- Asparagus: Pan-Fried Asparagus
- Rhubarb: 10 Favorite Rhubarb Recipes
- Salad Greens: Miso Sesame Dressing
- Garlic Chives: Garlic Chive Scrambled Eggs; How to Use Garlic Chives
- Onion Chives: Herb and Parmesan Popcorn
- Green Onions
- Eggs
The rain has provided some wonderful moisture to the fields and all the transplants are looking well established. With the upcoming heat, we anticipate all the plants growing like gangbusters…including the weeds. So, we are trying to get a round of cultivating completed before Friday to help eliminate the tiny threads of weeds that are developing.
A few potato beetles have been found in the dirt of last year’s potato crop area. We have our potato seed curing and ready to be planted next week. Although this is a bit behind the old adage of planting potatoes on Good Friday, we believe that the warmer soil helps the potatoes shoot out of the ground faster and perhaps avoid being the first food source for the overwintered potato beetles. This season, we are closely watching our 5 guinnea hens to see what their appetites are for the emerging adult potato beetles and the potato beetle larvae once the plants are growing.
This spring brought with it 3 newborn lambs from our Katahdin sheep flock. The lambs are growing well and we are learning about all the small adaptations that are needed to handle the sheep. About 3 weeks ago, one of the little lambs kicked a side fence wrong and ended up breaking his leg. Our wonderful vet, Tom Roskos, let us drive the lamb over to his farm and helped wrap up the leg for mending. Ashlan had to hold the lamb on his lap during the car ride and help hold the lamb during the procedure. He had a very up close view of what types of things a vet does and is not so sure if that is something he is interested in.
So we have learned that we would like to build a catch corral with some wooden gates to make the process
of catching and sorting the sheep be stress free and calm for everyone. Depending on how this first season of lambs goes, we may be interested in increasing our flock for next year. The lamb with the broken lamb has been doing great and we get to take the cast off this week to see the progress. Our fingers are crossed that the bone mended!
Other critters on the farm include a 2 week old calf named Midnight, as she is all black with long black eyelashes. The children on pizza night have enjoyed watching her get her evening feeding of milk. The runner ducks are living in the raspberry patch this summer and have proven to be like watch dogs, running alongside the fence and trying to peck peope’s boots if they stand to close. Of course, our flock of laying hens is up on the rotational pasture/orchard providing great entertainment along with plenty of free-range eggs.
The last group of animals are the hogs which live in an area in the back of the garden. The pigs are fabulous entertainment running back and forth and munching on the dandelions as we weed and plant near them. The pigs enjoy themselves outside, taking mud baths, rooting in the ground, and simple acting like pigs.
Life is never dull here on the farm. There are over 10 different species of animals that live here at Suncrest Gardens. Come on out to the farm and see if you can find them all during one of our wood-fired pizza nights!
eat well Smile Often.
yourFarmer,
Heather