! 

 

Garlic

 Garlic is definitely one of my most favorite crops to grow ever. Been keeping the same cloves going for a decade now. 

Peaches!

 

Leaf Mulcher

 We drove by something that looked interesting and I said "WHAT's THAT?"  Everyone said, "NO MOM and my husband kept driving.  But on the way back, I said, "Can you just let me look, please?" My husband begrudgingly stopped.  Then I saw the sign FREE LEAF MULCHER.  "This beast is coming home with us", I said.  They all rolled their eyes.  BUT it works marvelously!  These leaves were given to me and I had planned to use them as mulch.  But, you know, life. 

Adrian had a genius idea of set up. Shredded the leaves, soaked in water.  I pulled my garlic from this patch and did some succession planting. I definitely wanted it mulched before we went away on vacation.  DONE.  Well, that spot and a few others.  This is going to be a handy help around the homestead. 

Garden update July 2024

 One week ago, the garden looked like this: 

Tonight it looked like this: 

Here are a sampling of pics from the garden as of late.  Most frequent visitors are Zippy and Anna-Kate.  Adrian shows up to complain about my nonsense.  Audra avoids the garden lately, that way she doesn't get roped into helping!  Along with the growing bit is the putting away of the food for winter.  I've been working very hard at that. 

Plant swap

 Plant swap success, we had between 50 and 60 people. The largest yet.  A smashing success. 

Garden Update #2 2024

 I know it's not even been a minute since my last garden post, but here I am....with big gardening news. 

I keep working on the main garden. I've reduced the size, but worked to improve it.  Hopefully more manageable. 

On the left, I had a big chunk that I removed all the invasive burning bush.  I just left the lilacs. This was HOURS of work. Hopefully I can get the lilacs back without so many invasives. 

And my grafts!! They are coming on back.  I have a few I regrafted, but the majority are thriving. 

Garden Update 2024 #1

 All hands on deck with garden prep! Well, sort of. This one mostly just keeps me company. 

This one is a non stop worker. 

This is my one getting things ready for meals.  Parsnips galore! 

May 2nd progress at the end of the day. Hopeful for a good growing season! 

Homemaker Love

 Years ago I started an Extension Homemaker group, envisioning that there were more crazy homemaker/homesteaders like me who wanted to be a community.  I'm not going to lie, it was NOT an easy thing to start.  BUT, years and years later, it was 100% worth it!  We have an amazing community of women helping women. We share our seeds, plants and produce. We help one another, we support and encourage one another.  We do monthly classes, teaching each other. We also have work days helping each other. Here's a pic of our stone soup meeting.  Everyone contributed things they grew and we combined it into a soup.  SO GOOD.

 Because I'm the best at helping and the worst at asking for help, I was reminded several times that I needed to schedule a work meeting at my house. Finally did and am thankful for the help I had mulching my ridiculously large for a family of 5 orchard. 

This was my before Thanksgiving garden list. With homemaker help, the only thing left was digging potatoes.

Which we did today.  Now although I hurt my shoulder and can barely move my arm, I am smiling because my before Thanksgiving garden list is DONE.

Flowers

 My flower girl and I are mourning the end of the flowers.  We have one tiny arrangement still in bloom on the counter.  I love seasons, but definitely grieve the end of having Maine grown flowers on the table. 

The Story of the Hydrangeas

 Last year there was an ad on facebook marketplace for free 'you dig' hydrangeas.  I went, I dug and I pulled out a chunk of gardens and added them. I had visions for more.  One year later, there's a different facebook ad for hydrangeas. I decided to bring Adrian.  Adrian is NOT into my gardening ideas, but I told him he didn't want to send me to a creepy stranger's alone.  He groaned, but came. When we arrived, he said "NO. Mom.  We are not doing this."  It was HUGE.  I was thrilled!!  It took a looooong time, but I dug it up.  With him watching (because he foolishly wore crocs) and telling me I was ridiculous. BUT I DID IT.  And then I remembered I just had our little subaru.  BUT I WAS LEAVING NOTHING BEHIND. Long story short, I got them all in what will eventually be a hedge of hydrangeas and I'm so happy! 

 

Garden 2023

 Gardening is ongoing as usual here, but it's odd gardening when we're gone most of summer. We always have lots to eat fresh and I do a little preserving over the winter. I've mostly upped my game on fruit. I keep adding, here are a few highlights: 

First year grafting apples, stats:

20 rootstock in the spring with my birthday money
16 grafts took
12 still thriving (after a month of receiving no care, I am delighted!)
6 rootstock still growing so I can try again next year
2 rootstock appear dead (but may not be).

So this year apple trees cost me $10.42.

Because I can try again next year with new scion that I'll cut myself and my old rootstock, and assuming all will overwinter,my cost per tree will go down to $6 94.

Super affordable, considering most apple trees are a minimum of $30 before shipping for a 1 year graft.

Takeaway: I'm a big fan and want to keep going. Rest of the crew thinks we have enough. 


Other garden highlights (and my most consistent garden helper):