Hello September!
I’ve been so busy that I nearly forgot that September is upon us once again! I have noticed that the days are becoming shorter and that the evenings are chillier. It’s hard for me to believe that the growing season is nearly over and that soon the countryside will be displaying autumn colors. A look around the farm reveals that summer is waning, as the fall crops are flourishing.
- He is also attaching the new canes onto the support wires.
- Gyurme is pruning out all the dead wood from the raspberries.
- The garlic chives are blooming profusely around the vegetable garden and the honeybees are really drawn to the flowers.
- As you can see, there is a lot of new growth.
- The raspberries are having a very long season. These golden raspberries are so sweet. Raspberries produce an early-summer crop on the previous season’s growth and a fall crop on the current season’s growth.
- The bee hives are very active and healthy.
- This year, Shaun and I decided to allow pumpkins to grow outside the vegetable garden and climb up the fence for support.
- An immature Long Island Cheese pumpkin suspended on the fence
- This is a flat-shaped French variety called Potiron.
- This pumpkin is growing larger and deeper in color every day.
- This Kakai pumpkin will soon become orange with dark green stripes.
- This is a forming Turk’s Turban – it will get larger and become various shades of orange and green.
- Surprisingly, at this late date, there are still a few strawberries to be found!
- This bottle gourd will reach a nice large size.
- A nicely mulched pathway to the cutting garden. By the way, this composted mulch was made right here on the property up at the composting area.
- The sedum flowers are just beginning to turn pink. Sedum are often taken for granted in the garden, partly because they don’t bloom until the fall, but this is what I love about them.
- The smart hens are staying cool in the shade.
- Hard work is not an issue for these Sherpas.
- Chhiring and Pete have been weeding and mulching like crazy.
- Their fleece is highly desirable for making quality fibers for knitting and weaving. The fleece is a dark black or reddish black called cuchddu.
- My pair of Black Welsh Mountain Sheep love their larger pen and the rich green grass.
- This is the front of my house where many of my potted tropicals live for the summer. I can’t get over how tall and full the banana trees have gotten!
- The entrance to the Summer House flanked by potted Phoenix roebelenii Pygmy Date Palms and giant alocasias
- I know that I’ve mentioned how amazing the apple yield is this year, but I’m just so excited about it. This laden espalier is a Cortland apple variety.