Monday, June 24, 2013

An Update in Pictures


Life continues to be busy around the homestead.  Summer heat doesn't slow the workload, so we forge ahead and work through the sweat, ha!

The garden has been producing, though not as much as I had hoped.  I've decided that this year will be simply a year of learning, since it was our first attempt at a garden in sandy soil.  We have already learned lots, and will continue to figure it all out so that next year our harvest will be even bigger.  I am not disappointed, we have been getting plenty, but it hasn't quite been up to my expectations.  It's okay...expectations can rob us of joy if we let them, but I am choosing not to.  I am choosing to see all the blessings, and enjoying the journey!

I harvested our carrots last week...we had only planted one row, and most of them were harvested.  Success!  It's funny how carrots from the garden do not look perfect and uniform in size and shape like the ones you buy at the store.  Our organic gardening techniques work just fine, and the carrots are delicious even if they don't all look exactly the same!


Peeling and slicing...


This colander was full, but I forgot to snap a picture until there were just these few left!  Oops!


We took the peel and fed it to the chickens...they were thrilled.  Even they are enjoying the harvest!

The okra is beautiful so far.  It grows so quickly that I have to check the plants twice a day to make sure none of them are growing into giant okra.  Giant okra looks pretty, but it doesn't taste as good as the smaller ones, so we try to harvest them before they are HUGE!






The tomatoes are finally starting to have buds, and even some tiny green tomatoes are appearing on the vine, but not before we battled the horn worm!  YUK!  He came along and decided he would feast on the tomato plant, stripping every branch he came across.  Thankfully we caught him before too much damage was done.  Don't worry, we taught him a lesson...we fed him to the chickens!  Ha!  It won't be long before we are enjoying fresh tomatoes off the vine, and hopefully enough to can, too!  MMMM, homemade marinara and homemade salsa, here we come!



In other news, I rearranged the furniture and WOW it makes my living room look so much bigger!




The kids and I ventured to the park and had a great time.  Thankfully it wasn't so hot in this day...I am not sure that I see too many park dates in the near future...I sweat enough at home working, I'm not too interested in sweating at the park too!  Ha!








That's a little catch-up on the recent happenings around the homestead.  Check back soon for more of our fun adventures!


3 comments:

  1. Hi Anne,as always thanks for the pictures! Those home garden vegetables are the best. The quantity will come as your experience grows. Keep up the good work!

    Papi

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  2. Hi ant Anne, I just looked at your blog and I love it. I like that Levi had a Duck Dynasty themed birthday party.:). I am a huge fan of Duck Dynasty. Your garden looks good.:). My dad and I are growing a garden to. So I hope you like your home out there at Hen Hollow.

    good wishes,
    Cerise.

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  3. Hope some homemade salsa makes its home in San Antonio.............

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