Where We've Been - Part 2

Here are some pictures that I took today around the homestead.

The blueberries have just started turning this week. I've been able to harvest several cups, but intend to really pick a bunch either this evening or tomorrow.


Here's a current picture of half of our garden. To the far end we have potatoes, blueberries, and okra. Then there are the strawberries, followed by corn and beans. I just pulled out the spinach and in its place I plan on putting green peppers. Then we'll also add some sweet potatoes to the raised bed next to the blueberries.


The Colorado Potato Beetle has been showing up on our potato plants, so we've been going out in the mornings and picking them off by hand. The birds tried to get into our strawberries and blueberries, but netting stopped that. Other than that, we've not noticed any pests in the garden. Hopefully it stays that way!

Here's the other side of the garden. Beyond the newly planted corn and beans, we have tomatoes. Carrots are in the two raised bed boxes to the right of the wheelbarrow. We still plan on putting pumpkins in the garden.


Apples are getting big


Peaches are growing nicely


We're REALLY looking forward to blackberries!


Small little beginnings of grapes


Pears are getting big


This is the picture of the Old Orchard. The previous homeowner attempted to put the orchard in this spot, but it didn't do well. Two large apple trees, two pear trees, and about fifteen small black walnut trees remain, but the rest of the orchard was moved to a different part of the property. There are also a few grape vines, but they're growing amongst weeds. It's going to take some work to get them cleared out.


This is the New Orchard. This is where the previous homeowner re-established the orchard and apparently it did better in this spot. To the far left there are onions and garlic in the raised beds, then three cherry trees, and three peach trees. I'm thinking of putting watermelon in the unused raised bed. In the center row is my asparagus patch that I'm starting to let fern out, then there are five apple trees. In the far right row there are hazelnut bushes, then the grape vines.


Finally, here are some pretties that are even more beautiful simply because they have required no work on my part!




So, yes we're busy and yes we're tired and yes we're sunburned and yes we're bug-bitten...but this work is so satisfying. It would be so much easier to just go to the store for all our food, but we love working towards self-sufficiency. For our first year of learning as we go I don't think it's going too awfully bad. I am looking forward to five years from now when we already have some knowledge and experience under our belts.

Adding in another picture...I went to the garden before supper and picked a few things. This is our first real harvest of blueberries with some leftover strawberries and cherries thrown in.