Here's what's in a name

I often get asked what my inspiration was for the name of this blog.  Er, well, at least one person has asked.  Coming up with a good farm name is actually what kept me from creating this blog for, oh I don't know...a couple of years.  Then, as often happens, nature provided that inspiration for me.

The following are a series of shots taken from my backyard...a scene that plays out nearly every day.

Ok, the last one has Mr./Mrs. Hawk perching atop a Cottonwood, but you get the idea.

We seem to have a synchronized dinner time because each evening that I'm in the kitchen cooking, there are one or more hawks perched in those big Cottonwoods overlooking the fields, just waiting to spy their meal.  And that's obviously what draws them in - but having my yard encircled with Pine, it is often the Pine and the Hawk that command my field of view.  As well, Cottonwood Hawk Farm just doesn't have as nice of a ring to it. 

On at least a few occasions now, another interesting sight I've had the pleasure of witnessing is an adult hawk seemingly being chased by a handful of smaller birds.  They are often low overhead and creating quite the ruckus.  I haven't been able to tell yet if they are just babies playing tag with Mama, or some other species who are retaliating after the hawk got all up in their business.  Either way, it's one of my favorite shows on backyard TV these days.  What have you been watching?

Little hands in dirt

Gotta love springtime in the garden!  

Saturday morning we went to the local community festival where the girls enjoyed pony rides, balloon animals, face painting, bouncy houses and snow cones.  

And as soon as we returned home, it was time to play in the dirt!  We sowed 2 rows each of Boston Pickling Cucumbers and Muncher cukes.  Really want to have enough to pickle this year.  I should say, have enough to put up - that will last more than a few weeks.  I did pickle last season, but they sure didn't last long.  We also planted sunflowers, Minnesota Midget melons, Tigger melons, Ali Baba Watermelon and Texas Golden Watermelon.  First time trying melons...very exciting!

Sunday morning was our day to get the Oregano and pepper transplants (Italian Pepperoncini and Filius Blue) into their summer homes.  Broke out the old "container garden" pots that I had used while living in the condo, as all my raised beds are already packed full.  Girls couldn't wait to help and of course, it also became a lesson in taking turns :)  After working together on the first one, they each wanted to do their own pot.  I'd have to say the next best thing to having my own hands in the soil, is seeing dirt under their little fingernails!  It may even take the cake.   

After that we moved on to transplanting some Sage into the raised bed location where I had ripped out an old Sage bush of unknown origins.  Not sure if all Sage varieties are edible, so wanted to make sure I had the good stuff.  Finding room in odd corners of raised beds and containers, we also planted Basil, Parsley, Cilantro, Dill, Anise Hyssop, Sorrel and Vietnamese mint.  Kaya caught me pulling some weeds behind one of the raised beds and throwing down even more dill seed.  "You're putting some there too?!", she asked.  "Sure, why not...  Something will grow where there is exposed soil, might as well be an herb!"  

Also found a little space for some potatoes.  I didn't think I would have room, but the shady portion of my 3 sisters bed was just calling out for some new life.  Months ago I had saved an old bag of organic potatoes in the basement, just in case I could find the space.  They were already sprouting profusely, up to 12" sprouts, so we'll see what happens.  Worst case scenario is that there is no worst case....they would have ended up in the compost anyway, so they'll either provide a modest harvest or compost in place.   

The Unveiling

We did indeed get right around 4-5" of snow, coming down most of the day on Sunday.  I had a stroke of paranoia late Saturday so gathered what tarps and sheets I had and in the midst of the rain and wind that was kicking up, staked them down over top of the little straw mounds I had covering the tomatoes.  I left a few control subjects with only their straw hats to test just how well that method would work by itself.   I believe the mercury only dipped to around 30 last night, but the snow had already melted so they didn't have that extra layer of insulation.  Went out this morning to remove the coverings.  Pushing back the straw I was quite happy to see that there was no damage of any kind.  Not even any breakage or smushage from the weight of the straw + tarp + snow, which I was also a bit concerned about.   I left the straw in place, in little rings around the 'maters.  If we get another cold snap, I can easily mold it back over top, and if not, it will act as a mulch - suppressing weeds before finally breaking down to feed the soil.   All the other cold tolerant veggies I have in the ground seemed to enjoy the brief respite from the Spring heat - with the additional moisture serving only to make them that much greener.

Where the 'maters at?

...all tucked in under those little straw mounds!   My tomato seedlings have only been in the ground for a week and now we are expecting 4-6" of snow tomorrow night.  I've never actually seen this technique used to protect plants, but it seems like it should do the job.   With 23 tomato plants, I didn't have enough containers, tarps or sheets to cover with.   I built up some straw around the base so as not to break the fragile babies, then filled in, covering by about 4" above the tops.  Hoping that the snow builds additional insulation without crushing and keeps them protected from the falling temps which could reach as low as 25 degrees.   Wish us all luck! 

Bring on the green!

It was a beautiful, sunny, 70 degree Spring day today and after almost a week of relentless winds, I was finally able to enjoy my lunch out on the back deck again.  Followed, of course, by a wandering through the garden beds to check on the early progress...

I never knew until today how much a yet-to-unfurl apple blossom resembles a rose bud.

Sugar snap and Improved Maestro garden peas coming along quite nicely.

Specks of green life everywhere in the radish, turnip, beet and chard beds.  The strawberry patch (that barely made it into the top of the picture) has sprung back to life with great vigor.  I'm hoping after having received a sufficient watering this spring that they will produce a bit better than last year.

Bumblebees out of hibernation and already fat off the nectar from the cover crop that I planted last fall.  Or those could just be weeds, not sure.

This guy was as big as the end of my thumb

Mid-flight!

Apple Hopes

My very own apple tree.  I was so excited after discovering it in my new backyard last May and had grand dreams of what I would do with the harvest.  Pies, apple crisp, shelves lined with jars of applesauce canned in all its fall splendor and supplying a winter full of apple-y goodness.  The tree did its thing most of the summer, producing hundreds of golden fruit gems that grew to about 2" in diameter.  Then something happened - still not sure what - but over the course of a few weeks it lost all of its fruit.  Not much evidence on the ground.  I don't know if critters were stealing right out of the tree, or it was dropping fruit and then they were hauled off.  Anyway, I quenched my apple desires at the local Farmer's Markets and hoped for a better outcome next year.   So here we are!  I did some pruning about a month ago and she's now producing a beautiful display of blossoms.  After 4 days of harsh winds, I'm surprised there are any left.  But once again, I have high hopes for a bountiful harvest and can't wait to enjoy some nice juicy fruit come fall!